We all can agree with the wise words of George Bernard Shaw when he said “there is no sincerer love than the love of food.” Food is not only a necessity, but it is a celebrated art and a distinctive aspect of culture. Let’s face it – almost nothing can beat the joy of trying a new food & absolutely LOVING it!!! The best part? You can travel to any country in the world and there will be a new cuisine to explore! Trying food from different countries is an adventure that opens a door to a new culture. Although it cannot compare to actually traveling the world, it definitely satisfies the TASTE for adventure (pun-intended!). Having grown up in a very ethnically diverse suburb of Seattle, I’ve always loved trying foods from different cultures. After many years of being that girl who is constantly photographing her food in restaurants, I am happy to share my experiences and photos to hopefully inspire people to try new foods!
Everyone has different foods they prefer and sometimes we get cravings for certain tastes. I’ve grouped different cuisines into categories so you can decide which sounds the best for whatever taste you are craving! I’ve also listed the top 3 places where you can find these foods nearby according to Trip Advisor. Please note that I am not from the area so I have not been to most of these places! All photos were taken by me but were not necessarily taken at the places listed! Thank you and enjoy!
If you are feeling like Spicin’ it up: Try Indian and Greek/Mediterranean food! These cuisines are very different but one thing they have in common is their use of spices-most notably, Saffron. Your food will not necessarily be burn-your-tongue spicy but your food will be made with a variety of spices that enrich the flavor of the food!
Indian food : The variety is endless when it comes to the spices used in Indian food! Does this mean you have to like spicy food to love Indian food? Absolutely not! Most Indian restaurants let their customers choose what level of spice they want! The Indian cuisine is also made up of potatoes, curries, lentils, vegetables and breads! Some of my personal favorites are: Aloo gobi- a dish made with potatoes and cauliflower, and puri bread – a deep fried bread! Basmati rice tastes good too and so does shahi paneer! Indian desserts are some of the best as well!
Some Indian Restaurants nearby:
- Karma
- Saffron Indian cuisine and bar
- The curry Leaf
Mediterranean/ Greek Cuisines: utilize a lot of spices as well. It is not quite the same as Indian food but similar in the fact that spices emphasize the taste of the food. Mediterranean food involves fresh vegetables, olive oil, yogurts, cheeses, meats and fruits. A key source of Mediterranean food is the olive tree. Kebabs, gyros, hummus, and so much more! Definitely a tasty experience- some of my personal favorites include: Falafel gyros, chicken kebab and fresh salads with feta cheese and yogurt dressings.
Some Greek/ Mediterranean Restaurants nearby:
- Atlas Mediterranean kitchen
- Maral Cuisine
- Rokabab
- Ali Baba’s kitchen: If you are looking for more Persian options
If you need a feel good meal (guaranteed): Try Italian or Chinese food! There is no doubt that Italian and Chinese food are some of the most popular cuisine choices! Both cuisines have such a satisfying taste that it is very difficult not to like them! Italian food: Okay, so almost everyone loves Italian food. There is no doubt that pizza and pasta are very popular food choices- and reasonably so! Italian food is RARELY disappointing! The Italian cuisine involves a large variety of pastas, breads, sauces, seafood and meat, cheeses, fresh fruit and olives, and definitely tastes wonderful with a glass of wine (for those who are over 21). Whether it’s the endless carbs or the delicious sauces; the taste of Italian food will make you very happy! I honestly love Italian food so much that I have no favorite dishes- spaghetti, gnocchi, bruschetta, caprese salads, ziti, ravioli, lasagna, pesto- I could go on for hours!
Some Italian Restaurants nearby:
- Tuscany II Ristorante
- Café Firenze
- Marcello Ristorante
- If you are feeling like going for a VERY Americanized version of Italian food: There is a Buca Di Beppo and an Olive Garden in Thousand Oaks as well!
Something I’ve noticed while looking for Italian restaurants: If the restaurant name has “trattoria”, “ristorante” or “Osteria” in it- there’s a higher chance that the food served there will be authentic! Chinese food: Chow Mein and Fried rice do not even begin to sum up the entire Chinese cuisine. The Chinese cuisine is made up of a large variety of noodles, dumplings, soups, meats in flavorful sauces, rice and so much more! Not to mention- the way they make vegetables is magical, no joke. Even someone who hates vegetables will love them at a Chinese restaurant!! It must be a great, feel-good cuisine if it can even make broccoli taste AMAZING! Some of my favorites dishes: sticky rice dumplings, sweet and sour chicken, Lo Mein, and any vegetable dish because they’re all AMAZING!!!
Some Chinese restaurants nearby:
- Lakeview Garden Chinese Restaurant
- Zen Garden Chinese Cuisine
- Mandarin Bistro
To embrace your inner carnivore: Korean Barbecue is definitely something to try if you love meat! If you are feeling like going fo fish, Poke is a great option! Korean barbecue: For those of you who know me, I normally do not eat much meat and never eat red meat! However, Korean barbecue continues to be the once-in-a-while exception I make – it’s THAT good! At a Korean barbecue restaurant, you will order meats in different seasonings and will get to cook them in front of you at your table! There are many different sauces to dip the meat in, as well as plenty of other dishes, such as noodles and rice, to order with it!
Korean Barbecue Restaurants nearby:
- Gen Korean Barbecue House
- KalbeQ
- Gen Korean Barbecue (yes, it is a different restaurant than the first one listed)
Poke – Hawaiian cuisine: Poke is literally defined as a fish salad! Many restaurants serve this Hawaiian dish on rice with various vegetables, seasonings and other toppings! All the poke places I’ve been to serve their customers in a bar-style – where you can choose which types of fish and choose from a wide variety of toppings, seasonings and oils! Even if you don’t like fish, poke is really different from your average seafood meal so I’d give it a try anyway! I’m not the biggest seafood fan but I absolutely loved poke! Tuna and octopus are generally the more common types of fish that are used to make this dish and it is commonly served with seaweed as well! It is definitely a nice meal! It is more on the lighter side as far as portion sizes go but it is definitely worth trying!
Poke places nearby:
- Honeyfish Poke
- Poke-Poke
- Sweetfin Poke
Festival of flavor: If you are feeling like trying cusines that embody a LARGE variety of flavors – Thai or Mexican food are perfect! Mexican food: Okay so when I say Mexican food, I mean authentic Mexican food and not Taco Bell (HAHA). In all honesty, Mexican food is one of the most flavorful cuisines simply because there are SO many ingredients that make up the cuisine. Cheeses, spices, beans, vegetables, grains, and literally so much more that the list could be a mile long! It is very popular and reasonably so! Being in Southern California is also very advantageous because we are close to the Mexican border which means Mexican food will be a lot easier to find here! When it comes to meals, some personal favorites of mine are enchiladas and fajitas that are served with steaming fried vegetables. I definitely recommend having any Mexican meal with Horchata, a sweet drink made of cinnamon, rice and milk; it is INSANELY FANTASTIC!!!
Mexican Restaurants nearby:
- Don Cuco Mexican restaurant
- Los Dos Amigos
- Palapa Mexican Food
Thai food: The fact that Thai food even exists is seriously a gift to humanity! It can be sweet, savory, spicy, and especially rich in flavor! Thai food also incorporates different rice dishes, noodles, curries, and meats cooked in fabulous sauces. The way vegetables are cooked is also magical in the Thai cuisine! What you definitely should try is Pad Thai, Pad see-yew is also phenomenal, if served, pineapple fried rice is also fantastic, mango curry is amazing as well! As far as drinks – Thai Iced Tea is sweet, delicious and unbeatable!
Thai restaurants nearby:
- Pookies
- Bangkok Avenue
- White Elephant Restaurant
Cute, chic AND Casual?! No matter if you are going out for a nice meal, or if you are trying for a more casual one; French bakeries/cafes and sushi restaurants are perfect – no matter the occasion! French food : The French cuisine is often looked upon as elegant. More often than not, however, it is easier to find French food in cafes and bakeries than a traditional restaurant in the United States. Most French bakeries and Cafes are adorable, selling some of the most renowned and popular French treats along with a cup of coffee. They are very cute but have more of a casual and comfortable feel than a traditional restaurant. I’ve been studying French for four years and have traveled in France before, so take it from me – some of these bakeries are very very very authentic! Some personal favorites that can probably be found at most French cafes include: Macarons (pictured), Nutella crepes, spinach quiche and croque monsieur!
Some French places nearby:
- Chocolatine French Bakery
- Champagne French Bakery Café
- Le Pain Quotidien- Belgian/ French focus
Sushi/ Japanese: Going out for sushi can be a quick and casual ordeal or it can be a fancy night out – it really is whatever you make it to be! Some people do not like sushi because of the raw fish, however, many sushi restaurants offer baked options as well! Some of my favorites include: baked salmon rolls and rainbow rolls.
Sushi places nearby:
- Crazy King Kong Sushi
- Tokiwa Sushi
- Love Sushi
To warm the coldest of hearts: When you are feeling cold, noodle soups are the best thing to eat! Various Asian cuisines offer tremendous noodle soups with a variety of fresh and delicious toppings! Although they are perfect to eat when you are feeling cold- they are delicious at any time! They can also be very relieving if you are dealing with a hangover!Ramen/Japanese: No, not top Ramen. Japanese ramen is warm and delicious and can be as spicy as you want it to be! It can be made out of thin or thick noodles and ingredients such as seaweed, an egg, meat, etc.
Vietnamese pho: Pho is vegetables and noodles in a warm broth with a choice of meat and toppings. The broth of pho is less rich and thicker than ramen broth. Pho noodles are also thinner and are therefore lighter!
Ramen Places Nearby:
- Jinya Ramen
- Umaichi Ramen
Pho places nearby:
- Love Pho’N More
- Basil & Mint Vietnamese Café
Stressed? Wanting to treat yourself? Go for Desserts!!!
Desserts: Yes, I am aware that it is cliché, but the word “desserts” is literally stressed spelled backwards. How I see it: it’s a sign that is telling us the solution to being stressed is literally hidden in the word itself – Desserts! We all could use a little treat in our lives at times. What better way to treat yourself after being stressed out for so long than to go out and eat a beautifully crafted and delicious tasting dessert? Sounds great to me! I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves! Most could be found at Asian restaurants on the dessert menu!Halo Halo: Flipino dessert – Can be bought at Jollibee and at various Filipino cafés and restaurants! (pictured above!)Honey Toast: Can be bought at particular Taiwanese restaurants and cafés Taiwanese shaved Ice: Can be purchased at Din Tai Fung!Bubble Tea – can be purchased at Bon Bon in Northridge!
European travel experience: You can try some favorites from different European cusines in these cool European-themed towns! Solvang- Scandinavian food. Solvang is an adorable Danish themed town north of Santa Barbara. It has Scandinavian themed shops, bakeries, restaurants and museums- not to mention – the architecture is a very similar to the architecture in Europe!!! It is definitely an adorable town with lots of different foods to try! Picture of Solvang, California. Alpine Village, Torrance– German food. This town is a cute German town where you can find German specialties such as bratwursts and sauerkraut and German beers! Although I’ve never been to Alpine Village, I have been to Germany before and I know German food is very tasty! I would highly recommend trying apple strudel with vanilla cream and ice cream on top!
*All photos provided by myself.