We’re not sure when or even why this happened, but recently food trucks have become really popular.

Yep, food trucks, roach coaches, mobile food poison dispensaries; those dirty looking trucks that hang outside construction sites and car washes selling mystery meats that even dogs would be afraid to eat.

Or at least that’s how most of us used to view food trucks.  But times have changed.

Food trucks aren’t as plain as a Denny’s on wheels anymore.  They sell more than just defrosted burgers and overcooked scrambled eggs.

Food trucks have themes.  They sell gourmet versions of a particular genre of food using high quality ingredients.

But you have to be in the loop to find them.  Usually the only way to find out where these food trucks are located is through word of mouth or to follow them on Twitter.

And even then, if you arrive late, you might stand in line for an hour… and the food will still sell out.

That’s why we were really excited to attend the first ever Orange County Foodie Fest this past weekend.

The event pulled together 49 of the top food trucks from Southern California and put ‘em all in one lot so 8,500 people could try some great food that’s normally hard to find.  There was supposed to be 50 trucks, but the dim sum truck didn’t show.

We spent five hours jumping from truck to truck, spending about 20 minutes in line at each one, but it was totally worth the achy feet and scorching sunburn.  Here’s what we sampled:

Nom Nom Truck

This was by far the most popular truck at OC Foodie Fest.  We hit this food truck first and we’re lucky we did because the wait was ridiculously long by mid-afternoon… and we can see why.  They serve amazing bánh mì, which is a Vietnamese sandwich served on a French baguette and stuffed with cilantro, pickled carrots, peppers, mayo and choice of meat, the best being pork.

Piaggio On Wheels

Ever since the Buenos Aires trip we’ve been craving Argentine food.  So we were stoked to find out about Piaggio On Wheels.  The skirt steak taco with chimichurri sauce and the pulled pork slider were nice, but it just wasn’t the same.

White Rabbit Truck

Southern California has a big Asian population and a big Mexican population, so it makes sense that a lot of food trucks like White Rabbit fuse the two together to make Asian tacos and burritos.  The craze started with the Kogi truck, which serves Korean BBQ tacos, and now White Rabbit is gaining popularity for their Filipino tacos.  They were just okay.  The pork sisig, which is fried pork, was too salty and chewy, and the chicken adobo was a little dry.  But this was probably just a bad sample.  They were more concerned with their Man Versus Food-style eating challenge where contestants had to eat a 6-pound burrito in 30 minutes.  Just look how big they were:

Chunk-N-Chip Cookies

It was getting pretty hot, and since there was no shaded area, the only way to cool down was with an ice cream sandwich.  Here’s why that tactic didn’t necessarily work: Chunk-N-Chip makes ice cream sandwiches using fresh baked, hot-out-of-the-oven cookies, then smashes a scoop of ice cream in the middle.  The problem is that the warm cookies melt the ice cream, making for a messy yet delicious affair.  I went with the brownie cookie with mint chocolate chip ice cream, and Jackie had the chocolate chip cookie with rocky road ice cream.  Yes, they were as dense as they sound.  They took second place in the “Best of the Fest” competition.

Ta Bom

Dessert wasn’t going to stop us from having more food, so we went to the Brazilian food truck and got a sirloin steak taco and a chicken taco.  They were both pretty good but the service was unbelievably slow.  And I’m still afraid of what the side effects are from drinking that Guarana drink that tasted like Red Bull.

Seabirds

We needed a break from all that dense food, so we went for something that usually scares us: vegetarian food.  The beer battered avocado taco with tequila-jalapeno sauce was refreshing, but the real hit was the jerk jackfruit taco, which had jerk seasoned jackfruit topped with green salsa.  It kind of freaked me out at first because the taste and texture was oddly similar to skirt steak, but once I got my head around the fact that I was eating a fruit and not meat, I felt proud for taking the healthy alternative.  Plus it helped me ignore my mental calorie counter, which was reaching a frightening number.

Longboards Ice Cream

It was getting inexplicably hotter as the sun was setting and we knew we had to finish the day with dessert, so we stopped at Longboards for a coconut ice cream bar dipped in Ghirardelli dark chocolate and rolled in coconut shavings.  It really didn’t have the refreshing effect I was expecting, but it was pretty damn good.

The trucks were separated into sections with funny names based on cities in Orange County, like Eaterheim for Anaheim, Foodport Beach for Newport Beach, and our favorite, based on Huntington Beach…

We didn’t get to try other places like the sushi food truck called Fishlips…

…or the French fry truck that served sweet potato fries with Nutella and peanut butter, or the double-decker bus serving World Fare…

…or the pizza by the slice truck, or the crepes truck…

…or even the meatball truck called Great Balls On Tires…

But overall, the OC Foodie Fest rocked.  Yeah, it was a pretty expensive day — tickets were $12 a person, parking $15, and each truck cost between $6 – $10 — but we look at it this way: we’d wind up paying way more in gas to drive to these food trucks in parts unknown in L.A.  So we’ll pay gladly a premium to have ‘em all in one place.

Next time, though, I won’t wear a belt.  There’s really no point.  Unless you want to see if you can actually snap a belt by ballooning in size.

One of the great privileges of traveling is trying street food in other countries.  But how much does it suck to return home and not be able to get that food again?

Well, we don’t have to worry about that problem anymore thanks to a restaurant called Street in Los Angeles.

This up-scale eatery from chef and TV personality Susan Feniger has gathered street food from all over the world and put them under one roof.

Now, the food isn’t as cheap as it would be from a street cart, but at least you don’t have to worry about contracting food poisoning.

Even though the menu at Street isn’t that extensive, you’re bound to find some interesting flavors from nearly every continent.  Here’s what we tried:

Brazilian Acaraje – crispy black eyed pea fritters topped with a sweet and spicy citrus cabbage and chile sauce.  The dish comes with four fritters and each one is a two-biter.

Cheese Grits – creamy Southern-style grits made with butter and white cheddar cheese. A surprisingly light dish without an overwhelming cheese flavor.

Mexican Ricotta Noquis – light and airy sheep’s milk ricotta formed into small dumplings and simmered until they literally melt in your mouth.  They’re topped with two salsas: a mild, citrusy green tomatillo and a smoky chipotle.  The dumplings are delicate and nicely pick up the flavors of the salsas.

Smashed Potatoes – mashed Yukon gold potatoes that have been lightly fried to create a crisp outside and creamy inside. The mashed potato fries are topped with sour cream, chives and pink peppercorns that give the dish a real pop.

Vietnamese Corn – a dense dish consisting of corn sauteed with small chunks of pork belly, chile peppers and scallions.  Unfortunately the super salty fish sauce really overwhelmed the sweetness of the corn and pork.

Kaya Toast – by far our favorite dish.  This Malaysian sensation features toasted white bread topped with an egg, sugar and coconut milk spread, and served with a soft fried egg drizzled with soy sauce.  Once you dip the sandwich into the egg, you get these great complimentary flavors and textures of sweet and salty, custardy and crunchy.  It’s expensive for what it is, but here’s how I justify it: it’s cheaper than flying to Malaysia to get Kaya toast.

The food was so good, almost like taking a mini culinary vacation to various places around the world, but I wish the menu was more comprehensive.  It would be cool to go to a restaurant that had just about every popular street food in the world, even the big things like tacos from Mexico City or sausage from Germany or crepes from France.

But until that happens, we get to enjoy unique foods from exotic countries we may never get a chance to visit — all in one place.  And that makes Street a travel destination in and of itself.

Susan Feniger’s Street
742 North Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038-3415
(323) 203-0500
www.eatatstreet.com

If you want a good beer, travel to Germany.  But if you want the strongest beer on the planet, head to the Netherlands.

Last week, a Scottish brewery called BrewDog released a beer that was 55% percent alcohol — the highest ever.

They only made 12 bottles, each of which was stuffed inside a dead animal and sold for about $750.

Not to be outdone, a Dutch brewery called The Refrigerated Ship just came out with a brew that’s 60% alcohol by volume — that’s 120 proof — making it the world’s strongest beer.

The brew is called “Start The Future” and a bottle sells for only 35 euros.

More alcohol for less money?  At that point, does it really matter what it tastes like?

Sure, we’re still going through a recession, but some people are willing to pay a lot of money for extravagant food… no matter how unnecessary it is.

If you’re one of those people who likes to eat well when you travel (and by “well” I mean “expensive”), head to New York’s Serendipty3.

This luxury restaurant is famous for going over the top, having twice made it into the Guinness World Records for offering the World’s Most Expensive Ice Cream Sundae (which cost $25,000 when it was released in 2007) and the World’s Largest Hot Chocolate (4 gallons).

Last Friday, they made it a hat trick with something you normally doesn’t associate with high price: a hot dog.

That’s right, the restaurant will soon be offering the World’s Most Expensive Hot Dog.

If you thought stadium hot dogs were over-priced, wait ’til you see this price tag.

Unlike stadiums, however, you actually get what you pay for with this hot dog.  So what makes the World’s Most Expensive Hot Dog so expensive?  The opulent ingredients.

The chefs at Serendipity3 start with their popular 3 foot-long beef hot dog and grill it in white truffle oil.  Then the dog is tucked inside a pretzel-bread bun that’s toasted with white truffle butter, and topped with foie gras and black truffles.  It’s served with a side of Dijon mustard with black truffles, ketchup made with heirloom tomatoes and caramelized Vidalia onions.

This costly concoction has been dubbed the Haute Dog, and it can be yours for only $69.

If you want a lavish lunch, you’ll need to plan your day around eating this hot dog: orders must be placed 24 hours in advance.

Would you ever pay $69 for a hot dog, either for the novelty of it, bragging rights, or just because you have more money than sense?

We’ve got some alarming news for people heading to Germany this summer:  expect small French Fries.

A travel advisory hasn’t been issued yet, but a spokesperson for the German Farmers’ Association said “consumers will have to brace themselves for shorter fries” because of a heatwave that has adversely affected the country’s extra-large potato crop.

(“Brace themselves”?  This isn’t a freakin’ earthquake.  I mean, what kind of precautions should one take to survive the midget French fry epidemic: duck and cover?)

Certainly this shocking revelation has hungry travelers considering cacelling their vacations to Germany, or possibly contemplating suicide, but all is not lost.

Although the ideal length of a French fry is 2.2 inches, the smaller potatoes are capable of producing fries that measure up to 1.8 inches (for some, that’s a measurement to be proud of).

20% less fry might be a make it or break it issue for some, but we’ve got a solution: order 20% more.  A more reasonable solution would be to try and remember the last time you actually finished off an entire order of fries.  Once you realize the answer is NEVER, you won’t be so mad at the small fries.

Besides, the fries are just a distraction when you’re trying to eat a currywurst the size of your arm.

Question of the day: Americans once played with the idea of renaming French fries “Freedom fries”… but did Germany ever do the same?  Maybe Fatherland fries?

When I travel, I tend to craft my itinerary around food.  Most of my research is dedicated to food instead of learning the cultural background.  I really don’t care about the historical significance of some ancient temple, I just want to know where to eat.

But that task becomes increasingly difficult when traveling to a country with horrible cuisine.

So if food is the primary factor in determining where you should travel next, cross these countries off your list.  A new survey taken by over 2,000 people with traumatized taste buds resulted in this list of 9 countries with the worst cuisine in the world.  They are…

#9.  Netherlands — 1.7%
Can’t argue here.  Pea soup, deep fried sausage and pickled raw herring are staples of the Danish diet.  Even though I think the desserts make up for it, their lousy cuisine is a cruel roadblock on the way to Sugarville.

#8.  Philippines — 1.8%
When stew is the most popular food on the menu, you know you’re in for crappy eats.  Here’s a brief example: at work, if Tuesday is chicken taco day, Wednesday will be chicken tortilla soup day.  That’s because stews are a lazy way to use leftover food.  However, stews are also an uninventive way to throw a bunch of shit into a cauldron and feed a family of ten with total disregard for their sense of taste.  Just because you’re full doesn’t mean you’re happy.

#7.  Ireland — 1.9%
Know why the Irish drink a lot?  Because they don’t care about flavor when they’re drunk.  Good thing, too, because all they have available is meat, potatoes and cabbage.

#6.  Australia — 2.2%
I’m pretty sure Vegemite is entirely responsible for this figure.

#5.  Germany — 2.7%
I stand by my hypothesis that any nation with a significant beer culture has terrible cuisine.  Whether that’s because they spent more time crafting beer than food recipes, or because beer makes people crave terribly unhealthy bar food, no one will ever know.  You can expect cold weather diet staples in Germany — pork, potatoes and cabbage — and nothing more.

#4.  Russian Federation — 3%
Russia is one of the coldest place on earth, yet it’s inexplicably the home of cold pizza and cold soup.  Why the hell would you want to eat cold soup made of raw vegetables when it’s minus-30 outside?  No wonder they love vodka.  I’d drink my days away too if my diet consisted of cold soup and jellied meat.

#3.  China — 3.8%
We’ve all been to enough hole-in-the-wall strip-mall joints vaguely titled “Chinese Food” to know that Chinese food COULD be good if it wanted to, but usually isn’t.  More disturbing is that Chinese food has an uncanny ability to make you MORE hungry after eating it.  There’s no logical reason why someone who just ingested two pounds of heavy fried rice, chicken drenched in an alarmingly bright colored sauce and oily vegetables striped of all nutritional value can miraculously desire more food.

#2.  United States — 10%
Everyone loves burgers and hot dogs, but when that’s considered national cuisine, you know you’ve got problems.  There’s no excuse for meat loaf, and even though fried chicken can be deliriously delicious, it’s contributed to making Americans the fattest nation on the planet.  Nothing is considered worthy of eating in the U.S. until it’s been deep fried, blanketed with cheese or covered in some kind of sugary sauce.  Come on, this country considers French fries a vegetable.

#1.  United Kingdom — 24.6%
If you didn’t see this coming, you might be legally blind.  British food is undeniably and unquestionably horrific, which is why it’s far and away THE WORST CUISINE ON THE PLANET.  It’s like a crime scene on a plate.  From the terribly unappetizing names — they have a dish called spotted dick for crying out loud! — to the horrible ingredients — cow’s blood and pig trotters? — everything about British food is just awful.  It’s not just tasteless and scary (they eat jellied eals; why the hell would you jelly something that’s already slimy?), it’s also confusing: they have dishes called pudding that in no way, shape or form resemble pudding.  Unfortunately, it’s all downhill after fish and chips.  That’s sayin’ something.

What do you think?  Do you agree with the list?  What country do you think has the worst cuisine?   (I’m surprised Scotland didn’t make the list.  Isn’t haggis alone enough to put Scotland near the top?)

If it’s new, weird or over the top, you can find it on the Vegas food scene.  Check out some of the places we went over the weekend…

Ice Cream Tasting Game At RM Seafood

There are plenty of food challenges in Vegas: the 6-pound B3 burrito at the NASCAR Cafe in the Sahara, Blazin’ hot wings at Buffalo Wild Wings, 5 pounds of Vietnamese food at Pho 87.  But I don’t like to risk death to conquer food; I prefer to enjoy it.

And the ice cream tasting game at RM Seafood inside Mandalay Bay makes it easy… except for the frightening mystery flavor.

The challenge is to sample sixteen ice cream flavors and attempt to identify each flavor.  It’s harder than it sounds, especially when you taste complex flavors such as blackberry chamomile or strawberry champagne grape sorbet.

Plus, you never know when you’ll hit a landmine of grossness.  We thought we tried the nastiest flavor when we ate watermelon, which was disturbingly tangy.  But oh no, the worst came when we tasted… gazpacho.

Disgusting gazpacho flavored ice cream.  A cold raw vegetable soup should never be in ice cream form; that’s like a sick genetic experiment by a mad scientist.  It’s sour and vinegary and tastes like fermented seaweed.  The man responsible for this hideous concoction is a taste bud terrorist.

Luckily the delicious peanut butter and jelly, banana nutella, and carrot cake flavors made up for it.

Luv-It Frozen Custard

The best ice cream you will ever taste is at a dumpy shack on a shady stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard between Stratosphere and downtown.  Well, it’s not really ice cream, it’s custard.  No matter what it is, it’s certainly worth the risk of being shanked by a drug dealer to taste it.

Luv-It‘s frozen custard is a smoother, creamier, richer alternative to ice cream that’s actually healthier ( don’t let that fool you, it’s still an unhealthy treat).

They only serve four flavors a day and you can only get it after 1 o’clock.  I went with the lemon custard in a waffle cone and I have no shame in admitting that I’m dumping my long time love.  I hate to make this public, ice cream, but I’m moving on to something better.  It’s been a good ride.

Dad’s Grilled Cheese

A restaurant dedicated entirely to grilled cheese sounds like a gateway to heaven.  Unfortunately, Dad’s Grilled Cheese was a gateway to mediocrity.  The sandwiches were alright, but it’s expensive for what it is.  A sandwich, side of fries, cup of tomato soup and a drink costs over $10.  Pay your mom $5 and she’ll make a better grilled cheese, guaranteed.

Mr. Lucky’s “Secret” Special

One of the best food finds is at Mr. Lucky’s inside the Hard Rock.  It’s a 24-hour joint with an awesome “secret” deal that’s really not a secret at all.  Who knows whether it’s called “The Special,” “The Gambler’s Special,” or “The Local’s Special,” it’s all the same thing: an 8-ounce flat iron steak, 3 jumbo grilled shrimp, mashed potatoes and a salad for $7.77.  It’s not on the menu so you have to be totally stealthy when you whisper your order.

Bayside Buffet At Mandalay Bay

The Bayside Buffet is like a microcosm of all that Vegas stands for, for better or worse: it’s expensive, it’s large, it’s excessive, and it’s totally worth it.

Here’s what was available at the Memorial Day brunch: any breakfast item you can imagine, an omelet station, freshly carved meats, fried foods galore, steaks, fresh crab legs and shrimp, a huge dessert section… and, oh yeah, a fruit and salad section that looked untouched.

Just don’t sit by the window overlooking the pool full of svelte, tanned hard bodies wearing very little.  The fried shrimp will still taste good, but it’s never good to eat your sadness.

Namaste Indian Food

Namaste has insanely good reviews on just about every website, leading me to believe that either people don’t know what Indian food is supposed to taste like, or they just don’t care.

The food was the definition of average, though it was cheap since we had a Restaurant.com coupon (if you haven’t signed up for their mailing list yet, do it!  You can buy $25 certificates to select restaurants for only $2 during their monthly 80% off sale).

There’s a much better Indian restaurant in Vegas called Tamba.  Even though they advertise, I’m sure nobody knows where the hell the restaurant is because every time we go there, even on Friday nights, the place is empty.  I don’t even know how it stays open.  Indian mob money?

BLT Burger

BLT Burger is ranked as one of the best places to get a burger in Vegas, but what really makes this place popular are the spiked milkshakes and the kick ass desserts, like the Krispy Kreme doughnut bread pudding.

FIREFLY*

I had never had tapas before, but after eating at FIREFLY* Tapas Kitchen & Bar, I wanted to invent a time machine so I could go back in time and rectify this travesty.  Sure, it’s pricey and it adds up quick, but eating one thing can get boring; it’s fun sampling a bunch of different items.

We tried some awesome items like tuna tartar, bacon-wrapped dates stuff with almonds, a skillet bubbling with cheese and chorizo, skewers, empanadas, and mac ‘n’ cheese.  For dessert we went with banana-nutella sandwiches, which were like dessert versions of grilled cheese sandwiches.

We washed it all down with pomegranate mojitos and shots of infused vodka made with berries and lychee.  Just awesome.

Hash House A Go Go

Comfort food in unthinkably large portions is a winner anytime.  But Hash House A Go Go does it the best.  We make it a point to go here at least once when we’re in Vegas, especially on Friday when the chicken and waffles is on special for only $12.95.

One plate comes with two large, perfectly moist and juicy fried chicken breasts on top of deliciously chewy waffles.  But here’s the best part: they bake an entire strip of bacon inside each waffle.  I declare the bacon waffle my lord and savior.

Bring a defibrillator with you to the dinner table and everything will be alright.

When bacon was invented, suddenly wars ceased, road rage vanished, bigger animals stopped eating smaller animals, and world peace reigned.  Today, we continue to live in this perfect world thanks to bacon.  But sometimes we forget about the miracle of bacon.

Heaven

We relegate bacon underneath a burger or on a side dish next to eggs.  That’s not good enough, not for bacon.  Bacon deserves our attention, our gratitude.  And the only way to show our appreciation to our lord and savior bacon is to combine it with foods you’d never expect until one day in the not-too-distant utopian future we eat bacon with every food conceivable.  These 6 strange bacon concoctions prove that we are well on our way to bacontopia…

Bacon Doughnut

Bacon is a traditional breakfast food.  Doughnuts are a traditional breakfast food.  Combining the two just makes logical and delicious sense.  After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But who has time in the morning to fry their own bacon and make their own doughnuts?  Save yourself the trouble and the let good people at Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, Oregon supply you with your daily requirement of salt and sugar.  Until now, holding pancakes drenched in syrup and strips of sizzling hot bacon in your hands has been a painful and messy affair.  But the maple bacon bar at VD provides a safe, efficient and tasty way to handle a complete breakfast on the go.

Bacon Martini

Alcohol has always been a near perfect invention, providing warmth, forgotten nights, uninhibition, and the ability to elevate unattractive people to bedable.  But if there’s anything alcohol has been missing all this time, it’s bacon.  Usually martinis mimic the flavor of a sweet dessert item — even though it would cost less to buy a piece of tiramisu instead of ordering an overpriced liquified version — often overlooking the possibility of a savory alcoholic beverage.  Not at Double Down Saloon in Las Vegas.  They’ve come one step closer to unlocking the mysteries of the universe by offering a bacon martini.  Strips of cooked hickory-smoked bacon soak in a bottle of vodka for 24-hours until the liquid turns cloudy.  The taste is described as salty, spicy and tangy, but the experience is described as religious, which means drinking a bacon martini is tantamount to going to church.  Just make sure your BAC (Bacon Alcohol Content) isn’t too high when you drive home.

Bacon Ice Cream

Ice cream has never been considered a reasonable substitute for a meal.  Perhaps this has to do with the fact that ice cream lacks meat.  No longer will you have to suffer from bacon withdraws while eating dessert thanks to the creation of bacon ice cream at Udder Delight Ice Cream House in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  Think the idea of eating a hot item in a cold state is strange?  The court will find that pizza was originally invented to be eaten hot, yet someone long ago, likely a starving college student, realized the tasty potential of pizza in a state of coldness.  Therefore, ice cream can be manipulated into meal form with the introduction of bacon.  Case closed and bon apetit.

Bacon Chocolate

Chocolate has always been an unhealthy food that some people claim is healthy because it provides antioxidants.  Bacon has always been an unhealthy food that some people (me) claim is healthy because it provides protein.  Subscribing to the theory that “Two Wrongs Always Make A Right,” Vosges Chocolate in Chicago combined chocolate and bacon into a bar that provides the health benefits of both.  The sweet and smooth milk chocolate compliments the chewy and savory chunks of bacon to make a food that is ambiguously nutritious and utterly delicious.  Those who prefer more bacon and less chocolate will enjoy chocolate covered bacon strips often found at state fairs.

Bacon Chocolate Funnel Cake

Someone once looked at this and said, "Needs more bacon."

But what if bacon and chocolate isn’t unhealthy enough?  What if you have a bet with your friends that you can sustain a heart attack before them?  Then add bacon and chocolate to an already calorically dense item: funnel cake.  At Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, you can get funnel cake slathered in white chocolate sauce with bacon crumbles on top.  Better enjoy it because you’ll be swimming in your own chocolatey bacony vomit once you hit the coasters.

Bacon, Banana And Peanut Butter Sandwich

Parents generally ignore the government’s now confusing food pyramid that looks like a pie chart within a slice of pie — remember when the pyramid was constructed in a logical fashion with healthy foods laid horizontally on the bottom and unhealthy foods at the top? — and instead opt to supply children with a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and a banana for dessert.  What’s clearly missing from this picture?  Bacon.  Thankfully, Elvis concocted a sandwich worthy of trading for on the playground: bacon, banana and peanut butter stuffed between two slices of grilled bread.  Now your kids can order Elvis’ favorite sandwich from Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop in New York and become King of the schoolyard.

What other crazy bacon concoctions have you discovered and where can we get ‘em?

There’s an obvious correlation between countries that are known for beer production and countries that are known for bad food.  Take America, for instance… we drink a lot of beer, and our national foods are hamburgers and hotdogs.  Then you have the Czech Republic, renowned for their Pilsner, not-so-renowned for their meat and potatoes diet.

Well, the correlation applies to Germany too.  We’ve all heard about Germany’s superior brewing skills.  Unfortunately, the same skills don’t apply to cooking.

Much like the Czech Republic, meals in Germany are big and hearty plates that aren’t good for your heart.  German dishes are designed to fill you up and keep you warm — that’s about it.

German Dishes

Sauerbraten, which translates to “sour roast,” is considered the national dish of Germany.  It’s a pot roast made of beef marinated in vinegar, water and seasonings.  Sauerbraten is often served with the two most popular side dishes in Germany: sauerkraut and potatoes (either boiled, mashed or fried).

While more popular in the south of Germany, it’s not uncommon to find a spatzle dish on a menu.  Spatzle is an egg noodle that can either be served as a side dish or eaten as a main dish like spaghetti.

Popular spatzle dishes include Käsespätzle (spatzle grated with cheese and fried onion) or Linsen, Spätzle und Saitenwürstle (spatzle with lentils and a whole sausage).

There are also sweet versions: Kirschspätzle (spatzle with cherries, butter, sugar and cinnamon), or Apfelspätzle (spatzle with apples, butter, sugar and cinnamon).

The food you’ll find the most on a German menu is schnitzel, which is simply a deboned meat cutlet that’s breaded and fried.  Usually the meat is veal or pork, contrary to what Wienerschnitzels in America will have us believe (wienerschnitzel is actually fried pork).  Schnitzel is usually served with French fries.

Another hearty food that can be served as a meal or a side dish is Klöße, which is poached or boiled dumplings made from either potato or bread.

If you’re lucky enough to be treated to a traditional Christmas meal in Germany, you’ll savor Rouladen, a thinly sliced piece of beef that is rolled around bacon, onions and pickled gherkin, then cooked low and slow until the meat is tender and juicy.

Currywurst

Wursts (sausages) are insanely popular in Germany, probably because it’s a cheap, hearty, flavorful food that can be found at any bar, fast food joint (called an imbiss) or restaurant.  By far the most popular wurst in and around Berlin is the currywurst.  In fact, it’s so popular that it even has a museum.

Currywurst XXL at Barlin Curry 37 in Berlin

A currywurst is pork sausage smothered in curry-flavored ketchup and sprinkled with curry powder.  It’s what I imagine an Indian hot dog would taste like if they ate hot dogs in India (which they don’t and that’s why Indian food is damn good).

Currywurst became instantly popular after it was invented in 1949 by a food stall owner named Herta Heuwer.  According to Reuters, Germans eat about 800 million currywursts every year.  The oldest and supposedly most popular currywurst stand in Berlin is Konnopke’s Imbiss, a small food stall underneath the train tracks at Eberswalderstrasse station.

German Desserts

The two most popular desserts are:

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, which you may know as Black Forest Cake.  This is dense cake featuring layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream and cherries.  A cherry liquor called Kirschwasser is often mixed into the cake batter to give the cake a little bite.

Even if you can’t read German, you won’t have a difficult time finding apple strudel on a menu; it’s called Apfelstrudel.  Even if you’re not a fan of apples, you can’t resist the taste of warm cinnamon-coated apples wrapped in a sleeping bag of fresh and flaky dough that’s been sprinkled with powdered sugar.  If it’s a little too warm, you can cool it off with ice cream ala mode.

World famous Apfelstrudel at Cafe Einstein in Berlin

Imagine a place where thick, tender, juicy, mouth-watering steaks are available on nearly every street.  Then imagine Buenos Aires, home of the ubiquitous parilla (grill).  Everywhere you look in the city, there’s a world-class parilla offering a high-quality steak from a well-cared for, grass-fed cow raised on small farms by gauchos in the countryside.  And thanks to a low exchange rate, it’s completely affordable.  So get ready to meet your protein quota for the year — here’s a list of our favorite parillas in Buenos Aires…

La Cabrera

Not only was this restaurant highly recommended by various food critics and guidebooks, it’s rated #1 out of 629 restaurants in Buenos Aires on TripAdvisor.  If that’s not enough to get you there, consider that the owners had to open a second restaurant a block away to accommodate the huge crowds (called Cabrera Norte).

Because of La Cabrera’s immense popularity, they crammed more tables than the space allows, so prepare to make new friends.  The first thing you can talk about is the amusing metal plates shaped like a sitting cow.  Then you can share the assortment of 15 complimentary side dishes that come with your meal, such as mashed pumpkin with raisins and cocktail onions soaked in red wine.  And at the end of the meal, you can brag about who made the best selection from a lollipop tree featuring flavors like dulce de leche.

When we visited, the restaurant was offering a wine special that featured a bottle of Malbec for dinner and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for us to take home for only $15 US.  The wine went perfectly with our juicy and flavorful marinated tenderloin.  Our incredibly helpful and attentive waiter recommended we share one steak dish and one appetizer since the portions were so large, so we went with the provoleta for our starter.  That left just enough room for a chocolate lava cake and a berry pavlova for dessert.  An appetizer, a dinner, 15 side dishes, two bottles of wine, four bottled waters, two desserts, tax and tip, all for less than $70 USD.

Cabrera 5099
54-11-4831-7002
http://www.parrillalacabrera.com.ar/

Cabaña las Lilas

This famous parilla in Puerto Madero has won more gold medals than Michael Phelps.  The steaks are arguably the best in the city thanks to beef that comes directly from the restaurant’s private ranch.  The exorbitant prices reflect the high quality of the beef, but it’s much more laid back than you’d expect from a high-class restaurant.  Even though this two-story parilla is huge, reservations are recommended, especially if you want a view of the water.

One word of caution, if you accept the tray of olives and deli meats that are presented to you, you’ll be charged a table cover; we skipped the cover since this place was already pretty expensive (about $20 a steak, not including side dishes) but that allowed us to completely devour our meat like we were tigers are on the Serengeti.  While we agree that these were one of the best steaks we had in Buenos Aires, a restaurant this expensive should be reserved for a night when you decide to break the bank.

Avenida Alicia Moreau de Justo 516
54-11-4315-1010
http://www.laslilas.com/restaurant.php

El Desnivel

Don’t judge a book by its tattered, bland cover.  Despite the yellow walls, the eye-burning fluorescent lighting, the theme-less decor, the mismatched table cloths, the tiny tables, the college-age clientele, and the nonchalant staff, El Desnivel was our favorite restaurant in Buenos Aires.

The provoleta and the high-quality steaks were so delicious, we questioned why we paid three times as much at other restaurants.  This was the only parilla we visited twice, and we weren’t the only ones — we saw some of the same diners on our second visit.

Luckily, this place is so big that you shouldn’t have any problem finding a table.  If you leave room for dessert, go with the rich and creamy homemade flan that comes with a thick dollop of freshly made whipped cream.

855 Defensa
54-11-4300-9081

DaDa Bistro

Word of mouth led us to this tiny bistro near Plaza San Martin serving modern Argentine cuisine.  It’s hard to miss the bright red facade, but getting a seat at one of the restaurant’s ten tables is far more complicated (reservations are highly recommended).  However, you can wait at the mosaic bar, order one of their popular martinis, and try to make sense of the dada design — disco balls, pop art and strangely designed lighting fixtures.

When we visited, just about everyone ordered the Lomo Dada, a 2-inch thick filet mignon with a light cream sauce and an equally large cube of cheesy potato au gratin designed like lasagna.

941 San Martin
54-11-4341-4787
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buenos-Aires-Argentina/Dada-Bistro/32813121714

El General

The wood floors, wood seats, and wood banisters on the second floor of El General resemble an old west saloon more than a fine restaurant.  Although the expansive menu includes fish, chicken and Italian dishes, the real highlight is the page-long list of parilla offerings.  Every cut of cow was available in no-frills fashion (no toppings or sauces) and came with a choice of sides like French fries, cheese-covered rice or a potato pie called Pastel del Papa.

While waiting for your food to cook, the owners of the restaurant invite you to walk around and take a look at Peron family memorabilia.  The owners were once friends with Juan Peron, former president of Argentina, and his wife, Evita.  After that, you’ll need some time to explore the extensive wine list, though they recommend a few expensive ($75 US) bottles of Malbec.

Avenida Belgrano 561
54-11-4342-7830

Campo Bravo

On a corner with four parilla options, Campo Bravo was by far the most popular.  This large, minimally-designed restaurant was packed by the stylish people of Palermo.  And despite an up-scale menu featuring chic dishes like risotto and fancy salads, the huge steaks were the real draw.

The plates of food are spared decoration, but you don’t need a parsley garnish tarnishing steak this delicious.  The entire dining room was only managed by a couple of black-clad waitresses so service was a bit slow, but you’ll need time to sit and digest all that food anyway.  It wasn’t difficult to get a table at lunch, but word is the wait can be over an hour for dinner when the hip, young people start their night here.  Reservations aren’t accepted.

292 Baez
54-11-4514-5820