[james1211]

Yeah, curry, 100%.

How could it be anything else?

[Nutmegs]

McDonalds.

[Arva]

It simply has to be fish and chips - there's nothing more quintessentially British than fish and chips on a cold winters night.

[MelissaJayne]

It depends what we mean by "National dish" - historically, and literally, these are two different things. As the dishes we as Brits ate in the past, are rarely eaten or appreciated now. If the "national dish" is the single most-cooked and eaten dish, I'd be tempted to say something like Spag Bol..but then, who can say that's British?
Another angle is looking at, which of those famously British dishes from the past do we still eat the most now? In which case, I'd have to say Roast Beef dinner, as, even if we don't all have it on a Sunday now..a vast majority do. And the Carvery is a popular alternative
Also, porridge. It needs to be considered; it is almost the UNION of the union Jack. The scots love porridge, irish love their oats, English and Welsh are both porridge eaters. It's been eaten for a LONG time, although, (maybe not in microwavable sachets) - it is popular to this day, a diet staple to many of us. And i'm not sure how many other countries actually have porridge?

Yh, PORRIDGE MAN.

[syrettd]

(Original post by Arva)
It simply has to be fish and chips - there's nothing more quintessentially British than fish and chips on a cold winters night.

It has to be this. Fish and chips is just so British, and such a part of our culture as the UK that we take it for granted. I challenge anyone to leave these islands and get fish and chips of the same standard anywhere else. You'll be given a poor imitation. You may be given "fries", the chip's ridiculously skinny cousin. You may even, as I once saw happen on a TV show by mistake, be given crisps. But fish and chips? That's the UK's. And no dish comes close.


I imagined patriotic music while typing this

[MelissaJayne]

(Original post by syrettd)
It has to be this. Fish and chips is just so British, and such a part of our culture as the UK that we take it for granted. I challenge anyone to leave these islands and get fish and chips of the same standard anywhere else. You'll be given a poor imitation. You may be given "fries", the chip's ridiculously skinny cousin. You may even, as I once saw happen on a TV show by mistake, be given crisps. But fish and chips? That's the UK's. And no dish comes close.


I imagined patriotic music while typing this

Aha, excellent. I agree with the points but..wow, Canada do AMAZING fish and chips. I feel like ours is dropping in standards as fish stock dwindles. And we refuse to try other delicious sustainable fish in favour of the Cod. If Brits were more open to change, I think the chippy could be saved!

[syrettd]

(Original post by MelissaJayne)
Aha, excellent. I agree with the points but..wow, Canada do AMAZING fish and chips. I feel like ours is dropping in standards as fish stock dwindles. And we refuse to try other delicious sustainable fish in favour of the Cod. If Brits were more open to change, I think the chippy could be saved!

Agreed. If there were more options of fish, the chip shop could become an even better UK culinary triumph! One day soon, we could all be walking into chip shops, asking for fish and chips and the reply could be "And which fish would you like?"

[MelissaJayne]

(Original post by syrettd)
Agreed. If there were more options of fish, the chip shop could become an even better UK culinary triumph! One day soon, we could all be walking into chip shops, asking for fish and chips and the reply could be "And which fish would you like?"

Oh, the dream of all dreams! Halibut or Monkfish you say? Don't mind if I do old chap! And, "would you prefer your chips, triple or double cooked?" Homemade tartar sauce with that?

[skunky x]

(Original post by MelissaJayne)
Oh, the dream of all dreams! Halibut or Monkfish you say? Don't mind if I do old chap! And, "would you prefer your chips, triple or double cooked?" Homemade tartar sauce with that?

... I suggest the residents of TSR set up a posh nosh chippie.

It would include -
- Varieties of fish
- Triple cooked chips
- Battered sausages made with the highest quality pork sausages
- Home made steak and kidney pies
- Actual curry sauce (though I have to say the lovely non-authentic taste of curry sauce is lovely also)

[syrettd]

(Original post by skunky x)
... I suggest the residents of TSR set up a posh nosh chippie.

It would include -
- Varieties of fish
- Triple cooked chips
- Battered sausages made with the highest quality pork sausages
- Home made steak and kidney pies
- Actual curry sauce (though I have to say the lovely non-authentic taste of curry sauce is lovely also)

Can we still get battered Mars bars?

[skunky x]

(Original post by syrettd)
Can we still get battered Mars bars?

Naturally.

[syrettd]

(Original post by skunky x)
Naturally.

Sweet

[Gofre]

(Original post by skunky x)
... I suggest the residents of TSR set up a posh nosh chippie.

I would actually get in on this if it ever materialised!

[skunky x]

(Original post by Gofre)
I would actually get in on this if it ever materialised!

Indeed. I can see there is a niche in the market here. Even the Fish and Chip 'restaurants' in my area are just glorified chippies with tables.

[Gofre]

(Original post by skunky x)
Indeed. I can see there is a niche in the market here. Even the Fish and Chip 'restaurants' in my area are just glorified chippies with tables.

There's one near my uni where the standard chippy expanded into the neighbouring building which became a fully fledged restaurant, nothing spectacular food-wise though. I'd love to see a "gourmet" fish and chip restaurant pop up somewhere, I'm amazed it hasn't happened already after the success of the Handmade/Gourmet Burger Companies. In the meantime I'll slather over the prospect of trying the fabled fish and chips at the Ivy in London next month

[syrettd]

I went to a fancy Jewish fish restaurant in London once. That was pretty awesome, I got to pick whether I wanted my fish (I chose plaice) battered, poached or in matzos meal. I want to go back there!

This is going off topic... Then again, I think fish and chips is just beating all other food items out of the debate!

[Arva]

Fish and chips is definitely demolishing the competition here, indeed.

(Original post by syrettd)
I went to a fancy Jewish fish restaurant in London once. That was pretty awesome, I got to pick whether I wanted my fish (I chose plaice) battered, poached or in matzos meal. I want to go back there!

This is going off topic... Then again, I think fish and chips is just beating all other food items out of the debate!

[MelissaJayne]

dibs on the checkered trousers and being Chief Chip Fryer.

[syrettd]

(Original post by MelissaJayne)
dibs on the checkered trousers and being Chief Chip Fryer.

Dibs on official food taster!


Yessssss!

[helen-a-ravenclaw]

Oh it's got to be the traditional afternoon tea. It's not really a 'dish' as such, but you still put a lot of effort into it.

When other people think of Britain, don't they see us sitting around drinking out of china cups and eating little finger sandwiches? (Seriously, when I moved to Canada I got asked if I would be going home early from school for afternoon tea.)

It's something that's so terribly British, and I think it's one of our countries signature dishes!