When it comes to travelling, there are many factors we need to take into account. Besides the attractiveness of the destination and the weather, the country or city’s food is also a decisive factor for travellers.
Although nothing is written in stone when it comes to tastes, several reports have shown that certain places around the world are extremely popular, especially with our stomachs.
Hong Kong, one of the largest cities in the world, is a firm favourite for foodies with a fascinating array of culinary delights with some of the best options are found on the many street stalls far from the Michelin star restaurants. These street chefs are experts in mixing traditional techniques with influences from other parts of Asia, with dishes like Dim Sum, Wonton Noodles and Poi Choi enjoyed by millions of visitors to the city each year.
Sao Paolo in Brazil is up there with the best of them and has made a big impact on the food scene in recent years. The city’s cultural and ethnic richness is reflected in its way of eating. As in the case of Hong Kong, street food is hugely popular here, especially dishes like coixinhas (chicken croquets) and churrasco grego (strips of roast meat with legumes served in pita bread).
Cities like Kuala Lumpur remain firm on the foodie’s top 10 with its internationally known noodles cooked in a thousand different ways like Hokkien Mee, fried noodles with soy sauce, chicken, meat, cuttlefish and pork scratchings. Satay skewers are another popular char-grilled meat dish served with a peanut sauce, cucumbes and rice croquettes.
In Europe, we have Athens, where traditional Greek food offers an endless amount of possibilities based on ingredients from the Mediterranean diet together with herbs, spices, and olive oil. Some typical dishes include spinach pie, also known as spanokopita, tyropita, a feta cheese pie, saganaki (fried cheese) and fried meatballs with oregano and mint. Among the drinks, we have the world famous Ouzo, a sweet liquor that is usually between 37 and 50 per cent proof.
The Spanish city of Granada sneaks in on the list with its exceptional offering of Arab-Andalusian dishes. The Arab heritage can clearly be seen in the local cuisine with lots of spices, while raw materials vary from region to region. Broad beans with ham, A lo pobre potatoes, hot pots and stews, the convent sweets and pastries, and this is all before we even mention the tapas, bombas and pipirranas that you get for free each time you order a drink.
Another up and coming destination is Warsaw. Polish food is highly seasoned with plenty of spices. Poles love their beer, and it’s quite common to find a half litre of beer for one euro. If you’re more up for strolling around than sitting at a restaurant, then you should try a zapiekanka (half a baguette filled with mushrooms, cheese and veg, or a pierogi (similar to a dumpling with a range of different veg). Soups made from fermented flour are also common and served with loaves of bread. One of the classics is bialy barszcz, a mix of boiled egg, fried onion, sausage, and potatoes.
And of course we can’t leave Buenos Aires off the list, a meat lovers city strongly influenced by Italian cuisine. Argentinians love their barbequed beef, and roast sausages served with chimichurri sauce. From the Spanish influence, they have empanadillas, which are usually filled with meat, cheese, or corn. Choripan (think, French bread with chorizo and chimichurri) sandwich). For those with a sweet tooth, we recommend dulce de leche on toast, cakes and the traditional alfajores (biscuits).
From the look of things, travelling is a treat for the senses, including your taste buds, so remember to pack your appetite and head out to devour the world!
