Those travelling to Asia in the coming weeks and months, Hotel Indigo have created and selected a list of the top street food dishes in nearby neighbourhoods that burst with flavour and have some surprising stories. Check out the places they’ve selected below.

1. A BLEND OF CULTURES AND SWEET ENDINGS AT THE SINGAPORE KATONG NEIGHBOURHOOD

If you’re looking to add some spice to your trip, look no further than the Katong neighbourhood. Home to the Peranakans or Straits Chinese blended the best of Malay and Chinese cuisine — with a splash of borrowing from Portuguese and Indian cookbooks — to suit their tastes.

Take your pick from a myriad of traditional Peranakan or Nonya cuisine that has evolved into neighbourhood flavours specific to the area. At Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong’s restaurant, Baba Chews Bar and Eatery, sample traditional cuisine from the Straits of Malacca served with a contemporary twist. Locally-inspired popular dishes such as Ayam Buah Keluak (a famous Peranakan chicken stew dish) and Foie Gras Tau Kwa Pau (a pocket of fried bean curd stuffed with a delicious mix of ingredients) and innovative cocktails will take guests on a culinary journey.

For something sweet the perennial favourites at nearby Kim Choo Kueh Chang are not to be missed. Its unique nyonya dumplings and nyonya kueh are colourful exquisite creations that pair perfectly with a cup of local ‘kopi’.  Made with a variety of ingredients including tapioca and rice flour and flavoured with coconut, Pandan and gula melaka (dark palm sugar), these little delights are a wonderful snack and eaten anytime of the day.

2. FRESH AND SPICY AT THE BANGKOK WIRELESS ROAD NEIGHBOURHOOD

Get a real taste of authentic Thai flavours as your senses come alive with the aromas at the Bangkok Wireless Road neighbourhood.  Strategically positioned at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, Metro on Wireless at Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road is inspired by the best of East and West, putting a refreshing new spin on nostalgic street food favourites.

The top three most popular dishes which have been taken from the colourful city streets and into the Metro on Wireless kitchen for a modern twist include Tom Yum Goong (a classic spicy lemongrass and shrimp soup) that features a bold refreshing blend of fragrant lemongrass, chilli, galangal, lime leaves, shallots, lime juice and fish sauce and Som Tum (green papaya salad) with a delightful mix of garlic, chillies, green beans, cherry tomatoes and shredded raw papaya – guaranteed to fire up your taste buds.

Whether it’s a contemporary take on the humble spring roll, this time stuffed with aromatic duck meat, or Yum Naem Kao Tod, which is a rice and sausage salad, recreated at Metro on Wireless as a delicate package wrapped in flavourful chaplu leaves, diners will taste a story in each dish.

Just steps away there are some unique neighbourhood flavours that shouldn’t be missed. Polo Chicken specialises in a delightfully crispy fried chicken flavoured with black pepper and golden garlic. Enjoyed alongside sticky rice and green papaya salad, it can be tough to get a table at lunchtime so get there early. Taking pride in all things homemade, family run restaurant Bamee Gua, specialises in minced pork egg noodles, served with a variety of extras including fish balls, wantons, grill pork and squid, which have been made from scratch every day since 1947.

3. SLOW ROASTING AT THE BALI SEMINYAK BEACH NEIGHBOURHOOD

Home to rustic Balinese culture juxtaposed with contemporary modern architectural and design touches, the Seminyak neighbourhood offers a canvas of sights, sounds, flavours and colour that take you on an exciting culinary adventure.

Over at the soon to open Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach, what’s de rigour for curious travellers keen to have a taste of authentic Bali cuisine is a visit to Makase and Salon Bali that offer innovative dishes infused with delicate local flavours and ingredients.

Try the iconic Nasi Campur, white rice served with different elements of Balinese culture, ranging from Bebek Betutu (slow roasted crispy duck stuffed with traditional spices and wrapped in banana leaves), mixed vegetables and a dab of its signature sambal matah – a fiery raw salsa made with shallots, chili, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and shrimp paste.

Game to taste something different? Take on the Babi Guling (suckling pig), arguably the most popular dish in the authentic Balinese culinary repertoire. The whole roasted suckling pig is slow cooked and enjoyed with white fragrant rice.

4. RAINBOW INGREDIENTS AT THE LIJIANG ANCIENT TOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD

Step into Lijiang Ancient Town, the famed UNESCO World Heritage Site steeped in almost 800 years of ancient Chinese heritage, and be swept away by the neighbourhood’s iconic dishes, such as the famed Dried Rib Hotpot, a local speciality featuring a blend of spicy, sour and sweet flavours and over ten kinds of ingredients including soybean sprouts, tofu and potatoes.

Over at Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town’s Charm restaurant, witness resident chefs put a contemporary spin on traditional dishes, whipping up refreshing Naxi (pronounced na-shi) dishes fused with traditional ethnic hospitality.

5. HOT AND STEAMY AT THE TIANJIN HAIHE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Fancy biting into a slice of culinary tradition dating back more than 150 years? Now you can with Tianjin’s most famous snack, Goubuli, or steamed stuffed buns served with chilli oil and ginger. Inspired by Tianjin’s multi-cultural past as a global nexus for shipping commerce and technology, each signature handmade steamed bun at Albert’s – the newest kid on the dining block at Hotel Indigo Tianjin Haihe, features a new take on traditional classics that combine traditional neighbourhood flavours reminiscent of local Tianjin history, with European flair.