Our tastebuds are forever in debt to dannyr.
The inquisitive Reddit user recently asked his fellow online travelers to complete this statement: "When you travel to ____, you HAVE to try the ___." Presumably, the answers could have included all kinds of experiences. But of course they veered instantly toward the one thing that's most important while traveling: the food.
Here are some of Reddit's best recommendations, along with a few of our own favorites. Try them while you're abroad-- these regional dishes won't taste better anywhere else on Earth.
@mastaam:
When you go to BERLIN, you have to try the CURRYWURST.
Typical German sausage gets a kick from ketchup infused with curry and paprika. Try one with fries at Curry 36.
@upsidedownbat:
When you go to CHIANG MAI, you have to try the KHAO SOI.
Crunchy fried noodles are the highlight of this curry-esque stew, the signature dish of this city in northern Thailand.
@dannyr:
When you go to FIJI, you have to try the KOKODA.
It's kind of like ceviche, but with flaky fish in coconut cream. Lick it like smooth ice cream out of a coconut shell.
@Frankenlady:
When you go to SWEDEN, you have to try the SEMLA.
These cream-filled wonderpuffs became popular on Fat Tuesday as a way to stockpile before Easter fasts.
@travelisfree:
When you go to SRI LANKA, you have to try the KOTTU.
Paper-thin bread is the base for this spicy fried rice-ish mashup. SO MEATY.
When you go to GREECE, you have to try the MOUSSAKA.
The Greeks smother a yummy sauce over their twist on lasagna. Opa, indeed.
@scodger1:
When you go to THE NETHERLANDS, you have to try the STROOPWAFELS.
The name literally means "syrup waffle." They were invented in the Dutch city of Gouda when a baker made a waffle out of crumbs and then filled it with syrup.
@jinyoungkim7:
When you go to JAPAN, you have to try the TAKOYAKI.
Americans call these things octopus balls. They're not far off: the recipe calls for pastry batter and octopus meat.
@dasblog:
When you go to QUEBEC, you have to try the POUTINE.
One Reddit user reports trying to re-create the dish with McDonald's fries and cheese curd she ordered online. As you might guess, it wasn't the same.
@kanzac:
When you go to MUMBAI, you have to try the PULAO.
Other places have their own variations, and this user recommends a specific restaurant in Mumbai. At street stalls, scoops of this seasoned rice come with melted butter on top. Mmm.
@dannyr:
When you go to AUSTRALIA, you have to try the MEAT PIE.
The Aussies further differentiated themselves from England by tweaking the traditional pastry pie. Filled with meat and gravy, you'll see meat pies at sporting events.
@dannyr:
When you go to MALAYSIA you have to try the CHAR KWAY TEOW.
The noodle dish is hot in Singapore and other cities, but the version in Penang, Malaysia leaves people stunned.
@upsidedownbat:
When you go to LIMA, you have to try the CEVICHE.
You might expect ceviche from somewhere more tropical, but there's a whole street of top-notch cevicherias in the capital of Peru that dish up delicious mixes of fish.
@wakiem:
When you go to BELGIUM, you have to try the CARBONADE FLAMANDE.
Why make normal casserole when you can simmer beef in beer?
@uncharted09:
When you go to MOROCCO, you have to try the TAGINE.
Named after the pot in which it's cooked (and often served), tagine is a savory stew slow-roasted over coals. It's the Crock-Pot of Africa, if you will.
When you go to THE PHILIPPINES, you have to try the BALUT.*
It's a fertilized duck embryo that's been boiled alive. Good luck psyching yourself up.
When you go to SINGAPORE, you have to try the CHICKEN RICE.
Now this is something we could easily devour.
When you go to MEXICO, you have to try the SEAFOOD TOSTADA.
Anthony Bourdain loves the petite ones at La Guerrerense in Ensenada.
When you go to PARIS, you have to try the ESCARGOT.
When in France,
" target="_hplink">do as the Frenchies do (even if it's ew).
*Yes, we know balut is a revolting and potentially inhumane snack-- maybe that's why this Reddit comment was deleted after its posting. Still, balut is too unique to ignore while you're abroad.