COMMUNITY STYLE DINING
Sharing food by eating together can draw an emotional
connect between you and the destination
YUM CHA IN HONG KONG
Trying out yum cha should absolutely be on your Hong
Kong checklist. Hong Kong assertions of the best dim sum chefs, who prepare
these delicacies ranging from buns to dumplings and rice rolls that contain a
diversity of ingredients, including pork, chicken, shrimps, prawns and a
selection of vegetables served steamed, deep fried, baked or grilled. The most
eminent traditional tea house is Luk Yu, a genuine vestige of a lost era.
Interestingly the restaurant staff will walk around pushing a cart or carrying a
tray stung around the neck to offer their goods. Wash these down with a
fragrant tea from the menu.
AN ARABIC MEAL IN DUBAI
There is an impressive array of appetisers to be
enjoyed famed as 'Mezze' which are the inexhaustible and highly flavoured range
of irresistible nibbles. Hummus, rice and meat wrapped in vine leaves, mashed
beans, hot and cold salads, grilled seafood and meats and pickled vegetables
being the most popular. The other accompaniments like the Kebabs and Bread are
usually brought together with the Mezze on the table from which you can help
yourself with your hands, sort of a community style eating, (of course you can
ask for cutlery if you wish to). Later of course you can wash your fingers in
orange flower oil warm water. In a few places Islamic laws also make it
unimaginable to have alcohol with the meals so the locals enjoy water, light
teas, a lemon mint refresher. Most meals end with Legamat aka deepfried dough
balls which are covered in date syrup and sesame seeds. Seven Sands is the best
restaurant in Dubai for getting a taste of each of the seven different emirates
that combine together to form the UAE.
OKONOMIYAKI IN HIROSHIMA
Identified as Hiroshima’s ‘soul food’ okonomiyaki has
evolved from pre-war children’s snack called issen-youshoku, which consisted of
a folded crepe topped with onions and Worchester sauce. It is basically a
combination of noodles, cabbage, Japanese mayonnaise, meat and seafood of your
choice, cheese, udon or soba noodles and eggs all grilled into a pizza size
pancake of perfection — then topped with the decadence known as Okonomiyaki
sauce!
FAMILY STYLE AT STRASBOURG
Restaurants merely litter the streets of Strasbourg,
some considered among the best in France. Authentic local specialities are best
savoured in the ‘winstub’, Strasbourg’s typical small family owned restaurants.
Microbreweries are very popular as well, for example at Au Brasseur on 22 rue
des Veaux, creates and brews its own beer and most people have it along by
sharing some ‘tarte flambé’ (flammekueche). Foie gras and sauerkraut are also
the two centre pieces of Alsatian cuisine, but alongside these delicacies, many
other mouth-watering dishes can be found on the menus. Not to forget the
special cheese cake and the famous 'kougelhopf' for dessert.
CUSTARD SQUARES & COFFEE IN
AUCKLAND
Can be easily found in cafes and is quite a kiwi
tradition to stop buy for a cuppa and share some of these. Soft custard is
packed into the flaky pastry and shaped like squares. It is nimble and fluffy,
bursting of flavour and undeniably fresh! Most people would upturn the square,
cut it with a knife and share it along with their coffee.
Rupali Dean is a Delhi based
food & travel writer
ET18OCT18
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