AMETSA WITH ARZAK INSTRUCTION RATING: 2/5 Replacing David Thompson’s Nahm at the Halkin Hotel is Ametsa, a spin-off restaurant by 3-Michelin-starred Arzak from San Sebastian, Spain. The team, comprised of Veuve Clicquot Best Female Chef Elena Arzak (2013), is in London on an “Instruction” basis – whatever that means. My lunch experience at Ametsa, however, …
Why not for the beginners… This is an “Intermediate” guide for aspiring fine diners visiting Japan. My “Intermediate” means something between knowing the basic (i.e. different types of Japanese cuisine, key produce+ingredients, dining etiquette) and not knowing all the cultural culinary anecdotes (i.e. meaning of signs on porcelain, food symbolism). This should be ideal, I …
JOHN SALT RATING: 4/5 In London restaurant scene, chef Ben Spalding has become synonymous with “young” and “talented” and holds an extensive CV that contains many internationally renowned kitchens. In 2011-2012 Ben won himself critical acclaims as head chef of Roganic and from stints at The Loft and Stripped Back, and his new 6-month residency …
Imported XTREME Alvin Leung of 2-Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong is a self-taught chef best known for serving condoms, second-best known for re-interpreting and pushing the boundaries of Chinese cuisine, and third-best known, perhaps, for being a Heston Blumenthal of Asia. The cuisine is defined by the term XTREME, which according to reports far …
Another year (2013) When I feel Michelin (and the other Best Restaurant list) has become a little bit of banality, there is an explosion of findings on Twitter via Michelin’s own website of the results of Michelin London & UK 2013. No PR. No official release. Has Michelin just “leaked” its own results. Is this …
41° Experience There is so much brilliance I can recall about this meal, but I have decided not to put all into writing. Lazy blogger, no. Necessity, yes. The “elements of surprise” are crucial, according to FAQ. When it was first launched, 41° Experience (or 41 Grados) by El Bulli-famed Ferran and Albert Adria was …