What’s your favourite meal - you know, the one you’ll never forget?
We’ve rounded up an array of well-known travel bloggers and asked them this - what’s the best meal you’ve had on your travels? You know, the one that you thought about for weeks afterwards and tried, unsuccessfully, to make at home? Their answers will have you salivating, this much is certain...
Cameron Stauch, blogger at AGlobalKitchen.com
Each time I visit Ho Chi Minh City I set aside time during the late afternoon to visit the street food vendors around Ho con Rua, or Turtle Lake, a busy roundabout in the city’s third district. I eagerly anticipate biting into banh trang nuong; crispy grilled rice paper topped with a some cooked ground pork, a quail’s egg, scallions and a sriracha-like chili sauce. I also make room for banh trang tron, an addictive and mouthwatering mixture of shredded rice paper combined with a host of ingredients like green mango, dried shrimp or beef, toasted peanuts, crispy shallots, chillies and drizzles of fish sauce, and calamansi lime.
Rachelle Lucas, blogger at TheTravelBite.com
The one amazing food memory that comes to mind right at this moment, perhaps because I was telling someone this story today, were the grapes at the Mercado Bolhao in Porto, Portugal. We went to the market one morning for photography and to grab some fresh fruit for our stay in the city that week. The grapes were the most flavourful I've tasted in my life, like little pops of juicy wine. Delicious.
Ben Lee, blogger and managing partner at EverThoughtofTrying.com
One of my favourite meals has to be the octopus salad I had in Dubrovnik on the beach a couple of summers ago. Like everything that leaves lasting memories, everything seemed to fall in place. It was a perfect blue sky day that was not too hot, not too busy (surprisingly and luckily) and the water was pure perfection. The best meals combine all the senses, and this spot ticked all the boxes! The salad was served in a coconut shell that perfectly combined colours and flavours from the mixed lemon, herbs and ingredients. It was tantalisingly tangy and moreish, mirroring the time and place.
Hannah J, blogger at Hannahsays.co.uk
Back in May 2007, we went to Amsterdam for our honeymoon, and [my husband] Chris is the kind of person who wants to cram in as much as possible during a holiday. While exploring the city, we went to a restaurant for dinner. It looked interesting as soon as we saw that it was pancakes with savoury toppings (I think it's called Pancake Corner). I remember getting a four cheese pancake pizza. Well, four cheese pizza is my favourite, so I was hoping for a good meal - and I was in luck; it was lovely! We decided that we'd have our savoury and then decide about pudding. I can't remember now if I had a dessert or not but chocolate spread and banana would have been my choice.
Carla Rose, blogger at LondonisforLiving.com
The best meal I've ever had was in Istanbul. We were taken to a tiny restaurant by locals and treated to an absolute feast. The dining area was as simple as it got and the roof looked like it had been destroyed many years ago, because when you looked up all you could see were the stars.
To start, a huge tray of mezze options was presented to us for us to choose a selection of sharing dishes, and for our main dish we chose from a range of fish. It was a simple meal with fresh produce and lovely flavours, all washed down with plenty of raki. Like the best meals abroad, it was shared with interesting people who gave up their time to introduce you to a little bit of their world.
Samantha Joy, blogger at LoveLifeandStyle.co.uk
Foie-gras, duck confit and creme brûlée are just a few of the highlights on the menu at Le P’tit Troquet, a charming Paris bistro serving authentic yet unpretentious French cuisine.
I skipped the starter and settled for a glass of Sancerre, followed by deliciously tender roasted lamb shank and finished with the chocolate cake with pistachio cream sauce. We had a wonderfully romantic dinner here shortly before my husband proposed. It will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Image credit: Cameron Staunch
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