In an article in the American newspaper Business Insider , American traveler Sophie Steiner shared her choice of three Asian cities with the best food , which always make her want to return. Below are her three favorite cities in terms of food, and one city that didn't quite live up to expectations.
Sophie Steiner has traveled extensively throughout Asia for over 10 years, enjoying a wide variety of delicious food along her journey.
PHOTO: Sophie Steiner
Bangkok, Thailand: The global street food capital.
From bustling street stalls to charming little eateries, Thai cuisine has captivated me dozens of times.
One of my most memorable experiences happened by chance, when I took shelter in a small eatery to escape a sudden downpour and enjoyed Lung Cheay's signature egg noodles. Beloved by food connoisseurs for its dry tom yum soup, served with savory grilled pork and runny boiled eggs, this eatery is a classic story of Thai people's rise from poverty. The long lines of people lining the street are now a far cry from its humble beginnings as a food cart.
Other dishes I never miss when I go to Bangkok include tender, melt-in-your-mouth marinated seafood topped in a tangy, spicy herbal sauce at Pa Nee Kung Chae Nam Pla, crispy garlic-coated fried chicken at Polo Fried Chicken, and late-night trips to Talad Noi Crab Fried Rice, teeming with passionate fans of this dish...
Grilled pork vermicelli is a famous dish in Ho Chi Minh City.
PHOTO: Sophie Steiner
Ho Chi Minh City: The heart of Vietnamese culinary culture.
I first visited Ho Chi Minh City in 2017 and returned three more times that same year. The city reflects culinary influences from many countries, culminating in its distinctive Southern cuisine, a blend of rich flavors, fermented dishes, and fresh herbs.
Street food is the backbone of this place, with food carts serving the bustling crowds like blood flowing with the heartbeat of the country's largest city. As evening falls, street corners transform into impromptu eateries, with makeshift tables and chairs, plastic chairs, and motorbikes scattered everywhere.
I've enjoyed quite a few delicious dishes in this street food paradise. For example, Nguyen Trung Truc Grilled Pork Noodle Soup, a casual eatery that has been operating for 30 years, is famous for its bowls of noodles overflowing with grilled pork, crispy spring rolls, pickled vegetables, and plenty of aromatic herbs.
She enjoyed the Vietnamese savory pancake.
PHOTO: Sophie Steiner
Then there's the noodle cart stall, a street vendor open until late, serving steaming bowls of noodle soup – a dish with fragrant herbs, tamarind, and tomatoes, topped with fried fish. And at the Oil Lamp restaurant, chewy, delicious Vietnamese-style meatballs are served in a fragrant broth, accompanied by crispy bread for dipping.
No matter how many times I go, there's always another cute little plastic chair next to a bustling sidewalk eatery waiting for me to sit down.
Chengdu, China: Spicy
Most famous for pushing spiciness to the maximum through Sichuan peppercorns that linger on your lips long after the meal is finished, and seemingly harmless pieces of food that still achieve a significant level of spiciness, dining in Chengdu is a full-scale assault on your taste buds.
This is also one of my favorite destinations on my Chinese food tours.
While wontons are ubiquitous in China, only in Chengdu can you find hongyou chaoshou (chili oil wontons). Coated in chili oil, these delicious crescent-shaped dumplings are found everywhere, with each eatery adjusting the recipe slightly to create a unique flavor that sets one wonton shop apart from another.
The owner of a food shop in Chengdu.
PHOTO: Sophie Steiner
And disappointment in Tokyo, Japan
Sitting with a bland, overflowing bowl of noodles in Tokyo, I've often felt more disappointed than satisfied. Japan, in general, is struggling with excessive hype and overtourism.
Often mistakenly considered the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine, Tokyo tempts visitors with its online-famous ramen shops, enticing pancake cafes, and so-called "must-visit" markets—places where you have to wait in long lines and prices are inflated, rarely justifying the hype.
Steiner prefers eating oden in Osaka.
PHOTO: Sophie Steiner
I have absolutely no intention of criticizing Japanese cuisine. But in Tokyo, as an outsider, I often find it difficult to distinguish between truly great dishes and those that are hyped up.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nu-du-khach-my-quay-lai-tphcm-3-lan-trong-mot-nam-chi-voi-mot-ly-do-185260210142420391.htm
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