Very humble, oh so wonderful, 3 Hats, and number 32 in The World’s Top 50 Restaurants – Attica, Melbourne, Australia. A well earned and deserved achievement for owner and Chef Ben Shewry and his entire team. A last minute call saying, “We have a table for 2 available, would you like to join as for dinner?” brings an overnight dash to Attica. We have admired Ben Shewry from afar for some time. Watching reruns of the quiet, humble, “Chef’s Table” episode while patiently […]
Fire and passion are the hallmarks of Portuguese cuisine, a story masterfully told through José Avillez at Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal. Distinguished with 2 Michelin Stars, 132 OAD Top 100+ European Restaurants 2017 and eighty-fifth place in “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List”. José Avillez, one of Portugal’s most celebrated chefs, tasting menu runs for around 20 courses, featuring updated takes on traditional Portuguese concepts, like a dish he calls Wave Breaking, which combines a coastal prawn with bivalves, seaweed and seaweed “sand,” and oxtail with chickpeas, foie […]
Rarely has one building defined inspiration and architectural genius more than anything that’s been before; Frank Gehry’s masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, is frequently referred to as one of the greatest buildings of our time. The building that rendered a seismic shift in architecture and global art culture could easily make some restaurants invisible, but not Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao. Head Chef Josean Alija, himself a student of one of the worlds greatest, most creative chefs, Ferran Adrià, is the creative force […]
Heist-aan-Zee, or Heist, is a town in Knokke-Heist, West Flanders, one of Belgium’s better-known and more affluent seaside resorts, equivalent to France’s Deauville, the perfect setting for Michelin Star Restaurant Bartholomeus. Restaurant Bartholomeus is creatively led by Head Chef and owner Bart Dismidt. Two Michelin stars, Gault Millau 18/20, 168 OAD Top 100+ European Restaurants 2017, Foodtaster 90/100 and great reviews from those who dine at this tranquil beach-front pearl make the trip to Restaurant Bartholomeus a very worthwhile and memorable one. […]
After a wonderful day in Amsterdam we’re hungry and excited to get to our dinner booking. Restaurant Johannes is in pretty little canal house. Inside the decor is simple, white gallery like space with black leather chairs and timber tables. We are seated at a little table near the bar. Our young waitress comes to take our order and it’s clear she is quite new and inexperienced with customer service of any type. I can’t put my finger on it […]
Founder and Head Grower Gert-Jan Hageman had the idea for De Kas: “A kitchen surrounded by fertile soil where vegetables and herbs thrive … Where daylight shines in from all sides and where the chefs are free to express their creativity daily using the best the season has to offer. It seems an obvious concept, but I spent twenty years surrounded by white tiles under fluorescent lighting before I came up with it.” Frankendael Park – Restaurant De Kas […]
As there are many choices, sometimes you’ve just got to take the easy way to easily finalise your dinner plans; look into the mirror and ask, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is fairest of them all?” de Silveren Spiegel (translated in English to The Silver Mirror) is the winner. Michelin worthy de Silveren Spiegel offers contemporary Dutch cuisine prepared by talented young chef Yves van der Hoff, whose father, Jim van der Hoff owns the place. (That’s […]
The Bellagio has an outstanding art collection and has its own gallery. For their Picasso collection they have taken it a step further with the opportunity to dine surrounded by a magical collection of original works. Picasso restaurant is luxuriously fitted out with rich carpets, large windows swathed with generous drapes of fine fabric and tables sparkling with silverware and glassware fit for a king. Every wall is decorated with Picasso paintings and drawings. Some fantastic bright examples of cubism […]
My love as usual, seventeen steps ahead, found that chef Martin Berasategui, a spanish chef of many hats and several restaurants has opened a restaurant Tempo right here in this resort. Now the most amazing thing is the price of things in Mexico. Despite having all you can eat and drink tickets to this resort, with a three michelin star restaurant offering alacarte options at around $22 a main and a tasting menu for around $45 or $70 with a […]
Next stop Langer’s Deli for the famous No.19 hot pastrami sandwich, house-made coleslaw, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing on rustic rye bread with Dill pickles on the side. Some say “the best” hot pastrami sandwich in America! We squeeze the Mustang into a parking space on the busy road and we wander down to the unassuming deli on the corner. Langer’s has been right here serving the same food since 1947. Here I am nearly 70 years later about to take […]