Photo Credit: Tim Mossholder
2001 marked the start of my travels and the travel bug hit me hard because when I’m not travelling I miss it; I miss it a lot. I’ve been fortunate to visit quite a few countries and cities, some more than once; and I guess what I love most is that I get to meet other people, learn about their cultures, hear another language and taste different foods and desserts.
Listed below are my 5 top cities when it comes to food I enjoyed eating there. I’m a picky eater so trying new food is always a challenge but once I enjoy it I always return for more.
Florida – USA
With my last visit to the USA I was living at a crew house in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One of my housemate was from Austin Texas and he asked me if I wanted to join him for some barbeque the next day. We drove for about 3hrs from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville to a place called Cross Creek Steakhouse. His brother was the manager and everything was on the house. Ladies and gentleman I was introduced to smoked BBQ that day. I don’t eat baby back ribs or pork butt so I decided on what was called the Cross Creek Chef’s choice. It was a beef brisket the size of my head that has been smoked for 12-14 hours, served with French fries and a BBQ sauce bottle that you had to pour over every slice you cut from it. OMG!!! I was in meat heaven; sorry my vegetarian and vegan friends but I can’t give up meat. Cavemen and women survived for years by hunting animals for their meat, we wouldn’t be here today if they didn’t eat meat. I literally closed my eyes every time I took a bite.
Budapest – Hungary
Wanting to experience a “white Christmas” I decided to visit my friend Gabor in his home city Budapest. Living in England at the time I thought I was ok with the cold weather awaiting me but getting off the plane and heading out of the airport into a snow filled parking lot, temperatures below freezing and a wind chill I’ve never experiencing before was a huge shock to the system. On our 1st boys’ night out we partied hard, went to some nightclubs and a few pubs with Gabi’s friends. With my body filled with alcohol I had no idea of the temperature that night, it must have been like between -5 ‘C and -10’C and I found myself dancing around Hero’s square in a t-shirt with snow falling on my head. Needless to say I was “man down” with flu the next day. Gabi’s mom made a huge pot of Goulash and I started my day with a bowl of goulash and sour dough bread. This spicy meat filled dish I had every 4hrs under strict instructions from my friend’s mother, this between sleeping and recovering of course. I didn’t complain, it was delicious and with every bowl I could feel myself getting better. We wouldn’t dare go out that night but we did go out the next day. They took me to Buda castle and at the foot of the castle there’s a small café where I had some coffee and my first Strudel, it was extremely sweet and I knew why my friend insisted I get an espresso at the café. Only way I can explain Strudel – it’s a very sweet layered Pastry but a must in Budapest.
Rome – Italy
What’s that saying “when in Rome do what the Romans do”, I grew up on Italian food i.e. Spaghetti Bolognese (my favourite dish), lasagne, macaroni and cheese and pizza so it was only right that I try it from its origin. The 1st dish I tried was Spaghetti Bolognese and when it arrived looked nothing like what my mother made at home. Using my Italian tour guide book I mustered up enough words to ask where the meat balls where. The waiter disappeared and returned about 35min later with a plate that had 3 medium sized meat balls on it, at which point I realised – my mom has been making it wrong all these years, I’ve been making it wrong for a few years – with original Bolognese they use grounded lean beef in the tomato sauce, you can’t even tell it’s there. Don’t get me wrong it tasted good but I still prefer mums’ Bolognese. The next dish I try was Spaghetti Carbonara. I enjoyed this dish so much I started making it for myself at home. If you ever find yourself in Rome, there’s a café opposite the Trevi fountain, not sure of the name anymore but it’s quite busy and they sell, hands down, the best Tiramisu.
Cavite – Philippines
I’ve been to the Philippines a few times but only after my 3rd or 4th visit did I start trying the local food and I was so disappointed I didn’t try it earlier. The Filipino people are very happy people; they are always smiling, laughing and singing. I got there once after Monsoon season, everything was soaked with water and they were still happy, not one complaint. I ask one guy
You not upset, your house is a mess?
he replied
Bahal Na, Sir
which when loosely translated means
What will be will Be
My friend Ronnie, who’s a local, told me I can’t keep visiting the Philippines and not eat the local food. So one night we ordered all the Filipino food on the menu at the hotel’s restaurant and I tried it, only after he explained what it was.
My favourite Filipino dishes would be Chicken Adobo and Beef Broccoli, which are chicken and steak dishes but Sisig and Pancit aren’t too bad either. Sisig is a grilled pork dishes and Pancit is made with prawns, shrimp and noodles. For dessert I would have to go with Mamon it’s like a cupcake or small sponge cake that soft and fluffy.
Cape Town – South Africa
Of course home has the best food, I’ve lived their most my life. I’ve left many times only to return again.
Cape Town is known as the food capital of South Africa, with its rich cultural heritage, this comes as no surprise. With award winning wines and an assortment of dishes to choose from you are spoilt for choice but…
my mom’s Paella would be a good reason I return there every time. Paella is a Spanish/Valencian dish which my mom seems to have perfected in her own special way.
I once heard this statement that girls look for qualities in a guy that remind them of their father, if they have a close relationship with them and that the same could be said for guys when choosing to settled down, they would look for someone with the same qualities as their mother.
Guess what? The wife person makes a damn good Paella too and I can’t even compare the two dishes. They are both extremely good in their own way.
But there’s also dessert to accompany these dishes. Cold dessert would have to go to my mom, people literally fight and hide a slice for later when my mom makes her famous peppermint fridge tart.
I’ve never been one to eat warm desserts but you better believe I’m standing ready with my bowl when the wife person makes Malva pudding. She made it once and asked me to try a piece and I’ve never looked back since.
“Malva pudding is a sweet pudding of Cape Malay origin. It contains apricot jam and has a spongy caramelized texture. A cream sauce is often poured over it while it is hot, and it is usually served hot with custard”
An interesting side note is that I’ll only eat my mom’s peppermint fridge tart and only eat the wife person’s malva pudding. I WILL NEVER venture to try someone else’s in the fear that I won’t like it and it will forever spoil my favourite desserts after ice-cream.
I love food or more specific I love food I’ve tried before and enjoyed. Sure you have your favourites too. Let me know in the comments below where you’ve been and what you enjoyed eating there.
