List of Asian Foods

You love Asian food? So do we.

Taste is always subjective. One man’s spicy is another man’s uncontrollable, red faced pain. One woman’s sweet is another woman’s diabetic nightmare. As foodie travellers there is one thing we can promise – We’ve eaten a lot. In doing so, we’ve drawn a bunch of comparisons in order to compile this list.

One year in Asia. Its been one hell of a journey, one which still continues. We’ve eaten fantastically well and we’ve discovered foods we’d never even dreamed of.

There are a lot of great dishes that did not make the list. So, in no particular order, these are the best of the best foods in Asia and I’m going to tell you why.

Xiaolongbao, Shanghai

Burning. Explosion. Flavour. Searing. Amazing. That about sums up the consumption timeline of these bite size mouth volcanoes of infinite yum.

If you can stand to wait – most can’t – then give them a few minutes to cool down first. We’ve had these in many places across China and other Asian countries. Shanghai is still the best.

The Xiaolongbao, or soup dumpling, was featured on an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”. Unlike the ones he tried, in a fancy restaurant, we ate at a regular hole in the wall sort of place. They were cheap, filling and perfect. Also unlike the giant ones he ate, first supping the juice with a straw, these are of a regular down-in-one size.

They may not be the most famous in Shanghai, but you will not be disappointed.

Tip: Go for the original pork filling – anything else just isn’t as good.

• Price: About 12 yuan ($2) for a serve of 12 small dumplings
• Location: JiaJiaTangBao Restaurant, Huanghe Lu, Near Nanjing Xilu, Shanghai. Food Map

Can’t make it to Shanghai? Have a crack at making your own dumplings with these awesome Chinese recipes. Easy Chinese Recipes: Family Favorites From Dim Sum to Kung Pao

Pork Belly Korean BBQ. Itaewon, Seoul

South Korea is the most expensive country we visited for food over the last year. Although it is possible to get a meal for under $5 you’ll be stuck with some pretty basic chow.