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travels for friends, food and wine - in exactly this order
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San Sebastian, Spain
Born
July 21
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A Mexican, Sergio Mezan and a Argentinian, Nicolás López cook up a storm in Columbia.
A very cool place, try to sit on the bar and engage in a conversation with the Chefs. The food is very tasty with some unusual taste combinations.
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- Gerhard Huber added a new restaurant list “Destination Restaurants 2021” selected by the japan times
“ Destination Restaurants was conceived based on the idea of creating a recommended restaurant selection that only Japanese experts, for people around the world.”
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Very interesting place. Colombian chef Leonor Espinosa is using some very interesting ingredients from all parts of Colombia. She then combines them into well constructed dishes of great beauty and taste. A must when in Bogota.
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- Gerhard Huber added a new meal Dinner at Kyorakutei (天ぷら 蕎楽亭) at Kyorakutei
Back at the best local soba shop. This time for the curry tsukemen. The soup is on the thin side but very tasty. The udon and soba combination an interesting touch.
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- Gerhard Huber added a new meal Dinner at レヴォ L’Evo at L'evo (レヴォ) with Tomoko Morikawa
New location in the middle of the mountains south of Toyama. A true destination restaurant, it is a hike but worth the journey!
Chef Eiji Taniguchi used to cook in a hyper modern resort south of Toyama. It was easily reachable by taxi, even by bus. However, he decided to loose 15kg of body weight and move deep into the mountains south of Toyama,... More
New location in the middle of the mountains south of Toyama. A true destination restaurant, it is a hike but worth the journey!
Chef Eiji Taniguchi used to cook in a hyper modern resort south of Toyama. It was easily reachable by taxi, even by bus. However, he decided to loose 15kg of body weight and move deep into the mountains south of Toyama, into the Nanto region. There he rejuvenated an old village which was left 50 years ago when the last inhabitant moved away. He built a main building housing the dining room and the kitchen as well as the storage and drying room and added three cottages where guests can stay overnight and enjoy the Finnish sauna. The old village even has its own shrine, a little bit damaged by 50 years of non maintenance.
The design is very modern, but references the old style common for this part of Japan which has 3 UNESCO world heritage villages, world famous for its reed roofs. The restaurant itself shows its purpose by boasting an open kitchen which is about three times the size of the dining room itself. The dining room only has 3 tables of a maximum of 4 people and two private rooms which also can seat 4 guest each.
His food which he developed in his last place and calls “avant-garde regional cuisine” is now even more refined than it was there. He cooperates with a farmer who grows his vegetables like the asparagus (the first course) and his signature L’Evo Chicken. He sources his seafood from the Toyama bay, one of the best fishing grounds in all of Japan. His boars and bears are hunted nearby, selected by Taniguchi himself, aged in the drying room just below the kitchen, which can be visited.
The 13 course menu contains a few of his signature dishes, but otherwise has completely new dishes which change by the season. His flavors are restraint, almost subtle, but very well calibrated. Two dishes to make a point. The Firefly squid quickly seared over a wood fire and served in their own juices, a small but very delightful dish. The squid is hot on the outside and warm on the inside. When you bite into it, it releases its wonderful juices and creates an enormous taste explosion. The fresh omen noodles in a thick broth made with local goat’s cheese and seasoned with fukinoto (wild butterbur) oil. The goat cheese makes the broth full of umami without making it rich, the fukinoto release a gentle bitterness which balances the richness of the cheese. The noodles are warm, not hot, but perfectly cooked. Exquisite.
The whole places only opened up in December 2020, there is a lot to do. I also think that while the kitchen is already flowing nicely, it will improve. Once Chef Taniguchi goes through all seasons he will push his food further and further.
I cannot wait to go back there.
ps:For those who are lucky enough to score on of the three cottages to stay overnight, the breakfast is served in the dining room and matches the dinner. Bear, boar and local mountain vegetable will give you delight and enough energy for the entire day.
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- Gerhard Huber added a new meal Dinner at El Chato at El Chato
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- Gerhard Huber added a new meal Dinner at Quintonil at Quintonil
Two years ago, in January 2016, I have been to Quintonil. At this point I thought it was at the beginning too much tomatillos and then too much mole.
However, Jorge Vallejo, the Chef/Owner really raised his game. The Winter Menu has no resemblance to his former cooking.
The flavours are well combined but not too strong. His techniques is so much... More
Two years ago, in January 2016, I have been to Quintonil. At this point I thought it was at the beginning too much tomatillos and then too much mole.
However, Jorge Vallejo, the Chef/Owner really raised his game. The Winter Menu has no resemblance to his former cooking.
The flavours are well combined but not too strong. His techniques is so much more refined, he loves to use Nixtamalization which has certainly great health benefits but creates a structure which is not to everybody's liking.
A wonderful dinner with the most generous host.
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- Gerhard Huber added a new meal Dinner at Pujol at Pujol
Surprisingly good meal, not even at the bar. New, very beautiful space.
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- Gerhard Huber added a new meal Dinner at Sud 777 at Sud 777
Sud 777 is a hike from the center of Mexico. But it is worth it. The menu is vegetable dominated from the Chef's garden just behind the restaurant.
Two outstanding dishes, the avocado with escamoles and the onion with mussel gel. The onion was soaked in milk for 24 hours in order to take out any acidity and bite. We were left with an onion which... More
Sud 777 is a hike from the center of Mexico. But it is worth it. The menu is vegetable dominated from the Chef's garden just behind the restaurant.
Two outstanding dishes, the avocado with escamoles and the onion with mussel gel. The onion was soaked in milk for 24 hours in order to take out any acidity and bite. We were left with an onion which was more a sweet fruit than an onion. Delicious. Less
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Another great meal at a South African Winery. Super nice location and listed building.
Tasty menu and excellent wine paring.
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