Indian cuisine is becoming increasingly popular in restaurants and homes around the globe. With dishes ranging from mild to spicy, it’s easy to find an Indian dish to suit your palate. To make things even better, most are incredibly easy to prepare. Try a few of these great Indian dishes on for size.
Chopsticks got a boost in popularity when the philosopher Confucius disdained the use of knives when eating. “The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.” Another ancient practice, in which chefs chopped ingredients to allow faster cooking time and less use of scarce fuel, led not only to the non-necessity of knives at the dinner table, but also the practicality of chopsticks when picking up bite-sized portions of food. Thus, the use of these pairs of long sticks in dining spread throughout China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
The people of Thailand normally eat small portions of food several times in one day; thus, street food is thriving in Bangkok and other Thai cities. Food vendors will tend to specialize in one dish, but as they are bunched up together along the streets, you can pick and choose from a variety of simple and affordable dishes.
Here are 10 Thai street food you must try in your visit to Thailand:
Grilled Coconut Pancake (Kanom Krok): A mixture of flour batter and coconut cream cooked in a dimpled cast-iron pan over a charcoal fire. After the flour mix is cooked, a sweet coconut milk topping is added, resulting in a treat that’s crispy on the outside yet soft in the middle.
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Pojangmachas literally mean “covered wagons.” At night, the streets of Seoul and other South Korean cities become enveloped by makeshift plastic tents, while trucks and vans are converted into kitchens where all kinds of greasy food are prepared. These street vendors are so commonplace that they are regularly featured in Korean dramas as they feed the nightlife of Korea, from the party-going teenagers to the white-collar workers out for late night drinking sessions.
Japan outdoes its Asian neighbors when it comes to bizarre snacks. While Korea has its canned silkworms and the Philippines has salted duck embryos, the high-tech Land of the Rising Sun emphasizes on processed food, coming up with outlandish ideas.
Here are 10 bizarre Japanese snacks just daring you to try them on your visit. Look for them in convenience stores, groceries, or vending machines.
Finding decent cuisine in a foreign country need not be difficult. Throughout your travels you’ll find that most major cities and towns feature not only local cuisine but foreign and international fare as well. This means finding a food you enjoy should be relatively easy.
So where in Vietnam will go for the best meals? We’ve got an astounding variety of restaurants for you to choose from in cities all over the country. Check out some of these amazing Vietnamese eateries for decadent cuisine you’ll never forget.
Indian food is quite popular outside the subcontinent. Several cities all over the world now have Indian restaurants that serve Indian food which is almost as good if not better than the Indian food that is found in India itself. Given this wide ranging popularity of Indian food, it is rather surprising that Indian sweets haven’t managed to secure the kind of widespread appeal that dishes like ‘chicken tikka masala’ and ‘tandoori naan’ (the most ordered dishes in Indian restaurants anywhere) seem to enjoy.
One of the reasons for this according to me, is that the quality and taste of these sweets is very different outside the borders of the Indian subcontinent. Perhaps these differences stem from the ingredients which are used in the preparation of these sweets. Most Indian sweets are made with ample amounts of milk, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. These ingredients though widely available outside India, have subtle differences in taste and texture which perhaps contribute to the differences that arise in the finished product as well.
Indonesia is not only known for its endless list of tourist attractions. My stay in Indonesia has also been made memorable by its wonderful people, delectable Indonesia cuisines and nice hotels like the Ascott Jakarta Hotel. Aside from all these lovely things, I especially enjoyed the different kinds of coffee that I got to savor.
How can I ever resist coffee? I am a certified coffee addict and it really took quite an effort on my side to limit my coffee intake to just two cups in one day (there were days when I can finish up to five cups!). So when I found myself in Indonesia, I promised myself that I will try as many kinds of coffee as I can while in Asia’s “coffee heaven.” Indonesia is actually the third largest producing region in the world!
Coffee beans have their own origins and possess different characteristics that they got depending on how these beans are processed, where the beans were grown and the weather conditions that beans have to face. In the case of Indonesia, the major places where coffee is grown include Sulawesi, Sumatra, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Java. Unfortunately, only a very small region grows Arabica coffee beans which are most preferred kind. In terms of percentage, only 10% of the harvest is Arabica Coffee. Even if this is the case, it is known that Arabica coffee beans that are grown in Indonesia are the best. These beans are priced high for the rich flavor, gentle acidity, and full taste among others.
Hong Kong is “heaven” not only for shopaholics but for food trippers as well. I love Cantonese food and the fusion of cuisines that I can try while visiting this vibrant city. But aside from appetizers and full entrees, one must also find room in their tummies for delectable desserts that abound in Hong Kong.
The truth of the matter is that Chinese dishes or Chinese cuisine is not really associated with scrumptious desserts. It is a great thing that this situation is changing and that there are quite a number of really nice dessert places that are sprouting all across Hong Kong much to the delight not only of the locals but, of course, of all tourists.
South Korea has its own share of traditional snacks, from baked goods stuffed with bean paste to the steamed silkworm pupae. If you find yourself adventurous for some exotic delicacy or just hungry from a day’s sightseeing, then head for the nearest street food vendor (pojangmacha) and order up some tasty Korean treats.
Beondegi - stewed and seasoned silkworm pupae served by street vendors. They are also popular accompaniments to liquor in bars and are available in cans for grocery purchases. The canned versions have a boiled hotdog aroma, which does not help in making the product appealing, but the deep-fried variety tastes like deep-fried peanut skin filled with a woody foie gras-like paste.
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From bustling markets, to monstrous mega malls and buzzing nightlife, Manila will have your heart racing for more! With its blend of American and Spanish influences, and well spoken English, the Filipino locals will surely not disappoint with their accommodating and friendly nature.
It takes a while to get used to Manila but those who persevere will find that it’s a unique city with a lot of personality and character. Let this magical city inspire you with its own sense of charm and energy.
Bellhop Picks:
High-end: InterContinental Manila
Mid-range: Somerset Olympia Makati
Low-range: Garden Plaza Hotel & Suites Manila
Read more about other attractions in our Philippines guide. See what fellow travellers have to say in the Philippines tales section. 
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