Eating experiences to rival your travelling wunder-lust
If you�re travelling, and really travelling that is, you�ll be digging into local delicacies as you go. This includes avoiding those big anonymous chains where possible, and venturing out into the unknown!There�s always the typical dishes that some countries are famous for: pizza and pasta in Italy, coffee in Brazil, haute cuisine, baguettes and cheese in France, paella in Spain, and fish n chips in Australia� but what about all the other weird and quirky things you should know about? From spices, to strange un-heard of ingredients, to the way it arrives to your table, here are few things you should definitely be on the look out for during your travels.
Street markets, food vendors, and well, all things on the side of the road�
Wherever you�re going, there is bound to be a local market around the corner selling something, anything, from the normal to the outrageous, weird to the whacky. (Edible and not so edible) Don�t be put off: check out what�s cooking on the side of the road � it could be surprisingly tasty!
+ Singapore�s popular Chinatown night markets and streets of little India.
Every night you�ll find outdoor dining, and rows of freshly cooked Chinese, Malaysian and Indian offerings at very reasonable prices. Try everything from spicy curries, tasty satay sticks, to giant prawns skewered and cooked on a hot BBQ.
+ South-east Asia is notorious for its roadside offerings. Try freshly stir-fried noodles in Bangkok, as many types of noodle soups and stews in Vietnam – to freshly fried tarantulas in Cambodia.
+ Santiago�s Mercado Central � reportedly one of the best in the world and where you can check out some of Chile�s spectacular seafood.
regional specialties and must-trys!
Every region will have a specialty. And every region will think it�s the best. You be the judge of some of these interesting delicacies�
+ Haggis in Scotland: all the juicy sheep bits (heart, liver, lungs) stuffed into the stomach lining. Goes down well with the Guinness!
+ Dim Sims in Shanghai: lightly flavoured, soft, steamed, stuffed, you name it. You�ll find it in China, and will soon be trying all the variations
+ Fugu Fish in Japan: It�s also known as puffer fish, blow fish, globefish� There are over 1,000 different types, all of which are highly poisonous. Popular it is all the same. It�s expensive and it�s Russian Roulette for dinner, but chefs have gone through extensive training to slice up the miniscule parts that aren�t likely to take you to the emergency room.
+ Jumping Shrimp in Thailand and Lao: Fresh, miniscule river shrimp, captured in fine silk weave, dumped into a platter and liberally flavoured with lime, fish sauce and spices.
notable eating experiences
Strong spices, weird ingredients and exotic choices still not enough for you? Try one of these quirky dining experiences and see how it changes your outlook to meal-times!
+ In Japan, some areas will offer Nyotai mori, where you can dine on fine sashimi and sushi selections – from a naked woman�s body (wrapped in cling wrap now of course). A traditional eating experience – and most definitely different!
+ The east seems to top it all with eating – in Hong Kong, there is a new underground dining experience rumbling: unlicensed restaurants operated by Hong Kong�s up and coming culinary talents. Over 40 of these unlicensed joints are running on word of mouth, are hard to get bookings for, and most importantly, are attracting in-the-know crowd. Try finding one, and then book weeks in advance.
+ Cosmopolitan LA has Koreatown, open 24/7, which offers a feast of choice � at any time of day! Find soups, hot and tasty Korean BBQ or noodles – whenever the cravings hit. So LA, so American – and beats that 4am fast food joint!
+ To enjoy tapas the way the Spanish do, make sure you try it in the Basque region. Try a mammoth range of bite-sized appetizers to accompany your wine and cigarettes and hop from one bar to the other to gossip with friends. Take one (or many), but remember that this tradition is still followed by a just as delicious dinner!
Fast rules for getting to the bottom of great food experiences around the world? Take the advice of the locals. Walk to the bottom of the dark alley for an unheard of restaurant. At least sample one of the roadside offerings� and if in doubt, just close your eyes. It may just turn out to be the best thing you�ve ever tried!
