I regret that I did not take food photos from earlier travels, and the few that I had taken with my old digital camera are of poor quality, thus, I borrowed some existing photos that capture those long-ago culinary experiences.

I have started taking food photos in my more recent travels, not for Instagram-worthy posts, but to remind me of my time in the town or city where I had it. Looking at a food photo transports me back to that particular time and place, and instantly brings to mind how this dish awakened my senses and expanded my global palette.

I hope that this page can inspire you to take on your own culinary adventures when you travel. Remember that food is not just for nourishment...it is also a window to the cultural identity of the place that you are visiting and a doorway to get a deeper insight into the lives of the people who call it home.

Bon Appétit!

Food Gallery

(Click on the thumbnails for the full description.)

Cantonese Cuisine

My first Hong Kong trip when I was a teenager introduced me to a wide array of Cantonese dishes. Though I was already familiar with Cantonese cuisine, my food adventures in the secret nooks and crannies of Kowloon (thanks to my aunt) made me appreciate the less popular HK delights.
(Photo from chinatravelguide.com)

Cantonese Cuisine

Congee, clay pot rice dishes, exotic dim sums, white chicken, Chinese-style pastries, and stinky tofu are just some of the many delights I indulged in when I was in Hong Kong. Now, Cantonese cuisine is recognized as the most popular Chinese cuisine in the world.

Cantonese Cuisine

Silky, smooth, custardy egg tarts reign supreme in Hong Kong, and so do their sweet buns and sweet toasts. These treats are best paired with Hong Kong-style coffee called "yuenyeung," made from a mixture of coffee and milk tea, that can be served either hot or cold. I prefer my coffee hot.

Beijing Roast Duck (better known as Peking Duck everywhere else)

I had the fortune to have this at Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant in Beijing, several years ago. With a history of 149 years, this establishment claims to have the original version. Paired with a side dish of thin lotus-leaf pancakes and flavoured with a spread of sweet, plum sauce or mashed garlic and soy sauce, these bites tantalize the taste buds. The richness is balanced by slices of fresh scallions, cucumber, and radish.

Meat Kebabs or "Chuanr," available along most streets in Beijing

They are meat pieces coated in a mix of spices, skewered to bamboo sticks, and barbecued over flaming charcoals. My friend and I tried everything - from the familiar looking to the more exotic ones we were not sure about. We just basically ate what was "recommended" by the vendor and went by the saying, "Ignorance is bliss!"

Candied Haws

These are mini-candied apples, skewered, dipped in sugar, and left to harden. There were also other fruit variations. An old, toothless vendor dressed in ancient Chinese garb sold me a skewer of candied strawberries and pineapples outside the Laoshe Teahouse. I do not have a sweet tooth, but I couldn't say "no" to him.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Technically not food, but what I bought from the TCM museum/store was a box of herbal tea, which costed me a fraction of what was my original prescription that included a long list of dried herbs, ginseng roots, and powdered animal substances.

Bangkok Market Food

Instead of going to a restaurant for a sit-down meal, my tourmate and I thought we would embark on a food adventure and we both agreed that if we wanted to eat what the locals eat, we should go to a public market and sample some street food.

Bangkok Market Food

For a little over 20 bahts each, we gratified our hunger with an array of tasty dishes – spicy noodles, spring rolls, shrimp and meat dumplings, meat on skewers, miniature omelets, rice cakes, small bowls of soup, milk and tapioca desserts, and some exotic-looking munchies gulped down with fresh coconut juice. It was like indulging in a cheaper version of a chef’s blind tasting menu.

Khantoke Dinner

Khantoke is the name for the round, pedestal serving tray used in Northern Thailand in which several small dishes are laid out to welcome guests or celebrate an occasion. We had a long, low table set up in front of a stage and as we dined seated on small pillows on the floor, we watched a show featuring local and indigenous dances. The food includes a rich Lanna-style chicken curry, Burmese style pork curry, fried chicken, spicy chilli dip, sticky rice, crispy noodles, and the northern delicacy of deep fried pork skin.

Khantoke Dinner

The table set-up was exquisite. We had bamboo, coconut, and lacquer dinnerware and cutlery. Though there were wooden ladles and serving spoons, we were told that the traditional way of eating was with the fingers of the right hand – getting a small bite-sized portion of sticky rice, kneading it into a tight ball, dipping it in the sauce of the main dish and melding a portion of this dish into your rice, then popping it into your mouth. The meal also came with soup, fresh veggies, and fruit bowls.

Khantoke Dinner

And while the serving dishes were small, diners could ask for unlimited refills. Drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages), and coffee and tea were also served with the meal.

Eggs Benedict

The heavenly Eggs Benedicts from The Wickanninish Inn's The Pointe Restaurant in Tofino, BC are what breakfasts should be made of. This is the classic shaved ham and cheddar version served on homemade English muffin with hollandaise sauce and rosti potato wedges.

Eggs Benedict

The smoked salmon and cream cheese version is my favourite.

Eggs Benedict

The goat cheese and spinach version is perfect for vegetarians.

Wiener Schnitzel

Also known as Viennese cutlet, this is considered the classic schnitzel. It is strictly made only with veal (and would you believe, even protected as such under Austrian law!) as opposed to the German version made with pork. We had this one at Rathskeller Restaurant in Victoria, BC, which has since closed.

Bratwurst

This is the classic German sausage made with veal, beef, or pork, and typically seasoned with ginger, nutmeg, coriander, or caraway. Sometimes, cream and egg are included in the preparation. But the ones we got from Rathskeller did not have these.

The Boot Beer

Five pints of German beer served in a boot glass

Braai Feast

This is the Afrikaans word for “barbecue” or “roast.” It also refers to a social custom in Africa where family and friends gather to eat and celebrate anything under the sun. No special reason or occasion is needed. Any happy event is a reason for celebration, such as welcoming a group of trekkers, adventurers, and travelers from all over the world. But unlike the North American notion of barbecue, the African “brai” strictly entails fire and open flame cooking, mostly fueled by wood or charcoal, not an electric or gas grill. Meats are the star of any African “brai” and can range from marinated chicken, steaks, sausages, spare ribs, pork, and lamb chops to the more exotic game meats.

Braai Feast

I tried all sorts of game meat while there - zebra, kudu, oryx, springbok, eland, impala, and ostrich. And yes, I broke my "pescetarian" diet while in Africa.

Apple Pie

- from Moose McGregor's bakery in Solitaire, Namibia; dubbed as "the best apple pie in all of Namibia"

Apple Pie

- very delicious, with generous chunks of juicy apples baked just right and a crumbly topping liberally sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon; it was the perfect companion to our coffee and beer for a "sundowner" afternoon on a mountaintop

Windhoek Lager

- our favourite beer in Namibia; Namibian beers are comparable to the best ones from Austria, Germany, and Prague. It is said that Namibian beer is still brewed under strict adherence to the German Purity Law, a mandate dating back to 1516 that limits ingredients to only water, barley, and hops in the brewing process.

Namibian Beers

- We also tried a few other local brands over the course of our travel there: Hansa, Namib Dunes, Camelthorn, Oshikundu, and Tafel and they did not disappoint.

Frankfurters in Frankfurt

Simple Frankfurter Würstchen and apfelwein (apple wine) lunch while cruising the River Main in Frankfurt; frankfurters, thin parboiled pure pork sausages in sheep intestine casing, were said to be served during the imperial coronation ceremonies in Römerberg and the apfelwein is Frankfurt's most popular beverage for over 250 years.