Having barely escaped Chahd's cruelty in RAVENLOFT, and with the help of Tyr's holy servant, our heroes fling themselves through secret portals and magical gateways of the multiversal planescape into SIGIL, the fabled CITY OF DOORS!
Sensate Palate Cleanser
The appetite of the Society of Sensation knows no bounds: they are the ultimate explorers of experience, which takes them to the extremes of the palate. But the unfamiliar can only really be tasted against the baseline of the common. The Sensates lighted on the free cucumber soup that came with a cheap inn room at the Slumbering Lamb in Sigil as the perfect neutral reference points for embarking on a culinary adventure. Area taverns catering to this clientele turned this dish into a chilled leek-and-cucumber-based puree. Even for those without the restless curiosity of a Sensate, this smooth and mild soup is a refreshing appetizer no matter where it's consumed.
Fried Bread and Spices
Some believe that everything is better fried. Whether or not you agree, you wouldn't want to miss out on Fried Bread and Spices available at most taverns in the Lower Ward of Sigil. A popular breakfast staple on the planets Oerth, Toril, and Krynn, it is often served with poached eggs. The version most common in the City of Doors includes a unique seasoning mixture that borrows from all of them, with hints of cumin, coriander, cayenne, and even fennel. Whatever is in it, it's sure to brighten your meal, your day, and your journey onto the next plane.
Beer Bread
Many eateries across the multiverse claim to have the best beer-bread recipe, but Fortune's Wheel, an upscale canteen in Sigil's aristocratic Lady's Ward, really does. Any bread with beer in the dough is considered a beer bread, and the results are usually as middling as the common brew. However, this recipe from Fortune's Wheel yields a moist and chewy loaf that is bound to become a mealtime staple on any dinner table. Different types of beer yield distinctive flavors of bread and, depending on the varietal, it may even add leavening to the baking process, changing the ultimate density of the loaf. But regardless of the beer you choose (the Fortune's Wheel uses a dark, dry stout), it's all about the quality of the batter.
Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Mussels
Sigil's lively marketplaces are brimming with strange, fresh meats and fish imported from across the greater multiverse. These expansive emporiums are an overwhelming explosion of scents, textures, colors, and flavors, not only making them a chef's dream but a breeding ground for new culinary ideas. Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Mussels is one such intrinsically Sigil meal on offer in many of the city's six wards. While the combination of pork and mollusk might seem unusual, this atypical culinary marriage is what makes the meal uniquely Sigil. An inspired combination of surf and turf, this dish has made its way across the multiverse as far as the Cutlass of Luskan on Toril, where fresh mussels are harvested in droves from the Sea of Swords, while the cured bacon is brought in almost daily from Mirabar via the River Mirar.
Chickpea and Spicy Sausage Soup
Serving equally well as a solo course or as a starter paired with a lighter main, Chickpea and Spicy Sausage Soup is a hearty, delicious, protein-filled potage. As served in Sigil, this soup incorporates Sweet Larissa's sausages, imported from Plague-Mort—the less you know about how she makes them the better. But one thing you will know is she makes them hot: with the sort of spices mortals should avoid unless in ethereal form. The chickpeas offer a starchy and earthy sanctuary from the oily, spicy sausage and red pepper flakes, all of it swimming in a garlicky chicken broth, flavored with tomato. Common variations on this dish introduce tarragon for a pungent and inspired twist on the classic. Although widely available, and often considered a meal for the masses, this is nonetheless a delectable soup that has rightfully earned its place in the heart of many citizens of the greater multiverse.
Fire-Wrapped Golden Fish
While Sigil's Great Bazaar is perhaps the most famous market in the known multiverse—a vibrant conflux of cultures and cuisines—this self-proclaimed "city at the center of the multiverse" also boasts countless storefronts and street bazaars, offering equally rare and exciting gastronomy. Fire-Wrapped Golden Fish is one such inexpensive delicacy, readily acquired in the Lower Ward or the more destitute Hive Ward. As quick to fry as it is to consume, this chili-and-cayenne-tinged, batter-fried white fish is a feast for the taste buds. Best served sizzling-hot, straight from the pan, wrapped in locally cultivated lettuce or a flatbread for easy ingestion en route to the next plane.
Emerald Chicken
It is fact that the only way in or out of Sigil is through one of the city's innumerable portals. It is also fact that while in Sigil, one must try the famous Emerald Chicken. Gifted its name from the splash of chopped greens, intermingled with chunks of fowl, chicken livers, onions, and a strong dash of incendiary spices, Emerald Chicken demands an adventurous palate—it was originally made for tieflings with fiendspices—and a cool glass of ale to quench the burn. A milder version became famous in far-off Purskul, on Toril, in eateries such as the Owlroost Head.
Harmonious Barracks Meatloaf
If you intend to police the chaotic streets of Sigil, it's best not to do it on an empty stomach. The warriors of the Harmonium are deeply dedicated to keeping order but are perhaps not so adventuresome in their tastes, so this rich, filling meal-in-itself will keep a soldier on the march for hours on end. Heaps of it are hot and plentiful in their barracks in the Lady's Ward. To maximize its proteins, this dish includes not just lamb but a medley of meats, which gives it its distinctive, hearty flavor. Ironically, a certain quantity of this meatloaf somehow finds its way into the hands of street vendors—this is, after all, a town where everyone finds a way to turn a quick profit.
Chirper's Sugar Biscuits
No matter what you order at Chirper's in the Market Ward of Sigil—from the Niflheim stag ribs to the slaad legs—the sugar biscuits are a complimentary finale. Whether you came for the dancing, the Seawind theater, an art exhibition, or just a quick visit to gawk at the Skull Museum, it is always worth grabbing a bite at Chirper's for the dessert alone. Acquiring the Bytopian chestnuts required to make the puffy dough might require planar travel, but primes can approximate the right taste by adding some cinnamon and cardamom to the mix. Best served with honey as a dip for an extra dash of decadence.
Silverfruit Pie
Let it be known, silverfruit, also known as lychee or soapberry, makes for a truly heavenly pie. This medium-size, pink-skinned berry is known for being especially crisp and juicy, with hints of citrus and a floral aroma. But as a pie filling it's surprisingly creamy and custard-like, and it pairs wonderfully with a toasted, flaky crust. The Golden Bariaur Inn (in Sigil's Lady's Ward), which caters to highfalutin clientele from the Upper Planes, serves an astoundingly good slice of this silky dessert. Since Sigil has no natural resources, silverfruit is one of the many uniquely curated imports from the vast array of worlds to which the greater metropolis provides access.
Kaeth
Kaeth, or coffee, is an aromatic brew made from ground roasted beans and is famous for its invigorating properties, making it a prevalent day starter throughout the worlds of the multiverse. In Sigil, the City of Doors, planar sightseers can sample from a wide array of coffee beans and beverages from countless planets. Kaeth, as it is commonly called on the planet Toril, has developed into quite the delicacy along the Sword Coast, where it is now imported in droves. In the nation of Sembia, a popular method of preparation features a blend of melted chocolate and liquor. In some areas, kaeth is so popular that it has become more profitable than the tea trade. The peoples of the planet Krynn drink tarbean tea and kefre, both of which are derived from vibrant, dark-roasted beans and frequently served black. In contrast, citizens of the Outer Planes imbibe numerous spiced and creamed variants of kaeth, including the notable Mountain Majesty of Mount Celestia. On the planet Oerth, coffee trends more acidic and is frequently blended into creamy liquors to grant an extra kick. But perhaps the most notable, kav'la, in which creamed coconut milk is swirled into a malted, dark, nutty roast, is served in tall, ornate ceramic vessels and is easily found in the cultured bazaars of Sigil. Regardless of which varietal you choose, kaeth, in its endless forms, serves as a caffeine-infused pick-me-up, whether on the trail or in the safe confines of one's homestead.