Ep 8. Ethnic Enclaves

In Bizarre Foods season 13 episode 8, viewers are taken on a culinary adventure exploring ethnic enclaves across the United States. Host Andrew Zimmern travels to neighborhoods where various cultures have established themselves and where traditional foods and drinks are readily available.

The episode starts in the Little Ethiopia neighborhood in Los Angeles where Andrew samples traditional Ethiopian dishes. He is served a spicy meat dish called tibs, injera bread, and a sour fermented sorghum drink called tej. Andrew describes the unique flavors of the dish and explains the importance of injera bread in Ethiopian cuisine.

Next, Andrew travels to Detroit’s Greektown where he samples traditional Greek dishes such as saganaki, a flaming cheese appetizer, and lamb souvlaki. He also explores the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral and learns about the significance of food in Greek culture.

The episode then takes viewers to Houston’s Little Vietnam neighborhood where Andrew tries a variety of Vietnamese dishes such as pho, banh mi sandwiches, and crispy spring rolls. He even tries a durian smoothie, a pungent fruit that is popular in Vietnamese cuisine, but often considered foul smelling by those who are unfamiliar with it.

In Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood, Andrew samples Haitian dishes such as griot, a fried pork dish, and tasso, smoked beef. He also learns about the history and cultural significance of vodou, a spiritual practice that originated in Haiti.

Andrew then travels to the Ukrainian Village neighborhood in Chicago where he tries traditional Ukrainian dishes such as borscht, a beet soup, and pierogies, dumplings filled with potato and cheese. He also visits a Ukrainian bakery where he samples babka, a sweet bread with a cinnamon filling.

The final stop on Andrew’s culinary journey is the Little India neighborhood in Jersey City, New Jersey where he samples a variety of Indian dishes such as chicken tikka masala, samosas, and dosas. He also learns about the significance of spices in Indian cuisine and visits a spice market where he samples exotic spices such as cardamom and saffron.

Throughout the episode, Andrew provides viewers with interesting facts and cultural insights into each neighborhood and the dishes that he samples. He notes that these ethnic enclaves are important for preserving traditions and for people to come together to share their culture and community.

Overall, Bizarre Foods season 13 episode 8 provides a fascinating glimpse into the rich diversity of food and culture in the United States through the lens of ethnic enclaves. Viewers will be taken on a mouth-watering journey through a variety of cuisines and learn about the significance of food in different cultures.