To me British food as they prepare it is generally just bland.

The worst bangers and mash I've ever had was in Ireland (I know, not England, but they have the same issue), where it's supposedly one of their "trademark" dishes. The sausage was completely lacking in flavor, like it was just ground up meat with no seasoning at all.

It's all in the preparation. As a kid, I hated the local Mexican food, which was mostly bland tacos, burritos, and enchiladas stuffed with flavorless beans, cheese, and meat. Now that I've traveled all over, I've had really good Mexican food from southern CA and TX and learned that it's less about the dish itself and more about the chef preparing it.