Exchange traveler’s checks before going to dinner – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

When dining in a foreign country, exchange your traveler’s checks for local currency before going to a restaurant.

While traveler’s checks are pretty much accepted everywhere, don’t expect the restaurant employees to be adept at exchange rate calculation.

My best friend and I learned this the hard way dining at our first restaurant in Europe. We received far less change than we were owed and couldn’t communicate well enough to explain the problem. That, or we were taken advantage of. Either way, we didn’t make that mistake again!

Learn what’s fresh, and eat that – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Order dishes made with locally grown, produced, or just-caught ingredients, like cheeses, tomatoes, oranges, olives, seafood, and other bounty. Ask your restaurant server or research your dining destination so you’ll be in the know.

Also, check out local markets to see what vendors have stocked in their bins. If you spot a huge vat of eggplant, then you’ll probably be happy ordering some eggplant parmesan at dinner that night. Tanks filled with squirming lobsters? Yep, there’s your splurge. If your dining spot has an onsite bakery and you’re not a carbo-phobe, you can fill up on warm buns and breads straight from the oven.

Groceries can be a cultural experience – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

When you arrive in a town in a country that’s not your own, check out the local culture by heading for the grocery store.

You’ll find more new food experiences than you would in a restaurant at half the price — and you can still dine out!

For instance, on a trip to Denmark, we visited a village’s grocery, looked at all the interesting foods, and bought some fabulous cheese, yogurt and smoked fish. We took it to a park and had the best lunch of our trip. (If you plan to do this, don’t forget to throw some plastic cutlery in your suitcase!)

“Venue-hop” for a progressive dinner – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

Venue-hopping is a great way to sample the cuisine and make any city your dining amusement park. How to “venue-hop”? Simple!

  1. Start with DRINKS at a local dive, where you’re bound to get some great recommendations on local cuisine from residents.
  2. Move on to APPETIZERS at an upscale restaurant that you might otherwise skip on a tight budget.
  3. Make sure to sample the local specialty for your MAIN COURSE at a more casual establishment.
  4. Top the evening off by ordering your DESSERT/COFFEE to-go from a local bakery. Walk the streets or find a park to enjoy your dessert.

Say you’re allergic – Dining out tip

by Gadling Staff on

If your hosts offers you something you really don’t want to taste and you don’t want to be rude, say you are allergic to an important ingredient of that dish.

For example, if your hosts offer you some balut (fertilized duck egg), gently tell them that you are allergic to duck or amniotic fluid. And make sure you don’t eat roasted duck in front of your hosts later!

In many poor countries, offering a visitor meat is among the most flattering and respectful things a host can do. As such, claiming to be a vegetarian — even if it’s true — can be very insulting and confusing to your host.