Feeding Frenzy

By travelor

January 12, 2009 12:04 PM | Link to this

Thats 1/2 the reason I travel is to try local cuisine. Who wants to go someplace and eat what you can everyday. Same goes for local women….

By ebaby

January 12, 2009 12:07 PM | Link to this

I have always tried to eat local. When I lived abroad, the first time I ate at an American chain restaurant was after 4 months of sticking to my local food only policy. I have been living abroad for over 5 years now, and I still try to stick to that policy as much as possible, although we do cook “american” style dishes for dinner when we are at home.

By Renaissance Woman

January 12, 2009 12:08 PM | Link to this

Ditto.

By mike4smom

January 12, 2009 12:52 PM | Link to this

Of course I try to eat the local cuisine! and the local beer and the local wine. Why would you not? I was recently in Portugal. We saw clammers on the beach digging up little clams, that night I had pork and clams a local dish. Not sure I watched the clammer digging my particular clams, but pork and clams may now be my favorite food. My son just wanted to order a steak, but we noticed on the menu “black pork” you may think pork is pork, but this is a regional pig, he spoke to the waiter and went for the pork, I think it was the best meal he had the whole trip.

By bizezgrrrl

January 12, 2009 12:54 PM | Link to this

Absolutely - eating like a local is a huge part of the travel experience for me. I will admit, though, I have opted for vegetarian dishes when the source of meat or fish dishes seems to be of questionable age and/or origin.

By Maniac is accurate

January 12, 2009 12:54 PM | Link to this

I recently overheard the tale from a rube who had gone to Germany. Nothing but complaints about how different the food was.

How were the buff surfers? Did you consume them raw or marinated?

By JJ

January 12, 2009 12:59 PM | Link to this

One steadfast rule when we travel - NO CHAIN RESTAURANTS. I don’t want to eat somewhere on vacation that I can at home.

Even when we have visitors from out of state we don’t take them to a chain. We find something very local.

By Sandy

January 12, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this

Half the fun of traveling outside the U.S. is having the opportunity to sample other cuisines! I have taught English in the Czech Republic for the past three summers, and I always eat local food. This past summer I arrived in country a few weeks before teaching was to start and spent the days traveling round with a Czech friend. Our goal was to have lunch each day at a different village and not spend more than 79CK (less than $5). It was wonderful food, and very filling (lots of meat and potatoes!). The best find was in a communist-era beer hall in central Bohemia…quite ugly on the outside but oh, what food we found on the inside!! The lunch special consisted of first a large bowl of lentil soup with brown bread,then a main plate filled with two mounds of savory meat-loaf and huge servings of parslied potatoes and sauerkraut,AND a pint of pivo (beer), all for $4.28. Wonderful!!

By CBL

January 12, 2009 1:14 PM | Link to this

I’ll eat local, but only in places where I feel comfortable with basic food hygiene standards. I’ve heard too many stories of people trying local meat dishes in Asia only to come down with severe food poisoning that will have you 10 pounds lighter in a matter of hours.

It’s always best to go where the locals go. It will likely be inexpensive, good-tasting, and filling.

By clyde

January 12, 2009 1:14 PM | Link to this

Even within one state cuisine can vary dramatically.Back when I traveled a lot,I always went to local restaurants.I’ve tried some of the chains once.never twice.Case in point;The last time I was in McDonalds was in Augusta.They had sold 17 million burgers.That wasn’t yesterday.

By John

January 12, 2009 1:30 PM | Link to this

My one rule while traveling over the years is that we didn’t eat at any place where we could eat at home. That meant usually a local restaurant or sometimes a chain that we didn’t have in the area of Georgia where we live. It was a rule followed more than 90 percent of the time. My children weren’t always happy when we opted for a local diner over McDonalds. However, now that they are adults, they have told me they are glad we did that and now they are the ones who opt for local food. My daughter, in fact, is on the food staff at a four-star restaurant. We sometimes had unpleasant surprises but it was worth it to eat unique flavors when we were in other places, whether New England or New Mexico.

By JT

January 12, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this

My experiences in the caribbean were quite educational for me. Everytime I tried something local, it was either TERRIBLE or OVERPRICED! Actually, it was both, so I have this policy now of not eating anything I normally would if I were in the states…all new experiences. Works well for me!

By LK

January 23, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this

We travel to the out islands of the Bahamas and the only places to eat there are the local “hole in the wall” joints. The best food ever. We travel quite alot and we find where the locals like to go and we follow suit. We have picked up several recipes over the years and when we are in need of a Caribbean fix we whip something up for dinner!