Favorite foreign food

[Corzhens]

Whenever we go to Hongkong (we go there at least once a year), our favorite dish is Lamb Biryani that is served in Ebeneezer, a middle eastern restaurant. Rice is the main ingredient that is flavored with spices and mixed with cooked lamb meat that is so tender to the bite. We never fail to eat Lamb Biryani and it is now a tradition with us when we go to Hongkong (we have a trip in October).

 

[cupcakechef]

Yum! I loved Hong Kong - I've only been there once but it was a foodie's paradise! I tried a couple of amazing dim sum places there that I just adored. If I ever go back I'll have to check out the Middle Eastern restaurant you mentioned. So many great places to eat there and just never enough time to fit them in.

 

[Morning Glory]

Whenever we go to Hongkong (we go there at least once a year), our favorite dish is Lamb Biryani that is served in Ebeneezer, a middle eastern restaurant. Rice is the main ingredient that is flavored with spices and mixed with cooked lamb meat that is so tender to the bite. We never fail to eat Lamb Biryani and it is now a tradition with us when we go to Hongkong (we have a trip in October).

Biryani is sold in Indian restaurants here and looks as you describe. I haven't come across it as a middle eastern dish. My all time favourite ethnic food has to be Indian. And I'll eat it as hot as it comes! I once ordered a Phal (the hottest grade of curry in UK Indian restaurants) and asked for it to be made extra hot. When the dish arrived, the chef and his assistant were peaking around the door nudging each other and giggling. I think they were amazed when I actually ate it all!

 

[Corzhens]

When we go to Singapore, my husband goes gaga with the durian. There were durian stalls in the sidewalk that is near the hotel that we stayed in. The durian fruits were in a cart and the vendor would open it for you. There are tables nearby where you can sit and eat to your delight. We had been to that hotel 3 times already and my husband would walk alone at night just for the durian. And those people eating durian from that sidewalk vendors are the rich people there with expensive cars parked near the tables.

 

[Morning Glory]

When we go to Singapore, my husband goes gaga with the durian. There were durian stalls in the sidewalk that is near the hotel that we stayed in. The durian fruits were in a cart and the vendor would open it for you. There are tables nearby where you can sit and eat to your delight. We had been to that hotel 3 times already and my husband would walk alone at night just for the durian. And those people eating durian from that sidewalk vendors are the rich people there with expensive cars parked near the tables.

I've always wanted to try durian. Its that really smelly fruit which is supposed to taste wonderful isn't it?

 

[cookwaresets]

I love many foods. When I go to Thailand, I eat only Thai, when I was in Dubai (UAE) I ate all the Middle East specialities, in Singapore I had foods from all of Asia from Chinese, Malay, Japanese, Thai, Indian, and of course Singapore dishes including street food. In Switzerland I enjoy all the national dishes. Switzerland has 26 Cantons (counties or states) and 4 different languages. The variety on dishes is huge. The chocolates and cheeses are yummy! Australia is also great for food. Chicken Pamegana to roast dinners and we have great meat pies. I have to constantly check my weight because I love food so much. I also been just about in every European country and I have always eaten the country's food.
So for me it is very hard to pick my favourite foreign food. However I go with Thai food, except the fried insects. I had them before but I can go with out.

 

[Morning Glory]

I love many foods. When I go to Thailand, I eat only Thai, when I was in Dubai (UAE) I ate all the Middle East specialities, in Singapore I had foods from all of Asia from Chinese, Malay, Japanese, Thai, Indian, and of course Singapore dishes including street food. In Switzerland I enjoy all the national dishes. Switzerland has 26 Cantons (counties or states) and 4 different languages. The variety on dishes is huge. The chocolates and cheeses are yummy! Australia is also great for food. Chicken Pamegana to roast dinners and we have great meat pies. I have to constantly check my weight because I love food so much. I also been just about in every European country and I have always eaten the country's food.
So for me it is very hard to pick my favourite foreign food. However I go with Thai food, except the fried insects. I had them before but I can go with out.

Your so lucky to have travelled so extensively. The only travelling I've done is to France and Italy (and once, briefly to Boston US), though I did live in Egypt for a year. In all cases I tried to eat only indigenous food. When in Boston I went for what was probably the best burger I've ever had! When I went to Egypt, I took Claudia Roden's 'Middle Eastern Food' with me and tried to cook authentic Egyptian.

I do like Thai food but its become somewhat spoilt here by the proliferation of Thai style recipes on Pub menus and in non-authentic restaurants as well as ready-meals in the supermarket chiller cabinet. I'd love to go to Thailand and taste the real thing.

 

[Lullabelle]

Huge fan of Thai, we have been to Thailand twice and have enjoyed really delicious food.

 

[Corzhens]

Huge fan of Thai, we have been to Thailand twice and have enjoyed really delicious food.

I had been to Thailand once and I am sorry to say that we didn't like their food. But in fairness to us, we had sampled their soup with noodles which to our taste is bland. But their fruits are all A-1 starting with the fresh orange that they juice right there on the street. They have a yellow plum which is great. There's also the pineapple and watermelon that are both sweet. Actually, all the fruits of Thailand are sweet including the tamarind which is somewhat sweet and sour.

 

[sixxup]

I usually do not like most foreign traditional foods. The other month I saw how the Chinese happily eat dog meat as part of their celebrations! I cannot do that. Am trying to avoid beef since it was found that some processors mix it with horse meat. Whenever I travel, I prefer eating chicken and fish products.

 

[Lullabelle]

I had been to Thailand once and I am sorry to say that we didn't like their food. But in fairness to us, we had sampled their soup with noodles which to our taste is bland. But their fruits are all A-1 starting with the fresh orange that they juice right there on the street. They have a yellow plum which is great. There's also the pineapple and watermelon that are both sweet. Actually, all the fruits of Thailand are sweet including the tamarind which is somewhat sweet and sour.

I have never eaten a bland meal in Thailand, my tastes are varied and I like to try anything.

 

[Bakemehappy]

We can always do a fusion. Mid East and Indian together right? That is how normally cooking is about you have the freedom to experiment and fuse two or even three different cuisines. Biryani might have come from India but a nice tweaking to add your own take on it will surely add another level of great experience and unique taste.

 

[Corzhens]

We can always do a fusion. Mid East and Indian together right? That is how normally cooking is about you have the freedom to experiment and fuse two or even three different cuisines. Biryani might have come from India but a nice tweaking to add your own take on it will surely add another level of great experience and unique taste.

I have noticed this and I really tried to remember to avoid confusion. In Hongkong, it is BIRYANI, take note of the BIR and in Singapore it is BRIYANI so that's a BRI. The rice is the same, the long grains, but there is somehow a difference in the taste of the dish. Correct me if I'm wrong because I am not fond of doing research. From my taste, it seems to me that BIRyani is Middle Eastern and BRIyani is Indian. From the chicken briyani and chicken biryani that I had sampled. Again, I still go for my favorite Lamb Biryani in Hongkong.

 

[cookwaresets]

Your so lucky to have travelled so extensively. The only travelling I've done is to France and Italy (and once, briefly to Boston US), though I did live in Egypt for a year. In all cases I tried to eat only indigenous food. When in Boston I went for what was probably the best burger I've ever had! When I went to Egypt, I took Claudia Roden's 'Middle Eastern Food' with me and tried to cook authentic Egyptian.

I do like Thai food but its become somewhat spoilt here by the proliferation of Thai style recipes on Pub menus and in non-authentic restaurants as well as ready-meals in the supermarket chiller cabinet. I'd love to go to Thailand and taste the real thing.

Hi morning glory,
I hear you, with Thai it is the same here in Switzerland and Australia. It is not the same. I had Thai in Switzerland and in Australia cooked by Thai, but the problem is that the flavours are adjusted to the country in question. Also you can not always get the right ingredients and spices to authentic Thai. Luckily we have a Thai shop here and I know what to use. It helps that my Girlfriend in Thailand loves cooking and I watch her how she cooks.
If you ever have the chance to go to Thailand, be careful, they eat really hot and spicy. But if you tell them "not spicy please" you be okay.

 

[Morning Glory]

Hi morning glory,
I hear you, with Thai it is the same here in Switzerland and Australia. It is not the same. I had Thai in Switzerland and in Australia cooked by Thai, but the problem is that the flavours are adjusted to the country in question. Also you can not always get the right ingredients and spices to authentic Thai. Luckily we have a Thai shop here and I know what to use. It helps that my Girlfriend in Thailand loves cooking and I watch her how she cooks.
If you ever have the chance to go to Thailand, be careful, they eat really hot and spicy. But if you tell them "not spicy please" you be okay.

Ha-ha! You obviously haven't read my post in the 'Do you like your chilli hot' thread. I can out-chilli anyone and eat chilli nearly every day. I have even won 'how hot can you take it' curry competitions against friends! Bring on the Bhut Jolokia! In fact I have some Bhut Jolokia paste in the fridge as well as Naga pickle.