Seneschál to patronise Talossan national cuisine

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

The national cuisine of Talossa, under El Lexhatx F.4.3.7 and F.18, is Taco Bell. New Zealand's first Taco Bell opens today at a shopping mall not too far from me. I have a patriotic duty.

If you don't hear from me again, know that I died doing what I loved - eating strange things.

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

There was a half-hour queue to get in. There's a certain novelty in being able to buy alcohol at a fast food restaurant; sadly, the frozen margarita machine was out of order.

[Iason Bitxichë Taiwos]

And? What did you think? Around here Taco Bell stays open very late, so it's a popular spot when the bars start to close down. It'll be midnight, one o'clock in the morning, and the cars in the drive thru lane will be backed up to the street. Never been to a Taco Bell that served alcohol, tho.

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

Nov 15, 2019 22:56:57 GMT -6 Iason Bitxichë Taiwos said:

And? What did you think?

I paid $NZ9 for 2 tacos which aren't quite as good as the ones we make at home. Which makes it at least as good as McDonald's once you no longer have to queue for half an hour to get in.

[Eðo Grischun]

Nov 15, 2019 23:00:17 GMT -6 Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN said:

Nov 15, 2019 22:56:57 GMT -6 Iason Bitxichë Taiwos said:

And? What did you think?

I paid $NZ9 for 2 tacos which aren't quite as good as the ones we make at home. Which makes it at least as good as McDonald's once you no longer have to queue for half an hour to get in.

Same opinion. We have 2 Taco Bells in Glasgow now, both less than 2 years open. Mad queues upon opening, but that settled down. I'd also rate it next to McDonalds and KFC. Decent enough when your in the mood for rubbish fast food, but nothing to go out of your way for.

I don't know if our ones sell alcohol. Never noticed, but they probably don't.

[Iason Bitxichë Taiwos]

According to the US/New Zealand dollar exchange rate I just Googled, that was an expensive meal, like $14 in US money. Last time I went to Taco Bell, tacos were like 89 cents. Aside from the fact they stay open late at night, another factor in their popularity is the cheapness of the food. Taco Bell is for when you want to eat out, but really don't have much money.

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

Nov 16, 2019 1:41:31 GMT -6 Iason Bitxichë Taiwos said:

According to the US/New Zealand dollar exchange rate I just Googled, that was an expensive meal, like $14 in US money.

I think you must have the exchange rate upside down. $NZ1 is about $0.60-0.70US, I forget how much. Remember that this is brand new and people are queuing around the block for it.

[Iason Bitxichë Taiwos]

It's bloody cultural imperialism, is what it is. Culinary fascism. Taco Bells opening up in Scotland and New Zealand should have been met with bricks through the window, not thirty minute queues. Protect and defend your local restaurants, your local cuisines!

[Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN]

Nov 16, 2019 3:00:26 GMT -6 Iason Bitxichë Taiwos said:

Protect and defend your local restaurants, your local cuisines!

We don't have any.

And as for Scotland...

[Iason Bitxichë Taiwos]

That's why they excel at whisky.

[Eðo Grischun]

Ah, the deep fried battered pizza. Hardly anyone actually eats those greasy abominations and you only really find them in the places that gullible tourists go. Traditional Scottish fare is more game and fish based.

We recently got a Dennys as well. Not been to it yet. We had an A&W (is that the right letters?) But, that didn't last long before closing. Too many McDonalds, KFCs and Burger Kings to count. Britain does love a bit of American franchise.

On cost... our Taco Bells are definitely more expensive than in the US. I think we're above £5 for most meals and the portions are apparently smaller.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

Nov 16, 2019 3:23:59 GMT -6 Miestrâ Schivâ, UrN said:

Nov 16, 2019 3:00:26 GMT -6 Iason Bitxichë Taiwos said:

Protect and defend your local restaurants, your local cuisines!

We don't have any.

Lollycakes and hangi-cooked fish! Just need to be turned into fast food at a new Waitangi-on-the-Go.

[Lüc da Schir]

Deep fried pizza is actually legit Italian food, believe it or not. The proper version is just a regular pizza folded in two and deep fried.

As for Talossan cuisine in my area, we don't have Taco Bell (or any other similar American chain) but we do have a chain called Old Wild West that serves tex-mex food. I've been there once and it seemed pretty legit, but then again, it might have been my version of thinking Olive Garden is Italian food.

[Ian Plätschisch]

Nov 16, 2019 10:05:23 GMT -6 Lüc da Schir said:

it might have been my version of thinking Olive Garden is Italian food.

You mean it isn't?

[Lüc da Schir]

Nov 16, 2019 10:21:59 GMT -6 Ian Plätschisch said:

Nov 16, 2019 10:05:23 GMT -6 Lüc da Schir said:

it might have been my version of thinking Olive Garden is Italian food.

You mean it isn't?

I wouldn't say it is. Their menu just seems off, like an American take on Italian food rather than actual Italian food.

I've just checked their menu, and they have a weird obsession with putting chicken everywhere, which you wouldn't normally find on pasta or anywhere else than on its own really. Similar story for shrimp, which they apparently offer in a variety of dishes. But, for example, "the" typical seafood pasta dish in Italy would have clams and mussels, which I can't see anywhere.

They also sell a lot of dishes that have both a primo (a pasta dish) and a secondo (a meat/fish dish) on the same plate, which is generally a no-no, like spaghetti with meatballs.

(Also, don't quote me on this, but I've never seen eggplant parmesan in Italy.)