rikifoods

Hidden in the basement of Raffles City shopping center (massive mall above City Hall MRT), Sushidan serves legitimately excellent sushi at prices that'll make you question other restaurants. Premium nigiri — Salmon, hamachi, unagi, mekajiki — All S$1.99 each. That's conveyor belt pricing for hand-made quality 🍣

The omakase deal is borderline criminal: S$19.90 gets you 4 pieces of nigiri, negitoro hand roll, 3 pieces of ochokodon, chawanmushi, and miso soup. I've paid triple this at average places. Rice is properly seasoned shari, not the sticky mess from Genki or Sakae chains.

Fish arrives fresh daily — I watched them slice through a whole salmon fillet, no pre-cut nonsense. The tuna has proper marbling, unagi is grilled to order with that perfect char. Chef trained at Tsukiji before moving to Singapore.

Location: 252 North Bridge Road #B1-44C, Raffles City Shopping Centre. Take City Hall MRT Exit A, 1-minute walk into the mall, take escalators down to B1. Open daily 11:30am-9:30pm. No reservations — Just queue like a proper sushi counter should be.

After eating approximately my body weight in tacos across Cancún, here's what you should actually pay 🌮

Street Carts (Best Value):

Tacos al pastor: 12-18 pesos each

Carnitas: 15-20 pesos each

Pollo: 10-15 pesos each

Sit-down Local Establishments:

Any taco: 20-35 pesos each

Tortas: 40-60 pesos

Quesadillas: 45-70 pesos

Tourist Areas (Hotel Zone):

Identical tacos: 80-150 pesos each

Warning signs: English menus, food photography, servers with perfect English. If they're actively trying to seat you from the street, expect 5x local pricing.

Strategy: handwritten Spanish menus and plastic chairs. The less Instagram-worthy, the better it tastes and the less you pay.

Everyone talks about Joe's Pizza at 7 Carmine Street in Greenwich Village like it's some sacred NYC institution, and while it's decent for a quick slice, the real pizza pilgrimage happens at Prince Street Pizza on 27 Spring Street in Nolita, where actual New Yorkers queue up for those legendary pepperoni squares 🍕

Here's the breakdown: Prince Street's pepperoni square slice runs $5.25, but those cupped pepperoni circles create little pools of spicy oil that'll ruin every other pizza for you. The crust has this perfect char-to-chew ratio, and their sauce has actual depth — Sweet San Marzano tomatoes with just enough oregano. Meanwhile, Joe's charges $3.50 for cheese that's fine but lacks the artisanal touch.

The difference is in the details: Prince Street uses a coal oven that hits 900°F, creating those signature leopard spots on the crust. They hand-cup each pepperoni piece so it curls during baking. Joe's cranks out consistently decent slices on deck ovens. Sure, Joe's is fine if you're stumbling around drunk at 2am, but if you want to understand why New Yorkers are obsessive about pizza, Prince Street is your education.

Pro tip: Hit Prince Street around 2pm on weekdays to avoid the lunch rush. The weekend lines stretch around the block for good reason.

Hidden in industrial estate, this is London's most photogenic secret. Thousands of vintage neon signs, movie props, electric art crammed into old warehouses. Entry free Friday-Sunday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday, 11am-6pm Sunday.

Victoria Line to Walthamstow Central, then 13-15 minute walk. Lighting perfect for film photography — Incredible colours and textures. More interesting than the usual London Eye shots everyone takes.

🍝 Roscioli (Via dei Chiavari 34) — This deli-restaurant serves carbonara that absolutely destroys anything you'll find around Piazza Navona. Their cacio e pepe is textbook perfect, €16, and the cheese counter selection rivals anything in France. Book 2 days ahead for dinner. Exception to the 'avoid near monuments' rule because the quality is extraordinary.

🍕 Emma Pizzeria (Via del Monte della Farina 28) — Proper Roman pizza al taglio, always packed with locals which is your best sign. Their supplì are crispy perfection, €2.50 each. They slice pizza to order from massive rectangular trays.

🥩 Matricianella (Via del Leone 4) — The amatriciana here is legendary among serious food people. Elegant but never pretentious, €18 for pasta that locals consider the gold standard. Make reservations.

🍖 Jewish Quarter institutions like Piperno serve the city's best carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes) — Twice-fried until they're crispy flowers, €12 each and worth every euro.

Red flags to avoid: photos of food posted outside, English-speaking touts grabbing tourists, "tourist menu" signs, anyone trying to physically drag you inside. If they're working that hard to get customers, the food is guaranteed mediocre at best.