If you are a foodie, there is no denying that your idea of a perfect holiday is to travel to a place where you can try all sorts of delectable treats that you have never had before. You would rather sample excellent food than go shopping, relax on the beach, or engage in some kind of outdoor activity. Fortunately for you, you have lots of options.
There are cities all over the world perfect for food lovers like you. In this two-part series, we will profile a number of them. The destinations we have chosen are based on research provided by well-known travel companies and websites.
Bangkok, Thailand
Thai food is increasingly more popular in the West. People love the spices and complex flavours of Thai cooking along with textures that can be unusual. If you love Thai, there is no better place to experience it than Bangkok. Enjoy a light breakfast or lunch along the water then stroll through the open market sampling fresh seafood, produce, and meats. For dinner, there is no shortage of exotic local restaurants where you will find some of the best original recipes around.
Istanbul, Turkey
We do not generally think of Istanbul as a food destination. That needs to change. Istanbul is a city where Europe and Asia seem to meet and fuse in multiple ways. Where the food is concerned, you might want to start with Turkish home-style cooking at a local family restaurant. Then branch out and enjoy some European-Asian fusion at an upscale downtown eatery. While in Istanbul, you absolutely must try Turkish coffee. It is to die for.
Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong's long history of multicultural influence makes it one of the best food destinations in the world. One restaurant might specialise in traditional Vietnamese while another is China-centric. Still other restaurants maintain that Western influence resulting from former British colonialism. For the best food in Hong Kong, go with street vendors or the smaller, more intimate cafés and restaurants.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
If you know anything about Argentina's food scene, you know it is all about beef. Buenos Aires is where all of the best stuff is happening. They combine Argentinian beef with all sorts of international cuisines including Mediterranean, Asian, and the new popular favourite: Argentinian-Italian barbeque. You will quickly understand how important food is when you see how crowded the cafés and restaurants always seem to be.
New Orleans, USA
New Orleans is the home of a unique kind of cuisine known as Creole. The thing to understand is that Creole is often imitated elsewhere but never quite perfected. New Orleans has plenty of intimate Creole restaurants serving local favourites such as jambalaya and fried catfish; there is also an emerging trend of French-Vietnamese fusion going on right now.
We hope you have enjoyed the first part of this two-part series. Plan to revisit our site soon when we bring you part two. There are lots of other great food destinations to learn about.