If you can eat it there you can eat it anywhere; New York, New York.

Forget the sightseeing - the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Empire State Building and the like. Hell, photos will suffice and you'll save tons of money. (Okay, maybe since you are there anyway squeeze them in between meals.) But, come on, New York is not for sightseeing - it's for people who want to taste and experience the world all at once.

Here's your itinerary, deviate from it all you like and do not be afraid to go where no stomach has gone before.

1. Hit the Lower East Side for some of the best and cheapest Indian food you will ever taste. Most places are BYOB, which saves you big bucks if you're prone to drunkenness. I am not going to promote any one establishment - part of the fun is finding them yourself - but stick your head inside several and take a big whiff. Your nose knows best.

2. I swear the last time I visited world famous Katz's Deli I glimpsed Sylvester Stallone's mother chomping on a pastrami on rye. If you are really bold and ready for a cultural fix, just jump in a cab and ask to be taken over the Williamsburg Bridge. Williamsburg is a great place to find authentic kosher food of all types. Again, explore, have fun, figure it out and ask when you reach a place where you see Men in Black.

3. If you've yet to make it to China, have no fear, Chinatown is here with its holier-than-thou fried and boiled chicken dumplings. Make a night of it, go on a dumpling tasting frenzy by restaurant hopping your way down and around Canal Street.

4. Chinatown has pretty much consumed Little Italy, but you still can find some pretty authentic pizza and pasta grub in the neighborhood sandwiched (no pun intended) between Canal Street and SoHo. Look for signs of bullet holes on the walls to ensure it is - or rather, was - a real mob hangout.

5. A hunk a beef can be obtained at Frank's down in Chelsea's Meatpacking District. 'Nuff said.

6. Grey's Papaya, a classic hot dog joint, is ubiquitous in n the city. My favorite is on the Upper West Side. Most cabbies know where it is. Satisfy your stomach with America's favorite food - and all for under five bucks.

7. Still haven't found something to make your tastebuds dance with glee? Flip through the New York Times Food section and get the latest advice on the most recent craze. If you do follow the pack, make sure to have reservations and arrive early.

8. Everyone deserves a picnic: Weather permitting, pop into one of the many gourmet food shops in Manhattan, such as Dean & Deluca, and select a picnic feast. Head to Central Park with your new purchases, kick back and relax. This might be the day you do a Broadway show that same evening.

9. Last but not least, take advantage of every Arabic cab driver you encounter and toward the end of your stay in New York you will have accumulated perhaps twenty or more recommendation on where the best Middle Eastern food can be had. It changes every month and these guys are always the first to know. It's normally cheap, casual and full of cabbies. Your stomach will thank you later.

If you do not have the budget to see the world then see New York as the very best representation of the world.

This tidbit of real travel advice was contributed by James Mcconnell.