A few food-related articles and posts that have caught our eye over the last few days…

1. Kevin Gould’s “Eat like a local…” Budapest feature in last Saturday’s Guardian. Mmmm, coffee and cake, and lots of it.

2. In the Telegraph, Gill Charlton’s guide to Naples, with its mention of ultracheap, ultradelicious pizzeria Vesi.

3. David Lebovitz’s France archive.

4. Nordljus’s riveting images of Istanbul, many of which are of things to eat.

Popularity: 14% [?]

A few years ago, Mozaika’s burgers were named the best in Prague. Burgers outside of the U.S. are a sensitive subject: think of the role they play in the Whit Stillman film Barcelona, where the burger is symbol of what American can do right. The Mozaika burger may not be the best burger around, but it’s not an embarrassing attempt either.

The pros: It’s American sized, if a little sloppy—especially with the creamy mayonnaise topping, which tends to funnel down the edges of the lettuce—and comes with mushrooms, a rather Czech addition to a ground beef patty.

The cons: it’s never going to emerge from the kitchen anywhere near medium rare. Sorry.

In short, Mozaika is still worth a visit for those hungering for a slab of beef in Prague—think of it as burger outsourcing.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Photo by Kaymaria Daskarolis

When you have decided to leave the clubs in Psirri in the wee hours of the morning and are hungry—but not so hungry that you feel able to consume one of Kosta’s delicious crepes from Picasso di Crepa—consider going by the bakery at 23 Karaiskaki Street and picking up a freshly-baked, warm, scrumptious koulouri. The koulouria made by the bakery at 23 Karaiskaki are distributed to koulouri stands throughout Athens.

A koulouri is a wreath-shaped piece of slightly-sweet bread with sesame seeds all over it. (We suggested them long ago as Syntagma Square pigeon feed.) People in Greece love koulouri so much that the snack is sold on corners throughout the city every morning, typically disappearing by mid-day.

If a mid-morning koulouri from a kiosk is tasty, a post-clubbing koulouri straight out of the oven is a little slice of heaven.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Photo by hedgiecc

Taste of London runs from June 21 through June 24, 2007. Stop by and sample a whole lotta London grub in Regent’s Park. Don’t miss The F Word Live, the Beer Masterclass, the Times Chef tent, or any of the other fun culinary attractions. Ticket prices offend your Cheapo blood? Remember all the food you’re getting. Enter to win VIP passes plus the chance to meet Gordon Ramsay.

From Angela Hartnett (Ramsay’s old understudy) to Fifteen (Jamie Oliver’s place), Mocoto (new Brazilian haunt), Rhodes 24, Scott’s, Tom Aikens, and many more, this festival allows us Cheapos to nibble the otherwise prohibitively expensive high-end London fare.

We’ll be there filling up, and we’d bet our last quid that there’ll be freebies.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo by oliviagiovetti

In Prague, you can get your fill of apple strudel at any sidewalk cafe. However, (especially if you’re in the Czech Republic long-term) no one will blame you for craving a giant soft-baked chocolate chip cookie. And expat Anne Feeley’s Bakeshop Praha (Kozi 1, just a block down from the Kafka statue) is just the place to find them, along with a wide range of other American-style baked goods (including bread that isn’t rye!).

The cheery shop, located near the Jewish Quarter, has a design that isn’t too far from Feeley’s Californian roots, warm with a retro, gee-whiz interior. The staff is oh-so-helpful, whether toasting your ham and cheese croissant (a delicious buttery sin) or bagging up a dozen scrumptious oatmeal raisin cookies to bring home.

While the shop makes for a nice afternoon pick-me-up, it is also the perfect locale for a quick, cheap lunch (their quiches are roughly CZK65/$2.00 and are so addictive they should be outlawed). If you have some extra time and extra money burning a hole in your pocket, Feeley’s sister restaurant Bakeshop Diner, is nearby in Mala Strana (next to the Charles Bridge) and offers up the full dining experience for a few extra Czech crowns.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo by Floppy Monkey Puppy Love

Try this for some quick math: 4 days + 22 fabulous restaurants = 1 great culinary event.

This year’s Taste of Dublin will be taking over the city’s Iveagh Gardens for a long weekend of fun and food from June 14 - 17, 2007. In addition to offering the chance to taste the delicacies of some of the city’s best restaurants, this year’s event will also host a Chef’s Demonstration Theatre that will feature some of the UK and Ireland’s best loved celebrity chefs including Rachel and Darina Allen, Nevin Maguire and Antony Worrall Thompson.

Tickets can be booked twenty four hours, and group bookings are available.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo courtesy of Kaymaria Daskarolis

After a night of dancing in Psiri, leaving the clubs at 4.30 a.m. or later, most folks are hun-gry. Fortunately for all Kostas, a friendly, hard-working man with exquisite crepe-making skills, keeps his shop Picasso di Crepa (Taki Street 19 in Psiri, +30-210-324-7686) open until around 7 a.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and until about 11 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Oh the crepes, the crepes. They are the perfect post-club delight. Our current favorite is a savory crepe stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, and olives. Savory crepes cost between €4 and €6.50 depending on the filling, and judging by the ones we’ve tried so far they are worth every cent. Sweet crepes can be yours for between €3 and €5.50. Expect company at Picasso di Crepa no matter what time you find yourself there—Kosta’s divine crepes are no secret to locals.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Photo courtesy of Kari Hoerchler

Where would you go if you wanted to sport crazy tights and ride Critical Mass? Or don a wool blanket while dining out at the latest ‘It’ restaurant? A place where ‘sör’ means ‘beer’ and ‘bor’ means wine?

Budapest, babája (baby)!

During a recent to trip to the Hun capital, we noticed the city under siege thanks to a few fun trends. One of the easiest places to spot the latest fashions is the Liszt tér. An artery of the Andrassy út, the tér is made up of a long strip of parkland featuring a bronze statue of Liszt, looking windblown and surrounded by airy cafés.

The ideal locale for people watching? We like to hunker down in a wicker chair in front of one of the square’s cafés. With a wool blanket, of course. That’s right Cheapos. Local women take to wrapping themselves in the colorful blankets on chilly nights, but not only that: they’re also fans of covering their gams with eccentric tights. Patterns of every stripe are represented, it seems, adding frivolity to otherwise conservative dress.

The Liszt tér eateries are optimal for observing the local peacock procession, and the food is delicious. We returned several times to Café Vian for their HUF1350 ($7) Hawaiian salad. The cappuccinos are HUF380 ($2) each and mojitos run HUF1500 ($8). The highly publicized Menza was also a treat. One Friday night we dined on veal paprika with a side order of white asparagus. The whole spread was HUF3060 ($16) including drinks.

Finally, we read in several guide books Budapest is not a bike friendly town. A confusing claim since we saw bikes everywhere and the local chapter of Critical Mass is quite active. The group, which begun officially in 2004, fights for the right to ride a bike in the congested city while calling attention to automobile induced pollution. The latest demonstration on wheels was held on Earth Day, April 22, 2007.

Popularity: 14% [?]

It’s funny what Rome can come up with. Just when good old pub nostalgia gets the better of you, low and behold you discover places like Sergeant Pepper’s Pub, where juicy burgers, cold beer, and even baked potatoes are on offer. Best of all, prices barely cross the €10 barrier.

Opened by a pair of avid Beatles fans a decade ago, Sergeant Pepper’s is also the place to go for nonstop Beatles music and a museum-like collection of memorabilia. Located in the Prati-Vatican neighborhood, at Via della Giuliana 95, it’s an unexpected and delicious addition to your next Rome itinerary.

Popularity: 11% [?]

The Mercato Trionfale, in the Prati neighborhood, goes often without mention in the guidebooks. While it isn’t particularly charming, it’s one of the largest, cheapest, and most authentic city markets in Rome.

The market stretches up and down both sides of Via Andrea Doria. Clothing, housewares, fruit, vegetables, meat, cheese, wine, and even breads are among the market’s offerings.

The best of the bargains are found at the first stand on the the corner of Via Andrea Doria and Largo Trionfale, where fruit is hawked by the kilo. While you’d never ordinarily think that you would need a kilo of celery, or two kilos of oranges, the €1 price tags might just change your perspective on bulk fruit purchase.

Popularity: 13% [?]