When I think about the best or most memorable meals that I had abroad, its honestly not so much about the food itself but the story, or the memory, that accompanies them. I know this because often times, I travel back to the same location and rush to the restaurant and order that same dish; but it's no longer the same and I leave with a crazy sense of disappointment (lesson learnt, sometimes it better to leave a good memory as it is... a memory).
I bought an entire deer tenderloin from a farmer in New Zealand days after he found it in his farm and shot it. We had a little cooker in our RV so I cleaned up the loin and cut it up into thick steaks. We then parked right by Lake Wanaka and after a swim in its freezing cold water, we watched the sunset with a side of Deer Fillet.
Arriving in New York for the first time was magical, the city's vibrant and fast-paced vibes just get your heart racing with excitement. After the bus ride from Washington, we were starving so before we even checked into our hotel, we rushed over to Joy Burger. It was then, that I met perfection.
My dad and I were walking down the streets of Chicago one morning when we came past this family having breakfast at a diner. Naturally, we took a quick peak at their meals and could not believe the size of the dishes! This restaurant served their omelets right on the pan and I swear there must have been at least 9 eggs in each. Of course, we ordered an omelet each and it was probably the best and most filling I have ever had.
Most memorable doesn't necessarily mean in a good way right? One night while road-tripping South Africa's Garden Route, we stopped over in a little town with absolutely nothing to do. It was 8 pm and everything was shut. There were no restaurants, no malls and no hotels. After roaming around for what seemed like eternity, we found a little, run-down motel that served food... if that's what you wanna call it. I ordered a burger, a paper-thin yet still surprisingly frozen in the middle burger... in a bun that seemed to be older than I was. Even then, I was actually more fortunate than my friends who ordered the mac and cheese. Straight up looked like a dog had eaten it then puked it back out right into their plates. Safe to say we won't be visiting that little town again but the memory still brings laughter to us all. Oh, also the rest of the Garden Route is to die for, the food is delicious, the landscaped are stunning, I can go on and on for hours about that trip.
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