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Trails of taste

If you love food and travel, there is a way you can get the best of both these worlds.

Trails of taste


Bindu Gopal Rao

If you love food and travel, there is a way you can get the best of both these worlds. Simply join a food walk and discover the cities while sniffing its food trails. Food walks are a great way to understand a place’s ethos and an increasing number of people are opting for guided tours.

As native as it gets

According to a recent study by TripAdvisor, about 73 per cent people planned getaways specifically to try local food in 2018. New-age food walks are less superficial and more authentic, involving people travelling to places where local cuisines originate from. “A trip to Mandawa to sample local Rajasthani cuisine, a village lunch experience at the coastal city of Kashid near Alibaug to experience authentic Konkani dishes are some of the examples of what new-age food tours entail,” says Aditi Balbir, founder and CEO, V Resorts. Food walks offer an enriching window into a destination through its distinct cuisine. The guided walks involve brief talks by food experts interspersed with tasting and eating sessions. Praveen Singh, co-founder Bangalore Tours and More, explains, “Bangalore is a melting pot of cultures. Food as varied as liver on toast to meats and kebabs, mutton chops with finger millet balls to kulfis, all are part of the walk. Vegetarians can try South Indian thali, masala dosa, idlis, khara bhath and more.” 

Uncover secrets

The best way to know a city is through the food legacy hidden in its bylanes. For instance, the city of Hyderabad has a rich history of food, but if you want to try the flavours today, you need to make a dash for the old city where some of these gems are available only during the holy month of Ramzan.

“While our culinary team was researching to curate a perfect experience of the Ramzan festivities around Charminar, they were inspired to create a Hyderabad special dinner. This is a modern take on traditional Hyderabadi dishes along with a few traditional delicacies. Now, one does not have to wait for Ramzan to relish favourites like haleem, paya shorba, khubani and the like,” says Ravi Khubchandani, general manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport.

Finding stories

Did you know that it was the Portuguese who introduced chillies to India? Do you know where does the Monsoon Malabar Coffee get its name? Or who invented the famed sweet Mysore Pak? Well, a food walk is also a way to find out about all of this. Vinay Parameswarappa, founder, Gully Tours, who conducts walks in Mysore, Bengaluru, Kochi and Coorg, says, “We conduct food walks at iconic eateries. We also undertake culinary tours where we cook with local families that make traditional dishes. Like in Mysore, we make a Mysore masala dosa and Pandi curry in Coorg.” The team tries to give a comprehensive briefing to tourists on stuff like how the taste of the famed Nanjangud banana depends on the weather conditions, pretty much like wine. You can also go on a trail to taste Breudher Bread in Fort Kochi and explore its Dutch connection. Rohan Prakash, business head, Trip 360, says, “Given the fact that people want to discover old recipes, the new-age food walk is all about forgotten flavours and cuisines.” 

A new experience, each time

New-age food walks are all about being experimental and getting into the skin of the local cuisine. Heena Akhtar, co-founder of tripXOXO, opines, “With the onset of the trend of ‘living like a local’, food trails have become an important part of experiencing the culture and native flavours of a place. Today, people are choosing a food walk above a buffet in a five-star or any other restaurant. Travellers are indulging in experiments with various community foods in the streets.” Anubhav Sapra, founder of Delhi Food Walks, has been conducting food walks in Delhi for over eight years now. He says, “We have started a vegan food tour. We have shortlisted six places where food can be sampled. All tours are usually customised keeping in mind any allergies that the clients might have. We also hold cooking workshops where we buy ingredients from a local market and then make people participate in cooking. The food is then served to the guests.”

With so many tales and twists, food just got a juicy makeover and it’s for you to experience it firsthand.

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