My ideal #TasteofTravel menu

Picture your favorite starter, main dish and dessert from anywhere in the world, but all in one menu. That is what I have put together for my #TasteofTravel menu for the Celebrity Cruises blogger competition! They have just won the 2014 Ocean Cruise Line of the Year in the Food and Travel Awards and they have now teamed up with Great British Chefs to help make their food offerings even better! Now they want to hear from travel bloggers to find out what their dream menu would be, from food that they have sampled on their travels. It was quite a hard task to pick only one of each, as I have been lucky enough to try countless amazing dishes from all over the world. After much soul searching I have managed to narrow it down to my most memorable dish for each course.

Starter

I have always wanted to go to Greece, but unfortunately I haven’t made it there yet. After hearing numerous reviews I decided to try a small Greek restaurant in New York called Taverna Kyclades. The ambiance and friendliness of the staff was exactly how I imagined it would be on a Greek Island! The three courses I had were all tasty, but in particular the Kyclades Veggie Chips were just too good not to make the list. It is crispy eggplant and zucchini slices fried tempura style with a creamy tzatziki dip. Not only was it incredibly delicious, but it was unique from anything I have ever had before. The batter was so light and crispy and cooked to absolute perfection, so that it did not taste too greasy. Then to add to the dish, you are given a zesty tzatziki dip. It was so good without the dip, that I didn’t think I needed it, but once I tried it.. woah! It definitely added to the taste making it one of the most memorable dishes I have ever had. Their original location is in Astoria – Queens, which is known as an being an absolute hotbed of Greek culture, so it is not surprising that there is such a gem of a Greek restaurant there.

Crispy eggplant and zucchini with tzatziki dip

Main

I’ve tried Pad Thai a few times in different places and finally gave up on it as I realized I really did not enjoy it that much. That was until I visited Thailand. I decided to give it another try since I was in the country it originated from and I was given a recommendation from a local, to try a specific street cart that was recognized as making the best Pad Thai in the area. I am so happy I gave it another chance! What I do not like about this dish normally, is the overwhelming taste of peanut but this version did not have it. It actually had a complex taste that differed from any other time I had tried it before. It had a perfect balance of spices, that I could not possibly name, but it certainly did the trick! It easily makes my list and I can honestly say that I haven’t been able to find another Pad Thai that even comes close to it since my adventures in Thailand. It is however a great excuse to go back for another visit!

Pad Thai

Dessert

When I am travelling, I am always on the hunt for treats, so when I was strolling through the streets of Amsterdam and got caught in the intoxicating aroma of a local waffle shop, I just had to go in. Once inside the waffle shop it was hard to choose from what seemed like an endless amount of options, but after much drooling I finally settled upon a warm waffle with Nutella and cherries. It definitely wasn’t one of the neatest dishes I had ever had to eat, but I hardly cared that I had enough chocolate on my face to make me look like one of the naughty children from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! This was really an easy choice for my dessert selection, as I still vividly remember scrumptious tasting delight that crossed my lips. Yum!

Nutella and cherries on a warm belgian waffle

I hope you enjoyed my #TasteofTravel menu! Now I nominate We3Travel, Vagrants of the World, Different Doors and JS Living the Dream to make their own three course menu. Entries will be accepted until January 12th and those entries will be judged by two top Great British Chefs and Deputy Editor of Food and Travel Magazine, Mark Sansom. If you win you’ll be awarded a seven-night European cruise and one £150 voucher to use at one of the Great British Chef’s restaurants. Runners up will receive £75 meal vouchers. May you have as much fun as I did, reliving your delicious meals, as I did mine.