An ALL TIME FAVORITE travel experience

The best food in the world is often accompanied by an unforgettable travel experience. Anyone with me? 🙌

For any of my fellow travel junkies out there, one of the things I've missed the most in 2020 is being able to fulfill my curious spirit with travel and food experiences. 

I know I'm not alone in this. We've all had to live vicariously through food travel shows on Netflix to fulfill that curiosity in the last year. Either that or you've likely spent time on culinary adventures in the comfort of your own kitchen with the help of Google and YouTube!

And there’s so much to learn from watching others cook and cooking at home yourself. These are great things, and I believe wholeheartedly in the power of food to bring people together around the table. However, traveling offers truly unique food experiences that we simply can’t replicate in our own homes.  

Travel food experiences are a gateway into learning so much about the history and culture that shapes a group of people. Ben and I spent extensive time living and traveling in Southeast Asia, and had many memorable food experiences while there. 

One of my ALL TIME FAVORITES was in Vietnam.

It was 2014. Ben and I were walking down the streets of Hoi An, a UNESCO Heritage town located on the coast of Vietnam.

It was hot, humid, and we were hungrily looking for something off the beaten path that resembled where the locals would eat. After wandering our way through the town's cobbled streets for a good 30 minutes, still not having found just the "right" spot... there it was.

Short plastic stools with plastic trays as tables, spread out on the sidewalk. Mostly locals. Only one table left. 

It ticked all the boxes.

The food was simple.

Homemade rice paper, lettuce, and caramelized pork on a stick that had been barbecued over an open flame on the side of the street.

And still, to this date, it remains in my mind as one of the best things I've ever eaten.

Now I can see it was more about the whole experience than it was about the food alone. The fact that we had delayed filling our bellies so we could fulfill our curious travel spirits and eat like the locals made this memory unique and special.

I'm forever grateful for this experience and others like it that provided me opportunities to open my mind and heart.

The many unique foods and flavor combinations we’ve tasted overseas continue to inspire our creativity at home. Naturally our experiences have shaped many of our menu choices at the Bakehouse, like the Bánh mì sandwich pictured above.

Our love for food and culture is simply too deep not to share. We feel so fortunate to be able to incorporate this part of our lives into our work and extend it through to our community. 

What about you? What is one of your most memorable travel food experiences? What items or flavors from these experiences do you suggest we feature in the Bakehouse? We’d love for you to share in the comments below.

And if you’re curious to explore our current menu and try some of the inspired flavor combinations, click below to pre-order!