Does the US have fish and chip shops like we have in the UK

1. 63

   CASE1WORKERposted 14 years ago

   Sitting down for dinner tonight my son asked if the US had fish and chips shops like we have. I didnt know the answer, nor did I know the answer to the next question, do they wrap in paper and shake salt and vinegar on them?
   
   So fellow hubbers, perhaps someone from the states or someone who is more travelled than I could answer, please??

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      Mark Knowlesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      No.

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      dutchman1951posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      yes in some cities where there is a demand for them, they are usualy high priced and keech in atmosphere, not like England. The dont use they don't use the newspaper wrappers etc.... Not the same at all.
      
      In the 60's, the New England area probably had the last of the great small business fish and chips stores....most now just serve it as white fish, or catfish, in a resturant setting,  not like England at all. 
      
      Here in Nashville, all the resturants try to pass catfish as sea food....no good!
      
      The Carolina's North and South have some real good Fish places, all you can eat, buffett style, Maryland Sea Shore, Delaware also. In the South, Around the Gulf coast states also,you will find some great places. But again Resturants not small shops that specialise.
      
      nothing like England though, I wish there were some here, U.S. folks would like it I am sure.

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      thisisoliposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      No,
      
      I have been unable to find a decent fish and chips anywhere over here.  I have had one where it was passable as 'restaurant style' fish and chips, but nothing close to the perfection of a fish and chip shop.

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      modleafordposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes we have them over here across the pond but somewhere along the way they forgot how to make it, I was in the USAF in 50 to 53 R A F Wyton . I was an air policeman,first time I tried it was coming back from Petorborough on town patrol ,I wouls skip the mess hall as I always had fish & chipsin town after that! you also have something nice over the girls,like the English girl I married in Jan,1953,The only thing you don't have over there is dirty politicans like that thing they call oboma! next time you have fish & chips eat one for me

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         EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Oh, if only you were right about this...

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2. 78

   KCC Big Countryposted 14 years ago

   Not in Texas.  I married an Englishman.  It's one of the things he misses from home, along with Cornish pasties, etc.   Long John Silvers is as close as we get.  It's fast food fish.  We call your chips "fries".  They have a malt vinegar you can sprinkle over your fish, but it just smells like dirty socks to me. 

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      CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      cheer him up and make him a pasty!
      thanks for this, my  son is still quite intrigued about how similar and yet different all cultures are

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         KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I've had several attempts at making Cornish pasties.  I can get the flavors down right for the filling, but I have yet to perfect the crust.  I haven't given up though.

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3. 78

   Uninvited Writerposted 14 years ago

   I'm in Canada and we don't have fish and chip shops per ce, but you can buy it in a few places. When you do buy fish and chips it'll usually come in a styrofoam or cardboard container for takeout. I haven't had real fish and chips since I visited the UK a few years ago.
   
   I love malt vinegar on my fish and chips.

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      CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      some of our chip shops have started putting them in foam containers- yeuch!
      when i was a kid you still got your chips in yessterdays newspapers!!

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         waynetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Oh I remember that, I'd see news print on the battered fish and a few assorted chips lol!

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      Naddy Pashaposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      y got no chippy around! shocking lol

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   Pcunixposted 14 years ago

   I hope not.

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      CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      why ever not- the newsprint makes them taste better

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5. 92

   Rochelle Frankposted 14 years ago

   In Southern California there is a fish and chips chain called H. Salt Fish and Chips.  "H. SALT, ESQ. AUTHENTIC ENGLISH SEAFOOD" is their catchphrase. It is served with malt vinegar and a side of cole slaw. and wrapped in a paper that resembled a British newspaper (but wasn't, really).
   Quite good, as I remember. Used to have one nearby when I lived in Anaheim. The 'chips' were big chunky 'french fries'.

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   1. 63

      CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      yes, our chips are big and chunky.
      I dont think coleslaw would be served in our local chippy.
      Reminds me of when I took the kids to Poland and we went into KFC and had a meal which came with cabbage!

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6. 59

   Lifeallstar1posted 14 years ago

   No, there might be a few around that try but nothing like how the UK has them.

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      CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Oh dear, I am sure that an enterprising person could make a bomb opening a chippy!

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7. 67

   lrohnerposted 14 years ago

   Maaaaany years ago when I was a kid, there was a "fast food" fish and chips chain called (I think) Long John Silvers. That chain is long gone.
   
   We do have gazillions of Irish pubs, many/most of which serve fish and chips with varying degrees of authenticity.

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      Rochelle Frankposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      We still have Long John Silver's in California and in Oregon I think-- H. Salt F&C  is better, I think, not as greasy, and not so much batter.

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      KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Long John Silvers is still going strong in Texas.....but yes, not quite the same as what they have in the UK.

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8. 67

   lrohnerposted 14 years ago

   Wow, KCC and Rochelle. I had no idea! I haven't seen a LJS or other fish & chips chain here in the northeast since the 70s or so.

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9. 60

   katiem2posted 14 years ago

   NO NO NO and being a Scottish girl I def long for the tasty fish and chips so commonly found about Scotland.  It's a sad fact. 
   
   We still have LJS here in Ohio they joined forces with Kentucky Fried Chicken and sell both in one shoppe.  Long John Silvers is the best you can get here, it's not bad not bad at all.  Need fish gotta have it!
   
   
   I should open a fish and chips shoppe and make a killing. 

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10. 81

    Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

    If it isn't served in the daily news, then it's not authentic. Americans have such an opportunistic gift for faking and then promoting the faked thing that is not theirs.
    
    But to get to your question, no...Long John Silver is the closest we get, and it's styrofoam. I agree that a savvy business person could make a killing here with either the way it is now in the UK or what the retro UK experience would be.
    
    I do miss my fish and chips daily news.
    
    But alas, here, some newspaper distributor would probably pay a hefty fine if somebody got a belly ache.

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11. 75

    Richieb799posted 14 years ago

    We had an American visiter last weekend who I had to entertain, he found it amusing that we called potato chips 'crisps' an our version of French fries is 'Chips'..we ended up having a KFC. He came from Minnesota. I also made him a cup of tea whch he said he only has twice a year at most and I have it everyday!

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       Rochelle Frankposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       A lot of Americans need to get out more.

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       CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       i cannot believe a cup of tea twice in one year!
       i need both sets of fingers to count how many cups of tea and that is in a single day

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12. 72

    blondepoetposted 14 years ago

    Oh we have them in Australia everywhere. Left, right, around the corner. They serve them wrapped up in white butcher paper. Oh and they make crumbed prawns too. Burp!!!

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       CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       ah, we now have white butcher paper
       the nearest we would get to crumbed prawns might be - fishcakes?

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          Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Fishcakes we have, not often in Aussieland anymore, but they are like 90% flour and some funny prawn additive for taste.
          
          Chish and Fips shops still do a roaring trade in Australia and it is now very hard to get a store going unless it is near a new housing estate (unless one buys one for sale).

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13. 78

    KCC Big Countryposted 14 years ago

    I've never had a cup of hot tea.  How about that?  LOL
    
    In Texas, we only have iced tea.

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       CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       omg!
       
       I may have to have a cup of sweet tea to get over the shock

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       rebekahELLEposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       wow, never?? you need to go find a tea shop and enjoy one of life's pleasures.

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          KCC Big Countryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I don't do hot drinks.  I drink iced tea and ice water even in the winter.

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             Zflixposted 6 years agoin reply to this

             I also like ice water even in winter

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14. 74

    Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

    Just like our culture is based on coffee rather than tea, our "national fast food" would probably be hamburgers rather than fish & chips.
    You can order fish & chips in any fish restaurant and some all purpose restaurants, tho. My dad and FIL used to love it.
    
    There is a fish and chips shop in my neighborhood called Tugboat. It is not a chain. I can eat it about once a year (gives me a tummy ache).
    
    Another gem of the UK that I wish we had a LOT more of here is Indian food.I'd be happy to trade some of our ubiquitous Mexican for a curry in a hurry

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       CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I live in a multi cultural city where a number of uganda asian families settled in the 1970's. We have lots of indian restaurants and some days when you are perhaps sitting in the garden at home, thinking about what to cook, one of my indian neighbours opens a window and the smell of curry wafts out........then you know what your having for dinner, curry!

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15. 85

    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    long john silvers is terrible food..
    
    you have to find it at specialty restaurants that serve authentic British food. there's a place in st. petersburg, FL that has traditional fish and chips, The Moon Under Water, it's a British Colonial tavern.

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16. 86

    Stacie Lposted 14 years ago

    There are no fish and chips shops in Kentucky,per se.
    They do have fried catfish night every Friday!

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17. 61

    DevLinposted 14 years ago

    Pete's Fish & Chips in Phoenix, Arizona. Oysters, too.

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18. 72

    blondepoetposted 14 years ago

    Our typical menu in our local fish and chip joint is usually;
    Crumbed or battered fish
    Small or large dim-sim
    Potato scallops
    Calamari Rings
    Hot chips 2.20 small serve
    Crumbed sausage
    Crumbed sea scallops
    Crumbed prawns
    Fish cake
    Burgers
    Fishermans basket
    Lasagne toppers
    Crumbed crab stick
    Chicko Roll
    Spring roll
    Heaps more but that is all I can think of now

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       Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       BP,
       
       I like to add to that order a family size chips and a dozen deep fried Mars Bars please

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          EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Do they do deep fried confectionery in Australia then?  I thought that was a uniquely Scottish thing LOL.  (I'm not Scottish BTW, but I have been up there and seen battered Mars Bar on the menu!  At probably 1,000 calories a mouthful, I'm sure it provides plenty of energy on those cold winter nights...)

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             Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Yes EF, a very popular item in fish and chip and most hamburger shops in Australia these days.
             
             Have only come across one that does battered deep fried Mars Bars, Snickers bars, and Violet Crumbles..........oh my the decadence

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                EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Never heard of Violet Crumbles - had to look them up.  Seems like they're the Antipodean equivalent of Crunchie bars.  You're right - that is decadent!

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                   CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   do they put them in batter and doesnt the choccy melt?

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                   Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   EF almost exactly like a Crunchie bar
                   
                   Case1worker, yeah all in batter and the choccy does melt yummmmmmmm

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                      CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                      yeuch!!!
                      but i suppose you could have it with mushy peas!

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19. 63

    Kidgasposted 14 years ago

    Long John Silvers is in Indiana, too.  Got one about 4 miles from my house, but I don't care much for it so haven't eaten their in about 10 years or so.
    
    I, too, don't ever recall drinking hot tea.  I only drink coffee occasionally.  I typically get my caffeine fix from diet pepsi.

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    SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years ago

    Where i live on the west coast of Canada, (er....wet coast) there are many people from Britain here...the fish and chips are good...haven't been to Britain so don't know if it is the british way...but i suspect many are....and we sure do like our tea here.....

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21. 63

    CASE1WORKERposted 14 years ago

    thanks everyone.... i am armed with a good reply for my son
    
    I live in a multi cultural city we have almost every type of restaurant you can think of- or take aways.

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22. 81

    iantoPFposted 14 years ago

    I live in Los Angeles County and I can give you a positive NO. There are no Fish and Chip shops like we have back home and not even the "British" pubs can serve a real Fish, Chips and Peas like we get back home.
    I'm not kidding about this next bit, it happened to me twice, in a restaurant where they had Fish and Chips on the menu I asked for it and the waiter said "Would you like fries with that?" Honest, I kid you not.
    Otherwise I have discovered that you can get absolutely anything in America except for;
    A real Fish and Chips meal
    A good pint of beer
    A decent cup of tea
    These are things not to be found.

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23. 61

    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    There are seafood/fish and chips places (at least one mentions fish wrapped in newspaper).  I don't know how "authentic" any of them are, as far being like those in the UK goes.  Maine, Boston, MA, Ipswich, MA Gloucester, MA are all known for seafood.  The New Bedford area and Cape Cod are also big for seafood.  There's everything from upscale Pubs that serve fish and chips (and do the newspaper thing) to really humble-looking places that are described as "not looking like much on the outside".  So, in answer to your son's question, I'm not entirely sure; but if there are any they'd likely be found in some of the places I mentioned above (or other places in New England).  If he just means fish in any number of varieties, fried in batter or bread crumbs and served with fries/chips - then those are everywhere.  So are markets that sell fresh fish.  I'm not even sure people in my area even go to (or have) Long John Silver's.  I lean toward saying that, for the most part, there are little places with fried seafood and fries (either fat ones or "regular" ones) , but the combination of selling fresh fish isn't very common at all.

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24. 89

    Amanda Severnposted 14 years ago

    I always used to like the battered pineapple rings when I was a kid. Not sure whether you can still get those. The gherkins were great, too. My parents, being Londoners, always referred to gherkins as 'wallies'.

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       CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       yes, you can get batterred pineapple rings

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    st lucia for saleposted 14 years ago

    I was watching a program on the Food Network about an authentic chippie in California. It was run by an Englishman, and it was very, very popular!
    
    I've been to America a good 6 or 7 times, but have never come across a Fish and Chip shop! I do think they'd do very well stateside if they managed to keep their authentic, independent charm. In my opinion, chains and chippies don't go hand in hand, even in this country.

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       Rochelle Frankposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       H. Salt Fish and chips has about 25 locations in S. California-- it was started by an Englishman-- and you can look it up on Wiki-- Google or whatever. I liked it when we lived there, but have never been to UK-- so can't compare the likenesses or difference.

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    thisisoliposted 14 years ago

    *edit*
    
    I am an Englishman living in Texas :p
    
    Reading a few comments here I think it would also be helpful to point out that, fish and chips is in no way a cuisine, it does not even particularly taste much like fish.
    
    When I came to order my first fish and chips in the US I actually messed up when the waitress asked if I would like chips or fries with that, obviously without thinking.  I ended up with a really weird meal.
    
    I haven't seen many authentic Irish pubs outside of the UK and Ireland. Once you leave the realm it seems to be that the mainstay of an Irish bar is Irish brands plastered all over the walls, windows, and bar, and some token gastro pub recipes hidden in the menu (And guiness on tap).

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27. 61

    kevin31157posted 14 years ago

    Oh dear, no english fish and chips in the states. I recently (last month)September 2010 visited friends in Charleston, SC. and mentioned fish and chips over in the states and asked if there were any shops that did them, and they said not that they knew of.
    Guess i`d better come over and set up a fish and chips business and franchise it to ya`ll just like you did a few decades ago with ya good ol` Kentucky Fried Chicken which took off worldwide big time.

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28. 61

    kevin31157posted 14 years ago

    You need Cod, Haddock, Plaice as your main fish to fry then u can try Rock salmon (dogfish), Skate, Dover Sole, Lemon Sole, Whiting, Dabs or Flounder and batter them up and chip your potatoes and fry in lard and you`re away and up and running.
    Then get your adverts everywhere folks !!

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    KCC Big Countryposted 14 years ago

    I could see the fish & chips shops doing ok in places were fresh fish is available, but you do realize that's NOT the majority of the country.  I'm in a border state (Texas) and I'm still 5 hrs from fresh fish.   That's a lot of transporting.  It's easy to be near fresh fish when you're a small island.
    
    Trust me, my English hubby has already thought this one out.

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       Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       My thing is if I get the idea there's fresh fish around (or - and I "love" this one - even fish kept in a tank at the restaurant, just for "atmosphere"), I'm not going there.  If I'm going eat anything that once was living it needs to be cubed up, turned into something I can't recognize, and frozen in order for me to be able to do it.    (which is one reason I know nothing about all those seafood places that are very common in New England).

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    Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years ago

    Rob 'n Jays Chippy in Indianapolis is said to be very authentic.  Wrapping the fish in newspaper is illegal here, so they use wax paper printed to look like newspaper.  There's something on the menu called "mushy peas"...
    
    ...what the hell are mushy peas?

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       CASE1WORKERposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       a ggoey mess of peas where the pea is part of a congealed green slime- served hot of course with sometimes a hint of mint. It is more prevalent in the midlands and north of this country. I for one, think it is awful. In an english ( cannot comment on the other parts of our island) there are always two hot containers- one full of mushy peas and the other full of curry sauce - they are bought in the containers or if you are feeling really decadent, tipped over your chips so you eat them straight from the paper in the street!

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          Ron Montgomeryposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          We have a similarly awful concoction over here called green bean casserole.  It's a mixture basically consisting of frozen green beans, canned mushroom soup, and canned fried onions.  It's traditionally served at Thanksgiving and everyone who cooks it swears that theirs is "the" authentic recipe handed down from their grandmother.

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    klarawieckposted 14 years ago

    I don't know about the US, but here in Miami (We practically belong to the Caribbean Islands) we have lots of fish and chips places. I've never tried them. Now I'm curious!

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    Rochelle Frankposted 14 years ago

    As Californians, we once went on a four week cross-country trip with two kids and a dog.
    
    Mostly, we camped with our van but when we reached the East  coast we wanted to splurge on a nice sea food dinner in Gloucester Mass. It was great. I think we had lobster and shellfish and sat looking out at he bay.
    
    We were asked if we would like a cocktail. Since we were not accustomed to ordering cocktails-- I thought I would order something with rum, since I knew that rum had a long history on the eastern seaboard.
    The only rum cocktail I knew the name of was a MaiTai (apparently a Hawaiian style cocktail). The waitress said that she didn't know what it was, but the bartender might.
    She brought us a nice drink and later asked how it was. We said it was good (though we had probably never had it before). She said the bartender had to look it up.

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