World's Best Food Country (3rd Place)

3rd Place
America

This is a selection that I know before writing is going to cause a lot of debate especially from people who have not travelled to the USA before! America is one of the most stereotyped countries in the world and that doesn't change when it comes to food with most people probably thinking about burgers, chips and hot dogs as they read this! The reality I am happy to report is totally different with some of the world's best food coming from the states these days. Yes you will find burger joints and junk food easily but you will also find these in the other countries on the list. America is like a huge melting pot of cultures and what that produces is some of the most unique and diverse culinary treats that you are ever likly to find.

Forget the burgers! When i think of America I think of the great diversity of New York and it's 1000s of restaurants, or the clean and vibrant cooking happening in Los Angles, or the rich and souful food of the south, or quality Tex Mex at it's best, or the trendy food in Miami etc etc. See America is like 10 countries rolled into one with lots of different flavours mingling together to create a huge variety and choice of dishes. If you add to that mix some of the world's best produced ingredients along with some very highly trained chefs you have the perfect mix for a country to make it in at number 3 on this list! I just know a lot of people are going to disagree with this and have a preconcieved idea of American food all being served in Hooters but I also know that the people who are thinking that are the people probably have never been to the country to sample it's delights!

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World's Best Food Country

5th Place
South Africa

I have been lucky enough to travel all over the world tasting amazing food and am often asked what the best I have ever tasted is so the only way to answer is to list the top 5 based on flavour, consistancy and local produce. This will run over the next few days with the big winner being announced on Friday!

This might come as surprise to a lot of people as this country is probably better known for it's wine than it's culinary ability but believe me for those of you who havn't been lucky wnough to visit this gem of a country yet there is a beautiful range of gastronomic treats awaiting you if you do make it there! The country not only has huge Oceans surrounding it packed with incredible fish but has vast acres of incredibly fertile land that is not only perfect for growing wine but also everything thing from osterich to warthog! I must say that the cuisine does lean towards meat quite heavily but there are always plenty of seafood options.


The other best thing about SA is that it is like a huge melting pot of cultures with African food sitting alongside the best of Indian, Chinese and Western cooking. What has happened over the years is that there is natural fusion cooking that has developped rather than just some random chef throwing wasabi on parsnips and calling it fusion! The fusion element actually works really well here to the extent that some of the best curries I have ever had were in Durban and I think it must have a lot to do with the quality of ingredients the chefs are workig with.

The best thing about SA is that it is a country well and truly on the rise from a culinary perspective as they have had bigger battles to fight over the last century. Now that there are a new crop of chefs coming through and torism is booming the quality will only rise along with their ranking on this list in the future.

See Position 4 tomorrow!

The World's Smallest Restaurant

I was in a bar in Dublin a week ago that is the "city's smallest bar" which got me thinking about the world's smallest restaurant and with valentine's day fast approaching I think i might have just found the perfect romantic getaway. Turns out that it is a quaint little place just outside Pisa in Italy with one table called "Solo per Due" or "only for two" in English. Now it would appear that the gentleman who runs this place has elected to keep the seating arrangements as they are either because he wants to keep an incredibly high level of service or just that he is plain lazy! Space is certainly not an issue as the "restaurant" is situated in an old 19th century building with lush gardens and ample room to squeeze at least another 12 tables in!
There is one major drawback and to be totally honest it is one that I expected from an establishment so small and that is the price! A meal for 2 and I would assume this is the sort of place where you would need a date rather than sitting there listening to yourself breath will set you back a whopping 500 Euros! I suppose it is pretty unique and you are never gooing to have to worry about other diners, getting rushed out for the 9 o'clock sitting or the waiter confusing your green slad for a bloody steak but 500 Euros would be a lot to pay in a fine Michelin starred restaurant never mind trekking up the hills to sit in Marco's living room and have him grinning at you like that!