travel

The best travel locations for foodies around the world.

The hidden legacy of the Seychelles' island cuisine
In a steep valley high on the eastern slopes of the Seychelles island of Mahé, the spice garden of Le Jardin du Roi tells a story of unimaginable variety. Anchored by a graceful 19th-Century home of white wood, soaring ceilings and big windows designed to catch a cooling mountain breeze, Le Jardin du Roi is a window on so much that is good about traditional Seychelles Creole cooking.
By Sweet Holdeman3 years ago in Feast
Italy's rare, surprisingly bitter honey
Corbezzolo honey tricks the palate. Instead of the sweetness one would expect, this extremely rare honey, born in the mountains of the Italian island of Sardinia, is surprisingly bitter, with notes of leather, liquorice and smoke. Nomadic beekeepers have been setting up beehives in the region to collect this aromatic treat – derived from the white, bell-shaped flowers of the wild strawberry tree – for more than 2,000 years.
By Gay3 years ago in Feast
Hong Kong's 'greasy spoon' cafes
With a fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic washing over Hong Kong, all restaurants in the city have been ordered to pull down their shutters by 18:00. Daytime business in the city's cha chaan tengs has mostly remained brisk, however. The quirky, no-nonsense cafes have long served up affordable staples to busy people needing to get in, chow down and get out in a hurry.
By Sweet Holdeman3 years ago in Feast
The return of France's lost lemon
If you want to know just how attached the people of the coastal town of Menton are to their beloved lemon, look no further than the legend that credits its arrival on the French Riviera to Eve.
By Gay3 years ago in Feast
Pkhali: Georgia's versatile vegan appetiser
"I express emotion through colour," chef Davit Narimanishvili said, as my fork hovered over a trio of perfectly spherical amber, green and purple appetisers, almost too exquisite to eat.
By Gay3 years ago in Feast
Maamoul: A sweet celebration for Christians and Muslims
This spring, along the ancient streets of the holy cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, a sweet smell wafts through the air. Inside, people's homes are hives of activity as extended family members and neighbours come together to make a biscuit-like treat that's very special to both Muslims and Christians.
By Gay3 years ago in Feast
The return of Bali's lost 'superfood'
"Look at how fine those leaves are," said Dika Nanta, pointing up to the waving branches of a spindly tree. "They're so wispy that at first glance it's hard to imagine why Balinese people sometimes call this tree 'the broomstick of the gods'."
By Gay3 years ago in Feast
The surprising landscape of Indian Jewish food
East of the Hooghly River in the Indian city of Kolkata sits Barabazar, a wholesale market whose history goes back to the 18th Century. Everything – from spices, clothes and electronics to salvaged doors and second-hand furniture – is traded here. Amidst this bustling grid of roads, at the corner of Brabourne Road and Canning Street, sits the imposing Magen David Synagogue. Adjacent to it is the city's oldest existing synagogue, Neveh Shalom Synagogue.
By Seamons Mahall3 years ago in Feast
Isso vade: The spicy snack that unites Sri Lanka
As the train pulled into Peradeniya Junction station in central Sri Lanka, the man sitting opposite me leapt out of his seat and leaned out of the window, placing his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and whistling loudly. A vade seller soon appeared outside, removed a basket from the top of his head and handed it to the passenger. The man quickly pulled out a fragrant fritter along with a small bag of fiery sambol, leaving money behind, and then passed the basket to other hungry passengers, who did the same before returning the basket back to the seller through the window.
By Seamons Mahall3 years ago in Feast
The endurance of Japan's simple street snack
"Yaki-imo…" The forlorn cry of the roasted sweet potato vendor echoed through the canyons of concrete and tiled buildings in a Tokyo suburb. The pre-recorded song, bookended with spoken claims of "oishii, oishii" (delicious, delicious), flowed from speakers on a stubby flatbed kei truck. This small vehicle, a ubiquitous part of working-class Japan, had been converted into a vessel for idōhanbai (literally, mobile sales).
By Gay3 years ago in Feast
Meza Malonga: The Afro-fusion food making waves
As I walked up the stairs and stepped inside Meza Malonga, I was instantly drawn into the chic, minimalistic dining room. White brick walls were accented with leafy plants, bold paintings and wooden shelves framing decorative gourds, beaded necklaces, woven baskets and earthen ceramics from around the African continent. Windows opened to a mesmerising view over the lush hills of Kigali, a vivid green by day and aglow with the twinkling lights of houses by night. A few wooden tables were spread out across the intimate space as soulful lyrics and low strums of the ngoni (a traditional stringed Malian instrument) reverberated in the background.
By Seamons Mahall3 years ago in Feast
Belize's sweet, sustainable "seaweed shakes"
In Belize's idyllic beach town of Placencia, the buzz of blenders has become something of a soundtrack. The once-quiet fishing village, which sits on the point of a 26km-long southern peninsula flanked by the Caribbean Ocean and a wildlife-rich lagoon, is often described by locals as "the caye you can drive to" because of its laid-back atmosphere. When temperatures soar, locals and travellers head to gaily painted beach bars that not only serve cold daiquiris and piña coladas but also a Placencia speciality: the seaweed shake.
By Gay3 years ago in Feast