I only just noticed this thread, yet it's probably one of my favorite topics. *sigh*

When I first showed up in Houston, I quickly fell in love with all the Cajun regional foods, most notably boiled crawfish, but also things like fried oyster po-boys, chicken and sausage gumbo, turducken, etc, etc. I also fell in love with all the weird Central and South American oddities that can be found here: Cuban and Argentinian empanadas (fried dumplings with all manner of stuffings, comparable to what might show up in crepes), El Salvadoran pupusas (thick corn tortillas, grilled, sliced in half, stuffed with various bits and pieces, then covered in cole slaw), and just about anything with fried sweet plantains.

I guess the only difference between "regional" and "ethnic" food is how widely it's spread from its home. You can now get sushi anywhere, but you'll have a harder time finding cooked, marinated sauerkraut dishes outside of the right parts of Germany or France.

Regional drinks are just as fascinating. Iced tea, in Texas, is always served without sugar. In pretty much everywhere else in the South, it's loaded with sugar unless you specifically ask for it to be otherwise. I've always been a fan of Dr. Brown's Cream Soda, but it's tough to find outside of New York unless you've got a Jewish deli nearby. Ditto for a chocolate egg cream (which is just seltzer and chocolate syrup, maybe with milk -- no idea how "egg" got into the name).

I love some of the Mexican drinks. Tamarindo soda has a nice flavor, although I've never gotten into horchata (a rice-based drink). Micheladas (beer + lime juice + hot sauce) are one of my favorites, although sometimes you stumble into some confused soul of a bartender who puts V-8 juice in their michelada. I'm sorry, but celery and beer are two flavors that just don't belong together. There's also a Mexican variation on hot chocolate called atole. It's made with corn flour masa, chocolate, brown sugar, and anise. It's thick and filling stuff but very tasty.