To think traditional English food is overrated?

[ThatJoyousCyanReader]

I’ve always heard people say English food is bland or uncreative, and to be honest, I kind of see their point. Apart from a good roast dinner or fish and chips, what actually stands out? AIBU to think that other cuisines just do it better?

I'm partial to a nicely flavoured bangers and mash or a tasty fish pie still 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Yorkshire puddings are amazing!

And I note ‘English’ because there’s also so much great Scottish food.

You obviously haven't indulged in the 100s of great English puddings on offer.

I disagree...when it's cooked properly, it's really good imo.... Traditional breakfast, roasts, shepherds pie, the puddings.

Traditional English food is foul. Meat and vegetables served in a gravy slop. Always served with potatoes and gravy unless it is fish (which is also served with potatoes, peas and some times, a side of gravy). On posh occasions, it’s exactly the same shite wrapped in pastry!
Roast
Cottage Pie
Shepherds Pie
Stew
Casserole
Sausages
Fish and chips
Wellington
Encroute

Why the F do we still eat like Henry VIII?!
I’m sure I must have been Mediterranean in a different life. Nothing worse than all this stodgy rubbish.

If you like sausages and Yorkshire puddings, Toad in the hole is quick, easy and utterly sublime.

Not British food then, what are the culinary delights eaten in the rest of the UK- I'm all ears!

I agree it’s all pretty bland and stodgy even done well.

I have a very fussy eater 10yo when it comes to most English food, but offer him any kind of Asian food - and with some chilli heat - and he eats it all and often asks for seconds.

He’s not keen on Italian either as he says that’s a bit too bland as well. I love Thai food and would eat it over stodgy English food any day - so fresh, flavourful and fragrant.

Speak for your own cooking, I’m not afraid to stand by my English food. I cook a banging curry/Mexican/Spanish etc but my comfort food is good strong English/British food. No one ever turns down a meal in my kitchen.

That sounds a bit wanky. I feel like I should say ‘so there’ after that. But you take my point.

I don't think it's overated because I only ever hear how crap it is and everyone else's cuisine is better. I've never heard people say its good.

I actually think it's underrated. There are lots of nice regional dishes that make the most of seasonal ingredients for people on a budget.

Do the 'English' still eat like that then, what every single night something from your list, I can't remember the last time I even had a roast let alone the other stuff but I do have scandi heritage so wasn't purely brought up English food.

Yorkshire pudding is quite possibly the best food ever invented.

My opinions....
Fish and Chips - fantastic.
Jam sandwiches - fantastic.
Victoria Sponge - fantastic.
Roast Dinner - urrgh.

Yep I'm the same, I find standard British food a bit dull, I much prefer Thai/Vietnamese/Italian etc

The OP stated, 'English' food not British food.

Personally, I think fish and chips can be very good but it can also be very bad!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_and_chips

Lancashire hotpot

That is exactly the point. “Traditional” English food is lousy.
A roast is ok now and then but it isn’t always eaten on a Sunday (every Sunday, like it used to be) because it is drab. “Traditional” English food is drab. I would much rather a pasta, fajitas, burritos, Caesar salad, curry, burgers, chilli…… the variety is amazing and so
much nicer than meat, veg and potatoes.

Personally, I feel it’s down to the cooking.
Done well, British food can be absolutely fantastic.
A very well cooked roast dinner, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding.
a full English, with black pudding.
Lancashire hotpot.
Bread & butter pudding.
Sticky toffee pudding.
Eton mess.
Toad in the hole.
Steak & ale pie.
Crumbles.
Crumpets.
Scotch eggs.
Beef wellington.
Bubble & Squeak.
Jam roly poly.
Bakewell tart.

So many to list. I ❤️ classic British food done well.

I’m married to an American, and when we first met (in the U.K.), he had all the typical American comments about British food….”it’s bland”, “it’s underseasoned” etc…..
Turns out he’d just had shit British food 🤷🏻‍♀️😂
Now he has been shown the way 😂
Proper, home cooked, from scratch British food can be wonderful when done properly.
Roast dinners, a great full English breakfast, shepherds pie, beef stew, chicken and leek pie, slow-braised beef short-rib (currently in my oven!) with creamy mashed potatoes 🤤
All of the above have become his comfort foods now!

I forgot about the sticky toffee pudding - another favourite of my American DH!

Traditional British food is not the way it is due to intention of it being great cuisine. It is the way it is due to the enormous impact of our wartime history.

Doesn’t make it any better, of course, but there are reasons beyond the British being shit at food.