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Why is there just crap to eat in town centres? |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,650
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Why is there just crap to eat in town centres?
I'm currently in what could be any UK town centre; and all I wanted was something tasty and healthy for lunch but there was nothing.
Something like a sensible portion of rice and meat stir fried in a sauce with vegetables, that will leave me satisfied but with not a hint of feeling bloated or having over eaten. The perfect amount of nutrients and calories to carry me over until something else sensible to eat later this evening. There is one fusion Thai / Chinese restaurant open; but they have no "bento box" size portions available; just take-away price mega-portions. If I was at home; I could prepare this in 10 minutes. But i'm not; and all I have available to me are huge portions of saturated fat, refined carbs or baked potatoes (too many carbs in one go). Even the sandwiches on offer form the numerous pubs are "foot long" baguettes served with crisps (if not chips!) and loaded with processed meat. Why not buy a sandwich then? Because they're either "diet friendly" nonsense; or loaded with mayonnaise and processed meat. There's nothing inbetween.
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#2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,236
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The nearest Chinese restaurant?
Edit; Just seen you explained that. Any Sushi bars? |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Quote:
The nearest Chinese restaurant?
Edit; Just seen you explained that. Any Sushi bars? Why is there nothing even remotely along those lines here. No wonder there's an obesity problem. |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Athens - GR
Posts: 8,332
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Don't most supermarkets have salad bars? You could try that with a wholemeal roll to go alongside it.
Gregg's do quite good ready sandwiches as well and although they over-use the mayo it's usually spread rather than mixed in so you can scrape it out. In Subway you can make sure you get a healthy filling sandwich by making your own also. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 712
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thats why i make my own salads.
i work in manchester town centre, you can get some ok stuff from the little supermarkets and a salad bar has just opened which I will be checking out soon. I do also go to subway occasionally and pick the healthy options. |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,170
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M&S do sushi now, don't they? Or could you have some kind of wrap? M&S and Boots sell them (don't know the nutritional breakdown though).
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#7 |
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Guest
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,503
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Because that is what people want. Eating food is no longer meant to be the most basically fundamental thing you can do, but just another source of instant, hedonistic gratification to accompany all the others that a wonderful daily modern life that we've never had so good should consist of.
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#8 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 7,997
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Many town centre food outlets make their real money from the after pub crowd, and it doesn't take a genius to work out what types of food they're interested in.
Similarly, Greggs and Subway et al. are geared up for the daytime Wetherspoons type drinkers. We don't have a single 'proper' restaurant in our town centre, despite having a population of almost 200,000. Sad, really. |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
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It depends on where you go. Not all towns are poorly prepared.
Street stalls are limited as they would not pass our rigid health and safety laws. Try going to a buffet diner as they often have take out boxes and getting some singapore noodles with some sort of vegetable curry sauce? Or you could get a small bag of salad from Sainsburys and a pouch of tuna or even better from Waitrose where they do lovely salad things including rice,quinoa,cous cous,pulses and beans. I would have thought using your culinary imagination, it would be easy! |
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#10 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 16,886
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Yeah we don't 'get' street food in this country do we? In Mexico and Asia especially some of the best food can be bought for a pittance on the street. We get burger vans and the odd Jacket Potato van!
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#11 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 16,886
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Quote:
Because that is what people want. Eating food is no longer meant to be the most basically fundamental thing you can do, but just another source of instant, hedonistic gratification to accompany all the others that a wonderful daily modern life that we've never had so good should consist of.
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#12 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 7,997
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Quote:
Yeah we don't 'get' street food in this country do we?
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#13 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 16,886
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Quote:
You can thank the H&S Executive for that. It's also hard to tax street food vendors, too.
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 550
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It's actually because there's no demand. H&S doesn't stop all those vile burger vans. And the reason those Asian places are so cheap is because they're poor countries.
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Athens - GR
Posts: 8,332
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I'd feel lucky if we had M&S Foodhall out here to be honest - and most towns in the UK do have that; I don't think it's just the UK either - I think most of Europe outside of capital cities has limited options - if you leave Athens your lunch choices are kebab, toastie or cheesepie pretty much!
What I'd love is a modern falafel option - baked rather than fried, more salad options, low fat dressings and wholemeal wraps and pittas - someone should start a chain! |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,170
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Quote:
I'd feel lucky if we had M&S Foodhall out here to be honest - and most towns in the UK do have that; I don't think it's just the UK either - I think most of Europe outside of capital cities has limited options - if you leave Athens your lunch choices are kebab, toastie or cheesepie pretty much!
What I'd love is a modern falafel option - baked rather than fried, more salad options, low fat dressings and wholemeal wraps and pittas - someone should start a chain!
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#17 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,255
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Quote:
I'm currently in what could be any UK town centre; and all I wanted was something tasty and healthy for lunch but there was nothing.
Something like a sensible portion of rice and meat stir fried in a sauce with vegetables, that will leave me satisfied but with not a hint of feeling bloated or having over eaten. The perfect amount of nutrients and calories to carry me over until something else sensible to eat later this evening. There is one fusion Thai / Chinese restaurant open; but they have no "bento box" size portions available; just take-away price mega-portions. If I was at home; I could prepare this in 10 minutes. But i'm not; and all I have available to me are huge portions of saturated fat, refined carbs or baked potatoes (too many carbs in one go). Even the sandwiches on offer form the numerous pubs are "foot long" baguettes served with crisps (if not chips!) and loaded with processed meat. Why not buy a sandwich then? Because they're either "diet friendly" nonsense; or loaded with mayonnaise and processed meat. There's nothing inbetween. ![]() |
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 8,047
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Quote:
Many town centre food outlets make their real money from the after pub crowd, and it doesn't take a genius to work out what types of food they're interested in.
Similarly, Greggs and Subway et al. are geared up for the daytime Wetherspoons type drinkers. We don't have a single 'proper' restaurant in our town centre, despite having a population of almost 200,000. Sad, really. |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Shenzhen, China
Posts: 5,265
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Quote:
Sounds just like my town centre. There's about 5 Greggs, a Subway, McDonalds, a couple of greasy spoon cafes, various other pasty/sandwich shops. Not one decent restaurant in the vicinity.
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 191
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I agree actually. It's really annoying to be in an unfamiliar town centre, because you don't know the outskirt places that have decent food... your choices are fastfood or an over-priced sandwich in a coffee shop.
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,650
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Quote:
I would also suggest that you tone down the arrogant nature you seem to have.
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 8,047
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Quote:
That sounds like heaven to me. There is only much street food you can take despite it being delicious. I would kill for a pasty, quality sandwich or a juicy fry up.
but to avoid becoming the size of a house I would like some healthy options! Excluding processed, mass-produced rubbish that makes up the 'healthy' menu in these places.
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 13,434
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I would like to see some decent Italian restaurants in my area. There are far too many curry houses, especially Kebabishis. I like curries a lot, but also like other food. Sometime I wonder how they survive, especially when there are 5 within a hundred metres of each other.
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,215
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I think there are 3 McDo's in Croydon town centre alone. Not that I'd eat that shite... I used to mind, I've just recognised the error of my ways!
![]() Also in Croydon town centre, there's a KFC, Pizza Hut, BK, Chicken Cottage, Greggs, all you can stuff down your throat Chinese 'restaurants' with food that's been in the warming trays for a week or two, umpteen coffee shops etc etc. You can get 'proper' meals in Debenhams' and Allders' restaurants on the proviso that you're expected to pay a ridiculously high amount for something very average indeed. In South Croydon however, there are loads of restaurants offering almost every type of food imaginable so I'm lucky in that regard. I also have a local chippy which is fantastic, but that's a very occasional treat for me. But anyhoo, I agree with the OP that it's quite often only fast food that's offered in town centres. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,686
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Quote:
Thanks - a friend just returned from an IT training trip to India - and he said for lunch you could walk down street after street and take your pick from small stalls selling delicious meats and vegetables, with potatoes, rice or rice noodles in small boxes for next to nothing.
Why is there nothing even remotely along those lines here. No wonder there's an obesity problem. |
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but to avoid becoming the size of a house I would like some healthy options! Excluding processed, mass-produced rubbish that makes up the 'healthy' menu in these places.
