Zur Haxe
Zur Haxe is a fantastic German eatery hidden in Northern Prenzlauer Berg where you can eat Berlin's best Bavarian style pork knuckle and satisfy your deepest pork crackling cravings. This enormous pork knuckle, covered entirely in the most crispy pork crackling, is served with fat slices of potato knödel, a mountain of sauerkraut and the most amazing gravy. If you manage to finish all of it, you have all of my respect. Otherwise, the extremely lovely wait staff, dressed in traditional Bavarian clothes, will be more than happy to pack it in a doggy bag for you.

Engelberg
Engelberg is a classic German breakfast and lunch spot on Oderberger Strasse in Prenzlauer Berg, which is one of the most beautiful streets in Berlin. Sourcing some of the finest charcuterie and cheese from across Germany, Engelberg is one of the prime restaurants in the neighborhood and, quite frankly, one of the best spots in Berlin for a proper, German breakfast with copious amounts of bread, cheese, cured meats and sausages. A great, German dish you should try here is the Strammer Max, essentially a thick slice of German sourdough bread with beautiful German ham and two fried eggs.

Krasselt's Imbiss Berlin
Krasselt's in Steglitz is one of the most iconic currywurst joints in existence. What started out as a cart in a Berlin market in 1959 (the same year the alleged inventor, Hertha Heuwer, patented her famous Chilluo-sauce recipe) is now widely regarded as one of the best currywursts you can get in Berlin. Krasselt's is especially famous for its homemade ketchup and, because hardly any tourists make it out here, it's often the favorite currywurst of local Berliners.

Rüya Gemse Kebab
Rüya Gemse Kebab is a döner kebab snack shack in Schöneberg, entirely off the hipster grid, hidden in plain sight on a main street and one of the strongest contenders for the best chicken döner kebab in Berlin. Rüya serves a succulent and fresh chicken döner kebab, where the quality of the meat and the pita bread play very nicely with the fresh greens, vegetables and herbs.

Imbiss 204
Imbiss 204 is a tiny restaurant in Prenzlauer Berg that has the looks of your standard snack joint but the food of an upscale, German restaurant. Pay it a visit for a surprisingly sophisticated dining experience and great versions of classic Berlin dishes. Don't miss their signature dish, called Buletten, a classic meatball dish from the region. At Imbiss 204, diners are served three giant meatballs with gravy, fried potatoes and vegetables. Check their daily specials, they are always great.

East End Yiros
After something quick and tasty in the east end of the city and the cafes and restaurants on Rundle Street just aren’t tickling your fancy? Head to East End Yiros on Grenfell Street for a quick bite. Never heard of a yiro? That is what the citizens of Adelaide, call Greek kebabs. I flew solo on my visit and was contemplating between the platter for one or the yiros (a hungry stomach calls for hungry eyes!). The lovely lady behind the counter highly recommended I order the small yiros, or what I like to call it -- the fun-sized yiros! What I got was succulent char-grilled tender meats with a generous serving of fresh crispy lettuce, juicy tomato and a lashing of garlic sauce. Your breath won’t thank you, but your taste buds surely will. Dine in or take away. They have seating upstairs, downstairs and outside. The platter for two is apparently huge. So if you order it, bring your friends, your empty bellies and grab some grub.

Lee Keung Kee
If you visit this tiny kiosk in Tsim Sha Tsui, there’s a high chance you’ll find it surrounded by a crowd of people. Why? Because they’re all waiting for fresh batches of Gai Daan Jai, one of the most popular street snacks in Hong Kong over the past half century. Literally translating to “little chicken egg,” Gai Daan Jai egg puffs are made in a way similar to waffles, but using a special iron skillet rather than the traditional checked waffle press. This results in a crispy eggshell-like surface while partially hollow and partially soft inside – yet another great example of Western food interpreted by Eastern culture. Pro tip: There are eight branches, but you will want to visit the home branch at 492 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong Island

Dashi
This traditional ramen shop with a late-night Japanese pub on the second floor features an open kitchen where patrons can watch noodles being made by hand. Variations of ramen are offered, from vegetarian (roasted shiitake mushrooms, mustard greens, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, scallion and nori) to Tonkatsu (roasted Kurobuta pork belly, black kale, wood ear mushrooms, pickled ginger and scallion in a rich pork bone broth). Gluten-free noodles are also available. A huge bowl of ramen with roasted pork belly, collard greens and a soy marinated egg was delicious. Upstairs, the Japanese gastropub offers an assortment of small plates, including a section devoted to bite-size grilled meats popular in Japan. Other small plates cover the spectrum from smoked octopus and kombu salad to spicy miso chicken wings.

T'ang Court
There’s no shortage of excellent and affordable Cantonese restaurants in Hong Kong, but if you’re in the mood for high-end dining, visit T’ang Court. Its three Michelin stars are well deserved. Although Chef Kwong Wai Keung is best known for his skills with seafood, his Crispy Salted Chicken actually made it to my list of all-time favorites. It’s a recipe that requires trimming the fat from under the skin, then poaching the whole chicken in a broth containing conpoy, Yunnan ham and dried shrimp. Finally, the chicken is gently but repeatedly doused with hot oil until the paper-thin skin become golden and crispy. The result is meat that’s juicy without being fatty; skin that’s crispy without being greasy. Other popular items are the fried rice noodle roll with XO sauce, baked oysters with port, stir-fried lobster, and baked seafood rice with cream sauce.

Yung Kee
Mr. Kam began his career in 1938 as a street vendor selling roasted meat. He now runs probably the best-known Chinese restaurant in town. Originally famous for its roast goose, Yung Kee now offers many great dishes – one of which is the Century Egg, a traditional Cantonese preserved duck egg. In contrast to the usual Century Egg, which typically has a one-dimensional rotten egg smell, a rubbery egg white and a yolk that’s either too runny or too dry, Yung Kee delivers a subtle and pleasant blend of savouriness tinged with sulphur, a soft and translucent egg white (which became brown),and a yolk of perfect consistency. While you’re here, you simply can’t leave without tasting the restaurant’s excellent Char Siu (BBQ pork), Prawn with XO Sauce, and call ahead to pre-order the Smoked Pork Belly with Pine Nut.