Many travelers do not just travel to see the nature and beauty of their destination country. Some travel to get a taste of their destination country’s local cuisine. Asia is a popular destination for travelers and foodies alike. Expenses are relatively cheaper than other continents, and you can travel from country to country with ease. But due to the pandemic, your travel plans may have been interrupted. Luckily, you don’t have to travel outside the country to get a taste of international cuisines. There are many restaurants offering Asian dishes that you can try out within your locale.
However, when Asian cuisines are discussed, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines are often the ones that come to mind. But Asia has a lot of flavors to offer! So if you’re looking for a slightly different taste to stimulate your taste buds, here are some of the cuisines you might want to check out:
Vietnamese cuisine
Most Vietnamese dishes are peppered with different vegetables that make them really healthy. This is perfect for you if you are a health-conscious individual. One of the most famous Vietnamese dishes is the pho (pronounced as “fuuuh”). The base is a noodle soup that can be mixed with thinly sliced pork or beef and other fresh greens. If you’re looking for a new Asian soup to try aside from Japanese ramen and Korean ramyeon, why not try Vietnamese pho for a change?
You can also pair this with Vietnam’s version of baguette called banh mi. This is also a Vietnamese staple made with baguette, pickled vegetables, and meat. There are also several dressings you can add for an enriched flavor.
Indian cuisine
Indian cuisine is known for its fresh spices and ingredients that give off rich and flavorful aromas. Indian food is tasty and healthy as well due to the presence of many spices. If you haven’t tried Indian food yet, you can start with biryani. It is an Indian staple prepared by alternating layers of meat and rice, drizzled with flavorful spices, and slow-cooked for many hours. It can be paired with any meat, too. For vegetarians, you can also use vegetables instead of meat.
You can also treat your family or significant other to a nice tandoori chicken dinner if you like. It is chicken legs marinated in garam masala, yogurt, and lime juice. This is a common dish that will guarantee a wonderful gustatory experience and is served in many Indian diners.
Thai cuisine
When one thinks of Asian cuisine, Thai food is perhaps not the first to come to mind. But Thai food is famous around the world, too, especially their pad thai and tom yum soup. Thai cuisine shares a somewhat similar taste with Indian cuisine since Thais love curries and flavorful sauces, too.
If you’re new to Thai cuisine, you can never go wrong with the go-to dish, pad thai. Pad thai is a stir-fried noodle, topped with bean sprouts, beef or chicken, and peanuts. It’s commonly sold in the streets of Thailand, but you can also have this in many Thai restaurants in the U.S.
Want something with a spicy punch? Then the tom yup soup is for you. It has a spicy and sour flavor with shrimp or pork and other fresh herbs and spices mixed together. It’s the perfect dish for any weather.
Philippine cuisine
Craving for Filipino dishes? The characteristics of Philippine cuisine can be hard to define. Most Philippine dishes are variations of Spanish food, other Asian food, and, to some extent, Western cuisine. But perhaps two of the most popular Filipino dishes you can prepare or buy are adobo and sinigang.
Adobo is a dish made with chicken or pork (sometimes even both) marinated and stewed in soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns, and vinegar. It is a local favorite along with sinigang. Sinigang is a Filipino soup that has a very sour taste. Tamarind is the usual souring agent used, though other fruits such as guava can also be mixed for a slightly different and less sour taste. Both dishes are served with white rice.
When it comes to food, we tend to stick with familiar tastes. But every once in a while, we all crave a dish different from the local taste we are accustomed to. That’s why there are many diners and restaurants scattered around the country offering different cuisines to satisfy your cravings. You don’t have to travel across the continent to get your Vietnamese or Indian cuisine fix. You can probably just stroll and explore downtown and discover a local restaurant offering international dishes.
