Traveling the world can be nerve-racking, especially when you are away from your stereotypical Whole Foods. My family has an insane combination of dietary restrictions, ranging from lactose intolerance to being unable to eat food that is a day old.
We decided to take the craziest vacation this summer, traveling to over 14 different cities in a little under three weeks. The only road bump was finding places to eat for the all of us. Nonetheless we were able to find food and here are foods to try if you travel to these European cities.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Satellite Sports Café
I spent a lot of time in the Netherlands, which also meant I spent a lot of time eating. I happened to come across a restaurant famous to the townies in Amsterdam: Satellite Sports Café.
The café has an extensive menu, but a majority of the customers set that aside and just order what is on the large sign covering almost every window on the restaurant.
“€11.95 Unlimited Spare Ribs from 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM, €9.95 Unlimited Spare Ribs from 10:00 PM – 12:00 AM”
I’m American, which means I love red meat. It is practically our culture to have red meat at every holiday event and cookout. I was stoked to find out there was unlimited ribs for a shocking price of $14.04. Then again, sometimes good quantity does not mean good quality. Nevertheless, when I bit into the first rib, the meat just slid off the bone. It had the texture of chicken thigh but the juiciness of a rib. I happened to get four more plates of ribs after my first one, indulging in a quality rib I had not come across yet in the US.
The Hague, Netherlands
Luciano
All ice cream is the same. It is just frozen milk and sugar with added flavorings. Or that is what I thought before I stepped into Luciano in The Hague. They go to the extent of having frozen yogurt and lactose free options. Luciano is known for their unique flavors of ice cream. The inner Canadian got the best of me and I got the maple syrup and the Café Noire (dark chocolate coffee) scoops. Other flavors include raspberry crumble pie, Oreo cake, graham cracker, and pistachio. It is definitely worth going since each scoop is only one euro! Luciano is a European food speciality not worth missing.
Bruges, Belgium
Le Temp De Sucre
Adventures of my sweet tooth continues as I travel to Bruges and stumble across a handmade Belgian Chocolate shop, Le Temp De Sucre. My eyes swooned over every piece of chocolate, seeing how each one was honestly a work of art. Chocolate was not only sold individually in pieces but also in bags, something I had not seen before. After spending a little too much time admiring, my family and I decided to grab two bags of truffles.
Brussels, Belgium
Blegaufra Hot Waffles Australian
It is a given to any foreigner traveling to Belgium that they need to try Belgian waffles. Now any naïve traveler would just order Belgian waffles at any restaurant in Belgium believing that it is authentic and the best there is. But I decided to try Belgian waffles at four other places before deciding which one served the best authentic Belgian Waffle.
Blegaufra has specialized in waffle dough making for more than 65 years. Nicolas, the chef at Hot Waffles Australian, turns the fresh baked Blegaufra waffle dough into sweet delicacies. He decorates one with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and crushed peanuts and the other with maple syrup, bananas, and chocolate sauce. I have never seen myself eat a waffle so slowly.
Peurto Calma, Gran Canaria, Spain
Isla Bonita
Gran Canaria is a small island off the coast of Spain, that serves Spain’s most popular rice dish, Paella. The rice dish is cooked in a thick metal pan called the paella, the size of a satellite dish. The rice is cooked so that it is tender like meat but slightly toasted like bread. Each grain is covered in the yellow Spanish curry consistent of saffron, paprika, and cayenne pepper. A variety of paella was served at the Isla Bonita including the seafood paella for 4 people, the dish my family and I ordered. The rice dish was combined with jumbo shrimp, scallops, crab, and clams. The cook beautifully plated the dish for each of us serving a slice of orange with it, some fresh lime, and the signature Spanish drink, Sangria.
Traveling to a new country can be frustrating especially as a tourist. There are an overwhelming number of places to eat and every time you ask a city goer where to eat, each one gives you a different response. My experiences in these five countries has narrowed down the ice cream shops and restaurants you need to try, so that you can get the most out of your next visit.