Eccentric Eateries Around the World

Toronto's new breed of chef is sticking close to home, calling on centuries of Canadian culinary tradition. Take a cross-country trip—from the seafood shacks of Nova Scotia to the prairies of Alberta—without ever leaving the table. Acadia Those Cajuns didn't always live in the bayou. French-speaking settlers (Acadians) actually lived on the rocky shores of maritime Canada before they were expelled in 1755 by the British. Chef Matt Blondin invites them back above the border: His dishes dress North Atlantic seafood (like Yarmouth albacore or Northmberland Strait scallops) in the soulful flavors of the South (pickled watermelon rinds, chicken cracklings, and blackening spices). 50c Clinton St., acadiarestaurant.com, albacore $23 Bannock Named for a Scottish flat-bread that was adopted by indigenous people and settlers during 18th century fur trading days, Bannock opened last year in the flagship store of The Bay, retail brand of the Hudson's Bay Co. With a menu of comfort classics, the spot almost requires Canadian citizenship to catch all its nostalgic references. St.-Canut pulled pork tourtiere (meat pie), for instance, comes with a packet of Heinz ketchup, just like you'd find it in Quebec. 401 Bay St., oliverbonacini.com/bannock.aspx , tourtiere $16 Chantecler This "progressive Canadian" bistro takes its name from one of the nation's two heritage hen breeds. The bird shows up in Chef Jonathan Poon's signature consumme: More ph-like gem than sick-day snack, it's served with smoked breast and, appropriately, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Like the the multicultural city itself, the menu draws freely on Italian and Asian flavors. Gnocchi, for example, is topped with cod roe and red seaweed, harvested in New Brunswick. 1320 Queen St. W., restaurantchantecler.ca, gnocchi $13. Keriwa Café There's something exciting about a menu written all in English that still contains so many items you've never seen before: sea buckthorn, miner's lettuce, Saskatoon berries. Chef Aaron Joseph Bear Robe's "aboriginal-inspired" food pays homage to his youth in Alberta's Siksika Nation. Look for lots of rustic produce and that quintessential Great Plains protein-bison—in dishes like braised tail or tongue pemmican, a twist on a native Blackfoot staple. 1690 Queen St. W., keriwacafe.ca, bison tongue pemmican $15 SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: 10 Places You Would Rather Be on a Wednesday 15 Things You Didn't Know About Oktoberfest Airline Tweaks Baggage Policy After Too Many Complaints

There are two types of people in the world: those who can walk by a life–like statue of a pirate without taking a goofy picture with it, and those who can't. I decidedly fall in the latter category, whether it's a six–foot tall statue of an Italian pizza–maker with a crazy mustache in New York City's West Village or a life–sized replica statue of Fidel Castro standing in front of a cigar store in Cozumel. In fact, silly tourist photos are one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. And don't get me started on the leaning tower of Pisa. When my family traveled through Italy this summer working our way from Venice to Rome, we knew we had to stop by Pisa and take an iconic silly photo or two (or ten) of us trying to hold up the leaning tower. It was my father's first trip to Europe, let alone Italy, and he said he'd always wanted to do that since he was a kid, so we made time one afternoon as we traveled from the Cinque Terre area to Florence. From the Pisa Centrale train station, it's a leisurely 20 to 30 minute walk through Pisa and over the scenic Ponte Solferino bridge to the Campo dei Miracoli, a beautiful Piazza home to the Pisa Cathedral, Baptistry, and of course, the leaning tower. When we entered the Piazza, it was packed! You would not believe how many people probably just stopped by for a silly photo opportunity—us included. We quickly noticed that the side farthest away from the Tower was the most crowded because it was the best angle if you want to get that perfect shot of holding up the tower or, like we spotted some tourists doing, pushing it over. It was hilarious seeing the lengths some people would go to for the perfect angle—some climbed steps and poles to elevate themselves, others lay on the ground and held it up with their feet. What about you? Has the opportunity for the perfect silly travel photo ever crossed your path, leaving you helpless to resist it? It's not just us, I promise—check out this blog post I wrote last year about an entire website dedicated to those who appreciate and strive to take the world's tackiest tourist photos. MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 25 Most Photographed Places on Earth 4 Tips for Tough Photo Scenarios 33 Most Beautiful Places In America

If you asked me on any given day whether I prefer to stay at a chain hotel or a mom & pop hotel or bed–and–breakfast, I’d probably answer that of course I’d rather support an independent business, especially a hotel that has lots of local flavor or that reflects the personality of the family that operates it. But if you’d asked me this past weekend, when I checked my family into an independent resort on the Jersey shore, I probably would have answered, with a touch of snark, just the opposite. In this case, the catalyst was simple: When we arrived at our room, the bathtub was filled with sand. Presumably, this was the same beautiful white sand that adorned the beach just over the dunes, but borne via bathing suit or bare feet, it had lost most (okay, all) of its appeal on its journey from beach to bathroom. I was torn. A little sand never hurt anybody, right? But what ELSE had the staff failed to clean before our arrival? Overreacting just a touch, I ordered my daughters, “Don’t touch anything!” We asked to switch rooms and were accommodated immediately. Well done, in terms of customer service, or at least damage control. But the minor insult stayed with me. We’ve been visiting this little shore town for about five years now. The beaches are gorgeous, the boardwalk is tidy and super–fun for the kids. The town has no chain hotels and, without exception, every stay has involved some kind of low–level inconvenience or discourtesy at a mom and pop establishment—mix–ups over check–out time, failure to deliver the complimentary breakfast they promised, or just ignoring our requests for extra towels. I found myself tossing aside my buy–local aesthetic and wishing that there was an affordable chain, like DoubleTree or Holiday Inn Express, on the beach. I would have gladly traded the homey décor and friendly staff for a measure of cookie–cutter predictability In Budget Travel’s annual Readers’ Choice survey, our readers consistently tell us they, too, prefer the big chains. We’d love to hear more. What is it about a big chain hotel that attracts you? —Robert Firpo–Cappiello MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL 30 Hotel Chains Every Traveler Should Know 8 Cool New Tools for Finding the Perfect Hotel How to Get a Free Upgrade

Calling all Evita fans, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the death of Eva Peron, the political activist, second wife of Argentinian President Juan Peron, and the most celebrated woman in Argentina. In honor of her death, the Evita Museum in Buenos Aires has brought portions of their exhibit to New York for the first time ever and the 1978 musical, Evita, has returned to Broadway. If you're in New York, check out the musical—it stars Ricky Martin and Elena Roger (who just so happens to be the first Argentinian actress to play the role of Evita on Broadway). Prices start at $67 for rear mezzanine seating and can be purchased in advance via Ticketmaster, but if you're looking to save money, you can also try for same-day discount tickets at one of the TKTS booths—there is one in at 47th street Times Square (it's located under the red steps), but I prefer the one in downtown Brooklyn as there are fewer crowds and you have a greater chance of scoring the tickets you want (get there by taking the A, C, F, or R to Jay Street-MetroTech and then walk to the corner of Jay Street and Myrthe Avenue). You can also see exhibits from the Evita Museum in Argentina, which are on display through September 28 at the Argentinian Consulate in New York (12 W. 56th St. between 5th and 6th Aves, cnyor.mrecic.gov.ar, open 10 A.M.-5 P.M. Mon-Fri). I strongly recommend it for anyone who is even remotely interested in Evita's legacy—it's free and there are at least 50 works on display, including paintings, photographs, and articles of Eva's clothing. Look for the portrait by Tiziano Fabris on the second floor (shown here)—it was painted on parquet flooring from one of the houses that Eva helped to build for the poor of Argentina. Heading to Argentina this year? Michael Luongo wrote a fantastic article in the New York Times this March detailing the best places to follow in Eva's footsteps in Buenos Aires. SEE MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL: 13 Vacation Rental Sites Tailored to Your Tastes Amtrak Makes a Comeback 11 Spectacular Vacations You Should Book Right Now