Cactus’ top 5 destinations for food lovers
Monday, 18th October 2010
If you’re someone who spends a lot of your day thinking about your next meal, visiting one of these five locations is guaranteed to send to your brain into a spin…
Each country and culture has its own array of gastronomic specialties, but there’s no denying that some places are just synonymous with good food. Often, it’s countries with French, Spanish and Italian influences that boast a particular gastronomic prowess, but sometimes it’s even more specific than that…there are some cities in the world with cuisine that is quite simply on a different gastronomic level.
Here’s our pick of the cities that will have you salivating, enthusing… and returning home a stone heavier!
1. Bologna
To be the best city in the world for Italian food, it’s fair to say you’ll have come up against some pretty stiff competition. Bologna is famous the world over for its amazing cuisine though, and deservedly so. One of the tastiest and best-known dishes worldwide, Spaghetti Bolognese, originates from the city, which gives some indication of its pedigree. Bologna is also known for its salami and ham, although most things that you eat in the city will prove to be mouth-watering. It’s not just in the restaurants where you can find fine food though - there are countless food markets around the city where you can by top-quality produce to experiment with yourself.
Bologna is located in the region of Emilia-Romagna, and to be honest the region as a whole is fairly impressive in food terms. From Bologna you can easily get to Parma – home of the famous ham, and, of course, Parmesan cheese, and Modena – the home of balsamic vinegar.
Sheer heaven for any food enthusiast…
More about Italian courses in Bologna
2. Valencia 
Located on Spain’s eastern Mediterranean coast, on the Gulf of Valencia, it’s no surprise that much of Valencia’s revered cuisine has seafood as its main component. In gastronomic terms, Valencia is probably best known for being the home of paella, probably Spain’s most iconic dish. Communal paella cooking and even paella competitions are common in festivals, especially in the Valencia region, and are great to behold and even better to taste if you get the chance! One of the great things about eating in Valencia, aside from the taste and freshness of the food, is that it’s really affordable. Great for the bank balance, not so great for the waistline!
Again, Valencia is home to some fantastic markets as well as restaurants. Of particular note is the central market, or Mercado Central de Valencia, which comprises 8000 square meters of market space inside the steel and glass building that is decorated with Valencian ceramic tiles. Well worth a look in itself…
More about Spanish courses in Valencia
3. Lyon 
Lyon may be France’s second city in terms of size, but when it comes to food it definitely takes the top spot – quite an accolade when you consider the prestige associated with French food internationally. Specifically, Lyon has made a name for itself as a capital of gourmet and luxury food, which is evident from the many Michelin-starred restaurants that you can find there. Aside from these, Lyon is also well known for its ‘bouchon’ restaurants. ‘Bouchons’ are a type of bistro, but with a fairly limited menu and a very unpretentious kind of décor. Most bouchons are family-run, and the majority of the chefs are women—the so-called ‘spiritual descendants’ of Mère Fillioux, Tante Paulette and Mère Brazier, and other female master chefs who helped Lyon achieve gastronomic glory early in the 20th century.
When you look at the vast array of local produce that is grown and made in the surrounding areas - fish from the Savoy lakes, fruits and vegetables of the Rhone valley and the wild game of the Dombes to name but a few - it’s no wonder really that the food in Lyon is so delicious.
One thing’s for sure…no matter how little money you have, heading to a fast food outlet in Lyon would be inexcusable!
More about French courses in Lyon
4. Buenos Aires 
Buenos Aires is a city that is famous for many things. Tango and football may be a couple but ask any self-respecting foodie what they associate with the city and there can only be one answer – STEAK. Simply, what you’ll find in the restaurants of Buenos Aires is the undisputed king of steak. Cattle in Argentina graze in areas that have nutritious natural grass and lots of spacious, green pastures – as a result, the meat that is produced is free of additives and contaminants, and boy does it taste good.
There are hundreds of authentic and quality steakhouses to enjoy in Buenos Aires, but vegetarians need not worry, there’s plenty on offer for them too. With a strong Italian influence, the city has lots of fantastic pizza and pasta places, and recent years have seen an influx of quality Asian food places too.
There’s one more thing that you have to mention when it comes to Argentinean gastronomy, and that’s the wine…Argentina produces some of the world’s finest red wines, which you can enjoy at a bargain price in Buenos Aires.
More about Spanish courses in Buenos Aires
5. New York 
Think of a food associated with New York and you might say hot dogs, but really the city has no one signature dish or ingredient. This is hardly surprising when you think of the hugely diverse nature of the city, culturally. New York has always been a huge mix of ethnicities and nationalities, and that’s really the great appeal of its gastronomy. New York has a range of food and restaurants that you just won’t find anywhere else in the world – you could feasibly eat a different type of food each day of the year and still have some to try. Happily, the huge range of food available applies not only to tastes but to prices too…despite the high cost of living in New York, it’s still easy to find affordable eats to enjoy.
As is the case all over America, the size of the portions you’ll be served will make the eyes of any food lover bulge in excitement too. Remember though, you don’t have to wolf down the whole lot and give yourself indigestion - American restaurants are great advocats of the ‘doggy bag’, which you can take home and enjoy for a second time when you’re belt is back on its original notch!
More about English courses in New York
Tags: lyon, bologna, valencia, buenos aires, new york, course, location, argentina, france, festival, spain, italian, culture, food, german, french, spanish, english
Posted by Laura Harrison 2010-10 under Food and Drink,
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