Are food availability questions on-topic on Travel-SE?

Question

I am kind of a food appreciator and amateur cook, so I always look forward to try samples of local cuisine everywhere I go. Sometimes, though, finding where a particular dish is served is not very easy, especially if it is localized to a certain region or not usually sought after by tourists.

So, my question is whether asking how to procure a certain dish are on-topic.

A sample question would probably go something like this:

I'm in city X in Albania and I'm looking to try the famous tavë kosi - a dish with lamb, rice and yoghurt. I've checked a few restaurants around, but wasn't able to find it. Where can I try it? Is it localized to a certain region only, or does it have a different name I'm not aware of? Or is it made only during a specific time of the year?

General food recommendations of the type "I'm in city X, what can I eat here?" are of course soliciting opinions, and should be closed as usual.

Answer 1

I would say finding food in city/country X is very travel applicable - similar to 'where can I find a Maori cultural experience in NZ', it's a part of the culture, and often as it's only accessible in particular countries, is an essential part of travel. I too try to look up the local foods before I enter a new country and try to locate them while I'm there - wikitravel.org has been a great resource thus far, and the fact it's on wiki*travel* shows how much a part of travel it is. Lonely Planet also features a food section, as does Rough Guide.

Elk soup in Tallinn, Estonia (as well as bear), reindeer in Finland, guinea pig in Peru, Malbec wine in Mendoza, Argentina - it's often a REASON people travel, not just a part of it. So I'd be definitely in favour of it being valid.

(aside, you should try Tave Kosi in Elbasan - where it's originally from, 1.5 hours SE of Tirana).