Part of the undeniable pleasure of international travel is being immersed in surroundings that bear little resemblance to home. Those voyages facilitate seductive encounters with exciting new flavors, alluring aromas, exotic ingredients and overwhelmingly enjoyable dining experiences. It’s no surprise that chefs and home cooks alike often return from their voyages inspired to bring new flavors home with them. Here are some examples of how global travel has influenced local menus.
For Sam Efron, executive chef and co-owner of Taverna and Oceana in San Marco, frequent visits to the coastal towns of Italy, Spain and Portugal made lasting impressions. "I loved getting seafood pasta in these places,” says Efron. “You can't go wrong with an abundance of fresh seafood piled on a bed of pasta with a really good sauce." At Taverna, spaghetti frutti di mare, made with shrimp, crab, mussels, clams and calamari, is his nod to these memorable encounters.
Italy has also been a source of inspiration for executive chef Norberto Jaramillo at La Cocina in St. Augustine. While traveling in Sardinia, he encountered pork belly served with polenta, bleu cheese and fresh cilantro. Reminded of similar dishes from his home in Armenia Quindio, Colombia, he created his take on chicharrón, a dish featuring slow baked pork belly with thinly sliced sweet plantains, gorgonzola, corn chow chow, arugula and chimichurri.
Casey Shelton, partner and bar manager at Dos Gatos, was enjoying his honeymoon in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam when a visit to the Unicorn Pub triggered an obsession with a gin and Cointreau concoction. Set aflame, then drizzled down a towering, three-tiered structure, the beverage is infused with hints of star anise, coriander and cinnamon along the way. Recognizing something special, he purchased the equipment and is making the very same, highly-entertaining "Tiger Style" cocktail at his downtown Jacksonville bar.
Although nowhere near as theatrical, Lauren Woinski, partner at Lotus Noodle Bar in St. Augustine, has created "The South Seoul," a springtime cocktail that pays homage to her experiences in Korea coupled with influences from the American South. Taking advantage of the restaurant's extensive selection of premium sakes, this cocktail features organic Japanese green tea infused with sakura (cherry blossom), honeydew cordial, soju (Korea’s national drink, often created with wheat, sweet potatoes and tapioca) and a splash of soda.
While on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, Greg Rider, owner of Gregory Paul's in Jacksonville Beach, encountered satay for the first time. "While the presentation was unremarkable, it was the distinctive blend of spices and fragrant herbs that had me hooked,” Rider says. Today, he makes his own Indonesian chicken satay with peanut sauce using a flavorful marinade consisting of soy sauce, brown sugar, lime, fish sauce, fresh ginger and garlic.
Explore these menu offerings and let them take you away to get a taste of foreign lands, no passport needed.
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