And while I wouldn’t call this a Madrid Food Guide per say, it definitely goes beyond the normal food experiences and highlights some of the extremely cool places to eat in Madrid. So, without further ado, here are some exquisite Madrid food experiences!

1. The Oldest Restaurant in the World – Sobrino de Botín

Let’s start at the oldest restaurant it the world, shall we? It would be rude not to.

Located near Plaza Mayor, Sobrino de Botín is the longest continuously run restaurant in the world (and Guinness World Records holder for oldest restaurant).  Opened in 1725, Restaurante Botin stayed in the Botin family until 1930, when the González family took over. The original González family endured hard times during the Spanish Civil War, narrowly evading a terrible fate, but they managed to stay open and continue roasting its most famous dish. Over the last 300 years, Botin has only been owned by the Botin and Gonzalez families, which is truly incredible if you think about it! 

Botin is known for their roast suckling pig (cochinillo asado).  The suckling pigs need to be at a minimum weight of 4 kg (8.8 lbs) or be at least 19 days old before it is roasted to perfection. The roast takes only about 2 hours in the same open door 300-year-old wood-fired oven (with the tile hood in the photo) that Botin has used since it opened its doors on day 1 in 1725.

Holm oak firewood is used in the oven for roasting. The acorns of holm oak trees are fed to the pigs which produce Jamón ibérico (Iberian, or Iberico ham). The circle of life of acorn, oak and pigs.

Throughout the last 300 years, Botin has had its fair share of celebrities and admirers. But no one more beloved by Botoin than American-writer and war journalist, Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway dined there often and even had his own table at Botin – the most unassuming spot in the whole restaurant. Tucked away in a corner, Hemingway was said to be paranoid about being under enemy surveillance and preferred the unassuming corner. I guess I always thought of Hemingway’s would have been more outspoken, or rambunctious, rather than preferring to be sitting quietly in the corner. But what do I know?

Hemingway loved Botin so much, it features in two of his books: Death in the Afternoon, and The Sun Also Rises (one of my favorite books!)

In the last scene of the novel:

“We lunched upstairs at Botin’s. It is one of the best restaurants in the world. We had roast young suckling pig and drank rioja alta. Brett did not eat much. She never ate much. I ate a very big meal and drank three bottles of rioja alta.“

– Final scene, The Sun Also Rises.

For those super foodies, you can sign up for a 45-minute tour of the restaurant before lunch or dinner that includes a 7-course tasting menu. Guess who did that?

The tour I took (yellow) includes every floor of the building, from the crypt and wine cellar dating back to the 1500s, up to the top floor, a former boarding house. Rumor has it that Spanish artist, Francisco Goya, worked at Botin in the late 1700s as a dishwasher then waiter.

After the tour, I settled in with a couple for the 7-course family style tasting menu. This was fantastic, as we got to try a spread of their most famous dishes! We could also select whether we wanted the famous suckling pig or an equally famous roast lamb. Not surprisingly, we all opted for the suckling pig.

My 7-course family style dinner at Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world:

• Cured Manchego cheese
• Iberian ham (jamon iberico) & chicken croquettes
• Roasted red peppers with tuna belly
• House scrambled eggs with morcilla blood sausage & potato
• Segovian mushrooms with ham
• Suckling pig (or roasted lamb)
• Dessert – homemade caramel flan for me!

Oh my goodness, what an incredible meal! So many things stood out – the roasted red peppers with tuna belly was phenomenal. The tuna belly was so incredibly tender, and it went wonderfully with the soft texture of the roasted red peppers. The scrambled eggs with blood sausage and potatoes were simple, but delicious. (but then again, I’m not one to shy away from a blood sausage!). The Segovian mushrooms with ham was an unexpected delight. I’m not sure what Segovian mushrooms are, but they reminded me of a fresh and juicy shiitake mushroom. Loved the flavor mixed with the ham!

And then of course, the star of the show, the suckling pig. We didn’t have a whole suckling pig for ourselves, but we all got a more than generous portion. The skin was so light and crispy, not like the thicker pork belly skin you may be used to. The meat, beyond tender and flavorful! And for dessert, I closed with a homemade caramel custard flan. Jiggly, sweet – perfection!

Botin is absolutely one of the most unique restaurants Madrid, and a must if you are hunting gourmet experiences in Madrid!

2. Oldest Chocolateria in Madrid – Chocolatería San Ginés

Visit the oldest chocolatería in Madrid for a quintessentially normal breakfast snack!  (is that elevenses?) Ok, I wouldn’t consider this breakfast, but it seems that locals do!  Deliciously hot and fried churros and served with a Spanish hot chocolate. If you don’t know what a churro, think of a fried donut, except thin and elongated in shape!

Chocolateria San Gines has been making their churros and chocolate combo at the same location since 1894! Nowadays, Chocolateria San Gines basically owns the whole corner, with different indoor/outdoor seating locations, and an ice cream takeaway window. You can still enjoy your churros and chocolate in the original building, which dates back to 1890, but be prepared to queue up for that! For me, it was a lovely morning, so I opted for outdoor seating.

Churros and chocolate is the normal order (in Spanish: chocolate con 6 churros o 2 porras) and that sets you back 5.50 EUR. For 1 person, I didn’t finish it all. For 2 people, it’s probably perfect! Don’t forget to try dipping your churro in your hot chocolate!

Added benefit – Chocolateria San Gines is open 24-7 / 365 days a year! Since it’s open literally 24-7, you really have no excuse on visiting the oldest chocolateria in Madrid, do you?

3. World’s only Michelin-starred restaurant with a flamenco tablao

Honestly, who doesn’t love a dinner and a show? This gourmet experience at Corral de la Moreria takes dinner and a show to the next level, pairing a one-Michelin star awarded restaurant with an award-winning Flamenco show.

Photography is only allowed during the first 5 minutes of the show, and although my view for the show was fine, the photos/videos did not turn out. The photos of the show were provided by Corral de la Moreria with permission. Muchas gracias.

What is a tablao?

• A tablao is a place where flamenco shows are performed
• A tablao is also the term used for the platform floor in which a flamenco dancer dances.

– Wikipedia: Tablao

The show costs 47.95 EUR, and there are a number of different tasting menus to select from.  If you have specific food allergies or preferences, don’t worry – Corral de la Moreria offers gluten free and vegan tasting menu options, as well!

• If you want to book a dinner and a show, note that you’ll first pay 47.95 EUR for the show booking, and then after the show, you’ll pay for your meal.
• There is also a show + a drink option, for 49.95 EUR, which includes both.
• It’s a bit confusing, but there is also the option to dine without the show, but that is in the Restaurante Corral de le Moreria, which hosts 4 exclusive tables for dinner. The dinner and show are held at Restaurant Tablao (where the Flamenco stage is). I think it’s the same location, but in separate areas. I couldn’t figure out how to book this option on the booking website, just as an FYI!

Since I am an early bird, I went with the 19:30 pm show, with an 18:30 dinner seating. For the menu, I selected the 5-course tasting menu for 79.95 EUR. The meal is paid separately after the show.

• Cream of Glazed Chestnuts, Marrow of Vegetables, Duck and Chinese Artichokes
• Scallop Carpaccio with Tomato Tartare, Dates and Cold Garlic and Almond Soup with Coconut Milk
• Wild Sea Bass with Creamy Stewed Spring Onions and Smoked Iberian Bacon, accompanied by Grapefruit Emulsion and Fried Capers
• Roast Rack of Lamb Rested in its Caramelised Gravy and a Creamy Ragout of Winter Vegetables
• Caramelised French Toast Made With Fresh Milk and Served with Banana Ice Cream

What a truly wonderful evening at Corral de la Moreria! Each course was delicious with interesting flavor combinations, but not one course stood out as absolutely incredible. For me, the sea bass was probably my favorite, as it was expertly cooked to perfection with a light and crispy skin.

Following the meal, the lights dimmed and we were treated to an incredible flamenco show. If you’ve never watched a flamenco show, there would be one word I would use to describe the performers – powerful. Both the male and female performers were so intense and had a great command of their movement and the accompanying songs. The guitarists and singers accompanying the performers were also integral parts of the magic.

Because of the show, the majority of people who choose the dinner and show option are tourists. Let that guide you as to what type of experience you will be having at Corral de la Moreria. Is it off the beaten path and a hidden gem? No. Many travelers flock to Corral de la Moreria for this flamenco dining experience and it is definitely one of the most famous restaurants in Madrid.

That didn’t hinder my experience, but if you’re one of those Michelin-star hunters, it’s definitely not like any other Michelin-starred restaurants! As the world’s only Michelin-starred restaurant with a flamenco tablao, Corral de la Moreria is definitely a one-of-a-kind Michelin-starred dining experience!

– My Experience at RavioXO –

Before I move onto the last exquisite foodie experience in Madrid, I need to set up the story which brought me there.

For those who didn’t follow my social media stories about being snubbed as a solo diner, a little context. I made reservations for famed Madrid-chef David Muñoz’s RavioXO restaurant several weeks before my trip. Chef David has a number of restaurants in Madrid which have multiple Michelin stars and often ranks at the very top of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Some might say that he’s arguably, Madrid’s hottest chef.

To set the stage, 9 out of 10 meals, due to circumstances of life and travel, I often dine alone. I am fine with this and aside from a handful of annoying experiences, it’s generally not a big deal.

I made reservations online, and although they did not have the option for 1 person, that often happens due to the booking system. Normally, I just email the restaurant afterward and tell them it’s just me. I did just this. Emailed, not once, not twice, but actually three times before someone actually acknowledged me, the day before my lunch.

In that first acknowledgement, they told me to email my reservation modifications to reservas@ravioxo.com. That was the exact email address that I had sent all 3 emails to. Eye roll, but fine. I’ll try again.

RavioXO had a cancellation fee, and I was afraid I’d be charged the cancellation fee for the 2nd person, who was not going to join me. After a brief “misunderstanding,” I was told that the reservation system doesn’t allow tables of 1 person,

“because in our restaurant we do not make reservations for one person. Our availability is only for tables of 2 people or more. In case you finally cannot find a person to accompany you, we could cancel the reservation and we will not charge you any cancellation fee.”

What’s actually wild is, RavioXO has bar seating available in the restaurant, so they could have just sat me at the bar or in a sad corner hidden away from humans. Really anything. But no, Chef David Muñoz’s RavioXO denied me the chance to eat there.

Many people on the internet have tried to suggest to me that solo diners cause a “restaurant to lose money.” To that, I say… have you ever seen me eat?

Had they allowed me to dine that day, quite possibly because I felt bad over the hassle, I would have definitely overcompensated and treated myself by ordering more. A wine or two at lunch, starters, desserts – who knows? The sky could’ve been the limit. If only they served solo diners.

Dear Chef Muñoz and the team at RavioXO,
Being a solo traveler (and a woman at that) is hard enough as it is. People stare at me and harass me all the time simply because I’m a woman alone. And your restaurant? Doesn’t even allow me to eat. I simply can’t fathom why I wouldn’t even be allowed to take one seat at the bar. If you would like to have a honest and frank conversation about how your “more than 2 people only” policy is not inclusive, I would be happy to engage in a discussion offline with you about that.

4. Best hidden gem in Madrid – Restaurante Barrera

After being snubbed for being a solo diner at one of Madrid’s hottest restaurants, I was left scrambling to find an alternative.  Granted, Madrid is full of excellent restaurants, but how do you choose from 100 fantastic ones?  Following the snub, I really just wanted a homey, off-the-beaten path, cozy restaurant – something that would embrace me with Spanish warmth and hospitality. So, who did I turn to in that instance? None other than Phil Rosenthal, who you may know from Somebody Feed Phil.

Restaurante Barrera is a restaurant with no website, no social media, and no written menu. There are barely any reviews online either. Don’t let that deter you, it’s probably one of the best food experiences in Madrid you could hope for!

When I walked into the Calle Ponzano tapas bar and restaurant, I wasn’t sure what to expect. In all honesty, I didn’t watch Phil’s episode (didn’t want to ruin the surprise) and I was still feeling a little shy from my rejection the day before. Ana Barrera, proprietress, greeted me as I walked in.

Ana and I exchanged some pleasantries, when she asked me about dining alone. I said that sometimes I want to travel and eat nice things, but if no one can accompany me, I choose to go alone. She expressed that she could never have done that back in her day, and that she thought I was very full of “valor” to do so. At least that’s what I could pick up from my poor-Spanish and her (much better) English. I don’t know that anyone has ever referred to me as brave for continuing on in my solo experiences in life, but I appreciated it both in the moment and after.

Without further ado, and without a menu, Ana began listing off the tapas I could choose from.

• amuse bouche – egg salad with toasted pumpkin seeds and marcona almonds
• light and crisp gazpacho soup, with micro greens (not shown)
• crispy fried artichokes tossed in sea salt
• the cabrito (baby goat)
• an exquisite lemon tart for dessert

If I had more of a stomach, I would have tried their famous crispy pork belly with (mashed) potato, but I think I had a wonderful variety with the above! Despite being tapas, these are definitely not small plates! But they are meant to be shared. With a second diner, you should definitely get all of the above and the crispy pork belly and potatoes! My whole meal cost 58 EUR which was a steal for the quality of the meal I had!

Notable standouts for the meal:

• the texture of the pumpkin seeds and marcona almonds with the egg salad amuse bouche was an incredible addition to add variety in the egg salad texture. And marcona almonds are always light and crunchy and especially delicious.
• THE FRIED ARTICHOKES. OMG. Expertly fried with gorgeous sea salt flakes. The sweet aubergine (eggplant) glaze was a nice contrast, but I’m not a hugely saucey person, so the artichokes were still perfect without
• The cabrito (baby goat) – I didn’t quite expect the cut to look like that, but then again, I really didn’t know what to expect. The flavor was rich and velvety almost, and wonderfully tender. It seemed to be prepared very simply, roasted in a wood-fired oven for hours in its own juices. Sometimes the simplest ways are the best way.
• the lemon tart was also a stand out. Calling it a lemon tart really doesn’t do it justice. The outer shell was a hard meringue, with a creamy and still warm, lemon cream/custard oozing out, covering a hidden lemon ice cream on the inside. So many different textures and temperatures, all coming together with a tart, lemony flavor. EXQUISITE in every way!

I wish I could tell you more about Ana and the restaurant, but communication was uneven and internet research for this truly off-the-beaten-path restaurant is scant. After the meal, I did watch Phil’s episode there (Season 5, Episode 5). His chef pal, Javier Bonet, explained “it’s a way – how you eat the food, sharing it with somebody. This is the concept of tapas.”

Well, despite tapas meant for being a shared experience, Ana and Restaurante Barrera made my lunch-for-1 incredibly special and memorable. Out of all the gourmet experiences in Madrid on this trip, Restaurante Barrera was the one that stood out the most.

So, thank you Ana for the wonderful meal, and I will be back for the pork belly and potatoes soon!

Parting thoughts on my gourmet experiences in Madrid

I was a little surprised at how many unique and incredible culinary experiences Madrid had to offer! Yes, Spain is known as a foodie heaven, but I hadn’t actually heard anything specific about Madrid. I mean, to be fair, I’ve never had such a wide variety of experiences in the time span of a few days! It made Madrid just an incredibly delicious trip.

There were so many once in a lifetime food experiences wrapped up in this one short trip. Dining at the world’s oldest restaurant and tasting the suckling pig that’s been roasted in the same way, in the same oven as it was 300 years ago was so special! and not to mention delicious! The churros and chocolate were a surprise breakfast that I didn’t expect, and I wouldn’t eat such a sugar-heavy breakfast in the future, but hey – when in Madrid, do as the Madrileans would have done since 1894! But light and expertly fried (and who doesn’t love to dip a churro), and given that they are open 24-7, there’s no excuse not to swing by and try it!

The Corral de la Moreria flamenco and Michelin-starred dinner experience is definitely for those first timers to Spain, or for people who have never experienced the excitement of Flamenco! Normally at venues where a lot of tourists flock, the food is nothing to write home about. But with this flamenco tablao, food is just as important as the flamenco. Experience a truly unforgettable evening at the world’s only Michelin-starred restaurant with a flamenco tablao!

And to round out all the experiences, a wonderful meal at Restaurante Barrera. After being sad and rejected by the hottest restaurant in town, this unassuming tapas bar and restaurant swooped in and saved the day. With simple by powerful dishes and Ana’s soft smile and gentleness, this is by far the stand out of my trip. For a restaurant with no menu, no website, and a written receipt at the end, this was truly the best food in Madrid.

The list above are probably the most outstanding culinary and gourmet experiences in Madrid. If you are looking to supplement this list with the basics on what to eat in Madrid, first start with the Ultimate Spanish Cuisine Tour of Madrid, and then why not consider:

For this trip, I stayed at the Thomson Madrid – a newly opened 5-star hotel located between the Grand Via and Puerta del Sol. While it was a lovely stay, there was a lot of construction around the property. But it had a phenomenal location and I walked everywhere during my trip from there! I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a bit of luxury.

For other nice hotels centrally located near Grand Via, consider:

• Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid
• Hotel Montera Madrid, Curio Collection By Hilton
• JW Marriott Hotel Madrid

If you’re looking for other unexpected foodie adventures outside of Madrid, how about these places for some food for thought:

• Cheltenham – a Regency town in England with an unexpected food culture;
• Shetland Islands – a place where food stories warm your heart and soul!

And that’s it for today folks! Until next time, stay healthy and safe!

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

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Let me preface this list by saying that there is a lot that can go wrong with non-fresh seafood. Of course there is. But fresh seafood, honestly, it’s hard to mess it up! When it’s sea to plate in a matter of hours or days, chances are, it’s going to be incredible. That’s why this list isn’t a ranking, more of a … standing seal of approval by yours truly.

This Scottish seafood journey of mine started out of a personal curiosity who had the best seafood platter in Scotland. That evolved into a journey traveling to the source of great food, finding some of the best seafood shacks in Scotland, and fully trying to experience Scottish seafood it in all its freshest glory.

All of the places on this list are all top quality seafood establishments, a few are sit down restaurants. And, as expected, none of them are located inland or in a big city.

Without further ado, the best seafood in Scotland.

* Skipness Seafood Cabin – Skipness

Making its rounds in the UK press recently, the Skipness Seafood Cabin has been a hidden gem on the west coast of Scotland for those in the know. With the castle ruins of Skipness Castle next to you and the Isle of Arran in front of you, the views at Skipness Seafood Cabin can’t be beat.

• Located 20 minutes from Kennacraig (Islay ferry terminal) and at the top of the Kintyre peninsula.
• Seafood platter 2022 price for 1 person: 18£
• poached salmon, cold smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon, gravalax, brown crab, white crab, mussels, langoustine, and oyster;
• includes a little salad.

* Birsay Bay Tea Room – Orkney Islands

On the northerly tip of mainland Orkney is the Birsay Bay Team Room. Enjoy sweeping views of the Brough of Birsay Lighthouse with your Taste of Orkney platter, paying tribute to Orkney’s amazing local food producers! Following your meal, take a stroll down the street to the Earl’s Palace, the ruins of the first Earl of Orkney’s castle.

• Located 30 minutes drive from Kirkwall on Mainland Orkney;
• Taste of Orkney platters: prices starting 15£ per person;
• Items vary, but some of the things included in mine were: smoked salmon pate wrapped in smoked salmon, stone crab claws and meat, peppered smoked mackerel, locally cooked ham, sliced beef.
• The cheeses are locally made from Orkney Cheddar, Burnside Cheese (a small batch cheese producer using local cows milk) and Wilsons of Westray (from few islands north of mainland Orkney).
• The Taste of Orkney platter offered in the summer season only;
• Call them at +44 (0) 1856 721 399 to reserve your Taste of Orkney platter – 3 days notice please.

* Tobermory Fish Co – Isle of Mull

A seafood platter from Tobermory Fish Co is the best treat you could give yourself when visiting the Isle of Mull!

• Located just outside Tobermory;
• Seafood platter 2022 price for 1 person: 20£
• cold smoked salmon, hot smoked salmon, mackeral pate, oysters, langoustine, and smoked mussels;
• includes some oatcakes and bread;
• call them at +44 (0) 1688 302120 to order a seafood platter to pick up.

The shop also has local produce and fresh (raw) seafood for purchase. Keep your eye out for some Island Bakery Lemon Melts (my favorite) and some Isle of Mull Seaweed Chutney!

Take a tour of Tobermory Distillery on Mull, and grab a whisky to pair with your seafood platter!

* Oban Seafood Hut (Green Shack) – Oban

Just because I’ve never gotten a seafood platter from the Oban Seafood Hut, it doesn’t mean it’s less worthy of inclusion on this list… it just means that I’m always craving mussels when I’m in Oban! Luckily, I have seafood-loving-friends who had the grand platter shown above.

• Located at the Oban ferry terminal. You can’t miss the green shack on the pier.
• There are two types of platters, shared between two people – the grand platter (38.50£) and the “regular” platter (23.50£);
• The grand platter typically has lobster, crab, scallops, langoustine;
• served with bread.

While you’re there, visit the Food from Argyll shop a few doors down, where you can find the coffees, cakes and snacks from Argyll’s local food producers!

* Islay Sea Adventures – Isle of Islay

I know, you’re thinking what is a boat adventure company doing on this list? Well, outside of the wilderness and fishing tours Islay Sea Adventures offers, they also offer a Seafood Special Tour. Starting in Port Ellen, you’ll follow the southern coast passing by whisky distilleries. Grab the binoculars for seal and deer sightings along the way.

Halfway through, you’ll pull into a bay when Harold fires up the grill. Fresh hand-dived scallops grilled with butter and herbs to go along with lobster and crab platter in the boat. There are plenty of scallops, lobster and crab for everyone! I’ve been with Harold and Gus from Islay Sea Adventures many times and have always walked away with very full and very happy friends!

• recently shortlisted for the Highlands and Islands Tourism Award for best outdoor / adventure activity;
• the Seafood Special tour leaves from Port Ellen, and is offered once a week;
• 2023 price per person: 100£;
• lobster, brown crab, and freshly grilled scallops;
• includes salad and bread.

* Colonsay Pantry – Colonsay

Seafood nights at the Colonsay Pantry are legendary and gorgeously fresh, and absolutely perfect if you are taking the evening’s ferry back to Islay! Located in Scalasaig, the Colonsay Pantry cannot be missed during your Colonsay visit.

• Available Wednesday’s and Saturday’s (April to October)
• shrimp (prawns), oysters, hot smoked salmon, smoked mussels, scallops, crab, steamed mussels, battered cod bites,
• served with a salad,
• Seafood platter 2022 price for 1 person: 35£
• reservations (mentioning seafood night) must be made in advance.

* Glenegedale House – Isle of Islay

No foodie visit to Islay is complete without a lush seafood platter from award-winning Glenegedale House, a luxury bed and breakfast. Emma and Graeme, owners of Glenegedale House, have built incredible relationships with the local fishing community, and are proud to share the stories of the people who caught and landed their fresh catch hours earlier!

• Seafood platter 2022 price for 2 people: 110£;
• Dinners can be enjoyed by guests and a limited number of non-guests;
• lobster, crab, langoustine, scallops, hot smoked salmon, cold smoked salmon;
• served with oat cakes, light salad, and homemade bread;
• Reservations must be made in advance – either through email or by phoning them at +44 (0) 1496 300400.

* Oyster Shed – Isle of Skye

I finally made it to the Oyster Shed! Located in the village of Carbost, it is a must-eat for any foodie visiting Skye and is often considered the best seafood on the Isle of Skye!

• There is a farm shop and outdoor picnic area. Order inside the farm shop and pick up next door at the picnic area! You can slurp up a few oysters in the farm shop while you wait.
• Seafood platter price: 40£ (changes depending on catch)
• I didn’t get a seafood platter, but I did get that gorgeous 1/2 kilo of crab claws with fries! for only 12.50£!
• Enjoy views of Loch Harport while you eat.
• Open Monday – Saturday, all year round.

Combine your lunch with a whisky tasting from nearby Talisker Distillery, which is within walking distance.

* The Creel Seafood Bar – Fionnphort, Isle of Mull

Voted Scotland’s best seafood establishment in 2021, there’s no wonder why. The Creel Seafood Bar‘s seafood is landed at the pier within walking distance! Enjoy your seafood with views of the Isle of Iona on their outdoor deck seating area.

The seafood platter is available by contacting them 24 hours in advance, and it will be waiting for you when you arrive! It was so incredibly light and fresh! Perfect for enjoying in the sunshine. Outside of the seafood platter, get fish and chips or scampi and chips, or a black pudding and scallop roll, the possibilities are endless! Definitely one of the best seafood shacks in Scotland!

• shrimp (prawns), smoked salmon, lobster, white crab
• served with a salad,
• Seafood platter 2023 price for 1 person: 33£
• Contact them 24 hours in advance at +44 (0) 7864 605682 or on IG to order your seafood platter

* The Bay Fish and Chips – Stonehaven

The Bay Fish and Chips gets a special mention on this seafood list, because of it’s commitment to sustainable fishing practices (and also because of the deliciousness of the fish and chips!). The Bay is the first fish and chip shop in the UK to be certified by the Marine Conservation Society, which means that their North Sea catches are fully sustainable, and deliciously fresh. When I was in their shop recently, they also had their Carbon Reduction Plan available on the front counter for anyone’s perusal. So, this commitment to sustainability can be found everywhere!

• Located right on Stonehaven Bay just south of Aberdeen;
• Available to order online for pick up;
• the MSC Standard Haddock (with chips) will set you back 10.20£
• there’s some seating directly outside the shop, but walk along the promenade or down to the beach for additional seating;
• Expert tip💡: finish your chippy and head next door to Aunt Betty’s for some delicious ice cream, with free candy toppings and sauces.
• Work off your chippy and ice cream and take the Stonehaven Coastal Path down to Dunnottar Castle for incredible coastal scenes and dramatic cliffside castle.

* Tarbert Seafood Festival – Tarbert

Held the first weekend in July in Tarbert (as there are several Tarberts in Scotland, this is the one located at the top of the Kintyre peninsula, in Argyll & Bute), the Tarbert Seafood Festival was fun and delicious enough for me to include on this list. With a crowned Seafood Queen, and kids dressed up in all things aquatic (anything from mermaids to octopus to Baywatch lifeguards), it’s such a quirky festival atmosphere – plus, with great food! You’ll smell garlic butter scallops sizzling as you walk along the stands, evaluating your choices. Don’t wait too long to get into the seafood paella queue! For me, it was the crayfish tikka tacos from the Murphy’s Pakora Bar food truck. It was GORGEOUSLY spiced, and ABSOLUTELY stunning. This is the Scottish seafood I need!

• Note: this event is not heavily publicized, but expect updates on the Facebook page! Remember, usually the first weekend in July.

* The Oyster Shed – Isle of Islay

Islay Oysters have been around for quite some time, regularly making an appearance at the annual Feis Festival to enjoy with a sprinkling of whisky. In 2022, the folk behind the delicious Islay Oysters opened up a restaurant, The Oyster Shed, which sits on the eastern banks of Loch Gruinart. Enjoy delicious menu items like my crab sandwich on their homemade focaccia bread, stuffed to the brim with lump crab meat. Or their locally raised meat from nearby Craigens farm which are the stars of their Curried Lamb sandwich and Pulled Beef sandwiches.

Feast on locally grown oysters directly from Loch Gruinart – choose from au natural (with a lemon), mignonette sauce (vinegar, shallots, and peppers), or deep fried served with garlic mayo.

• Check their Facebook for latest opening times and menu;
• or phone them at +44 (0) 1496 850256 to book a table or order oysters directly for pick up!

* The Lobster Pot – Blackness, Linlithgow

I have to thank my friend Dr. H for bringing me to this great establishment. The Lobster Pot is a quirky and fun pub (and local shop) located in the Firth of Forth harbour village of Blackness. Inside, there’s a daily lobster board, with your fresh lobster options. There’s also a normal pub menu in case you’re not in the mood for lobster that day, but let’s be real – lobster is the real star of the show!

From the lobster board that day, there was the 1/2 lobster & burger, (full) lobster & chips, lobster mayonnaise (foodies, I’m not really sure what this one is!), lobster thermidor (shell-on style), and finally, a steak and 1/2 lobster.

• Check their website for their menu and to book a table. We went during the off-season, but got the last available table at lunch! So, be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment!
• Blackness Castle, famous in recent years as an Outlander filming location, is just a 5 minute walk from the Lobster Pot. I highly suggest a visit to the castle to walk off your lobster, and to take in the view of all the Forth bridges!
• Speaking of Outlander, if you are looking to travel through the stones during your Scotland trip, I’ve written a post on the main Outlander filming locations, and how to visit them! The post includes directions on public transpo and tour suggestions to those harder-to-reach locations.

* The Nook – Isle of Gigha

If you’re ever heading to Gigha and are looking for an incredible seafood surprise, then look no further than The Nook, a seafood takeaway located next to “the shop”. Trust me, if you’ve been to Gigha, you’ll know where I mean. The menu is what I would consider fun Scottish seafood street food, with braised octopus tacos, a delicious prawn bap, smoked Gigha halibut bagels, just to give you a little hint! Joe, the owner, is fantastic and made a wonderful suggestion to add an order of chips (which were light and crispy and perfectly salted). If I were ranking seafood shacks, would this be considered one of the best seafood shacks in Scotland? 100% YES. The Nook is the hottest thing right now in Scottish seafood street food in my opinion!! Get excited! (and travel to Gigha, exclusively to eat at The Nook!)

Other great seafood establishments in Scotland

There are other great seafood establishments in Scotland I want to share that don’t quite fit my seafood list above – but I still love them the same!

* No. 88 – Lerwick, Shetland

Take a break from solving crimes in Shetland and eat at least one meal at No. 88 in Lerwick. If you want to know the exact distance your food traveled before it appeared on your plate, the folks at No. 88 are happy to chat about their incredible food suppliers. Also, fun fact: No. 88 is Chef Nick Nairn’s favorite lobster in the world.

* Port Charlotte Hotel – Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay

The Port Charlotte Hotel on the Rhinns of Islay has your freshest catch and local beef, venison and lamb on the menu. It also has my favorite fish and chips on Islay! Choose from the “posh” with three different kinds of fish, and “traditional” with just haddock. Despite what you may think, traditional for me!

* Fisherman’s Pier Fish & Chip Van – Tobermory, Isle of Mull

A perfect way to refuel after a day spent watching otters on Mull or puffins on nearby Staffa. I love a fish and chips (salt, no vinegar, I’m a weirdo, I know), so when I’m on Mull, you’ll find me at the chip van, conveniently located on the pier at Tobermory.

* Loch Fyne Oysters and Deli – Loch Fyne

The perfect refuel stop on A83, located just outside Inveraray, halfway between Glasgow and Kennacraig (the Islay ferry port). With wonderfully fresh seafood, Loch Fyne Oysters is a beautifully decorated loch-side restaurant. The look and feel is coastal grandma, the food is kiss the chef gorgeous.

* Tailend – St. Andrews

Go for 18-holes at the Old Course in St. Andrews and head straight to Tailend, a restaurant & takeaway chippy owned by G&A Spink Fishmerchants in Arbroath. They supply all the fish to the restaurant fresh on a daily basis!

The ones that I haven’t tried yet, simply because I’ve been unable to travel there!

• The Seafood Shack – Ullapool – The NC500’s best seafood shack! Fresh catch is dropped off every morning, and their day’s menu depends on the day’s catch.
• The Pierhouse Hotel – Appin – Located in Port Appin, on the banks of Loch Linnhe in Argyll, this west coast hotel and restaurant will be perfect for a future dine and stay.
• Botanica at the Barn – Tighnabruaich – recently included in National Geographic UK’s Culinary Guide to Argyll. The menu uses local ingredients sourced from Argyll or foraged by the chef / owner from the surrounding forest and sea.
• Anstruther Fish Bar – Anstruther, Fife – regularly wins the UK’s best fish and chip awards and is the world’s first fish and chip shop to earn a Chain of Custody seafood sustainability certification from the Marine Stewardship Council!

Are you a Scottish foodie? Are there incredible seafood establishments in Scotland that I’ve missed in my list? Leave me a comment below and let me know!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

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lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Given the current situation in Myanmar, I cannot recommend making any travel plans to this country. Please refer to your government’s travel safety guidelines ahead of making any travel plans.

This time, 2019, I would be in Yangon for several days. Armed with what will henceforth be known as “Elelta and Dana’s Yangon Foodie Guide,” I tasted a variety of Burmese cuisine, from ethnic Wa foods to foods from the Shan state, to traditional Chinese food (from Myanmar’s large Chinese diaspora!). I tried it all, with a variety of cocktails and tropical fruit juices to wash it down with.

So behold.

The Dana and Elelta Yangon Foodie Guide

Brief Introduction to Elelta and Dana, and the Yangon Foodie Guide

As part of my insane travel schedule/life, in November 2019, I traveled from Afghanistan to the Maldives. And by December, I had to be in Austria for graduation. Where to fill the time, with the world as my oyster?

Of the people I have met through my life in Kabul, three of them had or now have connections to Myanmar. Two of the three lived and worked there previously. And though I didn’t know it at the time, but a third would be moving there by the end of 2019. The choice of Yangon literally went like this:

L: We could do Yangon.
There’s a little more character than BKK (Bangkok)

D: Waaaaay more character.
And I do really love Yangon
For a long weekend we can eat well and go to some cute places

Dana was all for picking Yangon. But what about Elelta? I didn’t know it at the time, but when asked to pick a country that you felt had impacted you the most, Elelta chose Myanmar, because of her experiences from living there before. Mine? Cook Islands. Someone else? Lebanon. Another? Yemen. Ya, we are a diverse group of humans. All gathered together in Afghanistan, of all places. Back to Yangon before I get too nostalgic..

The idea for a long weekend in Yangon was born out of the promise of eating well and the hope of being positively impacted for life.

And that is the premise behind the creation of the Yangon Foodie Guide. Without further ado…

1. Rangoon Tea House (RTH)

As I was thinking of how to describe the Rangoon Tea House, or RTH to the expat community, the phrase “grand dame” of Yangon restaurants kept popping into my head. Although it’s probably not an apt description in technicality, that’s what I want to call it. The Grand Dame of Yangon.

When I was in Yangon, I visited the Rangoon Tea House twice, at different times of the day. And both times, it was completely packed to the brim. There is also an upstairs bar/seating area (where the restrooms are) but I never saw them seat anyone in that section.

As a Yangon Foodie, doesn’t this look delicious?

Please allow me to introduce the utter delightful dishes I ate at RTH. Yes. This is one person’s consumption – no judgment.

• Soft-shelled crab bao – absolutely delicious. It combines two things I love – soft shell crabs and baos. For me, it wasn’t a knife and fork action, but a “take a huge bite and hope for the best” method.
• Nan Gyi – thick rice noodles, with crispy (shrimp, I think) chips and shredded chicken. Because of the curry paste (I think), it was a little dry, similar to the dry like peanut butter. However, the order comes with a little bowl of broth or consomme to wash it down. You can order it with either chicken or fish cakes.
• The famous pennywort salad (myin kwa ywet thoke) – this was probably my absolutely favorite thing at RTH! Pennywort is a leafy vegetable uncommon to western cuisine, which I have rarely encountered in my food adventures. The salad was absolutely delightful, and the crispy shallots on top were to die for. The lime added a light and refreshing touch to it. I ordered this both times I went to RTH – it’s that good!
• Grilled pork neck – for someone who has been living in a Muslim country and thus deprived of pork, this grilled pork neck was quite possibly one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten – period! Tender, fragrant and grilled to perfection! Described on the menu as “200g tender pork neck marinated overnight in tea leaf tapenade, grilled over an open fire” 6500 ks | $4.40 USD
• The BFF dessert – right when you enter RTH, there is a large display counter of all of their desserts. Do yourself a favor and get one!! They are delicious. The BFF comes highly recommended!
• Salted caramel brownie with vanilla ice cream – Ok, really… could this ever go wrong??? No. It was a little too big for one person, given all that I had eaten already. But REALLY. GOOD. 7500 ks | $5 USD

(Not pictured and not tried by yours truly, but recommended by the Yangon Foodie Guide: banana blossom salad!)

Unfortunately, I cannot find a good version of the menu online, so I could only include the prices for the grilled pork neck and the brownie. Ironically, the brownie was probably the most expensive thing that I ordered, at 7500 ks. Also, I think RTH is classed as a $$$ restaurant in most lists. As an expat, and given the long list of things I ordered above, (and if you add in cocktails, which I hear are great at RTH) you could probably easily spend $15-20 USD at RTH.

Rangoon Tea House: Ultimate decision: absolutely worth it and amazing! For foodies and non-foodies alike! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

2. Root Kitchen and Bar

Root is a delightful “ethnic Wa” restaurant, located in the 5th ward of downtown Yangon. The Wa people are an ethnic group who live primarily in northern Myanmar (in parts of Shan and Kachin States) and Yunnan, China. The food at ROOT is a wonderful blend of modern and traditional flavors, and their cocktail menu, fun and exciting. The food is also intended to be served tapas/family-style, so everyone can try some of each dish. However, being the solo traveler that I am, that just means I’ll still order a bunch and eat it all. Behold – my first Wa experience!

• Grilled pork belly (Regular order) – The first thing that came out was this amazing grilled pork belly. So tender and expertly grilled. 5500 ks | $3.75 USD
• Wa Tang Clan cocktail – How could you not order a cocktail with this name? Not to be confused with the Wu Tang Clan, the WA Tang Clan is Gold Rum, cinnamon syrup, lemon, ginger, and ginger ale. Deliciously made. I want to go back and try more of their cocktails! 7000 ks | $4.75 USD
• Stir fry beef with bamboo shoots – I think if I had to rank each of these dishes at ROOT, this may be my least favorite, although it was still really delicious! I think the bamboo shoots were slightly pickled and had a bit of a sour taste. Maybe you don’t know, but I am not a huge fan of pickles or pickling. But I am a huge fan of bamboo. For me, I guess what I wanted was regular bamboo shoots and beef. But alas. Still really good, and worth a try! 6500 ks | $4.40 USD
• Stir fry green beans with minced pork – This is just a classic dish in many ethnic Chinese cuisines. Very rarely can a restaurant mess up a green beans and pork. Classic and nostalgic. 5000 ks | $3.40 USD

(Not pictured and not tried by yours truly, but recommended by the Yangon Foodie Guide: moik! Moik is made from brown rice, and is like a “Wa risotto”. The pumpkin moik or beef or pork were specifically recommended. The Wa people eat three different kindsm of moik: dry, wet and soupy. ROOT mainly serves the wet moik.)

ROOT was definitely one of my favorites too. My only regret was that I didn’t have more meals in Yangon in order to go and try more different Wa foods. I loved everything I ate, but especially that grilled pork belly and Wa Tang Clan cocktail!

The regular menu can be found here. There is also a “visual menu” found here, which also provides an introduction to the Wa peoples and cuisine.

ROOT: Ultimate decision: So, so good! and fun to try a new cuisine! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

3. Xi Yang Yang Xiao Long Bao – 喜洋洋小籠包

Anyone who knows me, knows that Xiao Long Bao (or “XLB” as seasoned connoisseurs will call it) are probably my all time favorite thing to eat. Din Tai Fung (the famous Taiwanese franchise) is an age-old favorite. Wherever there is a Din Tai Fung, there will be a Lannie eating an XLB and a pork-chop fried rice. Now, XLBs are obviously not Burmese cuisine, but rather Shanghaiese in nature. The Chinese diaspora brings the XLB to Yangon. Right now, the ethnic Chinese population in Myanmar stands at about 30-40% of the population. So, it’s not totally out of left field that a Chinese restaurant makes it onto the Yangon Foodie Guide.

Before I go into the food, I wanted to comment on the first photo of just the table settings. You’ll see that the bowls, tea cup, and plate are all covered in plastic wrap. Though wasteful, it’s supposed to denote that these bowls have been expertly sanitized for your clean eating experience. This is very typical in Asia and you’ll come across this in many different countries.

I have so many questions about this. Does this mean that they outsource all of their dishes to a company to wash and then wrap up? Or do they have a wrapping machine in the back that washes and wraps? If you’re going to wash it yourself, do you need to wrap it? So many questions.. But I digress, and onward to the food!

• Beef noodle soup – I ordered this because of nostalgia. I have very fond memories of regular, if not weekly, beef noodle soups when I was in college. Beef noodle soup is also a favorite meal in Taiwan, where I spent a lot of time in my youth. This one at Xi Yang Yang did not disappoint! Served with thick noodles typical to a beef noodle soup, and with flavors reminiscent of my past. I don’t know how much this cost, but it should be fairly reasonable.
• The Xiao Long Bao – pork soup dumplings. For me, the general rule of thumb is, if there are soup dumplings on the menu, don’t faff around and try ones with different flavors – i.e shrimp, crab, truffle, whatever. You name it, I’ve probably tried it and felt disappointed by it haha. Go for the classic pork. The XLB has two main components to grade the experience on: the soup and the skin. There needs to be an adequate amount of soup. The soup cannot have dried up or been lost due to a puncture in the dumpling skin. I am happy to say that not only was there adequate soup, which was extremely flavorful, but the dumpling skin also maintained its integrity throughout the eating experience. This is a bold thing to say, but I feel comfortable in saying this – on par with Din Tai Fung. 2000 ks | $1.35 USD for 4 pcs, 4000 ks | $2.70 USD for 8 pcs.

(Not pictured and not tried by yours truly, but things I would have liked to try: pork chop fried rice, scallion pancakes, black sesame buns! Sounds great, doesn’t it?)

Xi Yang Yang was everything that I wanted out of a nostalgic Chinese meal, full of all of my favorites.

Sincerely, someone who has gone around the world and tasted tons of beef noodle soups and xiao long baos in their day.

Xi Yang Yang: Ultimate decision: Get yourself there immediately! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

4. Shan Yoe Yar

Shan Yoe Yar is a restaurant specializing in ethnic Shan cuisine. The Shan people are part of the Tai ethnic group, based in South China and Southeast Asian. The Shan mostly reside in the Shan State, but also in the Mandalay Region, Kachin and Kayin States in Myanmar. Outside of Myanmar, the Shan people inhabit communities in Thailand, Laos, India, and south China.

Shan Yoe Yar has multiple locations, including its original one housed in a renovated teak house in the Lanmadaw district of Yangon. I went to the location in Sule Plaza, due to its close proximity to the Sule Pagoda. If you go to the Sule Pagoda for vibrant sunset, it’s only a 5 minute walk to Sule Plaza for a nice dinner at Shan Yoe Yar. Tourism and food in one!

When I walked into Shan Yoe Yar at Sule Plaza (a shopping mall in downtown), I was excited to order a famous Shan noodles. I had tried them previously, at 999 Shan Noodles and liked it. I looked all over the menu at Shan Yoe Yar and did not see it. When my server finally arrived, I asked about it, and apparently there is a breakfast menu where the noodles are! Shan people typically eat their Shan noodles for breakfast, but is also eaten at any time of day. Makes sense! Now, with both menus, I was ready to go.

• Shan Noodles (khao swe) – thin rice noodles with chicken or pork, cooked in tomatoes, which is served either dry or with broth (soup). I got the dry version, which came with soup on the side. However, it’s not dry as you would think. It’s still sopping in broth, and by the time you start to eat it, the rice noodles have absorbed a lot of the flavor of the broth. Delicious!
• Chinese kai lan with stir fried pork rinds – this dish was just ok. I was in the mood for a large veggie dish, and that certainly fit the bill! The pork rinds added a nice salty flavor but I thought the texture distracted from it. I’d never eaten cooked pork rinds before and the crispiness turns into a sogginess.

I washed all of this down with a delightful papaya juice. If I had more time, more meals available or more stomach, I would have loved to try a smattering of other dishes. I think perhaps with the kai lan, I just chose wrong. It’s also possible that dining at the original location in the teak house would have been more of an experience than a restaurant inside a shopping mall. All things to consider for the future! I could find a copy of the English menu online, but this restaurant would be in the $$-$$$ range.

Shan Yoe Yar: Ultimate decision: Try it out and go to the teak house for an experience! Go with friends and try more dishes and report back. ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

5. Sarkies Bar at the Strand Hotel

If RTH is the Grand Dame of Yangon, the Strand Hotel would be the male equivalent. I present to you, the Major Domo of Yangon – The Strand Hotel. Built in 1901, this Victorian-hotel was once the most luxurious, opulent hotel in the British empire. If I were going to the hotel back in the day, I would not be allowed in because I am non-white. The luxury was originally intended only for white clientele. Thankfully we are living in the 21st century now.

The Yangon Foodie Guide also includes great cocktails.

It was a hot, Burmese afternoon when I walked into Sarkies Bar at the Strand Hotel. You come in from off the streets, where the street vendors sell fruit and street snacks, and the sun beats down on you. You’re transported from hot Yangon, to an air conditioned, Victorian hotel of yesteryear. It was quiet and empty for the afternoon, and perfect for a cocktail. I had arrived during happy hour, so there was a selection of cocktails for $7 USD.

I chose the Strand Sour, which sounded like it’s signature cocktail. Mandalay rum, lime, sugar and bitter. Absolutely refreshing!

Sarkies Bar: Ultimate decision: Luxurious, opulent, and likely expensive outside of happy hour. The Strand Sour was fantastic though! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

6. Sofaer & Co

Back in 1906, the Sofaer & Co building was commissioned by the son of an Iraqi immigrant to Yangon and served as a center for commerce during its time. It was renovated in 2016 and converted into a restaurant named after its original name. The ceramic tiles are particularly special, a geometric pattern of green, gold, burnt sienna and lapis lazuli, shipped directly from Manchester, UK, at the time of construction. The steel beams supporting the ceiling come from Lanarkshire Steel Company in Scotland. Pretty cool, isn’t it? What kind of restaurant would a building named “Sofaer & Co” house? Mekong-fusion cuisine. I was super excited to try this!

When I arrived at Sofaer, I promptly ordered a Pansodan Old Fashion, 7000 ks | $4.75 USD. The first one I ordered is on the left. Is it just me or does it look like water with a little orange coloring in it? I complained and got a second one. Though still watered down, it was better. For $4.75 USD, I wasn’t going to complain a third time, and decided to just go find a proper cocktail when I was done.

I heard a story that the restaurateur’s mother used to be a bun cha street vendor in Hanoi. That made me even more excited, despite drinking water and whisky while waiting for my food. Vietnamese food (especially bun cha) is one of my favorite cuisines, which I do not get enough of while living on the go!

• Morning glory salad – I love morning glory as a vegetable. It’s also known as water spinach (or kangkong) and very popular in Asian cuisine. This salad had a very generous portion of beef and an oversized shrimp chip that came with it. It was good, flavorful. But a little too meaty for something that I wanted as a salad.
• Bun Cha – Most times I walk into a Vietnamese restaurant, I will order some bun cha and possibly some egg rolls. Although I hadn’t had bun cha in over a year at this point, I hoped it would be phenomenal, but it was just average. And while average bun cha isn’t bad, it was a disappointment considering I hadn’t had it for so long.
• Mango sticky rice – I was really looking forward to this mango sticky rice. I flew through Bangkok on my way to Yangon, and usually when I am in the Bangkok airport, I buy a mango sticky rice to go. But I was so exhausted from my flight, I didn’t manage to this time. So Sofaer for the win! Right? Wrong. I expected some coconut milk drizzle on the sticky rice, but it was dry, which made the actual sticky rice flavorless. With most foods, I don’t like a lot of sauces or drizzle, but come on. Mango sticky rice has to have the coconut drizzle. and lots of it! Disappointment…

This was the most disappointing meal that I had during my time in Yangon. From the watered down old fashion, to the meaty salad, and the underwhelming mango sticky rice.

Sofaer & Co: Ultimate decision: Skip this, but maybe stop by to see the old building ⭐1/2

7. Gekko

If you went to Sofaer & Co and wound up disappointed as I did, fear not. Gekko, a Japanese restaurant known for its yakitori grill and cocktail lounge, is on the other side of the Sofaer building (and around the corner). Luckily, you can marvel at the ceramic tiles from Manchester and the steel beams from Scotland in a trendy new setting, while drinking a delightful cocktail.

When I came to Gekko, during their happy hour, I really just wanted a snack and a cocktail. I promptly ordered two salmon hand rolls (unpictured) and a Hanami old fashioned for 4000 ks $2.72. I rounded out the evening with a dram of Kirin Whisky’s Oak Master. It was nice…but I like my scotches better. (… is that the plural of scotch? scotchs? ..)

I bet the yakitori there is great too. Just based on my limited experience of salmon rolls and whisky cocktails, I still really enjoyed it.

Gekko: Ultimate decision: Really fun place with great drinks and sushi! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

8. Babett at Hotel G

When I was in Yangon, I stayed downtown at the Hotel G. The hotel stay was great but also so was the restaurant downstairs. From the expat community, I hear Babett is the place to go to for a nice brunch. I had breakfasts covered in my stay, so I never tried their actual brunch service. But I can say from just my regular hotel breakfasts and my lunch at Babett when I first arrived, the food is delicious!

• Mohinga – Generally considered the national dish of Myanmar, Although normally a breakfast food, hawker or street stalls everywhere serve Mohinga throughout the day. Because I had my mohinga at a hotel breakfast, it would of course be a little different than the street variety. At its core, mohinga is fish soup and chickpea flour. I loved how the chickpea flour thickens up the fish broth and gives a little cushion to mute the fishy flavor. The rice vermicelli also soak up the broth, which give the noodles this wonderful flavor and richness. I loved the fried fritters on top to add a crunchiness and texture to the noodles.

It is served with rice vermicelli, dressed and garnished with fish sauce, a squeeze of lime, crisp fried onions, coriander, spring onions, crushed dried chillis, and, as optional extras, crisp fried fritters such as split chickpeas (pè gyaw) (ပဲကြော်),^[2]urad dal (baya gyaw) (ဘယာကြော်) or gourd (bu thee gyaw) (ဗူးသီးကြော်) or sliced pieces of Chinese donuts (အီကြာ‌ကွေး), as well as boiled egg and fried nga hpè fish cake (ငါးဖယ်ကြော်).

From Wikipedia’s description of Mohinga

• Please note that mohinga is not served on the regular or brunch menu, and is only available as a breakfast option for hotel guests. However, I wanted to introduce you to mohinga (the national dish) and give you an option for western dining. I don’t need to introduce my carbonara pasta and grilled asparagus (or provide a rating for it), which I had ordered off of the regular menu at Babett. But just a quick comment to say it was delicious and if I needed a solid western meal, Babett is the place to go for it.

9. Allamanda Inn

Numbers 1-8 on the Foodie Guide have all been vetted and eaten by yours truly. For this entry, the recipient of the original Foodie Guide, stayed at the Allamanda Inn and has kindly offered a photo and review, in the form of a haiku.

#YangonFoodieReviewHaiku

The steak at the Inn,

that is named Allamanda,

is okay. Thumbs Up.

-A

So, in case people are wondering about the description – why “okay”? why “thumbs up”? The answer is simple – really amazing, great steaks are rare and expensive. “Okay” steaks, on the other hand, are plentiful. But especially when you are an expat living in Southeast Asia, a steak deemed as just “okay” is in fact a “thumbs up.” It’s pretty darn good and was never going to be earth shattering. (I hear). But also, the review in haiku form is a nod to our dear friend who is currently championing the hashtag #humanitarianhaiku on Twitter.

Besides the steak, Elelta noted Allamanda’s great tagines and salads. While this review will not have a rating in the end, come for the steak (or salads), stay for the delightful garden. And see if you can come up with a better #YangonFoodieReviewHaiku for Allamanda. It’ll be fun, trust us!

10. All others I did not try, but are included in the Yangon Foodie Guide:

Both Dana and Elelta inundated me with so many food recommendations that I could not eat all of them in the time span of 4 days! The below are some places that I did not have time to try, but were included in the original guide. These locations are mostly outside of downtown Yangon, and are included in the Google Map below.

• Sharky’s – an artisan-based restaurant, which promotes local and organic foods, with locations in Yangon and Bagan! I visited the Bagan location years ago and the was really delicious and fresh. There are several locations in Yangon, including one next door to Rangoon Tea House! Be like Elelta and go for ice cream at Sharky’s on Sundays!
• Yangon Bake House – Elelta specifically recommended this bakery, as she used to live near this shop and it would be her weekend breakfast joint. Yangon Bake House also supports women’s initiatives, giving apprentice opportunities to empower women with disabilities.
• Onyx Wine Tree – despite the name, this is a Korean steak house!
• Cask 81 – a whiskey bar with great reviews and a shred of lingering regret that I didn’t visit! (Cask 81 is currently in the process of relocating. Check the link for updates on their progress!)
• Fuji – Elelta describes it as the place for sushi in Yangon, whereas Dana’s description places the caveat on being “for sushi in Yangon”. Wherever the emphasis, this (or Gekko during happy hour) would be your sushi fix.

Parting Thoughts

Firstly, a general comment about service in Yangon. You’re better off if you recognize that the service industry is still in its infancy, and make efforts to proactively flag down servers whenever you need something. Don’t wait – you may be waiting forever.

All in all, Yangon is a delicious destination. I think that Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, the obvious culinary powerhouses in the Mekong region, tend to overshadow Burmese cuisine and Myanmar as a foodie destination. But the food and cocktail scene in Yangon is going through a renaissance and I cannot wait to go back and try more food!

Are you a Yangon Foodie, but want an organized food tour instead? With an exclusive discount?!

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Looking for a place to stay in Yangon?

Look no further than Hotel G, a wonderful boutique hotel in downtown Yangon! Click below to read a review, and click here to book!

Disclosure: Please note that the above booking link in this post is an affiliate link and if you go through them to make a hotel booking, I will earn a commission. I share these links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a booking through these links.

Need some ideas on things to do in Yangon?

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Acknowledgements

I would not have made this Foodie Guide were it not for Dana and Elelta, the authors of the guide, and Anthony, the original recipient of the guide. As a travel blogger, I find inspiration everywhere, including from those nearest to me. No clue who these people are? I introduce them in this post. Enjoy or dislike the food highlighted in our guide? Leave a comment for Elelta and Dana! or me!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Why not Jordanian food in Jordan?

I was here in Jordan doing training for work.  Three different trainings in three weeks.  Most of our meals were taken care of within the trainings, and for dinners, we ate nearby, which catered to expats. Near where I stayed in Shmeisani in Amman, I had a Starbucks, relatively decent Chinese food, a sushi place, a Burger King and Pizza Hut, and a great Indian restaurant. This doesn’t really sound like a Jordanian experience, does it?

I mean sure, every day at training, we had Jordanian desserts galore, like this knafeh. The taste and ingredients are similar to baklava, but prepared differently.

Besides the dessert, food at training usually consisted of chicken, falafel, rice, pita, hummus, yogurt, pasta and a fattoush (fresh vegetable) salad. It’s not exciting. Maybe you can see how after weeks of this medley during the day, at night, all I wanted was a different cuisine.

1. Real Jordanian Food

But as my time in Jordan was coming to a close, I really, really wanted a real Jordanian meal. A feast, in fact. Through my web research, I found out about Mansaf, through Migrationology, a resource for people who want to learn about local culture through food and traveling. What hooked me was the title: Mansaf – The One Dish you have to eat in Jordan. When I read this, I knew it had to be my final meal. I can’t have my Jordanian experience to be mired by corporate caterers and expat-friendly food. If you want a technical breakdown of Mansaf and how it’s traditionally supposed to be eaten, definitely check out Migrationology’s post.

Mansaf brings us together

I remember hearing somewhere that food is what brings Jordanians together. Mansaf, which has been characterized as the national food of Jordan, is especially important to Jordanians. One Jordanian chef, Batool Rasheed, said of mansaf:

Mansaf also plays an important role in resolving conflicts between families or tribes. When issues arise, the heads of tribes visit one another with an accompanying group to try and resolve them. Traditionally, the host tribe or family will sacrifice a sheep and cook mansaf as a token of respect for their visitors. They eat this together as a way of marking the end of the dispute. 

And I can attest to that. Although none of my conflicts in Jordan were resolved over mansaf, I did share a lovely moment with a Jordanian man “over mansaf” at the King Abdullah I Mosque in Amman. The mansaf brought us together. (Side note, I am really only speculating that what he is holding is mansaf.)

2. Hungry gal on Hungry Street

After I told my friend and dinner buddy in Amman, Mike, that I wanted to try mansaf, he warned me that I would need to be really hungry. Since this conversation took place right as I was eating a late afternoon snack, we decided to go the following evening – my last night in Jordan.

He took me to “Hungry Street” in Amman, which is known for all of its restaurants. For people super curious to know, Hungry Street is actually Al Madinah Al Munawarah Street (in English). The plan was to go to a non-touristy Jordanian place for dinner, followed by a traditional Jordanian dessert shop after.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

3. Mansaf at Al Dar Darak

The first stop was Al Dar Darak restaurant. When you first walk into the shop, the ground floor is a take away area. Round the corner and go upstairs to the restaurant. Although the restaurant was pretty empty (it was early in the evening for Jordan), there are typically separate seating areas for women. There is also a cordoned off prayer area in the corner, as well. When we went, on a random Tuesday evening, it was not busy. But we felt great being the only non-locals there.

Mike managed to order 2 mansafs and 2 lemonades. There was a little confusion about the sizes of our lemonade and I think there was some behind the scenes English/Arabic translations that were going on. But it was sorted out in the end, as awkward travel interactions usually are.

I know what you’re wondering – why is my lemonade green? I use the word “lemonade” very loosely. This drink is also known as mint lemon. The mint is where all that green comes from. So very minty. Tart from the lemon juice. And sweet from all the sugar they add into it. Delicious and super sweet and can be found literally anywhere in Jordan.

And very quickly, our mansaf arrived.

The main components of Mansaf

• rice
• lamb
• jameed yogurt (made from goat’s milk)
• shrak (the thin tortilla you see on top, and a hidden one underneath the rice)

When you peel off the top shrak, the lamb is hidden underneath, covered in jameed yogurt sauce. Depending on how saucy you like your life, there is a separate bowl of yogurt sauce on the side.

The lamb is cooked for so long that the meat is super tender and it falls off the bone. With literally no effort, I deboned all my meat, and was left with this deliciousness:

Although it was a really heavy meal, it was super delicious!!! Mike scraped his plate clean. Even though I was never going to finish the entire plate of rice, Mike reminded me there was still heavy Jordanian dessert to be had. So, as both his mom and my mom taught us, I finished the rest of the lamb and left the carbs.

4. Dessert at Habibah Sweets

And off we went, for dessert! In case anyone wants to recreate this memorable evening and feast, and you want to walk to dessert like we did (which is about 800 meters and a 9 minute walk), turn left when you leave Al Dar Darak. Not right. Sorry, Mike. I had to. 🙂

Also, there is a mild disclaimer that should happen with this plan. Walking around Amman is not easy, due to a combination of poor sidewalks and local driving/parking habits. Most expats have found walking around in Amman to be challenging. So, you should really only walk if you’re brave and determined.

So, onwards to Habibah Sweets.

Habibah Sweets is known for its knafeh – a traditional Jordanian dessert. Similar flavors and tastes to baklava, it’s made with string pastry, cheese, sugar syrup and pistachios. There are two kinds of knafeh – soft and hard. We didn’t know which was which, and with each bite, it was not any easier to tell. What was confusing was that the knafeh was swimming in a delicious pool of sugar syrup, so any intended texture of the knafeh was softly transformed by the sugar. One bite, we would disagree which one was the soft or the hard, and the next bite, we would be totally confused again.

Weeks later, I met a Jordanian woman and I asked her to clarify.

• The one without “hair” is soft.
• The one with hair is hard.

We don’t know why, but from an official Jordanian, there you go. Thanks, Mais!!

5. A big Thank You

Let me pause for a moment before I wrap up to thank my friend, Mike. Mike was with me on 2 of the 3 trainings, and since he now lives in Amman, he was literally my partner in crime and neighbor for the last month. Were it not for him, I would have laughed a lot less and cried a lot more. Mansaf and knafeh wasn’t what brought us together, but we celebrated our time in Jordan with it.

And since I am awful at taking photos with humans in it, I’ll wrap up this post with something that Mike and I laughed at over dinner… the strange way that I eat the rice on my plate…by boring a hole straight down the center. (And similar to how I eat ice cream in a pint)

Looking for more recommendations for your trip to Amman?

• Recommended luxury hotels in Amman: Grand Hyatt Amman and W Amman;
• Head out to the Dead Sea (only 30 miles away!) and stay at one of these fantastic resorts:
  • Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa
  • Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa
  • Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea – family friendly!
  • Crowne Plaza Dead Sea
• Besides the Dead Sea, consider a day trip out to Petra! Check out these great tours below:

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

When I was in Oaxaca in April, I visited Olvera’s restaurant, Criollo. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with it.  However, having a weakness for tacos, and wanting to see what a world class restaurant was like, I made reservations for Pujol’s 1:30 pm taco omakase.  The reservations, made about a month in advance online, required a credit card number for a “guarantee” (in case I cancel..).

Location of Pujol

Pujol is in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City, on a side street (Tennyson) off of Masaryk.  It was a nice walk down the shopping street, Masaryk, where LV, Gucci, Ferragamo and Starbucks are.  I walked to Pujol from a morning visit to the Museo Nacional de Antropología, which was a nice 20-30 minute walk away, if you didn’t keep walking in circles like I did that day…  But I digress.

Nestled on an unassuming street, you may not notice the entrance to the restaurant.

Arrival to Pujol Mexico City

Once inside, they seated everyone with the 1:30 pm taco omakase at the bar.  Each course comes paired with a drink.  The price is the same with or without the pairing.  I’m not a big alcoholic beverage drinker, so as the post and the courses continue, you’ll see how my drinks fared.

Also, before I begin, a big shout out and thank you to Mike, the electrician from Houston, who was my taco tasting companion and source of conversation during the meal. 

2022 update: Mike, the electrician from Houston, googled Pujol in Mexico City and found my blog! He emailed to say hello and that he found my post. Got to love the power of the internet!

Without further ado… the Pujol 8-course Taco Omakase.

1. Street Snacks

For local Mexican diners, the baby corn came with the husk intact, and the Mexicans next to me ate the husk. I didn’t realize it was edible! For us foreigners, the husk is peeled back and we only eat the corn.

Before we move on from the street snacks amuse bouche… The little blue corn puff…  For those of you unfamiliar with escamol (the white toppings on the blue puff), it is a Mexican delicacy.  Some people may be squeamish about it, but escamol is the edible larvae and pupae of ants.  Yes, that’s right.  Ant eggs.  Before you say anything… let me just say one word.  DELICIOUS!!!!  Don’t knock it til you try it!

2. Uni, Beans Tetela

Inside the tetela was black beans. Served with a uni (sea urchin) pico de gallo.  The uni pico de gallo was AMAZING, both on the tetela and on its own.  My favorite course!!

For those of you new to my blog, I was particularly pleased at the uni dish being so delicious.  To find out why, see my other post about sea urchins, here.

Drink Check:

New addition: Atolli, Mexican Pale Ale.  Made from corn.  2 courses, 2 drinks.

3. Eggplant Taco, Hoja Santa, Humus, Shisho

I spy a new drink – white wine.

4. Amberjack Taco, Avocado, Seaweed

(served with Mexican sake)

5. Scallop Tostada

(Dressed with lemon, sesame oil, and served with tequila)

Thinly sliced raw scallops lined the crispy tortilla, resulting in a delightfully fresh and crisp tostada.  I’ve never had scallops or a tostada like this!!

More than half way through – let’s keep going on this taco omakase!

6. Seabass Taco al Pastor

7. Softshell Crab Taco, Cucumber, Shiso

I love soft shell crab and shiso peppers!!  And the combination in a taco was amazing!!  So delicious.  Definitely my second favorite course!

Drink Check:

From L to R, drinks for courses 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3.  Water on the very right.  In here there is: tequila, mezcal, sake, rose wine, another beer and white wine.  You can mostly guess which is which. However, since the liquors are all kinda clear colored, I kind of forgot.  You’ll forgive me though.

8. Enmolada, Hoja Santa Tortilla

And now, for Pujol’s famous Mole Madre, aged 1681 days, or almost 5 years!!  The flavor is much richer and tangier than the normal mole.  I’m not a huge fan of mole in general, so this one wasn’t spectacular to me.  It’s definitely unique, I’ll say that!  From the NY Times’ T Magazine,

“Pujol’s mole madre is a contemporary version of [celebratory dishes]. Our own paste is reheated twice a day and is ‘fed’ with new mole whenever we are down to 10 liters. This Solera system gives us a mole that is exponentially more subtle and complex than your average mole. Additionally, since the mole is getting reheated through the months, ‘it has now been alive for more than 400 days’ the recipe adapts to seasonality and the ingredients change accordingly. It might have hazelnut or almond or macadamia or a mix of all three. The same is true for the tomatoes, the fruits, even the chiles.”

Since that review, the mole madre I tried had continued to age another 1,200 some days!

And with that nugget of information, the taco omakase finished on a high note of the legendary aged mole.

Dessert in the Garden

After, we were escorted out to the garden area for dessert.  Enormously tall trees, surrounded by lovely greenery, kept us company during dessert. Delightfully charming outdoor area to enjoy our desserts. However, it was uncovered… and I understand that Mexico City is known for their notorious but reliable 5 -7 pm heavy rain showers (according to locals).

9. Gaznate, Sake Kasu

From L to R: a plum, a cream roll, matcha green tea, and ice cream (i forgot the flavor) with ginger. In the upper right corner is the cloth napkin from our omakase, with a corn kernel pattern on it. They said we could keep it as a memento. Nice touch.

Even though the photo and description above goes L to R, we ate it R to L… They suggested it this way.  Although the plum was good, I was quite disappointed that it was the end.  Especially since I could have had the below pictured cream roll as the last delicious sweet taste in my mouth. But no.  I was good at following instructions.

But just as my disappointment couldn’t be any greater, the wait staff shuffled out one by one. With Beauty and the Beast’s “Be Our Guest” playing in my head, out came the real dessert.  You can see the beginnings of that in the background of my plum photo above.

And now, here is the real dessert.

The thinnest, lightest, most delicious fried churro I’ve ever had!!!  This was definitely the best way to end the taco tasting… if it truly ended with the plum, this review would have gone sour at the end.  But no!  PUJOL’S TACO OMAKASE.  AMAZING TIL THE END.

Parting Thoughts on Pujol’s Taco Omakase

I HIGHLY recommend trying Pujol’s Taco Omakase, if you:

1. want to eat at a world class restaurant
2. like tacos
3. want to try world class tacos
4. don’t mind dropping 2,998 Pesos | $160 USD for 8 tacos and 8 drinks
5. like having 8 different alcoholic beverages in one sitting (or if you don’t drink alcohol, if you like having 8 different non-alcoholic beverages in one sitting… btw, alcohol or not, the cost is still 2,998 Pesos)
6. are not afraid to eat ant larvae/pupae or sea urchins
7. want a souvenir (used by yourself) cloth napkin… (and finally)
8. don’t mind spending 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm eating lunch
9. WANT TO EAT AN AMAZING MEAL!

Restaurant Information

Pujol | map
Tennyson 133, Polanco
11550 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
Phone: +52 55 5545 4111
Reservations Required 
1:30 pm Taco Omakase 2,300 MXN | $115 USD
Prices, as of 20 April 2021

If using Uber, set the address to “133 Tennyson” (actual address), NOT “Pujol”, which will direct to their old location.

Need some help planning your foodie fun trip to Mexico City?

• Luxury hotel suggestions:
  • Hyatt Regency Polanco and JW Marriott Polanco are both within 10 minutes walking distance to Pujol!
  • Centrally located in the Reforma neighborhood, Hilton Mexico City Reforma and Mexico City Marriott Reforma Hotel are also fantastic options.
• More foodie adventure suggestions:
  • Check out the Must-Try Street Foods in Mexico City from Chef Denise, including all the favorites I had on this trip!
  • Instead of Pujol’s Taco Omakase, how about joining a Taco Crawl with a food critic?
  • Join Candelilla, Mexico City’s hidden supper club;
  • Experience a dinner exploring Mexico’s cuisine, from before and after Spanish colonization.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

Keep Pujol Taco Omakase on your radar for later?

Ya, pin it for later

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Most tours and dinners include hotel pickup/drop off, which is really convenient.  If they don’t pick up on time, the island is a small circle.  Trust that they’ll be along shortly, because they always are.  (same with the bus!)  Everything is on island time.  So relax, sit back, and enjoy the awesome things to do and eat in Raro.

But first, if you haven’t read my post on Cook Islands food, I suggest you start there!

1. Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruizes

For my first full day in Rarotonga, I scheduled a BBQ Lunch and Lagoon Cruise with Captain Tama.  It was NZ$79 | $52 USD, which included snorkeling, lunch, a coconut demonstration and sarong show.  The ship was crewed and the tour hosted by a few, young Cook Islander men.  Good humored and full of fun, they took us out from Muri Beach to a beautiful area of blue seas for some snorkeling.  I went in for a bit, but it was a bit cloudy under the water from the current, and man… that current was insane!

Watch this video on YouTube.

After snorkeling, we headed back towards the Muri area, and docked off of an uninhabited island across from Muri. Captain Tama (and maybe another tour company) set up a small dining area with facilities on this island for use during the day.  The crew were busily getting lunch prepared, and were grilling fresh fish and bananas.

From the paw paw (papaya) up top and clockwise, grilled banana and grilled onions, fresh grilled mahi mahi, bread, cole slaw, potato salad, and a sliver of a coconut slice.

I won’t give much else away, but here are a few photos from their coconut demonstration.  No photos of the sarong show.  Why?  I was selected as the model for an introduction to how to tie sarongs or pareos.  shrug..

Really fun time with the crew that took us out that day.  It’s a warm welcome to the Cook Islands and an introduction to their fun loving personalities.

2. Progressive Dinner

After a few hours of rest and relaxation on my patio lounge chair, in the evening, I set out for what’s known as the Progressive Dinner (NZ$99 | $66 USD).  This is a dinner tour, where each of the three courses are eaten at a different family’s house.  Each course came with lots of stories and an introduction to their family and land.

It was a really busy night for the Progressive Dinner… there were probably close to 40 people there.  I guess that’s a bit unusual, and it’s normally a much smaller group, which is how I imagined it. 

At dinner, I met a nice Australian couple on their honeymoon, and an interesting retired New Zealander, Polly.  Polly has been coming to Raro since the mid-1990s, and lives for a few weeks or months there every year.  She’s been coming to the Progressive Dinners for at least the last 5+ years when she’s in Rarotonga, and she keeps coming for the great food and lovely people that host and take part in it.  I wish I talked to her more, because I think she must have great stories to tell.

Without further ado… the progressive dinner.

2.1 First Course

2.2 Second Course

What do you recognize on my plate from my earlier post, introducing food in the Cook Islands?

iSpy list:

• paw paw
• poke
• umu
• rukau

One of the best things to do in Rarotonga, in my book? Eat with friendly locals and hear their stories about life in the Cook Islands.

2.3 Third Course

Parting thoughts on the best things to do in Rarotonga

For my first full day on Rarotonga, not bad, right?  Captain Tama and the Progressive Dinner were both GREAT introductions to the warm and fun-loving spirit of the Cook Islanders. Definitely, if you’re looking for two of the best things to do in Rarotonga, consider Captain Tama’s Cruise and the Progressive Dinner. You won’t regret it!

– Useful Information –

• Captain Tama’s Lagoon Cruizes – NZ$79 | $52 USD, daily, 11 – 3 pm.  Pick up, drop off, and lunch included
• Progressive Dinner – NZ$99 | $66 USD, Mondays and Thursdays, 5 – 9:30 pm.  Pick up and drop off included

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When you travel off the beaten path, make sure you’re covered with Travel Insurance. You never know when you’ll need it! Get a quote below.

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

1.Staples of Cook Islands’ Food

1.1 Coconut

Let me begin by saying that the coconut is one of the most central aspects of Cook Islander cuisine, taking form in fresh coconut cream and milk, grated coconut, the “coconut marshmallow,” coconut juice from fresh nu, and of course, the coconut meat itself, usually eaten in sliced wedges.

1.2 Ika Mata

Raw fish and chopped vegetables in coconut cream and lime juice. Not to be confused with Hawaiian poke or Cook Islander poke…(and since I brought that up)

1.3 Cook Island poke

A looser, mochi-type tapioca concoction, usually made with local bananas and topped with fresh, grated coconut.  Not considered a dessert, and is served with the main dishes.  It also has nothing to do with raw fish, despite what you may have thought because of its name.  (Apologies for the awful photo of the poke – the lighting was really bad.  Plus, it’s not that photogenic of a dish anyway, usually a gelatinous blob in varying colors.  This one in purple, made from taro)

1.4 Paw paw

Papaya fruit (and/or local, firm bananas) with grated coconut in a coconut cream base.

1.5 Cassava (or tapioca) and arrowroot

Although cassava and arrowroot are different plants, they are similar in consistency. Both are of a starchy consistency, commonly used as thickeners. In Cook Islander cuisine, it’s mixed with local ingredients, in a variety of dishes, including the famous Coconut Delight.  From what I can gather, it is a mixture of grated coconut and cassava, which is then pan fried for crispiness.  The cassava gives it a chewiness, similar to mochi. Served at the Tuakata Cafe, a short walk from the bus terminal in town and down the street from the Office of the Prime Minister.

1.6 Umu

Traditional roasted chicken or pork, made by digging a hole and burying the food in an underground oven.

1.7 Rukau

Rukau, or “Cook island spinach”, is actually young taro leaves. They’re typically boiled and cooked in a cream sauce. The running joke that guides love to tell is …

Rukau has a lot of iron and helps men put lead in their pencils… if they have someone to write to.

Unlike other tourist or foodie destinations, there isn’t one specific restaurant that is known for their ika mata, paw paw, or umu.  That’s not quite how life works in the Cook Islands.  Instead, most tours include a traditional lunch, with ika mata, grilled fish, probably some poke, likely some umu, and a variety of coconuts and fruits.  All of the food I had on various tours and at dinner shows were all high quality and extremely fresh. So don’t worry! You’ll have amazing food, pretty much anywhere!

2. Places to Eat

If you have some spare meals in between your tours, here are a few places I would highly recommend to eat at.

2.1 The Muri Night Market

The Muri Night Market, is held…most* nights. (Sun, Tues, Wed, Thu). It starts around 5 pm, and be sure to get there early as vendors will stop once all their food is sold.  One of the famous stalls sells banoffee pie, which sadly was too aggressively large sized for me to try, being already full from umu and heavy coconut creams.  Other stalls have local Cook Islander fare… umu, coconut cream curries, fresh juices and noodles.  It’s a must-visit, and if you have time, go back and try other stalls!

Umu plate at the Muri Night Market

2.2 The Moorings Fish Cafe

Benefits of a small island is that peoples’ recommendations for the best food is often the same places!  So many people recommended the Moorings Fish Cafe! It is a local and tourist favorite.  The restaurant is situated a few minutes from Muri lagoon, with lots of outdoor seating and smiles to go around. 

The Moorings serve fish sandwiches, salads and legendary smoothies.  For me, I visited twice and first had the ahi tuna sandwich, and then their more famous breaded mahi mahi sandwich.  Their menu can be found here: here … and OMG – THE CIABATTA BREAD.  THE SUPER FRESH FISH.

2.3 Trader Jack’s

Another both local and tourist favorite is Trader Jacks.  A restaurant and bar near Avarua, Trader Jacks is great for a relaxing drink by the sea, followed by an amazing seafood dinner.  A nice sit-down restaurant to enjoy with friends! Don’t trust the picture to do it justice – it’s amazing!

2.4 Tuakata Cafe

I’ve already briefly touched on the Tuakata Cafe, with their famous coconut delight.  I went there a few different times, having felt so welcomed by them each time.  Besides the coconut delight and, of course some fresh nu, I had an acai smoothie bowl one morning, and an ika mata for lunch a few days later.  Don’t forget the coconut delight!!  They’re open on Sunday, which is super rare on Raro!  (And here are the pictures again, because you can never have too many photos of food)

2.5 Cook Islands Coffee Company

For your morning cup of joe fix, might I suggest Cook Islands Coffee Company.  Located on the East side of ring road (you can find it with an orange traffic cone that says COFFEE with an arrow), it is only open during morning hours (7:30 to 10:30).  On M,W,F from 7:30 am, you may be lucky enough to try one of their famous croissants, made by the proprietor’s son.  I heard they were amazing, but beware!  They sell out quick!

Parting thoughts on Cook Islands Food

I truly believe you can’t have a bad meal on Rarotonga.  It’s possible to have a mediocre meal. However, locals prepare each meal such care and respect for the food.  Each ingredient is the freshest it could be.  Just because I’m not listing a ton of restaurants, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a food scene on Rarotonga.  It just means that I had limited free meals, and the tours I took, fed me very well.  The food in Rarotonga is amazing and I hope you’ve come to see that too!

And now that you’ve made it to the bottom of a drool-worthy post, I will reward you with a “standard” Cook Islands photo:

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If you love Cook Islands food, maybe you’re interested in having a traditional Cook Islands meal, with each course at a different local’s house! Hear stories, learn about their families and land, and eat amazing food on the Progressive Dinner Tour. For more info and an exclusive discount code, click here!

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

After having the most amazingly, relaxing day, my friend and I had an easy going Sunday with a walk in and around Budapest. We started our walk by the Hungarian Parliament, en route to our breakfast destination, Piknik. 

1. Breakfast at Piknik

Piknik is a small cafe, with a nice outdoor seating area, and serves mostly baguettes, tarts, and fruit smoothies.  I had a delicious prosciutto baguette, with cucumbers.  The cucumbers were a welcome addition.

2. Walk along the Danube River

After breakfast, we strolled along the Danube River, in search of a memorial I missed the last time I visited.  The Shoes on the Danube Bank.  Located almost in front of the Hungarian Parliament, this memorial, conceived by director Can Togay and sculpted by Gyula Pauer, is made up of 60 iron shoes of the WWII era.

As the plaque states, this is a memorial to the victims of the Arrow Cross Militiamen.  The memorial pays tribute to the over 3,500 people (of them, around 800 were Jewish), shot with arrows on the banks of the Danube.  They were instructed to remove their shoes and their bodies were washed away by the river after being shot.

Watch this video on YouTube.

To me, traveling is not just about seeing the beautiful and Instagram-worthy.  There is much to be learned about the history of a place, and recognizing that we can learn from the mistakes of the past…

3. St. Stephen’s Basilica

From there, it was a short walk to St. Stephen’s Basilica, named for King Stephen, first King of Hungary.  You can also go inside for a guided tour and, if you’d like, go up to the top for views across the city (for a fee).  We didn’t go in, since it was Sunday, there was mass being held.

4. Dohany Street Synagogue

We also passed by the Dohany Street Synagogue, or the Great Synagogue, which is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world.  It also houses a museum and cemetery, well as a Heroes Temple.

5. Szimpla Kert, a ruin bar

There is so much to see, walking around this city.  But our actual destination was Szimpla Kert, or the first ruin bar in Budapest.  Ruin bars began around 2001, when a group of men were looking for a cheap place to drink.  Old, derelict buildings and abandoned spaces were transformed into casual places to hang out and drink.  Szimpla Kert, in addition to being a bar, also hosts farmers markets in this quirky and fun space.  When we went on Sunday, the market was being held there and it was overrun with tourists clamoring to take photos.  There’s plenty of places to sit, and a little restaurant upstairs, with more seating there as well.

We decided to buy some cheese and fresh strawberries from the vendors, and sit and people watch for the better part of 2 hours.

LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS STRAWBERRY IS.  So shiny and healthy.  Sweet and red.  Unlike strawberries in America, they may be smaller in size, but they make up for it in their burst of flavor.  Also, has anyone ever noticed, strawberries in America are white on the inside??? Hungarian strawberries, amazing! American strawberries, needs work.

6. Parliament Building

And then, it was back to the Parliament building, where we had parked the car, and back to the bus station as my weekend came to a close.  My apologies for not taking photos of everything I ate this trip.  I was really trying to live in the moment, which I will discuss in a later post.  It was a beautiful weekend, with a beautiful friend!

Day 2 recap: a relaxing walk in Budapest

• 8:30 am: Breakfast at Piknik | map
• 9:30 am: Walk along the Danube and view Shoes on the Danube Bank | map
• 10 am: Walking by St. Stephen’s Basilica and Dohány Street Synagogue
• 11 am: Strawberry, cheese, and people watching at Szimpla Kert | map
• 1 pm: Enjoy the parks around Hungarian Parliament again | map
• 2:30 pm: Bus back to Vienna!

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

1. Bus from Vienna to Budapest

I took RegioJet, roundtrip, for a total of 18 EUR | 21 USD.  The trip was comfortable, with a free hot beverage and movies/tv shows to watch.  The bus leaves from Stadion Bus Center (near the U2 Stadion stop) and arrives at Kelenfold in Budapest.

2. Arrival into Budapest

I bet you didn’t know, Budapest is a city split into two by the river.  Long ago, the city was two separate cities – Buda to the left of the river, and Pest to the right. The bus arrives on the Buda side. My friend’s apartment, on the other hand, is way over on the Pest side.  Normally, I would have taken the metro to her place, but there was some construction on the metro lines by her flat, so taxi it was.

From her place, we walked over to Margaret Island (Margit-sziget), which is an island in the Danube with plentiful parks and trees.  We strolled to the tip of Margaret Island, where we caught a public transportation river boat service (the BKK Boat Service) down towards the Buda Castle.  On weekdays, you can use your Budapest public transportation ticket to ride on the BKK for free.  Unfortunately, on weekends, you need to buy a separate ticket, for 750 HUF | 2.75 USD.

3. Lunch at Czako Kert

From the Buda Castle stop, we walked along the Buda side, uphill to our brunch spot.  For the geographically curious, the Buda side has hills, whereas the Pest side is flat.  We stopped at Czako Kert, a lovely little cafe with garden, which also houses a farmers market on the weekends.

4. Rudas Bath – the ultimate relaxation!

It was a short downhill walk after lunch to Rudas Bath.  Coming from a few weeks of grueling classes, I suggested we visit a thermal baths.  The famous bath, Szechenyi Baths, was renovating one of their outdoor pools, so we decided on Rudas Bath.  Originally built in the 1500s as a Turkish Bath, Rudas Bath has since expanded to include restaurants, a rooftop jacuzzi with panoramic views, and various different pools.  We paid for the “all in” ticket, which included access to all of their different baths and wellness areas, for 6,200 HUF | 23 USD | 19 EUR.  And there we stayed, for hours on hours on hours. 

I didn’t take any photos. To be honest, I just really wanted to relax and break free from everything.  That didn’t stop other people from doing full on photo-shoots inside the baths. However, to each his own! The baths were amazingly relaxing. Visiting a bath is an absolute must!!

5. Sunset and Dinner at Hadik Cafe

After we finished, after hours of baths, we watched the sun set along the river. Absolute starving and now en route to dinner.  It’s funny how you can work up an appetite when doing absolutely nothing.

From Rudas, we went to the Hadik Cafe, which is a legendary cafe where famous Hungarian writers used to hang out.  On the weekends, it has live music in the evenings.  The inside is pretty quirky, but it’s a fun atmosphere.

I ordered a delicious Spinach “főzelék” (a Hungarian stew), paired with a Hungarian craft beer, Monkey Temple.

By the end of dinner, we were both so exhausted, and in need of sleep! We literally got back to her apartment, showered, and immediately said good night. I love being totally on the same wavelength!

Stay tuned for the conclusion to my short 36 hours in Budapest..

Day 1 recap

• 7:25 am: Regiojet, Depart from Vienna (U2 Stadion) | map
• 10:15 am: Arrive Budapest Kelenfold bus station | map
• 11 am – 1 pm: walking on Margaret Island, boat ride to Buda Castle
• 1:30 pm: Lunch at Czako Kert | map
• 3 – 8:30 pm: Rudas Baths | map
• 9 pm: Dinner at Hadik Cafe | map

Go on to Day 2

Looking for a foodie adventure in Budapest?

Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/

Oaxaca is easily one of my favorite places in Mexico. But don’t get me wrong. It’s also great to get out of the city and see the surrounding areas. On my trip to Oaxaca in 2018, my friend and I decided to do a day trip to Mitla in order to see the sites and eat some more great food. And it actually turned out to be the best Oaxaca day trip we took!

We arranged to do a full day tour with our Airbnb host. Hiring private drivers to do this trip is relatively easy in Oaxaca. You can find someone in Centro to take you. Alternatively, the host at your hotel or lodging should be able to make arrangements for you.  We paid 250 Pesos per hour, exclusive of entrance fees.

Our tour included the following:

• Arbol del Tule – the oldest and widest tree in the world!
• Mitla – home of the Zapotec civilization,
• Hierve el Agua – a calcified “waterfall” in the mountains,
• and Mercado de Tlacolula – a market, known for its famous barbacoa, BBQ goat/sheep, markets on Sundays!

And let me just tell you – it was one of our best Oaxaca day trips of our time there!! But first, before we start the day trip to Mitla, we need to make sure our bellies are nice and full!

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1. Breakfast

Of course, we had to start off our day with a hearty meal. We left our Airbnb at 8:30 and arrived at Restaurant La Palapa de Raúl at 9 am, right when they opened for breakfast.

It’s on the way, so you might as well time it perfectly like our host did!

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2. Arbol del Tule (“the tree of Tule”)

And then we were off!  The first stop was the Arbol del Tule, which is arguably the oldest and widest tree in the world.  Some call it the “tree of life.” 

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Rumor has it, the tree is at least 1500 years old.  The diameter of Arbol del Tule is 14.05 meters (46.1 feet).  It sits in a closed off courtyard, along with the town’s church. Walk around the tree and you see animals spring to life. A lion and a crocodile are easily visible in the massive tree trunk.  Sadly, the tree is slowly dying. Pollution, water shortages, and the weight of the nearby road on its roots are the main detriments to the tree’s health.

Entry to the courtyard costs 10 Pesos.  Although you can see the tree without entering the courtyard, it’s worth it to pay if you really want to see the true beauty and nuances of the old tree.

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3. Hierve el Agua (“the water boils”)

From there, we headed into the mountains to Hierve el Agua. This is the view, as you ascend the mountains.

As you pass through small villages on your way, you pay two entrance fees –

• one at an earlier village for 10 Pesos per person,
• and one right outside of Hierve el Agua for 25 Pesos per person. 

There is a reason for the two entrance fees. There is only one road to Hierve el Agua, with two villages in succession before the entrance. The first village wanted to reap the benefits of increased tourism, since buses and vans pass through their village and degrading their roads, etc.  Hence, the double entrance fee was born and frankly, for a combined total of 35 Pesos | under $2 USD, it’s definitely worth it.

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Once you get in, there are two parts to this attraction.

1. A petrified, calcified formation (similar to stalactites or stalagmites) that looks like a cliffside waterfall,
2. Pools formed by mountain spring waters. 

There are two pools, one on an upper terrace, which is natural, and one on a lower terrace, which has spring water directed there. 

Bring your swimsuits, because you can swim or soak in these two pools. 

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To my confusion, these are not thermal baths. Although the water is pure and probably great for your skin, it is a gentle, cool bath.  There are changing rooms and relatively clean bathrooms avaialble for a few pesos.  At the baths, you’ll get a view of the petrified waterfall.  It’s a short hike uphill to get to the actual “waterfall”.  I didn’t go, but my friend did. She said there was another pool at the top.

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4. Roadside Mezcaleria

Leaving Hierve el Agua, we stopped by an artisan mezcaleria run by a small family.  This is the Mexico’s mezcal region, with large swaths of agave plants growing along the roads, up into the mountains. 

Mezcal is made with the core, or the “pineapple” or the agave plant.  The leaves are all cut off and the core is thrown into a fire pit to roast.  After roasting, the cores are flattened with its juices squeezed out by a patient donkey and attached to a stone wheel.  The donkey spends the whole day walking around in a circle, pausing, while the caretaker uses his pitchfork and adjusts the agave cores which are now turning into a pulp.  It’s then fermented and twice distilled, and then it’s ready for drinking! 

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After a little tasting, I bought a walnut-infused mezcal, for 70 Pesos | ~$4 USD.

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5.  Mitla – home of the Zapotecs

Then we headed to Mitla, one of the most important archaeological site for Zapotecs, operating as their main religious center and sacred burial site.  Tickets are around 70 Pesos, same as my mezcal purchase. 

There are three complex groupings that are currently open for visitation – the church group, the column group, and the arroyo group (I think). The three sites are within walking distance of each other, with a small market on the grounds as well. The buildings in Mitla are known for the intricate, interconnected stone work. 

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The name Mitla is a Hispanicized word meaning “place of rest” or “place of the dead.” While I don’t want to diminish the importance of Mitla as a religious center, the reason why Mitla is famous is because of the intricate and decorative mosiac fretwork that you see above. That type of design covers tombs, panels, and entire walls! None of the other Mesoamerican sites in Mexico have that kind of geometric designs! Not only that, but it is extremely well-preserved, considering it may have been inhabited as early as 900 BC!

Gorgeous, right? Now you know why the day trip to Mitla was a must!

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6. Tlacolula Market – Sunday barbacoa eats!

After Mitla, we had worked up an appetite. Since we hadn’t eaten anything since our breakfast hours earlier, it was time to hit the Tlacolula Market!

The Tlacolula Market is famous for it’s Sunday barbacoa.  Local families and restaurants will come out to this market on Sundays to buy barbacoa for their families or their restaurants.  Barbacoa is goat or sheep barbecue, served in a taco or in a soup.  DELICIOUS!  and worth timing out for the Sunday market.

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Parting Thoughts on the Day Trip to Mitla

All in all, this was an amazing and diverse day trip.  It is well worth taking the time to make arrangements.  The itinerary took us from 8:30 am to about 5:30 pm, and was a full day trip.  Granted, we took our time eating and walking around the markets and things.  I’d definitely consider it the best Oaxaca day trip you can take!

The cost we paid to our Airbnb host was about 2,250 Pesos (or a little over $100 USD), which was split between the two of us. Entrance fees for Arbor del Tule, Hierve el Agua, and Mitla added to 115 Pesos (approximately $6 USD), per person. Great for the budget conscious traveller!

For an added bonus, consider combining Teotitlan del Valle with this day trip. It is a small village known for its artisans and weavers. It is conveniently located along the way, and is included on the Google Map below. 

If you’re looking to join a tour instead, it will cost about $45 USD per person, on average. Either via tour or on your own, it’s definitely worth it, and like I said – the day trip to Mitla was one of the best Oaxaca day trips we took!

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

 

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

Click on the blue icons below to follow her on social media!

lanniesfoodandtravel.com/index.php/about-me/