From banana-leaf wrapped meats to vegetable and noodle soups, there are as many meals and their variations as there are stars in the sky. You source so many ingredients from your own kitchen, your own town, your own country, that traveling for food might sometimes seem frivolous. Food is part of culture, a part of life and living that defines what people are. It expands your horizons and that is why travel is so necessary. From the restaurants of Thailand to the food trucks of Tahiti, food travels far and wide, and the beauty of that is that many cuisines you experience while traveling, you can recreate at home. These popular dive destinations are all the rage for foodies from across the world, places where you can surf, swim, and dive, as well as experience the hidden culture on your dish.
Walking down the streets of Papeete in Tahiti, you can probably taste the coconut in the air. Coconut is one of the most common ingredients to Tahitian dishes that you will usually find some variety of its oil, milk, or flesh in your meal. A great way to experience both the food and the culture of Tahiti would be to join the locals and tourists alike in partaking of Les Roulottes, the food trucks, where you can find dishes such as Poisson Cru, or Chicken Fāfā.
If you are looking for a taste of Southeast Asia, you can hardly do better than Love Noodles. This restaurant of Phuket, Thailand is home to ingenious blends of modern accessibility and traditional cooking practices. With a range of foreign and indigenous noodle dishes available, both those home to Southeast Asia and those abroad, such as Italian-style noodles, like pasta. With a Chef who has been at home in the kitchen since he was seven, you can trust this restaurant to show you the life of Thailand.
Indonesia offers some of the most widely varied styles and cuisines that you just have to try! From Indonesian Satay, skewered meat cooked over coals, to different assortments of fried rice, which needs no introduction. Beef Rendang, a dish originated from Padang, Sumatra. Then there is Nasi Rawon, Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup), Siomay, Indomie, and Nasi Uduk. All delicious, traditional meals of the region.
St. Lucia and Curaçao, both offer fantastic choices for dining as well, with the deep history of Cacao on St. Lucia, there is a lot of the chocolatey flavor in the various dishes of the island nation. The resort of Jade Mountain, above the beautiful beaches of Anse Chastanet, boasts the best locally sourced restaurant experiences you could ask for. Located on a 600-acre plantation that grows turmeric, cashews, tamarind, mango, avocado, oranges, tangerines, guavas, papaya, coconut, breadfruit, yams, and sweet potatoes. This is certainly Farm to Table Fresh- St. Lucia Style!
In Curaçao, you can find two dishes of extraordinary flavor, the signature dish Kesha Yena, a cheesy ball that is typically stuffed with meats, olives, onions, tomatoes and more, and then baked until its crispy. Or you can try their take on the traditional Dutch bar snack, the Bitterballen, a beef or veal-based meatball eaten by hand and usually taken with a side of mustard. Regardless of what you choose, and where you choose to go, know that the very act of travel, of reaching beyond what you know into the unknown, is what expands your mind, soul and palate!