As much as I may complain about it, I truly love my job working the back of house in a restaurant. I have had many opportunities to try new foods and learn about proper culinary techniques. While traveling in Europe, the new food is what I had been most excited about aside from the various sights. What follows is what were my top dishes in every city we visited while abroad.
Pasta at Pizza Express
London food was, personally, similar to what I can find in the states. While Prince Alfred’s may have been superior in terms of the menu, the pasta I had at Pizza Express lives in my mind. The sauce was slightly spicy like a vodka sauce, which is my favorite, and the pasta itself was small rectangles folded over. In the middle of it was a ricotta mix, and my empty stomach was extremely grateful such amazing food.
Calamari from Arromanches-les-Bains
I did not have much energy to walk around Bayeux after our adventures, so I sadly missed the phenomenal food that was in the town itself. However, we did stay in Arromanches for lunch while visiting Gold Beach, and the restaurant I visited with Jess and Cleo had some of the best calamari I have ever had. The fries were easily my favorite of the whole trip, and the calamari itself worked exceptionally well with the remoulade.
Gnocchi from Paris
Leading up to the trip, I had been planning on going somewhere nicer in Paris to try a proper French meal but, just like most of the rest of Paris, reality does not live up to the myths. Instead, my top dish had been gnocchi from a restaurant from near our hotel. Again, the sauce was reminiscent of vodka sauce with the spice, and the cheese on top made it more smooth.
Pierogis alongside other homemade sides
Krakow had, undoubtedly, the best food of the entire trip. From pizza to pierogis, none of the food I had there was anything less than amazing. Making food myself, however, makes it all taste just a bit better. Thanks to Grace, a group of us participated at a pierogi making class. Everything there had been homemade, and we even got to help in folding and making the pierogis. Supper that night was one of the best I have ever had.
Currywurst with fries
Lastly, the Currywurst I had while in Berlin has made me rethink whether I like sausages or not. I grew up a picky eater, and sausages had always been a food I refused to eat. Despite this, I had tried Currywurst while in Berlin since my grandfather grew up in Berlin. I had been surprised how much I truly enjoyed it. The fries at this restaurant specifically had worked well with it, and it was also fun to people watch while eating.