Eating is an important part of culture and it helps me experience that place in a way that I tend to remember. Usually when I recall a place, I recall something I ate. I can still smell and taste the pho in Ho Chi Minh, a Victoria sponge cake in London or a long black coffee in Melbourne.
There are a million resources to help you research what and where to eat. In fact, there’s probably too much information to sift through—between the guides (Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Wallpaper Guides), online resources (TripAdvisor, Yelp, Instagram, Pinterest), and celebrity chefs (Anthony Bourdain, Guy Fieri). I tend to do a little bit across each of these as I research a destination. I jot down places here and there and ultimately a few make it onto my placemat (my one pager of crib notes). Of course, one of the best ways to learn is to ask people who live there, have visited or who work there (think concierges, bartenders, etc.).
One way I’ve found to ensure that I’m eating locally is to book a food tour. I first did this in Vietnam because the primary reason for the trip was the food (thank you Anthony Bourdain). Add in a language barrier and an uncertainty of what was what while eating, the much-discussed-imminent threat of TD and it was a no brainer. I booked a food tour in each main city I visited (Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An and Hanoi). I usually booked it no earlier than a day or two in advance and used sites like TripAdvisor and ultimately Viator to find a local, reputable tour.
I’m just back from Montreal where I took the Mile End Food Tour. Caroline, our guide, was outgoing, informative and seemed to have the right amount of humor to keep a dozen of us entertained for three hours. We had a total of seven stops, six being food stops.
Here’s how much I ate in 3 hours:
Falafel’s okay – My past experience with it is that it can be a bit dry. Well, the first stop proved me wrong as the falafel was delicious. It was fresh and the combination with cornichons, sprouts and slaw in a pita was heavenly. It was so good that I returned the next day for lunch on my own. (tip: take a food tour earlier in your trip so you can re-visit any faves afterward). Place: La Panthère Verte – a local, vegan, organic restaurant.
Chocolate – I’m not necessarily a chocolate lover but hey, everyone can appreciate fancy chocolates. We sampled a brownie in hot chocolate and it was pretty damn tasty. You only need a bite otherwise you’ll be wired for the next week as it’s decadently sweet. The shop was adorable and a great place to visit and pick up any gifts or souvenirs for chocoholics. Place: Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois – a fancy chocolatier.
Montréal bagels – Apparently there’s a bagel war between New York and Montréal. Raised as a New Yorker, I’m not sure it’s a legitimate war. It’s not that one bagel is better than the other—it’s like comparing a slice of Grandma’s pizza to a slice of Sicilian—they are different. NY bagels are meals – you can throw an egg or turkey or cream cheese on it and you’re good to go until your next meal. The Montreal bagel seemed to me more like a dessert or snack bagel. It’s sweeter and smaller than a NY bagel. The sweetness is from the honey put in the mix. They’re open 24/7 to keep the fire at a constant heat to get the perfect bagel. Similar to Philly with cheesesteaks, there’s a showdown between two famous bageliers: St-Viateur and Fairmount. Place: St-Viateur Bagel – making bagels since 1957.
Rialto Theatre – This was a bathroom stop and a chance to see an old movie palace that was modeled (perhaps inspired is a better description) on the Paris Opera House. Today, it’s maintained beautifully and rented out for all sorts of shows – comedy, plays, movies and music.
Take-out Gnocchi – that’s right, gnocchi to go. Imagine a pint size Chinese food container filled with hot fresh gnocchi and a marinara sauce you’ll lick out of the box. Oh, and there’s some parmesan sprinkled on top. If I lived in Mile End, I would be a frequent and loyal customer. Place: Drogheria Fine, a purveyor of authentic Italian pasta sauce.
Charcuterie – I love a plate of charcuterie. There were a few things that made this less than charcuterie heaven. First, it’s towards the end of the tour so we’ve eaten a lot, and a lot of carbs so lethargy is setting in. The store was also very hot. The full sun was beaming through the solar shades and we all were fanning ourselves for some relief. The sample plate was full of meats (ham, salami and a pâté of sorts) along with two types of cheeses. It was missing one of my favorite ingredients – the pickle! They sold jars of them so not sure why none made it onto the plate. The ham had a small sliver of fat that transformed it into a really great bite. This may be a good place to get some stuff for a takeaway snack or lunch. Place: Boucherie Lawrence, a (fancy) butcher shop offering locally and respectfully raised meat.
Does everyone scream for ice cream – Ice cream with a twist of sour cherry sorbet. Similar to chocolate, I’m not a huge fan of ice cream. There are many other ways I’d rather consume my calories and being lactose intolerant does not help. We ended the food tour at a little joint close to Drogheria Fine. The small cup of ice cream was a perfect size and I did my best to focus on the swirl of sorbet, pushing aside all the vanilla ice cream. The concept of this place is French with Vietnamese influence and the name translates to ice cream with auntie #3. Place: Kem Coba, the fine dining of ice cream and sorbet.
Falafel pita at La Panthère Verte
Chocolates at Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois
Montréal bagels at St-Viateur
Fresh gnocchi + marinara at Drogheria Fine sauce
Charcuterie at Boucherie Lawrence
Another great reason to take a food tour is the chance to meet other travelers. I ended up going to the lookout at Mont Royal with a few Aussies and then ran into a couple from Louisiana the next day at the Musée des beaux-arts. So, take a food tour next time you hit the road for a taste of what the locals eat and love.
Ho Chi Minh City: Street Food Man
Montréal: Mile End Food Tasting
How much can you eat in 3 hours? Eating is an important part of culture and it helps me experience that place in a way that I tend to remember.