The Best Local Cuisine

TripConnect's Contest Question for the Food and Restaurant Group asks

I love visiting a city and sampling local cuisine- going to Amsterdam and buying raw herring on a bun from a street stall, that sort of thing. What city do you think has exceptionally fine local cuisine and which dishes would you recommend seeking out?

My foodie definition of a city with exceptionally fine local cuisine: A city with two or more signature dishes that are widely available in many of the city's restaurants and are almost always better available locally than what I can make or buy at a restaurant at home. Very often, what makes these dishes 'local' is the availability of several ingredients, knowledge of a preparation technique, competition (make it better than the restaurant next door) and volume.

Some of my favorites:

• Gumbo and Jambalaya in New Orleans
• New York City Pizza and Jewish Deli
• Tarte Tatin, Croissant Chocolate in Paris
• Chimichangas in Tucson
• Fish tacos in San Diego
• Pancakes with maple syrup in Vermont
• Falafel in Tel Aviv
• Dim Sum in Hong Kong
• Vancouver's smoked salmon
• Grilled Sardines in Marbella
• Everything and anything from a crowded Chiang Mai street vendor
• Grilled fish at Jimbaran Bay in Bali

Chinese Food in New Mexico???

Yes, I confess. Many years ago on a cross country trip I decided to try out a Chinese restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Was I nuts? Yes, absolutely, although I wasn't a full fledged foodie back then (I'm not even sure the 'word' existed). I had just driven 10 hours or so from Fort Worth, TX and the hotel's menu guide suggested the restaurant. I missed my NYC Chinese food, was looking for something familiar and didn't even know there was such thing as New Mexican Cuisine. Years later, I was able to sample Green Chile Stew and New Mexican Chile Rellenos on my second visit.

Many years later, I found myself in Paris very much enjoying French food. Well, after a few days my girlfriend (now wife) was getting tired of the heavy, long drawn out meals and I was ready for something different. I knew Lebanese food was big in Paris and found a great restaurant near the Eiffel tower. Give Best Lebanese Dining in Paris and its sequel a read to get a bit of Lebanese and Parisian history and for a couple of restaurant recommendations.

Montreal has a Chinatown, Boston has its North End Italian neighborhood, and there's Little Havana in Miami. A little research goes a long way to find these neighborhoods  and seek out the local specialties. '

Are Trendy Restaurants Good for Foodies?

Every once and a while, I get the urge to try out a new or trendy restaurant to see if the buzz is all that it's cracked up to be. What do I look for in a trendy restaurant? Well, in a nutshell, it has to live up to its buzz. The decor needs to be vibrant and have a personality, the menu has to be exciting and give me too many items to choose from, the plating has to be interesting, but not overbearing, and I like to see a good mix of traditional drinks as well as restaurant specialties.

Now that's not your typical definition of trendy. Most people will define trendy based on the crowd. Is their a buzz on the street? Do I need a reservation days (or months) in advance? Is there a crowd at the bar waiting for their tables? Do the customers look trendy?  Do I have to look good to get in?

The food seems secondary in this definition, and unfortunately, that turns out to be the case in many trendy restaurants. I had one of those experiences last night at PT212 in the Flat Iron District of New York City. Now I'm not sure if a true hipster would label this a trendy spot, but the restaurant is certainly trying to be. And while I wouldn't label the experience bad, I would say that it was somewhat dull. The staff seemed to be pushing us out the door even though we were there early and the tables were empty. I found the Yummy Role quite good, but the Thai menu and dishes I order were, in a word, disappointing. The Thai menu in particular seemed manufactured and possibly an attempt to throw in expensive ingredients to justify higher prices. All in all, I would take my Cheap Eats Thai restaurant picks over this spot.

So is trendy good for foodies? Pay attention to who is giving you the advice!

Stop at the Farm Stand on your Summer Road Trip

The summer is winding down and many of you will be backing up the car and heading out on road trips or on family vacations. You drive for hours, get through traffic, hit your exit ramp, and finally hit the trek from the expressway to your destination. You’re driving and you see the sign ‘Farm Stand’ and your brain perks up. Should I stop the car and check out the goods or do I keep trucking? I’m very practical, so my next question is often, ‘if I buy stuff from the stand, what am I going to do with it?’

Hopefully you’ll stop at the farm stand and check out the wares. On the east coast, it’s not hard to find stands selling tomatoes, corn, peaches, apples (autumn is coming…), zucchini, greens, herbs, and even chili peppers are just some of the things you’ll find.

If I’m heading on a road trip, will consult some friends on TripConnect and will do some research to find what ingredients I might find at the local farm stands. I look for recipes that will highlight the freshness of the ingredients I expect to find, have few and easy to find secondary ingredients and have simple preparation techniques that will be feasible at my destination. So when I pass by that farm stand, I have the enthusiasm to pick up some produce and the confidence that I can make something with them easily.

Some Basic Recipes

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad – Slice tomatoes on a plate, layer on thin sliced mozzarella, add a third layer of basil leaves, salt, pepper, sprits of olive oil and a dash of balsamic.

Grilled Corn – Remove outer husks but leave the inner ones. Grill on medium heat for approximately 10 – 20 minutes depending on whether you like the char or not. Let cool a bit before peeling back the husks. Rub down with lime and sprinkle on your best chili powder and salt mix

Or my favorite – Grill ripe peaches, add ice cream, voila!