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A world of fast food
by Ben Coren | 05 April 2018
One of the best bits about travelling to a different country is sampling the local food, but, always contrary, I like to seek out the local Burger King or McDonalds with the express aim of irritating friends and colleagues back in the UK.
It’s easy to get carried away trying to keep up with the foodie world, tasting exotic street food or chasing down the local brunch hot spot, but what about the fast food which locals eat when they're in a rush or, quite frankly, a bit drunk? It's a line guaranteed to make insta-perfect travel bloggers' blood boil, but I'm not just saying it to ruin their day - there is some truth to it.
From the often-vilified golden arches of McDonalds to the grease-laden halls of KFC, almost no corner of the planet is untouched by global fast food outlets. But it may surprise you to know that the menus of these places change vastly from country to country, and some of the dishes available may surprise you with their 'authenticity'.
For example, visitors to KFC in China can order a rice congee with a Colonel-inspired twist (it's basically gruel with fried chicken in it). Those travelling India may want to try the BigSpicy Paneer Wrap, filled with India's famous cheese smothered in a crunchy batter and paired with healthy veggies, lush - and probably less likely to gve you Delhi Belly than some of the street snacks you'll encounter!
If you find yourself in a Japanese branch of McDonalds, try their ‘Japanese-Style’ fries - drizzled in a special black sesame sauce which tastes like sweet potato, a popular local flavour. You can pair the Far East-style fries with the Black Ninja Burger which features a jet-black bread bun, thanks to a bamboo charcoal treatment, along with a hash brown patty and Japanese-favouite Chaliapin sauce.
In Australia, there's no better way to soak up a large round of stubbies than tucking into 'The Aussie' at Hungry Jack’s (known as Burger King in the rest of the world) - a beast of a burger made the Down Under way, with Australian beef, a cracked egg, bacon and beetroot
Closer to the UK, those with a sweet tooth may want to indulge in a sweet Nutella burger in any branch of McDonald’s in Italy - be honest, everyone wants to try that!
The variations are almost endless and menus are updating all the time. So next time you’re abroad, switch from street food to fast food for one meal and check out an eatery with a more familiar façade.
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