I was once in the Mitre pub, down by Lancaster Gate,
(very good food there) and asked the barmaid for a
'Spotted Richard.' When she raised an eyebrow I
explained that I was a Yank and too embarassed to
ask for what I really was after.

If you asked for that in an East End pub you'd get some funny looks - "Richard" (the Third) is rhyming slang for 'turd' :-)