Foodle

Chef @gaggan_anand serves a creative menu at Gaggan at Louis Vuitton in Bangkok. A globe contains three dishes from around the world, including a crispy take on tom yam goong. Then there's a colourful plate that you lick. Even a flat white is a work of art. The @louisvuitton exhibition downstairs features luxury baggage through the ages and a kaleidoscope of colour. #rvinesdines Less

I struggle with many tasting menus, especially in Dubai. Why?

Sky-high price points. For one imported concept here, the exact same menu is AED400 more expensive than its home country.

Three to four hours (and sometimes more) of my life that I will never get back, thanks to snail-pace dining.

Long-winded storytelling for every single, bloody dish. I really don’t care if the chef’s grandma, or a jaunt to an obscure corner of the world have inspired the cooking. I can read about all that, and more, on the website. I just want to eat my food. In peace. And preferably warm. Unless we’re feasting on sushi and sashimi. But even then, the tale must be kept to a minimum. There’s only so much inane chatter I can stomach.

Good food should speak for itself.

And then along comes @manao_dubai An affordable, by Dubai standards, of AED450 for an 11-course tasting menu. Served in one and a half hours. A printed menu on the table, from arrival. Something several of these concepts don’t give you until, dare I say, the bitter end. A succession of different staff members explained the dishes, succinctly in seconds. The chef only popped out once to briefly present a dish, swiftly scuttering back to the open-plan kitchen. You wouldn’t even know he was the chef, unless you had stalked his good looks on Instagram.

Chef @abhiraj_khatwani is the [handsome] Indian chef whose cooking expertise was honed in north-east Thailand before opening The Yellow Monkey, a casual Thai gem at JBR that I used to frequent years ago until Covid shut its doors. @m.orfali of @orfalibros_bistro fame, the Midas touch chef has backed him to open a 34-seat restaurant in Wasl Vita, solely dedicated to a Thai-inspired tasting menu.

So how does Manao fare? 🔗 Link in bio/ stories for my review which scored a five out of five knife rating. The first restaurant in my 14 years of reviewing where I have dished out this pinnacle of a rating.

Is Manao the most affordable tasting menu in Dubai? Are you a fan of tasting menus? Or do you prefer à la carte dining?

#UAERestaurantsUnite #Foodiva Dubai Restaurants Less

✨🍽️AMAZING SIGNATURE CHEF’S TASTING EXPERIENCE!! @travailkitchen🍽️✨
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I recently enjoyed a memorable meal @travailkitchen located in the heart of downtown Robbinsdale— this impressive restaurant hosts a variety of tasting menu experiences, rotating menu concepts, and pop-ups in our Basement Bar. My last few visits here were enjoying meals downstairs for their Holiday & Halloween bar pop-ups, so it was fun dining upstairs for a change!! 💃🏻😋
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The current signature tasting experience that is running is called “Duel”: The name says it all—this menu is a culinary face-off between three talented teams of chefs, each bringing their unique flair to every dish. Each course will be a thrilling competition between the teams, with guests having the chance to vote on which dish they prefer. This playful, yet friendly competition will still incorporate Travail’s intimate dining experience, with a multi-course chef’s tasting menu and wine pairings. I really loved how interactive, light-hearted, & fun this overall experience was! Not to mention, the food was absolutely delicious!
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On the Duel menu, my FAV dishes were the cavatelli w/ lamb ragú, cachapas w/ braised pork + avocado, & the Bavette (potato rosti, demi, & brussel sprout salad). YUM! 👌🏻👌🏻
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Dining at Travail is an experience unlike any other. They serve a chef’s tasting menu inspired by traditional and contemporary culinary techniques, seasonal ingredients, and the whimsy of ideas. Their menu is continuously evolving in their endless pursuit of the best, freshest, and most delicious ingredients. Expect tableside cooking with personality and curated beverage pairings. I absolutely love it here as I always leave satisfied, engaged, and comfortably full after having a great time! 🎉😍. Visit their website to check out their available tasting experiences like Duel!
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#tastingtable #chefsoninstagram #chefstyle #duel #competition #minnesota #tasting #yummy #classy #foodstyling #foodlovers #treatyourself #goodeats #elevated #boujee #foodblogger #foodheaven #foodgasm #foodcoma #foodforthought #eeeeeats #huffposttaste #goals #eatlocal #stunning Less

So excited to visit @lanlarbchiangmai - a @thaiselectusa restaurant located in #SoHo in New York City! This much-loved Isan Thai restaurant features a number of signature dishes from Northern Thailand, including the aromatic Larb and Zabb wings, and the must-order Kra Pow and Short Rib Hung Lay. Loved how authentic and flavorful each of the dishes were, and you’ll leave with a full belly! #AuthenticThai #ThaiSelectUSA #ThaiFlavors #LocalGem
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#thaifood #thaifoodstagram #thaifoodlover #larb #chickenwings #friedchicken #khaosoi #noodlesoup #currylover #shortrib #braised #meatlover #carblover #spicyfood #mochiicecream #friedrice #porkbelly Less

Sri Lankan style @cloudstreet.sg

- Oyster, betel leaf, coconut, fingerlime -
- Carabineiro, tomato, caviar, mango -
- Blue marron, sri lankan curry -
- Murray cod, bell pepper, almond -
- Beeswaxed aged pigeon, figs, endive, madeira jus -
- Sri Lankan stout & Liquirice bread -
- A4 wagyu, bell peppers, fermented soy -
- Pink guava sorbet, rose apple, yogurt marshmallow -
- Popcorn pannacotta, green chili mint, laksa leaf -
- Cauliflower ice cream, toffee cream cheese, date jam -

Great experience by @rishinaleendra 🤗 Less

Recommended bowl: With love

This shop opened in 2010, and is run by women, including master Aoki-san, who trained at the shop Inase in Nagano. On the menu is tsukemen, with four different soup styles to choose from. The recommended 'bushimori' is a double soup made from tonkotsu and gyokai. Customers can choose their desired amount of noodles, from 200g to 600g for the same price. Master Aoki-san always thinks of not only filling each customer's stomach, but also finding a way into their heart. Less