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Our respective personal lists of “best,” “favorite,” or “crave-worthy” foods rarely overlap entirely. How can you put a price on a nostalgic snack from childhood? Or, conversely, an extravagant, one-in-a-lifetime tasting menu from a gastronomic genius? And when you throw the wrench of “anywhere in the world” into the mix, it’s deliriously fun to fantasize where or how you’d spend a meal (given the proper resources). We proposed two scenarios just for kicks: Where you’d eat with an unlimited budget, and where you’d eat with $10 in your back pocket.
We asked around America’s Test Kitchen for some globe-trotting, daydream-worthy eats. Here are a sampling:
With a million dollars, I’d rent a Ferrari and drive cross-country to the French Laundry. Imagine finishing up that trip diving through California, and then instead of lunching on some truck stop sandwich, oh hey, guess what, you’re eating Thomas Keller’s best stuff. Pretty cool. With $10, I’d go exploring for good street food in Vietnam. The sort of open markets going on over there aren’t even close to anything we have in the States — that, plus crazy portable food, equals an awesome experience.
Chez Panisse; and Rose Bakery in Paris. Because both are amazing!
If I had a gazillion dollars I would spend it on living expenses to move home and spend every day learning to cook everything my grandmother makes and eat that. I would probably need livestock, because the milk for the asadero has to be raw and the kid is best fresh. Most of the ingredients are best when fresh, so I’d need a garden, too. If I only had $10 I would eat at Burritos Crisistomo and probably have enough for one or two more people.
If I had a gazillion dollars I would eat at Craigie on Main every day for the rest of my life. Tony Maws is a ridiculous genius. If I had $10 I’d get a beer and a basket of deep-fried banana peppers at The Wooden Nickel in Hillsborough, NC.
A gazillion dollars would buy a lot of bánh mì. Just sayin’.
And now for the Silly Question of the Day…
Whether you had a gazillion dollars, or simply $10, where in the world would you eat?
Leave your silly answer in the comments!
(Photo: Tauno Tœhk)
About the Author: Christine Liu
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If I had a ton of money – I would travel and eat street food until I couldn’t move. Street food offers so much more local color – and I love that.
$10 – I would get some cheese and bread to eat somewhere sunny and warm.
Choose any patisserie/boulangerie in Paris and I’m there!
Las Vegas, so many options there!
My roots are in South Louisiana and some of the best food I’ve ever had was in Cajun country, so if I had lots of money, I would visit my family more and pig out!
I’ll take the $10 and eat street food in Bombay! Begin my day with hot chai with vada pav, kanda poha and jalebi, I’ll happily eat Kathi rolls and a plate of mutton samosa for lunch to save my appetite for Pav bhaji at dinner. Of course in between Bhel puri and Chaat and some more chai! The best part is, I’ll still have left over money to eat more vada pav if I am still hungry.
I would go back to New Orleans where I grew up and at around 3 in the afternoon I would go to Parasol’s bar in the Irish Channel neighborhood http://www.parasolsbarandrestaurant.com/ and order a roast beef poorboy with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise AND gravy (only in New Orleans) and a cold beer.
This would cost me less than 10$ probably (still).
I’d want to spend an unlimited budget in Paris or NYC. In Paris, I’d probably buy a year’s worth of olive oil macarons from Laduree. With $10, I’d do just fine in Mexico City eating from vendors tacos, steamed sweet potatoes with condensed milk, ice cream and aquas frescas and wandering the markets and museums. What a wonderful world that on either end of the spectrum, I’d be equally happy and deliciously fed.
I’d eat at a hawker stall/vendor/truck/stand or hole-in-the-wall place that serves authentic Chinese street food. Whether or not the place is sanitary is of no concern!
I’ve had the joy of dining at Chez Panisse, and am fortunate enough to live in Vermont where we have many wonderful restaurants.
I’d love to dine in France, to have an experience like Julia Child’s first meal in France – simple, but perfect in every way.
Almost any chili parlor in Cincinnati. Cincinnati chili is unlike anything else. Yum. A taste of of home.
With a gazillion dollars I’d have street food at the hundred or so countries I haven’t yet had street food in, first finding a local guide to take me to some of the best. I’d also have a couple of old favorites: market or street food at the Djemaa el Fna in Marrakesh, and sushi breakfast at Tsukiji. Finally I’d try something new: hire Trevor Corson for his sushi concierge service.
If limited to one item, then Trevor Corson because I’m likely to do the rest on my own dime someday.
If I had $10 then the Djemaa; that’s probably enough to bring a friend.
Gimmie about $50 and a day in New York and I’ll be happy. Lots of great food and variety.
Barring that I’d love to go to France and eat in Paris. Just a simple Paris made Baguette would be awesome to taste
With my $10, I’d gorge on some Turkish street food. With my unlimited expense account, I’d travel to Italy and eat at dal Pescatore Santini].
Someday, with enough money, I’d love to go back to Honduras and eat the foods I ate there several years ago. I would bring back a lot of good memories. With $10 maybe I’d just take my kids out for some good ice cream.
With $10. in my pocket, I’d find the closest Fairgrounds and get a good ole sausage, pepper and onion sandwich.. if I had change from that.. I’d go over to the Tempura stand.. love fair food! With a gazillion dollars, I’d take a trip across the world and make pit stops at the best restaurants in each country. Then, I’d come back home, buy a huge fish tank and fill it with lobstas! Ahh to dream!
I would go to old jerusalem and eat a falafel and drink pomegranate juice… cant’ wait to do that again.
For $10, I’d get fish and chips at the pub that was my old hangout in college. On the unlimited budget, back to Italy to sample all the places I couldn’t afford when I was there as a student (though, really, just one good Italian cappuccino would make me a happy woman).
If I had a gazillion dollars, I’d just travel the world and sample EVERYTHING! Fugu and Kobe beef in Japan, macarons and baguettes in France, pasta in Italy, etc… Kind of like what Anthony Bourdain does on his show “No Reservations.” If I only had $10, I’d want to eat at a night market in Korea or Vietnam or Japan.
With a either a gazillion dollars or $10, I’d eat street food in Mexico City…or Chiles en Nogada in Puebla
If I had a gazillion dollars or $10 I would park myself on a bench at the beach in Chatham, MA. It’s my most favorite place. A good sandwich, a crisp pickle and maybe some cake for dessert all washed down with a big lemonade overlooking the ocean at Chatham light. Sounds like a plan to me.
I could easily eat my way through Rome, regardless of how much was in my pocket.
With unlimited money, how could the answer not be trying everything in the world! With $10 I’d go to my favorite waffle place nearby
with a gazillion dollars, i’d fly to thailand and learn how to make authentic massaman curry. with $10, i’d buy an order of massaman curry at bangkok grill in orem, ut…seriously awesome thai food there.
Italy would be the place for me. Learning to make the dishes would be awesome.
I have always wanted to go to Italy just for the food. My biggest tourist attractions would all be restaurants.
any patisserie in Paris
Although my first stop might have to be in Costa Rica to eat gallo pinto and fried plantains with fresh pineapple, with the gazillion dollars, I’d eat *everywhere.* Seriously, I’ve had amazing food in every country I’ve been in, but what about all the ones I haven’t visited yet? I don’t know what I’ve been missing.
If I had just $10, I’d buy a chunk of good cheese at our cool local cheesemonger and a baguette from the bakery, then eat it with tomatoes and herbs from my garden.
Ah if only I could get a reservation and eat at NOMA! Or El Bulli, if it was still open…
I think with a gazillion dollars it would be to fly to Japan for the first time and devour as much seafood and absurdity as I could manage. $10 I’d go with mexican street food.
With unlimited funds I would eat in Taiwan for breakfast (danbing, youtiao, mantou, and soy milk), then have Over the Bridge noodles for lunch in Kunming China, then finish off my day in England with some proper fish and chips soaked in malt vinegar.
With $10 I’d eat a hamburger at 5 Guys.
Unlimited funds… hmmm… I’d take a bunch of friends and family out to a local brewpub to taste-test some of the local brews and their food — brewpubs can have some of the best food around!
With $10… I’d take my 3 girls to get a big gourmet ice cream cone, like at Jeni’s Ice Cream here in Columbus. Haven’t tried it yet since we moved here two months ago, and kind of want to… Or I’d try Five Guys. Some days you just need a good, greasy burger and fries.
i can’t even imagine having a gazillion dollars. but the $10 would definitely go towards a little cafe in town that has the best avocado burger, steak fries, and strawberry milkshakes. in fact, i wouldn’t mind investing my gazillion dollars and eating there for life. and then moving it with me wherever i go.
New Orleans, without a doubt! I was there years ago and it was wonderful!
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My unlimited budget choice would be Francis Mallmann’s El Garzón in inner Uruguay. For food on $10 or less, Fast Eddies Bon Air in Alton, Illinois would fit the bill – cheap, salty food and a lot of fun.
I think I would be happy just going to New York City. They have so many varieties.
We feel like we went around the world and back through your respective appetites (and imaginations). Here’s to adventurous eating! Congrats to this week’s random winner, Carolsue, who still longs for a good New Orleans snack. Everyone, be sure to check out our newest giveaways at http://americastestkitchenfeed.com/topics/giveaway/