11 National Dishes To Try Before You Die

When we think about our travel bucket list, we tend to focus on ticking off the most iconic experiences in each country we visit, like seeing the pyramids in Egypt or snorkelling in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.  But have you thought about the most authentic way to get a taste of another culture? For me, it’s trying the local food, so I’ve put together a list of the best national dishes around the world to inspire you.

Sampling each country’s national dish should totally be on your to-do list. It’s a cheap, easy way to soak up the true flavour of the place you’re visiting. If you travel but refuse to try your destinations’ favourite foods, have you really experienced their culture? Eating like a local will ensure you can tick a country off your list, confident that you’ve fully ‘done’ it. Here are some of the national dishes and local delicacies you can’t miss on a RTW trip, plus the cookery books that will teach you to make them at home.

Why not add eating some of these local delicacies and famous national dishes to your travel bucket list?

The most intriguing national dishes around the world

1. Escargot in Paris, France

Ideally you would eat snails in a cosy, low-lit restaurant under the Eiffel Tower while someone wearing stripes and a beret played a violin on May 24th, which is the National Escargot Day. Traditionally served in parsley butter and garlic in their shells, there’s no escaping the fact that you’re eating, well, snails. Feel free to swap them for frogs legs – it’s up to you which is the lesser of two slimy evils.

Shop: French cuisine cook book

 

2. Ceviche in Quito, Ecuador

Definitely an acquired taste, these fresh fish are marinated in lime juice and chilli and served with chopped red onion. In Ecuador, the fish element is likely to be corvina (a type of seabass), dorado (close to mahi-mahi), and black clams.  The taste is obviously tangy and the fish should have been caught on the day. The fish is actually cooked by the acid in the lime, even though it looks raw. You can also find mango ceviche, mushroom ceviche, heart of palm ceviche and many others that don’t include seafood – but where’s the adventure in that?

Shop: Ecuadorian cuisine cookbook

 

3. Moussaka in Athens, Greece

Kinda like Lasagna, but don’t say that to a true Greek! The Greek version is made with layers of meat and eggplant topped with a Béchamel sauce, and baked. Order it in a quaint Greek Taverna and enjoy with a cold glass of beer or full-bodied red wine. I had Moussaka in Hersonissos, Crete and it was truly delicious!

Shop: Greek cuisine cook book

 

4. Sushi in Tokyo, Japan

Can a California Roll from Marks & Spencer’s really rival the real thing, plucked from a revolving counter in the city? What most people don’t realise is that the word “sushi” actually refers to the rice that has been seasoned with vinegar, sugar, and salt – not raw fish! The raw fish, when served solo is called sashimi. Bonus points if you go to a class and build your own, and even more points if you eat it with chopsticks!

Shop: Japanese cuisine cookbook

 

5. Nasi Lemak in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo

Nasi Lemak is a diet staple in Malaysia consisting of coconut rice and pandan leaf infused rice with boiled eggs. The eastern flavours are pungent and the dish is filling. If you go to any part of Malaysia, you’re guaranteed to find Nasi Lemak on the menu.

Read about my crazy experience in Malaysian Borneo

Shop: Malaysian cuisine cookbook 

 

6. Paella in Valencia, Spain

Valencians would turn up their noses at the adapted version many other places serve under the guise of the famous rice dish. In Valencia, it’s the real deal: paella as it should be. In its most authentic form, paella is made with chicken, sometimes rabbit, three kinds of beans (white beans, like the Italian cannellini; broad green beans; and garrofons, which are like butter beans), and sometimes snails, flavoured with onion, tomato and possibly saffron. Yeah, the Spanish will sniff at the so-called paella you’ve been eating until now.

Shop: Spanish cuisine cookbook

 

7. Meatballs in Stockholm, Sweden

Locally known as köttbullar, every Swedish family gives their balls a different tweak (sorry). Back in the days when meat was considered a luxury item, serving meatballs made you sophisticated. Now, they’re served with potatoes, creamy brown gravy and lingonberry.  Don’t just trust Ikea, try the real deal.

Shop: Swedish cuisine cookbook

 

8. ALL OF THE CARBS in Italy

Sorry, I can’t choose just one Italian dish. Give me all of the pasta, pizza and other carb-laden goodness. I’m very enthusiastic about Italian food. Top of my list to try are real Carbonara without the cream (the authentic recipe), Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli, heaps of salty Prosciutto and a real, rustic Margherita pizza. Ideally eaten on a rickety table in a leafy courtyard with a crisp glass of white wine. If there’s a good lucking Italian waiter hanging around, I’m down with that too.

Read my Rome guide

Shop: Italian cuisine cookbook

 

9. Pad Thai from a street vendor in Chiang Mai, Thailand

You haven’t tasted real noodles until you’ve tasted them in Thailand. I made this dish myself at a cooking class in Chiang Mai. The crunch of the peanuts cuts through the soft, stir fried noodles beautifully.  You haven’t ‘done’ Thailand until you’ve eaten Pad Thai on the streets, whether that’s in Bangkok or Koh Phi Phi.

Shop: Thai cookbook

 

10. Camel in Dubai

Okay, the emirate doesn’t have many home-grown ‘traditional’ dishes but it does have an excellent mix of Middle Eastern cuisines. Stuffed camel is one of the weirdest, and Shawarma is one of the best. Need some help choosing where to eat? There are so many options!

Check out my Dubai Life section for recommendations.

Shop: Middle Eastern cookbooks

 

11. Pho on the pavement in Hanoi, Vietnam

A walk through Hanoi’s chaotic streets will have you stumbling into clutters of plastic chairs where hungry tourist and locals scoop spoonfuls of steaming hot, aromatic Vietnamese soup into their mouths.

Read my Vietnam travel posts

Shop: Vietnamese cuisine cookbook

 

Anyone else inspired to book a trip abroad to one of these mouth-watering places now, if only to try their national dish?

This is definitely not an exhaustive list. There are so many other foreign delicacies out there to confuse and delight your taste buds and these are just a few of the best. Now, tell me: how many of these national dishes around the globe have you tried What did I miss out? Leave a comment so I can add to my hungry girl bucket list!

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