Hello Reader!

I was in Quebec City a couple weeks ago for the TBEX Travel Conference, and it made me realize: wow, it's been so long since I sent a newsletter!

Since Oct 28, 2024 to be exact!

After the conference, I realized now is the best time to send one since it's mid-year.

So I'm doing a rapid fire recap picking up after the Oct newsletter, where I ended with Ireland (you can read Ireland here, or binge watch here).

Dubai

2 days after I sent the previous newsletter, I flew to Dubai for The Best Chef Awards, one of the world's most prestigious culinary awards. The event is held annually but the destination changes, and it was the first time The Best Chef Awards was held in the Middle East.
Since it was my first time being invited, plus I've never been to Dubai, and the dates worked with my schedule, I took it as my sign that the stars aligned for me to go.
It was an incredible experience. I got to meet and celebrate some of the best chefs around the world, so many whom I have admired and excited to visit (or have visited) their restaurants (see here). I also got to meet a lot of industry peers, journalists and influencers also from around the world. (list here)
I also got to experience 5 Dubai Michelin Guide restaurants as part of The Best Chef Awards: 1x 2-Starred, 3x 1-Starred, and 1x Recommended (read here).
The 2-starred restaurant ended up becoming the first 3 Michelin Star Indian restaurant in the World just this past May (read here, watch here).
There were also 2 conference days that took place prior to the main event day for the Awards Night Gala.
I made sure to add extra days for myself to explore (a lot of the attendees I met only flew in for the event days and flew out the day after). Amidst the luxury, there is an interesting and welcoming contrast when you visit Old Dubai where you feel more immersed with local culture and food. Dubai has a lot of free attractions like the Dubai Fountain, various beaches (I went to one), Dubai Mall (with a waterfall inside), and of course you can admire the World's Tallest Building from outside (you have to pay to get in). (read here)
Binge watch my entire 7-day Dubai trip (including what it's like at The Best Chef Awards) here.

USA (3 Road Trip Destinations)

Coming back from Dubai, I only had 4 days in Toronto (mostly just to r&r, laundry and do errands & chores) then I was off to the US.
This US trip was a special one. It's the first complete family reunion since COVID (before that was 2019). My parents flew in from the Philippines, and we all met in Las Vegas at my siblings' place.
The US trip can be broken down into 3 parts.
Sedona, Arizona: We spent a week here. My siblings have visited once, but it was both my parents and my first time. It's very beautiful here with the red rock formations. Lots of amazing hiking trails (see here). Also, delicious Mexican food like Tortas de Fuego! For my parents, luckily there were no-hiking required spots and viewpoints.
Las Vegas: Vegas is always fun with lots of things to do and eat. My parents haven't been here in so long, so we took them around both on and off The Strip like the Silverton mermaid aquarium (see here) and perhaps the most popular taco spot in Vegas (see here). My aunt and uncle from Canada also visited around that time so it was another reunion.
Southern California: We road tripped from Vegas to LA for Thanksgiving with another set of relatives who live in LA area. This one is an even bigger reunion because aside from the LA relatives, we had another aunt and uncle from the Philippines who were also visiting so it was one big reunion at the house with a Thanksgiving feast (that's quite a rare opportunity to happen) .

We went to Dana Point and stayed at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point, had dinner at Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina with a whopping 50-oz Wagyu Tomahawk that we shared (see here).
Parents flew back to the Philippines from LA, and us siblings drove back to Vegas where I stayed a couple more days then flew back to Toronto. Tried the new Peter Luger Steakhouse at the Caesar's Palace (nothing special - I haven't been to their original and iconic NYC location though), and also the new Chubby Cattle BBQ (recommend!). Luckily, I also saw the Christmas installation of the Bellagio Conservatory before heading back (see here), along with other Christmas decorations in Vegas (see here).

Holiday Cruise (Western Caribbean)

I was in Toronto for 3 weeks in December and spent Christmas in the city. A few days after Christmas, I was off again.
This time it was for a 7-day Western Caribbean Holiday Cruise with Holland America, my 2nd time cruising with HAL.
I spent one night at Fort Lauderdale, Florida before boarding the cruise the next day.
This cruise was a special one because it was my first time ever ringing in the new year on a cruise (see here). What an experience!
I did daily recaps on Facebook for fun and didn't realize how popular it would be. They got over 175K views.
- Day 1 Recap: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Day 2 Recap: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
- Day 3 Recap: At Sea (Caribbean Sea)
- Day 4 Recap: Ocho Rios, Jamaica - I finally got to climb the Dunn's River Falls (see here). When I visited back in 2019, we only had time to see it, and I knew I wanted to climb one day.
- Day 5 Recap: George Town, Grand Cayman
- Day 6 Recap: Cozumel, Mexico
- Day 7 Recap: At Sea (Caribbean Sea)
I went behind-the-scenes in the kitchen to film the making of the exclusive Iron Chef Morimoto dishes that was featured in Bravo Top Chef. And, I tried all the restaurants in the cruise (read here, watch here). Holland America is known for a strong culinary program. They even have the only Iron Chef Morimoto restaurant at sea, and it's a must!
Interesting story: The Main Dining Room typically has an option to dine with others (shared table). I did this for 2 of the brunches. It's a great way to meet other cruisers. In one brunch, we were sharing what we do and, when I shared what I did, one guy looked up my YouTube and said: "oh wow, you're him! I watch your videos but didn't recognize you because you usually have long hair in the videos, and it's very short now." LOL

Philippines

When I returned home after the cruise, I had a month in Toronto before I was off on a 2-month trip in the Philippines, my 1st trip back post-COVID (last visit was 2019).
I flew out Feb 13 and it turned out to be a snow storm, the worst one in the year (at that time). I'm grateful the flight didn't get cancelled, only delayed by 3 hours. My first time seeing how they do deicing of the plane before takeoff while we're all inside the plane (see here).
Philippines for the most part was catching up with family, relatives, friends, eating out, running errands, and doing work. I had dental work done here because it is way cheaper than in Canada. Like something that costs $250 in Toronto was $50 in Manila (this is why dental & medical tourism is a thing). I also got new and upgraded prescription eyeglasses here.
I made restaurant guides for the Best Filipino, Japanese and Chinese restaurants in Manila. Still have more restaurant guides I want to write and also existing ones to update.
I finally tried the #1 restaurant in the Philippines (the only one to make Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2025), and the one I wanted to try the most back in 2019 but didn't get: Toyo Eatery. The hype is real! (read here, watch here)
Michelin Guide Philippines is coming out in 2026 which is super exciting. I expect Toyo Eatery to get 1 or 2 Stars. Gallery By Chele that I dined in 2019 is most likely getting a Star too (read here).
For my mom's birthday, I surprised her to a staycation at a 5-Star Luxury Hotel (Marco Polo Ortigas) and we tried pretty much everything available at the hotel including the massage (see here [her first time appearing on an IG reel] or read here).
I also took my parents for a staycation at a 4-Star Luxury Hotel (Discovery Suites Ortigas) where we had an entire 3-bedroom Suite and tried everything there as well (read here, watch here). This is the first time my parents have seen me vlog and also taking part in my vlog.
I love beaches and am a voter judge for two prestigious global beach awards. I told my parents I wanted to go to the beach. So we did a road trip to Batangas and stayed at a beach resort, and then continued the road trip to Tagaytay, another popular holiday town due to its mild climate (read here, watch here).

Japan

While I was in the Philippines, I flew and stayed in Tokyo for a week. Compared to my 2019 trip, I can definitely see changes post-COVID.
For one, it is definitely more cashless now (as a result of COVID). I remember having issues back in 2019 because so many spots (including some chain restaurants) didn't accept credit card.
I went with siblings in 2019. This time, I was solo. I went all around Tokyo, mostly doing 1 day per neighborhood:
Day 1-2: Arrival + Ikebukuro - I find Ikebukuro very underrated. You get the benefits of popular neighborhoods like Shinjuku and Akihabara but without the craziness. A lot of World's Largest spots here, like World's Largest Pokemon Center and World's Largest Anime Store. (read here, watch here)
Day 3: Shinjuku - Popular for a reason. This neighborhood is so bustling especially at night (Omoide Yokocho was slightly sardined when I visited at night compared to daytime). What's great is there are still spots that are further away from the craziness like the Central Park and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. (read here, watch here)
Day 4: Shiba - This historic neighborhood is like an oasis compared to the usual busy Tokyo neighborhoods. One of Tokyo's oldest temples and parks are here, and I stumbled into a Michelin Bib Gourmand tempura spot by accident (even when I don't plan for it, Michelin finds me LOL). (read here, watch here)
- I also stayed at a unique Library Hotel with delicious food. (read here, watch here)
Day 5: Asakusa - Tokyo's oldest district. I'm not sure why but we didn't visit this back in 2019. The main attraction is Sensoji Temple, and it's crazy busy. I went in pouring rain, and it's still crowded. A lot of street food in the temple grounds to enjoy. I wanted to do a street food crawl, but it was hard in the rain - I did my best though. (read here, watch here)
Day 6: Shibuya & Harajuku - I didn't visit these areas back in 2019, except in passing by Shibuya, specifically the Scramble Crossing, when I did the Go-Kart Street Racing tour. This time, I actually spent a day in these two neighborhoods in the Shibuya ward, and it's such a vibe, especially getting to cross the scramble. (read here, watch here)
Day 7: Activities Day - My last day was a bit different. Instead of focusing on a neighborhood, I did 3 activities in Tokyo. First was a Sushi Making Class (randomly came upon it as it was being offered for free at the hotel I stayed in), teamLab Planets (an interactive and immersive digital art museum which was so cool to see - not your typical museum) and, since I didn't visit Kyoto this time, I did a full Kyoto kaiseki for dinner. (watch here)
Still have more articles to come, and also updating my existing restaurant guide. I published a guide on Best Things To Do in Tokyo here, which includes things I also did back in 2019.

Quebec City

After returning to Toronto, I had about a month then I ended up in Quebec City for my very first TBEX Travel Conference.
TBEX is the 2nd travel conference I've attended with the first being IPW, and they're both very different. TBEX is more geared specifically for travel bloggers and content creators (which included breakout sessions for attendees to learn from others about various topics relating to the blogging/content creation industry and business). IPW is geared for travel media (traditional and new) and travel trade to meet and learn with tourism, travel companies and brands, and learn about travel news. In both travel conferences, there was a day of press tour and a multi-day post-conference tour that's available for signing up. Also, there was a speed networking session (for media) and a showcase floor of exhibitors.
This was my 2nd time in Quebec City, the first time being 19 years ago. It was awesome to see how much has changed but also how much stayed the same. The beauty of the city as well as its delicious food definitely stayed the same. I looked at old photos on restaurants we tried, and some were closed now.
For my Press Tour, of course I did a foodie tour. This was a particularly special one guided by a local Quebec food journalist and expert who curated and led us to all the spots. It wasn't only in Quebec City but we also visited the neighboring island of Île d'Orléans, which I've never visited before. (read here)
The inaugural Quebec Michelin Guide came out in May (list here), and I was so excited that, as part of the press tour, we had a surprise final stop at the only 2 Michelin Star restaurant in Quebec for a restaurant tour and some amuse bouches.
TBEX North America is taking place in Richmond, VA next year. I visited Richmond for 2 days back in 2019. (read here)

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

For my multi-day post-conference tour, I chose a nature-focused trip in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
I never knew Canada had a fjord, until my visit here. A 3-hour road trip from Quebec City, we spent 4 days in this beautiful region.
Picture dramatic fjords, boreal forest trails, wildlife sightings, blueberry everything, and local flavours (it was my first time eating beaver). (read here)
As the only navigable fjord in North America, a fjord cruise is a must! (see here)
I always bring a foldable travel bag on trips, just in case I wanted to buy something (or in cases of conferences, we get too many stuff). This came clutch as I indeed had to use it to bring home some of the amazing goodies we got during the conference and the post-tour. It basically unfolds into a duffel bag that's big enough as a check-in luggage. (bag on Amazon [affiliate link])

Toronto

Toronto stuff I've been doing in between trips and since coming back. Aside from catching up on backlog of work, chores and errands, and doing taxes (still need to do the HST filing due this month):
Always trying restaurants. I shared a list with a mix of some new and top restaurants I've checked out. (see here)
I did a food tour with my travel blogger friend Yashy for her late night eats project with Tourism Toronto. (see here)
I attended SIAL Canada, North America's Largest Food Innovation Trade Show, for the first time. (see here)
A new Canadian food competition, Big Burger Battle, launched and I was invited to a mini Big Burger Battle event where we got to meet host Andrew Phung (best known for his role as KimChee on Kim's Convenience) and we were put in teams to make a burger for him to judge (I was clearly assigned the wrong team because our assign protein was Tofu lol). Pretty fun experience and I was so excited to meet Andrew since I was a fan of him on Kim's Conveniece. (see here, read here)
Canada's Best 100 Restaurants 2025 was published in May (list here), and I was so excited to see Restaurant Pearl Morrissette snag their much needed No. 1 spot! I've dined here 3x now since 2018. (see here)
I attended the first (re)Discover Australia wine event in Toronto, a great way to try all sorts of Australian wines. My top 2 picks: Sister's Run Cow's Corner Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro 2022 and Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz.
I attended the grand opening party for Bottega della Piadina, the first piadina (Italian flatbread sandwich) shop in Toronto, hailing from Italy. (see here)
I attended the Toronto Star's Top 10 Influencers of 2025 Event at Arcadia Earth (my first time visiting the museum). (list here)
Perhaps the grandest restaurant grand opening party in Toronto I've attended post-COVID was at Queens Harbour, a 23000-square-foot restaurant dubbed Canada's Largest Restaurant Retractable Roof. (see here, see here, see here)
I attended my very first Rosé Picnic, an event for all things rosé wine. What was awesome is the Rosé Symposium where a panel of wine experts (finally meeting Magdalena Kaiser in person) talked about rosé wine. Love the Eclat (Rosé Sparkling) from Château des Charmes. (see here)
I did a media tasting of Shangri-La Hotel's newest summer afternoon tea, A Journey Through Asia. I loved the creativity because each item is a twist on regional delicacies in Asia. For example, there was a savoury version of Kaya Toast, a fresh roll version of Filipino Lumpia, an Indian Chai version of Tiramisu. Available until Aug 31, 2025. (see here)
I attended the inaugural Asian Hustle Network event in Toronto, which had a panel discussion with some of the most successful Asian influencers and entrepreneurs in Canada. Meeting them and hearing their success stories was very insightful and inspiring. Also met people (including one from the panel) who said they've seen my YouTube videos.

Media WINS!

Following my trip in Ireland where I visited Galway, a local news website GalwayBeo featured me and my trip there. (read here)
I did an interview with NetInfluencer during COVID, and they reached out to do a follow-up feature for 2025. (read here)
*Pinch Me Moment* Google featured Travelling Foodie! (read here)

Recipes (Make A Full Course Meal)

Random Thoughts, Updates & News

World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list came out last month. (list here)
The inaugural North America's 50 Best Restaurants (by World's 50 Best) is coming out in September 2025.
Travel + Leisure released their Favourite Canadian Cities earlier this month. (list here) Spoiler: Quebec City was the winner!
I have a guide on my full 2-week itinerary in the Turkish Coast that I did back in 2023 here. Or binge all the Turkiye videos here.
Eastern Townships in Quebec went viral with their tourism ad welcoming Americans to Quebec with a hug. (see here)
What happened at the Coldplay concert was CRAZY! (see here if you haven't)
The evolution of AI Video is wild! The dissemination of fake news will get even worse that it already is.
Recent shows I watched: Squid Game season 3 and The Bear Season 4. If you watched either, how did you like the last episode?
It's that time of the year: judging season. I just finished submitting votes/nominations for 3 global travel and culinary awards this month.
When I knew I wasn't consistent with the newsletter, I setup an Automailer which sends a weekly digest (should I change interval?) of new articles on Travelling Foodie to you. It's a great way to be automatically updated on new posts. Sign up here if you would like to receive the Automailer (even if you're unsure if you already are, it won't send duplicate emails to you).

That's a wrap for 9 months worth of updates. *phew* Thank you for being part of my journey! Stay tuned for more adventures and delicious discoveries.

I hope to be more consistent about newsletters going forward (please keep me accountable, or caffeinated lol).

Now tell me a memorable trip or meal you had recently.

As always, happy travels and eating!

Cheers,

Raymond Cua
Travelling Foodie