Fancy Feast

One of the best parts of traveling is eating out. I love to find a deliciously good spot to grub. Especially when it is a local secret. Actually I have been pondering the topic of holiday meals for at least eight months now. In my head I could think of thousands of amazing culinary experiences while traveling, but whenever I sat down to start a post it was as if my mind went blank. Where had I been that people would not know about? Was there really anything truly satisfying that I needed to share it with others? Of course, but would I remember them all? Probably not. So this post is an attempt to recall some of my favorite treats while traveling.

I was inspired by my most recent trip to New River Gorge, WV. There are a few local spots that all the climbers know about. If you don't eat there then something would be wrong with you. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I planned to eat camp food on our second weekend down there, yet we saved the last night to eat at Pies & Pints. They make some of the best pizza that I have EVER eaten. One of my favorites is the Grape Pie. I know what you are thinking, that is a crazy mix. I would have agreed with you until I had my first taste. The grapes are mixed with rosemary and the aroma is enough to make your mouth water. And when most pizza makes me feel full, the grape pie actually doesn't weigh me down. However, they have some other hearty pizzas that I like as well, such as the Black Bean Pie and the Cuban Pulled Pork Pie. I also loved eating breakfast at Cathedral Cafe. They make some hearty pancakes (I like the sweet potato) or the simple breakfast sandwich to satisfy before a big day of outdoor activities.


Of course I have also been known to make repeat visits at restaurants throughout the United States. When I lived in Utah I was a big fan of Cafe Rio which makes the best salad and their tortillas are freshly made. You have to try the house dressing, which is a mixture of cilantro and ranch. Oh, and I cannot neglect my college stomping ground, where I worked for three years, Gandolfo's New York Deli known for the filling sandwiches at a college budget.

Most people who travel to California are aware of In and Out, which make the best fast food french fries, so I won't spend too much time writing about that, but there is another place I love even more. Every time I visit my college roommates from Southern California I am sure to make a trip to Wahoo's Fish Tacos. Since I live on the East Coast I had to find my own fish taco recipe to satisfy the craving for their fish tacos. Although I actually think my fish tacos are the best on this side of the Mississippi it holds nothing next to the blackened fish taco combo with rice and black beans at Wahoos.

My palatte is not satisfied from foods only found in the United States. I have a few favorites places to eat internationally as well. When I make a trip into London I will always eat fish and chips (who doesn't) but I also look for a Wagamamas. I spent a semester studying in London and this was by far my favorite place to splurge. I love their apple celery mint juice. I even tried to recreate it once at home, but my concotion was a diaster!

And of course there are certain places that I just don't have the name for, but I will always remember. Like the perfect Italian resturant in Milan. One thing I learned from my ex was to eat where we found the locals. So we searched for a place that had men dressed in business suits. I think we spent an hour searching for the perfect spot and I only get grumpier without food. Every other place was catered to the tourist, which would defeat the experience of authentic Italian cusine. The exboyfriend even had to change out of his shorts into pants, but it was worth it for the veal ravioli and the procusito and melon starter. Even our waitor was memorable. I became a fan of Italian cusine.

I have an addiction to french fries so I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to try fries with gravy and mayonaise while in the Netherlands. And when I went to Singapore I was told to try Roti with egg, which I now pass onto you as a suggestion. However my favorite Singaporean delicacy was the Red Bean ice cream, which I bought from a street cart for about fifty cents.

I can't forget the delicious enchiladas from Mexico. I spent semester living there and my Mexican Mother would make the best enchiladas. She even taught me how to make them. Of course she made it look so easy, but it takes work to find the right dried chiles, boil them, grind them up to make the sauce then you have dip the slightly fried corn tortillas into the sauce and top each layer off with queso cheese. In fact, enchiladas in Mexico are very different from the American experience. Oh, and there was the haggis that I tried in Edinburgh, Scotland. I don't know why haggis has a bad rap, because it is really good. And if you get a chance try Hagelslag (sprinkles) on your toast in the Netherlands then do it.

Honestly I could keep going, but it would only make me hungry. I have to admit one of my favorite parts of traveling would be experiencing the food. No diets for me, it is purely for the flavor. I'm sure we all have our suggestions of the best place to eat and this is a meager start to my new plan to include the delicious eateries of the world.