FOOD
Nine Food Experiences that Made Traveling Worthwhile
From Istanbul to Prague
Photos and videos are great memory warehouses of travel experiences. However, few experiences get so well imprinted that they are always on top of the mind.
When travel meets great weather meets super hungry souls meet per chance mind-blowing meal, it becomes a core memory!
Here are my top 9 travel food experiences which are a core committee member of my travel nostalgia.
#9 Savory Crepe, Trio Bambini, Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos, on Saturdays’, sleeps at 7AM and is promptly up by 10AM to feed hungry hungover souls.
We were one of the early tourists out of our hotel on a Saturday morning, on a quest to find a good, hearty breakfast place, when we stumbled on Trio Bambini.
We sat outside in the shade, in comfortable weather, and watched the street slowly come to life, as we waited for our order.
And then came the Savory crepe! The sole reason for ordering it was that Trio Bambini is largely a dessert place and we wanted to start our day with something savory and the only thing savory they had was savory crepe. (Savor this sentence for sometime :D.)
It had a warm crunchy base, with fresh stuffing of veggies, cheese, and some secret sauce.
The stomach, which was fed with alcohol and some munchies last night, welcomed and hugged the crepe like a lost brother.
#8 Waffles by the street, Albert Cuyp Markt, Amsterdam
Cold, rainy and windy mornings of late December in Amsterdam are not ideal for tourists. And they are all the more less ideal if you have planned a flea market shopping day.
But as luck would have it, we were in Albert Cuyp Markt (Open Flea Market), on this particular cold, windy day. Multiple layers of jackets were barely keeping us warm as we nudged from one stall to another.
And then lady luck appears in form of an old frail grandmother setting up her waffle stall. One look at her and her smile, we knew she knows what she is doing, like all grandmothers. After a chit chat of 5 minutes, she handed to us the warmest, softest and tastiest waffles we ever consumed.
Suddenly the cold disappeared, belly was full and warm, cheeks flushed, the spirit of Christmas came alive. Such was the magic of those waffles.
The smell of those freshly baked waffles is something I shall never forget.
#7 Lamb chops, House of Medusa, Istanbul
We had been covering typical tourist places in Istanbul since morning. It was sunny and hot. By lunch time we were totally exhausted and yearned for a good break. Some quick google searches later, we arrive at House of Medusa.
It had a pretty garden, completely in shade from canopy of trees. Not too crowded. It was a welcome change from the sunny hustle bustle of Istanbul tourist epicenter. We asked for recommendation and waiter suggested Lamb chops. We went with the flow. The lamb chops were grilled to perfection. Juicy, tender and perfect sized in portion. I have been consistently ordering Lamb chops since then, but yet to come across anything which comes near to the experience of House of Medusa.
#6 Kibbeh Nayeh, somewhere in Lebanese Mountains, Lebanon
I was travelling around the lush green mountain countryside of Lebanon (Extremely beautiful), when a local friend took me for a side quest to a authentic Lebanese lunch experience. He ordered Kibeen Nayeh for me.
This is, get ready for it- Raw minced meat with just some garlic and parsley mixed in it. It is RAW! It comes with garlic sauce and Lebanese warm bread. It took me some courage to try it. One bite and I knew it was something special. Light, fresh, soft and tingling taste was a unique experience.
#5 Pizza, Cafe Sal Feur Pizzeria, Selva Di Val Gardena, Italy
After eating this Pizza in the heart of Italian mountains, I realized that Pizza has met the fate of Chinese whispers. Crossing boundaries, and generations, it has transformed in something completely different.
This basic Basil Margherita Pizza was the 1st time I tasted the real Pizza. Freshest ingredients, thinnest and lightest dough, could taste each and every ingredient separately.
The cheesy soft carbs after a long hike in the mountains remains the fondest food memory of Italy.
#4 Shkmeruli, Random Restaurant, enroute Mt Kazbegi,Georgia
Winters. Snowy roads. On the way to Mt Kazbegi. Brutally cold. Long and slow drive from Tblisi. On the foothills of mountains, after playing in the live snow, completely cold, tired and hungry, randomly stopped for food.
Stumbled on Shkmeruli. Garlic chicken drowned in ocean of butter. Delight for mouth, good for stomach, dangerous for heart. Took 2 people, 2 meals to finish this monstrosity.
#3 Cheese fondue, Hotel de Ville, Gruyeres, Switzerland
On the eve of new years took the most beautiful and scenic train ride from Montreux to reach Gruyeres (birthplace of fondue).
Light drizzle forced us to go in this restaurant. Serendipity awaited us! Hot melted cheese, wrapped on potatoes, gherkins and bread, paired with local wine enriched our soul directly. Nostalgia stored in small packets of orthonasal olfactory!
#2 Käsespätzle, Hochalm am Untersberg, Salzburg, Austria
Up up up to Untersberg via cable car from Salzburg. Eagle’s view of Salzburg. Only 1 restaurant. Only Austrian food. Left ordering to the good natured waiter and the almighty. What came was incredible. Kasespatzle! Austrian mac & cheese. With grilled onion topping and loads of flavours. Washed it down with a Radler (another Austrian creation – beer with soda).
Still in search for this authentic combo outside Austria!
#1 Goat cheese Salad, King’s Court, Prague, Czech Republic
The scene is old town square of Prague. Colonial styled historical hotel called King’s court occupies one side of the square. Tourists throng the cobble stoned street outside.
I spot a fancy looking restaurant named Adler in Kings court overlooking the town square. As it was evening time, we manage to get a seat without reservation.
Overindulgence in past few days made us order an interesting salad. What came was a surprise, delight and the most delightful experience we ever had (food wise).
The salad looked so pretty, we did not want to touch it. But when we touched it, each and every bite was a completely exquisite experience. The cheese, the different veggies, the sauces, the toppings and most importantly the combination of these, inside the mouth were causing a culinary orgasm!
Such experiences are what keeps me yearning to go and explore new countries and culture. Such experiences have power to lift ones spirits on a particularly dark and sodden day.
To creating more and more of such memories.
Cheers!
