Kasey Bird's top foodie picks from around the globe

By Kasey Bird

Herald on Sunday·

4 Feb, 2018 02:00 AM6 mins to read

High in the Andes learning about the humble potato at the Parque de le Papa near Cusco.

Kasey Bird gives her top foodie picks from another season travelling the globe in search of new culinary delights.

Destination: Argentina

Dish: Bife de chorizo
Argentina was, as expected, full of meat. We were lucky enough to dine at one of Argentina's institutions, La Cabrera, which serves up delicious cuts cooked over charcoal under the guidance of executive chef and founder Gaston Riveira, a heavyweight on the Argentinian dining scene. His cut of choice was bife de chorizo or, as we would know it, a thick cut of sirloin. Chef Gaston cooked this over the charcoal flames and it was finished with salt, a spoonful of butter and small sprinkling of parsley. The smokey charred flavour of the outside of the beef and the tender pink inside was a carnivore's dream.

Destination: Taiwan

Dish: Bubble Tea and Xiao Long Bao
Taiwan is the birthplace of some of the things we love most, the first being bubble tea, which comes in a range of flavours from milky to fruity, salty to fresh, and is paired with interesting types of jelly such as grass jelly and my personal favourite, the large tapioca pearls. My go-to is the creamy and earthy taro flavour paired with tapioca pearls. The second highlight dish from Taiwan was the xiao long bao from the famous Din Tai Fung. These are some of the most incredible dumplings you can try anywhere in the world and Taiwan is where the flagship store is. Every dumpling is weighed and measured with precision and once they are cooked they are filled with a moreish savoury broth and delicate pork filling, all held together by the thinnest of dumpling skins.

Destination: Malaysia

Dish: Hokkien Mee
Malaysia was a melting pot of Asian cuisine and one of the standout dishes we tried was black Hokkien Mee noodles. These noodles are rich, dark and smoky and are cooked in a large piping-hot wok with dark soy sauce, vegetables and pork, made even better with the addition of large shrimps. The best version we tried was in LOT 10 in Kuala Lumpur by Kim Lian Kee where they have been making this dish for nearly 100 years.

Destination: Sri Lanka

Dish: Garlic Chilli Crab
The Ministry of Crab was created by Chef Dharshan Munidasa. He felt there was no place in Sri Lanka for people to enjoy and eat some of the amazing products the country had to offer as all of the best catch was being exported. Therefore, The Ministry of Crab now serves up some of the most delicious and impressive seafood dishes. We loved it so much we went back twice. Our standout dish was the XXL Garlic Chilli Crab, a large crab wok-fried with chilli and garlic. These flavours paired so well with the crab and really highlighted the delicate, sweetness of the flesh.

Destination: Peru

Dish:

Potatoes

One of the most memorable dishes of my life was in Peru. The temperature was cold and the air was thin as we perched on the edge of a mountain overlooking El Parque de la Papa (potato park) and waited for our potatoes to cook under a pile of dirt and donkey manure. Traditionally called a watea, the technique was reminiscent of the Maori hangi cooking technique: the manure was set alight and the potatoes placed deep within the dirt to cook for a few hours. Once the potatoes were cooked through, we peeled back the skin to reveal the delicious white flesh and topped it with a fresh, vibrant green sauce made with local herbs and paired with a delicate white and creamy cheese. The flavours were simple but perfect.

Karena and Kasey Bird at parque de la Papa (Potato Park) near Cusco, Peru.

Destination: Fiji

Dish: Kokoda
I am definitely a sucker for any type of raw fish dish but the kokoda served by V.J at Surf and Turf restaurant in Savusavu would have to be one of the best raw fish dishes I have ever eaten. The balance of flavour of the citrus and the hint of chilli sets this dish apart, and the fact the owner himself goes out and catches the fresh fish daily is impressive. I believe the magic of this dish is the fact that the coconut cream used is made fresh for every serve, and served in a beautiful coconut shell paired with crispy plantain chips. Enjoying this on the back deck in the sun looking over the crystal-clear Pacific waters with a glass of NZ sav is what island holiday dreams are made of.

Destination: Arizona

Dish: Cornbread
A native American recipe for cornbread was more like a corn fritter than your regular type of bread. We cooked these in a frypan over the fire on top of a snow-covered mountain. I don't think I have ever been so cold in my entire life. The thought of being able to enjoy some delicious cornbread at the end of our prep was the best incentive to keep me from retreating back to the comforts of our warm pick-up truck. Everything in this bread was made from corn — nothing else was added other than a little salt. We crushed and mixed fresh corn kernels along with a small amount of cornmeal to make the bread and fried them in patties. The bread was sweet, crunchy and delicious, and something I have been enjoying making back at home over the summer.

Destination: Ireland

Dish: Oysters
Ireland had some of the most delicious artisan produce and we met so many people who are truly dedicated to their craft, from cheesemakers to butchers, bakers to gardeners. Everywhere we ate, it was the norm to see the name of the supplier or origin of each ingredient on the menu. One of the best dishes we enjoyed was fresh oysters grown in the local estuary by a young father/son duo. We drove a tractor out to the oyster farm and collected our bounty, then headed back up the road to enjoy our catch with a glass of bubbles. The oysters were plump and sweet with a rich, salty ocean flavour. Some of the best we have had.

Destination: Hawaii

Dish: Lau LauHawaii was an interesting mix of flavours, with a large influence of US classics such as burgers and pizzas. However we bypassed the takeaways and enjoyed some of the native Hawaiian dishes that are well-loved by the locals. Our favourite was the lau lau, a slow-cooked pork dish that consisted of cuts of pork wrapped in taro leaves, traditionally cooked in an imu or slowly steamed until tender. This dish reminded me of something my mother would make and something I would compare to a boil up in a package. The meat was tender, and the broth and taro leaves were rich and savoury. Such a satisfying reminder of home.