Moscow

• Gogol: Located in an underground bunker, this restaurant uses an air raid siren to alert customers when their orders are ready to be picked up.
• Petrovich: Decked out in Soviet memorabilia, this restaurant pays ironic homage to Stalinist Russia.
• The Real McCoy: This club models itself after a prohibition-era speakeasy, complete with a hard-to-find entrance and 1930s design elements.
• Shinok (Moscow): Shinok evokes rural Ukraine, circa 1600, with traditional food, music, costumes, and even real barnyard animals on display.

Taiwan

• D.S. Music Restaurant: A restaurant with a hospital theme, visitors sit around “beds” while their drinks drip from IV tubes into their glasses.
• The Jail: Keeping with the jail theme, diners here are served by waiters in black-and-white-striped prisoner garb.
• Modern Toilet Diner: As strange as it may seem, customers are flocking to the Modern Toilet Diner and its toilet-based decor.

Tokyo

• Alcatraz: Diners are led to their table in handcuffs and their food is delivered through a slot in the barred “cell” wall.
• Alice in Wonderland: Customers go down the rabbit hole to this “Gothic and Lolita” style tribute to Lewis Carroll’s heroine.
• Christon Cafe: There’s nothing sacrilegious about a Christian-themed restaurant decorated with crucifixes and featuring menu items such as the “Small Devil” cocktail, right?

USA

• Cereality: A restaurant devoted to cereal seems like a strange idea, but with its large menu of cereals, toppings, and cereal-related items like bars and smoothies, this chain of restaurants is taking off in the U.S.
• Heart Attack Grill: This Phoenix, Arizona restaurant has its own resident “doctor,” whose prescription calls for the house special, the “Double Bypass Burger.”
• Quark’s Bar and Restaurant: Part of the Las Vegas Hilton’s Star Trek Experience, Quark’s Bar serves drinks and food with names that would sound right at home on the Enterprise.

• Bagels: H & H Bagels in New York is justly famous for their chewy, fresh creations.

• Cheesecake: It’s possible to have cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory sent directly to your home. Or join the Cheesecake of the Month Club and get one delivered every month.

• Lobster: It may be hard to believe, but this company will send live lobsters to your home.

• Oysters: Love fresh oysters but can’t get them where you live? This company will sell you two dozen live oysters to satisfy your craving.

• Filet Mignon: Liven up your next dinner party with these tasty filet mignons.

• Turkey: Don’t feel like roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving? If you order this whole basted turkey, you don’t even have to leave the house.

• Truffles: It’s now fresh truffle season, so if you’re looking for this culinary treat, you’ll have to act fast.

• Black Coffee, Peggy Lee: This bluesy number from the soulful singer is a classic.
• Café, Gipsy Kings: I love this upbeat tune from France’s flamenco favorites.
• Java, Al Hirt: Master trumpeter Hirt shines in this fun and funky instrumental.
• What I Want Is a Proper Cup of Coffee, Trout Fishing in America: Who doesn’t want a “proper cup of coffee, made in a proper copper coffee pot” (try saying that three times fast)?
• Java Jive, The Ink Spots: The Manhattan Transfer also does a great version of this song, but I especially like the slow harmonizing of this legendary vocal group.
• Afternoons and Coffeespoons, Crash Test Dummies: I’m a sucker for the lyrics of this song, based on T.S. Eliot’s poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
• Coffee Mornin’, Duke Ellington: A classy and mellow tune from the Duke.
• La java de Cézigue, Edith Piaf: I don’t know exactly what “Java” refers to in this song, but I love the Parisian vibe of this kicky chanson.

Bodily Parts and Fluids:

• Barf Bags (Orange-flavored)
• Bones (Strawberry-flavored)
• Boogers (Snottermelon, Sour Green Boogy and Lemon Loogy flavors)
• Brains (Fruit-flavored)
• Eyeballs
• (Anatomical) Hearts (Strawberry-flavored)
• Mustaches (Sarsaparilla-flavored)
• Teeth

Fast Food & Beer:

• Burgers
• Hot Dogs
• Lager Tops (Lemon and lager-flavored)
• Pint Pots (Beer-flavored)
• Pizza
• Spaghetti (Sour apple, strawberry, and blueberry flavors)

Cuts of Meat:

• Bacon (Strawberry-flavored)
• Chicken Legs (Orange ‘n Cream flavor)
• Frog Legs
• T-Bone Steak (Strawberry-flavored)

Creepy Crawling Critters:

• Banana Slugs (Banana-flavored)
• Centipedes (Orange, apple, raspberry, pineapple, lemon, blueberry flavors)
• Cockroaches (Cola-flavored)
• Lobsters

Miscellaneous:

• Band-aids (Fruit-flavored)
• Dice
• Paint Brushes
• Poker Chips

• Ann Curry
• Salt-N-Pepa (3 members)
• Rosemary Harris
• Saffron Burrows
• Nigella Lawson

• Rhubarb Pie: Winner ate 7.9 pounds of rhubarb pie in eight minutes; North Dakota State Fair, July 2006
• Horseshoe Sandwiches (Two pieces of toast topped with ham, French fries, and cheese sauce): Winner ate 6 pounds, 5 ounces of sandwiches in 10 minutes; Illinois State Fair, August 2006
• Gyoza: Winner ate 212 gyoza; Nisei Week, Los Angeles, August 2006
• Waffles: Winner ate 23 waffles in 12 minutes (7.5 pounds); Atlanta, GA, September 2006
• Cannoli: Winner ate 26 cannoli in six minutes; 79th Annual Feast of San Gennaro, New York, NY, September 2006
• Fried Okra: Winner ate 9.75 pounds in 10 minutes; Oklahoma State Fair, September 2006
• Jalapeno Peppers: Winner ate 247 pickled jalapenos in eight minutes; State Fair of Texas, October 2006
• Whole Turkey: Winner ate 4.8 pounds of turkey in 12 minutes; Artie’s Deli, New York, NY, November 2006
• Meatballs: Winner ate 9.97 pounds of meatballs; Tropicana Hotel, Atlantic City, December 2006
• Date Nut Bread and Cream Cheese Sandwiches: Winner ate 29 sandwiches in 10 minutes; Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, December 2006
• Chili Cheese Fries: Winner ate 5.44 pounds of fries; Long Beach, CA, February 2007
• Deep-fried asparagus: Stockton Asparagus Festival, April 2006
• Corn on the cob: Winner ate 34 3/4 ears of corn in 12 minutes; 7th Annual Sweet Corn Fiesta, Palm Beach, FL, April 2007
• Strawberry Shortcake: Winner ate 15.25 pounds of strawberry shortcake in eight minutes; Mattituck, NY, June 2007
• Shoo-Fly Pie: Lancaster, PA, June 2007
• Pigs’ Feet and Knuckles: New Jersey State Fair, June 2007

Source: International Federation of Competitive Eating

• Cadbury Creme Eggs: Eggs are an obvious symbol of new life and fertility.
• Cadbury Mini Eggs: Eggs again.
• Chocolate Bunnies: Representing the rapidly-reproducing rabbit.
• Jellybeans: Linked to Easter because they are egg-shaped.
• Marshmallow Peeps: Baby chicks are often seen as a sign of spring.
• Whoppers Robin Eggs: Yet another egg connection.

• Bourbon Fruitcake/Bourbon Fudge/Cheese: The Abbey of Gethsemani, in Trappist, Kentucky, was home to the well-known spiritual writer Thomas Merton for most of his life. This community now supports itself through the sale of bourbon fruitcake, bourbon fudge, and various kinds of cheese, through its business, Gethsemani Farms.
• Chartreuse: This classic herbal liqueur, produced for centuries by monks of the Carthusian order is now bottled in Voiron, France, near the site of the order’s first and most prominent monastery, La Grande Chartreuse.
• Hams/Bacon/Canadian Bacon/Smoked Turkey: The monks and nuns of New Skete, an Eastern Orthodox monastic community in upstate New York, specialize in smoked meat products, as well as cheesecake and cheese.
• Toner and Ink Cartridges: The monks of Our Lady of Spring Bank Cistercian Abbey in Sparta, Wisconsin, have an online business, LaserMonks.com, selling toner, ink cartridges and other office supplies.
• Wooden Coffins: Handcrafted by the monks of the New Melleray Abbey in Peosta, Iowa, the sale of these wooden caskets provides income for the community.

Exotic Flavors

• Bärlauchrebell/Wild Garlic Cheese: Flavored with wild garlic and other Alpine herbs, this cow’s milk cheese is a tasty treat from Bavaria, Germany.
• Cabot Horseradish Cheddar: This cheddar from Vermont has a special zing, thanks to the addition of spicy horseradish.
• Carr Valley Cocoa Cardona: This goat’s milk cheese from Wisconsin is rubbed with cocoa as it ages.
• Piacentinu: Produced in Sicily, Piacentinu is a sheep’s milk cheese flavored with saffron and peppercorns.
• Tibetan Yak Cheese: Ever wondered what high altitude cheese tastes like? This cheese is produced from (yes, you guessed it) yak’s milk at over 14,000 feet above sea level.

Drunk Cheeses

• 4 Pack of Beer Cheese: These cheese spreads are flavored with micro-brew beers: Special Pilsner, Munich Dark, Bavarian Lager, and Wisconsin Amber.
• Cahill’s Farm Cheddar – Irish Whiskey: This semi-soft cheddar from Ireland is flavored with Irish whiskey.
• Four-Pack Wine Cheese: This four pack of cheese spreads includes Merlot Cheddar, Chardonnay Havarti, Cabernet Sauvignon, and White Zinfandel Havarti.
• Red Dragon: This Welsh cheese, also known as Y-Fenni, is a cheddar flavored with mustard seeds and brown ale.
• VODCheese: Made from Swedish Prästost cheese soaked in Absolut Vodka, VODCheese is available in Vodka currant, Ginberry, and Pepper flavors.

Interesting Shapes

• Tête de Moine & Girolle: Tête de Moine, which means “Monk’s Head,” is a Swiss cheese with a strong nutty flavor. The best way to slice the cheese is to use a Girolle to produce elegant ruffles and rosettes.
• Wisconsin Shape Cheddar Cheese: This cheese is exactly what it sounds like: Wisconsin cheddar in the shape of the Badger State.

• Nyepi (March 19, 2007): On this day, residents of Bali, Indonesia, remain indoors and maintain silence as a means of encouraging self-reflection.
• Songkran (April 13-15, 2007): In recent years this Thai New Year’s celebration has been marked by people throwing water on each other and on vehicles in the streets, a mostly welcome practice since April is the hottest month in Thailand.
• Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year (September 12-14, 2007): One of the traditions of Rosh Hashanah is to throw pieces of bread on flowing water to symbolize casting off one’s sins (known as Tashlikh).
• Hogmanay (December 31, 2007): One important aspect of this Scottish New Year’s celebration is the tradition of “first-footing;” it is considered good luck if the first person to cross your threshold in the new year is a dark-haired male, preferably bearing gifts of coal (symbolizing warmth) and salt (symbolizing flavor).
• La Festa di San Silvestro (December 31, 2007): Italians celebrate the new year with special foods and festivities, and sometimes with flying furniture; it is customary in some areas to throw old belongings out the window to symbolize making way for the new year.
• Noche Vieja (December 31, 2007): A fun custom in Spain is to eat twelve grapes, one for each strike of the clock, at midnight.
• Shogatsu/Japanese New Year (January 1, 2008): In Japan, much attention is paid to the “firsts” of the year, including the first sunrise, the first work of the new year, and the first dream of the new year.
• Chinese New Year (February 7, 2008): There are many traditions and practices associated with the Chinese New Year season, which lasts for fifteen days after the New Year begins. One custom is to buy all new clothes to wear, often red in color, as red is believed to keep away bad spirits and bad luck.

There are various explanations for these puzzling names, including the idea that early publicans distinguished their establishments from similarly-named ones by adding a unique second name. Also, as Bill Bryson points out in his 1990 book, The Mother Tongue, some of these compound names could be corruptions of the original names, such as Elephant and Castle (Infanta de Castille), Pig and Whistle (Peg and Wassail), and Dog and Bacon (Dorking Beacon). Whatever the case was in the past, there is a new trend of giving pubs self-consciously quirky names, as with the Slug and Lettuce chain of pubs in Britain.

United Kingdom:

• The Actress and Bishop (Birmingham): This is quite a scandalous pair.
• Adam & Eve (London): With a name like this, you might expect apple cider to be on the menu.
• Angel and Greyhound (Oxford): I don’t know where the name came from, but these two fleet-footed creatures seem to go together.
• The Ape and Apple (Manchester): Do apes eat apples? Try saying that five times fast.
• Black Lion & French Horn (London): This pub is not short on adjectives.
• Bull & Butcher (London): These two seem like unlikely name-fellows.
• Butcher’s Hook & Cleaver (London): At this place you’re sure to have a bloody good time.
• The Cock and Bottle (London): What else needs to be said?
• Dog & Bell (London): I wonder if this pub has any relation to Ivan Pavlov’s famous experiment.
• Eagle and Child (Oxford): Nicknamed The Bird and Baby, this pub was the favored haunt of the Inklings, a writers’ group whose members included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.
• Hand & Shears (London): The name of this pub describes the guild sign for the Merchant Tailors of London, sometime proprietors of the pub.
• Lamb & Flag (London): This pub is the oldest in Covent Garden (around 300 years old), and was once known as the Bucket of Blood.
• The Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower (Ashtead): Wonder what’s on the menu?
• The Lion and Lobster (Brighton): Otherwise known as the Surf ‘n’ Savannah special.
• The Newt and Cucumber (Birmingham): Quick, two things that are cold and slimy…
• The Pig & Porcupine (Manchester): Any relation to Porky Pig?
• The Slug & Lettuce: This is actually a chain of pubs, with locations all over the UK.
• The Swan and Cemetery (Bury): Sounds like a cheery place to grab a pint.

North America:

• Cat & Fiddle (Los Angeles, CA): According to author Bill Bryson, this popular pub name was originally Caterine la Fidèle. The name for this Hollywood hotspot seems apt, considering many of the staff are musicians.
• Frog & Nightgown (Coquitlam, BC): As long as it’s not “Frog IN Nightgown.”
• Frog and Peach (San Luis Obispo, CA): This spot used to be an ice cream store before becoming a pub, but I hope the name wasn’t inspired by former flavors of icy treats.

Ants:

• Ant Candy
• Chocolate-Covered Giant Ants
• Fried Giant Ants
• Preserved Weaver Ants Eggs
• Roasted Weaver Ants

Crickets:

• Bacon & Cheddar Cheese-Flavored Crickets
• Canned Brown Curry-Flavored Mole Crickets
• Canned Soy Sauce-Flavored Pregnant Crickets
• Chocolate-Covered Crickets
• Preserved Big Crickets in Salt Water Brine
• Roasted Giant Crickets
• Roasted Pregnant Crickets
• Salt N’ Vinegar-Flavored Crickets
• Sour Cream & Onion-Flavored Crickets

Larvae & Worms:

• BBQ-Flavored Worms
• Canned BBQ-Flavored Bamboo Worms
• Canned Tom Yum-Flavored Bamboo Worms
• Cheddar Cheese-Flavored Worms
• Mexican Spice-Flavored Worms
• Preserved Bamboo Worms in Salt Water Brine
• Roasted Bamboo Worms
• Roasted Giant Centipedes
• Roasted Meal Worms
• Roasted Silk Worms
• Sun-Dried Emperor Moth Caterpillars

Scorpions & Water Bugs:

• Chocolate-Covered Scorpions
• Preserved Black Scorpions in Salt Water Brine
• Roasted Scorpions
• Scorpion Amber Candy
• Scorpion Vodka
• Smokey BBQ Canned Scorpions
• Spicy Giant Bug Paste

• Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”): French-speaking countries and most of North America
• Shrove Tuesday: UK, Ireland, Australia
• Pancake Day: UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada
• Sledziówka (“Herring Day”): Poland
• Vastenavond (“Fasting Evening”): Netherlands
• Carnival, Carnaval, Carnevale, Karnival, Karnaval, etc.: Used for the celebration period ending the day before Ash Wednesday in various other parts of the world

While the Bond franchise has probably done more for the martini than any standard product placement could ever accomplish, there are other movies and TV shows that have created similar pop culture ripples through the opportune mention of a particular alcoholic beverage.

• Absinthe (Moulin Rouge!)
• Chianti (The Silence of the Lambs)
• Cosmopolitan (Sex and the City)
• Merlot (Sideways)
• Mixed Drinks (Cocktail)
• Rum (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
• Tequila (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure)

• Cheese, Carne Asada, Sour Cream, and Guacamole (US)
• Cheese Curds and Gravy (Canada)
• Cheese Powder (Philippines)
• Chopped Raw Onions (Netherlands)
• Curry sauce (Ireland)
• Garlic (US)
• Lemon (Mexico)
• Malt Vinegar (UK)
• Mint Cilantro Sauce (Pakistan)
• Mustard (Norway)
• Oregano (Greece)
• Peanut sauce (Netherlands)
• Remoulade Sauce (Denmark)
• Sugar and Butter (Vietnam)
• Turkey Stuffing, Peas, Cheese, and Gravy (Canada)
• White Vinegar (Canada)

Sources: Food Services of America and Wikipedia.

You wouldn’t think you could learn about a country by tasting its potato chips, but I think you can (not that I need more excuses to eat them). There are some flavors that are popular in many countries (eg. Salt and Vinegar), and others whose popularity might be unique to a certain country (eg. Consommé).

I have tried some of the brands below (Pehuamar, Old Dutch, Kettle Foods), and I am very interested in trying the others (Eta, Jonathan Crisp, Walkers); in the case of the Calbee chips, I may never get the chance. Apparently it’s common in Japan for new flavors to be introduced and then quickly replaced, so the flavors I’ve listed below may not currently be available. For photos of the types of Japanese chips listed, go to greggman.com.

Pehuamar (Argentina)

• Bife Criollo (Steak with Onions and Sweet Peppers)
• Cordero Patagonico (Patagonia Lamb)
• Provoleta (Grilled Provolone Cheese)
• Tomate y Hierbas (Tomato and Herbs)

Old Dutch (Canada)

• Buffalo Wings
• Cheddar & Sour Cream
• Crispy Bacon
• Dill Pickle
• Ketchup
• Onion’n Garlic

Kettle Foods (USA)

• New York Cheddar with Herbs
• Honey Dijon
• Yogurt & Green Onion
• Roasted Red Pepper with Goat Cheese
• Spicy Thai
• Cheddar Beer

Eta (New Zealand)

• Chilli & Sour Cream
• Feta & Italian Herbs
• Honey Soy Chicken
• Mature Cheddar & Caramelized Onion
• Roast Chicken, Sage & Onion
• Roast Lamb & Mint
• Smoked Salmon & Capers
• Sundried Tomato & Balsamic Vinegar

Jonathan Crisp (UK)

• Black Olive & Garlic
• Black Pepper & Ginger
• Horseradish & Sour Cream
• Mature Cheddar & Red Onion
• Sundried Tomato & Basil

Walkers (UK)

• Heinz Tomato Ketchup
• Lamb & Mint
• Marmite Yeast Extract
• Pickled Onion
• Prawn Cocktail
• Steak & Onion

Calbee (Japan)

• Caesar Salad
• Caramel Butter
• Cheese Curry
• Consommé
• Kimchee
• Mapodoufu (Tofu in a Spicy Pork Sauce)
• Tandori Chicken

However, there are also certain food items that seem to appeal uniquely to British tastebuds; marmite, black pudding, and haggis spring immediately to mind. While some may shun them, there are others who are equally passionate in their appreciation of these foods.

• British Sausage Appreciation Society: This group publishes a newsletter called “The Missing Link.”
• Everything brown sauce!: A Canadian Web site inspired by HP sauce (also called “brown sauce”), a tangy condiment popular in both Canada and the UK.
• I Love Crisps: Discussion and reviews of different kinds of potato chips (“crisps”), including British favorites Prawn Cocktail and Worcestershire.
• Marmite Fan Club: For fans of the yeasty, salty condiment.
• Sausage Fans: Another site for sausage lovers.
• Spam Fan Club: Technically an American food, it was immortalized in the Spam sketch by British comedy group Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

• Baked Alaska
• Bread Pudding
• Brownies
• Cheesecake
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Crème Brûlée
• Crisp
• Crumble
• Crunch
• Flan
• Fluff
• Fritters
• Fudge
• Jelly Rolls
• Mousse
• Poached
• Pudding
• Rum Mousse
• Souffle
• Truffles

Savory

• Spaghetti and Meatballs on a Stick
• Cheeseburger
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Cheese Curds
• Pizza
• Dill Pickles
• Pretzels
• Vegetables & Fruit: Avocado, Tomatoes, Olives, Asparagus, Artichoke Hearts
• Cicadas

Sweet

• Coca-Cola
• Twinkies
• Oreos
• Cheesecake
• Mars Bars

Confusion over the provenance of this particular bird is not limited to the English language, however; many other languages, including Turkish, have geographically related names for the Thanksgiving bird that are just as mixed up as ours. This information comes mostly from the Wikipedia, along with somewhat contradictory statements from the Linguist List (here and here).

Names Referring to India

• Turkish: Hindi (from/related to India)
• French: Poulet d’inde (chicken from India)
• Catalan: Gall dindi (Indian chicken)
• Hebrew: Tarnegol hodu (Indian chicken)
• Russian: Indiuk
• Polish: Indyk
• Yiddish: Indik
• Maltese: Dundjan
• Dutch: Kalkoen (from the Indian city of Calicut)
• Bahasa Indonesia: Ayam kalkun (bird + reference to Calicut)
• Danish: Kalkun (see Dutch)
• Swedish: Kalkon (see Dutch)
• Low German: Kalkuun (see Dutch)
• Finnish: Kalakuna (see Dutch)

Names Referring to France

• Greek: Gallopoula (French bird) [According to some sources, it's a different word meaning "Egyptian rooster."]
• Scottish Gaelic: Cearc frangach (French chicken)

Other Countries

• (Standard) Arabic: Dik roumi (Roman rooster) [According to some sources, it's diiq hindi, or Indian rooster]
• Palestinian Arabic: Diik Habash (Ethiopian rooster)
• Egyptian Arabic: “Greek bird” or “Greek rooster” [According to some sources, it's dik-rumi, or Turkish fowl, though that looks suspiciously like the "roumi" that supposedly means Roman]
• Malay: Ayam belanda (Dutch chicken)
• Portuguese: Peru (refers to the country)