Being from California, I know a thing or two about ethnic foods. Here, it's almost unheard of to never have tried certain cuisines, namely Mexican and Chinese. But in other countries around the world, there are ethnic cuisines that are just as essential to the culinary experience as the traditional specialties. Here are some of my favorites that I've encountered in my travels:

Chinese cuisine in Canada
Canada is home a large population of overseas Chinese. Its relaxed immigration policies make it easy to settle and gain citizenship in just a few years. Thriving Chinese communities have been set up in all of its major cities, especially in Vancouver and Toronto. The suburb of Richmond, BC is predominantly populated by Chinese (rumor has it that Vancouver's airport, located in Richmond, was placed there because its residents, mostly Hong Kong Chinese, were used to the noise of planes flying over them after having lived alongside Hong Kong's former airport in Kowloon City). Toronto is also home to not just one or two but several Chinatowns. In Canada, you're bound to find the best Chinese food this side of Hong Kong.

Indian cuisine in England
This one is as obvious as having Mexican food in California. It's been said that the Brits went on their colonial expeditions in search of better food. So if you're not up for steak & kidney pies, fish & chips or pasties (and I don't blame you if you're not), head for any Indian restaurant, where the food will be anything but bland. Spitalfields, a neighborhood right by the Financial District that has historically attracted immigrants, first French, then Jews, and now Bangladeshis, is a good place to start. I've heard that Brick Lane in Southall is another good neighborhood, although it's a little further out. If you're in Spitalfields on a Sunday, check out the market after you're done with your Chicken Tikka Masala or Tandoori Chicken.

Turkish cuisine in Germany
An influx of workers from Turkey brought Turkish cuisine to a country known for its sausage and cabbage. Nowadays, doner kabob stands can be found on pretty much every block corner in Germany's major cities. While the doner kabob, a gyro-like sandwich of lamb or chicken meat with salad, is just Germany's equivalent of a burrito (it's referred to as "Turkish" food, but it was actually developed in Germany), there are plenty of other Turkish dishes to savor if you're sick of wurst, pretzels, and beer. Definitely try Turkey's national beverage, a yogurt drink similar to an Indian lassi.

Indonesian cuisine in the Netherlands
I'm not sure exactly what the traditional local specialties are in the Netherlands. An aquaintance once told me that Indonesian is the only good food here. It's not far from the truth. I was put off by herring before I arrived, and there are only so many meals of pancakes, falafel, and stroopwaffels I can take. Indonesian cuisine is much like other Southeast Asian cuisines - it involves a lot of noodles and rice, cooked with meat, chili and peanut flavors. I noticed that most of theIndonesian restaurants were a bit pricey for my backpacker budget before finding one restaurant that was reasonably priced. I wouldn't recommend it, though; my memories of its food and health standards were pretty dismal. The only highlight of the night was that I had a nice conversation with a lovely French woman and her son. But for anyone who enjoys Southeast Asian or any other ethnic foods, this is one experience you must have.

Moroccan cuisine in France
Like all former colonial countries, France experienced a wave of immigration from its colonies, in this case North Africa. Moroccan couscous is a favorite among the French. It's not all about croissants, foie gras and ratatouille, after all. One of the best places to have it is at the Cafe at the Paris Mosque, where you'll dine in one of the most amazing Moroccan tile settings outside North Africa.

Chinese and Indian in Malaysia and Singapore
I shouldn't bunch Malaysia and Singapore into the same entry because they're separate countries. But Singapore was a part of Malaysia until 1965, and both have large populations of ethnic Chinese and Indians, especially in Singapore, where they make up nearly 90% of the overall population. As a former British colonial outpost, Indian laborers were brought over from Britain's colonial crown jewel, followed by Chinese immigrants. I barely even got to try Malay food in Malaysia. No worries, though; Malay cuisine has a lot of influences from Chinese, Indian and other Southeast Asian cooking. And don't forget to eat at one of Singapore's hawker centers, the open-air food courts where the country's voracious eaters prefer to dine.