Baron's Point Food Experience

aron's Point, in the Kingdom of Felisia, is well known as the most cosmopolitan city on all of Cartyrion. Here, Folk of all types mingle as they live and work side by side. About as far from the xenophobic attitudes of the First Kingdom of Humankind as can be, Baron's Point is a true melting pot. This is not to say that individual communities do not maintain their own customs and cultures, though, and this means that the food experience to be had in Baron's Point is also unsurpassed anywhere on Cartyrion. If it's eaten somewhere in the world, it's probably being prepared in some Baron's Point eatery as well.

The food experiences that a visitor to the city may pursue are quite varied, and range from everyday commoner comfort food to elegant dining on cultural delicacies. While it would be impossible to itemize every opportunity here, there are a few that stand out enough to be worth mentioning - and which are representative of the range of choice available to the adventurous.

Chili House Row

If one arrived at Baron's Point by sea (and most do), one of the first things that will assail your nostrils as you leave the docks is the intriguing aroma wafting up from the street that leads from the piers to the center of the city. The first part of this street is commonly called Chili House Row due to the number of establishments selling variations on a stewlike dish that has evolved over the years into many distinct forms and flavors. As best as can be determined, there were two original source dishes: one of Goblin and the other of Orcish origin. Today, though, every culture boasts their own version of the dish, and every one of them can be purchased somewhere on Chili House Row.

Visiting the shops on "the Row" is a common ritual for sailors arriving at port anxious to have a meal that did not consist of dried fish and hard tack. Whenever a crew contains a new hire - a first-timer in Baron's Point - they are invariably led to what the veteran sailors call the Sailors' Challenge. This consists of visiting as many of the chili houses on the Row as possible, but the Challenge always must end with a bowl of Original Goblin Chili at Grazz's Original Kitchen at the farthest end of the Row. Survivors of the Challenge are usually treated to an evening of drinking at the expense of companions.

Market Square

The Market Square of Baron's Point is actually a linked group of four different "squares" - three above ground and one in the Undercity below. Anything that can be paid for in coin is available somewhere in this market complex. Scattered among the shops and stalls selling everything from spices to textiles, from trinkets to fine jewelry, from poisons to beneficial elixirs, one can find food carts selling all sorts of familiar and unfamiliar things to provide sustenance and refreshment to the shoppers.

There are very few sit-down establishments in the Market Squares; most are small carts that sell "carry away" food. But it is the variety of things available that is the most marvelous thing of all: everything from brightly colored exotic fruits imported from the Dark Forests south of Tyrnabay to the grilled rat-on-a-stick that the goblins of the Farsea cities enjoy so much.

Fine Dining

There are several high-end restaurants in the city, but the one most spoken about is Triznugget's, an emporium owned and operated by renown Gnomish Chef Trizznugget Samoblammet. Trizznugget claims to have spent over a hundred and fifty years traveling the world to obtain the most elegant, yet representative dishes from every cuisine she could find. Many of these dishes appear on her menu.

The most notable dining experience at Triznugget's is the Foods of the World Experience. This is a eleven course meal that takes approximately four hours to complete. Each course is representative of a different culture from around the world, and they are arranged by Triznugget to ensure maximum enjoyment of the entire experience. Because of the cost of importing and (magically) preserving the necessary authentic ingredients, reservations for "the Experience" must be made at leas six months in advance, and only a limited number of reservations are accepted. Nonetheless, anyone in the world that considers themselves a food expert takes the time and effort to journey to Baron's Point at least once for "the Experience".

A Review of the Foods of the World Experience

Recently, Tarleton Quilmaster, the renown Food Critic of the Endmere Food Quarterly, returned from a year-long pilgrimmage to try the Foods of the World Experience for himself. His review, which recommends that anyone and everyone who can afford the time and coin should make the journey to Baron's Point for this meal, can be read here.