When I moved to America, the one thing that took a while to adjust to was the absence of the comfort food that reminded me of home. Even though Publix has a small section of British imports in the international aisle, the food sold cannot wholly satisfy my ethereal craving for the food I grew up to love. Though some do not sound entirely appealing to everyone, it is the food that I miss and hold near and dear to my stomach. This list is far from exhaustive; however, here is a sneak peek of several of my stomach's lovers.
Nando's
Notoriously dubbed a "cheeky Nando's," despite the cuisine being Portuguese, it is a staple restaurant for British dining. Though they have Nando's in the following US states, I wish they branched out to more proximate locations so I didn't have to make that 5 hour journey up to D.C. just to get a taste of that peri-peri chicken, chips with peri salt, spicy rice, and their creamy mash.
Chip Shop
Whenever I looked for a cheap and gluttonous fix, the local chip shop was my go-to. Whether I ate fish 'n chips (with copious amount of salt and vinegar I might add), chicken tikka and chips, or chips and curry sauce, I was guaranteed a happy stomach and a happy wallet.
Toby Carvery
A nice place to go to on a Sunday night and gorge on a hearty roast. My plate would always be exploding with all kinds of meats, piles of mash, a couple of veg, and a good ol' Yorkshire pud.
Gregg's Sausage Rolls
I would always walk to Gregg's after school and get a sausage roll. There's nothing magical about them, but there is something about them that made them a staple.
Full English Breakfast
Baked beans, toast, roast tomatoes, sausages, hash browns, eggs, mushrooms, and bacon. Sounds like a heart attack to many, but it was comfort to me.
Chocolate
Cadbury flake, Terry's chocolate orange, Galaxy milk chocolate, and Milkybar to name a few. These were the candies I grew up eating as a child.
So if anyone happens to go to England, you know what to bring back to America to make my gastric frown turn upside down!