Peter Verey

The last meal in Spain was a very fitting finale . El Cellar de Can Roca is one of the world’s most beloved fine dining institutions. It is a 2 time recipient of the #1 ranking on the World’s 50 best list and the Roca brothers are some of the most respected restaurateurs on the planet .

The menu kicks off with 17 !! snack courses which are miniature versions of the restaurants signature dishes over the last 38 years . Then the Feast menu actually begins !

The first course contrasts 2 vegetable perpetrations ,
Fresh beet and apple compared to aged mushroom and parsnip . It is also complimented by young Riesling 2022 and aged 2006.

5 preparations of Aubergine follow , including an Aubergine katsuboshi which is marinated in ponzu for 24 hours then aged for just a week .
7 varietals of autumnal mushrooms are presented with 7 garnishes , a terrific showcase of the season .

Artichokes with cuttlefish. Candied artichoke hearts, cuttlefish tartare, cuttlefish sauce emulsified with spleen and ink, and artichoke chip oil- one of the favourite courses , all textures singing .

Razor clam stew with chickpea crumbs. Razor clam pil pil, chickpea’s cooking water in emulsion and concentration. This one highlighted the versatility of chick peas

Marinated Palamós prawn with almonds velouté, rice vinegar, tender almond and prawn head juice. Whole red shrimp deconstructed
Leek in pilpil sauce, fermented leek, leek broth, cod skin and cod in pilpil sauce . Leek masquerading as cod and vice versa .
Scorpion fish suquet with the juice of its fishbone, orange, capers, confit tomato, pine nuts. Wonderful fish cookery .
Moray stew, moray brandade, marinated moray chips, red mojo sauce.

Langoustine with poularde parfait. Surf and turf!

Pigeon with olives, blackberries and anchovies

“Xuixo” of duck stew. Cured and smoked duck, duck sauce, duck marinade, duck consommé, pickled duck sauce, blood orange. Loved the plating of this dish .

Desserts from Jordi Roca started with grapefruit shaped into kisses and paired with rose and Sichuan pepper.

Followed by Mandarin and eucalyptus in many textures
Then finishing with a representation of the fruitiness of Ecuadorian Chocolate Less

After visiting 2 establishments that have held Michelin stars for 20+ years it was interesting to enjoy a comparatively new kid in the 3 star space . @hermanostorres opened in 2018 helmed by two twin brothers who have dreamt of this restaurant for 35 years . Set in a former tyre factory , the restaurant is a stunning open space with the kitchen taking centre stage in the middle . The food felt creative and fresh and this is very much a kitchen at its peak .

Cured squid was a banging start to the menu proper , coupled with a quenelle of caviar and a very light poultry consommé. The sticky texture of the squid brunoise was delightful.

Seafood salad is ubiquitous throughout Spain , king crab , white shrimp and wild mussels took centre stage along with radish for texture and a chilli infused broth. Great combination.

A 24 ingredient vegetable dish was paired with autumnal mushroom broth, mushroom crisp and truffle . Clear and concise .

Teardrop peas , Iberian ham spheres and Migas de pastor crumb was an elevated take on pea and ham soup with premium ingredients.

A trio of vegetable raviolis with lardo followed , the red pepper ravioli in particular stole the show .

Skate was brilliantly cooked and served alongside a piquillo pepper sauce .

French wild duck was an absolute standout , with green mojo , kohlrabi and one of the best , most reduced duck jus I have ever had .

Desserts didn’t miss a trick , celeriac wrap filled with pear ice cream was fantastic , best dessert of the trip .

Then a vibrant citrus and yoghurt concoction perfumed with matcha and Shiso leaf .

Finally the cocoa course stayed in tune , light and fruity , the white cocoa ice cream with yoghurt notes gave great balance .

A beautiful composed meal . Less

Chef Quique Dacosta is the chef -patron of his namesake restaurant in Denia ,which is currently ranked 14th in the world and holds 3 Michelin stars .
Unfortunately they are closed for winter break but thankfully he also serves the Quique Dacosta classic menu at his 2 star establishment in Madrid , Deessa .

With a focus on regional ingredients , especially seafood , the meal was enjoyable although on the whole and there were a few standouts but also a few dishes which didn’t deliver .

The opening gambit , a Mackerel mulled of which combined a tomato molded from ice cream and a mackerel foam was a terrific start .

A savory creme brûlée followed, this meant more towards chawanmushi with a deep roasted onion flavour , pork chops and seasonal mushroom as the garnish .

A cold beetroot and dill soup with kefir ice cream and cubes of confit salmon tasted exactly like borsch.

A caviar and fish roe selection followed, a great experience to try Kaluga, Beluga and Oscietra as a tasting , turns out I am team Oscietra .

A vivid green curry foam was paired with flamed shrimp and seafood mousse . The mousse had a little bitterness , which distracted from the vibrant shrimp and curry .

The highlight of the meal was a simple off menu unadorned Denia King prawn , lightly poached in salt water it was more raw than set but had terrific pure flavour .

Red Mullet , saffron gnocchi and a cheese foam didn’t quite work for me as the flavours were thin and tended to clash .

But things were back on track with a stunning albufera rice with roasted red peppers , this had incredible depth of flavour and umami notes .

The final savoury course were veal sweetbreads , with black truffle and milk pasta , for an ingredient I absolutely adore the sweetbreads sadly got a little lost here .

Desserts were highlighted by a nice chocolate and hazelnut Gianduja but were not particularly memorable .

Overall a well executed meal which somehow a few too many misses , thankfully service and ambiance were terrific . Less

Elena Arzak is a tour de force , running her family’s 4th generation restaurant, it has held Michelin Stars for the last 50 years including 35 consecutive years at 3 star level . She has an engaging personality, is a great ambassador for the region and is tireless . It was a pleasure to meet her .

Arzak ‘s tasting menu is almost a choose your own adventure with boundless options for multiple courses . Loved the clarity of the seafood preparations , the use of acid and seaweed through the dishes . Desserts were outstanding , all delivering crystal clear flavours .

Fish of the day in tomato strings
Cured fish of the day with home preserved and semi-dried tomatoes, peach emulsion and confit lemon

Butterfly carabinero prawn with mango miso and papaya chutney

Hake kokotxas print
Grilled kokotxas, leek kimchi, green sauce and Ibarra peppers

Saline fried egg
Poached and fried egg with quinoa base and anchovy garum. Crispy strip with zaharra sardine and capers.

Pulverized monkfish
Monkfish loin served with celeriac pillows, bulgogi sauce and furikake

Grilled sole with pine nut cream and grapefruit

Duck with orange delights
Roasted duck with cocoa and dehydrated orange with carob and orange lokum

Roe deer with seaweed sponge and seaweed and lamb stew

Acidic moment
Lemon grass sorbet with lemon whipped cream, caramelized seeds, crispy yuzu and salty peanut touch

Enigma
Yuzu and cherry cream with mint crisp Chocolate and molasses bread

Chocolate with tiger nut, picual and passion fruit accompanied by crispy linseed bread molasses Less

Have not had Portuguese food for a while so I made a maiden visit to Chiado . This is the first international outpost of 2 Michelin star chef Henrique Sa Pessoa .
There are two tasting menus as well as a la carte options and the menu is 90% seafood .

I chose the “entry level” tasting menu which showcases the chef’s signature dishes from early in his career . I won’t lie the dishes did appear a bit dated but one can hardly gripe about this when ordering a “historical” menu .

Kicking off was Tuna tataki with carrot escebeche and tomato concasse . Eating in Japan has spoilt me for Tuna quality but if you look past that this was a nice balanced dish .

Lobster was served with different textures of corn and almonds , this needed stronger seasoning imo .

Suckling pig confit was a triumph , paired with turnip top greens , pickled onions and lighter jus . This dish was all about the tender and smoky Iberian acorn fed pork . Will definitely order this a la carte in a future visit .

Wagyu strip loin came with intriguing garnishes , banana jam , parsnips and BBQ jus . Have to admit i loved the banana.

Razor clam rice was topped with barely set scallops and green curry oil . Having just cooked risotto the night before , I did come to the realisation that I do enjoy the starch in risotto more than the Portuguese rice which has very seperate grains .

Pre dessert was a fun combination of sea fennel , dashi and honeydew .

Finally an excellent Chocolate and caramel bomba with hazelnut sorbet , this looked super rich but delivered in flavour without murdering your stomach . Less

Martin Berasetegui is one of the icons of Spanish gastronomy, he currently holds 11 Michelin stars across Spain including 3 at his namesake restaurant just outside San Sebastián.

Highlighting local produce with a touch of the now slightly old school molecular gastronomy, it is an absolutely rock solid three star experience .

The grand tasting menu showcases dishes over the last 30 years with most being quite modern.
After a few snacks the menu jumps into gear with
1993 Mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie-gras, spring onions and green apple- a lovely balanced combination where every ingredient has an impact .

2023 Gilda with tuna tartar Balfegó, anchovies cream, iced Basque chilli pepper and caper broth Agrucapers
The reimagined Gilda was my favourite dish , the brinyness of the dish was interrupted with bright bolts of flavour . Bold and exciting .

2024 Crustaceans cannelloni, crystallized sweet cucumber, salmon and citric herbs juice. This was again all about acidity , with the cucumber and citrus sauces having excellent interplay .

2001 Vegetable hearts salad with seafood, cream of lettuce and iodized juice. Garden salad with raw shrimp and a series of emulsions .

2024 Oyster with roasted red bell pepper nectar, green radish and crunchy seaweed. The oyster was a vessel for texture with the red pepper flavours swarming the palate .

2022 “The Truffle” with mushroom moss and Iberian ham. Truffle was actually a lobe of foie gras , lovely earthy dish .

2024 Black monkfish, aniseed base, iodized cured roes and liquid bonbon of baby squid
Highlight here was the squid bonbon

2023 My version of hake loin D&Burela with kokotxas
A classic family presentation .

2024 Suckling lamb chop, its liquid fritter, spicy carrots and shallot stuffed with Iberian pork
This was terrific , the lamb of the highest quality .

2021 Hot & cold Gin Fizz of strawberry
2019 Lemon with basil juice, green bean and almond
2023 Frozen sponge of cocoa Pacari and salt flower, smoky perfumes of whisky and hazelnuts
Finally an excellent trio of desserts which played around themes of contrasting temperatures. Less

Back to Neighbourhood for more rustic and smashable dishes .

Started with a terrine of heirloom tomatoes with burrata - a great spin of a global appetiser staple . The tomato terrine was vibrant and had a great sweetness and acidity .
Beef tartare with Shima ebi , the prawn meat is served raw , the prawn oil seasons the beef and the prawn shells and head add texture . Sustainable and delicious .
Tough to avoid ordering the grilled baby squid , sizzling in garlic and perfect to mop up with bread .

Mussels were served with a light rockfish soup , again satisfying and addictive .

Local small fish were fried with a light dusting of flour and served with lemon and horseradish cream , the fish equivalent of eating popcorn .

Finally , the salt baked chicken - the 120 day old New Territories chicken is a great vehicle for this technique, the flesh is full of flavour and super tender. Chicken rice has plenty of chicken oil and soccarat . Plus a generous serve of Chicken offal is scattered thru the rice , I imagined chicken liver served this way would be dry and overcooked but that was certainly not the case , also chicken testicles are rather delicious . Less

With 32 years of experience in Kyoto Kaiseki it is no surprise that Nagomoto San delivers a faultless Kaiseki experience @nagamotohk .

Hyper seasonal menu which was solid throughout . Highlights were an outstanding Sashimi course with a perfectly textured duo of Ika , and excellent Kinmedai proving to be my favourites.
Surf clam with a refreshing grated apple sauce was vibrant and fresh .
Both the Wagyu and rice courses felt homely and nourishing.
Vibe is professional yet relaxed and both chefs and service team are having fun .
A fun experience !

Shirako / Maitake mushroom / Celery

Surimi with crabmeat / Turnip / Shitake mushroom

Selected sashimi

Mackerel Sushi / Turnip vinegar pickled

Sea urchin / Ebi-imo
Miso crab / Caviar / Lotus root rice cracker / Persimmon with salad pickled

Salt-grilled yellowtail / Shibazuke pickled

Surf clam / Grated apple vinegar

Wagyu beef sukiyaki

Grilled salmon pot rice / Salmon roe / Mushroom starchy sauce /
Miso soup / Pickled vegetables

Seasonal fruits / Japanese sweets / Matcha tea Less

The last meal in HK for 2024 , so I wrapped up the year with a revisit to Neighbourhood and ordered the remaining dishes on the menu that I had never previously tried , and as usual it was all hits no misses .

Boiled artichoke was a staple growing up , I wasn’t super fond of it as a kid and then grew to like it as an adult but the preparation was always so tedious . Thankfully all the work is done , the asparagus flower is paired with chicken liver mousse and terrific black truffle which packed a punch .

Seasonal poached shrimp are served whole and lightly dusted with espelette pepper , the sweetness shines.

Bone marrow is blanketed by a generous serving of caviar and served with luscious mashed potato , the combination of the three is pure luxury , and while I loved all parts , I would be stupidly happy with a big bowl of the potato purée !

I really enjoy Shirako with European flavours so combining it with raclette , thick bacon and boiled potato was sure to please .

I rarely have room for dessert here but seeing I was about to board a 15 hour flight where I was quite happy to skip a meal , dessert became irresistible.
French toast is a HK staple , here it has cracking texture resembling creme brûlée and is topped with ice cream and truffle . Decadent yet still pretty light . Less

Long overdue first visit to @cheftamsseasons , primarily a grazing dim sum lunch today but it did wet the appetite to return soon and try the tasting menus and the largest list of Chinese wines that I have seen so far , plenty of experiences to unearth !

All the dim sum were excellent today , a goose and celery spring roll was very crisp and satisfying.
The pork steamed bun leant traditional and was largely sugar free , the char Siu filling was excellent.
Lamb and fennel dumpling did not have the shape of Xiao long bao but did also have the piping hot liquid centre which was decidedly moorish .
Finally a crab and truffle tartlet which gave vol au vent vibes but all the ingredients stood out alongside the very short pastry .

The main dish for today is my fav winter preparation from the region , a lamb belly claypot with bamboo , mushroom, Chinese lettuce . While the weather is still too warm for this dish to be truly nourishing the soul , I could not resist ordering it . I make sure to order this at least 3-4 times over the “winter” months , love it ! Less