It is not enjoyable to tour places in an empty stomach, isn't it? Aside from the tourist spots, basically, food takes a big role in tourism. Every country offers their best cuisine to satisfy the stay of the tourist. So, in tourism, it may not only be centered to places but food as well. Philippines offers the best possible foods for tourists, and so there's no doubt it is appreaciated and most commonly liked by almost a lot of visitors. Two among the best foods that are top offered here in the Philipines are: 1. Adobo, it is a simple dish serve in every household but the can be categorized as a worldclass. Meat (pork or chicken) is the main ingredient of this cuisine. This is actually the top listed favorite food in the country. Since it is commonly a household dish, there's different variations that are made from it but the basics of cooking it is maintained. 2. Lechon is basically cooked for celebrations. Whole pig with some ingredients stuffed inside its stomach is typically roasted in a charcoal until its skin colors becomes golden brown.
I think when a person looks into visiting a country the cuisine is probably one of the first things people will look at. A lot of people will be willing to try the local cuisines but at the same time they'll also want to know if there's the safety net of a McDonald's or KFC around as well just in case!
To travel means that we can enjoy different varieties of food. I like the way you said "food tourism" as that is a good term for it. What makes people get to explore a place is the gastronomic experience as that can go on from breakfast until night. I make it a point to try the various specialties of the place. And, those pictures of Philippine food look delicious!
I am not sure if I have ever heard of these food items. Actually, I don't know if Philippine food is available in my home country or not. However, I have tried Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese food in the local restaurants. I love to try different kinds of food, actually I am very epicurean. However, I will have to avoid port because my culture and tradition does not allow me to eat pork.
I think now a days tourism got too many branches like eco-tourism, wine tourism, chocolate tourism, culinary tourism etc to name a few. There is no doubt that food tourism is the most enchanting one. Food is the weakness for most of the people and it is a good strategy to offer variety foods to those who visit our country. In India you can see a lot of restaurants that offer food items of various parts of the world. It is really good to taste a new flavor once in a while.
@planetX Indian food is my favorite. I am a fan of Hyderabadi Biryani, Panjabi tandoori, South Indian Dosa and Idly. I also love Indian sweetmeats such as barfi, gulab jamun, raas gulla etc. Most of the Indian dishes are also made in Nepal and Indian food is available every where in Nepal.
@planetX Indian food is my favorite. I am a fan of Hyderabadi Biryani, Panjabi tandoori, South Indian Dosa and Idly. I also love Indian sweetmeats such as barfi, gulab jamun, raas gulla etc. Most of the Indian dishes are also made in Nepal and Indian food is available every where in Nepal.
The best Asian country when it comes to food tourism is Singapore. That country is so diverse that almost every single authentic cuisines are find there and you can also find some interesting fashion cuisines on that country. Singapore have a very strict food inspection so most restaurants there are clean and safe. Chinese,Indian,Pakistani,Filipino, Malaysian,Indonesian, Japanese , Korean and even Italian cuisine were all available on that tiny country. That country also have their own cuisine which is combination if different influences. About Adobo, its not the best of Filipino Cuisine. The best Filipino dishes I ever tasted are Igado and Laing.I know Adobo is the national dish but Filipino cusine have undiscovered wonders.
I love to try different kinds of food. Living in the U.S, I can do a bit of food tourism without having to leave the country, or even visit Asia. For example, just in my town I can enjoy Japanese food, Tai food, Chinese, even Indian food. I love trying out new foods and there is something to be said about traveling to an Asian country and trying the native flavors and seasonings they use on dishes. The taste is simply unforgettable.
The picture of Abdodo looks fantastic.However,I will try this only it is made from chicken because pork and beef are forbidden in my culture. China also has rich variety of dishes. Noodle and rice are my favorite Chinese dishes. One think I don't like about Chinese food is they contain too much Mono Sodium Gultamate,which is very bad for our bones.
For foodies, the best destination so far (well for me at least) is George Town on the island of Penang in Malaysia. The sheer variety of street food (incredibly affordable) is indescribable. The local population is a mix of Chinese, Muslim Malays, Indians, with smaller pockets of Europeans, Japanese, Arabs, Indonesians, Burmese, Thais etc. It's a real melting pot and the city is a UNESCO heritage zone! Lots of things to do for those who enjoy sightseeing too!
Yum, this thread makes me hungry! Lol. I'll add these foods around Asia as well: Spring Rolls in Thailand Ramen in Japan Pho in Vietnam Beef Broccoli in China Japchae in Korea Are you hungry yet, guys? Lol. I'm lucky that I get to eat these foods in my home country since there are lots of Asian restaurants here. My favourite out of the bunch would be Japchae. It's a little bit sweet and the noodles are very soft. I can finish a whole big bowl of it by myself. We buy it from a local Korean fast food chain though.
Also keep in mind that while you might find say thai cuisine in your home country, a lot of the time it tastes quite different from the real deal. It has something to do with the atmosphere too but also the ingredients are different, sometimes even the way to prepare the food is different. When traveling around I like to eat where the locals eat. There are always restaurants that cater to tourists and those places which are more for the locals... different types of foods for different purposes. (and different prices too for those who are on a tighter budget!)
I like Asian food but I do not eat meat at all and that pig with an apple...Just horrible. Anyway, I understand that a lot of pork is used in Asia and generally meat. This is why I love Indian food and even Chinese. I have been speaking with some Indian friends and they told me a lot of good things that I am interested in, regarding food and to be more precise, regarding meatless food. They told me that there is a lot choice for this type of food and on the other hand some friends from the Philippines told me their food is rich in meat products.
WOW, those pictures got my stomach rumbling like crazy!!!! I think one of the reasons why Filipinos are generally happy people is because the food they consume are just sooooo sumptuous!!! The Lechon with its crispy skin is the favorite "bisita" in parties. Hahaha!
Whenever I travel, I see to it that I try the local delicacies and the popular dishes in the country/region/province that I visit. For me it's a must. Not just because I'm a foodie but because I think it's one way of getting to know the people and "tasting" their culture.
I think the trademark of the Philippines when it comes to native food is the lechon - roasted whole pig. Sorry for the non-pork eaters but lechon is the most delectable dish according to a survey of foreigners. Patriotism aside, I would go for Hongkong for their array of international food particularly their Chinese cuisine which are always filling to the stomach. If you haven't sample the thing called Chinese lauriat then you are missing a lot. It is a complete set of food with starters (cold cut appetizers) and soup before a bevy of entree to be ended by dessert. As they say, the lauriat is a royal feast.
This may sound weird coming from fellow Filipino, but I don't like Lechon at all. Don't get me wrong, I love pork. I just don't like roasted pig. I like it better when the pork is fried or if the dish served is Sinigang.
South Korea has great food and is quite underrated compared to Asian countries like China, Japan and Thailand in terms of cuisine. Food plays a major part in your enjoyment of a country and also helps you understand the personality of the people.
Wow, looking at some of the photos on this thread has made me really hungry! I love food tourism. I'm now one of those people who will try almost anything whilst abroad, and I can hardly even believe some of the things that I have chosen to eat in the past whilst I have been travelling. I think that China and India are fascinating - because there are many UK restaurants that aim to mimic the cuisine of these countries, yet nothing at all (for me anyway) has ever come close to the flavours that you can get when you visit those countries in person.
