I don't think we have a national cuisine to speak of. Just like the country as a whole, I believe we borrow bits and pieces from all around the world and reinvent dishes (to varying degrees) to make them our own. Hamburgers and French fries immediately come to mind here.

The closest I think we come to "American" cuisine are region-specific specialties. Southern fried chicken, New England lobster rolls, and of course Maryland crab cakes. These things aren't broad enough to be characterized as representative of the entire country, but they are original American-born creations as far as I know.

Elizabeth, the first time I visited Paris roughly 10 years ago, I visited a McDonald's out of curiosity, to see how it differed from its American counterpart. In general, I loath McDonald's, but this place was really something. It was decorated to the hilt and featured a cappuccino version of the McFlurry that was divine, complete with ground chocolate-covered espresso beans. Nothing similar was to be found on this side of the Atlantic when I came home, much to my dismay.

This isn't cuisine, it's toxic waste...

Visited Paris a couple of times in the last three years and one time we went to a McDonald's near the Louvre. Granted that its a touristy area but the Mickey D was packed, with French people, more than the boulangerie across the street. How was the food you ask? It was by far better than the best I've had here, especially the coffee.

Pepsi Lite is Diet Pepsi. I saw more of that than Coke in Europe.

I think our worse import is Starbuck's. I wouldn't dare step into one when I saw it in France. I heard there's more of them each day. Oh well...

Elizabeth, did you know that Pho Dat Tanh is owned or was going to be sold to Koreans? (A friend of mine knows the owners who were ready to retire) An Loi down the street is already Korean owned. I tell my wife that if I want Korean food I'll go to a Korean restaurant. Just my two cents on non-Japanese owned Japanese restaurants.

But I'm still hearing good things about their (Vietnamese) food. Have you had a bad, or at least different, experience when they changed hands?

I haven't been to Pho Dat since when we were there a few years ago on Christmas Day (I apologize now for reminding everyone of that discussion :) ) But I have been to An Loi once since the change. The food was essentially the same I thought but the service changed, and they weren't as efficient as before. Also they stopped taking American Express! Interestingly, the change in An Loi was obvious when they started printing half their menu in Korean - their other large customer base - a year before they were sold. That pho can really make a difference especially in the winter.

I forgot to mention that we also visited another McD in Paris this time near Sorbonne and we had a similar experience. I was curious because of the Burger Royale from Pulp Fiction (I had it with bacon and cheese). And we should definitely import their pommes frites sauce!

McDonalds if you think about it is NOT American cuisine, its German cuisine---IF you consider their main product--HAMBURGERS. The word "hamburger" comes from Hamburg, Germany where the hamburger originated.

The hot dog originated in Germany as well.

Buffalo wings are uniquely American. Same goes for barbecue (ribs, pulled pork, etc), fried chicken, and steamed crabs w/ Old Bay hon !!!!

An Loi down the street is already Korean owned. I tell my wife that if I want Korean food I'll go to a Korean restaurant.

Heck, I can make really good pho, and I don't have an Asian bone in my body (that I'm aware of). A sufficiently familiar Korean shouldn't have any trouble making pho.

Wow, good for you, I know it takes all day just to make the broth for the pho as authentic as possible.

Funny though, I have never seen, heard or been to a Korean restaurant, (and I have been to many not just in Md), that is not owned by a Korean (my confession - my wife is Korean American). If there is one out there please let me know and I'm sure its not authentic, or as good as the real one at all.

it takes all day just to make the broth for the pho as authentic as possible

Yep. It doesn't take any longer than it takes to make western-style beef broth, it just has different seasonings.

I didn't quite follow the rest of Eric's post.

Just plain curiosity since not all ethnic cuisine can (at least not now) or should, be dared ventured with a restaurant by those not fully familiar with, trained in and/or grew up in the culture. But I could be wrong...

I've visited Pho Dat Thanh several times in the past few months and recommend it. Temper that with the fact that I don't have another good Vietnamese restaurant experience to compare it to. But it's better than the Chinese places I've found in the region, which have been disappointing, with the exception of Hunan Manor, which is a few blocks from Pho Dat Thanh.

One of my good friends just came back from India, and after eating Indian food all the time -- they were there for a month -- my friend and her brother went to a McDonald's.

Since it is India, there's no beef; my friend says they have some pretty good vegetarian options. And instead of the Big Mac, they have the Maharajah Mac: it's made with chicken patties instead of beef. Her brother said that was pretty good, along with the ice cream. They said the fries tasted exactly as they do in the States.

Do you think foreign changes to McD's food -- *good* veggie burgers in India, tarragon in the sauce in France -- indicate a more refined palate among our foreign neighbors?