Latest news with #foodculture
WIRED
a day ago
- Entertainment
- WIRED
Dosa Divas Is a ‘Spicy' New Game About Fighting Capitalism With Food
As protestors faced off against ICE agents and law enforcement in Los Angeles, game developers gathered just a few miles away for Summer Game Fest. They'd come to the annual show in early June to show off their games and make professional connections. The team at Outerloop Games was no different. But the studio, led and staffed by brown and Black developers, many of whom are immigrants themselves, had extra precautions to consider: 'In case of an ICE raid,' says game director Chandana Ekanayake of the team's plan at the time, 'we're gonna stay together.' Whether that meant at the event itself, or even dinner after, the team kept track of each other for the entire event. Outerloop, creator of Thirsty Suitors and Falcon Age, were at the event to show off their newest project, a 'spicy' narrative turn-based RPG called Dosa Divas due out in early 2026. As the Trump administration carries out mass deportations, targets visas, disappears migrants into a foreign megaprison, and tweets 'ASMR' videos of people being deported in chains from the official White House account, Outerloop is making games that find ways to connect people to different cultures through food. 'That's the most accepted version of ourselves or of culture, is food,' Ekanayake says. 'People are definitely willing to try food before they're willing to accept the people that make it.' Outerloop's games have always featured food in some capacity, and Dosa Divas only ramps up its importance. Named for dosas, savory crepes popular in South India, the game stars two sisters fighting against an evil fast food empire, literally; characters in its turn-based combat have unique abilities associated with different 'flavor profiles,' like sweet, spicy, or sour. To attack effectively, you need to match moves to the enemy's flavor craving. Dosa Divas centers around three sisters—Samara, Amani, and fast food entrepreneur, Lina—the last of which has become estranged after their family restaurant closes down. Lina's quick cuisine has become so widespread that nobody really cooks anymore. Ekanayake says that part of the game's story is about reconciliation and reconnection, especially through food. Collecting ingredients and cooking plays an important role in the game. By sharing meals with villagers, players can help repair communities and build their own reputation.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Washington Post
The 5 best museum cafes in D.C.
Not to take away from Dorothy's ruby slippers, Renoir's 'Luncheon of the Boating Party' or a cereal heiress's manicured 25 acres, but some of Washington's prized cultural attractions offer reasons beyond art and artifacts for lingering: food made from scratch. Let me introduce you to some of the city's best museum cafes — a handful of places that not only reflect the venues' impressive collections but revel in good taste.
SBS Australia
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
From barbies to banh mi: Aussie food slang explained
More resources for language educators Watch Weird and Wonderful Aussie English on SBS On Demand Howie: Have you ever been invited to an Aussie party and been told to 'bring a plate'? If that sounds strange, you're not alone. Aussie English can be weird — but there's always a reason behind it. So why do Aussies talk about eating the way they do? And how did all these unique food phrases become part of everyday life? Food is a beautiful, shared experience. Australia's diverse population has brought meals and food traditions from many cultures. Because of this, you'll hear lots of eating-related words that have evolved from different places. Sharing food is a big part of Aussie culture and mateship. Since the early 20th century, Australians have used the phrase 'bring a plate' — not because they're out of crockery, but because they're asking you to bring food to share. It doesn't have to be a literal plate. It could be a bowl of dessert, a salad, drinks — anything, really. The phrase goes back to community fundraisers and club events in the early 1900s. Instead of buying a ticket, guests were asked to bring a plate of food — often cake. By the 1920s, that became simply: 'bring a plate.' So if you're invited to a barbie, make sure to put some tucker on your plate. Barbie = barbecue Tucker = food (any kind) The snag (sausage) is the hero of many Aussie barbecues. It's also the centrepiece of election fundraisers — where it becomes a 'democracy sausage.' Australians love word shortenings. Research shows that around 4% of Australian English words are shortened forms. Why? Because shortening words feels informal and friendly — and that's how Aussies like to talk. It may come from 'flagon' (a big bottle of wine), or from 'goom,' another word for alcohol. Either way, it now refers to boxed wine — which Aussies also call: Boxie Box monster Cardy chardy Goon bag Goon sack We get creative with food, and even more creative with names for it. Food has always been tied to identity, class, and culture. Australia's earliest settlers and convicts were curious about Indigenous food — later called bush tucker. In 1864, Edward Abbott published the first Australian cookbook, featuring recipes for emu, kangaroo, and other native ingredients. Over time, traditional foods gave way to British and American dishes — even within many Indigenous communities. But after World War II, Australians began to embrace multicultural food more openly. Even when Aussies were hesitant to use other languages, they still used original names for many dishes: Nasi goreng, chop suey, goulash, and more. Australia's most iconic animal — the kangaroo — gets its name from the Guugu Yimidhirr language. But not all Indigenous words survived colonisation. The macadamia nut, for instance, was named after chemist John Macadam, even though Indigenous names like 'gumburra' and 'kindal kindal' were already in use. Today, we're embracing more migrant and Indigenous words than ever. Aussies often shorten borrowed food terms too: Spaghetti bolognese becomes spag bol Chicken parmigiana becomes… parma or parmi — depending on where you are Warning: Saying the 'wrong' version could spark a pub debate! Food can be fun — but it can also be political. Australians feel strongly about what we eat and what we call it. Terms like 'kebab' and 'halal snack pack' (HSP) have become part of the Aussie food experience. In fact, in 2016, halal snack pack won the People's Choice Award in the Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year. This love of food reflects how we welcome new people, cultures, and ideas — by sharing meals and language. We say 'bring a plate' not just to make parties easier to host — but to try everyone's favourite dish. From bush tucker to democracy sausages, and from goon bags to goulash, Aussie English is full of flavour. It's shaped by what we eat, how we live, and who we welcome to the table. And like every good meal — it's meant to be shared. Weird and Wonderful Aussie English Video production company: New Mac Video Agency Share this with family and friends
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Find a great ‘pan mee' out of a house in Sungai Way, at Kedai Kopi Hoh Piah
PETALING JAYA, June 15 — With its narrow, densely packed roads and many businesses still run out of converted homes, Sungai Way has an aesthetic unlike other suburbs in Petaling Jaya. While rapid development has transformed much of the city into a landscape of shopping malls and bustling commercial hubs, Sungai Way retains its distinct roots. Established as a Chinese new village under the Briggs Plan, it remains one of the city's last visible vestiges of Malaysia's colonial past. As in many former new villages, the eateries that have become pillars of the community are often still run out of a family home, with the people behind them still living under the same roof. Kedai Kopi Hoh Piah is one such spot, and despite the kedai in the name, it is pretty clearly the front of a house. 'Kedai Kopi' Hoh Piah operates out of a house. — Picture by Ethan Lau The time-honoured setup is full of worn tables, old but not obsolete, and many regulars come from the neighbourhood for their breakfast, particularly on the weekend. Young families with kids still in their pyjamas, young couples still in their pyjamas... or maybe everyone just felt like pyjamas that morning, and I missed the memo. Everyone's gathered here today for the simple, soul-soothing bowl of noodles that is pan mee. In addition to the standard offerings of dry and soup pan mee (both RM9), there are also left-field options like tom yam, mala soup pan mee, and even a bak kut teh noodle. Noodles being made from scratch. — Picture by Ethan Lau It's telling, then, that when I walk in, it's not the medicinal scent of bak kut teh or the sharp sting of chillies and tom yam that greets me, but the mild aroma of anchovy broth. Soup is by far the most popular order, and it's easy to see why. The broth is clear and very light in colour, but it has more depth than it lets on, with a gentle sweetness carried by the anchovy base. A scoop of minced pork adds a touch of savouriness, but the real punch comes from a handful of well-fried, crispy, salty anchovies. Tying it all together is a smack of spicy, tangy sambal. Whether you go for the hand-torn or thick-cut noodles, it's a satisfying bowl. I personally prefer the dry preparation, as I like to really ruminate on the texture of hand-torn mee hoon kueh. The noodles aren't tossed in a particularly noteworthy sauce, but they're fairly thin, with a smooth, slippery texture that makes for an easy eating experience and doesn't demand much chewing. It looks light, but the soup 'pan mee' is filled with depth from the anchovy base. — Picture by Ethan Lau I suspect that's part of the appeal for much of the crowd here. Hoh Piah is far from the only eatery in Sungai Way that operates out of a home, and it's not the only pan mee shop in PJ either. But there's something about it that feels undeniably Sungai Way. Maybe it is the way it stays put, holds on, and keeps feeding the people around it the same way it has for years. Dry 'pan mee' is my favourite way to eat these noodles, which have a satisfying texture. — Picture by Ethan Lau As PJ continues to grow and businesses come and go in the name of progress, I suspect we'll come to miss places like this — even if the parking never really improves. Kedai Kopi Hoh Piah 75, Jalan SS 9a/4, SS 9a, Petaling Jaya. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8am-2.30pm Tel: 03-7875 5910 • This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. • Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems. • Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
New York Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The Times Has Appointed Two Chief Restaurant Critics. Here's How That Will Work.
On Wednesday, The Times announced that Tejal Rao and Ligaya Mishan are the new chief restaurant critics, filling — and expanding — the role Pete Wells left in 2024. This appointment is one of a few changes we're making as our food criticism becomes more national, and as we bring it to life in new ways. Who Are the Critics? Both Rao and Mishan are longtime reporters and critics for The Times, though this is the first time either has been chief critic. Most recently, Rao has been a California-based critic at large, writing broadly about food culture. Mishan was an Eat columnist for the Times Magazine and a writer at large at T magazine. She also wrote the Hungry City restaurant column from 2012 to 2020. Why Does The Times Need Two Critics? For decades, the restaurant critic for The Times focused almost exclusively on New York City, writing weekly reviews and notebooks and awarding star ratings to individual restaurants. But with subscribers in every state, and great restaurants in each of them, we'll now use two critics to deliver starred reviews of restaurants all over the country. The idea is to expand upon the work we started with the Restaurant List, our annual national roundup of the 50 places our staff is most excited about, and our lists of the best restaurants in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Austin, Texas. Who Does What? Rao will be dedicated entirely to the national dining scene. Mishan will split her time between reviewing the best and most newsworthy restaurants in New York City and covering the rest of the country with Rao. The goal is to capture particular moments in American dining — the restaurants that are most interesting, exciting and emblematic of our times. With All That Travel, Will There Be Fewer New York Reviews? New York is one of the world's great restaurant cities. It's where The Times built its authority on the subject of where best to eat. We have no plans to back away from that, and in fact will offer even more New York restaurant coverage. In the coming months, we'll start publishing brief, starred reviews from other Times critics. The Where to Eat newsletter will continue to send restaurant recommendations to subscribers' inboxes every week. And, of course, we'll keep producing The Times's annual list of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
