
Burgers...on July 4, 2011!

After eating typically (sort of) American burgers with my family (and my Patriotic Chinese Warrior, Sicilian Knight and Uncle Sam) I made a decision. I would spend one year celebrating the diversity of the USA by trying as many ethnically diverse restaurants as possible. My goal is to enjoy at least 50 culturally different dining experiences by July 4, 2012.
I use the word DINING in my list, because the experience is not just about food. I am one of those people who usually can't tell you what I ate at a restaurant a few days ago, but I can mimic the waiter's twang or describe the funky wallpaper. Although my dining goal involves eating different ethnic foods, I will focus on plenty of other aspects of the dining experience. I will share each dining experience with a rating!

This complex rating will use a system similar to one I created as a
child to rate restaurant restrooms. My family at least pretended to
be interested in what number rating I gave each restroom for
cleanliness and décor. But it was my special rating for
"RESTROOM EXCITEMENT" that they eagerly anticipated!
Sometimes I had to linger a while in the restroom to make sure there was something to report, like an overheard personal conversation or a man walking in by mistake or a crying waitress or even a hideous bug in the sink. Restrooms with lots of excitement (good or bad) could get number ratings off the chart!
I will try my best to give fair food ratings on each Dining List experience, but bonus points awarded in other areas will mainly add a bit of enjoyable confusion to the system. Authenticity is important...lots of extra points! Good people-watching is always a plus. An enjoyable
conversation with the owner or server will boost the rating even higher. And atmosphere will be carefully judged. Similar to my restroom ratings, unusual or even humorous details are appreciated. The more memorable the dining adventure, the higher the rating. So, USE RATINGS WITH CAUTION!
Columbian Food! First on List!

WHAT I LEARNED AT LA FOGATA?
The fried sweet plantains were yummy and the Papaya drink made me thirsty. The food was quite tasty and not too spicy. I will give 4 points for food.

9 POINTS FOR LA FOGATA!!!!