L'Enclume - Cartmel
Amazing seasonal farm-to-table cuisine in rural England that was delicious, inventive and surprisingly varied even in produce-starved December
Restaurant Überfahrt - Rottach-Egern
Modern, creative cuisine inspired by traditional German dishes and confections. Mostly good to very good, only the desserts were a bit of a letdown
Les Amis - Singapore
Classic French cuisine and service that were close to perfection, the best of our three meals in Singapore. However, entirely lacking a sense of place, none of the food indicated that we were not in France
Odette - Singapore
Modern French cuisine that uses some Asian ingredients, but stays away from other local techniques and spices. A great meal with excellent service and wine pairings
Zén - Singapore
Frantzén’s sister restaurant has the same delicious Scandinavian cuisine with (even more) Asian influences, but lacks the memorable open kitchen setting and punchy flavors of its Swedish sibling
Piazza Duomo - Alba
Modern Italian cuisine with Japanese influences, served in a mind-boggling number of individual dishes - some superb, some merely so-so
Enrico Bartolini al Mudec - Milan
Two terrific tasting menus, great wine pairings and excellent service make this modern Italian restaurant a must-visit in Milan
St. Hubertus - San Cassiano
Seasonal, local “mountain” cuisine from the Dolomites; excellent dishes that let the ingredients shine and conveyed a sense of time and place
Le Calandre - Rubano
An amazing risotto is only one reason among many to visit this excellent modern Italian restaurant near Padua. A choice of several tasting menus and great service make one want to return
Enoteca Pinchiorri - Florence
Classic Italian cuisine, very well executed, but short of a three-star level; a wine list that is both impressive and expensive
Osteria Francescana - Modena
One of the most famous fine-dining restaurants in the world. Unfortunately, an overuse of culinary trickery felt a bit forced, and led to a meal that was more experimental than delicious
Reale - Castel di Sangro
A vegetarian tasting menu full of unusual dishes. Sadly, for the most part weirdness trumped tastiness
L'Ambroisie - Paris
Classic French cuisine, a la carte only. Desserts were uniformly excellent, but the rest of the dishes varied widely from one to three-star levels - good luck in ordering “right” plays a big role in one’s experience
Arpège - Paris
Amazing mostly vegetarian French cuisine, creatively reinterpreting classic dishes. Ironically, the single non-vegetarian dish was the high-point of an excellent lunch
Plénitude - Paris
Enjoyable Mediterranean-inspired French cuisine with a focus on unique sauces, only marred by a rushed service more appropriate for a speed-eating competition
Le Pré Catelan - Paris
French cuisine with bold flavors and many excellent dishes. Add to that a beautiful park setting in the middle of Paris and you have a trip worth taking
Kei - Paris
French cuisine with Japanese touches. Seafood and meat cooked superbly, desserts amazing, but most savory courses ended up being just “ok”
CORE by Clare Smyth - London
Excellent French-British cuisine with mostly domestic ingredients; the only downside was the rushed service
Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) - London
French cooking with sometimes unusual spice and ingredient combinations. Mostly successful, especially the desserts, but also a few misses
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught - London
French food with British ingredients that plays it a bit safe, without any truly outstanding dishes. Great service, beautiful dining room