Tom Sietsema

Brothers Ari and Pablo Schor preside over the dreamy corner @restaurantbeba in Montreal, fewer than 30 seats inside in winter. You’ll want reservations.

You’ll also want to find time for Ari’s lush foie gras, piped into a dried date and sprinkled with toasted pistachios; folds of brined beef ham, nestled next to a tiny skewer of guidilla peppers, olives and anchovies; and slices of cured mackerel splayed on a crisp sesame bun, spread with horseradish and butter. The last appetizer is a concert of flavors that tastes like an exquisite bagel.

“The menu is based on our experiences,” says Ari, who occupies the small open kitchen. His cooking weaves the brothers’ native Argentina, Jewish ancestry, adopted Canadian city and a pivotal months-long trip to Italy and Spain — hence the pasta and, with the beef ham, the Spanish-branded Gilda. (Beba, in the residential neighborhood of Verdun, is named for the owners’ grandmother Vera, the baby of her family.)

The secret to the Schors’ success? “If you do something niche, not just delicious,” says Ari, “people will take notice.” A packed and happy dining room says as much. Less

My last meal at The Inn at Little Washington (September) was one of the best in all the years I’ve been covering the dining destination. Patrick O’Connell and company are doing masterful work. (Like last time, they had no advance notice we were coming. I sent my guests in ahead of us.) Are you going to trust a tire company or someone who’s eaten there once a year since 1998? Less

The new restaurant was fully booked, online at least, so I took my chances and called the place to see if there might be space for two, even at the bar. Much to my surprise, someone not only picked up the phone for a stranger, but went the extra step to check out the bar situation. That’s hospitality. Icing on the cake: The small plates @islarestaurant.dc —seafood fritters, curried goat, chocho slaw — are worth the journey. Less

The awesome & hard-working owners at Chicanta — my Restaurant of the Year in 2024 — had to relocate after a fire recently. Their temporary roost is the second-floor dining room at nearby 1400 Meridian Place NW. The food, drink and service makes me feel like I’m at the original: at home! I especially love the seafood “cocktail” and beefy tlayuda washed back with a mango margarita. Go! #mexicanfood #dceats @chicatanadc Less

Make time to eat in Oakland on your next trip to San Francisco. I can think of two reasons why: Burdell for soul food “like your grandmother would make if she went to culinary school,” as someone standing in line with me said, and Snail Bar for fabulous small plates (scallop tostadas, a Colombian hot dog) washed back with natural wine. #oakland Less