Tag - Food & Drink

Okonomiyaki in Osaka

Japan’s “soul food”: a simple guide to Osaka street food

Osaka is widely regarded to have some of the best food in Japan. Quick, tasty bites are in Osaka’s DNA. And best of all, they are all super cheap! History of the yatai Yatai street food carts or “shop stands”, as they are translated, date back to at least the 17th century, with some sources saying they were around in the 5th and 6th centuries! Yatai...

Shigetsu restaurant in Kyoto

An introduction to shojin ryori: Japanese vegan monastery cuisine

If you’re a vegetarian or vegan and have never visited Japan before, don’t despair. You might have a picture of porky ramen, wagyu beef, and raw sushi in your head when you think of Japanese cuisine, but I’d like to introduce you to another style of cooking that is authentic, wonderful, and uniquely Japanese. Even if you are an omnivore like myself...

Private spa at Suiran / Image via Agoda

Serene Japanese ryokan with private onsen in Kyoto

Picture yourself sitting on the tatami mats in your private room, enjoying a cup of tea. You step out on to the deck of your private garden and slip out of your yukata nightrobe for a nighttime (or daytime) dip in your private tub, surrounded by a bright green carefully sculpted and curated garden. What more could one ask for? What is a ryokan? A ryokan (旅館)  is...

Mexico City street food for beginners

UNESCO has designated only three traditional cuisines in the world as worthy of being called “cultural treasures”. France, Japan, and Mexico. All three are well deserved, but I think Mexican cuisine is probably the most surprising one on this short list (at least to my Japanese food tour guide, who happened to be French). Mexican food is unthinkably delicious...

Simit street food in Istanbul in front of the Hagia Sophia

12 incredible street foods you must try in Istanbul

Istanbul street food blew me away! It's really bizarre how the food tastes different on two different continents despite being in the same city. Don't cheat yourself by sticking only to restaurants; street food is a great way to try many different dishes without breaking the budget.