Peter Meehan, the New York Times "$25 and Under" Food Critic, shares his secrets for finding great authentic local fare.
1. Talk to a local - A local's opinion about which fish shack is best is almost always a sure bet. Try asking a shopkeeper or even your taxi driver.
2. Do your homework - Pick a location the way you might pick a racehorse at the track. Gather up all the information you can find using tip sheets. Tip sheets in the world of food are the guidebooks, magazines, blogs and other online communities where folks share their opinions of meals and restaurants.
3. Give way to the diner's serenity prayer. Accept that you will eat some disappointing food. Ask for courage to leave a restaurant midmeal if it's a lost cause and there's another place nearby and for the wisdom to drink deeply and eat fully on the fine occasions when you do find what you're looking for.
