Street Food: The Perfect Meal With No Frills
Street Food: The Perfect Meal with No Frills
Traveling leads to so many adventures, and among the best — and most delicious — are the different kinds of local street food you can sample.
Arepas con Huevos: Cartagena, Colombia
In Colombia, the arepa has deep roots in the cuisine of the indigenous people and colonial farmers, making this small treat an important part of the country's culinary fabric. Usually eaten for breakfast or lunch, Arepas con huevos are traditional in Colombia and can be likened to a crispy, round hot pocket with a sweet, corn exterior and cooked egg — often mixed with meat — on the inside.
Bunny Chow: Durban, South Africa
Despite what the name might suggest, bunny chow is a staple of the food scene in the South African city of Durban and is a chunk of hollowed-out bread filled with a variety of savory curries to choose from.
Bánh Mì: Vietnam
Many restaurants and food trucks have taken a stab at recreating Vietnam's classic bánh mì sandwich, but few will come close to the perfection of the real thing. The Vietnamese sandwich is made on a fresh baguette and served with a variety of meat, pickled veggies, coriander, and other spices and herbs that lend this sandwich intense flavor.
Ceviche: Peru
While ceviche is a favorite that can be found throughout Central and South America — from the streets of Colombia to the markets of Panama — Peru is hailed as a mecca for ceviche. Ceviche uses citrus fruits like lemons and limes to "cook" freshly caught raw fresh to create a zesty and refreshing treat.
Choripan: Buenos Aires, Argentina
While Argentina may not be home to a thriving street food culture, the local staple of choripan being served up at local parrillas is the closest you will get to street food in this South American cosmopolitan capital. Choripan is a type of sandwich with nothing more than perfectly grilled chorizo served on a sliced baguette and served with piquant chimichurri sauce.
Cozido das Furnas : São Miguel, Portugal
For a truly memorable meal served in a unique way, look no further than São Miguel's celebrated furnas. Pots of vegetables and meat are combined in pots buried into geysers where the food will cook for up to five hours over the natural heat of the earth's geothermal soil.
Fresh Seafood: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Popular in Taiwan's second-largest city are the night markets that offer up an array of fresh Taiwanese snacks and seafood. Travelers who venture to these markets have the freshest seafood right at their fingertips. Serving everything from freshly caught crabs to fried squid, the stands at the night markets allow you to pick your seafood, then sit back, relax and enjoy the meal.
Lomito Sandwiches: South America
The popular lomito sandwich is a South American favorite and features a sirloin steak with melted cheese, ham, lettuce, and tomato, all complemented with a chimichurrii sauce, and a runny egg and hugged by a Kaiser bun. In other words, the lomito sandwich is the sandwich to end all sandwiches. The sandwich can be primarly found in Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay; each country has its own local style of the classic treat.
Poutine: Quebec City, Canada
During the chilliest of Canadian winters, you can always look toward the Canadian staple poutine to warm you up. This famous dish boasts thick-cut fries slathered with gravy and cheese curds — all fresh, and all homemade.
Tajadas & Batido: Nicaragua
Head to Nicaragua and you'll surely stumble upon two street food favorites: tajadas and batidos. Tajadas are fried ripe plantain slices that are crisped to perfection, while batidos (also known as licuados) are homemade smoothies blended with milk and a variety of locally sourced fruits.