11:54 PM
Kakrona Chan
Do you “eat to live” or “live to eat?” Regardless of your munching motto, in this day and age, there are endless food options available, and those that were once considered unusual and exotic are now mainstream. Sushi drive-thru, anyone? Yes, it actually does exist. With curious palates and a willingness to experiment, amateur eaters and gourmands alike literally have a world of food at their disposal.
However, entering a new culture and food experience can be a little daunting. Unrecognizable smells, cluelessness about food pronunciations, and ingredients that you haven’t seen before can leave even an adventurous eater longing for the nearest burger joint.
Luckily, there’s an app for that.
Here are 10 iPhone apps that can help guide anyone through uncharted food territory and set the stage for enjoyable eating adventures.
1. Global Eater Food Dictionary
You’re at an authentic Indian restaurant and you hear fellow diners contemplating ordering either dhaal or ghost curry. Huh? You can sneak a peek at the Global Eater Food Dictionary app while you snack on some naan bread and realize that they’re discussing lentils or lamb. With food definitions from cuisines all over the world including France, Spain, China, Thailand, Mexico and others, you can rely on this handy guide as a reference whenever you’re food-confused.
Cost: $0.99
2. Yum Cha Dim Sum
Those push carts with the steaming bamboo baskets are such a beautiful sight and smell. But when that cart comes by with the mile-high stack of steamers, the lids come off and it can be hard to know what exactly you’re looking at. The Yum Cha Dim Sum app is a great dim sum decoder, and even provides color photos, calorie counts and key ingredients for a variety of dim sum fare.
Cost: $2.99
3. 365 World Recipe
Imagine following a new international food recipe for every day of the year. That would be an ambitious goal, but with this app, even the loftiest cooks can achieve this. Although it is a very simple app with no photographs, the variety of recipes is impressive. Some samples from the month of October include Austrian Baked Eggs, Swedish Baked Fish, India Beef Curry, and much more. There’s also an option within the app to send each recipe via e-mail.
Cost: $0.99
4. Sushipedia
Sushi is so commonplace now (please refer to earlier drive-thru reference), but with myriad raw fish options such as hamachi, kanpachi and mebachi, not to mention the numerous maki sushi options, you begin to realize that sushi goes far beyond California rolls. Sushipedia is a great app that provides color photography of sushi varieties, descriptions and even fun facts –- and it’s free.
Cost: Free
5. GlobeTipping
For those fortunate enough to travel internationally and experience these cuisines in their native countries, it is important to know how to tip appropriately, since each region is different. Did you know that tipping is not the norm in restaurants in Indonesia and is even considered an insult in China and Japan? Now you do. The GlobeTipping app is a must-have app for any world traveler.
Cost: $0.99
6. 42 Restaurants
True foodies will be able to appreciate all this app has to offer. 42 Restaurants features recipes, descriptions, chef bios and stunning photography from some of the world’s most highly-rated restaurants. The lengthy listing includes Le Gavroche in London; Picholine in New York; Tantris in Munich; La Rosetta in Rome and 38 more. Each restaurant features a recipe that has been hand-picked by each head chef (many of whom who have earned Michelin stars) and with the beautiful photos of each locale, this app offers the next best thing to being there. A lite free version is also available, but only includes four restaurant descriptions.
Cost: $4.99
7. Korean Cuisine
Korean food has grown in popularity, thanks in part to celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay who make bulgogi (marinated, grilled beef) and side dishes like kimchi (pickled cabbage) on the Food Network. Like all world cuisines however, it goes far beyond the two or three dishes it is best known for. With some similarities to Chinese and Japanese food, but still quite different, Korean food is still a mystery to many. With this free Korean cuisine app, users can learn more about the ingredients in 52 different dishes, how to make them, and how to eat them.
Cost: Free
8. FoodFinder
What are you in the mood for tonight? Cambodian, Ethiopian or how about some Peruvian? Whatever your palate fancies can be located with the FoodFinder app. It provides an A through Z listing of foods from every country you can imagine, and then maps the restaurant nearest you via Google. FoodFinder also provides phone numbers for each restaurant so you can place and order or reservation directly from the app.
Cost: Free
9. Mexi-Pedia
What’s the difference between a burrito and a chimichanga? The latter is a fried version of the former. The Taco Bell chihuahua actually did a good job of improving the Mexican food vernacular in pop culture, but there’s so much more to the cuisine than the fast food chain offers. The Mexi-Pedia app provides overviews of popular Mexican dishes and includes color photography as well.
Cost: $0.99
10. iCooking Moroccan Cuisine
The iCooking Moroccan Cuisine app is one of many by this app developer featuring recipes from regions all over the world. Any cook who wants to try different recipes should look into the iCooking series which features 16 different apps on foods like BBQ, Chinese, French, Greek, Indian, Spanish and more. This app in particular features 50 popular Moroccan dishes and is well-organized with photos, ingredients and preparation tips.
Cost: $0.99
If you find some tasty recipes or discover a delicious restaurant via the social web, let us know in the comments below.
[via mashable]
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