It's been an arms race in the UAE for restaurant recognition with 50 Best moving in before the tire guide muscled its way to the pole position. This was my fourth trip to the always wonderful UAE, but first since stars had been awarded. Erth , a 1* Abu Dhabi, is a true representative of refined Emerati cuisine served in the Qasr Al Hosn cultural complex. Do yourself a favour and spend some time either before or after your meal admiring the exhibits. There's even a Ducasse coo

Legendary La Tour d'Argent in Paris is known worldwide for its duck. Mine was overcooked. When you serve more than a million ducks, I guess that has to happen. But what I'd rather talk about was a point of confusion. The first drop off after snacks consisted of tomato soup. Bread was being passed around the dining room and I didn't receive any. I found that odd and off putting. Except it wasn't the first course at all. It was an amuse, to be followed by..... another tomato "

What a pleasure to be back at my usual table in my favourtie lunch spot in the world. Guy Savoy , who you can actually find in his restaurants, has not only been banging out hits for decades, but constantly reinvents and reinterprets key seasonal ingredients. It's worth the journey just to see what he'll do with a summer tomato this year. I am always looked after, astutely, by Gregory, who has never refused a request, and has always adapted a menu to my liking. The dishes, do

When I got out of my rideshare, throngs of young women started to scream. The reception wasn't meant for me, but for the K Pop star who was in residence for Fashion Week at Le Bristol. Unfortunately, this was the highlight of the evening. Due to a scheduling snafu by another restaurant, my 200th * restaurant reverted to Epicure which I chose for several reasons: The 100th anniversary of Hotel Le Bristol, a recent change in chef to Arnaud Faye, and a previous meal at The Lane

Nordic Japanese? Sign me up. I had been intrigued with any restaurant in Sweden that features a truffle okonomiyaki (although not served at this visit) and puts a bottle of Hibiki on its home page. What followed was a beautiful meal in an absolutely stunning location. Many restaurants shuffle you from room-to-room between snacks, the main event and sweets. This former home at Norrlandsgatan 24, now Nour , is the elegant, relaxed "private club" setting where you want to spend

I may not be able to see in to the future, but I've got a solid track record at identifying restaurants that are undervalued in the * department, and will some day be promoted (Steirereck in Vienna, AbAC in Barcelona, Humble Chicken in London to name a few). As mentioned in my last post, I happened to dine at my highest rated 1* restaurants back-to-back, the first being Frog by Adam Handling in London, the other being Adam/Albin in Stockholm, and I'm pleased to say both are

I had heard rumblings about Cornus being new on the scene, and I was frankly surprised at how good the food was being put out in such a large space, and also quite a value for the ingredients and technique involved. Having opted for the six course menu, you're never wrong in starting me off with a canapé that has shaved cheese to wake up the pallet. The pea and ham velouté: silky and porky in flavour. The trotter perfectly crispy, destined to be broken up amongst the coup, an

I may not be able to see in to the future, but I've got a solid track record at identifying restaurants that are undervalued in the * department, and will some day be promoted (Steirereck in Vienna, AbAC in Barcelona, Humble Chicken in London to name a few). I happened to dine at my highest rated 1* restaurants back-to-back, the first being Frog by Adam Handling in London, the other being Adam/Albin in Stockholm, and I'm pleased to say both are clearly worthy of a second sta

If you can't get in to Agora downstairs, Oma is quite the delight with superb flavours in a high-volume kitchen. Book the chef's counter and strap in as you watch mission control expedite more than 1,000 plates in a service. If you took a shot of uzo every time the kitchen recognized an allergy, you'd be drunk before your first taste arrived. This Greek one * is all the rage. The slutty spanakopita is the spinach dip you always wanted but never had. All the spreads are worth

Plates received a lot of buzz after earning one * as a vegan restaurant. The counter is a limited space that looks in to the kitchen, past the bar space. Unfortunately, this experience had some pitfalls, from disjointed service to an overcomplicated main. Luckily, I was at the early service because the late turn wouldn't be receiving the laminated bread course due to some technical snafu. Back to the main, of, carmalised lions maine. The processing of the mushroom, with two s

I bought a tie for five quid at Amazon. Having recently moved, and sold or donated the majority of my haberdashery, I found myself without the mandatory tie to go with my jacket for the 250th * meal at the Ritz in London. Promoted to two stars in 2025, the same year as Humble Chicken , this was the perfect time to check out, and pour over, what brought this legendary establishment to that level. The maitre d'hotel asked how I had heard about the restaurant, and I cheekily rep

Disclaimer: For this meal, Luca sent some additional complimentary bites Luca , holding 1*, has an absurdly inexpensive lunch scheme that...

Lyle's, helmed by Chef James Lowe, was an exceptional example of British seasonal cooking and one of my favourites. The game broth below...

How good to see Chef Charlie and team at 1* Aulis for a return visit, this time with winter ingredients. Venison (and accompanying fat...

Humble Chicken recently received its second star on its meteoric rise, and with that came a complete reno of the space (now HC 3.0)....

I have a somewhat tumultuous relationship with Heston. Be it my regrettable meal at the now-late Dinner in Melbourne, or the time I sent a note to his room at a hotel in Sydney and didn't receive a reply. However, I had to try arguably the most expensive Sunday roast in London, at 98 quid, at his flagship Dinner property and it did not...... deliver. As I've dined at the London outpost before, and Melbourne before it closed, I opted for the classics of meat fruit and pineappl

When you're traversing the world looking not only for the best meal, but also the best meal for a single diner, there's an inevitable,...

Casa de Chá da Boa Nova is a name I keep forgetting, but a meal that created lifelong memories. Featuring two stars and two tasting...

The Dining Experience page has been updated after tonight's UK and Ireland announcement. It's thrilling Humble Chicken was awarded its...

When you invest in your people and produce, it shows. When you're joyful, it radiates in the dining room. Oyster Oyster is a 1* in...