Foodie Favorites from around the World
1. Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand
Chef Gaggan Anand set out to redefine traditional Indian food with what he called “progressive Indian Cuisine”. The Gaggan in Thailand earned two Michelin stars. Now, I am not an Indian food fan, mainly because I really do not like curry so I was hesitant to come here as we were going to be dropping some serious money on this dinner. Our experience at the Gaggan was out of this world amazing! We sat at the chefs table and did a 25 course emoji themed tasting menu. The beauty of a menu like this is that you didn’t know what you were eating until after you had tried it. Together as a table we would guess what the ingredients of each course were. We ate with our fingers, forks, spoons, drank courses, and even licked the plate. Chef Gaggan had closed his Bangkok masterpiece for a few years as he opened a new concept in Japan; but, the great news is that he is back in Bangkok and you can delight in this once in a lifetime experience.
2. Sunset Mona Lisa – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Imagine dining on the edge of rock cliffs overlooking the famous Arch at Land’s End in the Bay of Cabo San Lucas. I have no doubts on why the Express Tribune ranked this place the 5th coolest restaurant in the world! My husband proposed to me in Cabo earlier on the day that we dined here and this restaurant experience was absolutely the perfect ending of the day. We were both flying high, so excited about life and had the most incredible table with views I can’t even begin to describe. This restaurant would probably be a top ten on views alone but the food is remarkable and reasonably priced considering it’s location and experience. If you find yourself in Cabo, do not miss out on this restaurant.
3.Khao Soi Khun-Yai – Chiang Mai, Thailand
I wish I could say we found this place on our own but it came as a recommendation from a random couple we met at a bar. They only make two dishes and then with those you can choose your meat between beef, chicken, or pork. Khao Soi is a dish that originated in Northern Thailand and I believe this place is the best you can find. The other option on the menu is Spicy Noodle Soup and is equally delightful. Most people that actually find this place will go back more than once. The best part (other than the taste) is that the cost is so cheap. 50 THB or roughly $1.50 USD. Do not expect a fancy dining experience. It is an open air hole in the wall (parking lot) that will leave you feeling like you truly had an authentic experience. You know it is authentic when you are dining alongside locals.
4. The Boma – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The Boma Dinner & Drum Show is a once in a lifetime African experience. The entertainment begins the moment you arrive when they outfit you in a traditional chintenge (sarong). You will enjoy traditional dance performances, face painting, a fortune teller and more with it all culminating at the renowned interactive drumming show. The food is a meat lovers paradise. You can sample all the authentic African game meats as well as wart hog, and the famous Mopani worm. I skipped out on the worm experience but my husband ate two of them. The first he said was crunch and not that bad so he went for a second which was juicy and “full of protein.”
