What do American expats miss the most about living in America?

[Redpossum]

I'm not expat, I have lived here my entire life, but is Argentina food so bad compared to the US? I never have left Argentina so I didn't know we sucked so much at food.

No, Emilia, Argentina food is wonderful. It's fantastic, delicious, divine. I love it.

The reason we carry on like we do is because...well, if you've lived here all your life, you don't know what it's like to be an expat. Imagine you were 8000km away from where you were born. On another continent, in another culture, another language, always the foreigner, the outsider, the one who doesn't get the jokes or know the social rules. Imagine how horribly lonely and alienated you would feel sometimes.

Two nights ago, I was talking to a Brazilian friend of mine in Sao Paulo. I was saying something to her about San Diego, the city of my birth, and all at once with no warning I got all choked up and my voice went funny and the next thing I knew I had tears rolling down my cheeks. It passed in 30 seconds or so, but it was awful for that eternal half a minute. And I am not all that sentimental by nature.

So we talk about the food and things, because it comforts us to share our thoughts with the other expats, in the lonely desolation of our exile.

 

[wineguy999]

I'm not expat, I have lived here my entire life, but is Argentina food so bad compared to the US? I never have left Argentina so I didn't know we sucked so much at food.

In my opinion, there is plenty of good food in Argentina. The cuisine is limited, causing many here to criticize the lack of choices, and of course many love to criticize the general quality of many dishes. I enjoy the pizza in Argentina for example, but I know it's not like a great Neapolitan or New York pie.

What I find most amusing is Argentino expats, and how they cling to the same limitations when they're abroad. I have known many ARG expats in three different cities in the US, and they all eat a lot of milanesa, pasta, pizza, empanadas, etc. And they drink $10-15 Malbec, with a world of wine available to them.

 

[antipodean]

I'm not expat, I have lived here my entire life, but is Argentina food so bad compared to the US? I never have left Argentina so I didn't know we sucked so much at food.

It’s good, especially quality of most ingredients,
but it is for many foreigners as others have said, bland and repetitive. Milanesa. Meat. Empanadas. Tartas. Pasta. Pizza. Ice-cream. Facturas. And for a treat something like Locro or Matahambre topped off by a familiar old flan. A typical Argentina menu reads more like the children’s menu where I am from (which in my opinion, when going to restaurants or dinner with my Argentine friends, some also tend to act like children in insisting on eating bland and familiar things and if it’s not perfectly bland they throw a tantrum complaining of too much salt/ pepper/ seasoning/ garlic etc.)

There is still hope though. The UK/ Australia/ NZ etc. used to have this kind of reputation for bland food too - now you walk into any Pret-a-Manger or rural supermarket and you’re guaranteed to find Vietnamese, Indian, Moroccan, Thai and many more culinary influences making their way into peoples everyday lunch and becoming “normal” food rather than “exotic” food. That’s why many foreigners here, especially those from more cosmopolitan places, may find the food scene a bit boring because it simply does not compare with the variety that exists abroad which they have grown up with or become accustomed to.

 

[Alby]

There is still hope though. The UK/ Australia/ NZ etc. used to have this kind of reputation for bland food too - now you walk into any Pret-a-Manger or rural supermarket and you’re guaranteed to find Vietnamese, Indian, Moroccan, Thai and many more culinary influences making their way into peoples everyday lunch and becoming “normal” food rather than “exotic” food.

I can't speak for the other countries and far be it from me to defend my erstwhile homeland (with which I have a tense relationship), but in Australia we could dine out on South East Asian, North Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern and African food from as early as the mid-80s. While these cuisines were still exotic at that time, most of them had ceased to be by the 90s. And the Vietnamese restaurants date back to the mid-70 with the arrival of the refugees. Even if Argentina starts now (and is there any sign it is about to?) it will be 40-50 years behind. Selfishly, my hope is that it doesn't, for a few more years at least. I like the way the country is frozen in time and still somewhat authentic. It is one of the reasons I am here and not where I would otherwise be.

Great analogy about the menus being like kids' menus. It's a nice way to explain the issue to Argentines. It is one of the reasons I don't eat out much, but the upside is that I have become a much better cook while living here.

 

[Redpossum]

Mostly I just miss Mexican food almost unbearably. I know, I know, I've already said this 400 times, but it's true!

All the other Asian stuff, eh, I can live without it. I wouldn't eat sushi if you paid me to. I like my fish cooked, thank you very much.

Oh, and American style barbecue. Baby back ribs, oh mama!

 

[sts7049]

the food here and variety in recent years has improved a lot, however, there is also quite a large amount of mediocre and bland offerings here. it seems to me that the general public largely accepts this mediocrity. but if you look around a bit it's not so bad.

 

[Emilia Hertz]

It’s good, especially quality of most ingredients,
but it is for many foreigners as others have said, bland and repetitive. Milanesa. Meat. Empanadas. Tartas. Pasta. Pizza. Ice-cream. Facturas. And for a treat something like Locro or Matahambre topped off by a familiar old flan. A typical Argentina menu reads more like the children’s menu where I am from (which in my opinion, when going to restaurants or dinner with my Argentine friends, some also tend to act like children in insisting on eating bland and familiar things and if it’s not perfectly bland they throw a tantrum complaining of too much salt/ pepper/ seasoning/ garlic etc.)

There is still hope though. The UK/ Australia/ NZ etc. used to have this kind of reputation for bland food too - now you walk into any Pret-a-Manger or rural supermarket and you’re guaranteed to find Vietnamese, Indian, Moroccan, Thai and many more culinary influences making their way into peoples everyday lunch and becoming “normal” food rather than “exotic” food. That’s why many foreigners here, especially those from more cosmopolitan places, may find the food scene a bit boring because it simply does not compare with the variety that exists abroad which they have grown up with or become accustomed to.

Oh that's true, and I myself like a lot forgeiner food, particulary like going to Mirutaki to eat Ramen and other japanese dishes.I have mexican friends who always tell me that in Mexico, Mexican food is so much better than here, so I'm really interested in knowing how food is outside. I know a lot of italian recipes my grandma teached me, specially pasta carbonara (the authentic way, no cream, bacon or weird ingredients, thankfully Im able to find guanciale and pecorino romano here lol) but it's true that if you go to restaurants it's very limited most of the time, that's why a lot of stuff I learn to cook are usually international dishes, and also why I rather eating at home than going to restaurants.

 

[jblaze5779]

I don't understand how most of these restaurants stay in business. They all have the same menu essentially. I guarantee you that I can tell you what's on the menu at any given place before we even walk in the door.

I go to the food truck park in Neuquén and there are 10 food stalls and each of them has an identical menu. What makes your hamburger/empanada/milanesa/carne/papas any different than the next truck?

I love scrolling through pedidosya for an hour before I get fed up and just don't eat that night. Not sure why I do it, I already know what the options are.

And you know i always got that hot sauce thang on me to hit it with some flavor.

 

[Redpossum]

Fa Song Song again

 

[Redpossum]

It was some pork dish of a Korean unpronounceability. The last word was Deopbap, but for all I know that just means "with rice". I asked if I could get it spicy. The very polite young Asian lady informed me that it was already spicy, and asked if I wanted it extra spicy. I enthusiastically agreed that, yes, I did indeed want it extra spicy. You veterans know how that went, no? I got a few mouthfuls that had a little heat to them, but mostly it was just barely warm. Spice-wise, that is; I had no complaints about temperature.

I wanted something that would cauterize my tonsils. Well, OK, so I haven't actually had tonsils since LBJ was in the White House, but you know what I mean...