Follow Me Foodie started because food connected me to culture and people, so I can barely contain myself with this week’s theme. The pure joy and excitement for summer travel recommendations makes me grin and giddy. I’m holding back from using a thousand exclamation marks!
Where to go? Where to eat? Everywhere!
It’s really hard for me to narrow down, but here are three far away and somewhat misunderstood or misrepresented cities and countries I visited last year with destination dining spots you must visit once in a lifetime.
You don’t have to go far for excellent food, but for this article, I’m feeling not as obvious and “exotic”. These destinations are recommended for hardcore “will travel for food” food-enthusiasts, who like to explore off the beaten path.
Lima, Peru
Yes, it’s far, but for the last few years all eyes are on Peru’s culinary scene. I was there for Chowzter’s Latin America's Tastiest Fast Feasts, Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants Awards, and Mistura (Lima’s biggest food festival showcasing traditional street food) in September, so I tried a good range. I had highest expectations for the street food, but the fine dining scene was on par. Virgilio Martinez's Central Restaurante, named “Best Restaurant in Latin America” at the awards, is deserving of all its hype and one of my favourite fine dining meals last year. The extreme altitude, natural rainforest, jungle, mountains, and water in Peru allows for a plethora of local ingredients unique to the country. Yes, we have local potatoes, but Peru has over 3,800 varieties of potatoes.
Oaxaca, Mexico
Resorts and beaches are why many flock to Mexico for vacations, but if you like food, culture and arts, hola Oaxaca! Mexico is obvious, but Oaxaca is not. Fine, I went in 2013, but the fact that I still remember it and long to go back, shows how much I loved it. A visit to Tlamanalli Restaurant to see traditional cook Abigail Mendoza is a must. She is one of the few remaining cooks making tortillas from scratch (meaning she still grinds the corn kernels). She has mastered the art and is world renowned for her skills. For upscale dining, chef Jose Manuel Baños’s La Pitiona is one of the most underrated fine dining establishments.
Israel
Yes, the whole country because it’s only the size of New Jersey and it has enough to keep you there for a lifetime. It’s mindfully, emotionally, culturally and visually stimulating. I love Israel, and I barely even explored their food scene, so that says a lot. To understand its many cuisines, one must knows Israel’s history. The country has been ruled by Arabs, Persians, Romans, and Greeks etc., so “Israeli cuisine” is a hybrid of many cultures. My knowledge of Israeli food is still limited, but the Druze cooking workshop I experienced in Galilee, Israel, was no doubt one of my most memorable dining experiences from last year. Hosted by the gracious mama P'nina and organized by Galileat, it was everything I wanted in a cultural food experience. Mama P'nina taught me how to cook a few simple Druze dishes in the comfort of her home and then prepared a traditional Druze feast served family style.
Follow Mijune’s dining itinerary in New York and California in April, and Scottsdale, Arizona and London, England this May. Find out more about Mijune at FollowMeFoodie.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @followmefoodie.
