Parisian Sustainability Hub
In Paris, a restaurant concept named 'de la maison' champions a profound commitment to sustainability and waste reduction across its three distinct spaces:
Comptoir De Vie, Bar De Vie, and Cave De Vie. This establishment innovates by chilling drinks without ice, a process that conserves significant water resources, and ingeniously incorporates ingredients across multiple dishes and beverages. For instance, a duck's leg, initially served in a bao bun, reappears as a main course, while squash is masterfully transformed from a confit dish to a dessert ice cream and even a cocktail liqueur. This hyper-seasonal menu, often drawing from local Île-de-France produce, ensures that virtually no part of an ingredient is discarded, showcasing a holistic approach to haute cuisine that is both environmentally conscious and creatively brilliant. The entire operation is a testament to minimizing environmental impact while maximizing culinary excellence.
Bangkok's Culinary Fusion
Soma, a vibrant new Thai restaurant in Bangkok, is the brainchild of two acclaimed Thai chefs, Chalee Kader and Weerawat Triyasenawat. Situated in an unassuming office tower, its interior artfully blends modern design with traditional Thai elements, creating a lively atmosphere amplified by music and spirited chatter. The menu offers an approachable à la carte selection, featuring delightful small bites like crispy sago crackers and curry-dusted crab, alongside more substantial shared plates. Highlights include a rich massaman beef cheek with sweet potato, smoky XO stir-fried chayote, and grilled reef squid in a peanut-brittle sauce. The restaurant also serves rice in stone pots with various toppings, such as beef and oysters or braised pork belly. Desserts are equally noteworthy, with the longan mochi being a particular standout. Soma provides a refreshing alternative to the prevalent high-Thai tasting menus, striking a perfect balance between chic and casual dining, making it suitable for special occasions or a relaxed meal.
New York's Caribbean Flair
In New York City's East Village, a new restaurant helmed by veteran chef Paul Carmichael showcases refined and inventive Caribbean cuisine. The dining space, resembling a tropical-modernist supper club, features a prominent chef's counter, offering an ideal vantage point to observe Carmichael's culinary artistry. The menu draws inspiration from across the Caribbean, with dishes like raw ruby red shrimp dusted with sorrel powder and spiced with Scotch bonnet, reflecting Jamaican influences, and 'chuleta can can,' a hearty deep-fried pork chop reminiscent of Puerto Rican tradition. The experience is complemented by carefully crafted rum cocktails, and the 'birthday flan,' a celebratory dessert adorned with rainbow sprinkles, provides a joyful conclusion to the meal. This establishment offers a vibrant and flavourful exploration of Caribbean culinary heritage.
Lima's Casual Gem
La Perlita, a taberna in Lima, Peru, represents a refreshing departure from the city's prevalent molecular gastronomy scene. Housed in a traditional Limeño building with whitewashed walls, this casual eatery exudes charm and a lively atmosphere where greetings and laughter fill the space. The menu draws on nostalgia, featuring zesty tiradito with uni tongues and pejerrey, a vibrant ceviche with red rocoto pepper, and a delightful stuffed caigua filled with stewed meat. Diners can choose between tables, bar stools, or window seats overlooking the street. The experience is enhanced by live piano music in the evenings, often inspiring spontaneous dancing among patrons. La Perlita offers an authentic and spirited taste of Peruvian culinary traditions in a welcoming, unpretentious setting.
San Francisco's Modern Chinese
The Happy Crane, a modern Chinese restaurant in San Francisco, is led by chef James Yeun Leong Parry, whose impressive culinary background includes stints at Michelin-starred establishments. Contrary to expectations of complex tasting menus, Parry focuses on a more approachable yet meticulously detailed dining experience. The restaurant offers house-made dim sum, such as delicate crab rice rolls and vegetable-stuffed sugar snap pea dumplings. A signature dish is the meticulously prepared quail, inspired by Cantonese roast duck, which undergoes a five-day process involving brining, blanching, glazing, dry-aging, frying, and wok basting to achieve exceptional flavour. The Happy Crane exemplifies a refined approach to Chinese cuisine, prioritizing quality ingredients and skillful execution in a welcoming environment.
Mumbai's Art Deco Bar
Paradox, a contemporary Indian bar in Mumbai, is a new venture by restaurateurs Aditi and Aditya Dugar, known for their fine-dining establishment Masque. The bar pays homage to Mumbai's Art Deco heritage and is a playground for mixologist Ankush Gamre, who oversees Masque's drinks program. The space is divided into an intimate dining room and an upstairs bar, featuring interiors by Ashiesh Shah that incorporate hand-embroidered textiles, deep green leather walls, and beaded art. Gamre's inventive cocktails, such as 'Cthulhu' (tequila, squid ink, pandan, citrus) and 'Sip Your Greens' (roasted tomato, celery, kachri, blanco tequila), are a highlight. Chef Varun Totlani offers a playful approach to food, with dishes like caviar-topped Brazilian cheese bread, mud crab with crisp boondi, and charred snap peas with winter sorghum. The menu thoughtfully integrates Indian ingredients from various regions, presenting a creative expression of modern Indian gastronomy and mixology.
Abidjan's Rooftop Oasis
Must, located on a rooftop in Abidjan's Cocody district, has rapidly become a sought-after dining destination. Overlooking the city, it attracts a diverse clientele of business leaders, creatives, and international visitors, reflecting Abidjan's dynamic blend of commerce and lifestyle. The restaurant features clean lines and warm materials in its design. The menu leans Mediterranean, with a strong emphasis on local seafood, offering dishes such as grilled sea bream, lobster in butter sauce, and slow-cooked lamb, all expertly prepared by Peruvian chef Luis Carranza Marquez. Live music, often a pianist or saxophonist, enhances the evening ambiance. Despite being a recent opening, Must's meticulous attention to detail in service and atmosphere suggests a promising and enduring presence in the city's culinary landscape.
Tokyo Bay Wagyu Experience
Yakatabune Izanagi offers a unique fine-dining wagyu omakase experience aboard a reimagined traditional Japanese floating restaurant in Tokyo Bay. Chef Tatsuro Hirakubo, renowned for his expertise in wagyu, has transformed the formerly casual yakatabune into an intimate and sophisticated setting. The all-timber interior seats only 12 guests, exuding traditional Japanese elegance. As the vessel glides through the bay, diners enjoy panoramic city nightscapes while savouring an omakase menu centered on premium Japanese Black wagyu, particularly the prized Tajima cattle beef. The culinary offerings include melt-in-your-mouth wagyu sushi and exquisitely grilled wagyu steak, all presented on fine Japanese tableware. This experience invites guests to relax and appreciate the masterful preparation of every cut of wagyu, from tenderloin to tongue.
Edinburgh's Coastal Charm
Norah, situated on the shore in Edinburgh, embodies the evolving culinary scene of the city's northeast. The restaurant, with its country-kitchen interiors and butter yellow exterior, offers a laidback yet chic atmosphere overlooking the lighthouse and harbour. Partners Claire Hanrahan and Andrew Ainslie present a menu that showcases pared-back cooking, starting with morning pastries and extending through lunch. The offerings include moreish pickles, warm soda bread, and Irish Coolea cheese to begin, followed by hearty mains like tartiflette and seasonal specials such as fresh fish stew. Comfort food staples like sausage and chips are also available, with desserts like warm cookies or bread and butter pudding. Norah is a popular spot, even drawing in chefs on their days off, and is recognized for its high-quality, unfussy approach to dining.
Munich's Culinary Cloud
The Cloud by Käfer, located beneath the ceiling of Munich's BMW Welt, is a fine-dining restaurant that defies expectations. Head chef Jens Madsen curates a seasonal menu, dedicating each year to the flavors of a specific region. For its debut, the focus was on South and East Africa, a fitting choice for the Tanzanian-born chef. The menu featured dishes like hibiscus kombucha with a pepper tartlet, a pilau rice dish prepared with emmer and a bacon-onion cream, and chapati with milk-fed veal and habanero heat. Beginning in June, the restaurant shifts its regional focus to the Amazon. The Cloud by Käfer offers a unique culinary journey, constantly evolving and exploring diverse global flavors within an avant-garde setting.
