When you’re enjoying Hawaii’s best food, you’ll wonder: who says Hawaii is all about relaxing on the beach? With so much that’s wonderful to eat and drink on these islands, it’s easy to create a jam-packed foodie itinerary.

The first Hawaiian settlers brought food and cooking techniques with them from Polynesia, while Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and Portuguese immigrants have since each contributed their own culinary sensibilities. The result? A unique fusion of flavors that’s truly ono — that’s Hawaiian for delicious.

1. Sample Taro, Guava, Avocado and More at a Farm Market

Farm markets are a great place to get your bearings on Hawaiian cuisine. The state’s premier market, Kapiolani Farmer’s Market, is held each Saturday morning on the grounds of Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu. (4303 Diamond Head Road.) Honolulu is on the island of Oahu, which means Oahu’s farms are best represented here, although you’ll definitely find vendors representing the other Hawaiian islands as well. Each island has a specialty: Maui is known for its onions and its lavender, Kauai for its coffee, guava, taro, and red-fleshed sunrise papayas, the Big Island for its macadamia nuts, hearts of palm and breadfruit.

2. Tour Honolulu’s Holes-in-the-Wall

While Honolulu and certain parts of Maui and the Big Island can feel a bit like they’re part of California mall-sprawl, there are a great many fantastic mom ‘n pop restaurants and small food shops to explore. If you’re short on time in Oahu, try the “Hole in the Wall” tour, offered by Hawaii Food Tours. This four-hour tour takes you to some of Honolulu’s tiny-but-terrific local faves, including Liliha Bakery. (515 N. Kuakini Street, (808) 531-1651.) Liliha is best known for its cocoa puffs, which are cream-filled pastries, and malasadas, which are Portuguese donuts. Try the maladadas filled with azuki bean paste.

3. Try a Presidential Plate Lunch

When President Obama returned to his native Hawaii, he made it a point to grab a Hawaiian specialty called “plate lunch”, which consists of two scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad (locals call it “mac salad”,) and an entrée, usually meat or seafood. The plate lunch concept has its roots in the Japanese bento box, so you can get Japanese-inspired dishes with your plate lunch, like beef teriyaki. Or, choose more Hawaiian specialties, like kalua pork — the meat is rubbed with salt, wrapped in ti leaves, and slow-cooked. You can find plate lunches all over Hawaii, but President Obama frequents Rainbow Drive-In, which is near Waikiki Beach. (3308 Kanaina Ave, (808) 737-0177.)

4. Wander in Chinatown

Honolulu’s “Chinatown” is actually more of a blend of all of the different Asian cultures represented in Hawaii: Chinese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Japanese, Thai, Filipino and Korean. Here you’ll find markets, restaurants, specialty shops, bakeries and fantastic dim sum. If you’ve visited other U.S. Chinatowns, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how relaxed and calm Honolulu’s is. Plan your walking tour here.

5. Cool off with Shave Ice

Nothing slacks tropical heat quite like “shave ice”, a dessert which is (you guessed it!) shaved ice, drenched in flavored sweet syrup. What sets Hawaiian shave ice apart from other snow-cones that you might have had elsewhere is what you add to it. Locals start with a base of ice cream, add the shaved ice and syrup, top that with azuki beans, then pour on condensed milk and finally sprinkle it all with li hing mui, which is a tangy powder made from salty dried plums. Try it at Waiola Bakery & Shave Ice. (525 Kapahulu Avenue, (808) 735-8886.)

6. Sink Your Teeth into a Pastry

Hawaiians love their bakeries, and the islands are dotted with fantastic small ones. On Maui, there’s Home Made Bakery, where the must-try is manju, a dense Japanese pastry made with buckwheat flour, which can be filled with coconut, papaya and even lima beans. (1005 Lower Main Street, Wailuku, (808) 244-7015. Or 395 Dairy Road, Kahului, (808) 877-8779.) On the Big Island, there’s Two Ladies’ Kitchen, (274 Kilauea Ave, Hilo, (808) 961-4766) famous for their mochi, a rice paste confection that can be stuffed with strawberries.

7. Eat Some Cheese at Surfing Goat Dairy

Many of Hawaii’s farms welcome visitors, and one of the best is Surfing Goat Dairy, on Maui. (3651 Omaopio Road, Kula, (808) 878-2870.) This goat farm is on the slopes of the Haleakala Volcano, and has won many national awards for its cheese. Be sure to sample Purple Rain chevre flavored with Maui-grown lavender, and Mac Goat Nut feta, which is flavored with smoked local macadamia nut shells. You can tour the farm, grab a goat cheese snack, and if you call ahead, you can even help out with the evening chores.

8. Check out a Brewery or a Food Factory

Hawaii is home to many food-related factories you can tour. For instance, the island brews excellent beer, and Kona Brewing Company, on the Big Island, is one of its major breweries. Tour Kona’s headquarters and learn how it produces its full range of beer, from light Longboard Island Lager to dark Pipeline Porter, made with coffee grown nearby. (Tours are Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.) Be sure to stop by the pub to sample their draft-only products, including the Hula Hefeweizen, which has both banana and herbal flavors. (75-5629 Kuakini Highway, Kailua-Kona, (808) 334-2739.) Or visit Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory and Visitor’s Center, on the Hilo side of the Big Island.

Kulolo is a traditional Hawaiian dessert made from taro root, coconut milk and brown sugar. It’s similar in texture to haupia, although nothing like it in taste. Like many dishes that involve taro, it can be an acquired taste. Kulolo isn’t something that you’ll find stocked in stores regularly — it’s made the traditional way, and only in small quantities — so you should definitely snap it up when you find it. In Kauai, the Kukuiula grocery store (2827 Poipu Road, Koloa) carries it occasionally, so it’s a good place to make inquiries.

Wong’s restaurant and its attached bakery and deli, is widely considered the place to get the best lilikoi (or passion fruit) chiffon pie in Kauai. It’s easy to drive right past Wong’s, as it doesn’t look like much from the road, but its Asian food is said to be some of the best on the island, and its bakery certainly is. The lilikoi pie is definitely the can’t iss — its filling manages to be airy and juicy at the same time. But there are other pies and pastries to choose from as well.

Melbourne is a pleasant town with lots of parks, beautiful old buildings, alleys that lead us to a cafe, sidewalk cafes, and eclectic local boutiques. And, especially for you who love the arts and culture event, Melbourne has plenty.

Where to Go?
Abstinence tennis fans spend a tennis stadium tour visiting Rod Laver Arena which is used for the Australian Open grand event every year. Walking down the Yarra River or combing may also participate river cruise on the afternoon of the evening.

For shopping Spree, we recommend Chapel Street. In this region, there are eclectic shops that exist only in Melbourne. The city also has the Royal Botanic Gardens to relax enjoy the outdoors. It also to Federation Square for a spot just watching the city goes by.

Cheap Eats
Noticing Try the Ramen Shop 146a, 210 La Trobe Street, Melbourne Central. Because price and satisfying taste, this place is always full of visitors. We liked the beef Gyu Don (AU $ 8 or about Rp60.000) the filling and yum yum.

There are also other menus, ranging from the Chicken Teriyaki to potstickers. Uniquely again, this restaurant provides Takeaway box that lets you bring home if you do not run out of food. Super economical!

Cheap Stay
Hostels are often avoided due to the lack of facilities image. But, in Melbourne Metro YHA (AU $ 75 or around Rp500.000-an), the traveler can enjoy a clean room, Internet lounge, a DVD can be borrowed for free, free swimming pass, and the most exciting is the rooftop lounge. On the roof, but could enjoy the view of the city, you can sunbathe, read a book, even pests BBQ night.

Spend Your Money On
When tired of walking, a little indulgence is not to be missed in Melbourne is Koko Black. This cafe serving authentic chocolate drink with a variety of unique variants. Affogato Chocolate (vanilla ice cream doused hot chocolate) is our favorite. Well, for who want to experiment, you may be desperate to try Chilli Blend with a slightly spicy taste, actually made with a mixture of chili!

Budget Airlines
Jetstar Asia flight from Bali, Tiger Airways fly from Singapore, and Air Asia flies from Kuala Lumpur.

Vietnamese food has always been special to me. Influenced by Chinese and French, it is the true “light cuisine” of Asia. Vietnamese delicacies mostly rely on abundant fresh herbs and vegetables, subtle seasonings, rice and noodles. Many dishes rarely have added fats.

I went to Vietnam during last Ramadan holidays. I spent a few days in Hanoi and tried some authentic local Vietnamese foods. I came to know the reputable Dac Kim restaurant from reading the “36 hours in Hanoi” article by New York Times. The restaurant is well known for its fantastic Bun Cha dish. It is one of Vietnamese foods that I haven’t been able to find outside Vietnam. It is a popular traditional North Vietnamese dish, which is basically a combination of grilled pork patties and rice noodles served over a bed of greens, herbs and sliced cucumbers. It often includes chopped-up spring rolls and a small bowl of Nuoc Cham (a well-known Vietnamese dipping sauce typically made from chili, garlic and fish sauce).

Bun Cha Dac Kim is a cramped small three-floor restaurant with steep narrow staircases. Once seated, we were asked for our choices of drink, and soon all the food were quickly brought to us. There was no menu. On the table already are a plate of green herbs, a plate of boiled rice noodles, a bowl of sliced chilies and chopped garlics, a bowl of cut key limes, and a bowl of Nuoc Cham and pickled young papayas. The server brought each of us a bowl of a clear tasty broth filled with succulent grilled pork patties and sliced grilled pork. A side of chopped-up spring rolls filled with crab meats was also served with the bun cha. Not knowing exactly how to start, we asked the server to show us how to eat everything. Some rice noodles were first put in an empty bowl, mixed with couple scoops of pork meats and sauce with some added garlics, chilies, green herbs and pickled papayas. Fresh lime juice was also added to the broth for a more authentic flavor.

The reality of bun cha is startlingly delicious. Leaving Hanoi without tasting bun cha would have been criminal. Bun cha is a must eat! Mixed with the lemony broth, the charcoal-grilled pork patties were so soft and tasted tangy and sweet at the same time. The slices of grilled pork were more tender than anticipated. Some pork patties wrapped in grape leaves were very fine in texture, simply the best. The broth and Nuoc Cham were light, yet flavorsome. The jungle-like pile of veggies are in many different varieties: lettuce, cilantro, mint, celery, basil, etc. My favorite was the delightful spring rolls which was very crispy on the outside and filled with delicious crab meats.

Bun cha was the most stuffing meal I had in Hanoi. It’s a lot of food, it’s very delicious, and it’s cheap. We all went to Bun Cha Dac Kim twice in a few-day stay in Hanoi. Yeah, it was that good!

In less than a decade, Beijing has gone from a hidden dragon to a crouching tiger. Its 17 million residents have witnessed a crowded, humble, mysterious collection of 19th-century neighborhoods transform overnight into a 21st-century megalopolis that makes any North American or European city seem positively sleepy and quaint.

Everything about Beijing seems dizzying, especially for first-time visitors, and that is especially true when deciding where to eat. Out of the tens of thousands of restaurants, most are dumpling-sized mama and baba (ma and pa) shops that specialize in northern Chinese cuisine, although every region is well represented due to Beijing’s almost thousand-year standing as China’s capital. While the iconic dish is Peking duck, Mongolian hotpot and spicy Sichuan dishes are also ubiquitous. But wherever you eat, this is not your corner Chinese takeout. Few places serve a menu loaded with what Americans think of as China’s greatest hits of noodles, dumplings, and rice dishes. In Beijing, rice often comes at the end of the meal; fortune cookies, General Tso’s chicken, and BBQ spare ribs are rare; and most dishes rank in the middle to high range on the Scoville (spiciness) scale. That said, the food is almost always good, whether from a street vendor cooking radish cakes or from a techno-reverberating hipster spot serving tongue-scorching shrimp. Below are five restaurants where the ni hao (welcome) is warm and the food hot.

Peking Duck:

There are almost as many restaurants that specialize in Peking duck as there are bicycles on Beijing’s streets, but few places do it as well as Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant. The first location debuted almost three decades ago; lines formed daily for so many years that the owners finally opened two more spots. Despite the fact that the menu is the size of the yellow pages, it’s the Peking duck that’s the universal draw. Glazed and roasted, the skin is extremely crisp, the meat juicy, and the pancakes paper-thin. The accompaniments include a thick, sweet hoisin sauce, radishes, scallions, and a garlickly aïoli, all a cut above what you’d find at other duck spots. The chef carves the bird tableside, and the dishes are presented artfully. The location at Dongsishitiao is perhaps the most upscale, and it seems to be celebration central, guaranteeing an always festive atmosphere. (22 Dongsishitiao; 86-10-5169-0328; no Web site)

Dumplings:

To get your fill of dumplings, you have to go to restaurants that specialize in jiaozi and Bao Yuan Jiaozi Wu does just that. This very casual “dumpling heaven,” as the Savour Asia blog describes it, also has a multilingual menu, which sets it apart from other dumpling dives. Everything is made to order: The dumplings come in a rainbow of colors, such as purple and orange (naturally dyed with vegetable juice), and have fillings like pork with chives, chicken with mushrooms, and shrimp with chiles. (Maizi Dian Jie Building, 6 ChaoYang Park; 86-10-6586-4967; no Web site)

Mongolian Hotpot:

If Austin Powers could design a restaurant, Ding Ding Xiang would be it. Within its 1960s mod vibe—white circular banquettes, metal curtains, and bright colors as decorative accents—Ding Ding Xiang serves up one of the most ancient Asian dishes but with a modern stamp. Diners are presented with individual mini cauldrons (instead of a communal pot) filled with boiling homemade broth in which to cook raw lamb, beef, pork, noodles, and veggies. The accompanying dipping sauce, jin pai tiao liao, a sumptuous treat, is made with sesame paste laced with garlic and chiles. Besides the delicious, stick-to-the-ribs fare and hipster feel, this place is also popular because it’s open until midnight, which is unusual in Beijing, a city that does sleep. To see the restaurant in action, check out this video from Epi’s sister site Concierge (Yuanjia International Apartments, 14 Dongzhong Jie, Chaoyang; 86-10-6417-9289; no Web site)

Hand-pulled Noodles:

While there is no surfeit of noodle joints in this city, the doughy wide zhajiang mian (noodles) at the boisterous Old Beijing Zhajiang Noodle King near the Temple of Heaven are truly, well, heavenly. Made on the premises and boiled or fried, they are delivered to the table with an array of sauces, meats, and greens, which the waiter then adds to one bowl for you to mix. The Chinese cognoscenti come for traditional noodles with beef (or lamb) with scallions, pork and green beans, or chicken and chilies. This is the perfect place to chow down for a few yuan but it’s not exactly plush—picture benches around worn wooden tables and waiters who loudly greet diners. Still, it’s one of the few places left that is reminiscent of old Beijing, so get there while you can. (29 Chong Wai Street, Chong Wen District; 86-10-6705-6705; no Web site)

Haute Pan-Asian:

Standing in the chic outdoor shopping mall, the Village at Sanlitun, you’d swear you were in Beverly Hills, and that’s also true of the adjacent Opposite House, one of the most beautifully designed boutique hotels in all of Asia. A minimalist-lover’s haven, locals and tourists come to the Opposite House to eat at Sureno, an award-winning Mediterranean restaurant with a wood-fired oven that churns out delicious pizzas, and to Bei, which specializes in pan-Asian, mixing Korean, Japanese, and Chinese on the menu. This glammed-up version of a Chinese restaurant attracts locals who come not just for the hipster vibe but also for the suckling pig with tofu and sushi rice; chicken breast simmered in local beer, garlic, and peanuts; and duck fried rice. Bei points to the future of Beijing’s restaurants—sleek, sophisticated, with whiffs of the West. (The Village at Sanlitun, Building 1, 11 Sanlitun Road; 86-10-6417-6688; Opposite House)

The Campania region of Italy—which lies south of Rome on the west coast of the country, along the Tyrrhenian Sea—should be on every culinary traveler’s list. Its capital, Naples, is the birthplace of Pizza Margherita (a tomato, basil, and mozzarella pie with the colors of the Italian flag), and its pizzerias are praised (and copied) around the world. The area, which includes travel hot spots Pompeii and the Amalfi coast, is also justly famous for its fantastic San Marzano tomatoes, pristine seafood, and pasta.

Campania is agriculturally rich: Tomatoes, chestnuts, figs, beans, onions, artichokes, lemons, and apples flourish in the rich soils under Mount Vesuvius.

While Campania is a major exporter of wine, olive oil, pasta, and canned tomatoes, some of the most spectacular food of the region can only be experienced when you’re there: Fresh, still-warm mozzarella, floating in brine; bubbly, wood-fired pizza; and just-caught shellfish tossed with pasta are just a few of the can’t-miss dishes.

Everyone’s a food critic in New York, but no one knows where to eat. Too many places open and close. Some are hot for a month and then vanish, inexplicably, like a one-hit-wonder pop singer. But a few dozen restaurants do find a groove, and a regular audience, and never need course correction. These are the perennials, the safe bets, the treasured top picks. And, thankfully, there are eateries to match all needs: high-end celebrity chef dining destinations, budget-sensitive noodle shops, sexy hot spots that never lose their luster (reservations are a must), cozy local favorites, and the classics–where you can find authentic, no-kidding-around lox and bagels, pastrami on rye, or steak. We’ve selected only places that have proven their culinary chops and long-term reliability.

Di Fara Pizza
1424 Avenue J
Midwood, Brooklyn
718-258-1367

The city’s pizza snobs reserve their praise almost exclusively for places with wood- and coal-burning ovens. Yet they adore Di Fara, an unremarkable-looking pizzeria in Midwood, Brooklyn, where veteran pizzaiolo Domenico DeMarco makes his magical round and square pies in a standard gas number. The resulting crisp, blistered crust is augmented with exceptional ingredients: buffalo mozzarella imported from Campania, sauce made from San Marzano tomatoes, and a generous dusting of freshly grated Grana Padano. Slices are available, but it’s best to come with a group and share a whole pizza topped with, say, fresh baby artichokes or real, thick-cut pepperoni (thanks, but no thanks, Hormel). Just be prepared to wait: DeMarco makes every pie himself, and whether there’s no line or one out the door, he does not rush.

Courtesy of August
August
359 Bleecker St.
212-929-4774
www.augustny.com

For many it’s the tiny garden and postage-stamp room, reminiscent of a turn-of-the-last-century boîte in Paris’s Left Bank, that draws them to chef Tony Liu’s no-reservations West Village bistro. For others it’s the wood-burning brick oven that gives rise to crispy crusty breads, Alsatian tartes, and pizzas. And for yet another set of food lovers, it’s the mystique of knowing that August is one of those rare New York restaurants where there are no disappointing dishes — whether it’s grilled leg of lamb salad or olive-oil-poached char with crayfish — and no attitude.

Al di Là
248 Fifth Ave.
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-783-4565
www.aldilatrattoria.com

There’s practically a cult around this gracious little trattoria in Park Slope, Brooklyn — a bustling neighborhood known for strollers, writers, and finally a thriving restaurant scene. No reservations are taken, so expect a wait for chef-owners Anna Klinger and husband Emiliano Coppa’s superb northern Italian food (though it’s hardly a burden to idle away an hour in Al di Là Vino, the softly lit wine bar around the corner). Over dinner in the Old World dining room, with its faded yellow wallpaper and blue-tiled floor, longtime customers have been known to get emotional about the beet-and-ricotta ravioli, and heated arguments about the best dishes — just a couple of which are spaghetti with briny clams and tender hanger steak in balsamic-spiked sauce — can carry through the meal and all the way down Fifth Avenue.

Courtesy of Shake Shack
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park
(E. 23rd St. and Madison Ave.)
212-889-6600
www.shakeshacknyc.com

So beloved is Danny Meyer’s burger stand that its Web site displays live feeds from a Shack-cam that lets you track the unrelentingly long line snaking through Madison Square Park. Whatever its length, it’s bearable, because what awaits you is a juicy (okay, greasy, but in a good way) griddle-cooked combo of hand-chopped sirloin and brisket that’s topped with cheese (American, of course), garlicky mayo-based Shack Sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes. And besides, your wait gives you ample time to decide on a plan of attack: Do you get a single burger and leave room for fries and a large custard? Or a double, plus a hot dog and a Concrete Jungle (whirled custard, peanut butter, hot fudge, and bananas)? We’ll let you decide, and in the meantime, we’ll see you on line. Note: The Shack closes in late December and reopens in early January. And a second location opened on the Upper West Side at 366 Columbus Ave, near 77th Street).

Grand Sichuan International
745 Ninth Ave.
212-582-2288

The word “Szechuan” may appear frequently on restaurants’ facades, but rarely do these places serve anything resembling the exquisite food of China’s Sichuan Province. Yet the cuisine’s complex flavors and textures (along with mouth-numbing heat) are on display at this location of Grand Sichuan, the best of several branches scattered throughout Manhattan. Skip the obviously Americanized offerings, as well as any other dish that whiffs of your typical Cantonese or Shanghainese restaurant, and head straight for strips of double-cooked pork sautéed with salty bean paste; sweet, fiery Gui Zhou chicken; and the bizarre and wonderful sour string beans with minced pork, a play on spicy and tangy that will redefine your notion of what Chinese food can be.

Pearl Oyster Bar
18 Cornelia St.
212-691-8211
www.pearloysterbar.com

The too-tight space has been doubled, but chances are you’ll still have to wait on line outside to secure a spot at the squeaky-clean counter and eat silky clam chowder, briny fried oysters, mayonnaise-drenched lobster rolls, and summer-only blueberry crumble. You’ll swear you can almost taste the salt air. Who knew the West Village could be so much like New England?

Prune
54 East 1st St.
212-677-6221
www.prunerestaurant.com

Resist the urge to call it adorable. Yes, it’s tiny and homey, and yes, the staff is almost all-female, but chef Gabrielle Hamilton turns out big-flavored, decidedly noncutesy dishes such as pastrami duck breast and suckling pig. At brunch, you can choose from nine Bloody Marys and order spaghetti carbonara or grilled merguez with oysters for the ultimate anti-eggs-Benedict experience.