Tag: food

The Best Local Dishes I’ve Eaten Abroad

If you’re like me, one of the perks of traveling is getting to try food that you may not be able to get at home. Being from a small town, this is especially true. Growing up without a lot of outside cultural influence, I used to be a picky eater when I traveled. Lately, I’ve been trying to leave my comfort zone and try at least one local staple every place I go. Below is a list of some of the best, and most unique (to me) dishes I’ve had on my travels. By the end you’ll be wanting to eat like a local, too!

The Royal Rat – A Belizean dish.

On a trip to Belize with EF Ultimate Break, my group stopped for lunch at a local restaurant. While we had pre-arranged meals, we noticed a specials sign outside advertising something called “gibnut.” Our director arranged for us to all try it before showing us what it was – a local rodent! Honestly, this is, to this day, one of the best things I’ve tried on a trip. It was more like an on-the-bone red meat in a delicious sauce, the way this restaurant had prepared it. In fact, we later learned that the late Queen Elizabeth II loved gibnut so much, she had it on every trip to Belize. It thus became nicknamed “the royal rat.”

Franchesinha – A Local Staple of Porto, Portugal

For those that enjoy a meaty (and potentially artery-clogging) dish, there’s the franchesinha. This dish was top of my list to try in Porto, Portugal. Often served with a side of fries and a beer, the franchesinha is a layered sandwich of toasted bread, cured meat and steak. They then cover the dish with cheese and a beer and tomato sauce, and baked. I did rather enjoy this one, though I’d recommend splitting it if you fill up easily.

Cuy (Guinea Pig) – A dish eaten by locals of Peru.

I recently took a trip to Peru where I tried multiple new foods. One such food was cuy, the colloquial term for guinea pig. This dish has been prepared since Inca civilizations existed in the Andes (and possibly earlier). We learned that the dish is high in collagen, which helped with knee health for trekking in the mountains. Additionally, we learned that only “expert guinea pig eaters and elders” can have the head of the cuy. You have to prove you’re an expert by locating a certain bone in the jaw.

Our group had mixed opinions on this dish. For me, the meat itself was good, but I probably would not order it just for myself. This is mostly due to the amount of small bones in the dish. Personally, it made eating it a bit tricky.

Alpaca – A locally sourced dish of Peru.

Also on my trip to Peru, I tried alpaca in various forms. I ate it as a hamburger and a steak, but my favorite version was the alpaca skewers I had at Huaraca Grill in Cusco. Coming from a part of New York where venison is common, I half expected the meat to be quite gamey. Instead, the dish put in front of me was tender and well-seasoned. My friend and I enjoyed it so much we actually went back more than once for more.

Kefta Berber Omelette – A regional dish of Morocco

My trip to Morocco consisted of many meals and foods that I hadn’t previously tried. One such meal was a Berber omelette, and later a variation with kefta, or meatballs. Another name for this dish is shakshuka. Our group actually had the option to add a cooking class to the tour, so we made this dish ourselves! I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the combination of tomato, spices, egg and meatball, but I found it to be quite tasty.

Homemade Tortillas – A local Latin American staple.

Okay, tortillas weren’t exactly a new food to me before I traveled internationally, but hear me out. I have found no carbs as worthwhile as the homemade tortillas I had in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. I’m pretty sure if I had an unlimited supply, I would have eaten my weight in them.

Welsh Faggots – Locally loved dish of Wales.

On a tour from Cardiff, Wales, our guide told us about two classic Welsh dishes: Faggots and rarebit. As soon as I heard of them, it was my goal to try them before leaving the country.

Despite the name, Welsh faggots was one of my favorite dishes I had on that trip. It consists of meatballs made of minced meat from off-cuts and offal, typically served with mashed potatoes and gravy. The name actually originates from the term” bundles” because it was often packaged up for workers to bring with them to the mines in South Wales.

Sweet Red Bean Ice Cream – Dessert local to Japan

Back in 2018, before dairy and I became frenemies, I found my favorite ice cream on the streets of Japan. Since I was there in the summer, I was always looking for a way to cool down. One day when wandering in Asakusa, I stopped by a soft serve cart and noticed a flavor called Azuki, or red bean. I opted to give this unique-sounding flavor a chance and am very glad I did. It had just the right about of sweetness, and small red beans for added texture. I have been craving that ice cream (though now in a dairy free version) ever since.

Brisket and Cream Corn – A southern regional dish.

While not an international dish, I can’t write about good food on one of my trips without mentioning Texas BBQ. After much research and asking locals, I found myself at Terry Black’s in Austin, TX. I ordered a brisket sandwich with original barbecue sauce and a side of cream corn. Let me tell you – northeastern barbecue simply cannot compare. I’ve been told that even bad barbecue is good in Texas, but I don’t think I had to worry about that. I enjoyed it so much I had it one more time on my final night in the city.

Local Staples in New Places

While this list is by no means comprehensive of all foods I’ve had traveling, I’m a big fan of eating local staples in new places. My best advice is to not only look up local foods, but talk to locals. Ask your tour guide, rideshare drivers, or even perfect strangers for their recommendations. If you’re able, be willing to try unfamiliar foods. You never know when you may find a new favorite dish!