Feast your way around the world
Stuff’s writers are a well-travelled bunch, and they enjoy their food. Here they share some of their favourite dishes from around the world, which are definitely worth a try.
Agood meal doesn’t need to cost the Earth. From the Macanese version of a hamburger to Japan’s deliciously saucy savoury pancakes and a moreish scallop-filled pie, these dishes are worth travelling for.
Bhel puri, India
Risking an upset stomach for this savoury street snack is a no brainer. You can find different varieties of this around India, but essentially it is a spicy, tangy, sweet and salty mix of puffed rice, vegetables (tomato, potato and onion are typical), chaat masala, tangy tamarind sauce, coriander and lots of chilli. It is all mixed together and served in a cone made out of old newspaper.
You will find the best kind at street stalls around the country, but bonus points if you can eat it by the sea in Mumbai, where it is said to originate. According to legend, chaat was first created in the kitchens of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan when his doctor advised him to eat light and spicy foods.
So it’s delicious, good for your health and at about $1 (Rs.50) a plate, it is a bargain, too.
– Trupti Biradar, deputy head of life
Pork chop bun, Macau
There are only two elements in Macau’s most famous snack, but it provides a satisfying explosion of flavour and texture that will have you running back for more. The pork chop bun is just one of the delicious leftovers from the Portuguese colony that ruled there for more than 400 years, and it didn’t take me long to track one down around the ruins of St Paul’s cathedral – vendors can be found all around this autonomous region of southern China.
After waiting in a small queue, I secured two of the sandwiches in a plastic bag before devouring them both right there on the 17th-century church’s steps. The sandwich comprises a generous hunk of melt-in-your-mouth, deep-fried pork chop inside a crispy, buttered bun. And the best thing about the Macanese version of a hamburger is it will only set you back about $6.
– Stephen Heard, travel publishing co-ordinator
Scallop pie, Australia
Yes, we have all waded into the debate about whether steak and cheese is the best pie. But have you tried a curried scallop pie? Before you turn your nose up at it, this seafood treat is fresh and not fishy. It is piping hot but not too spicy. And the pastry is puffy, crispy and buttery – soggy bottoms are not welcome.
Tasmania is known for its impeccable seafood, and it is no surprise this particular pie is best enjoyed while wandering the Salamanca Market on Hobart’s waterfront, and from the unassuming Smith’s Specialty Pies van if you can.
The scallops are big – monsters, in fact – and the juicy suckers are packed in, while the curry sauce is perfectly balanced. For $10, it is a very tasty bargain.
– Bridget Jones, Sunday deputy editor
Okonomiyaki, Japan
Okonomiyaki is often described as a ‘‘savoury Japanese pancake’’, but that doesn’t do it justice.
The name basically translates to ‘‘what you like, grilled’’, and the result is a delicious mound of fillings, sauces and toppings. Meat, seafood and vegetables are common fillings, but you can get some more unusual additions, such as mochi (rice cakes) and cheese.
Then there are two main types of okonomiyaki – Osaka-style, and Hiroshima-style. In the former, all the ingredients are mixed into a batter and cooked on a griddle and in the latter, ingredients, including noodles, are cooked and stacked in layers. Both types are smothered in a thick, sweet, brown sauce and zigzagged with mayonnaise. A unique place to sample okonomiyaki is Okonomimura in Hiroshima, a food hall consisting of three floors of okonomiyaki restaurants. You sit down in front of a hot plate and it is cooked in front of you. Depending on the fillings you choose, it will cost between 1000 and 2000 yen (NZ$12 to $24).
– Siobhan Downes, senior travel reporter
Baguette de tradition, France
When in France – and this works anywhere in France, from the smallest country towns to the middle of Paris – go to a market and get yourself a ‘‘baguette de tradition’’ and a nice soft round of fresh goat’s cheese, or che` vre, from the fromager. Then sit on a park bench or riverbank and enjoy one of the most delicious and idiosyncratic meals there is.
It will probably come in at under €5 ($9), leaving plenty of budget for a bottle of Beaujolais.
– Emily Brookes, food and drinks editor
Mango sticky rice, Thailand
Rich, sweet and loaded with carbs, mango sticky rice makes for a satisfying meal at any time of day. While the typically generous mound of rice cooked in coconut cream and topped with fresh, juicy mango and more coconut cream is commonly served for dessert, I ordered it for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a trip to Thailand – largely because I had developed an addiction and felt compelled to eat as much as I could.
While you can order it in New Zealand, nothing compares to the authentic Thai version made with the meat and juice of a fresh coconut and a pinkorange mango newly plucked from a tree.
And sales of mango sticky rice have soared across Thailand since rapper Milli ate the sweet treat on stage at the Coachella festival in California. You can get your hands on one yourself from about 30 Thai bhat ($1.50) across Thailand.
– Lorna Thornber, travel reporter
Chicken pie, New Zealand
When on a great Kiwi road trip, one must always re-fuel at a pie shop along one of our many great State Pieways.
If you are heading towards the Abel Tasman National Park, then you must stop at Little Dynamite (formerly Ginger Dynamite) for an awardwinning, hand-crafted pie.
Choose from an array of flavours such as smoked fish, potato and lentil, chilli mince, mince and cheese, or chicken and vegetable. These tasty fillings are packaged up in a delicious parcel of handmade pastry – nothing too greasy or too buttery, but a beautifully encapsulated filling with the bottom and top creatively joined with a pastry twist, inspired by the shape of a Cornish pasty.
A filling lunch for under $10 that won’t leave you regretting your choices.
– Juliette Sivertsen, travel news director
Empanada, Argentina
Wandering the streets of Buenos Aries you cannot miss the Argentinian take on a pie – an empanada.
Baked or fried, these perfect moon-shaped savoury pockets fit in the palm of your hand – ideal for munching on the go. You will see them at bakeries and market stalls all over the city. (Empanadas are also popular outside of Argentina. Originally from Spain, you can find variations all over Latin America).
Each flavour has a special pastry fold – that is how you know what you are getting. My picks are beef (carne), ham and cheese (jamon y queso) and corn (humita). Other popular fillings include chicken, eggs and onion. One is a snack, so grab three or so to fill a gap in your belly. They will only set you back about NZ$2 each, so try one of each.
– Nicky Park, culture editor
Diner breakfast, US
It is a pretty well-known fact that they don’t skimp on portions Stateside.
Having ingested many a meal in many a United States city, I don’t think I have ever been left wanting for more, and mostly they are ridiculously well priced for the amount you get.
Your best bet is to grab a big breakfast in a diner away from the main tourist traps, and follow the locals. If the diner looks a bit rough around the edges, and it is full of people who don’t look like they just got off a plane, then grab a booth or stool and be blown away by how many ways you can get your eggs done.
It will set you up for the whole day and won’t break the bank. – Alan Granville, travel reporter