Why were suburban and rural Americans less open to foreign cuisine during the 90s?

[JakeWIlls92]

Most of the Mexican places in my area are subpar and the only ramen place(10 out of 10 stars) opened 10 years ago with a few Mediterranean and Indian places opening in the past 5 years(Also 10 out of 10 stars).

The closest French restaurant is miles away.

But plenty of subpar Chinese places and Applebee's lol.

Damn suburban America!

Why couldn't you be a food utopia during the 90s?

I am under the impression that 90s suburban America was a brighter and optimistic place but the food was bland and girls forced themselves to consume nothing but salad with only lettuce and water.

How bad was 90s suburban America?

Did people get made fun of for wanting to learn a second language and discovering other nation's cuisines?

 

[defcon4]

Most of the Mexican places in my area are subpar and the only ramen place(10 out of 10 stars) opened 10 years ago with a few Mediterranean and Indian places opening in the past 5 years(Also 10 out of 10 stars).

The closest French restaurant is miles away.

But plenty of subpar Chinese places and Applebee's lol.

Damn suburban America!

Why couldn't you be a food utopia during the 90s?

I am under the impression that 90s suburban America was a brighter and optimistic place but the food was bland and girls forced themselves to consume nothing but salad with only lettuce and water.

How bad was 90s suburban America?

Did people get made fun of for wanting to learn a second language and discovering other nation's cuisines?

The world is changing. Regional cuisines are being neglected in favor of "more exciting" new flavors. Cuisines developed along the availability of ingredients, the shelf life of those ingredients and the beneficial factors of the ingredients. Nowadays with refrigeration and availability change things.

 

[GLASNOST]

Most of the Mexican places in my area are subpar and the only ramen place(10 out of 10 stars) opened 10 years ago with a few Mediterranean and Indian places opening in the past 5 years(Also 10 out of 10 stars).

The closest French restaurant is miles away.

But plenty of subpar Chinese places and Applebee's lol.

Damn suburban America!

Why couldn't you be a food utopia during the 90s?

I am under the impression that 90s suburban America was a brighter and optimistic place but the food was bland and girls forced themselves to consume nothing but salad with only lettuce and water.

How bad was 90s suburban America?

Did people get made fun of for wanting to learn a second language and discovering other nation's cuisines?

The majority of them are money laundering schemes and illegal immigration hide-outs. They know nothing about cooking. They just thaw out some frozen dough, dump canned goods on it, spread it around, stick it into a luke warm oven, and serve it as "pizza".

 

[MayorQuimby]

The majority of them are money laundering schemes and illegal immigration hide-outs. They know nothing about cooking. They just thaw out some frozen dough, dump canned goods on it, spread it around, stick it into a luke warm oven, and serve it as "pizza".

I am not doubting you, but if this is true, then the "restaurant" will go out of business very quickly. The food industry is very competitive.

 

[Stryder50]

Most of the Mexican places in my area are subpar and the only ramen place(10 out of 10 stars) opened 10 years ago with a few Mediterranean and Indian places opening in the past 5 years(Also 10 out of 10 stars).

The closest French restaurant is miles away.

But plenty of subpar Chinese places and Applebee's lol.

Damn suburban America!

Why couldn't you be a food utopia during the 90s?

I am under the impression that 90s suburban America was a brighter and optimistic place but the food was bland and girls forced themselves to consume nothing but salad with only lettuce and water.

How bad was 90s suburban America?

Did people get made fun of for wanting to learn a second language and discovering other nation's cuisines?

Where ever you are, and when ever, doesn't match my experience of the USA these past 75 years.

I grew up in a small, rural town, which could also be considered suburban, back in the 1950-60s. This was in Washington State, Cascade foothills, almost the slopes of Mt. Rainier. I grew up on some of the best Mexican, Italian, and German foods I've ever had. Even our Americanized Chinese restaurants produced some fine dishes. Admittedly half the time they were home cooked meals, my mother was a dynamite cook/chef. And we had an eclectic ethnic background as well.

As time went on, through the 70s~80s~90s the range and selection of varied cuisines increased as did the quality. Best gyros I've had were from a small shop on a non-descript corner in Auburn, WA. Of course some of this was limited by what was available in markets and of seasonal selection. Only in the last couple/few decades have more foods from around the world, and regions with different seasons, been more available due to improved shipping and lowering costs.

Also, back in the 1960s we were encouraged to learn some foreign languages, but other than Latin (Catholic schools) it was mostly German, French, and Spanish offered in high schools and colleges.

I haven't a clue what your sources of information are, but as one who's been there, I'd say you are way off base on your "impressions"

Also, I'm guessing you are barely into your 20s, if that, given the limited scope of your knowledge of recent history and culture in this country.

 

[GLASNOST]

The majority of them are money laundering schemes and illegal immigration hide-outs. They know nothing about cooking. They just thaw out some frozen dough, dump canned goods on it, spread it around, stick it into a luke warm oven, and serve it as "pizza".

I am not doubting you, but if this is true, then the "restaurant" will go out of business very quickly. The food industry is very competitive.

NOTE: Money Laundering. I agree with you about the competitiveness of restauants and that pretty much proves my point. Where I live there are about a dozen pizza restaurants and every one of them change owners every 2 or 3 years. There is one just 2 minutes walk from my flat. It has changed about 6 times. I usually try them and if it's not good I never return until they change owners. The one now is terrirble and it is the one I describe in my above post.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Most of the Mexican places in my area are subpar and the only ramen place(10 out of 10 stars) opened 10 years ago with a few Mediterranean and Indian places opening in the past 5 years(Also 10 out of 10 stars).

The closest French restaurant is miles away.

But plenty of subpar Chinese places and Applebee's lol.

Damn suburban America!

Why couldn't you be a food utopia during the 90s?

I am under the impression that 90s suburban America was a brighter and optimistic place but the food was bland and girls forced themselves to consume nothing but salad with only lettuce and water.

How bad was 90s suburban America?

Did people get made fun of for wanting to learn a second language and discovering other nation's cuisines?

were the **** do you live?.....there were all kinds good food places in OC California in the 90's...

 

[1srelluc]

If you can't walk into a morning eatery and order Scrapple or Virginia Country Ham you live in a food wasteland devoid of any redeeming culture.