Foodporn while traveling part two

Foodporn part two...

One of my favorite travel finds is when I discover a local joint near the places I'm staying in. I'm always researching places to eat but sometimes I go by instinct and stop in a place that is filled with locals. 

Grilled beef bun with Vietnamese fried pork spring roll. I was looking for the Asian supermarket in Zurich on an impromptu weekend trip. This Vietnamese restaurant was crowded and next to the store so I stopped in to try it out. This was the best Vietnamese meal I've had in Europe! (I also ordered the strong black Vietnamese drip coffee) Zurich, Switzerland. May 2015.

Roasted chicken with vegetables and foie gras in a brown gravy truffle sauce. I was assigned to cook this dish in my school's fine dining restaurant as part of my practical training duties. What an exhilarating week of prepping, chopping, boiling, marinating, roasting, simmering, searing, slicing, carving, and plating! Bluche, Switzerland. May 2015.

Matzo ball soup from a New York Jewish style deli in Berlin. I hadn't had Matzo ball soup in years! I was extremely excited to discover this existed in Berlin! In a very cool residential enclave in the central part of Berlin. The owners of this place are American expats that were Brooklyners. New York Jewish deli food brings back good memories of hiding it from the cold rain in the winter months and tucking into a bowl of matzoh ball comfort. Berlin, Germany. June 2015. 

Wurst with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. Very German. You pretty much have to order this when in Germany. The sunset was starting in Dresden and this restaurant had a great view of the bridges and old town so we stopped here to have dinner. Though a small city, Dresden was full of culture and beautiful architecture! Dresden, Germany. June 2015. 

Meat and potatoes. This meal was homecooked and simple yet tasty and nourishing. A little local tiny restaurant where everyone that are there was local and knew each other. Dresden, Germany. June 2015.

Beef stew with Czech dumplings. One of my favorite foods are dumplings and a lot of different cultures does dumplings a different way. I remember the first time I ordered dumplings at a restaurant in Prague, I got so confused when dumplings meant soft pieces of bread-like slices. It's really good by the way.. 😜 Prague, Czech Republic. June 2015. 

Soup dumplings from Din Tai Fung are the best. Soupy, porky, doughy = comfort food. I am always feeling a bit overwhelmed with the myriad of choices of Asian foods and flavors back in Asia. I always seem to order comfort food that I know and my stomach knows how to handle before venturing to try different things. Southeast Asian food is filled with all kinds of spices and flavors that my tastebuds and stomach go psychotic for a while after being away for a while. Singapore, June 2015.

Fika tid! Fika time in Stockholm. Fika is my favorite Swedish pastime I like to partake in and have adopted for my daily life. A coffee break with a little something sweet. This Fika was spent with two friends of mine in the central of Stockholm. Just hanging out chatting and people watching. A great catch up and chill afternoon. Chokladbollar is the perfect Swedish Fika treat paired with coffee. Stockholm, Sweden. July 2015

Kalixlöjröm. That's fish eggs from the Kalix region of Sweden. This was so good! Best fish eggs I've had. Delicate, smooth, salty, and the crispy toast is just the perfect complement. Sometimes amazing food is meant to be remembered. Stockholm, Sweden. July 2015. 

First meal at home in the Swiss mountain village. I prepared a simple meal of marinated sweet and spicy pork belly with noodles and bokchoy. A simple meal shared with a couple friends around the kitchen table. I love these lovely memories and having friends over for small dinners is simple, personal, and honest hospitality that I love. Bluche, Switzerland. August 2015.

Potluck dinner al fresco with my classmates. When working on group projects, we have to meet up and work on the projects together so I invited my group members to come over for dinner. Two of us cooked and the other one brought some drinks. One of the things I miss about being in such a small mountain village community. Bluche, Switzerland. August 2015

Making and selling cookies! Three of us made sweet treats to sell and raise money for our event. Grassroots fundraising is incredibly challenging but very rewarding when we come up with the funds for the event. Reminded me of raising funds for my dance company. Thinking creatively, troubleshooting, pre planning, fundraising, creating momentum, and building community. Bluche, Switzerland. Sept 2015.

Foodporn while traveling part 1

Soup dumplings in Guangzhou, China. Jan 2013. I was a guest artist teaching and choreographing at a International school for a week. 

Foodporn can bring about envy and hunger on social media. But I love taking pictures of my food especially when I travel. It reminds me of the amazing meals I've eaten and some really nice memories. I find myself 'at home' within my memories so it is helpful for me to have many pictures that trigger these memories. This is part one! 

Fish and chips in London, UK. July 2013. 

I arrived London a week prior to a summer performing at the fringe festival in Edinburgh. 

Peking Duck in Singapore. Nov 2013. 

My birthday meal request. 

Mussels in Valencia, Spain. July 2014. This was the first time ever for me to eat mussels. This little restaurant was so much fun and authentic. We chucked the shells on the floor! 

Paella in Valencia, Spain. July 2014. We found the restaurant that serves the very first paella. 

Pasteis de Belem in Lisbon, Portugal. July 2014. These were so hyped up but once you had one, you understand why. They are super good! 

Shrimp "burrito" Swedish style in Brännö Island in Gothenburg, Sweden. July 2014. This was the best shrimp salad burrito I have ever eaten! It was such a beautiful Swedish summer day. I spent that day lying on a rock like a mermaid basking in the sun. 

Seafood/fish bouillabaisse in Stockholm, Sweden. July 2014. The meal before an amazing night bar hopping in Stockholm. 

Indian food in Singapore, Sept 2014. I rarely eat Indian food as it doesn't sit too well with me. This was a lovely evening exploring a new neighborhood in the east side of Singapore. 

Herring with condiments in Stockholm, Sweden. Oct 2014. A very Swedish meal of herring and meatballs. 

High tea with mom in Singapore, Oct 2014. 

Jamon croquettes and iced lemon mint tea in Singapore, Jan 2015. Dinner with a fabulous group of women before I left Singapore. 

Chilli crab dinner in Singapore, Jan 2015. This was a big going away party and I invited so many people this evening. I was so happy to see a lot of my friends come out to see me off. 

Danish pastries in Copenhagen, Denmark. Jan 2014. I trekked out in the cold rain to find this bakery. The smells of the fresh bread baking in the oven and the large selection of pastries was truly overwhelming! 

Reindeer in Rovaniemi, Finland. Jan 2015. I was fascinated that Santa Claus and reindeer existed in Northern Finland! So the saying goes: when in Rome...do as the Romans do! 

Chokladbollar in Stockholm, Sweden. Jan 2015. Fika is a Swedish tradition that everyone should adopt. Taking time out during the day to have a coffee break and something sweet. A short break to refresh, socialize, reflect, and recharge with sugar and caffeine. Chokladbollar is my favorite Fika snack and the Bryggt kaffe (black coffee) is strong in Sweden. Just the way I like it. 

Brunch in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Jan 2015. This was my first brunch with a few new friends the first weekend during orientation week. We were excited to embark on a new hospitality program and career. 

Crepe with ham, cheese, and egg in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Feb 2015. An evening dinner with my new classmates/friends to bond together over a yummy dinner of crepes. I always remember this meal whenever I go to this little restaurant. 

Cheese fondue in Geneva, Switzerland. Feb 2015. I went to visit an acquaintance from Singapore who now lives in Geneva and we went to get cheese fondue. This was my first Swiss Fondue and it was so yummy. I'm not used to eating cheese because I didn't grow up eating cheese as a child. So to have a meal of just cheese is quite the experience! 

Chicken satay lunch at my hospitality school in Switzerland. March 2015. One of the coolest things about attending a hospitality program is the fact that you get to eat international cuisine because the chefs and students that cook the food are international and from many different cultures. 

Ham and cheese open faced sandwich with chinotto soda in Milan, Italy. April 2015. This was a simple afternoon lunch that was enjoyed slowly. I remember I spent the day shopping and got famished so I took my time eating this meal slowly and people watching. I love just taking my time during a meal and people watching. It feels very cerebral and relaxing to do this. 

Wiener schnitzel with potato salad. Coffee and apfel strudel. Innsbruck, Austria. April 2015. This meal during the middle of a ski day was enormous but soooooo good. The Austrians do schnitzel so well because it's so thin and battered just right. 

Peach Danish in Vevey, Switzerland. May 2015. Right after our exams, we had two field trips and one of them was to go to the food museum (sponsored by Nestle). We had a mini cooking class on how to make these flaky pastries. This is the Danish I made :-)