I know we’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating: One of the joys of international travel is sampling native cuisine, no matter where you are in the world.
For some with food allergies, trying new and native foods can be difficult, but not impossible. But for other folks, there really is no reason not to dive in and be a little adventurous when it comes to mealtime.
And Jason Sheehan at CNNGO wrote an article a couple days ago that tells you just how to find the best local food anywhere in the world. All it takes is a little sense of adventure.
Sheehan’s advice, in a nutshell, is to “just go.” Just walk out the front door of your hotel and explore. Follow your nose. Look for crowds. Ignore all those lists of the best restaurants in town and follow “hookers, cops and cabbies” – Sheehan swears that those are the local experts that know the best places to eat (certainly they know better than the concierge!).
It’s okay to be a little skittish about that slimy-looking thing sitting on your plate; sometimes it can be pretty intimidating. And maybe you have food restrictions, whether for medical reasons or self-imposed, that you intend to adhere to. Either way, there are ways to be adventurous without being completely knocked off your stride.
Eating the native cuisine is a great part of the experience of visiting a foreign land; you really haven’t visited and gotten to know what it’s like to be in a new place until you’ve eaten the food there – it gives you insight into how the people live their lives. And, if you believe in the lofty goals of “adventure chef” Sasha Martin, it can even help you gain understanding into a culture halfway around the world.
So go ahead – eat the octopus, the sweetbreads or the sheep’s eyes. Honestly, what’s the sense of traveling halfway around the world if you’re just going to eat a cheeseburger?
Photo by amhuxham.
