Top 8 food experiences in the world, by Tinggly
“Do we really want to travel in hermetically-sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria’s mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.”
-Chef and traveller Anthony Bourdain: Kitchen Confidential
Tinggly believes that the best way to really understand a destination, a culture, a people, is by sharing their food. Food can be a window to everything from history to languages, to politics and love. At mealtimes, families gather to talk about their days, to gossip, to argue and make up, and just to be together. The act of preparing a meal and then enjoying it alongside each other is one of the world’s most simple, and also most complex. If that all sounds a little philosophical, just consider how many cookbooks are produced every year, how many books that are simply about food, and all of the TV shows on the subject that are screened. Food – fast food, slow food, seafood, soul food – is a global obsession.
One of the great joys of travel is to experience new places and ways of life, meet new people and of course try new foods. Within our handpicked collection you’ll find many of the world’s finest foodie experiences around the world – here we explore a few of our favourites…
This novel approach to dining out in Estonia is both romantic and likely to prove a little messy. It’s often said that the first bite is with the eyes, but at this restaurant, you can’t see much at all, as it’s pitch black. It makes for an incredible sensory experience, as only taste and smell guide you through the meal. And of course it puts a new spin on conversation with your dinner date.
Franklin BBQ in Austin, Texas long ago stopped being just a local secret – it’s now a nationwide sensation. In a state famed for its BBQ, Franklin is one of the leading lights. Strips of brisket smoked over oak for up to 18 hours are dripping in flavour; turkey, sausage and ribs all get the same level of attention, and all topped-off with Franklin’s special sauce. But what makes it famous is the queues people are prepared to endure – it’s not unknown to wait in line for six hours or more! The staff provide folding chairs and beer to make it easier, and for those that have the stamina to get inside the door, the aromas from within make it all worthwhile.
If you have a sweet tooth then a walking tour around the famous chocolatiers of Brussels is a must-do Belgium experience. You can visit the premises of the most prestigious names in the business, taste their mouthwatering creations, and even have a masterclass in producing the best-known Belgian chocolate of all, the praline, from a professional.
Frozen food experience
This is a meal that will really give you the shivers. Finland’s stunning Snow Village is freshly-constructed every winter to a new design, and the restaurant, carved skillfully from ice, is a wonder to behold, like a crystal palace lit up with carefully-placed lighting. Wrap up warm to enjoy a dinner of traditional Lappish delicacies and don’t miss cocktails at the Ice Bar beforehand.
We love this flavourful and colourful introduction to Turkish cuisine that first takes you can a guided tour of a local spice market to meet the traders and learn the different types of produce, before heading to the home of a local chef to create a feast with your purchase. You’ll cook a six-course banquet, accompanied by boutique Turkish wines, then sit down to enjoy a sumptuous meal with your fellow guests.
The Tsukiji fish and seafood market in Tokyo is the largest in the world, and you can wander through at your leisure, immersing yourself in the incredible scenes. Watch as stallholders carve up gigantic tuna fish with long knives, or sift through huge buckets full of crabs, oysters and lobsters. See local restauranteurs bidding at auction, and then sit down for a plate of the freshest sushi you’ll ever taste.
At the Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi, the nightly menu can be, shall we say, diverse to say the least. Cooked on skewers over gigantic fire pits outside, the meats on offer range from ostrich to giraffe and even crocodile. If you’re a meatlover then this lively, cosmopolitan joint, one of the best-known experiences in Nairobi, should definitely be on your itinerary.
Feel like Arabian royalty with this mesmerising Dubai experience. You’ll travel out across the sand dunes by 4×4 until you reach a lavish tent in the desert, where you’ll be served a delicious BBQ feast. Entertained by belly-dancers and music, relax on cushions under a canopy of stars, or work up an appetite by having a go at the local hobby, sandboarding.
Experience travels in another way. Experience gifts by Tinggly:
