When I Think of Travel, I Think of Food

When I think of travel, I think of food.

If I’m being completely transparent with you, when going on a trip or vacation, I usually plan my excursions around the food I want to eat. I love trying new places and will be slightly annoyed if my party wants to eat at a chain restaurant or order typical American items like wings or chicken nuggets.

I once heard, “To understand a culture, you need to try its food,” and boy, do I believe that.

Now, you may never see me eat bugs, frog legs, or some of the more exotic things — but I do my best to stay open to new cuisine.

Puerto Rico

I used to find it hard to give coworkers or friends travel advice because I just wanted to tell them about all the things they could eat while vacationing.

Recently, I had two different people reach out and ask what advice I had for them when they arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first thing I said was, “There’s a little hole-in-the-wall called El Jíbaro. If you want authentic, traditional Puerto Rican food — go eat there.”

Honestly, I think everyone should try that place at least once in their lifetime.

After that, I usually follow up with, “And don’t forget to visit a panadería and try their sandwiches and pastries. And if you can hit up a hot dog cart, make sure to get one hot dog with everything!”

You see, I really do have a food problem. I get tunnel vision and forget to mention all the beautiful places to see and things to do — but perhaps that can be for another post. Today, I want to talk about the foods I can’t forget from the places I’ve visited. And since I already mentioned Puerto Rico, this next destination feels like the most fitting place to go.

New York City — 2011

I honestly don’t remember the name of the restaurant. I mean, I was 23 years old and had no idea that a pizza Margherita would still be on my mind all these years later — but I dare say it was the best pizza of my life.

I remember the waiter was Sicilian, and we had fried prosciutto and mozzarella as an appetizer. Honestly, I don’t know if it was the pizza itself or the entire experience, but every time I think of good pizza, it’s this memory that pops up — and the way that meal made me feel that day.

New Orleans — 2016

Everything.

The food in this city was beyond words. From beignets to crab cakes, gumbo to crawfish — it was all so good.

But do you want to know what I crave the most? Cajun red beans and rice.

It truly didn’t matter which restaurant I went to — the red beans and rice were perfection everywhere. I have genuinely considered taking another trip there just to eat them again. Now I just have to convince my husband to come with me.

Washington, DC — 2015

Old Ebbitt Grill — if you know, you know.

This place is rich with history. Having served Presidents McKinley, Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Warren Harding, it’s no wonder it’s considered a D.C. treasure.

I experienced this restaurant thanks to my boss at the time, who made the reservation while I was in D.C. for a work conference. I ordered a filet mignon, and to this day my mouth starts watering just thinking about it.

It remains the best steak I’ve ever eaten — despite having much more expensive ones since. The funny thing? It wasn’t even cooked to my requested temperature. I ordered it medium and received something closer to rare or medium-rare — yet the flavor was exceptional. I honestly think they did that on purpose.

Pendleton

The sipping chocolate at Alexander’s Chocolate. Drool.

A friend once told me that this sipping chocolate tastes identical to what’s served in Italy — and since I’ve never been, I’m choosing to believe them.

Luckily, these chocolatiers are only about 30 minutes away from me, so every now and then I get to sneak over and indulge. They can also serve it as a café mocha, but I keep it simple and drink it straight. There’s truly nothing else I’ve tasted like it — though I imagine Willy Wonka’s chocolate river would come pretty close.

Food, Memories, and Connection

Now that I’ve made myself hungry reminiscing about all these incredible places, I’d love to hear yours.

What are your top three or four unforgettable foods? Maybe one day we’ll get to try one another’s recommendations — and come back to this blog to share.

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.”
— Cesar Chavez, Mexican-American labor leader, civil rights activist, and cofounder of the National Farm Workers Association