{"id":6667,"date":"2018-11-20T10:39:03","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T10:39:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.luxurygoldvacations.com\/?p=6667"},"modified":"2024-05-30T17:23:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T16:23:12","slug":"fun-fare-asias-best-food-towns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luxurygold.com\/lg\/fun-fare-asias-best-food-towns\/","title":{"rendered":"Fun fare: Asia’s best food towns"},"content":{"rendered":"

Born in Nigeria to Irish parents, Brian Johnston was destined to become a travel writer: he has lived in Switzerland, the UK and China, and now calls Sydney home.<\/em><\/p>\n

As a connoisseur of good global food, we decided to catch up with Brian to find out more about his favourite food destinations:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Food is one of travel\u2019s great pleasures, not just for its flavors but for the way it reveals a\u00a0destination\u2019s cultural influences and social habits. Here are three of my favourite cities that are sure to get your\u00a0tastebuds tingling.<\/p>\n

Osaka<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Apart from Osaka Castle, this Japanese city isn\u2019t about conventional sightseeing, but rather about enjoying the tremendous urban vibe and a mindboggling array of shops, nightlife and neon-lit neighborhoods. It also has a terrific food scene, Japan\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

At the top end, Osaka\u2019s critically acclaimed restaurants are the place to try kaiseki, Japan\u2019s equivalent of haute cuisine, featuring multiple courses of elaborately arranged, utterly beautiful food, often served by kimono-clad hostesses in traditional tatami rooms.<\/p>\n

For less formal meals, sit at the counter in the ubiquitous kappo restaurants and watch chefs at work, or head to the pub-like yakatori joints that serve charcoal-grilled chicken, usually accompanied by sake or beer, the after-work destination of choice for locals. Noodle bars are also everywhere.<\/p>\n

Lastly, Osaka\u2019s street snacks include stuffed omelette-like pancakes (okonomiyaki) and fried octopus balls (takoyaki). Don\u2019t miss the food halls of department stores either, a marvel of bento boxes, sushi, dumplings and elegant pastries.<\/p>\n

Discover it on our Luxury Majestic Japan tour<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Saigon<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A visit to Ho Chi Minh City gets you buzzing. The French colonial town with its \u2018tropical baroque\u2019 architecture is emerging as a fastpaced city in the throes of economic change. Even better, it\u2019s one of the world\u2019s best cities for street food, and you don\u2019t have to wrestle with a foreign-language menu: just point, tuck in and soak up the neighborhood atmosphere too.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find many street stalls around Ben Thanh Market in Dong Khoi. Vietnamese dishes to try include chicken-and-mushroom soup; crispy pancakes; seasoned beef with peanut sauce wrapped in mint leaves; and rice dishes with chicken and shrimp. Sandwiches combine baguettes from the French colonial era with Vietnamese sausage, salted pork or pickled vegetables.<\/p>\n

Nothing beats the Vietnamese obsession with national dish pho, however. The soup contains rice noodles in beef stock and is garnished to taste with meat, fresh chilli and herbs. It\u2019s utterly delicious, and the perfect stomach filler.<\/p>\n

Related journeys:<\/p>\n