BrynnMacFlynn: I have been dying to try shawarma after the Avengers.

was going to make a snarky comment about shawarma being available pretty much everywhere and then remembered

BrynnMacFlynn: kvinesknows: you should come to Winnipeg instead, screw the conference we have better food.

:( Someday, I will go a'travellin. However, since this is my first time out of the country and work is paying for everything, I think I need to be good. Thank you though!


we have North America's best chicken fingers and Canada's best clubhouse....

Rik01: Read it all before. Some of the items might be interesting to try here in the US but it got me thinking: what foreign fast food places exist and are any of them in the US?

Hong Kong has boatloads of fast food. The best stuff is mom and pop fast food places, which there are thousands of, but here are the main local chains, of which I believe only Cafe de Coral has a US presence:

Cafe de Coral group: Cafe de Coral, Spaghetti House, Ah Yee Leng Tong, Oliver's Super Sandwiches, Espressamente Illy, Super Super Congee & Noodles, ME.N.U, Spaghetti 360 (international chains include Cafe de Coral itself in China, Manchu Wok in the US and Canada, Dai Bai Dang in the US, and The Spaghetti House in China)

Maxim's Group: Maxim's MX, can.teen, Maxim's Food², Qian Shao Bai Wei, Maxim's Express, Maxim's Hong Kong Day.

Fairwood Fast Food (also operates in China)

Ka Ka Lok Fast Food (don't have a website that I'm aware of)

Tax Boy: was going to make a snarky comment about shawarma being available pretty much everywhere and then remembered

This is Fark though. Snark is to be expected. And I have been told of a good shawarma place in Philly, I just haven't stumbled across it yet on my ramblings. Plus it's raining today.

BrynnMacFlynn: Tax Boy: was going to make a snarky comment about shawarma being available pretty much everywhere and then remembered

This is Fark though. Snark is to be expected. And I have been told of a good shawarma place in Philly, I just haven't stumbled across it yet on my ramblings. Plus it's raining today.

plus really.. Alberta does have the best shwarma in the world. All the newfies brought it there.

Getting a beer at McDonalds in France was pretty cool. So simple, and not hard to do here, I mean just bring your own... but there's something about legitimately ordering a beer off the menu and openly consuming it in the restaurant that was awesome.

Kenny Rogers Roasters : (

aaeko: As this is from Fox News, I'm sure this is somehow Obama's fault.

Don't worry, no one says anything bad about Dear Leader.

McDonalds in Ireland had bacon sandwiches on the breakfast menu. With brown sauce.

BrynnMacFlynn: Savage Bacon: Well, if you're coming to Montreal specifically, I can recommend a few places for poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, shish taouk (what Montrealers say when they really mean "shawarma") or any other type of food that strikes your fancy. However, I'm afraid my knowledge of eateries in Toronto (Tronno), Vancouver and other cities is practically non-existent.

Sorry, meant to specify I am coming to Montreal specifically. And frankly, all of those kinds of food sound amazing. :D I have been dying to try shawarma after the Avengers.

kvinesknows: Canada is a little bit big eh? Probably be quite expensive to give you a tour of the whole country looking for good eats.

:( Meant to specify Montreal, sorry.

Welp, for smoked meat the Montreal standard is Schwartz's on St-Laurent Street. The place is always busy as hell and the service is in a brusque, New York style, but it's more than worth it. Snowdon Deli also has good smoked meat action, but it's a bit more out of the way if you'll be staying downtown. For shawarma/shish taouk, your best bet is any Amir location. Their portions are always tasty, generous and inexpensive. Finally, many places do poutine, as it comes from Québec, but La Banquise has one of the widest selections, from the Italian poutine (with spaghetti sauce) to the 'Obélix' (with smoked meat, thereby combining two Montreal classics, taking years off your life).

Let me know if you need further info!

Savage Bacon: Let me know if you need further info!

Thanks! I will make a point to hit all of them next week, though perhaps not Snowdon Deli. eeeeeeee

A college friend of mine lives in Israel, She said they serve falafel at McDonalds there now. I'm thinking falafel fried in theat awesome fry fat they use, has to equal artery clogging goodness.

Savage Bacon: BrynnMacFlynn: Savage Bacon: Well, if you're coming to Montreal specifically, I can recommend a few places for poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, shish taouk (what Montrealers say when they really mean "shawarma") or any other type of food that strikes your fancy. However, I'm afraid my knowledge of eateries in Toronto (Tronno), Vancouver and other cities is practically non-existent.

Sorry, meant to specify I am coming to Montreal specifically. And frankly, all of those kinds of food sound amazing. :D I have been dying to try shawarma after the Avengers.

kvinesknows: Canada is a little bit big eh? Probably be quite expensive to give you a tour of the whole country looking for good eats.

:( Meant to specify Montreal, sorry.

Welp, for smoked meat the Montreal standard is Schwartz's on St-Laurent Street. The place is always busy as hell and the service is in a brusque, New York style, but it's more than worth it. Snowdon Deli also has good smoked meat action, but it's a bit more out of the way if you'll be staying downtown. For shawarma/shish taouk, your best bet is any Amir location. Their portions are always tasty, generous and inexpensive. Finally, many places do poutine, as it comes from Québec, but La Banquise has one of the widest selections, from the Italian poutine (with spaghetti sauce) to the 'Obélix' (with smoked meat, thereby combining two Montreal classics, taking years off your life).

Let me know if you need further info!

you are of course forgetting to send her for a montreal style bagel.

broktune: aaeko: As this is from Fox News, I'm sure this is somehow Obama's fault.

Don't worry, no one says anything bad about Dear Leader.



/from China

Rostin: That trip also happened around the time that people were protesting the sale of US beef in Korea because of concerns about mad cow disease. The traitorous McDonalds and Outback Steakhouse in the city where I lived both had posters on their windows claiming that their beef was sourced from Australia. (I went to the Outback once, actually. No, not by choice. It was my host's way of being nice. There were one or two special items, but all in all, it was remarkably the same, down to the selection of salad dressings. It's the only place I visited in Korea that offered Ranch.)


McDonalds is one thing, I suppose, but with a name like "Outback Steakhouse," can you really fault them for making a point of the fact that they get their beef from Australia?

Also, my experience with American-style steakhouses in South Korea was that the meat was very bland. They use different spices, or no spices. When I said something to the Korean I was eating with one time, she agreed. She had eaten in a Lone Star in the USA and didn't like the meat because it tasted "funny."

This is true of food in Korea vs. food in the USA in general, at least from my experience. Some Korean food is quite hot, some isn't, a lot of it is delicious, some of it isn't (to me), but it's largely bland from an American point of view. That gochu red pepper they love so much is great for adding heat, but it doesn't really add any flavor. And pretty much everything I ate tasted to me like it desperately needed salt. Conversely, of course, every Korean I talked to with experience in America claimed that our food was too salty.

PacManDreaming: Same here. The Korean and Indian items looked really good.

Worst fast-food experience of my life was in a Lotteria in South Korea. It's basically an East Asian clone of McDonald's. To my everlasting regret, I tried their kimchi burger. Now, don't get me wrong, I like kimchi just fine. But kimchi does not belong on a burger any more than peanut butter belongs on bulgogi.

I'll take the one on the lower right

Savage Bacon: FawnLiebowitz: I have an urge to try poutine.

Come to Montreal. I'll give you the Poutine Tour.

I did a short stint(like a week) at La Belle Province, didn't speak french(or greek). i was totally abused.


/missing me some poutine about now

ciberido: PacManDreaming: Same here. The Korean and Indian items looked really good.

Worst fast-food experience of my life was in a Lotteria in South Korea. It's basically an East Asian clone of McDonald's. To my everlasting regret, I tried their kimchi burger. Now, don't get me wrong, I like kimchi just fine. But kimchi does not belong on a burger any more than peanut butter belongs on bulgogi.

This is not true at all. There is a food truck here that has Kimchi Burgers and a placed called Down House that serves Kimchi Burgers that are freaking amazing.

I got an American friend hooked on Fries Supreme at Taco Bell. Apparently American Taco Bell doesn't have french fries.

Hyatus: Dunkin' Donuts is still around?

They're pretty common in South Korea.

stonicus: UberDave: RexTalionis: KFC in China, as I recall, sells primarily chicken sandwiches.

That's what I remember of them in England. But I didn't really go in. I just kind of poked my head to take a look at the menu and it looked to be mostly sandwiches and salads. I didn't see Original Recipe anywhere. I was tempted to go in because I couldn't find a damn Chippie in the middle of downtown Newcastle for some reason. But I wasn't *that* hungry.

I walked past a McDonald's in downtown Paris every day when I was there for business. There was always a line in the morning. I didn't check it out (I mean, if you're in Paris for a full week are you going to go to farking McDonalds?!) but it was interesting that you couldn't smell their typical greasy aroma half a mile away...or even right outside for that matter.

By every account, they are vastly different than the American version. So yeah, I would go try it out. I mean, you were right there, but now all you can do is speculate.

McDonalds in Australia, UK and South Korea are the same as the US versions except they all have at least one item tailored for the local market. For example in Australia there is a burger called the McOz. I think it has a slice of canned beetroot on it. Last time I was in the UK they were offering some sort of burger with curry. Curry is very popular in the UK. Other than that they are the same as the US stores.

In Australia there is a hamburger chain that looks exactly like Burger King and has the same menu offerings, but it is called Hungry Jacks. Many years ago Burger King licensed a local company to open franchises in Australia under that name. Burger King then opened in Australia in competition with Hungry Jacks but left again after just a few years.

In South Korea there are many local pizza chains loosely based on their US counterparts. The big difference is in the toppings - mashed sweet potato is a popular topping.

I second Schwartz's and La Banquise in Montreal. My experience at La Banquise was a lineup at 1:30 am for a table, and a couple guys who stole their buddy's oriental rug from his apartment and laid it out on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. The poutine was plentiful, had a high factorial (many combinations), and delicious.

Schwartz's, you have to go because it's Schwartz's. You will never have another smoked meat sandwich like that.

As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

kvinesknows:
you should come to Winnipeg instead, screw the conference we have better food.

My list:
VJ's
Shabusen
Park Tower (haven't been there in forever though, live on the other side of the city now)
Romani's (for pizza)
Asoyama Sushi (on Regent, anyway, haven't visited the other)
Homer's (had them cater our wedding... even on a large scale, they were still awesome)

ciberido: PacManDreaming: Same here. The Korean and Indian items looked really good.

Worst fast-food experience of my life was in a Lotteria in South Korea. It's basically an East Asian clone of McDonald's. To my everlasting regret, I tried their kimchi burger. Now, don't get me wrong, I like kimchi just fine. But kimchi does not belong on a burger any more than peanut butter belongs on bulgogi.

My worst fast food experience in Korea (unfortunately, not the worst in my life so far) was a couple of slices of pizza I bought from a bakery a few blocks from my hotel in Changweon. I'd had pizza from there in months and years before that time and it was my guilty pleasure, as I really love Korean food, but that place made a bad-ass supreme pizza. Later that night, having consumed my 2 slices of pizza and 3 or 4 slices of Cass, I began to vomit from both ends. Trust me on this, it wasn't the maekju, it was the pizza.

On a more topical note, the one time I had lunch/dinner at a Lotteria I chose the "bulgoki burger set" and it was pretty good - except for the cockroach that fell into my Pepsi as I self-serviced my drink. 

As for bland and spicy... I very much miss 삼계탕 on the bland side and other dishes whose names I didn't learn, the ones that beat your mouth severely with the hot and flavor stick.

The Royale, probably not, but you can get the five dollar milkshake pretty much everywhere now.

If your are South Korea I recommend Tang Tang chicken. Set number 3, a plate of fried chicken pieces and a plate of BBQ chicken is the best of the fried chicken I have had here. And there are a Brazilian fried chicken places here in the ROK

Hyatus: Dunkin' Donuts is still around?

Apparently not where you are. Here, it's more common than gas stations, and the closer you get to Boston (well, Quincy, but still), the greater the density. Providence alone has over 50 within city limits, and more than twice that in the metro area. There are places where they're across the street from each other, and it's not that rare to find more than one in the same building. (Because, you know, different floors.) So yeah, still around. In a really big way. Just not where you are, I guess.

EatCritAndDie: Article missed an easy one, McDonald's in Guam makes SPAM apart of several meals, especially breakfast ones.

[blob-s-docs.googlegroups.com image 640x480]

Guam is in the U.S.

geekybroad: I second Schwartz's and La Banquise in Montreal. My experience at La Banquise was a lineup at 1:30 am for a table, and a couple guys who stole their buddy's oriental rug from his apartment and laid it out on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. The poutine was plentiful, had a high factorial (many combinations), and delicious.

Schwartz's, you have to go because it's Schwartz's. You will never have another smoked meat sandwich like that.

As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

smoke's poutinierre would like to have a word with you

geekybroad: kvinesknows:
you should come to Winnipeg instead, screw the conference we have better food.

My list:
VJ's
Shabusen
Park Tower (haven't been there in forever though, live on the other side of the city now)
Romani's (for pizza)
Asoyama Sushi (on Regent, anyway, haven't visited the other)
Homer's (had them cater our wedding... even on a large scale, they were still awesome)

how coul you not include mitzis or the now closed wagon wheel in that list?

bark_atda_moon: Rik01: Read it all before. Some of the items might be interesting to try here in the US but it got me thinking: what foreign fast food places exist and are any of them in the US?


There are apparently Jollibee restaurants in New York and California. I have never been, but my friend claims that it is the restaurant in the Philippines that McDonalds can't compete with.

The only one east of the Mississippi is in Queens, less than 100 miles from me. Not sure if want, but admit I'm curious. Not driving that far just to find out, though, and don't know anyone around there.

come to new mexico--most fast food places will put green chile on what you order.

No Avengers Schwarmas pic? Fark your slipping!

Doner kebab... I got addicted when I was in Germany

BrynnMacFlynn: Savage Bacon: Well, if you're coming to Montreal specifically, I can recommend a few places for poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, shish taouk (what Montrealers say when they really mean "shawarma") or any other type of food that strikes your fancy. However, I'm afraid my knowledge of eateries in Toronto (Tronno), Vancouver and other cities is practically non-existent.

Sorry, meant to specify I am coming to Montreal specifically. And frankly, all of those kinds of food sound amazing. :D I have been dying to try shawarma after the Avengers.

If you ever had gyros, then you've had shawarma. It's pretty much the same thing, except the spices and toppings are different.

Spent some time in Nova Scotia. Love me some east coast donairs with sweet sauce.

kg2095: stonicus: UberDave: RexTalionis: KFC in China, as I recall, sells primarily chicken sandwiches.

That's what I remember of them in England. But I didn't really go in. I just kind of poked my head to take a look at the menu and it looked to be mostly sandwiches and salads. I didn't see Original Recipe anywhere. I was tempted to go in because I couldn't find a damn Chippie in the middle of downtown Newcastle for some reason. But I wasn't *that* hungry.

I walked past a McDonald's in downtown Paris every day when I was there for business. There was always a line in the morning. I didn't check it out (I mean, if you're in Paris for a full week are you going to go to farking McDonalds?!) but it was interesting that you couldn't smell their typical greasy aroma half a mile away...or even right outside for that matter.

By every account, they are vastly different than the American version. So yeah, I would go try it out. I mean, you were right there, but now all you can do is speculate.

McDonalds in Australia, UK and South Korea are the same as the US versions except they all have at least one item tailored for the local market. For example in Australia there is a burger called the McOz. I think it has a slice of canned beetroot on it. Last time I was in the UK they were offering some sort of burger with curry. Curry is very popular in the UK. Other than that they are the same as the US stores.

In Australia there is a hamburger chain that looks exactly like Burger King and has the same menu offerings, but it is called Hungry Jacks. Many years ago Burger King licensed a local company to open franchises in Australia under that name. Burger King then opened in Australia in competition with Hungry Jacks but left again after just a few years.

In South Korea there are many local pizza chains loosely based on their US counterparts. The big difference is in the toppings - mashed sweet potato is a popular topping.

Hungry Jacks in Aus *is* burger king. They sell whoppers and everything else. They also have an aussie burger with beetroot.

The story I heard is that when BK came to Australia there was already a business with that name and they were unwilling to sell, so BK became Hungry Jack's in that market.

kvinesknows:
As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

smoke's poutinierre would like to have a word with you

Where are you ? Not in the Peg ?

/had Smoke's last week
//have a Smoke's label on my monitor

JibMac: kvinesknows:
As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

smoke's poutinierre would like to have a word with you

Where are you ? Not in the Peg ?

/had Smoke's last week
//have a Smoke's label on my monitor

umm.. I was the one that said smoke;s JibMac: kvinesknows:
As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

smoke's poutinierre would like to have a word with you

Where are you ? Not in the Peg ?

/had Smoke's last week
//have a Smoke's label on my monitor

geekybroad: said you cant get good chain poutine outside Quebec .. I was correcting her

kvinesknows: JibMac: kvinesknows:
As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

smoke's poutinierre would like to have a word with you

Where are you ? Not in the Peg ?

/had Smoke's last week
//have a Smoke's label on my monitor

umm.. I was the one that said smoke;s JibMac: kvinesknows:
As for poutine in general (in Canada), Burger King doesn't cut it. The cheese needs to be squeaky. The poutine you get at a french or Quebecios-style restaurant outside of Quebec can sometimes be ok, but forget it if you're looking at a national chain.

smoke's poutinierre would like to have a word with you

Where are you ? Not in the Peg ?

/had Smoke's last week
//have a Smoke's label on my monitor

geekybroad: said you cant get good chain poutine outside Quebec .. I was correcting her

Yah, I wasn't aware they had stores outside of Ontario and Alberta. I quick check on their web page fixed that notion for me.

kvinesknows: geekybroad: kvinesknows:
you should come to Winnipeg instead, screw the conference we have better food.

My list:
VJ's
Shabusen
Park Tower (haven't been there in forever though, live on the other side of the city now)
Romani's (for pizza)
Asoyama Sushi (on Regent, anyway, haven't visited the other)
Homer's (had them cater our wedding... even on a large scale, they were still awesome)

how coul you not include mitzis or the now closed wagon wheel in that list?

Smoke's is not that great. And Mitizi's may have good chicken fingers, but they are constantly shut down by health inspectors.

One I missed, though, is Stella's Cafe.