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Original poster

Items that you no longer see on menus.

636 replies

DeathAndParsnips · 10/09/2023 17:53

Which foods do you rarely see on menus now? I was watching some old adverts on YouTube for Little Chef and such which made me think of this.

Do you still get melon as a starter? I used to love that as a child. Also a glass of orange juice as a starter. I went to a hotel in around 2010 and they still had that as an option on the menu. I found it rather charming.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
23
notprincehamlet · 10/09/2023 19:14

Rum baba (sp?)

GCAcademic · 10/09/2023 19:15

Chicken Kiev.

When I used to go into London with my mum when I was a kid, we would go to Garfunkels (RIP) and I'd always have chicken kiev.

GCAcademic · 10/09/2023 19:15

Imamumgetmeoutofhere · 10/09/2023 19:11

Mushroom risotto

That's still ubiquitous, isn't it? It's like pubs and restaurants haven't heard of any other vegetarian dish around here.

SapatSea · 10/09/2023 19:16

Starter: Corn on the Cob served on a long dish that had a big corn design on it and little corn skewers that were in the shape of corn too! served with butter and salt or butter and honey!
I know Nando's and Mexican food places still offer corn on the cob as a side but it feels different.
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Mississippi Mud Pie
Pate and toast as a starter
Pea and Ham Soup, Cock-a-Leekie soup,consomme
Devilled kidneys
Crepe Suzette - with a trolley brought to your table and flambeed!
Chocolate Fudge (and nut) sundae
Steak with a peppercorn sauce
Chicken Chasseur
Trifle
Steak and kidney suet puddling
liver and onions - except at the odd trendy place
Chicken Maryland
Hawaiian burger

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Pollywoddles · 10/09/2023 19:16

Notthisnotthat · 10/09/2023 18:01

Egg Mayonnaise as a starter. Friend had it at her wedding in the late 90s and it was retro then. With a wee sprinkle of paprika.

I came to say this exact thing!!

Eminybob · 10/09/2023 19:16

JaneJeffer · 10/09/2023 19:02

Crepes Suzette

I had crepe Suzette in a restaurant a few weeks ago. Not quite the same as not flambéd at the table, but tasted perfect.
The same meal I also had coquille st Jaques.

Ragwort · 10/09/2023 19:17

Peach Melba .. haven't seen that for years.

Ramalangadingdong · 10/09/2023 19:18

GCAcademic · 10/09/2023 19:15

Chicken Kiev.

When I used to go into London with my mum when I was a kid, we would go to Garfunkels (RIP) and I'd always have chicken kiev.

RIP indeed. I used to love Garfunkel’s. I loved their all you can eat salad. I also loved that you could get cheese omelette with jacket potato (I don’t see those much in restaurants any more) and they also did a lovely crumble.

willWillSmithsmith · 10/09/2023 19:19

Lyricallie · 10/09/2023 18:19

Profiteroles, I feel like I hardly ever see them on menus now and they’re my favourite. Now just have to buy them from Tesco, definitely not the same.

Co op (not my favourite shop) do the best profiteroles!

StormzyinaTCup · 10/09/2023 19:19

Garfunkels doesn't exist anymore😮? When did this happen?

Lovemusic82 · 10/09/2023 19:19

I remember serving melon as a started when I started out as a chef 🤣 also fruit salad or a fruit juice, garlic mushrooms were a pretty new thing back then and egg mayo was also a popular one.

Prawn cocktail was something we had at home every Christmas but no other time.

A lot of old deserts are no longer on menu’s, things like rice pudding, spotted dick and trifle. I do still see sticky toffee pudding on menus but a lot of hot pudding have vanished.

BeverForget · 10/09/2023 19:20

McConkeysPlate · 10/09/2023 17:59

Knickerbocker glory

The Star in York had this the other week when I went with my sister.

Riverlee · 10/09/2023 19:20

Fruit salad as a dessert.

PrancerandDancer · 10/09/2023 19:20

Oh I was talking about this just the other day... not restaurant food on a buffet, I love a vol-au-vents - especially with the mushroom "stuff" in the middle. Rarely see them now

AdaColeman · 10/09/2023 19:21

Half a melon filled with port
Whitebait (one of my favourites)
Avocado vinaigrette

Scampi in a basket
Gammon steak with pineapple ring

Pear Belle Helene
Orange slices in caramel sauce

orangeyeahthatsright · 10/09/2023 19:21

Seychal · 10/09/2023 19:14

@genesis92

In the 60s and 70s freshly squeezed orange juice was not widespread to buy in stores. It was often frozen in cardboard cylinders and very expensive. It was a refreshing treat to have as a starter. I remember as a kid stopping over on a long journey between home and our Welsh holiday at a hotel near Welshpool and seeing fresh orange juice on the 'Specials' board and the manager raving about it.

And I seem to remember the long-life 'fresh' orange juice sold in cartons back then tasting pretty grim, so in hindsight I suppose it's not so weird freshly squeezed was viewed as a treat!

Justneedagirlname · 10/09/2023 19:21

Prawn salad
Carpaccio

UnctuousUnicorns · 10/09/2023 19:21

Scousemousey · 10/09/2023 19:11

I was once serving Poussin (about 10 of them) from a silver flat dish and dropped one in a woman's lap 🙈
That was all a bit Fawlty Towers. Mortified.

Show quote history

The inn in Haworth that served me the glorious Black Forest Gateau, was where I had spatchcocked Poussin for my main, that was blimmin delicious too, as were the accompanying veg. Best meal I've ever had, the chef/cook really did that place proud.

Original poster
DeathAndParsnips · 10/09/2023 19:22

Does anyone remember the chain restaurant Fatty Arbuckle's? They had the best chargrilled burgers. I still miss them. I had a chargrilled burger the other day and if was very nice but not Fatty Arbuckle's nice.

OP posts:
MrsDoylesLastTeabag · 10/09/2023 19:23

I really miss those retro desserts: syllabub ; arctic roll ; banana split ; Black Forest gateau. 😋

Rosscameasdoody · 10/09/2023 19:24

Devilled eggs, avocado prawns, coq au vin and baked trout with almonds. Wish I could find them all now !!

CarolinaInTheMorning · 10/09/2023 19:25

French onion soup is on lots of restaurants in the US, especially steak house type places. In fact, it's my favorite lunch with a salad.

One of the things you no longer see is pear salad. This is a starter once popular in the southern US in restaurants and in homes. It's half a canned pear on top of a leaf of iceberg lettuce, which is topped with a bit of mayonnaise and a sprinkle of grated cheddar.

mewkins · 10/09/2023 19:25

GolgafrinchamB · 10/09/2023 18:30

Frech Onion Soup topped with a big piece of bread with melted cheese on it. They even used to come in specific bowls with a handle on one side, unlike other soups.

You could get this in Cafe Rouge a few years ago (our cafe rouge has since closed).

CheshireCat1 · 10/09/2023 19:26

A slice of treacle tart, custard tart and plate latticed jam tart.

Scousemousey · 10/09/2023 19:26

Not on the menu, but we had to make Melba Toast every day to go in the bread baskets with the "French" baguette. Never seen that since.

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