Jan 13, 2023
By: srishti.magan@timesinternet.in
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Food website Eater picked 10 global dining destinations for 2023, and Kolkata made it to its Where to Eat in 2023 list. Beyond the ‘must-try dishes,’ Eater considered destinations offering an ‘immersive’ meal experience.
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According to Eater, the aspects of a meal that make it immersive are “the people, environment, culture and history behind foods that force us to pause, inspire us to stray off the preplanned path, and tempt us to stay forever.”
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Kolkata is known for its delectable street food (puchkas and the humble kathi roll), the aromatic fish curry, i.e macher jhol, mouthwatering desserts like mishti doi and sandesh, and the famed Kolkata biryani - forever in competition with Hyderabad biryani. Here are other destinations on the list:
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The Italian island offers a traditional, rural twist to famous Italian pasta dishes, while also serving authentic, local dishes like su porcheddu (roast suckling pig) or the hearty zuppa gallurese - a lasagna-style dish made of bread cheese and lamb broth, baked in the oven.
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Home of the famous Hass avocado, Guatemala cuisine predominantly features corn, chilies, and beans. Considered the birthplace of chocolate, Guatemala also brews excellent coffee. It’s also known for its street food that could easily rival that from the restaurants - the streets offer a variety of tostadas (corn tortillas) and granitas (snow cones).
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Albuquerque states that the defining feature of its cuisine is spice - in the form of red or green ‘chile’. The cuisine incorporates Mexican, Native American and Spanish flavors. Bizcochito is the state’s official cookie. Some of the other famous dishes are Green Chili Stew, Green Chile Cheeseburger, and breakfast burritos.
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Asheville, named the number one food destination in the US in 2022 by Yelp, calls its food scene, ‘foodtopia’, presenting a "community of culinary collaborators crafting an experience to nurture your soul." Asheville is also home to seasoned restaurateurs like Meherwan Irani (Chai Pani) and Katie Button (Cúrate, La Bodega).
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Sweden calls Halland a ‘coastal haven’ for foodies and nature lovers alike. Halland offers exquisite seafood and boasts of a robust farm-to-table community with many restaurants using local produce and seasonal ingredients, including Michelin-starred restaurant Äng by Ästad Vineyard.
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According to Eater, since the pandemic, “Cambridge’s food scene has become as serious as any other”. While pubs and pub crawls dominate the nightlife, the culinary delights include the famous Cambridge pudding, Newmarket sausages, and Huntingdon Fidget pie.
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Eater states that Dakar preserves its local culinary traditions like thiéboudienne, dibi, and thiéré. Dibi refers to a range of grilling styles and it’s common for customers to share tables at ‘dibiteries’. It’s also customary to offer to share your food with waiting neighbours, if it arrives before their order.
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Though many dishes feature the essential element of Filipino cuisine, banana ketchup, there’s a lot more to explore in Manila’s culinary circle - like the traditional kare kare (peanut sauce curry with vegetables and oxtail), the buko pie (similar to a custard pie) and halo-halo (shaved ice dessert).
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Multiple reports state that the best way to enjoy the food of Ho Chi Minh City is to sample the expansive street food featuring snails, banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) com tam (barbequed pork and rice dish), and hu tieu, a Vietnamese soup less famous than pho, but equally delicious.
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Auckland offers a coastal dining scene celebrating its Māori roots. Auckland or Tāmaki Makaurau describes its dining scene as “a melting pot of flavours and cuisines”. Some of its most popular dishes include fried seaweed glass noodles, crumbled scallops, and Old Skool egg burger.
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