Photo report from The Araki, the world’s most expensive sushi-ya

Photo report from The Araki, the world’s most expensive sushi-ya

Mitsuhiro Araki is a three Michelin star sushi master from Tokyo, who has recently relocated to London. When you talk about the world’s best sushi chefs (Jiro Ono, Hachiro Mizutani, Takashi Saito to name a few), Araki would be one of them. He is especially famous for his knowledge of…

11
Dec
Blog
Araki-san and his tuna loin

Araki-san and his tuna loin

Araki-san and his tuna loin

When someone asked yesterday Mitsuhiro Araki, the 3 Michelin star chef from Tokyo, who has just opened London’s most expensive sushi-ya (FT.com review), if he was having any difficulties to source his ingredients in Europe, he laughed and answered that not all. I know I’ve been posting a lot about…

14
Nov '14
Sushi Tetsu

Sushi Tetsu

Sushi Tetsu

Sushi Tetsu is considered the best sushi-ya in London and the hardest to get in. (At least for now, before Araki, a 9 seat sushi shop by 3 Michelin star chef from Tokyo opens later this fall.) The seven seat counter restaurant is owned by a young man from Japan…

18
Sep '14
Live scallops and baby John Dory at Hedone

Live scallops and baby John Dory at Hedone

Live scallops and baby John Dory at Hedone

While jumping shrimps, as seen at Noma few years ago, are not really my cup of tea, scallops, still being alive once served raw, is what you should normally expect from you scallops. Mikael Jonsson from Hedone is one of those products obsessed chefs, who will go to great lengths…

18
Sep '14
The Fat Duck

The Fat Duck

The Fat Duck

Ever since I tried Heston Blumenthal’s spin-off restaurant at Mandarin Oriental hotel, I was quite sceptical about what he was doing. Thanks to a dear friend, who was brave enough to wait for one hour on a phone, simultaneously click on The Fat Duck’s online reservations, and, finally reserve two…

17
Sep '14
Koya udon shop

Koya udon shop

Koya udon shop

At Koya and Koya bar (49 and 50 Frith St, London W1D 4SG, London; tel. +44 20 7434 4463) the main focus is cold or hot udon noodles and all kinds of traditional or innovative broths that can go with them (think smoked mackerel, beef shabu-shabu or mushrooms with walnuts…

18
Apr '14
Hedone – London’s best fine dining restaurant, at least for me

Hedone – London’s best fine dining restaurant, at least for me

Hedone – London’s best fine dining restaurant, at least for me

Each time I go to Hedone (1*) each time I feel that it’s getting better and better. I don’t know how far a chef can go in search for perfection, but Hedone’s chef Mikael Jonsson is not far from it.

12
Apr '14
Shake Shack

Shake Shack

Shake Shack

Shake Shack in London’s Covent Garden works on the same principle as the flagship stand in Manhattan. You queue the line, get the buzzer and then wait until it rings as soon as your food is ready. Unfortunately, my experience at Shake Shack London was not much better than in…

10
Apr '14
Dim sum at A Wong

Dim sum at A Wong

Dim sum at A Wong

Not your everyday dim sum at A. Wong in London, whose chef Andrew revisits and modernizes traditional regional Chinese recipes. Pork buns with a sugar coating deserve a special mentioning. (and some desserts, such as “coconut ice cream with glutinous dumpling, apple, pandan jelly and peanut cream” …) Besides the…

9
Apr '14
That bread…

That bread…

That bread…

When Hedone’s chef Mikael Jonsson decided to bake his own bread, he didn’t just improvise, instead, the ingredients quality-obsessed chef did his bread baking training at Alex Croquet boulangerie in Wattignies, France. Michelin has described Alex Croquet as a bread-making genius, whose approach to baking is almost scientific. (Read the full…

30
Mar '14
Once again about The Ledbury

Once again about The Ledbury

Once again about The Ledbury

Australian born chef Brett Graham is the creative force behind what I think is one of London’s best restaurants since a while: The Ledbury (127 Ledbury Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 2AQ, tel. +44 20 7792 9090 ). His awards include two much deserved Michelin stars and a number 13…

14
Mar '14