From New York-style sliders to artisan pasta, Malaysian gyoza (dumplings) and Indian bhel pur (a traditional roadside savoury snack made from puffed rice, potato, onion and spices) the standards are high and the ingredients are fresh.

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The city is also home to food theme parks such as Gyoza Stadium and Ice Cream World, vending machines filled with canned coffee drinks, and probably more food fads than anywhere else in the world (today its pancakes, tomorrow it might be cod roe).

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In reality, that's what many are these days: hefty souvenirs of meals had or aspired to be made, as opposed to something that lives next to your cutting board, guiding you step by step on making gyoza for the first time (take it easy on the filling).

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