Good food on holiday? Thailand is the culinary top!
Good food on holiday? Then stay away from Cuba or Egypt! With a score of 6,6 and 6,9, they are the least appreciated culinary holiday countries in the world. Of all continents, Asian cuisine scores the highest and North American cuisine the lowest.
This is evident from approximately 11.500 extensive reviews from more than 3.500 Dutch travel enthusiasts on the travel assessment site 27vakantiedagen.nl.
A traveler writes about low flyer Cuba: “The food was really bad. There was little variety and they couldn't really cook well. Most of all, it was all very greasy”. Another: “At one point I had seen the rice, black beans and chicken.” The top 5 least tasty countries are completed by the Philippines, Bolivia and Brazil.
North America
On 27vakantiedagen.nl, travelers can rate holiday countries on the basis of five assessment aspects: Culture & places of interest, Nature, Hospitality, Beaches and Food. It is striking that Mexico, Argentina and South Africa are the only non-European or Asian countries that score higher than an 8 on Food. North America scores the lowest on average at 7,4 as a continent, but so does Africa (7,6 ), Central America and South America (both 7,5) are valued modestly from a culinary point of view. The Dutch traveler is generally not pleased with the 'supersize-me mentality' of the Americans”. For example, one of them wrote: “Many greasy bites and too large portions.”.
amnat30 / Shutterstock.comThailand in the culinary top
Asia and Southern Europe are rated best by Dutch travel enthusiasts when it comes to food. The absolute top countries are Italy (9,1), Thailand (9) and Greece (8,9). The cuisines of Indonesia (8,6), India (8,4), Malaysia (8,3), Japan (8,4) and Portugal (8,5) are also loved by Dutch travel fans.
According to the survey, Asia and Southern Europe are the world's best in culinary terms. Italy has its legendary pasta and pizza, Asia has the exotic vibe, spices and cheap street food culture. In any case, we seem to be moving towards an increasingly versatile food culture, also in the Netherlands. Ramen, curry, sushi and tacos: the tokos and eateries are popping up like mushrooms. Eating should increasingly be an experience. This is also becoming increasingly important on holiday.
Remarkably enough, the only Asian country that scores fairly low in terms of food – the Philippines – has many American influences in its culinary offerings.
Can quite agree. That is why we are going to Thailand for the 15th time this year. I disagree about Brazil. Also there fantastic restaurants with delicious food.
In such investigations, the question is always, to whom is the question being asked.
The tourist who stays in a holiday country, for example Thailand, only sees the sunny side of the coin.
Tasty cheap food, also romantic on the street at the stall.
The valued commenters on this site who have been staying in Thailand for some time know that many lines of text have already been devoted to this on this site. They also know what the situation unfortunately really is. An incredible amount of poison in the vegetables (recently a good article here), the large amount of MSG (asjinomoto, Vtsin, E621, etc.) that are added to enhance the taste, the stomach cancer-causing 'spicey' chili food, the great lack of food hygiene and mentality among a lot of Thais, etc. I personally had the experience in Bangkok at a well-known (and very expensive) Michelin star restaurant that they had no problem with adding MSG...
Visited the Philippines last month. I just noticed, as a resident of Thailand, how clean the restaurants are here (Cebu) and the many chains, especially with original Flipijne food (including Chow King, Mang Inasalat, Baliwag, Nathanial's, Cabalen) or hanging against it (Jollibee, Red Ribbon).
At these restaurants, the Filipinos are really queuing up (the economy is doing well in the Philippines, thanks Duterte). But yes, the tourists don't come here, what people don't know is that…. is a well-known saying.
Investigations, including these, for what it's worth.
Dear Brabantman, please do not try to parrot popular but absolutely never proven claims. There is nothing wrong with MSG, recent double-blind research has shown no effects. Also that chilies are carcinogenic is an oversimplified statement. If this were the inhabitants of the Isaan and other regions / countries where very "spicy" is eaten, would be carried into the hospitals in droves. Natural agricultural poisons on, or even in, many foods are sad. But this is not due to the farmers, but to the big corporations who pay too little for a normal income, so they are forced to do everything for maximum rice, vegetables, meat, etc. production.
I went on holiday in the Cebu region for 2 weeks and also had dinner with my new mother-in-law. I think the Filipino food I was served was very mediocre. I also made a few Italian things myself...I partly brought some ingredients with me, risotto rice for example, and it was considered so tasty or special that I was allowed to make it again, but in a very large pot that a number of neighbors could also eat with. I think I'm just a mediocre cook. I eat whatever the pot buys anywhere. Filipino people make me happy. really not from the food. Brabantman's tips have been noted for a next visit.
After more than 20x Thailand and in January and February last members to have stayed there and being a fan of their kitchen, we are currently enjoying Italian cuisine on the Adriatic coast and surprisingly cheap. For us they can remain number 1 and 2
Paul Schiphol,
I would take a closer look on the internet before you make such firm claims about MSG. It sounds like you have personal interests in this.
As early as 1968, a study by Washington University showed that excessive consumption of MSG led to damage to brain cells in laboratory animals. In response, MSG was removed from many baby foods. Especially for brains that are still developing, the use of MSG is a risk (Lima, 2013) Neurosurgeon and nutritionist Dr. Russell Blaylock has written a book, 'Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills', in which he explains that the free glutamic acid from MSG, like aspartame, is an excitotoxin. An excitotoxin is a substance that overstimulates brain cells, which can lead to cell damage and eventual death, causing permanent damage (Blaylock, 1994).
Our brains have many receptors for glutamic acid, and in some areas, such as the hypothalamus, the separation between the bloodstream and the brain is permeable, allowing free glutamic acid to enter the brain. This especially happens when there are unnaturally high amounts of free glutamic acid in our blood, such as after eating MSG. The blood/brain separation is not designed for that. If the glutamic acid there reacts with neurons, this can lead to cell death and permanent damage (Xiong, 2009).
This plays a role in all kinds of brain disorders such as strokes, trauma and epilepsy as well as degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, dementia and Alzheimer's (Mark 2001),(Doble 1999)
The Nation has already published a good article on May 27, 2015 about Thailand and the risk of stomach cancer.
So don't think lightly about this, I think it's the wisest thing to do.
And regarding poison in the food, whether this comes from the corporations or from the spraying farmers, that is not what this is about. I don't place blame anywhere. The irrefutable fact is that vegetables in Thailand are heavily chemically polluted to the point of being toxic. Import of most species into the EU is therefore not allowed.
Dear Brabantman, I would like to reassure you, I have no interest in any form in a safe statement from MSG. Only I do not participate in the popular anti-MSG campaign and I find an objective approach of great importance. Professionally I have been to Japan a lot, where MSG with its Umami strengthening properties has been discovered. If there's one country where quality has become a national honor, it's Japan. Inferior or insufficiently researched products are strictly denied access to the (consumer) market there. I would like to invite you and other interested parties to open the following link to the BBC and take note of what is written there. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151106-is-msg-as-bad-as-its-made-out-to-be
Incidentally, the old saying "excess harm" also applies to food, so an excessive intake of chillies could well be harmful, but "normal" consumption really does not have any harmful consequences.
Sincerely, Paul