Eat, Pray, Love: EAT

Well, here I am.  7 months later.  

I departed Minneapolis for Bangkok on January 7th, 2023 and I am leaving to go home in just a few short days.  Not for good, but for a solid two months to see family and friends and get some personal affairs in order.  After incredible visits to 8 different countries, it seems like a good time to wrap up the first leg of what will most definitely be many more amazing journeys.  

Eat, Pray, Love.  That is how I signed off as I left America seven months ago.  I believe I said that I was going to Eat, Pray, Love the shit out of this trip.  I am happy to report that I have done exactly that 😊…and then some. 😁.  Let’s get into it:

EAT.

Really, what didn’t I eat?  I would say that in the past, and definitely now, 50% of my motivation for travel is food.  I said it before and I’ll say it again:  I love to eat.  I always admired Anthony Bourdain, and if I could just travel around the world and eat at international food stalls, vendors, and markets for the rest of my life, I would (and maybe I will!).  That said, here are my favorite dishes (so far) in each country that I have visited:

Thailand – This was a tough one.  There is SO much good food in Thailand. However, Khao Soi blew my socks off and is right up my alley – meaning it is on the richer side, extremely savory, and likely not good for you. 😂 

Khao Soi is a soup-like dish made with a mix of deep-fried crispy egg noodles and boiled egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, ground chillies fried in oil, and meat in a curry-like sauce containing coconut milk.  The curry is somewhat similar to that of yellow or massaman curry but of a thinner consistency. It is popular as a street dish eaten by Thai people in northern Thailand, though not frequently served in Thai restaurants abroad.  Which makes it harder to find if you are not in Northern Thailand. However, many Northerners move south and bring their recipes with them…And thank goodness for that!  I have never seen this on a menu at a Thai restaurant in America, but maybe I just didn’t know what to look for.  I will be looking now, whilst knowing that it will never be as good as it is in actual Thailand.  This dish is reason enough to travel across the world.  It is THAT good.  Put it on your list.

Cambodia – Kuyteav.  Kuyteav is a Cambodian noodle soup consisting of rice noodles with pork stock and toppings. This is a popular breakfast dish and it can be found at marketplace stalls, roadside vendors, restaurants and in shophouses across the country.  It is prepared with partially dry thin rice noodles cooked by quickly immersing the noodles in boiling water. The noodles are then strained, placed into a bowl, and moistened with nutty, caramelized garlic oil. After dressing with a sticky brown liquid made of oyster sauce, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar, the bowl is then filled with a clear broth made from pork bones, dried squid, and sugar, and seasoned with a bit of fish sauce. Then the meat toppings are added, which may include an assembly of different types of meat, such as pork loaf, minced pork, pork belly, duck, or seafood.  Delicious!  This dish is so popular it is usually sold out by mid-morning.  I am not a morning person, but this dish will get me out of bed!

Vietnam – Oh, man!  Another tough one.  Vietnam exceeded my expectations when it came to food.  The phở is SO good (and don’t even let me get started on the coffee!), but I think I have to give the crown to the Banh Mi.  Again, this was right up my alley. Yep, you guessed it – generally richer, more savory, and likely not good for you…Everything in moderation, right?  😉

The banh mi is a short baguette with a thin, crisp crust and a soft, airy texture. It is often split lengthwise and filled with savory ingredients like a submarine sandwich.  A typical Vietnamese banh mi is a fusion of meats and vegetables from native Vietnamese cuisine such as chả lụa (Vietnamese sausage), coriander leaf (cilantro), cucumber, pickled carrots, and pickled daikon combined with condiments from French cuisine such as pâté, along with red chili and mayonnaise.  Honestly, there are many different versions of this delectable sandwich and they are all out of this world.  I know they sell them in America, but the competition is not even close.  Go to Vietnam to get one

Indonesia – I already did a whole food post on Indonesia so I will keep this one short.  If you haven’t figured me out yet, I am a noodle over rice girl so Mie Goreng all the way!  And always with a fried egg.  Enough said.

Singapore – In Singapore, they have food vendors all over the city called “hawkers” where you can order some of the most delicious street food from all over Southeast Asia.  This one is a descendant of the Chinese, but Singaporeans have given it their own twist.  

The official name for this dish is Chai tow kway.  However, it is lovingly referred to as carrot cake in Singapore.  I’m not sure why, since it has virtually no carrots in it.  LOL.  I was super confused when I ordered it; not only did I think there would be carrots, but I at least expected it to come in a cake form.  To add to the confusion, I was told that I had to order both the black and white versions.  So I did as I was told, expecting some carrot flavor as I spooned it into my mouth.  Nope.  It didn’t taste like carrots (or look like a cake for that matter) at all!  But it was delicious!  Rich and savory again, but also so comforting.  I couldn’t get enough.  As I continued to shovel it into my mouth I decided to look up what I was eating…I literally had no idea.  😂

Chai tow kway is made with radishes.  Who knew?!?  In Singapore, it is typically prepared by cutting fried radish cake into pieces and stir frying with eggs, garlic, and spring onion. There are two variants: the “white” version does not use sweet soy sauce, and the radish cake is fried on top of a beaten egg to form a crust; the “black” version uses sweet sauce (molasses), and the egg is simply mixed in with the radish cake.  No carrots.  Whatsoever.  Go figure.

Malaysia – Another tough one!  Malaysia is known as the food capital of Southeast Asia.  It is the #1 food destination for Asians because the Malaysian culinary style is a melange of traditions from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Filipino, Thai, and Arab influences, to name just a few. The result is a symphony of flavors, making Malaysian cuisine highly complex and diverse. Seriously, the food here is AMAZING.  

If I had to pick a favorite, and this is hard, it would have to be the main dish that Malaysia is known for:  Char Kuey Teow.  I did a food tour in Penang where the guide referred to it as the grandfather of Pad Thai.  Yep, this is where it all started!  You heard it here first!  It’s essentially a dish of stir-fried rice noodles with soy sauce and chili paste.  In most places, Char Kuey Teow is served with various sides, including chives, crab meat, cockles, bean sprouts, and prawns.  It is so good, and every vendor has their own twist on it so you can sample hundreds of different versions in one city.  Seriously, people come here from all over Asia just to eat this one dish.  It is crazy!

Laos – Laab/Larb.  This is a type of meat salad and it is commonly referred to as the national dish of Laos.  Think lettuce wraps in America, but better.

It is most often made with chicken, beef, duck, fish, pork or mushrooms, flavored with fish sauce, lime juice, roasted ground rice and fresh herbs. The meat can be either raw or cooked; it is minced and mixed with chili, mint, roughly ground toasted rice and, optionally, assorted vegetables. The dish is served at room temperature and usually comes with a serving of sticky rice and/or lettuce.  As someone who doesn’t particularly love salad, this one I can get into!  So flavorful! 😋

South Korea –  Korean BBQ. Duh. It is just as amazing as you would imagine. But what is most amazing to me about the Korean bbq culture isn’t even the food, it’s the methodology behind it. This is not just a meal. It’s an event. Specifically, it is a work event. Business men and women (but primarily men, I have noticed), go out for this meal in large groups with co-workers either at lunch or dinner or both….It is a GROUP event. I couldn’t even go out to have this meal by myself. I tried. Although I heard that some places are becoming more accommodating for solo travelers, this is a new concept, and it is not widespread. There is just too much food and I can see how it doesn’t make sense. Therefore, I joined a group tour to have the full-on experience. It was me, one other solo traveler, and our local guide. He explained the culture of the meal and that it is also a big drinking event. The youngest always serves the entire table, and afterwards, most often, everyone goes out for 2nd Round. This includes fried chicken and more beer. Again – that everyone shares. I walked by so many fried chicken and beer places, I just decided to try it alone. Yes, I got a huge plate of fried chicken just for me. And it was delicious (no, I did not finish it).

In sum, the food in Korea is delicious, but best eaten in a group. I look forward to coming back and trying again; hopefully with a friend next time.

Finally, I just have to special mention the Makgeolli. This is the Korean version of rice wine and it is DELICIOUS! I have had A LOT of rice wine during my travels and this one takes the cake. Yum. Mee. 😋 It comes in a 750ML bottle and I’m sure you’re supposed to share it, but I had no problem taking this down on my own. Furthermore, it is cheap. Win Win. 😁

So there you have it! My faves from 8 different countries. Get out on the road and try them!

EAT. ✅