After rice bowls, I moved on to noodles. Ramen, udon, soba — hot, cold, in soup, dipped. Then grilled things. Yakitori. Yakiniku. The stuff you cook yourself at the table. Here’s what I ate and how much it cost. No fancy intros. Just the food. 1. Ramen You probably know what ramen is. But here’s …
The first time I saw an eggette, I thought it looked weird. Little egg-shaped bubbles on a waffle? Seemed like a gimmick. Then someone handed me a fresh one, straight out of the iron. Crispy on the outside. Soft and chewy on the inside. Slightly sweet. Not too heavy. I finished it in about thirty …
The first time I ordered bistecca alla Fiorentina, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I was in Florence, hungry, and saw “T-bone steak” on a menu. Sounded normal. I ordered it. Then the waiter asked: “How many people?” “Just me,” I said. He smiled. Walked away. Came back with what looked like a …
The first time I saw white cut chicken, I wasn’t impressed. It looked so plain — just pale chicken on a plate. No brown skin. No heavy sauce. Just some ginger and scallion on the side. I thought, “This is it?” Then I took a bite. The meat was tender, juicy, clean tasting. The ginger-scallion …
The first time I walked into a Japanese convenience store — a “konbini” — I was not prepared. I was in Tokyo, jet-lagged at 11 PM, and starving. Everything else was closed. So I wandered into a brightly lit 7-Eleven. I thought I’d grab a sad sandwich and leave. I walked out twenty minutes later …
I’ve been in Guangdong for five days now, and I can’t keep up with all the sweet soups alone. The first time someone ordered one for me, I almost said no. I was full. Stuffed from a huge dinner. But my friend insisted. “It’s soup,” she said. “Sweet soup. You’ll like it.” A small bowl …
I thought I knew pizza. Grew up on it. Delivery boxes, pepperoni, extra cheese. The whole deal. Then I went to Naples. A friend dragged me to this tiny place. No tables. Just a counter and a wood-fire oven. People were eating standing up, folding their slices like tacos. I ordered a margherita. It showed …
The first time I saw mango sticky rice on a menu, I wasn’t excited. Sticky rice. Mango. Coconut milk. That’s it? Seemed too simple. I ordered it anyway. The plate arrived. Glittering white rice on one side, bright orange mango slices on the other, coconut milk pooling around everything.I took a bite. The rice was …
The first time someone offered me durian, I said no. I’d heard the stories. It smells like rotten onions. It tastes like… nothing good. I was in Thailand, and my friend insisted. “Just try it,” she said. “One bite.” She handed me a piece of Golden Phoenix durian. Pale yellow. Soft. Creamy looking. I held …
I ordered Thai pineapple fried rice for the Instagram photo. The pineapple bowl looked amazing. When it arrived, I took fourteen pictures. Then I actually tasted it. And I realized I’d been missing out on this dish my whole life. What is Khao Pad Sapparot? It’s fried rice. With pineapple. But before you judge — …