The beauty of the United States is its diversity of people. When people from various places gather, they bring different cultures, food and languages. 

In the U.S., there are lots of options for finding international foods from Mexico, Japan, France, Italy, India and China, among others. 

For all the foodies at NIU, what’s your favorite classic international dish? Let’s eat!

TACOS

We all know them and love them, but let’s talk about them anyways. 

Originating in Mexico, tacos are a beloved dish of fillings wrapped in corn or wheat tortillas. Fillings can include beans, vegetables, cheese, chicken, pork, beef or seafood garnished with salsa, guacamole, lettuce, coriander, onion, tomatoes and chiles. 

Tacos should be eaten with your hands, and may be a little bit spicy.

You can get tacos and other Mexican cuisine options in DeKalb at restaurants like Tacos Salsas Y Carnitas at 901 Lucinda Ave. Suite B, Los 3 Burritos at 185 W. Lincoln Highway, and El Jimador Mexican Grill at 260 E. Lincoln Highway.

CROISSANTS 

Croissants are buttery, crescent-shaped French breads, made from a yeast-leavened dough. 

The ingredients for croissants include all-purpose flour, butter, cold water, milk, sugar, salt, eggs and yeast. They are often eaten with tea or coffee as breakfast or a snack.

There’s not a lot of authentic French cuisine options nearby, but in DeKalb you can get croissants from grocery stores like Jewel Osco or Walmart, and coffee shops like Cast Iron Coffee at 901 Lucinda Ave. Suite D and Starbucks.

SUSHI

Sushi is a popular Japanese dish, prepared with vinegared rice, sugar and salt, with ingredients like vegetables and usually fish or seafood, which is usually raw. 

There are different types of sushi, but the one key ingredient is “sushi rice,” or extra starchy – and therefore sticky – rice prepared with vinegar.

Nigiri sushi is an oval-shaped ball of rice with a topping of a slice of raw fish or seafood. It is eaten by hand and dipped in soy sauce. While dipping, the fish side goes into the sauce, not the rice.

Maki Sushi, meanwhile, is cylinder-shaped rolled rice with raw fish or cooked seafood or vegetables and a sheet of dried seaweed. The sushi is sliced into bite-sized portions before serving. 

For sushi you can go to Omi Sushi at 3206 Sycamore Road, Fushi Yami at 822 W. Lincoln Highway, China House at 1900 Sycamore Road.

PIZZA 

A classic Italian dish, pizza has crust as its base with different kinds of toppings like mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, olives, meats and vegetables and is served hot.

As pizza is another dish that’s been heavily Americanized in the states, Illinois is famous for its deep-dish pizza, which is baked in a pan with crust that’s generally several inches tall. 

The places where you find pizza nearby, and we’re not talking Dominos, are Zana’s Wood Fire Pizza at 1406 Sycamore Road, Pizza Villa at 824 W. Lincoln Highway, Vinny’s Pizza at 221 W. Lincoln Highway, and Pizza Pro’s at 1205 W. Lincoln Highway.

BURGERS

One of the most iconic American foods, burgers are made of buns, meats and vegetables. They are often topped with slices of raw onions, lettuce, bacon, and mayonnaise. 

But burgers most definitely also have German influence. Some historians believe hamburgers originated in Hamburg, Germany, while others credit German-American immigrants with the delicious invention.

As vegetarianism is on the rise, there are also a veggie patty options such as Beyond Burger and Impossible Foods products, often made of potatoes, black beans or chickpeas. 

For a burger nearby, you can go to Crooked Horns Bar & Grill at 1470 S. Peace Road, a variety of fast food locations, and even Burger Naan – an Indian fusion restaurant – at 121 N. 2nd St. 

MOMO 

Momo is a Nepali version of dumplings. Wrappers made from wheat flour are filled with different kinds of vegetables, meats and achar – a spicy sauce with sesame seeds, peanuts, tomatoes and chilies ground to make a paste. 

People may also use chopped onions, ginger, garlic, cabbage, carrots, chilies, paneer and more. It is juicy and spicy food and is served hot.

It is tough to find authentic momo around DeKalb, and you may need to go to the Momo Factory in Chicago at 3202 N. Broadway.

Results from last week’s poll: Which issue is most important to you this election?

Economy — 31%

Immigration — 14%

Security — 0%

Health care — 14%

Supreme Court seats — 14%

Other — 27%