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Food is often woven into our travel memories - on the road your senses are heightened. A simple sandwich at a truck stop in Boise, Idaho can taste way better than the same thing made in your own kitchen. Imagine eating olives while the Tuscan sun glints through your lashes, warm pastry in Prague, or a salty pretzel from a street seller in Times Square. This month's Comet is all about the chow - so grab a napkin and dig in.
Global Grub - we take your tastebuds on a tour through the good, the bad and the ugly
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A good meal can make or break a hard day's travel - here are some highlights, lowlights and downright freakylights you could find on your plate.
» RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLEWalking into l'Elephant, a popular French restaurant in Luang Prabang, you're greeted by a framed picture of one of the restaurant's former guests, Mick Jagger. You may doubt whether Sir Mick sampled the local specialities of jaew bong or khai phaen, but his visit says a lot about this Laotian city's dining scene, which is certainly not limited to its French restaurants. In recent years, more and more people have discovered the local flavours of Luang Prabang, a phenomenon that has left a pleasant taste in the mouth of both visitors and locals.
» NUEVA COCINA CUBANAFor legions of taste-deprived gastronomes, Cuban cuisine has always been something of an international joke. From the empty-shelf ration shops of Habana Vieja to the depressing ubiquity of soggy cheese-and-ham sandwiches that seem to serve as the country's only viable lunch option, it's a question of less feast, more famine. But while celebrity chefs might still be in short supply in many of Habana's uninspiring government-run restaurants, a whole new pot of tricks is brewing in the suburbs.
Nueva cocina cubana is a loose term used to describe a new awakening in Cuban cooking. Combining fresh, innovative ingredients and exciting new flavors with a traditional Caribbean base, the ideas have their roots in the US and owe a notable debt to celebrated Cuban-American chefs such as Douglas Rodríguez. But the real engine room of this gourmet-led food revolution lies not in the US, but in Habanas small clutch of congenial but vastly underrated paladares (privately run restaurants).
Legalized in 1994, Habanas paladares faced tough times during the dark days of the período especial (special period). But by the late 1990s, as tourism increased and food shortages gradually began to ease, some of the restaurants started to use their new private status to experiment and expand. One such innovator was La Guarida, a private paladar housed in a wonderfully eclectic mansion in Centro Habana. Fostering close ties with gastronomic gurus in France, Spain
and the US, La Guaridas chefs keenly absorbed international influences and slowly began to fuse traditional Cuban food with more exotic European and North American flavors. The results were as tasty as they were unexpected: tuna infused with sugarcane, chicken in a lemon and honey sauce, and caimanera (a fish indigenous to the Guantánamo region) panfried in onions and white wine. Word of these delicacies spread rapidly and, before long, a roll call of big names was descending on La Guarida: Jack Nicholson, Uma Thurman, Matt Dillon, Queen Sofía of Spain, plus a plethora of US congressmen. Soon it wasnt a question of whether you had been to Habana, but whether you had been to Habana and eaten at La Guarida.
Not to be outdone, other paladares quickly starting jumping on the culinary bandwagon. Housed in old grandiose houses in the neighborhoods of Vedado and Playa, places like La Esperanza and La Cocina de Lilliam were soon churning out equally delectable dishes, and recipes were being developed and expanded. Thanks largely to nueva cocina cubana, Cuban food has slowly edged itself back into international reckoning, and visitors to the island are increasingly surprised by the quality of the food on offer. Although Habana might still be a long way from becoming the gourmet capital of Latin America (let alone the Caribbean), by most measures that Cuban stereotype of cheap rum and iron rations could soon be confined to gastronomic history.
» MEATY MEKONG
No matter what part of the world you come from, if you travel much in the Mekong region you
are going to encounter food that might seem unusual. The fiercely omnivorous locals find nothing
strange in eating insects, algae, offal or fish bladders. They'll feast on the flesh of dogs, they'll eat
a crocodile, or they'll devour a dish of cock's testicles.
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What is Mongolian food really like?
Bodog is not for the faint of heart. This authentic 'Mongolian barbeque' first involves pulling
the innards out of the neck of a goat or marmot. The carcass is then stuffed full of scalding
rocks and the neck cinched up with wire. The bloated animal is then thrown upon a fire (or
blowtorched) to burn the fur off the outside while the meat is cooked from within. Like most
things involving a blowtorch, preparing bodog is true men's work. Furthering the adventure, it's
worth noting that the bubonic plague, or Black Death as it was known to medieval Europe, can
be passed by handling marmot skins. There is less a chance of catching the disease between
mid August and mid October.
Other regional delicacies include kazy, the salted horsemeat sausages prepared by Kazakhs
in Bayan-Ölgii aimag. Gobi people occasionally eat camel meat; the cut might be a bit gamey
as it is the older camels that are usually killed for their meat.
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Anyone with a taste for the culinary good life would find Florence a pretty unbeatable destination. Here's a lowdown on dining in Florence:
Florentines don't just go to ristorantes (restaurants) to eat - although they may well do so if looking for a fine gourmet experience or to sample one of the handful of trendy new designer spots in town. An earthier, frequently cheaper and often family-run alternative is the trattoria, and another similar option is the osteria. The distinctions between such places have become blurred, as many ristorante owners use the name trattoria or osteria to convey a homely, down-to-earth
style that may not always reflect what you find inside. Wine lovers should look out for the local enoteca.
These establishments offer snacks and sometimes full meals to accompany a selection of wines, but their main business is the latter food is viewed as an accompaniment to your
chosen tipple(s). Generally the idea is to try different wines by the glass as you nibble.
At lunchtime you have further options. Some wine bars, known as vinai, are good places to snack or put together a full meal from a range of enticing options on display. A fiaschetteria may serve up snacks and sandwiches, usually at the bar while you down a glass of wine or two. A tavola calda (literally 'hot table') usually offers cheap, pre-prepared meat, pasta and vegetable dishes in a self-service style.
The traditional Florentine answer to fast food is the trippaio or tripperia the tripe stand. These are dotted around town and Le Cascine park, and serve various simple trippa dishes or lampredotto rolls with spicy sauce. The raw material is basically cow stomach (the lampredotto is a particular cut of the gut). Trippa alla fiorentina (Florentine-style tripe) is prepared with a carrot, celery, tomato and onion mix. Lampredotto is boiled and liberally sprinkled in black pepper or a vaguely hot sauce.
Need somewhere to sleep off that magnificent meal? Look at these tasty places in Florence:
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How much do you know about what's on your plate? It's good to be informed when it comes to food choices - why not weigh in on some of the food-related debates on the Thorn Tree forum's dedicated food branch.
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What else is being discussed on Thorn Tree?
Make a Difference
KOTO is a not-for-profit restaurant and vocational training program that is changing the lives of street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
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This month the Muslim world celebrates Ramadan. This year, Ramadan starts on 13 September and ends on 13 October with Eid al-Fitr.
RAMADAN in the ARABIAN PENINSULA
Travelling during the region's religious festivals can be an interesting experience. During Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, visitors are more restricted (eating or drinking during the day must be kept hidden, and restaurants are often closed for the month). There's the chance, however, to try night-time culinary treats in the Ramadan tents attached to hotels. Public transport can be erratic, driving habits deteriorate and business hours are reduced but, as if to compensate, the nights
involve great socialising and public congregation. Eid al-Fitr (Islamic feast) tends to be a family occasion but there's usually an opportunity to catch local dancing, singing and poetry recitals.
Ramadan occurs during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. This is when Muslims fast during daylight hours. How strictly the fast is observed depends on the country, but most Muslims conform to some extent. Foreigners are not expected to follow suit, but it is considered very bad form to
smoke, drink or eat (including gum-chewing) in public during Ramadan. Hotels make provision for guests by erecting screens for discreet dining. In the more strictly Islamic countries, disrespecting the fast can land you in serious trouble, especially in Saudi Arabia, where jail sentences are
handed out to anyone seen so much as smoking during daylight hours. Business hours tend to become more erratic and usually shorter, and in out-of-the-way places you may find it hard to find a restaurant open before nightfall. As the sun sets each day, the fast is broken with something
light (like dates and laban) before prayers. Then comes iftar (breakfast), at which enough food is usually consumed to compensate for the previous hours of abstinence. People then rise again before dawn to prepare a meal to support them throughout the day.
The Eid al-Fitr festivities mark the end of Ramadan fasting; the celebrations last for three days and are a time of family feasting and visiting.
Taken from Lonely Planet's latest guidebook to Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula
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Twenty names for "beef"
Argentinean beef is found all over the country. Each part of the animal is listed under its own name in the long menus. A popular budget restaurant for "beef and potatoe" meals is "El Desnivel", in the San Telmo area of Buenos Aires.
Homemade pasta
A large number of Italian immigrants has made melt-in-your-mouth homemade pasta a common occurence all over Argentina. It comes served with a variety of tomato or cream sauces. Note that the pasta and sauce are usually priced separately on the menu.
Smoked trout
A specialty of San Martin de los Andes is smoked trout. Try it at restaurant "El Regional" where the food is divine, and where you can also buy local products such as homemade beer and pates.
Patagonian lamb
The south of the country (Patagonia) is dotted with sheep farms, and here lamb comes into its own. Try the lamb in mustard sauce at Bodegon Fueguino in Ushuaia, and you'll be begging for more!
Chocolate and ice cream
The chocolate in El Calafate is to die for. It's cheap and just as good as anything I've had in Europe. Step into one of the many shops, make your selection (you pay by weight) and see how long you can resist eating it all! Try the ice cream too.
Cakes
San Carlos de Bariloche is supposed to be "the" place to purchase chocolate, but what I remember most are the cakes. Walk into the emporium-like cafe and shop "Del Turista", sit down at a table and order a piece of cake (they're huge) and coffee.
Red wine
Argentina boasts a large wine region at the foot of the Andes. Their red wines taste great and are extremely affordable (think $3 a bottle in the grocery store). A little known type of grape called Malbec is the major red varietal.
All-you-can-eat
If you can't make up your mind, look for a "Tenedor Libre". Here the food is served buffet style and includes a wide array of salads, side dishes, and desserts, as well as a BBQ area where you can get beef, chicken, sausages, and sometimes lamb.
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If you arrive in Kuala Lumpur with a raging appetite, you're in for one of the sweetest dilemmas. Where to eat? What to taste first? Here are five KL must-eats to get you started.
Kuala Lumpur (KL, in local parlance) presents quite a dilemma to the travelling food lover. Boasting a cuisine born of multiple ethnicities (Indian, Chinese, and Malay) and myriad cultural influences (Indonesian, Arab, Portugese) the question becomes not what to eat, but what to forgo? Even two weeks of three-squares-a-day noshing would leave many a gastronomic stone unturned. Still, a traveller's got to try.
Brickfields breakfast Brickfields is KL's largest 'Little India' and just behind its traffic-choked Jalan Tun Sambanthan lies a quiet neighbourhood of housing flats and curbside eateries - ideal for a leisurely al fresco morning meal.
Pick of the dishes: as the croissant is to the French, so roti canai is to Malaysians. The roti wallah, who works an unnamed stall on Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad rolls, kneads, flips, and griddles his roti canai (plain) and roti telur (with egg) to incomparable flakiness and serves them with mild dhal, fiery sambal, and red cardamom-fragrant curry. Teh halia (milky sweet tea spiked with fresh ginger) makes a fine accompaniment.
Use your noodle
In Malaysia, noodles fulfill the role of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, and locals take their noodles very seriously - woe to the hawker who boils his mee beyond al dente or serves less than silky rice noodles.
Pick of the dishes: pan meen (literally 'board noodles') are, if not particular to KL, more easily found here than elsewhere in Malaysia. These fresh wheat noodles are so-named for a dough that is rolled flat as a board before being torn by hand for soup or machine-cut for a 'dry' version. For the definitive dry pan meen, head to Restoran Kin Kin in the back streets of Chow Kit. It does a roaring business (expect to share a table) and the wait for your food can be excruciatingly long, but all is forgiven when you dive into a bowl of chewy, square-cut noodles topped with minced pork and crackling, deep-fried ikan bilis (dried anchovies), chopped scallions, and a soft poached egg. Spice things up with Kin Kin's signature dried chilli paste and then cool the fire with a spoonful of the accompanying meat broth.
Malay repast
woe to the hawker who boils his mee beyond al dente or serves less than silky rice noodlesMalay food is best when it's fresh from a home kitchen. Luckily there is a number of family-owned eateries nestled in the narrow lanes of Kampung Baru, a Malay village a stone's throw from the Golden Triangle.
Pick of the dishes: assam (sour) fish and ulam (blanched and fresh vegetables). Fatimah Selera Kampung is a tiny open-air restaurant built off the front of a private house, serving chunks of firm, white-fleshed fish in a tamarind-sour and spicy chilli sauce redolent of lemongrass and galangal. Choose a selection of ulam to eat with fiery sambal belacan (chilli pounded with shrimp paste) or milder kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). Other hearty options include coconut-rich curries, rendang, and pecel jawa, a mix of vegetables and tofu dressed with peanut sauce.
Sublime sweets
Kuih (a generic word for cakes and pastries) are the sugar fix of choice for Malaysian sweet-tooths. These days mediocre mass-produced pretenders abound, so it's well worth the effort to seek out specialty vendors.
Pick of the dishes: ondeh-ondeh. These are little balls of pandan leaf-flavoured glutinous rice flour, filled with gula melaka (sugar made from boiled coconut palm sap) and rolled in grated coconut. Head to Bangsar at precisely 3:30 in the afternoon when Ah Mun, a kuih cook for over thirty years, opens his motorcycle trolley for business. Clusters of customers hover like vultures as he bags up the goodies at lightning speed. All of Ah Mun's creations are sublime, but it's the ondeh-ondeh that consistently sell out first.
Nostalgic kopi
Ah Mun, a kuih cook for over thirty years, opens his motorcycle trolley for businessKopitiam - traditional Chinese-owned coffee shops serving strong brews and Malaysian comfort food - are the local antidote to Starbucks. They are increasingly rare in KL's evolving urban landscape, but they offer a caffeine jolt with a lovely side-serve of sweet nostalgia.
Pick of the dishes: kopi (coffee), of course. Nowhere does it better than at Yut Kee, a repository of KL culinary history perched at the end of the city's tarted-up Heritage Row. Run by the son of the original Hainanese owner, the eighty-year-old institution churns out exemplary renditions of old-time specialties like pan-fried chops and fried rice. When it's time for kopi, get it with a side of grilled bread slathered with butter and spread with housemade kaya (sinfully rich coconut milk and egg jam).
Roti stall, Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad (cnr Jalan Berhala, next to Hamsa-Yahini Travel & Tours), Brickfields. Mornings only.
Restoran Kin Kin, 40 Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1 (paralleling Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman), Chow Kit. Tel: 016 372 8069. Mon-Sat 7:30am-8:45pm, Sun 7:30-5:00pm.
Fatimah Selera Kampung, 5 Jalan Haji Yahya Sheikh Ahmad, Kampung Baru. Tel: 03 2692 1073. 11:00am-11:00pm. Closed Mon.
Ah Mun's kuih cart, Lorong Ara Kiri 2, Lucky Garden (in front of Nam Chuan coffee shop), Bangsar. 3:30pm till sold out. Closed every other Thu.
Yut Kee, 35 Jalan Dang Wangi. Tel: 03 2698 8108. 8:00am-5:00pm. Closed Mon.
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Compass Competition
We've got five copies of Hanoi & Halong Bay Encounter to give away. To win one, tell us where you would eat:
Banh goi
Jollof rice
Kiełbasa
Email your answers here by 30 September 2007.
Free Rugby Guides!
Download these free PDFs for maps to the stadiums, transport information, language, accommodation, sightseeing and the best restaurants each city has to offer.
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