1. Maple syrup, Canada
Canada's finest.
With
poutine and Montreal-style smoked meat not making the top 50, maple
syrup becomes the sole Canadian representative in the list. But before
selling you on its natural flavor and balanced sweetness, we must give
credit to its mentor, the waffle, playing Batman to maple syrup's
edgier, sexier Robin.
2. Roti prata, Singapore
A flipping great dish.
The
truth is curry wouldn't be curry if it wasn't for this dough-based
pancake. Looks and tastes like Indian naan, roti prata is flipped and
turned and flipped again before it's heated over a grill plate. Its
preparation is so theatrical you'll feel like dancing a jig while you're
eating it.
And the world's greatest food city is ...
3. Laksa, Singapore
Singapore's glory.
Whether it originates in Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia as
reader Bob Haris Mandela claimed, an authentic bowl of laksa always
comes with slippery vermicelli, a spicy broth (the spicier the better)
and generous toppings of shredded chicken and fresh prawns. One whiff of
its pungent curry-coconut aroma and you'll be transported to all three
countries. Best way to travel ever.
4. Fajitas, Mexico
Who can resist fajitas?
This
assembly kit of a dining experience is a thrill to DIY enthusiasts
everywhere. Step 1: Behold the meat sizzling on a fiery griddle. Step 2:
Along with the meat, throw side servings of capsicum, onion, guacamole,
sour cream and salsa into a warm, flour tortilla. Step 3: Promise all
within hearing range that you'll have "just one more." Step 4: Repeat.
5. Hamburger, Germany
Everyone's favorite junk-food treat.
When
something tastes so good that people spend $20 billion each year in a
single restaurant chain devoted to it, you know it has to fit into this
list. McDonald's may not offer the best burgers, but that's the point --
it doesn't have to. The bread-meat-salad combination is so good that
entire countries have ravaged their eco-systems just to produce more
cows. A global best food contender.
6. Galbi, Korea
Korean grilled ribs.
"Yeah,
I would have thrown Kalbi Jim or something similar on there," wrote
reader Nobody. "Some Korean dishes are savagely good." We could forgive
Nobody for opening 222 Facebook accounts to put Galbi in the list. But
we're pretty sure the balance of sweet and savory in Korean short ribs
means there's no underhand vote-rigging required.
7. Bibimbap, Korea
See, healthy food can taste good.
Mixed
vegetables and beef, sitting atop steaming-hot rice, held together by a
half-raw egg. The beauty of this Korean dish lies at least partially in
the diner's DIY mixing of the ingredients. Bibimbap is best when served
in a heated stone bowl, and eaten with metal chopsticks.
Food map: Eat your way around Korea
8. Masala dosa, India
Breakfast for one billion people.
A
crispy, rice-batter crepe encases a spicy mix of mashed potato, which
is then dipped in coconut chutney, pickles, tomato-and-lentil-based
sauces and other condiments. It's a fantastic breakfast food that'll
keep you going till lunch, when you'll probably come back for another.
9. Warm brownie and vanilla ice cream, Global
The dessert you can use to compare all the world's restaurants.
There
are some diners who will not frequent an establishment if it does not
have brownie and ice cream on the dessert menu. You may call them fools.
We do, too, but having done so we then happily leave the first
restaurant after the main course to visit one we know has this perfect
dessert on offer.
10. Potato chips, United States
The world's cheapest delicacy?
Despite
major criticisms suggesting that potato chips aren't real food, voters
like Deepti Ravi believe that they "rock." What started as a chef's
trick on a fussy diner is now one of the world's most child-friendly
foods. But think of them this way -- if a single chip cost, say, $5,
it'd be a far greater (and more popular) delicacy than caviar, a prize
worth fighting wars over.
11. Moo nam tok, Thailand
Neither soup nor salad -- but definitely delicious.
Grilled
pork combined with lemon juice, green onions, chili, mint sprigs, fish
sauce and toasted rice. Legend has it the blood from the meat along with
the dressing inspired some happy carnivore to name this brilliant dish
"waterfall (nam tok moo) meat."
12. Neapolitan pizza, Italy
Neapolitan pizza isn't always so big -- but whatever its size it's delicious.
The
best pizza was and still is the simple Neapolitan, an invention now
protected by its own trade association that insists on sea salt,
high-grade wheat flour, the use of only three types of fresh tomatoes,
hand-rolled dough and the strict use of a wood-fired oven, among other
quality stipulations.
With
just a few ingredients -- dough, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and basil
(the marinara pizza does not even contain cheese) -- the Neapolitans
created a food that few make properly, but everyone enjoys thoroughly.
13. Shrimp dumpling, Hong Kong
Small, but brilliant.
Succulent
shrimps, steamed well but not overdone, wrapped inside translucent rice
paper. This simple form of dim sum has been a must-eat dish for
decades. Words on the street say the more pleat folds there are the more
skillful the chef is.
14. Seafood paella, Spain
Paella, Spain's signature dish.
The
sea is lapping the shore by your feet, a warm breeze whips the
tablecloth around your legs and a steamy pan of paella sits in front of
you. Shrimp, lobster, mussels and cuttlefish combine with white rice and
various herbs, oil and salt in this Valencian dish that will send you
immediately into holiday mode. Though if you have it in Spain, you're probably there already.
15. Lobster, Global
If you were on a million menus you'd have big claws too.
Forget
all your fancy, contrived lobster dishes deployed by show-off chefs
eager for Michelin endorsement. When you have something as naturally
delicious as these little fellas, keep it simple. The best way to enjoy
lobster is simply to boil it and serve with a side of melted butter and
slice of lemon.
16. Fried chicken, United States
The all-American classic.
17. Cheeseburger, United States
Cheese makes all the difference.
The power of cheese? Add it to an ordinary hamburger, the food gets pushed up 13 spots in the poll.
18. Chili crab, Singapore
We've added it to the list, don't get crabby.
19. Barbecue pork, Hong Kong
The best pork comes barbecued and honey-drizzled.
20. Tacos, Mexico
It's taco time!
A
fresh, handmade tortilla stuffed with small chunks of grilled beef
rubbed in oil and sea salt then covered with guacamole, salsa, onions,
cilantro or anything else you want -- perfect for breakfast, lunch or
dinner. This is the reason few visitors leave Mexico weighing less than
when they arrived.
21. Penang assam laksa, Malaysia
