The legend of “Tetou” or Ernest Cirio began when during the First World War he enlisted in the Navy and got wounded. There he became a private cook of the admiral and had an opportunity to open a restaurant in New York, but homesickness was stronger than the prospect of…

Hoppers, traditional Sri Lankan staple food eaten for breakfast, are bowl-shaped pancakes made of rice flour, coconut milk and spices. They are the central dish at Hoppers in London, which focuses on revisited Sri Lankan and Tamil Nadu cuisines. The place accepts walk-ins only, so the waiting time can be…

Former entrepreneur and food blogger, Bruno Verjus is not a typical French chef. Without any formal training he now runs Table, a restaurant in the 12th arrondissement focusing on exceptional produce. Starting with this season’s last scallops and oysters from Bretagne, finishing with first green and white asparagus and morels,…

Some pictures from my recent lunch at Clown Bar. Despite the name it has some of the most serious and delicious bistro cooking in the capital. Its chef Sota Atsumi is Japanese, so you will see some Japanese influence in most of the dishes. Highly recommended. Clown Bar 114 Rue…

One of the countless ways to cook beef in Japan is yakiniku. Probably originally from Korea, now it’s a fun and convivial way not only to eat, but also to share the experience with others. Chef-owner Kentaro Nakahara is quite a celebrity among the local and foreign yakiniku barbecue lovers.…

I first read about Tempura Matsu in Matt Goulding’s book “Rice Noodle Fish“, an excellent study on the Japanese food world and culture. Different than the name suggests, Tempura Matsu is not solely serving tempura, but modern kaiseki from the most incredible ingredients one might outsource in Japan. The second…

What do Tokyo’s top steakhouses such as Shima, introduction only Kawamura and Ginza Hirayama have in common? Their chefs all come from Yutaka in Kyoto (1 Michelin star), now second generation steakhouse run by its founder’s son Mamoru Takada. Thus, the formula of these four über steakhouses is similar. French…

This is the freshly opened Christophe Saintagne’s bistro in the 17th in Paris. In fact, Papillon opened its doors, where one of my favourite restaurants, Sud Ouest Monceau, used to be. I even found the post I did in 2006 about this cassoulet gem! Hope the new place lives up…

Images from my lunch at Les Deserteurs, one of my favourite addresses in Paris at the moment (please keep in mind that the menu changes frequently, if not daily). Les Deserteurs 46 Rue Trousseau, 75011 Paris, FranceTel. +33 1 48 06 95 85

Espai Kru, located on the second floor of Rías de Galicia is its sister restaurant serving mainly raw but also cooked Japanese influenced dishes. Outcourcing top-notch ingredients are the crucial aspect of running a successful seafood restaurant and I must say, Espai Kru is doing a very good job. The…