Final Fantasy XV - A Food Blogger's Quest

Final Fantasy XV – Four Friends Quest For Finer Food

They say “you eat with your eyes first”. This rings true especially when your inner food blogger comes out as you play Final Fantasy XV, or as I like to call it Final FanTASTY XV. 

Final Fantasy XV (“FF15”) is an open-world action role-playing video game developed by Square Enix, and if you came here specifically because you’re a seasoned gamer, then you would already know all that. I’m definitely not here to write about the gameplay or the storyline, after all, this is a food blog first and foremost.

What was interesting about this game to me, however, were the tantalisingly dishes forged through Ignis’s skilled culinary techniques. So, here is my review (based on sight only) of some of these beautifully created dishes by Ignis and the many diners Noctis and his entourage find on their road trip.

[Cup Noodle]

Gladiolus, Prince Noctis’ hunky bodyguard, has a love affair with instant ramen. This is why you’ll see lots of these cups in the game. Here is one of the Nissin Cup Noodle creations by Ignis. I don’t know about you but I’ve yet to experience a cup of instant noodle that taste as good as it looks on the packaging. I’m afraid this Ignis creation looks too good to be true with those thinly-sliced medium-rare beef and thick stock. The garnish on top is just icing on the cake.

[Dish and Chips]

I actually laughed out loud when I saw the aptly-named dish appear on the screen. These french fries look so detailed and real, I could almost taste the crunch. The glistening greens have obviously been doused in an oily dressing of some sort. If I were Ignis, I would pick a balsamic vinaigrette to cut through the oily fries with an acidic kick.

[Mystery Meat Sushi]

If you’ve played FF15, you will know that there are a huge amount of bewildering and mysterious monsters that cross your path. So it doesn’t surprise me that occasionally Ignis would have to play the mystery meat game when cooking for the boys. But come on! Look at these plump and impeccably constructed sushi. I wouldn’t question it and just pretend it’s spam.

[Tonkatsu with Tomato Sauce]

Another nod to the Japanese background of this game, the Tonkatsu is usually pork cutlets deep fried with a breadcrumb coating. The key here would be not to overcook the pork cutlets so that it’s still tender and succulent. Tomato sauce is a nice pairing as it will balance out the richness of the fried cutlets with some sweetness and acidity.

[Grilled Wild Trevally]

Trevally is not normally my go-to fish for cooking but then again, I’m not scavenging for survival. These boys eat what they can get and fishing in FF15 is not a piece of cake. The trevally here looks perfectly grilled with the skin still on. Just hope the skin is crispy!

[Tomalley-filled Dumplings]

Okay, now Ignis is just showing off. Tomalley is the soft and gooey lobster paste found in the body cavity of lobsters and is considered a delicacy. These delicately pinched buns are still glistening from the steam. I also like that there’s bits of lobster floating in the vinegar to add that seafood taste to the dressing.

[Steak]

I love a good steak and these FF15 boys seem to be no different. The steak here looks juicy and well-cooked. It doesn’t look dry and chargrilled too much, which would leave burnt marks on the steak. A simple yet tasty dish that would provide the boys with much needed protein to continue their journey.