The best food transports you. Close your eyes and those flavours and aromas can bring back holiday memories or spark dreams of future jaunts, and that goes double if the atmosphere matches up. It’s also a great way to speed-date a potential destination because food is a huge part of any holiday. Plus, you can achieve your travel dreams sooner by downloading the rewards app Kris+ by Singapore Airlines, allowing you to earn up to four miles on every dollar spent on your meals out.

Melbourne

Bowltiful

There’s something nigh-on addictive about Lanzhou beef noodle soup, and Melbourne chain Bowltiful captures the style perfectly. The soup – hand-pulled noodles in a clear, spice-filled beef broth topped with radish, slow-cooked beef and chilli oil – originated with China’s Muslim population in the north-west province of Gansu. It’s a triumph of simplicity and attention to detail. It’s also fragrant, comforting and (if you’re game) pretty darn spicy. While it’s a decent trek to the mountainous, arid landscape of Gansu, a steaming bowl of chilli-laden Lanzhou noodle soup from Bowltiful will just about get you there. And you’ll earn two miles per dollar spent on every purchase.

Lulu’s Char Koay Teow

On the streets of Penang, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore you can’t miss the aroma of hawkers dishing up char koay teow. The dish is flat noodles, proteins (like prawns, blood clams or Chinese sausage), bean sprouts and a few seasonings (like soy sauce and chilli), tossed in a super-hot wok. Lulu’s Char Koay Teow is the work of Chee Wong, a tribute to the char koay teow served by his mother-in-law, Lulu Ong, from a Malaysian hawker stall. Lulu’s is a real-deal, no-fuss, Penang-style diner that spills out onto Hardware Lane – a perfect spot to sit in the sun and eat some of the best CKT this side of the equator. You’ll also earn one mile per dollar spent here, and they’ll throw in a free drink on your birthday.

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Heartling

Heartling’s owner Suby Liu describes dumplings as “the ancient carrier of culture.” Come to this 10-seat diner in Docklands for elegant little parcels that skilfully straddle inventiveness and tradition. Fillings include everything from scallop and abalone, to plant-based fillings such as jackfruit and Lebanese eggplant. Just like Asian metropoles such as Singapore and Hong Kong, there’s a fantastic blend of old and new in the flavours. Kris+ members can get a free dessert or wine and will earn one mile per dollar spent.

Sydney

Bay Nine Omakase

Omakase is a Japanese set menu style that leaves everything up to the skill and creativity of the chef and the quality – and seasonal availability – of the ingredients. High-end sushi spot Bay Nine Omakase, which overlooks Campbells Cove in Sydney’s historic Rocks precinct, treats 10 diners per sitting to an 11-course menu that showcases ultra-fresh produce. And if you pre-book the Omakase for two experience, you can get 15 per cent off with a Kris+ membership. Courses might include Spanish mackerel with miso cauliflower or mentaiko (spicy fish roe) with scallop. There’s also more than 40 different types of sake. A meal at Bay Nine is a luxe experience – but it’s a fair bit cheaper than a flight to Tokyo, and an excellent way to get a feel for the omakase style of dining. You’ll also earn two miles for every dollar spent.

Auvers

For a small town on the outskirts of Paris, Auvers-sur-Oise has a big reputation. It’s where Vincent van Gogh spent time, painted and died. Artistic legends Paul Cézanne and Camille Pissarro also lived or visited there. So French-inspired cafe and diner Auvers’s goal is to bring a little of the town’s artistic fairy dust to Haymarket. And in good news, Kris+ members can get a free cocktail, as well as earning three miles per dollar. Although Auvers is indebted to its French namesake when it comes to the art on the walls and its atmosphere, each of its brunch and dinner menus are cosmopolitan. There’s mushroom and truffle risotto, XO sauce-spiked squid ink spaghetti, and luxe breakfast options like the crab omelette with bonito mayonnaise.

Bistro Nido

For a taste of a multi-country trip without ever leaving Sydney, there’s Bistro Nido, which goes France-via-Japan for its eclectic menu. Kris+ members will get a free glass of wine and can also earn three miles per dollar. Chefs Zachary Tan and Markus Andrew blend their French cookery backgrounds with Devon Hospitality Group’s Japanese influences for dishes such as steak tartare with Japanese plum and red miso, or confit duck leg with pickled kyoho grape. Or you can go one of the three set menus paired with mostly French wines.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Kris+ by Singapore Airlines. Each venue’s offer may be subject to specific T&Cs for Kris+ members. Sign up to be a member and download the Kris+ app today. Kris+ users can also use the code “KPBROAD24” to get $10 worth of miles through the app.