Foodle

London 🇬🇧 Back in our favourite city and straight back to trying the latest openings.

@akilondon is making its mark just off Cavendish Square, with elegant interiors, soaring ceilings and beautifully refined Japanese cooking.

Drawing on miniature ecosystems inspired by Japan, local foraging and in-house pickling, the team has created a menu that brings Japanese craftsmanship to the heart of London.

We opted for their full set menu, with highlights including:
• Rock shrimp tempura
• Yakitori chicken skewers
• Nigiri & sashimi with 30-year-aged soy sauce
• Crispy skin salmon

But the standout? The Japanese millefeuille, layered with sobacha millefeuille, whipped vanilla ganache and aged soy caramel. Such an unexpected combination, and one we’ll be thinking about for a while.

Whether it’s the excellent £34 business lunch, the full à la carte menu or the Japanese-inspired cocktails, this one’s well worth adding to your London list.

#invite Less

Zermatt🇨🇭 Nothing like summer in the alps!

Back in our favourite alpine town - known for its breathtaking views, endless outdoor adventures and seriously good food🍴

Nestled in the heart of the village, @montcervinpalace is one of Zermatt’s most iconic hotels. We stopped by Grill Le Cervin, where seasonal Swiss produce meets beautifully cooked charcoal-grilled dishes in one of the cosiest settings around.

Highlights included:
• Oxheart tomatoes with stracciatella, basil & olive oil pearls
• Summer leaf salad with alpine herb cheese, apricots & sourdough croutons
• Roasted bone marrow with an alpine herb crust
• Charcoal-grilled Chateaubriand & ribeye with green peppercorn cream, Café de Paris butter & Béarnaise

Finished with delicious cocktails and desserts we’re still thinking about - especially the raspberry tart with tarragon cream and the rich 72% chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream.

Thank you for the #invite! Less

REBELLE

After visiting Rebelle on three completely different occasions this year, I felt it was time for an appreciation post. Simply because so many outstanding dishes have passed across the table that it would be unfair not to acknowledge what Martijn Defauw and his team are achieving.

In my opinion, Martijn Defauw has firmly established himself as one of the very best chefs in Belgium and undoubtedly one of the most exciting culinary talents in Europe. What impresses me most isn’t the level he has reached—it’s the fact that his cuisine keeps evolving. Every visit reveals another layer of refinement, another level of precision and another reason to revisit!

The signature dishes that made Rebelle famous are still there, and rightly so. But they’re continuously complemented by new creations of exceptional quality. What has stood out to me most over these three visits is how much the cuisine has matured around them. The sauce game, which was already among the strongest in the country, has somehow reached an even higher level. More depth, more elegance, more complexity. Dishes are increasingly built around multiple sauces and meticulously crafted side dishes.

Being included in this year’s 50 Best Discovery is therefore no coincidence. It is a deserved international recognition of the incredible talent, dedication and ambition of Martijn and his entire team. And knowing him, this accolade is merely another milestone rather than a destination.

Now, full disclosure… I might be slightly biased. Martijn has become one of my best friends over the years. But before anyone accuses me of favouritism, let me clarify one thing: he didn’t become my friend first and then convince me his food was exceptional. Quite the opposite. He seduced me with his cooking long before he did with his friendship. So if there’s any bias in this story, it’s entirely his own fault.

One thing is certain: Rebelle isn’t just maintaining its extraordinary level… it’s still climbing. Keep a close eye on this one, because it’s only getting better. Less

An incredible dinner at @ses.coves 🥩🇪🇸🍇
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The most stunning restaurant, nestled right into the Mallorcan countryside. The menu here is simple but really carefully put together, built around the grill and the best seasonal produce.

The grilled XL langoustine was unbelievably good. Cooked over wood fire, seasoned with coarse salt and finished with a homestyle pil pil, it was probably the best single langoustine I’ve had. So tender and sweet, with this really buttery flavour.

The red tuna belly with local garden tomatoes was lovely too. The olive oil and tomato water made this beautiful natural dressing for the fatty tuna and kept the whole thing feeling fresh.

The Galician ox tartare was intense and mature in flavour, cut straight from the ribeye and seasoned just enough to let the beef do the talking. No unnecessary sauces or anything overpowering, just incredible raw beef with crackers.

Also loved the scorpionfish with garlic. perfectly cooked with the smoke really getting into the flesh.

For the steak, i had to get both the Asturian mountain cow, Casina, and the Galician ox. Both were really tasty, but the buey had a more robust, slightly sweeter flavour and was much more tender. The fat was honestly edible on its own and absolutely packed with umami. The peppers and garlic fries on the side were perfect with it. Squishy fries with crispy ends.. the dream.

Finished with seasonal strawberries and smoked milk ice cream, which did the trick nicely.

A really special restaurant built around great ingredients, fire and refined technique. Highly recommend! Less