These are reliably at least fairly good in the UK, too, along with cherry tomatoes (about the same size, but round). Plum tomatoes are a bit firmer and cherry tomatoes are a bit sweeter.

Ten times zero, is still zero ;)

What do you mean by "supervised watermelon type tomatoes"? Are you referring to some of the the huge heirloom tomatoes? I find there yellow ones particularly flavorful. Much better than there Dutch stuff.

i live in Los Angeles, and most of the tomatoes i've found in supermarkets here are low in flavor.

OTOH, if I buy the $5-$6 per pound heirloom varieties, the flavor is better.

even better: tomatoes grown in people's backyards.