Mouthing Off | The best things to eat on holiday aren’t always in the guidebook – go and discover hidden gems
- Andrew Sun prefers to roam when he’s vacationing, trying out unknown local diners by happenstance
- In Spain, for example, the local tapas bars and charming roadside cafes were as memorable for him as the El Bulli-trained chefs
My editor has very specific itineraries for vacations. As a true food lover, she plans out her dining schedule in minute detail, researching all the must-try chefs in advance and booking far ahead so her tables at those acclaimed restaurants are secured and reserved.
For her Tokyo trips, she plans where to dine for lunch, dinner, supper and even between-meal bites if there is a particular famous local snack found nowhere else. It’s quite amazing.
It’s not anything I could ever do, not just because I can’t afford to dine out so much in ultra-pricey Tokyo, but my stomach probably couldn’t handle the uber-indulgence.
Don’t get me wrong, I love trying the local cuisine of any country and culture I visit, but I wouldn’t necessarily tailor my holiday around the meals. It’s nice to have some flexibility and make room for spontaneity.
Obviously for a gastro-geek, a city like Tokyo is a Mecca for Michelin-star sushi, tempura and yakiniku restaurants, as well as French and Italian fine-dining establishments. It’s not easy to get a walk-in table at places like Narisawa, Nihonryori RyuGin, Den and Florilege, so it’s smart to plan ahead.
But I like to do things on the fly. The problem with chasing star eateries is it’s a bit like those guidebook zombies going only to destinations prescribed by others. I might as well join the flocks of tour groups who check off iconic sites like a grocery list. “Eiffel Tower, seen it. Rome Coliseum, done. Statue of Liberty, selfied...”