Travel Bites is an anthology of stories that combine three things we love on this site: true travel stories in far away locations like Vietnam and some not so far flung locations like Melbourne; great food discovered in interesting and seemingly random locations; and recipes that break down how even a novice in the kitchen can make meals just like them.
Coming from a learned man known only as The Hungry Traveller the stories are meant to hit at the heart of what it means to be a traveller. Some are simpler than others and will offer a different appeal depending on your preference, but all are short enough that you can put the book down and pick it up just as easily.
A highlight for me was the opening tale chronicling the author’s frustrations in tackling the taxi system in Vietnam. His reliance on the guidebook (he doesn’t mention any names but my bet given the era of the story is that it’s from Lonely Planet) and it’s stern but impractical advice regarding bartering a price was strangely reminiscent of my own adventures in Moscow many years ago. Another story of note is the author’s discovery and review of the world’s best Kebab, which will make many of you more than a little proud (hint: if you live in Melbourne you’ve probably had one of them before).
If you’re a seasoned food traveller, this is a great book to help you find your next adventure. If you’re a future food traveller or just generally a future traveller (no time machine required), this might very well teach you a few things and get you on to that plane. And if your travelling days are done, this should be just the right source of nostalgia.
The City Lane has 4 copies of Travel Bites to give away (RRP $AUD: 24.99) thanks to the good people at Wattle Publishing. To enter, all you need to do is subscribe to The City Lane by entering your e-mail address into the subscribe box at the end of this post and leaving a comment about your best food travel story in the comments section below.
So, what are you waiting for?