Eating habits, ingredients and cooking methods change every few kilometers in this diverse country
On a recent trip to São Paulo, I turned my nose up all week at the idea of eating Indian food in Brazil, even though there was very little to eat for a nearly vegan. It seemed like too short a trip to “waste time” eating something I could get at home. On the final afternoon, I relented and accompanied part of the group for a meal to what guidebooks and locals describe as São Paulo’s “best Indian restaurant,” somewhat stereotypically called Samosa & Company. After a week of living largely on breakfast, even a mild vegetable curry was delicious. Everyone was clearly longing for a taste of home, even those who had dug in coxinhas And empadões enjoyed the watered down version of mutton bhuna on the menu.
While you don’t always travel to eat, there’s no doubt that good food adds an extra layer to the experience of enjoying great music and art, cheering in an interactive football museum and meeting new people. Food and travel: one of our favorite things about… Lounge-join us this week in our cover story. Lounge writers have picked some of their favorite road trips, and instead of explaining the sights along the way, they’ve told you where to make stops for the best local food. Eating habits, ingredients and cooking methods change every few miles in this diverse country and no busy food court can ever do this justice (although the toilets are quite a draw).
We’ve picked the usual suspects: highways in Goa for delicious fish thalis and the NH44 from Bengaluru to Madurai for kotthu parotta and fiery biryani. But we also went further afield and found Kathiawadi specialties on the way from Ahmedabad to Bhuj, brinjal in mustard oil while driving from Guwahati to Kaziranga, with many stops for Assam tea, and Bundeli specialties like thadula on the way to Khajuraho .
We write often and lovingly about the many joys of travel, but food is absolutely central to the whole experience. And if you’re looking for other distractions before planning your next driving holiday, then, as always, we have shows, books, art, events, food and drinks to recommend.
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