snack attack

While Japan is being stormed by processed foods, fluffy egg sandwiches and instant ramen, there are still places where first-class, fresh ingredients are key. Yaki onigiri from a tiny spot in Kurashiki is definitely one for the books. The neatly designed space, with the most elegant owners and their Disney-dressed small daughter, will make you feel right at home—assuming your home is a traditional Japanese house. The sweet and slightly burned taste will linger for a long time, making you wish there were more places like 士水. Only munching the crisp and crunchy Nukazuke cucumber can fill the hole in your heart left by longing for the onigiri. Fermented in rice bran or slightly lemony and chilled on ice, it can cheer up even the moodiest and most tired of travellers.  

The Parisien, aka the jambon beurre, is as simple as "ham, butter, bread." A convenience food to grab & go in the 1900s, now an artisanal bakery delight. There's no sticky white bread, it's not the triangle-cut monstrosities that stick to the roof of your mouth. Instead, it's all about that crusty, freshly baked baguette de tradition. It's sliced open, slathered with copious amounts of beurre de baratte and stuffed with thin shavings of jambon blanc. Head to Boulangerie MieMie in the 11th for this simple yet great, institutional bundle of deliciousness. 

Food, like fashion, is cyclical, and Londoners are currently deep in the 70’s & 80’s snack scene. The humble devilled egg is back with a vengeance, with places like Noble Rot & Bistro Freddie’s including them as a staple on their menus. Extra points if it’s garnished with curly leaf parsley. Soho institutions Rita’s & The Devonshire are very much on the bandwagon with their prawn cocktail & gilda filled menus (for best results, always eat in one mouthful). And an honorary mention to Dovetale’s knickerbocker glory trolley. Long gone are the days of the 25p ice cream from Wimpy, this trolleys are designed by a spacecraft company and have CO2 cooling jets to frost your glass instantaneously. Comforting and nostalgic snacks are on the rise! 

Ask most Swedes what smell they identify with the snowy, long winters, it’s saffron. Hence, when Midvinter hits, when the candles are lit across Stockholm for Saint Lucia’s Day, it’s the waft of this richly glorious spice that exudes from most, if not all, bakery doors. Lussekatter master the balance of sweet versus savoury. So, when our favourite bakery-by-day, wine-bar-by-night in the city, Le Violon Dingue/Bar Ingrid announced that their trays would be filled with these radiantly orange, saffron-filled, sultana-sprinkled weavings of deliciousness, we knew lussekatter had officially replaced the glorified saffransbullar. Eat one fresh and save the others for the next morning to be sliced, toasted and spread with a generous lashing of sea-salt topped whipped butter. 

If you have ever been to Mexico, you know about their foodie obsession with spice and lime. Chamoy, a popular sauce made from tamarind, chilli, sugar and salt, is the perfect combination of sour, spicy and sweet. Other street food finds include Valentina, a Jalisco staple combining chilli, garlic and vinegar, or Tajin, a seasoning made from dried chilli peppers, lime and salt. These iconic condiments have become a worldwide sensation after being paired with fresh mango, pineapple, watermelon and elotes (corn) in every market or popular street stall you can find. The ultimate Mexican snack: a cup of juicy, thick slices of mango sauteed with Chamoy and Valentina, sprinkled with Tajin and lime. If you are into spice and sour, these will be life-changing. 

It takes all restraint to cycle past the oliebollen stalls without parking up, hopping off and ordering a box of these. When the days are shorter and the nights are darker, the local traditional New Year's Eve fried, powdered-covered bundles appear in glistening, fairy-light-covered moveable trucks. They're as much a touristy treat as a traditional delicacy. So when the Saturday Noordermarkt is filled with the aroma and sweet wafts from the fryer, who are we to complain? Why limit the time frame for a treat as delicious as these? 

Açaí may covet the menus of every brunch spot, though it's truly a superfood. Indigenous North Brazilians from Belem were the geniuses who embarked on the exploration of this fruit. Açaí grows in clusters (just like grapes) on açaí palm trees. The berries have a large pit and only a small amount of pulp, not so sweet and with earthy undertones. In Brazil, the frozen Açaí pulp will be pureed and eaten as a treat after a surf lesson or like an ice cream on a hot, sizzling day. The bowls are paired with banana or other tropical fruits and berries, coconut flakes, a drizzle of honey or guarana syrup, Paçoca (a typical peanut sweet) or any nut butter, powdered milk and condensed milk heavenly nourishment. 

Argentinians shine in many fields. From football to comedy and theatre, wine and of course, sweets such as the famous dulce de leche. Among the many delights from this country, a main and constant treat that never fails to hit the spot are the iconic alfajores. Two melt in your mouth, soft cookies are stuck together with a spoonful of creamy dulce de leche. Simple but superb. Some are covered with white or dark chocolate, others are paired with meringue and lime zest. A classic alfajor from Havanna never disappoints.

Taiwan is undeniably food-obsessed. You’ll find yourself full in no time on fluffy omelets, flaky pancakes, deep-fried dough, soy milk, buns and dumplings. Stumble across Michelin-adorned food vendors dishing out outstanding treats from run-down stalls nestled between car mechanic shops. The endless arsenal of precarious snacks at night markets will easily fill the rest of your day. While some treats, like "frog eggs," only sound intimidating, others require a bit more courage. For a taste of both adventure and delight, try a scallion pancake drizzled with condensed milk. Night markets don’t stay open all night so if you’re planning to hit more than one in a day, start early. The best bites can disappear fast, and there’s nothing more upsetting than going to bed hungry. Especially in such a food haven.