Dining Out Tips

There are times in a foreign country when you want to test the culinary prowess of a culture that has a thousand years of history behind it. And there are times when you just want to "tie on the feed bag."

If you want authentic, down-home grub and you don't want to be over-charged, follow the cab drivers. If you you see five or so cabs parked in front of a restaurant, you've found a cheap, filling, honest meal, sans garnish, with refills on the crank du-jour and plenty of local color.

[Photo: Flickr | Bryson Gilbert]

• Select a rather nondescript, local(ish) restaurant.
• Select a fun theme to play, such as "sophisticated snobs" or "silly southerners." (Nothing offensive, just something different and in contrast to the normal clientele of the restaurant.)
• Dress for the theme and have fun joking and pretending to be something you're not!

Food is the soul of every city. So when traveling, try to dine at least one restaurant that celebrates slow food – a grassroots movement that marries the pleasure of eating with a commitment to the community and the environment.

Slow food restaurants use fresh, local, seasonal ingredients to craft their dishes. So as you dine, you're not only pleasing your palate, but you're supporting local farmers and fisherman as well.

For the lowdown on slow food, visit slowfoodusa.org. The site allows visitors to search for restaurants by state. It also includes information on local farmers markets, farm tours, cooking classes and events.

The meal was delicious, and the atmosphere was divine, but then it comes time for the bill. As long as you know numbers in the native tongue, dealing with the bill should be no problemo. Perhaps you know your basic, uno, dos, tres... but try learn more numbers in the native tongue.

Parts of Italy are especially notorious for using some fast-talking to try and overcharge for even your basic bowl of penne. Make sure you have no problem asking for correct change or asserting that your meal was trece (13) euros -- not treinta (30).

Pro tip: When you arrive in-country, look carefully at the money from that place. Learn what the different colors or sizes of the bills indicate. Later, when you're feeling rushed -- perhaps you've been drinking? -- you want to feel comfortable with the cash and not throw down the equivalent of $100 when all you ordered was two beers.

Public markets are great places to find fresh, local food. From farmer's markets in California to public markets in Chile, you can find food booths dishing up vibrant local fare. It's one of the best ways to soak up the culture and tradition of any city or town while traveling.

It also gives you the opportunity to indulge in unusual local dishes that you may not find in restaurants. Eating at the public market is a good way to stretch your food budget, as booth food is usually extremely cheap.

Bonus: it's usually prepared on the spot, so you're bound to get something super-fresh!

An investment of a few dollars saves countless travel bucks!

A collapsible fabric cooler takes basically no room in your luggage, since it flattens when packed. Easy-to-carry coolers have shoulder straps, and some may even double as backpacks. Many coolers store wine upright; half of the top flips up to accommodate the taller bottle. Expensive snack items and beverages bite into travel funds, but one trip to the hotel ice machine and one stop at the local convenience store add up to extra cash. These coolers can turn an ordinary picnic lunch into a wonderful travel memory.

Bonus: you can use it as a dirty clothes hamper at the end of your trip!