@Dicrostonyx
The average Canadian (and I assume American too) doesn't really know a lot about the food cultures of Europe, let alone the rest of the world. In the public consciousness:
I have been to nearly every State in the USA, and most Canadian Provinces, as well as nearly 80 nations around the globe.
Seattle (area), has had for a century authentic Scandinavian, Germanic, Scottish, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, as well as that of the Salish tribes. For the last 30 to 40 years authentic Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, as well as Irish, French, Russian, and even Ethiopian cuisine is available. We have a plethora of ethnic communities, and their foods are available here.
Many of the restaurants the menus are Not in English, but in the native language. Much of my family is of German-Scandanavian-Scottish ancestry, one grandmother was from Ireland, and an aunt was half-Japanese. Our neighbors were Korean. I grew up being able to order meals in German, Japanese, or Korean, although I was far from fluent in any of those languages.
I have seen on TV the stereotypes of ignorant "Ugly Americans" only eating at McDonald's and Dennys.
I found that Vancouver, B.C. San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Chicago, and NYC, also have a plethora of authentic ethnic cuisines.
Perhaps because I was brought up experiencing a wide variety of cuisines; then upon joining the US Army at 17 I sought out "authentic" cuisines when I could in CONUS, or when deployed. I particularly enjoyed an Italian restaurant in Port St. George, Grenada ๐ฌ๐ฉ above a hardware store, and with a spectacular view of the harbor! The proprietors had fled Musolini's Italy, and opened a restaurant in the then British colony. I ate there while training Grenadian Constabulary.
German cuisine in Argentina, or Cuban cuisine in Miami, or Portuguese in Newark. I prefer "ordinary" ethnic cuisine, over "gourmet" versions.
Perhaps I am exceptional... it is not uncommon that I am one of a few, or the only White Guy, in some restaurants...