So, you hear about Palau, and everyone’s going on about the incredible diving, the Rock Islands, Jellyfish Lake – all that stuff. And yeah, it’s amazing, no doubt. But I was curious about the food. What do people actually eat there, day to day? I mean, beyond the tourist restaurants.
I set out on a mission, you know? To find some real Palauan food. I’d read about things like taro, and taro leaves cooked in coconut milk, fresh seafood prepared in traditional ways. Sounded good. My first few days, I looked around. The main town, Koror, it’s got places to eat, sure. Lots of Japanese-influenced spots, some Chinese, some American style. All fine, but not what I was hunting for.
My Big Food Hunt
I asked a few locals, “Where can I get some, you know, local food?” And they’d point me to a restaurant, which was nice, but still felt a bit… catered. I wanted the stuff people make at home, or sell at a truly local market. I even tried going to a supermarket. Found some interesting packaged snacks, some local produce, but not like a ready-to-eat traditional meal jumping out at me.
It kind of reminded me of this one time I tried to learn how to play the guitar from online videos. I watched hours of tutorials, bought a cheap guitar. Thought I’d be shredding solos in a week. Man, was I wrong. My fingers hurt, it sounded awful, and I pretty much gave up after a month. Sometimes, the idea in your head is way different from the reality on the ground.
Anyway, back to Palau. I did find a couple of smaller roadside stands. They were interesting! One place had these wraps, kind of like a tamale, but different. I think it had some kind of starch, maybe tapioca or taro, and some meat. Pretty good, actually. That felt more like it.
What I ended up eating a lot of was, unsurprisingly, fish. And it was fantastic.
- Grilled fish, usually whole. Super fresh, straight from the ocean.
- Fried fish, also delicious.
- Poke bowls were everywhere, and always a good bet.
And rice. Rice with everything. Which is fine by me, I like rice.
One evening, we found this little unassuming place, not much to look at. They had a barbecue going outside. We ordered some grilled chicken and some fish. It came with a simple salad and, of course, rice. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t some long-lost ancient recipe I’d unearthed. But it was honest food, cooked well, and we ate it sitting on plastic chairs, watching the world go by. That was a good meal.
So, did I find the mythical, super-authentic, hidden Palauan culinary experience I’d vaguely imagined? Not really, not in the way I first thought. But I ate well. The seafood was top-notch. And I realized that sometimes, the “authentic” experience isn’t about some specific dish, but just about eating what’s fresh, what’s available, and enjoying it in the place you’re in. Maybe that’s the real deal after all. Less fuss, more eating. That works for me.
