Josh
Baton Rouge
Eating outside of your home country can sometimes be adventurous with unfamiliar foods. What is the best meal you have ever had abroad?
Here's mine:
The restaurant was Angusta in St. Gilgen, Austria...just outside of Salzburg. A fantastic steakhouse recommended by our hotel bartender. It was our last night in Austria so we wanted to make it special. The steak was recommended for 2 people as it was so large, so the wife and I split it. The cut of meat is still one that I am unfamiliar with and was cooked over a wood burning grill which gave it a great flavor. The presentation was also great in that the steak would be brought to the table, cut onto your plate for eating, and then brought back to sit next to the fire to keep it warm. It was cooked as well as any steak I have ever had and was melt in your mouth tender. The sides were also fantastic, sauteed veggies and au gratin potatoes. They had three different house made sauces to try with the veggies or with your steak. Dinner was made extra special when several times little tasting plates were sent out compliments of the chef. We had a great Cabernet with the meal and also had some desserts. I think the whole meal cost us less then $60 US. And the service was as good as I have ever had. What a bargain!
"Italian Style Spaghetti" with red wine at Hotel Carribbean Coconut in Cahuita, Costa Rica. This bed and breakfast is owned by an older married couple one of whom is Italian. I have tried to replicate this dish many times (spaghetti with olive oil garlic and red pepper flakes) and I just can't. It was amazing.
Restaurant "Tis Pandoras" in Amoudi Bay in Oia, Santorini. Fried feta cheese, tomato croquettes, fried eggplant, seafood salad and grilled octopus. And with a view of the Aegean Sea
You can't ask for more. 
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We just had an amazing reindeer and lobster burger in Höfn, Iceland, words cannot describe how perfect it was!!
I can't decide between dinner in Osteria del Tempo Perso on our first night in Ostuni, every course was wonderful from the Zucchini flower starters to the Tagliata and superb wine.
A long Saturday lunch in Trattoria Camozzi in Bergamo where we ate Prawns in cognac followed by (made by Mama) Pannacotta.
Our tasting menu in Sage Restaurant Las Vegas would also rate in the sublime category.
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When I was in Hanoi, I had something called cha ca ha noi - it's a fish dish with turmeric and dill. Never had it in the US before. It's amazing.
Best dessert, though, was definitely the cheesecake at Mungalli Creek Dairy. That's saying something considering I don't usually even like cheesecake.
And there's a place called Aggys Shack, Fish & Chips that has amazing sea creatures - I had smoked eel, green-lipped mussels and some weird take on ceviche there. Incredible. All of New Zealand has incredible food, really. The produce there is ridiculous.
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Oh there are too many phenomenal meals that it's difficult to choose. I love the duck dishes I ate in Prague and the beef cheeks at
The place that I did that the most was at Trattoría Da Carlo Restaurant. It's small and off the beaten track, but Carlo is from Napoli and he, his wife, and his two sons run the place with the warm hospitality you'd expect.
Just let the foods come.
Lucious bright green Italian olives in just a touch of olive oil.
A fresh (like just arrived by plane and made a day or two ago) mozzarella unlike anything I've ever eaten. Salivating just thinking about it.
The ensalata de pulpo with sea vegetables I didn't know existed, but crave again.
Puttanesca.
Pizza de napoli with sardines on top - a treat I've previously feared, but anything Carlo makes is amazing.
Any dessert... any item... it's all delish.
Come hungry. Leave stuffed. Hug Carlo for me.
http://10000windows.com/trattoria-napoletana-da-carlo/
l' hamadríada
Pl. Vicente Iborra, 3 Valencia 46003
Barri del Carme
tel. 963 26 0891
web. www.hamadriada.com
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Tough question :-) because for me, the best food in the world is the Portuguese (and Yes, I'm Portuguese) However I really like to prove ethnic and typical food in their country of origin and preferably street food, but not the food they make especially for tourists, which is very different from what they eat! Maybe the "Moules" in Bruges, the "Seafood" in Jimbaran Beach in Bali is great (but the Portuguese seafood is much better) and the vegan lunch in Po Lin Monastery in Lantau made by the monks, although I am not vegan, neither vegetarian.
I loved Malta's food. Think fresh from the Med with tart accents from the generous helpings of capers used to punch up the flavor. Fresh fruits, and well paired wines made for delectable meals.
Having traveled all over the world my entire life, so there have been a whole lot of wonderful meals I've had. Too many to recall!
But for myself, what makes an amazing meal is the new friends I make along the way. Sharing a meal with them, learning more about their traditions, their culture especially as they relate to food.
Food is know to help break down walls that often appear when one is traveling, especially when traveling solo.
We all have to eat.
So next time you are in a new location, go ask the locals what their favorite place is and then go grab a meal there! Talk with the other diners, and make the meal more about the experiencing the culture, then just filling your belly!
Valerie
Josh
