Foodle

“At Satoyama Juyo —a modern ryokan housed in a lovingly refurbished 150-year-old farmhouse in Niigata—the first ritual is the bath. As I lower myself into the open-air onsen, bounded by whispering trees, the setting sun paints the mountains in amber hues. Though just over an hour from Tokyo, this place feels a world away. Later, as evening deepens, I make my way to the nearby river where a flutter of fireflies performs a luminescent ballet.

After nearly two decades of calling Tokyo home, Japan continues to reveal itself to me in layers. The capital’s labyrinthine sprawl—more a patchwork of village-like neighborhoods than monolithic metropolis—remains endlessly fascinating, with izakayas tucked into narrow alleys and century-old shops wedged between gleaming towers. But it was during the pandemic’s forced stillness, when the borders shut for three years, that I began venturing deeper into Japan’s peripheral spaces.”

There’s so much to discover in Japan. It’s no surprise that the country was named the #1 travel destination for the third consecutive year in the 2025 @cntraveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards.

But if you’ve only visited Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka, consider this your invitation to venture further. The depth of culture, cuisine, and landscape in lesser-known regions is staggering. I wrote an essay about my newfound excitement for exploring the countryside, inspired by recent visits to places like @engawa.yamanakaonsen @hanamurasaki_official @satoyamajujo @tenkunomori @sanei_1933 and more.

Link in bio and:
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/uncovering-japan Less

Aside from Peking duck, Da Dong 大董 is also famous for its classics such as the braised sea cucumber with scallions. The texture of the sea cucumber and the flavor depth of the sauce were absolutely superb. Other favorites included the deboned duck web with mustard, braised duck soup with matsutake, smoked Wagyu beef with porcini, Chef Dong’s braised eggplant, and of course the Peking duck with a second serving of fried duck.

There are many branches of Da Dong in Beijing and we visited the newest one in Jun Wang Fu 郡王府 within Chaoyang Park. It’s highly recommended to go for a leisurely stroll in the beautiful gardens after the meal!

Our menu:

鲜花椒炝象拔蚌
Geoduck Clam Fillets with Fresh Sichuan Pepper

销魂罗氏虾
Spicy Giant River Prawn

销魂卤鸭舌
Spicy Brine Marinated Duck Tongues

芥末手剥鸭掌
Duck Webs with Mustard

绿豆饭咸蛋黄
Mung Bean Rice with Salted Duck Egg Yolk

陈皮母油船鸭炖松茸
Soy-Braised Duck with Matsutake, Dried Scallop, Choy Sum & Pigeon Egg

董氏葱烧海参368刺参
DaDong Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions

烟熏雪花牛肉配黄牛肝菌
Smoked Wagyu Beef with Porcini

大闸蟹烧龙口粉
Braised Hairy Crab with Longkou Vermicelli

董氏烧茄子
Chef Dong’s Braised Eggplant

大董22天酥不腻小維鸭
DaDong “SuBuNi” Roast Suckling Duck

碳水炸弹
Fried Cakes Stuffed with Red Bean Paste
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Da Dong
Beijing, China
#supermelChina Less

One can’t visit Beijing without trying Peking duck, and one of the most popular places to try it is at Da Dong (大董)! Named after its founder @chefdadong, the restaurant is famous for roasting in a special spherical wood fired oven to ensure evenly distributed heat and using 22 days old suckling ducks so they are not too fatty. The end result is perfectly crispy skin that is not greasy (酥不腻). The duck comes with a second serving using the rest of the carcass with the choice of soup or deep-fried.
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Da Dong 大董
Beijing, China
#supermelChina
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#beijing #beijingtrip #beijingchina #beijingfood #beijingeats #beijingrestaurant #北京美食 #finedininglovers #dadong #dadongroastduck #pekingduck #pekingducks #pekingducklovers #大董 #大董烤鸭 #大董烤鴨 #北京烤鸭 #北京烤鴨 Less

Pretzel-wrapped Kielbasa, St. Helena beef, sweet hot mustard. At vibrant hotspot “Charlie’s” in St. Helena.
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#kielbasa #troisetoiles_california @charlies_nv #troisetoiles_california_25_10
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#mystorywithmichelin #michelinplate #michelinfood #delicious #eeeeeats #food #foodie #foodgasm #foodpics #foodporn #foodstagram #igdaily #instafood #julienwalther #picoftheday #travel #troisetoiles #willtravelforfood #yummy Less

Veal sweetbread roulade with roasted porcini, frisée salad and squab stock jus. At Michelin-started Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford.
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#sweetbread #troisetoiles_california #troisetoiles_california_25_10
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#mystorywithmichelin #michelinplate #michelinfood #delicious #eeeeeats #food #foodie #foodgasm #foodpics #foodporn #foodstagram #igdaily #instafood #julienwalther #picoftheday #travel #troisetoiles #willtravelforfood #yummy Less