PIN FOR LATER

If you have a taste for international cuisine, then chances are you’ll find it hard where to pick when you’re putting a pin in your world map. There are some countries that seem like an obvious choice for cuisine but are still worth visiting just for the sake of pure indulgence. Whether you crave an authentic stir-fry or want to know what a pizza tastes like out of an Italian oven, there’s nothing wrong with planning your world trip based on your taste buds.

Amsterdam

While Holland excels at exporting Trappist beers and fresh European lagers, it also embraces importing cuisines such as Japanese, French and Italian. Indonesia was also a former colony of Holland, meaning that there’s an abundance of Indonesian restaurants in and around Dutch cities. Indonesia produces rich but fragrant curries that come with traditional Asian pastries and sides.

Croatia

Croatia, like the Netherlands, also enjoys sampling other countries’ cuisines. Croatia’s place on the map gives it a healthy mix of Baltic and Mediterranean influences. Its local cheese is smooth but full of flavour and is enjoyed in local restaurants with almonds, olives, and rocket. Their local ham is also enjoyed in its own right and has a strong, smoky flavour with the texture of prosciutto. A local meal that is worth trying is boiled gnocchi with red wine steak. It sounds like an unusual pairing, but the richness of the steak paired with the robustness of the pasta makes it both comforting and indulgent.

East Asia

Many may think that Hong Kong is the reserve of wealthy businessmen, and while there are certainly pricey establishments to be found, there are small local restaurants serving traditional Cantonese food. Finding dim sum restaurants are also the perfect place for those who love to eat until their appetite holds them back. Watching street vendors fry Chinese greens in a large wok over an intimidating flame gives you a sense of how passionate this country is about its food. Watching locals practice tai chi in the parks during the morning is an ideal way to walk off any over-indulging.

Heading over to mainland China via the port of Kowloon will extend your adventure to the culinary pleasures of the rest of China. From there, moving on to other countries such as Singapore will not disappoint with their own dishes such as Bak Chor Mee (or minced meat noodles). Local boiled sweets and packets of tea leaves make for unique souvenirs from this part of the world.

Italy

Spaghetti Bolognese and pizza have been home-made favourites for decades, but trying the original, Italian equivalents is a world away from the everyday convenience foods. The taste of chef-made pasta with sauce made from Neapolitan tomatoes tastes far richer and much less acidic from the stuff out of a jar. Some surprise items on the menu that might seem unfamiliar are sautéed chard and zucchini flowers, which you will see frequently on local menus.

Where you want to go may come down to authenticity or variety. Travelling to a place that enjoys multi-cultural dining might provide you with authenticity in the hands of the chef, but not in the country of origin. Whereas going to a country based on the native food will give you a taste of a cuisine you may end up missing once you’ve boarded your return flight.