It’s now winter time as I write this. As non-stop rain keeps pouring here in Greater Vancouver / Langley (very typical for the season), I can’t help but reminisce the amazing places I visited (and ate in) during my summer travels earlier in the year.

I went to three countries – Jordan, Israel & Italy, did a lot of touristy stuff, visited a lot of amazing monuments, museums, and world heritage sites. But of course, being the food-obsessed person that I am, I tried out different dishes that were available in the local market as well as restaurants that were popular and noted as “must visits.”

1. Jordan

Went on a 2-day tour to the city of Aqaba where the authentic local dishes stood out. I stayed in a Bedouin (a nomadic tribe) camp where the foodie highlight was the unearthing of grilled meats from under the sand. It was an experience! Petra took my breath away.

2. Israel

I was in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and enjoyed the multiculturalism that can be seen in a lot of their restaurants and dishes. The standout was Pop & Pope, an upscale and hip omakase fusion restaurant / art gallery with live music.

Also have never seen Jerusalem bagels before – they’re shaped differently and humongous.

Abu Hassan hummus in Jaffa is an institution and has been featured by Anthony Bourdain and so many others. The fava bean variety was amazing with the lemon zest and fresh onion.

I love knafeh and I tried two versions both found in Jaffa. One is with kaak knafe (Lebanese style) where it’s a sandwich and the other version is topped with pistachio ice cream.

3. Rome

This city needs no introduction when it comes to food and culture. My feet were in pain everyday with so many places to eat in and so much different dishes to eat. I indulged in local cuisine and chose restaurants out of convenience or proximity to where I was sight seeing but I was never disappointed in the quality. Tips are not mandatory which surprised me but the wine was the best thing – we sat in a restaurant near the Trevi Fountain (ambiance galore) and my glass of wine was equivalent to $3 CAD while an opera singer was singing outside on the street. Bellisima!

Local dishes that are truly Roman were the artichokes, maritozzi, carbonara & I had the cornetto (looks like a croissant but not) everyday for breakfast. 😆