August 26, 2008
Darroze Crosses the Channel
Chef Hélène Darroze, whose eponymous Left Bank restaurant recently received its second Michelin star, has opened a bistro in London’s newly renovated Connaught hotel. Hélène Darroze at the Connaught reflects the chef’s passion for produce from her native southwest France, coupled with local ingredients from London’s best butchers and cheese makers. The restaurant’s wine list, opened with just under 900 references, including 44 vintages from 1904-1994, is poised to grow to 2,000 references. Darroze, a fourth-generation chef, worked alongside Paris’ beloved Alain Ducasse in Monte Carlo before opening Hélène Darroze in Paris in 1999. Her bistro at the Connaught will feature a seven-course tasting menu for about $177. (www.the-connaught.co.uk)
—Alexandra Foster
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August 12, 2008
L2O Comes to Chicago
After 20 years of working with some of the world’s top chefs, including Guy Savoy and Alain Ducasse, French chef Laurent Gras has established his own signature venue, L2O. Opened in May in Chicago’s Belden Stratford Hotel, the name references the marriage of Gras’ highly refined cuisine and the seafood that makes up the majority of his menu—the L stands for his first initial and the 2O references the second part of the chemical symbol for water. Diners can sample à la carte items in the 14-seat lounge, or try a 4-course prix fixe or 12-course tasting menu in the 80-seat main dining room. For a more intimate experience, the Tatami room can accommodate a party of up to eight people and serves a 14-course tasting menu for $225 per person. Chef Gras showcases flawless technique in dishes such as his hamachi, where perfect cubes of yellowtail and ahi tuna are arranged into a miniature checkerboard and dressed with soy sauce, yuzu, and olive oil. (773.868.0002, www.l2orestaurant.com)
—Oliver Slosser
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July 29, 2008
Top Tomato
With tomato season in delicious, full swing, Martini House chef Todd Humphries will pay homage to the fruit with his third annual Tomato Dinner. His inventive menu includes a chilled yellow tomato soup, warm oven-roasted tomato tart with basil cream, and a beefsteak tomato tartare. Held on August 13 at the Martini House, which is nestled in the heart of Napa Valley, the event begins with a sparkling-wine reception in its picturesque garden courtyard, followed by a four-course menu paired with wines chosen from the Peay Vineyards in northern Sonoma County―all for $165 per person. But the tomato experience doesn’t stop there. Guests are invited to view a screening of the film Killer Tomatoes Eat France, and mingle with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! director John De Bello and his director of photography, Kevin Morrisey. Tomatoes not for you? This restaurant is still a must-see. Designed by internationally renowned architect Pat Kuleto, it was previously owned by opera singer Walter Martini, who once ran a bootleg whiskey and wine business out of the basement. (707.963.2233, www.martinihouse.com)
—Jessica Pogash-DiMarco
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July 8, 2008
Stockholm’s Rising Star
Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren’s restaurant Matsalen—located within the Grand Hôtel Stockholm—recently received its first Michelin star, less than a year after opening in May 2007. The award came shortly after Robb Report editors selected Matsalen as one of only nine restaurants to receive Best of the Best honors in the June 2008 issue. Matsalen—an à la carte dining room with a chef’s menu—is one half of a dual restaurant concept that also includes a food bar, Matbaren. Dahlgren credits his use of high-level Swedish favorites, such as brown butter, potatoes, and berries in simple presentations for his rising success in the culinary world. Dishes in his à la carte dining room include a raw and smoked reindeer appetizer with Kalix whitefish roe and marrow toast, and a main course called “The Taste of a Swedish Cow,” which features grilled tenderloin with a sauce made from the trimmings, mashed potatoes seasoned with bone marrow, and wild vegetables. (+46.8.679.3584, www.grandhotel.se)
—Oliver Slosser
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June 24, 2008
To Drink and Dine in L.A.
The City of Angels has been undergoing a culinary renaissance, with more and more restaurants cropping up showcasing daring new bar chefs. Among the inventive new establishments is Restaurant Kumo, a Japanese eatery opened last year by entertainment mogul Michael Ovitz. Kumo’s bar chef, James Bobby, stirs up an inventive selection of cocktails, including a “black margarita” made with Patrón tequila, Citrónge, homemade sour, shaken with Japanese black vinegar and served with lavender sea salt. Though it may sound odd, the concoction is one of Bobby’s most requested and is a refreshing complement to Chef Haya Saito’s equally inventive sushi and seasonal Japanese fare. (323.651.5866, www.kumo-la.com)
―Jessica Taylor
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June 17, 2008
Cooking with a Master
Trump International Hotel & Tower New York is offering an exclusive culinary course with famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This three-day experience will give two to four guests the opportunity to learn directly from the chef at Jean Georges, his Michelin three-star restaurant. For more than two decades, Vongerichten—who oversees more than a dozen restaurants— has been hailed for his reinvention of classic French cuisine, using vegetable juices, fruit essences, and herbal vinaigrettes in the place of classic stocks such as veal. The Jean Georges Culinary Master Course costs $9,000 and includes, among other things, accommodations in an executive Park-view suite as well as a three-course dinner and bottle of champagne at Jean Georges. (212.299.1000, www.trumpintl.com).
—Oliver Slosser
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June 3, 2008
The Lanesborough Opens Apsleys
Apsleys, the new restaurant that opened in London’s Lanesborough hotel, is a destination for wine connoisseurs. Its expansive wine cellar―featuring 500 celebrated Italian and French vintages―is open for guests to peruse personally. Tempting selections include a Chateau Lafleur Pomerol 1947 in magnum for about $23,000 and a 1997 Sori San Lorenzo Angelo Gaja for about $2,000. The sommelier serves wines by the glass to highlight a different Italian region as well as to complement the current menu. Current wines by the glass include Petrus 1985, Mouton Rothschild 1996, and Sassicaia 2001 chosen to pair with beefsteak Fiorentina with bone marrow sauce, made by head chef Nick Bell, formerly of London’s Cecconi. (44. 20.7259.5599)
―Alexandra Foster
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May 20, 2008
Sevva: Hong Kong’s New Dining Experience
The newly opened Sevva—pronounced “savor” —offers a menu as diverse as the city it calls home. Located on the roof of the 28-story Princes Building in Hong Kong’s Central District, the 233-seat restaurant features a selection of dining experiences—from fine to casual to tapas style—all in a single space. An outdoor wraparound terrace provides 360-degree views of the city and Victoria Harbor. The menu is equally eclectic, with dishes such as wagyu beef cheek and ox tongue pot pie, as well as South Indian crepe with masala potatoes, peas, and chutney. Ingredients are sourced internationally offering diners an array of exotic items such as La Ionica chicken flown in from Australia, foie gras from France, and Graffeo dark blend coffee from Colombia, Costa Rica and New Guinea. For those who didn’t save room for dessert, the restaurant’s Cake Corner offers treats such as a pear and chocolate tart for guests to take away and enjoy at their leisure. (+852.2537.1388)
—Oliver Slosser
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May 6, 2008
Signature Chocolates
Just as fragrances are commonly customized to satisfy a client’s personal desires, chocolate can now also be created to fulfill any taste preference. The latest addition to the world of bespoke chocolatiers is Sir Hans Sloane Chocolate House in Surrey, England. Master chocolatier Bill McCarrick consults with clients to learn their preferences in a variety of spices, wines, fruits, and fillings. Next, they’re offered a tasting of different couvertures―chocolate coverings―and fillings. McCarrick creates a chocolate profile for each customer and maintains records for future orders. The 60 customized chocolates are presented in a handmade rosewood and maple inlaid box, and another 60 chocolates are held in reserve. The package, including tastings with McCarrick and two 60-count boxes, is $2,400. (www.sirhanssloane.com)
―Alexandra Foster
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April 22, 2008
Ducasse Adours His Wine
Adour Alain Ducasse at the St. Regis is named for the Adour River that flows through the southwest region of France where the famous chef spent his childhood and developed his “passion for authentic ingredients,” he says. The chef’s personal touch is evident in everything from its namesake to its inventive menu, decor, and extraordinary wine list with approximately 500 references. The artful pairing of flavors and wines is at the cornerstone of the dining experience, and wine aficionados can even purchase one of Adour’s private wine vaults, located within the Private Vault Room, an intimate lounge space, to house their personal collections and have first access to limited and collectible wine selections. Architect David Rockwell designed the space, which includes the 10-seat Private Vault Room and a four-seat Wine Library (shown), which provides information about each wine’s origin, producer, varietals, flavors, and character through “cellar notes” projected onto the surface of the bar. (212.753.4500, www.adour-stregis.com)
―Alyson Gerber
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April 8, 2008
Pure Tranquility in New York City
Provençal for farmhouse, Mas restaurant in Greenwich Village delivers all of the peace and serenity expected from a place tucked away in the French countryside. Wood stumps carved by proprietor Thomas Wilson from a naturally fallen butternut tree serve as stools in the lounge, while rich oak floors and paneled walls are composed of timbers reclaimed from a barn in western Massachusetts. The elegantly warm atmosphere and welcoming tone at Mas is complemented by chef Galen Zamarra’s ability to bring together ingredients that would be found together in nature. For instance, this season Zamarra will pair trout with wild ramps, a pungent wild onion found along the bank of the streams where the trout is caught. The team in Mas’s kitchen also uses unexpected techniques to bring out the essence of the ingredients. Zamarra, for example, uses rich hon shimeji mushrooms to bring out the powerful flavor of lobster. The combination of all of these elements results in a culinary experience ideal for diners with a passion for food at its purest. (212.255.1790, www.masfarmhouse.com)
―Daniel Curtis
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March 25, 2008
A Tale of Two Restaurants
San Francisco’s Embarcadero is now home to two Pat Kuleto restaurants: Waterbar at the south end of Rincon Park and EPIC Roasthouse at the north. These new additions to the Embarcadero are situated in the first privately owned waterfront buildings to break ground in almost 100 years. They share a European-style patio and view of the city skyline, but Kuleto’s menus and designs for each venue are unique. Waterbar features a Mediterranean-style menu created by chef and co-owner Mark Franz of Farallon and executive chef Parke Ulrich and features fresh sustainable seafood dishes like sea scallop and crabmeat melt and pressed lobster. Aromas from the open kitchen waft into the main dining room, and a 19-foot floor-to-ceiling aquarium adds to the Pacific theme. EPIC Roasthouse showcases chef and co-owner Jan Birnbaum’s soulful interpretation of classic steakhouse dishes, and the design offers a custom-built wood-fired grill, large wood-burning oven, and fireplace. The full menu―and breathtaking water views―are available in the upstairs bar and lounge. (415.284.9922, www.waterbarsf.com; 415.369.9955, www.epicroasthouse.com,)
―Alyson Gerber
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March 11, 2008
A Fresh Take on Fish
The signature dish at the newly opened Paperfish on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles plays off its name: seasonal fish and vegetables baked en papillote―the French technique of wrapping the ingredients in parchment paper to infuse the flavors while cooking. The new venue is headed by Patina Restaurant Group’s Joachim Splichal, who opened Patina in Hollywood nearly 20 years ago. Under the direction of executive chef Yianni Koufodontis, who worked as sous chef at Spago before running the kitchen at Maple Drive, which previously occupied the Paperfish location, dishes are prepared with an unexpected mix of flavors such as oysters on the half shell with pomegranate-ginger granite and steamed turbot with dried fruit couscous and eggplant-oxtail tagine. (310.858.6030, www.patinagroup.com/paperfish)
―Alexandra Foster
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