THE JOURNAL
The French Laundry Kitchen Exterior. Photograph by Mr Michael Grimm Photography, courtesy of The French Laundry
Far-flung food that is worth the airfare alone.
Some restaurants are worth making the trip for, even if it means booking a flight to reach them. A marquee meal that lives up to its reputation will hold conversational currency long after the tan has faded. But which restaurants are all froth (or should that be foam?) and which are genuinely worth your air miles and money? Allow us to introduce you to five stellar gastronomic experiences from South American to Scandinavia that are guaranteed to live long in your memory.
Central
Lima, Peru
Pesca de Cercanía at Central, Lima. Photograph by Mr César del Río, courtesy of Central
Peruvian food has never been more popular. Two Lima restaurants sit in the top 10 of the latest World’s 50 Best list, making it the highest-placed city on the planet. Its emblematic healthy plates and zingy flavours chime perfectly with the common trend for light, fresh food that won’t derail a fitness regime. And nowhere does it better than Mr Virgilio Martínez’s Central. His restaurant sits in an upmarket zone of the capital and gives diners a delicious education into the country that brought the world potatoes and cacao. His 17-course menu takes a tour from high up in the Andes to the South Pacific, with plates like Mountain Plateau (tunta, tarwi and black quinoa) showcasing the high-altitude specialities and Coastal Harvest (lechuga, chilli and tumbo) as a homage to what the locals take from the sea. If you’re based in the UK and fancy trying Mr Martínez’s food without the airfare, he has two restaurants in London: Lima in Soho and Lima Floral in Covent Garden.
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Maaemo
Oslo, Norway
Scallop cooked in its shell with celeriac at Maaemo, Oslo. Photograph by Mr Tuukka Koski, courtesy of Maaemo
Meaning “mother earth” in Old Norse, three-Michelin-star Maaemo is in tune with its surroundings. Around 85 per cent of produce is sourced from within 60 miles of Oslo. Not so the chefs. Mr Esben Holmboe Bang heads up an international kitchen, where just a couple of the brigade are Norway natives. As with most Norwegian restaurants, it’s not cheap. The tasting menu is the most expensive on this list and comes in at some £420 per person including a wine pairing. Crab taco is the standout dish. It’s made from potato bread, topped with kelp and Norway’s prestigious king crab cooked in mead. As destination restaurants go, it’s an education into an area’s heritage and cuisine that’s unrivalled anywhere else in the world.
The French Laundry
California, US
Wild king salmon at The French Laundry. Photograph by Ms Deborah Jones, courtesy of The French Laundry
In 1994, Mr Thomas Keller realised his dream to open a restaurant that properly reflected the outstanding wines of California’s Napa Valley. Previously, the dichotomy between food and wine quality in many of the eateries was all too great, as anyone familiar with 2004 film Sideways will attest. In 2003, The French Laundry became, according to many, the best restaurant in the world. As a self-acclaimed Francophile, Mr Keller’s cooking is loyal to the Gallic masters who taught him his craft. His technique is impeccable, evidenced by him being the first American chef to be awarded Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour, the highest decoration in France. The first dish on his tasting menu, Oysters and Pearls, has been his signature since he opened. It perfectly showcases his blend of Stateside produce with French flair. The local Island Creek oysters make the perfect foil for the San Franciscan caviar, harvested from the California white sturgeons Mr Keller keeps on his own farm. Save room for gougère, another of Mr Keller’s specialities, a pastry with black truffle and Etude, a small-production cheese made in the Napa Valley based on a traditional Pyrenean production process. The wines require no introductions and the pairings are simply superb.
Twins Garden
Moscow, Russia
Potato selection served at the chef’s table at Twins Garden, Moscow. Photograph courtesy of Twins Garden
Identical twin brothers Messrs Ivan and Sergey Berezutskiy are on a mission to reinvent Russian cuisine. Known previously for their penchant for potato and liberal application of mayonnaise, these two chefs spent their formative years flitting between some of the best kitchens in the world, including with Mr Grant Achatz at Alinea in Chicago and Mr Ferran Adrià during the last year El Bulli was open. Sergey won San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year when Twins opened in 2014 – how his brother took it, who are we to say. Langoustine, artichoke and tomato is star of the show here, giving a refined edge to Russian cuisine and showing the bounty of its vast coastline. Anyone heading to the World Cup this year should make a beeline.
Pujol
Mexico City, Mexico
Mole madre at Pujol, Mexico, Mexico. Photograph courtesy of Pujol
Mexican cuisine is more regional than any other country on the planet. Move between villages in Oaxaca and you’ll find a dozen different recipes for mole – the local chilli and chocolate sauce – based on how the produce grows on their side of the valley. Chef Mr Enrique Olvera does his best to represent as many iterations of Mexican food as he can in his Mexico City restaurant. It moved home last year to a cavernous site complete with huge wood-burning oven and show kitchen. Don’t miss the Mole Madre, Mole Nuevo, a modern take on traditional food using a sauce that has aged for more than 1,000 days. Beware: it’s not for the faint of palate.
