What are the hallmarks of a great street food dish?
Flavor is way up there for most people (alongside flavor would be texture, temperature, and all of the other qualities that go into a memorable morsel). But location and timing play major parts in the global cuisine, a cuisine that encapsulates so many cultures and dishes that encyclopedic sets could be written on the topic.
The bars and lounges of Omni Hotels around the world are offering up a new "Simply Street Food" menu, a menu that pays homage to some of the top dishes of the form. Omni chefs have developed and perfected the snacks and treats, dishes that will be served through the end of March 2013.
On the menu? A Chicken Musakhan Sandwich, Famous Peddler's Char Kway Teow, and Acaraje de Orixa (from the kitchens of hotels in Abu Dhabi, Singapore, and Brazil, respectively). A Citrus Ancho Braised Lamb Tostado and a Duck Empanada with Smoked Tomato Mayonnaise are also two choices.
Now, back to location and timing, and its roll in the street food universe. By its nature, and very name, these are eats of the streets, which means that to find your favorite bites you have to sometimes have a little luck and be in the correct spot. So the fact that restaurants have been bringing street food to their menus for the past few years is a twist on the form, but an interesting one, for sure.
