Food is arguably the most important part of the travel experience. The sensations from what we eat and drink shape memories that are stronger than any other and persist when everything else has faded away. Some destinations are better than others though when it comes to culinary travel, and amongst those there are only a handful of dishes I would travel back for. Of those delicious morsels of yummy goodness, these are my favorite.
1. Knafeh in Jordan – Like so many other foods in the Middle East, knafeh is pan-Arab and can be found throughout the region. Knafeh is made using very fine vermicelli-like pastry that is heated with butter before a soft, white cheese is spread over it. The process is repeated a few times and then the dessert is topped with a sticky syrup and some crushed pistachios. An unlikely combination, but it quickly became a personal favorite.
At first I wasn’t sure, I haven’t had great experiences with global desserts, but I decided to be polite. I watched the cooks make the sticky concoction and gave my best fake smile when they handed me a plate. I went off to the side and sat on a half- wall as I closed my eyes and took a bite. Perhaps predictably, I loved it. It was a cool day and the steaming hot knafeh was the perfect remedy. Sure it was sticky, but the pasta and cheese combined to make a delicious snack. I gobbled it up and looked around, expecting stares but instead found myself accompanied by scores of others enjoying the dessert as much as I did.
Where to get it: Habibah‘s, Amman, Jordan
2. The Perfect Pain au Chocolate in Paris – I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the classic chocolate croissant. I’m not sure why, but it has become a must have snack for me on every trip to Europe. Universally found at cafes and pastry shops for breakfast, it can also make for a fantastic afternoon snack. For the uninitiated, pain au chocolat is a square piece of dough similar to puff pastry with one or two pieces of chocolate in the center that is then baked to French pastry perfection. This delicious snack food isn’t limited to France, you can find it all around the world, but the best are almost always found in Paris. I don’t have a preferred location for my favorite breakfast food, but what I love most about it is how easy it is to find in the city. They’re everywhere, from train station cafes to the best bakeries in the city. For the ultimate in European experiences, grab a fresh croissant and a coffee and watch the world walk by from a quiet cafe as you enjoy your perfect snack.
Where to get it: Paris, City of Lights
3. Tortellini in Brodo in Bologna – Unlike some of its Italian neighbors, Bologna’s strength doesn’t come from being ostentatious or flashy, it comes from embracing everything that has made it great over the years. The hominess, this love of the traditional of course rewards the food lover and may best be seen in the popular restaurant Trattoria Anna Maria. This classic establishment has been creating some of the best traditional favorites for almost thirty years and while it’s hard to choose a favorite item from their menu, the tortellini in brodo is truly something I’ll never forget. This classic, belly-warming dish is as basic as it sounds, fresh tortellini in a hearty chicken broth is simplicity at its finest. But the whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts and at the first bite you’ll wish you had tried this homey soup earlier in your life. I still think about that starter and Anna Maria’s, and if that’s not the hallmark of a great meal I don’t know what is.
Where to get it: Trattoria Anna Maria, Via delle Belle Arti, 17, 40126 Bologna, Italy
4. Crispy Chicken and Basil in Bangkok – The reason I include this meal is twofold. First, it’s to highlight the fact that the best Thai cuisine, in my opinion, can be (and should be) very simple. A quick chicken and rice dish prepared at a cart is probably the best meal in town. Anything more complicated and you start to lose the essence of Thai culture and cuisine. The other reason I include it is because of the memories the meal evokes for me and highlights just how important food is in the travel experience.
Located on the mighty Chao Phraya River, near Thewet Pier, is one of my favorite establishments in Bangkok, the In Love Restaurant. I’ve been each time I visited the Thai capital and thankfully not much has changed. One of the best features of the restaurant isn’t only the food, it’s the view, especially at sunset. Sitting there watching the sky explode in hues of purple and pink as boats race along the busy river captures for me what Bangkok is all about. Fortunately the food is good too. My go-to dish is a simple one, crispy chicken with basil. The combination of flavors isn’t just delicious but exemplify Bangkok for me, and that’s why it’s so special.
Where to get it: In Love Restaurant, 2/1 Khrung Kasem Road | Thewes Pier, Bangkok, Thailand
5. Hawaiian Soul Food – Hawaii has a unique flavor to its foods, something I call Hawaiian soul food. It’s good, simple cooking made with love and is the ultimate in comfort food. Home Hawaiian cooking draws on a variety of influences from American to Japanese with some island flair thrown in. Dishes like tonkatsu and manapua are personal favorites, but on a trip last year I discovered a new dish that I felt compelled to try.
I love finding hole in the wall restaurants, but I was dubious as I pulled up to a strip mall near the airport on Maui. Based on the aromas that met me as I entered the dining room at Da Kitchen, I was glad I had trusted the advice a local resident provided. There was one item at Da Kitchen though I hadn’t seen anywhere else, fried spam musubi. Spam is hugely popular on the islands, due to an overabundance of the potted meat during World War II and a few creative cooks. Another fixture of Hawaiian cuisine is Japanese food, so it’s not too surprising I guess that some enterprising soul decided to combine the two. Let me be clear, combining spam with rice and wrapping it in nori isn’t unusual, you can buy it everywhere in Hawaii. What’s different is that at Da Kitchen the concoction is taken to a new level by deep-frying it. I’m a firm believer that anything fried must be good, and that proved true as I bit into the musubi. It may not be for everyone, but it was another great lesson in Hawaiian soul food and I loved every second of it.
Where to get it: Da Kitchen Café, 425 Koloa St Kahului, HI (Maui)
Honorable Mention – Pulled Pork BBQ, The South, USA – I’ve lived in 12 states from New Hampshire to Georgia, so it’s hard to lay claim to a region of the United States with a straight face. BUT, if forced to choose, I always say that I’m a son of the south, which is more or less true. Half of my family lives in the south, as I have done since 1991. So, I think it’s ok to also promote our regional cuisine as the best in the country, with great BBQ rising to the top of that delicious list. There is nothing quite so satisfying as a hearty meal of well cooked and well sauced BBQ. Truly an art form, the master cook spends years developing the recipe and hours slow cooking the meat. Served with a variety of sides including baked beans, hushpuppies and French fries, this massive meal may not be appropriate for daily consumption, but is a treat whenever you are lucky enough to enjoy it. All praise the American BBQ sandwich, and long may it cook.
Where to get it: Pierce’s Pit BBQ, 447 E Rochambeau Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23188
What are some meals you’d travel to enjoy again?
Matt, your favorite foods ar simply… delicious! I’ve never tried the Hawaiian Soul Food… I have to leave!
So glad I didn’t read this while hungry! Thai food is my absolute favorite and that crispy chicken looks INCREDIBLE. I love finding a good hole in the wall restaurant. Great post!
I could travel just for the food in some countries. Italy and Thailand are two that come to mind.
Not too glamorous, but there’s a fast food chain in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa called Runza. I would travel there solely for an original Runza with cheese (oh, and perhaps see family that lives there too!)
Experiencing local flavors is one of my favorite things about traveling.
I would definitely travel back to Greece for the souvlaki, it’s just not the same here in the states! I would also go back for what our local friend dubbed “The Dirty,” a popular snack of those heading home from the bars – it’s basically a hot dog on a sub bun with every condiment you could imagine (including coleslaw), served out of a fire engine red food truck that can be found in Athens at all hours of the night.
Amen. Food and travel. Travel and food.
Okay, I’m going to Paris pronto to find some of that delicious sounding “pain au chocolate!” Mmmm, my mouth is watering already!
I’m not a very adventurous eater, so other than the BBQ, I’m almost afraid to eat with you! LOL
The chocolate croissant intimidated you? :) And I am DEFINITELY not an adventurous eater, believe me
All of those pictures look good enough to eat, especially the sushi!
For me it is all about the local fruit. I can sometimes get it when I get back but nothing beats a fresh coconut, mangosteins, lychee and other fruits when they are fresh and in a country where they grow well!
I would absolutely travel for food! :)
Nice round-up Matt though I think I’d find it hard to love anything with Spam in it!
I agree with all of the above! It’s the simple ones that get me. Like döner kebaps, which are on ever street corner throughout Europe but that I just can’t find in the states (NYC gyros come the closest, but are still far off). I am flying to Europe next summer almost exclusively to satiate my fix!
Maui is in great company, Matt…mahalo for your post. Truth be told, I can only handle one small bite of Da Kitchen’s Fried Spam Musubi!
It’s my pleasure! I was honestly surprised by the diversity and originality of food on Maui and Hawaii in general. I don’t think that’s a story that is told often enough.
Interesting choices, aside from the croissant these are all more unusual choices and I can see why you’d travel to try them.
Well for me, I can’t get comparable pastries here at home so they ARE Europe for me :)
Matt, how come you put the picture of Split on top of this article and no food from Croatia? :)
Because of course I devoted an entire post to the wonderful food of Croatia: https://landlopers.com/2013/07/07/croatia-food/
I love that Pierce’s got a shoutout! I just had it over the weekend for the first time in years. I’m from Virginia and my family has been eating there for decades–we’ve been known to go to Williamsburg just to get Pierce’s. Great list! Pain au chocolat is always an excellent choice–I had a mini one at Wegman’s the other week and it was really good. Will have to try the rest of the stuff on this list.
As an expat from America who lives long-term in Europe, I find myself traveling BACK to the States with an arm-long list of foods to eat, ranging from Tex-Mex and American-style Chinese food to rich chocolate cake and anything with peanut butter!
cake at Escriba in Barcelona – steak in Florence – great fish in Paleachora – new to your site – but loving it
In a heartbeat I’d to go back to Ristorante Mikey in Monterosso al Mare (Cinque Terre, Italy) for their Trenette alla Pescaatrice … perfectly seasoned FRESH fish topped with homemade dough and baked to perfection in their wood oven. Or perhaps Sorrento’s L’Antica Trattoria for their homemade angel hair tagliolini with lemon sauce, prawns and spinach, or the seabass with fennel, orange and an endive pernod sauce served over parsley potatoes. DIVINE!
A cheap note: After a nite of cocktails in Oahu , I found myself at McD’s for a black coffee, spam with rice the next morning and the free internet that I used in twenty countries. thanks , Golden Arches
Absolutely love pain au chocolat in Paris (a must)! But must say that the croissants, pastry and pain au chocolat in Vienna does (arguably) give Paris a run for its money. Great list.
Now that is true