Our family puts a lot of emphasis on the new year. We started this because our oldest son was having a lot of trouble trying new things. He was such a perfectionist--he didn't want to do anything he wasn't 100% great at right off the bat. We wanted to show him that even at our ages, we wanted to try new things. So, we started making a big deal about how the new year is your opportunity to have lots of adventures and "firsts."
Every new year, we try to go somewhere we've never been, plan an activity we've never tried and eat a cuisine we've never had before. Some years we spin a globe to find our food; other years we just drive until we see something new.
This is our sixth year with the new year, new food extravaganza. And quite an extravaganza it is, I might add. We usually go to a restaurant and order more than you could possibly eat at one sitting...the point is to sample a little of this, a little of that and to perhaps discover some new favorites. We compliment the kids outrageously on how adventuresome they are...and they really get into the spirit of the whole thing. They try something of everything, no complaints.
Thus far on our culinary adventures, we've tried Chinese, Greek, German, Japanese and Ethiopian. The kids have had at least something they've liked at all the restaurants and they've really expanded their palates. They loved the Ethiopian injera bread; Patrick's favorite sushi is eel; and they both loved potato pancakes with applesauce and spaetzel.
We've been debating what to try this year. Some options are Polish, Russian, Puerto Rican, Korean, Indonesian, or Brazilian. We're lucky enough to live in a city filled with immigrants--so there's almost always a restaurant for any different food. We're open to suggestions and would love to hear any thoughts our friends have for possible adventures.
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Here on little old Cape Cod, we have an awesome Brazilian restaurant. Waiters go from table to table offering succulent meats of all kinds and slicing them right on to your plate. There is a buffet of dishes to go with the meats. My son, who has been to Brazil and enjoyed the food more than anything else on his visit, said this is typical of Brazilian restaurants. If yours is anything like ours, I vote for Brazilian.
-CC Lightning Bug
I think it's a great idea exposing the kids to various flavors and customs of the world! We finally tried a local Peruvian restaraunt and I must say, it is delicious! The menu is not real extensive, but everything on it is awesome. It's now one of my new favorites :)
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CC Lightning Bug... would the restaurant by any chance be Fogo De Chao? We have one here in Houston, and went on New Year's Eve. The food is FABULOUS, but be sure you're hungry!
~SandiBox
The restaurant here us called the Brazilian Grill. I think it might be locally owned by a member of our large Brazilian community. Apparently bringing one's appetite is a Brazilian cuisine must-do.
For ourselves, we're trying pan-fried catfish for the first time for dinner tonight.
Happy New Year~
CC Lightning Bug
what a great idea and a wonderful "new" family tradition. I bet it is something your kids will carry on into their adult lives.
Korean food is delicious----be sure to try Korean Barbequed Beef (Bul Goki)and Mandu (Dumplings like potstickers.}
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