First warning is that there is a lot of debauchery in this book. Enough that it might be off putting if you are not familiar with Bourdain's work. The second is that as I was closing in on the end of the book, he has a meal at Thomas Keller's restaurant in Healdsburg, The French Laundry, and after reading so much about places that he did not care for, his overwhelming star worship of the chef and the food that he ate there made me make a reservation to eat there, months from now, but guess what? You have to pay up front, so there you have it, this book could really end up costing you,
Unlike his shows, which largely seem to focus on places to go and visit, there are equal parts gross and ideal here. It is hard to have a bad meal in Portugal, and Bourdain does not spoil that destination for future travelers. His experience in the Khmer Rouge controlled part of Cambodia is another story. If you like non-traditional food writing, this is right up your alley. I enjoyed it despite some roughness around the edges.
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