Whatever be your motivation for travel, food is bound to feature in it, rather prominently. Pernickety visitors might disagree; but, generally speaking, food is a major part of any travel experience. Although seasoned travellers who have honed their palates to cuisines from around the world might seek out local cuisines more for the experience of the land and the people than for the taste that the food infuses, there is a growing tribe of foodies who pick a destination only to satiate their food curiosity, to eat, meat, seafood or plain vegetarian. For them, food may be the only spur to travel.
Here is a little peek into some of the popular food destinations around the world, based on food preferences, to make easier choices.
For Vegetarians
Vegetarians do not have it easy in most of the popular destinations around the world, which, seemingly, cater only to carnivores. But, if you are determined to travel from east to west to seek out popular vegetarian foods, start with India, the most inspiring vegetarian destination in the world. While every state of the country has its own share of dedicated vegetarian restaurants and outlets, Gujarat has the widest network of vegetarian restaurants, with dishes catering to specific religious tastes. South India, which has made breakfast items like ‘idli’ and ‘dosa’ popular, has several varieties of ‘sambar’ (mixed vegetable curry) alone to keep foodies captive for weeks. Mumbai, the city that never sleeps, has elevated vegetarianism with its ‘chaat’ (savoury snacks) items.
Towards West is Italy, which has earned the tag of the most vegetarian-friendly destination in Europe. You could pick your choice of grilled or sautéed vegetables, risottos, pasta and salads. Moving towards south-east Asia, Vietnam has dedicated meat-free options with ‘chay’ or vegetarian dishes served even on food streets; Thailand is known to cook vegetarian versions of classic dishes like ‘tom yum’. Singapore has some delicious Chinese dishes, one of which, surprisingly, is the vegetarian ‘Buddhist meat’, made from wheat gluten. Japan, another Buddhist destination, has several meat-free dishes – it has an array of tofu-based cuisine. Brazil, which is known for its home-grown tomatoes, corns, potatoes and the like, has a string of vegetarian buffet restaurants. For hot harira soup and vegetable tagines, Morocco is the place to be.
For Seafood Lovers
Most coastal destinations boast exotic seafood dishes, but even those destinations that have no coast in sight are aware of the popularity of seafood cuisine among travellers and are known to import particular varieties from the countries where they originate. For those who fancy lobsters, Canada’s Nova Scotia is the place to be to tuck into tender lobsters – just the varieties of presentations could have you drooling (lobster Newburg, lobster risotto, lobster fettuccini and lobster linguini). You could have them in burgers and even in rolls and sandwiches. Crab lovers ought to head to Norfolk in the United Kingdom – Cromer crabs are particularly known for their sweetmeat. The coastal town of Rye is famous for scallops; it also has a ‘Rye Bay Scallop Week’ in February to celebrate the scallop season. Cornwall, in fact, has dedicated food festivals, including the Falmouth Oyster Festival in October and the Newlyn Fish Festival in August. Sweden’s Bohuslan Coast is thriving with mussels, oysters, lobsters, crabs and prawns and is a haven for those who have a penchant for oysters. Although prawns are not peculiar to any one destination, the ones found in Mozambique are quite popular. They are bigger in size and are flavourful.
For Meat Lovers
The United States of America! Meat is a staple item in America with its steaks and hot dogs finding a place in restaurants around the globe. It boasts an array of meat dishes like Philly cheese steak, hot dogs, burgers, barbecue ribs and Buffalo wings, among others. In Argentina, it is more about the style of cooking than the choice of meat. Asado or barbecue is what they favour to grill the meat and eat like life is one big picnic. Lamb or beef, with a serving of potatoes and steamed vegetables, is what Australia promises. Its famous Aussie meat pie, beef roast, corned beef and sausage rolls are big hits with all meat lovers. Spain is also a meat lover’s destination; even the paella, which is traditionally prepared with seafood, is available with meat. Ox and veal meat are quite famous here. It is all about beef in Japan, which is home to Kobe Beef, one of the rarest and expensive beef in the world. Germany is a sausage lover’s den, with over 1,500 kinds of wursts.
For Dessert Lovers
There is no dearth of destinations for a sweet lover. Every country, state, region, city and village in the universe has its share of traditional sweetmeats. Popular ones are Italy’s gelato and cannoli; France’s Crème Brulee, macaroons and petit fours; Belgium’s waffles…