Do You Research the Food of a Country?

On April 25, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, Travel Tips19 Comments

There is always a lot of planning that occurs before visiting a country for the very first time. What are the important sites to see, which cities should you visit, what are the best transportation options, etc. All of those are obviously important things to research, but what about the foods that you should eat and the restaurants that you should go to? Eating the food that is specific to a country, region, or city is part of the experience that really shouldn’t be an afterthought. It is good to know what you might want to try as well as some things that you probably shouldn’t eat.

In addition to doing some research before going to a country, we also ask a lot of locals about where we should go, especially to find out who might make the most authentic dishes. Obviously, you can’t go to every restaurant that you hear about, but at least you can prioritize the ones you want to visit. It is also important to know what might be in season where you are going so that you can understand what might either not be available or perhaps not the best during your visit.

Mostly we try to find local food prepared by family owned or small restaurants that have a reputation for serving fresh and creative food. Depending upon where we are, getting food from street carts or food trucks is also a favorite option to get a taste of what locals eat on a daily basis. It may seem odd to some people, but we feel that what we eat and drink when we travel is as crucial a part of the experience as the places that we see or the people that we meet. It is one of the reasons that we also try and replicate meals from some of our favorite journeys so that we can recreate and reminisce about a past experience that is more tangible than just looking at the photos taken during our travels. What are your thoughts, do you research and have a set of foods or drinks that you want to try before you’ve even stepped off of the plane or train?

Central Park in New York City

On April 5, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New York19 Comments

When visiting Manhattan in New York City, taking a stroll in Central Park is a must. Especially during the summer months, it is amazingly beautiful in the center of city of skyscrapers. You can take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, until they ban them, but we didn’t want to based upon reports we had heard about how the horses were treated. Until you actually see it from above, it is hard to believe how large Central Park actually is, which is over 843 acres. There are activities throughout the year, so it is worth checking out their official website before you come to New York to see what is happening when you are there.

View of Central Park from the Top of the Rock

In addition to special events and concerts, there is the Central Park Zoo and Belvedere Castle as well as a variety of statues located throughout the park. Renting a bike is a great way to get around and see even more of the park than just by walking its many paths. During the summer, there are many artists selling artwork or willing to paint your caricature if you have the time to sit for one. There are also ball parks and open spaces to toss a Frisbee or kick a soccer ball around. You can even rent a rowboat on the lake, which they have been doing for over 150 years, or take a ride on a gondola.

There are concession stands throughout the park as well, which is a great way to get an inexpensive meal, but there are restaurant choices as well. The most famous of which is probably Tavern on the Green, but we were warned that their reputation has fallen slightly in recent years. We enjoyed a Sunday brunch at the Loeb Boathouse, which has wonderful views of the lake and a delicious variety of food. If you are in the mood for some French food, there is Le Pain Quotidien, which features a variety of quiches, although we did not eat there.

Central Park is truly an oasis in the heart of Manhattan with so much to do that you can certainly spend a full day there. It is possible to get a walking tour of the park, which is a great way to learn more about the history of the park and see some its lesser known attractions.

Do You Prefer Casual or Fine Dining when Traveling?

On November 15, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, Travel Tips5 Comments

Especially when traveling to larger cities, there tend to be an abundance of restaurants to choose from. Although we might select a nicer restaurant for a single night or a special occasion, we typically find more casual restaurants to grab a meal or quick bite. We go with casual restaurants for a variety of reasons. First of all, it is likely that we have been walking quite a bit and are usually dressed relaxed as we visit the various sights, so we don’t want to feel underdressed. We also find that some finer restaurants can be a little pretentious and we are all about simple food with great flavors that represent the region as opposed to a gourmet presentation. As we walk the streets of a city, we tend to look for a place that is warm and inviting, where the owners are typically visible, and where locals seem to be frequenting.

That isn’t to say that there is anything wrong with going to a fine dining restaurant, they certainly have a lot to offer as well, but we just tend to lean towards the more casual locations. We do, however, tend to go to an actual sit-down restaurant versus just grabbing something from a street vendor. We will get something from a street cart if we are in a rush and it looks like they have a clean cart and fresh looking food, but our preference is to be able to sit at a table, sip on a glass of wine or beer, and people watch. Sitting at a small café in a plaza or square and relaxing over some nibbles while watching all of the other tourists scurry around can be quite the interesting experience.