Chapter: The Food

The Food

For me, food is everything. Fortunately, and unfortunately the food in the United Kingdom is quite different than the food in the United State.  

Let's go back 4 weeks ago when my flat mates and I decided that we would go out for a meal to the Taste of Italy restaurant down stair below our flat.  

"hey you guys, I am STARVING, lets go" I said to Ricky and Nick. 

We get down stairs to the restaurant and we are standing in the lobby area waiting to be waited on, no one say anything to us.  It was like we weren't even their.  

I walked up one of the waitresses and said, 

"Hi, we are hungry and would like to eat...can we have a seat somewhere?" 

She replied, " YE, Sur-ah right this way." 

She sat us down for our meal, we all look at the menus that have been placed in front of us, slightly confused.  We didn't know much of what was on the menu, besides pizza. 

After we all figured out what we wanted to eat, each of us deciding on pizza, we waited for about 20 minutes before the waitress came back.  

I stared her down to get her attention, then she came over.  

We ordered our food and then it came...let's just say that pizza in the US, is different than what pizza is at the Taste of Italy. 

We ate our food and waited and waited, and waited for our bill once again, I stared down the waitress and then she came over.  I asked for the bill she said,  YE, Sur-ah.  

After we left, I thought why is the wait staff in the UK so different than in the US.  In the US it is not uncommon to be borderline over-helped by the wait staff at a restaurant.  

...and here it's totally opposite. 

I asked a coworker the next day at work, 

"Why is the wait staff here in the UK so relaxed and borderline, unresponsive?" 

Jen replied, " Oh, don't ya be worrying, its like that here, the wait staff want you to fully enjoy your meal with wee interruptions.  Also mate, you don't have to tip, like you do in the states. " 

Now, if you couldn't tell, Jen White, is from Ireland.  I love the way she speaks.

I felt much better when in discovered that the dining culture is different than what I am used to, it made things clearer for me. 

Now, let me explain about the restaurants, and shops.  

There is one McDonalds in the whole city. No Burger King, White Castle, Chipotle, Taco Bell, Arby's, Jimmy John's, Panera Bread, or really any fast food chain.  

There is, KFC, Dominos, and Pizza Hut. 

Pizza Hut is actually a fine dining place with waiters and waitresses! 

So what do I eat on a day to day basis ?

Let me tell you. 

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Recently, with my Panrimo city coordinator Arianne, I enjoyed a beautiful restaurant with equally as beautiful and delicious food, from COSMOS.

Cosmos is a buffet restaurant that offers foods from all over the world. China, Japan, India, Mexico, USA, Thailand, and South America, just to name a few places that are represented at this restaurant.

I tried something at Cosmos that I never tried before.

This food is also a food that I thought that i would never try...ever.

A great friend of mine and future doctor, Christy Williams , along with many other people in the world think that this just the best food in the world.

Sushi.

My time had come and the sushi was looking at me and I was looking at it.

The moment of truth...

The sushi wasn't bad.  However, like many other things that I tried on my stay her in the UK, it wasn't great.  Nothing that I would purchase again a burger will suffice.

While on the thought of foods that aren't bad, however, will never bee purchased again lets talk about Haggis...

A viewer of my blog from eiustudyabroad, and several people here in the Scotland have suggested that I try Haggis.

If you don't know what haggis is...look it up.  I don't think it can be bared to be talked about, or even thought about.

Haggis is not bad.  I think what makes my stomach continue to turn, and not be able eat the food is just what it is.

During the time that ate the haggis, the thought of a sheep was all over my mind...and other things too.

Okay, thats enough about haggis. I do recommend that everyone who visits Scotland should try haggis its only right.

So that means if you ever find your self in the UK specifically Scotland then make sure that you top at a local restaurant and order Haggis!

In a small time from this very moment, I will be trying curry.  Hopefully this goes well!

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