Luxeat

Hedonism at Hedone

 

Poached rock oysters,watercress jelly,beetroot

If you happen to stumble upon this post, you probably like eating. Eating is one of the biggest pleasures in life for me too and since I went to my first gastronomic restaurant more than 12 years ago(2* Apicius in Paris), gastronomy has become a big part of my life. Like everything in life, tastes evolve and I've realized that with time I started appreciating more  simplicity to  complexity. But to achieve that simplicity worth being called high end gastronomy, one has to use great quality products. What can be better than 4 year old Comté cheese shavings simply sprinkled over with fresh black truffle ,or a  sweet potato from Amazon with Béarnaise sauce?  If it's not high end gastronomy, then what is it?

Reflections on eating out in Moscow

 

1. You can eat very well in the Russian capital. There is a good choice of all world cuisines , starting from Uzbek and Armenian, finishing with fine French or rustic Italian. (Not to mention countless Japanese fusion restaurants like Nobu, Megu or,my favorite, Nedalny Vostok)

Pork shashlyk at Ararat Park Hyatt Armenian restaurant

2. Going to Moscow on a budget and enjoying it’s best places can be tricky .Great choice, top interior design( e.g. iPad menus) and high quality ingredients (often flown from another part of the world) come with a price. It’s one of the most expensive cities in the world after all.

Fatty tuna sashimi at Megu

Dinner by H. Blumenthal revisited

 

When I blogged about Dinner one year ago, my post received quite mixed comments. Obviously some people are big fans of Dinner and the fact that the restaurant is always full just confirms it's incredible success. Sometimes you can't judge a restaurant having visited it just once, so i started doubting about my  judgement. Maybe i was wrong? Maybe Dinner by  Heston Blumenthal is indeed the best restaurant in the world like the famous food critic Giles Coren once said?

Agapé Substance

 

Agapé Substance is like a breath of fresh air so needed in the Parisian gastronomic world. The neo bistrot on rue Mazarine ( in the 6th ) is tiny, has walls and ceilings made of mirrors and the chairs are not at all comfortable, but what you get on your plate is exciting ,sensational and simply very good. Give me Agapé Substance instead of any 3 Michelin stars restaurant in Paris at the moment, i will choose Agapé  without a second thought!

I had the "carte noire" ( black truffle menu), which included the following dishes:

 

Watercress "snow" with seashells stock  (Cold, fresh, acidic; pronounced seafood flavors thanks to the stock.)

Paradise

 

The swimming pool on the roof of Fasano Rio de Janeiro, the view of Ipanema beach, hot fried cod balls and cold caipirinhas. Isn't it a paradise? ;)

 

D.O.M. - back to the Amazon

 

Green tomato jelly

If you walk around São Paulo's Jardins area you could  be also strolling around an upmarket neighborhood in Los Angeles or any other megapolis. This is the drawback of modern travelling. You fly to another part of the world, but when you go out from your hotel ( I was staying at the very lovely  Fasano, ), you see Louis Vuitton and other brands shops that  can be found anywhere . The only "exotic"phenomenon was the 24/7 security and  incredibly high walls surrounding the local residences in Jardins. I didn't feel any danger but i guess there is a reason why they build them so high...

Alex Atala's D.O.M. is like no other restaurant I' ve been though. It is located in the bourgeois Jardins, but when you push the heavy door separating the dining room from the street, you are somewhere in the Amazon rainforest.

Le Camion Qui Fume - The Best Burger in Paris

 

Finally you can find a burger in Paris as good as in the US. A gourmet food truck called Le Camion Qui Fume has been driving around Paris since one month only, but has already created a serious buzz around the concept and the fantastic burgers you will find nowhere in Paris(and personally, in all Europe). Le Camion Qui Fume doesn't have a fixed location, so you have to look up their website for their daily itinerary. This morning i went to their Porte Maillot location at 11 am and was very happy that went so early(they opened at 11 am) , as already at 11.15 there were people coming and queuing. Such a delicious and juicy burger prepared from  the best ingredients is a little revolution in the Parisian food world. Just go there and check it yourself!

 

 

Japan tuna fetches record price

This year it's over 2000 euros per kg!

© moonrise

Off the menu

 

Oxtail hachis parmentier with black truffles, oysters in sour cream sauce and oysters in watersea jelly are the dishes that make me come back  to Apicius,Paris every winter . These classic Jean- Pierre Vigato's  dishes are not on the menu anymore, but if you ask, the restaurant's kitchen will happily prepare them for you.

Michelin Paris 1976

I found this old Michelin guide at a hotel lounge in Rio de Janeiro. What is interesting that five out of six  3 Michelin starred restaurants in Paris in 1976 are still well and opened after 35 years. (Four of them still have Michelin stars).