Manresa.***
For my only likely 3 Michelin star meal of 2019, coming off of a relatively disappointing 2-star experience, I was ready for some outstanding food and service. Unfortunately, I was also exhausted from a four-day conference with Google, which had ended earlier in the morning. Still, there was no way I was going to miss my reservation at Manresa. The restaurant, fronted by celebrated chef David Kinch, is tucked away outside of San Jose, in the smaller city of Los Gatos — an unexpected location for such a prestigious venue. I could go course by course, but as the menu changes on a relatively regular basis, I would rather look at the meal as a whole. So, how does Manresa rate? Pros Service. Service. Service. Y’all….. Mary was, and might be, one of the best servers I’ve ever had the pleasure of dining with. Honestly, I’m wondering if she was…
Field.*
Long-time friends and really anyone who has spent time with me will know that I am a planner. For everything. Every detail. Any moment. Which is why I challenged myself to do little to no planning on our recent visit to Prague. Honestly, it worked out great. I don’t feel that we missed anything, and had the trip we wanted. When soliciting advice for my visit to Prague, it was my amazing followers who did ALL the heavy lifting when it came to planning our vacation. Literally, all I had to do was glance at my DMs, and all my food options came quickly together, including Michelin starred Field. As we’ve done in the past, the choice to do a longer lunch degustation was the right choice for numerous reasons. Walking out of the Beer Spa (which might be a post for another day), the weather was a bit wet and…
Dax, a definite dining do in Dublin.
On my recent trip to Dublin, I purposely booked an early dinner at award-winning Dax. Knowing I would be trying their tasting menu and understanding there would be some long days with my Bord Bia tour, I was quite pleased with my choice. After all — someone has to be the person having dinner at 6 PM. Upon arrival into the cozy dining room, I was greeted warmly by the team. Olivier Meisonnave, the GM, had clearly looked me up (not in a creepy way, I promise!) and understood I was a passionate foodie. As I love (love!) talking about all things culinary, between Chef Graham Neville and Olivier, there was plenty to discuss. I sincerely appreciated everyone in the restaurant understanding how to entertain a solo diner — and when to give me my space. (This is in direct comparison to the two Michelin restaurant I ate at the…
Alici, subtle flavors at Bluewaters Dubai.
For reasons I’ll get into later in a later post, last week was a weird week. There were highs and lows, and as my 38th year drew to a close, I decided to meet up with a friend for a long lunch on Thursday afternoon at Alici. Having heard good things, I was cautiously optimistic. While a bit difficult to find (seriously, Meeras, get your act together with the signage at Bluewaters), my patience paid off, and upon arrival, I found the location to be appropriately themed and decorated. Much like similar restaurants serving this cuisine, there is a beachy chic vibe going which does well to match the food. Should you be interested, there is a crudo bar downstairs, where you can literally see what will become your lunch or dinner. I chose to sit upstairs, where the best views of the marina can be found. As my guest was running…
Oak Room, Abu Dhabi shines.
While staying at the Edition Abu Dhabi, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to enjoy a meal at Oak Room. Having already heard fabulous things from other foodie friends in Abu Dhabi, I was delighted to check out one of the newest steakhouses in the city, a menu which includes oversight from a well-lauded and internationally known chef, Tom Aikens. After a quick drink at the beautiful Library (located just across the way – plan to have a quick cocktail here if you can), we were warmly greeted and shown inside. The interior of Oak Room immediately passes with the highest of marks. I’m not sure where the contract was signed to say that steakhouses should be done in dark paneling and low lighting, but in the Edition, the concept works. The design is modern and doesn’t feel outdated in any way (as many steakhouses tend towards). Instead, the fit out…
Tresind Studio, an elevated fine dining experience.
Having visited the ‘old’ Tresind and recently dined at the revamped version (and having tested brunch and dinner Carnival by Tresind), I was delighted to be invited to the newly launched Tresind Studio. Due to a hectic schedule this month, I was relatively late to the mix, and, having seen other foodie friends visit, had been looking forward to our meal for weeks. Located in Nassima Tower, guests of Tresind Studio enter through the Tresind restaurant. Knowing the team at the bar (led by award-winning cocktail artist Sherine John) have an excellent selection to choose from, Hubs and I stopped first to enjoy a quick drink first. Now, before I go any further in this review, in my push to see Dubai recognized among the other top global dining destinations, my take on Tresind Studio is going to be more critical than I would with other restaurants in the UAE. I feel the…
Mingles*: Subtle Seoul, #11 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, 2018.
As my first four days in Seoul were a bit of a disaster (read about the events here), I was desperate to make something of the trip, even if on the last day. Enter, Mingles. As I researched fine dining restaurants in the city, hoping to find one open for lunch, I stumbled upon Mingles. Realizing the venue was listed in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants (specifically, #11 in Asia’s 2018 list), I contacted good friend Zoe, and asked if she might be able to make an introduction. She kindly introduced me to Chef Mingoo Kang, who was kind enough to introduce himself to me during the meal, and my reservation was set. Obviously, this meal was meant to come together. View this post on Instagram Simple, quality ingredients allowed to shine — it doesn’t take much more to make me happy when dining. A post shared by…
Soneva Fushi: Barefoot in paradise.
One of the best things about living in the UAE is our easy access to tropical destinations on the Indian Ocean — Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, Mauritius, and of course, the Maldives. In this island nation, there are numerous resorts and hotels to choose from. While nothing is, let’s say, in the realm of ‘affordable,’ I think dream destinations are always good for bucket lists and what not. So, I’ll assume that the price tag hasn’t scared you off. Now, my previous two trips to the Maldives involved overwater villas. When reviewing our trip to Soneva Fushi, I was (of course) excited, but also interested — how would it go? Could I be swayed to villa living? View this post on Instagram From the UAE to the Maldives… I can’t wait to share @discoversoneva Soneva Fushi with you, starting with this beautiful shot from the island. #nonewsnoshoes #slowlife…
The Tasting Counter: Cambridge fine dining.
With one night in the Boston area on our agenda, we reached out to fellow DINKs Lexi and Matt to see if a) they wanted to meet up and b) what their recommendations were. After a few ideas were shared, we ended on Tasting Counter, which is a particular favorite of one of our favorite couples. A nine-course meal at a 20 seat venue — what more could I ask for? Even before our arrival, I was impressed by the restaurant. On the website, the venue states, “Purchase Tickets Online & Leave Your Wallet At Home.” The idea that you’ve already paid for everything (food, drinks, and tip) and can simply show up and eat is a great one. I realize diners in Dubai would most likely scoff at having to do everything in advance (I heard just last night from another chef who was troubled by cancellations), however, as…