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 — …
The first time someone ordered roast squab at a Chinese banquet, I was confused. It looked like a tiny roasted chicken. Maybe a pigeon? I wasn’t sure. I’d never had squab before. Honestly, I didn’t even know what squab was. Baby pigeon, apparently. That sounded… not great. But everyone at the table was excited. So …
The first time I saw tonkotsu ramen, I thought the bowl was broken. The broth was white. Like milk. Not the brown, clear ramen broth I was used to. I asked my friend if something was wrong with it. She laughed. “It’s tonkotsu,” she said. “Pork bone. They boil it for hours. Just try it.” …
The first time I saw a Mexican hot dog, I didn’t know where to start. I was walking through Mexico City, hungry, and saw a cart with a line. I got closer. The “hot dog” was wrapped in bacon. Then topped with beans, onions, jalapeños, mayo, mustard, ketchup, and about three different salsas. It was …
The first time I saw hong shao rou, I thought it looked like candy. The pork belly was dark, glossy, almost sticky. Cubes of melt-in-your-mouth fat clinging to tender meat. The sauce was thick and sweet-savory, coating everything like a caramel glaze. I’d never had anything like it. Western pork dishes are usually roasted or …
