Food, delicious food. Australians are proud of our local delights because of its multicultural diversity which brought numerous delicious delicacies to the shores of this GREAT country. But there’s so much for our taste buds to explore when we travel overseas. Every country has their unique dishes with an incredible array of flavours and textures. Not sure where to start? We’ve put together must-try dishes of Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Thailand just for you!

Korea

We all know how comforting a warm bowl of soup can be when it’s chilly especially Korean winter can be very cold. Well, so imagine digging into a hot bowl of Ginseng Chicken with Abalone Soup especially when it’s below zero temperature outside. Mmmm! A chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, chestnut and dates, topped with a luscious, whole abalone. Hands down, this is one of the most comforting meals you could have during a Korean winter.

If you’re in Jeju , don’t miss the Abalone Porridge. The porridge is unique to Jeju Island and lets you partake in a healthy, light meal that is nonetheless luxurious, it’s abalone after all, without costing you too much.

I don’t eat pork but for people who like pork how about Palsaik Samgyupsal BBQ? You get 8 types of glorious pork belly, seasoned with 8 different flavours which range from the ubiquitous ginseng to spicy peppers. Perhaps what our friends told us is the way to eat this is to start with the lightest flavour and finishing off the meal with the spicy pork. Cooked on a hot plate with beansprouts, kimchi and garlic.

Also don’t forget to try KyoChon Chicken. If you’ve tried Korean fried chicken in Melbourne or in Australia, you’ll know it’s a unique crispy skin and juicy meat slathered in mouth-watering sauce. But the fried chicken from KyoChon Chicken, one of the best fried chicken restaurant chains in Korea, is on a whole different level. So make sure you try that. 

Taiwan

From the land that gave us bubble tea comes a whole array of other goodies to relish. If you love Din Tai Fung’s Xiao Long Bao then it’s time to pay a visit to the original restaurant! Who can resist that juicy spurt of hot, flavourful broth when biting into the dumpling?

Braised meat is a pretty common sight in Melbourne China Town, but per our friends as we tried the beaf version, Taiwan’s Lu Rou Fan (braised pork rice) opens you up to a whole new gastronomic experience. The star of the dish is the five-spice powder, which you can find in Melbourne but Taiwanese version is different and more authentic and tasty. 

No visit to Taiwan is complete without slurping up a bowl of mee sua (rice noodles) at a night market. And the best, despite stiff competition, has to be Ah Zhong Mian Xian located in Ximending, Taipei. Served with braised meat and lots of gravy, you can help yourself to parsley, vinegar and chilli oil to personalise your bowl. 

We all know that mee sua (rice noodles) get digested really quickly, so add some protein to your meal and get yourself a Hao Da Ji Pai. As the name implies, this is a humongous fried chicken cutlet that is sure to satisfy the hunger. Best to eat when it’s fresh off the fryer!

The best way to cool down in Taiwan is undoubtedly to dig into a glorious bowl of Baobing. This shaved ice dessert with ingredients proudly displayed on the top instead of being hidden under the ice. A popular variation is the Xue Hua Bing or snow ice, where you get silky, fluffy layers of ice.

Japan

Fish is an incredibly healthy food, and the Japanese have perfected the culinary art of showcasing the best of this main ingredient from the sea. Stripped down to its essence, there’s no better place to discover just how varied raw fish can be. Freshness is paramount when it comes to Sushi and Sashimi, so instead of eating this in Melbourne, go straight to the source of the best raw fish in the world.

If raw fish isn’t your thing, well, there’s always Hokkaido Crab. With crab buffets being commonplace in Hokkaido, you can enjoy this as much you like.

Want to sink your teeth into meat instead? Then it’s Kobe that you should visit for the famed Wagyu. Authentic Japanese beef has beautifully marbled fat, creating an incredibly tender texture. If any meat could be said to melt in your mouth, then this it and you won’t be disappointed. 

For a quick, hearty and cheap meal Ramen is hard to beat. The extremely flavourful broth is cooked for hours and hours, dished up with noodles and a variety of toppings that include the wonderful ajitsuke tamago or flavoured egg. The contrast of the chilled egg with the steaming hot soup creates a taste of its own. 

Thailand

Warm your belly with a bowl of Tom Yum. This fantastically popular spicy and sour dish get served with prawns, chicken, beef or pork, each meat imparting a different taste to the soup. Want it as a simple one dish meal? You can find it served with noodles too.

Eat your greens by ordering a serving of Som Tam, a refreshing green papaya salad. Sweet, sour, spicy, salty and savoury all in one, som tam’s crunchy texture won’t disappoint you and you will be wanting more.

For a quick snack, nothing beats Khanom Buang. These crispy little crepes can be found at street stalls with sweet or savoury toppings to suit your taste, but forget about your diet when indulging in these rich little treats as the use of coconut milk tastes wonderful, but packed with plenty of calories. 

Head down to the riverside to experience Kway Teow Rua or Boat Noodles the way they should be eaten. On the top of these noodle you can enjoy plenty of other fresh produces as well. 

We hope you enjoyed this article and when ever you will visit these exotic places surely will enjoy some of these delicacies. We love and miss the food in Asia and that is one of the reason as well that we keep going back to one of these destinations.