Tesco coming to the US

[Dr_LHA 3]

Most of the Indian food I've had in the USA is nothing like Homesick describes. Its usually a poor imitation of UK types of curries. Maybe in big cities you'll get "authentic" Indian food, but you can get that in the UK as well. I love real Indian food, I cook it and I enjoy it with Indian friends.

That said a new Indian just opened in my town (we have 3 now) which is really good, which reminds me - I need to make a repeat visit there! The other two - not so much, in fact the most popular one is definitely a "British Curry" place, just #######, the other is more authentic but their food is just plain not good.

[homesick_american 1]

It's funny you should say that because the curries I've been making taste nothing like the stuff I got in the UK, hehe. Making the fresh spice pastes and such, it tastes much 'cleaner' I guess than the stuff I had in restaurants over there.

And yes, I don't live in a place anywhere near what Dallas is like, or any of the bigger cities. I live in a small town where things like "Tahini" or "Kalamata Olives" scare people, they like their Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Even in downtown Tampa, it's very hard to find Indian food, though there are a few places. We're aiming to get the hell out of here ASAP, we need a place where you don't have to troll phone books endlessly to find a store that stocks Naans and cardamoms, hehe.

Wow...that's...I'm so sorry. *shoulder pat* I haven't been to Tampa since the early 1980s, but I thought it was a bit more cosmopolitan than that.

Ever considered Texas?

[Fandango 1,439]

It's funny you should say that because the curries I've been making taste nothing like the stuff I got in the UK, hehe. Making the fresh spice pastes and such, it tastes much 'cleaner' I guess than the stuff I had in restaurants over there.

And yes, I don't live in a place anywhere near what Dallas is like, or any of the bigger cities. I live in a small town where things like "Tahini" or "Kalamata Olives" scare people, they like their Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Even in downtown Tampa, it's very hard to find Indian food, though there are a few places. We're aiming to get the hell out of here ASAP, we need a place where you don't have to troll phone books endlessly to find a store that stocks Naans and cardamoms, hehe.

Check these out,...maybe one of them will have what you need. Dunno how old these listings are, so maybe one of them is still there?

http://tampa.eknazar.com/YellowPages/viewL...hp?categoryID=2

Al-Aqsa Grocery

10805 North 56th Street

Tampa, FL-33617

(813) 987-2039

Map

Kiran Indian grocery

5691 E Fowler Avenue

Tampa, FL-33617

(813) 980-1184

Map

http://www.thokalath.com/florida/grocery_stores.php

Bombay Bazaar Tampa Tampa

6808 Harney RD, Suite 2 Florida (FL) Phone: (813) 626 4134

Bombay Market Inc Tampa

1749 State Road 60 East Florida (FL) Phone: (813) 681 4884

Here's another one: http://www.saikrishnagroceries.com/

Contact our Indian grocery store in Tampa, Florida, for a large variety of Indian food items like tandoori and curry chicken.

Hours of Operation:

Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Edited April 26, 2007 by LisaD

[homesick_american 1]

Most of the Indian food I've had in the USA is nothing like Homesick describes. Its usually a poor imitation of UK types of curries. Maybe in big cities you'll get "authentic" Indian food, but you can get that in the UK as well. I love real Indian food, I cook it and I enjoy it with Indian friends.

Bizarre. I guess we were just lucky in Texas then. Lucky in Texas...that's stating the obvious.

That said a new Indian just opened in my town (we have 3 now) which is really good, which reminds me - I need to make a repeat visit there! The other two - not so much, in fact the most popular one is definitely a "British Curry" place, just #######, the other is more authentic but their food is just plain not good.

Only three? Say no more. To be fair a lot of the curry places in York are rubbish too, featuring rancid curries with colors not found in nature. There are some outstanding curry houses here but you really should never order a delivery from a place you've never even visited. It's just that there are so MANY curry houses here that you're bound to find a couple that you like. When you only have three Indian restaurants to begin with, you're a bit screwed.

http://local.yahoo.com/TX/Dallas/Food+Dini...ian+Restaurants

Nice big long list.

http://local.yahoo.com/TX/Austin/Food+Dini...ian+Restaurants

Shorter list, but some real quality restaurants there.

[TheZilla 0]

LisaD, you're so sweet. Thank you for that. I've been to most of those, I've gotten a hold of most of the spices and stuff I've needed at the places, but they didn't carry any Naans except ones with peppers in them. I can't remember which one it was, but one of those places had cans of coconut milk that were rusty, *shudders*.

To Homesick, Tampa IS pretty cosmopolitan but still sort of growing I think. You can find much more variety like Thai, Moroccan, Vietnamese, etc. For some reason, the Tampa/Clearwater area only has a handful of Indian restaurants, I suppose our location dictates there are just more Cuban/Latin style restaurants than anything. The culture is growing though, but I much prefer downtown St. Petersburg. Much more culture and restaurant variety.

[homesick_american 1]

To Homesick, Tampa IS pretty cosmopolitan but still sort of growing I think. You can find much more variety like Thai, Moroccan, Vietnamese, etc. For some reason, the Tampa/Clearwater area only has a handful of Indian restaurants, I suppose our location dictates there are just more Cuban/Latin style restaurants than anything. The culture is growing though, but I much prefer downtown St. Petersburg. Much more culture and restaurant variety.

I didn't think Tampa was that bad; it has been over 20 years since I've been there tho so I wouldn't trust my memory of it. I had heard great things about it so I was surprised that it wasn't a good place for foodies. The Cuban thing does make sense...unfortunately I don't really care for Cuban food (too salty), Vietnamese (way too much stuff I can't identify/pronounce), or Thai (too sweet). I guess I'd be hanging out at the Moroccan place! I wub north African/Middle Eastern food. Wub wub wub it.

[Leney 0]

The one thing that US supermarkets lack is things that I can just take home and eat, because I don't always feel like cooking after a long grocery shop. I really miss that about UK supermarkets, even if its just the deli section with yummy onion bhajis, scotch eggs, spring rolls and the like.

Sounds like Tescos are going to fill that gap. I doubt they'll be opening near me any time soon though.

hehe probably not - but! on the other hand, being very close to a major university, with an international community helps so we can but hope Perhaps you should start a petition! ;P If not - road trip to Tesco anyone? lol As long as they carry my mint aeros, I'm all over it ;P Ahh scotch eggs, (or as our old called them egg meatballs) - our kids loved them and sausage rolls and super noodles! lol

[Dr_LHA 3]

Bizarre. I guess we were just lucky in Texas then. Lucky in Texas...that's stating the obvious.

If you live in Austin, that's generally a more cosmopolitan place than 99% of America.

Only three? Say no more.

Well yes, indeed. I've never lived anywhere in the USA that had more than that though. Clearly Indian populations are higher in some parts of America than others. My sister in law lives in the South Bay Area and she's tripping over Indian restaurants.

BTW - yes York isn't exactly well know for its quality Indian food. If you're talking Yorkshire though, Bradford - yummy!!!

[Dr_LHA 3]

hehe probably not - but! on the other hand, being very close to a major university, with an international community helps so we can but hope Perhaps you should start a petition! ;P If not - road trip to Tesco anyone? lol As long as they carry my mint aeros, I'm all over it ;P Ahh scotch eggs, (or as our old called them egg meatballs) - our kids loved them and sausage rolls and super noodles! lol

I'd settle for a Trader Joe's. Sadly I think the massive presence of Wegmans in SC means that that'll probably never happen. If they open a Tescos in Philly I'll take you up on that road trip offer, as long as I can stop off in the TJ's in Wayne, PA on the way back. Its just off the Turnpike!

Actually the Giant near me just put in a huge new Organic section, so the Supermarkets are clearly trying to move upmarket. Presumably because the downmarket ones can't compete with Super Wal-mart.

[Fandango 1,439]

LisaD, you're so sweet. Thank you for that. I've been to most of those, I've gotten a hold of most of the spices and stuff I've needed at the places, but they didn't carry any Naans except ones with peppers in them. I can't remember which one it was, but one of those places had cans of coconut milk that were rusty, *shudders*.

To Homesick, Tampa IS pretty cosmopolitan but still sort of growing I think. You can find much more variety like Thai, Moroccan, Vietnamese, etc. For some reason, the Tampa/Clearwater area only has a handful of Indian restaurants, I suppose our location dictates there are just more Cuban/Latin style restaurants than anything. The culture is growing though, but I much prefer downtown St. Petersburg. Much more culture and restaurant variety.

No probbo!

Have you ever thought about taking a trip to Orlando? It's not too far and I'm sure there's no shortage here.

[TheZilla 0]

LisaD, you're so sweet. Thank you for that. I've been to most of those, I've gotten a hold of most of the spices and stuff I've needed at the places, but they didn't carry any Naans except ones with peppers in them. I can't remember which one it was, but one of those places had cans of coconut milk that were rusty, *shudders*.

To Homesick, Tampa IS pretty cosmopolitan but still sort of growing I think. You can find much more variety like Thai, Moroccan, Vietnamese, etc. For some reason, the Tampa/Clearwater area only has a handful of Indian restaurants, I suppose our location dictates there are just more Cuban/Latin style restaurants than anything. The culture is growing though, but I much prefer downtown St. Petersburg. Much more culture and restaurant variety.

No probbo!

Have you ever thought about taking a trip to Orlando? It's not too far and I'm sure there's no shortage here.

Man, I'm dense, that never even occured to me. Good idea. I've gone there for the British stuff at times since there's loads of it there.

[Amby 490]

I love M&S. My favorite thing is the lemon curd yogurt. I thought that Tesco was owned by a US company? For some reason I thought I heard that on the news.

[Dr_LHA 3]

I love M&S. My favorite thing is the lemon curd yogurt. I thought that Tesco was owned by a US company? For some reason I thought I heard that on the news.

Nope. You're probably thinking of ASDA, who is owned by Wal-mart. Tesco is its own company, listed on the stock exchange in the UK and is one of the UK's most profitable companies.

Tesco is apparently the world's 4th largest retailor.

Edited April 26, 2007 by Dr_LHA

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

I did prefer what the UK had to offer better. Here it's basically fried chicken dinners, Italian, or Mexican. Over there I just felt like there was much more variety and a wider range of choices if it comes down to not having time to cook from scratch.

On the flip side of this, the UK doesn't offer the variety of restaurants and take outs. I can call in an order for the two of us and pick it up on the way in from work, with a whopping 5-10 minutes of my time.

Guess I am fussy, I don't like frozen/ready meals here nor there Sam I am!

[Dr_LHA 3]

On the flip side of this, the UK doesn't offer the variety of restaurants and take outs. I can call in an order for the two of us and pick it up on the way in from work, with a whopping 5-10 minutes of my time.

That depends where you live surely? Where I lived in the UK before coming over here had a great variety of restaurants and take outs, not really any worse than anywhere I've lived in the USA.

Where I live right now I basically have the choice of pizza or chinese for take out/delivery.

Edited April 26, 2007 by Dr_LHA