Loving the foodie discussion. Surprised that
Peru hasn't had a mention yet - it's gastronomic paradise there. Lots of Peruvian/Asian fusion going on. Personal favourite dishes are Aji de Gallina, Lomo Saltado, Ceviche & Papas a la HuancaÃna. There are over 3500 variations of potato in Peru and they are super proud of their cuisine. The aji amarillo peppers that they use are absolutely delicious and I have resorted to importing them into Scotland to make dishes like Aji de Gallina.
Also a shout out for
Basque Country - give me pintxos and Basque cider any day of the week. I'm currently cooking Fabada Asturiana (morcilla, chorizo, pork belly & white bean stew - this is an Asturian dish, not Basque) and gluten free croquetas de jamon from scratch (I'm an actual celiac). My wife and I travelled through Bilbao, Logrono, Vitoria-Gastiez, Pamplona & San Sebastian and I swear I must've gained 20 pounds on that trip. We queued up for
Bar Nestor in San Sebastian and they only serve 4 items - tortilla (this is limited and people fight to get their name on the list for a slice), ensalada de tomate, pimientos de padrón, txuleta (steak the side of your torso). 100% worth it.