Being honest, if you have read my blog, you know by now I love eating, it is my passion. I try to be fearless when it comes to eat new things. When I travel I just go for it. More than once I have eaten so much that I have pretended to be a pregnant woman. Yes! That much!
Travel recommendation about food and where to stay goes back to the late 1800's. Like the Michelin guide in Europe, now is focus in gastronomic restaurants and most likely expensive ones. But, what about the local food, the laid back shack or the underdog food truck? If you like to chill out on your travels and not bother to go for the obvious choices, how do you pick?
Recently you have helpful tools like trip advisor who helps you to guide you on where to eat. But even when technology get involved might not be what you want.
Here are my pointers on how to eat local food at local prices when traveling in Europe:
1. Ask the locals: before wondering around the back alley from the touristic streets, ask in your hotel or wherever you can eat good local food. Ask for their average spending and just go for it.
2. Trust your nose and then your eyes: when you walk around looking for a place and you smell pleasant food odours, is a good sign, is even a better one, when you see locals and is busy.
3. Clean is always important: if you are not sure about how clean is the kitchen, go to the toilet. How the toilet is kept is a good indication on their cleaning standards.
4. Choosing over internet reviews: having the judgement on how to take a review is complicated. Most people when they have a bad experience they will write emotional. Even if it had nothing to do with food. Always go for the objective reviewer.
Fresh and nicely cook food might not look creatively presented, but it might be still amazing food. If you read "it didn't had the Wow factor" IGNORE THAT REVIEW! That person is confusing pretentious food, for delicious. Want to see the WOW Factor, be prepared to pay over £100.00 and be rated under Michelin.
Fresh and nicely cook food might not look creatively presented, but it might be still amazing food. If you read "it didn't had the Wow factor" IGNORE THAT REVIEW! That person is confusing pretentious food, for delicious. Want to see the WOW Factor, be prepared to pay over £100.00 and be rated under Michelin.
Before choosing compare prices, if you are lucky they will have a menu and pictures. I love when people recommend you straight: Try the Octopus Salad! Check how many times it has been reviewed comparing to others.
5. The best food might come from humble places. Don't expect a Chef jacket, best places I have eaten, is run by couples or families. I remember in Alicante, Spain the best Chipirones en su tinta (ink stuffed squid) little restaurant run by a couple. The wife cooked the husband run front of the house. Spectacular.
7. Don't be put out by the locals. Locals might be protected of their NON tourist zone. Don't take it personal.
8. Learn key words in their language. Gracias, por favor, merci, ciao ... It is always appreciated.
9. Be aware they have no concerns about dietary requirements! Out side Canada, USA or UK people don't have as much allergies or dietary requirements. Always be careful!
10. Work the GPS: if you are renting a car or have wifi on your phone, use it to find places out side the touristic areas. Part of traveling is to see how the locals live, even if sometimes is scary. I will say if you don't feel save just turn around and find a place where you feel more comfortable.
11. If you didn't order it don't pay for it. It's an old trick but in some places they still apply that rule, they give you a bread of basket and in the menu they will have tiny letters saying that the bread of basket is €2.00.
12. If it's expensive, doesn't mean it's good: nice decor just mean where they decided to invest more.
Comments
Post a Comment