Review: Magma

21 January 2024

I’m a little sad my Paris long weekend is coming to an end. Despite some dining and local hiccups, this was my best visit to this city over the decades. A wonderful Sunday afternoon, and now I arrive for dinner at Magma.

This was the first dinner place I booked when I began planning this trip, and the one I have the most confidence in amongst my three dinner choices – which, sadly, have been poor so far. The stupid evening at Rooster started this sad trend, and last night’s never-ending trial at Perception made me question my own perception. But for some reason, I was very optimistic tonight. Maybe because I’m just in a really good mood?

I got there and was seated at a nice table that looked into the kitchen, to be able to see Chef Ryuya Ono and his team work. Excellent service to start, and they did say the pairing will start immediately. No half hour wait tonight as a nice wine from Alsace was poured for my amuse selection and the first course (a double pouring, they noted).

Although the soup was nice, the nibbles really did it – especially the shrimp in a basket hidden in the back. Lovely flavours, accentuated by the veggie water we get to pour into it. Delicious.

Then a really good oyster as well, the broth being especially lovely. A good start! Then we have some sea bass.

Far, far better than last night’s version under that glow-in-the-dark thing. I could wrap the tasty morsels in these leaves and they were perfect together, that touch of bitterness with the vegetable and the sweet-ish fish. Really excellent. I am already starting to think my optimism earlier was not misplaced. Then with a pour of an unfiltered sparkling also from Alsace, we have some tartare.

Oh this is lovely, and the parsnip did not clash here with the meat unlike the tartare dish I had at Rooster the other night. Delicious, with very good quality old cow, decisively different from the veal used at Rooster. Awesome. Then a pour of a good natural wine from Provence and we have a very unique dish…

So this is abalone and pigs ears in a green tea sauce. Well, several of my favourite things in one dish. I though the pigs ears could have been thicker cut, but maybe that’s for local sensibility. But the abalone is utterly fantastic, as good as some of the ones I’ve had in Tokyo. A unique and delicious dish!

This has been a very good dinner so far, abating the trend of bad dinners! And we’re barely into the second hour of dining, just to show you how proper pacing can make a tasting menu work or not. Chef Ono was very conscious of where each table was at, far more active in perceiving than Perception. Now a pour of a beautiful wine from Jurançon and we have turbot.

Again, with many of my favourite elements, the turbot is covered by Brussels sprouts. Lovely flavour combination, and the fish was absolutely delicious. The sauce adds a little kick to the combination. Creative yet delicious, which is a perfect description of Chef Ono’s cooking.

Now for a palate cleanser, it’s caviar on horseradish ice. I actually like the stuff under more as I’m not a big caviar afficionado, but this was also delicious. I’m a little sad now that the dinner is coming towards the end, and it’s not even 9.30pm yet. A pour of a fine red from Pauillac and we have the last savoury course.

Oh my goodness is this hay-smoked venison good. The sauce wasn’t necessary for the absolutely divine meat, but it worked perfectly with the strong endive. A lovely last savoury dish, which again made me a little sad because this has been so good, the dinner I have been waiting for after two busts!

I had to decline the cheese course as I was getting very full from this awesome dinner. I should have, as it was my last night in Paris, but sadly I know my body when it tells me it’s been good but enough.

The first dessert was sorbets with a drizzle of soy caramel, very interesting. The citrus and pineapple played off each other quite well too. Then the last pour of a non-sweet (yes!) wine from Arbois from my excellent sommelier, who (unlike at Rooster) complemented the entire excellent service staff perfectly. This FOH rates as one of the best I’ve ever seen in Paris!

The second dessert was interesting, from the yoghurt ice cream to the chocolate, as well as olive that pushed the combination to the finish line. This was such an excellent dinner, I’ll be dreaming of it on the long flight home tomorrow…

I wasn’t quite done, as they brought out some closing treats. So I had some coffee and some eaux de vie (yes, plural) before thanking the excellent staff and Chef Ono before heading out into the warmish evening for the Metro back towards my hotel.

My Paris long weekend closed on a high, which is certainly a delightful change. Goodness, I may have to consider coming back to Paris sooner than later!

If you want a solid tasting menu in Paris, creative yet delicious, Magma is the place! Highly recommended!

Magma
9 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
Paris, France

Review: Bouillon Chartier (Montmartre)

21 January 2024

My Sunday morning got off to a similar start as yesterday, as many places I had planned to visit were still closed due to ice, which is ridiculous as it’s been +3c since dawn and today is scheduled to push +10c. So I had to pivot again, and spent part of it at Le Panthéon instead – where I have not been in ages as well. I see a few new interments in the crypt, as well as the cenotaph for Josephine Baker – whose grave in Monaco (which I visited many years ago) they chose not to disturb.

I then decided to have an early-ish lunch at Bouillon Chartier, an institution in Montmartre. I got there roughly when they open and there was already a healthy line of mostly locals, which is always a good sign. Eventually the doors opened up a little late and I got a cosy little space, soon to be joined by two older local ladies gossiping away at the adjoining table.

I sipped on some solid house red awaiting my feast at this fast and furious eatery. And no, the irony of last night’s snail’s pace dinner at Perception was not lost on me when the snail came very quickly…

Well, these escargots are quite good, and thankful for the bread to soak up the buttery goodness. This place has a reputation for fast and sometimes sloppy service, but my server did very well. A good start. And not long after I finished my dozen my main arrived.

I wonder if they tune down the andouillette in general these days. Not the most “rustic” one I’ve had, but it did its job. I know andouillette is an acquired taste, and for an offal lover like me, I had to choose it as it’s nearly impossible to get it back home. Pretty good, especially with the powerful mustard.

I finished off the fries and wine and asked for a coffee and calvados, seeing how ridiculously cheap the latter is. Sadly my otherwise excellent server forgot the coffee part, but that’s fine – the calvados was what I needed anyway.

I begged the two ladies for forgiveness as I needed one of them to get out of their seats for me to depart, but they were gracious – as is the norm at bouillons. I headed out full and trying to improvise my last afternoon with all of these “ice” closures despite it being now sunny and around +10c.

These places always do their job, the task is finding a solid one, and Bouillon Chartier fits that bill – especially this “second” location (which opened in 1903) in Montparnasse. Cheap, fast, and good – certainly an antidote to last night!

Bouillon Chartier (Montmartre)
59 Boulevard du Montparnasse
Paris, France

Review: Perception

20 January 2024

It’s been a fantastic Saturday in Paris, and despite being absolutely knackered from barely sleeping, I was running on positive energy. Lunch at Clamato was spectacular, and although I had to improvise my afternoon plans due to “ice-related closures” around the city, I made the most of it and it turned out absolutely excellent.

Now about dinner, tonight’s destination is Perception. This was actually the last place I booked as I planned this trip as I had several options for this Saturday evening. A few places just didn’t look right, and one (which I shall not name) gave me attitude when I informed them of a software fault in their online booking system. So F them. I was sufficiently intrigued by Perception so I went with it.

I got there at 7.30pm as the restaurant opened, with a few others waiting to get in. I was seated somewhat awkwardly right at the door, so literally everyone coming in all night had to stand literally next to me. I don’t mind the cool breeze from outside, but I can see others moaning about it.

I looked over the menu and decided on the 8-course tasting with pairing. And unfortunately that was it for almost a half hour. No amuse bouche. No pouring of anything. I had to finally ask them what the process was, and they said the wine pairings start with the first dish (not even the amuse) – yet they forgot to ask if I wanted an apertif or something.

So for the first half hour of the dining experience, I just sat there and had water. Sadly, this was the theme of the night, the ridiculous pace. Lucky I had unlimited data on my roaming phone…

Again, the amuse came out about half an hour into the evening. Not bad, the noodles being a nice touch with the broth but the mini pitchfork presented as an utensil made it a chore. The squashy dish was also nice, although the fish ensconsed in vegetable was on the bland side in this trio. Otherwise it was a good start.

Then I noticed that some people who sat down for only a few minutes are getting their amuse already? Shit, if you are not ready to open at the posted opening time, then don’t start your reservation time so early. With finally something else than water poured, we have the first item, sea bass.

Well, it’s under that glow-in-the-dark thing. Interesting, but a little underwhelming, the gelatin-ish thing not doing that much for the fish. More visual than tasty.

Next up is a dish focused on sunchokes, which is not one of my favourite things to eat in a tasting menu. I like the taste and aroma, but not what a larger serving does to my system. But this was pretty good, the creamy part rich and flavourful. So far not bad, but the pace has once again been an issue. It’s now over an hour into this dining experience, and it’s only 2 dishes in. I’m starting to worry how long this evening will run for…

Next up was the squid, which was a play on the Korean ojingeo sundae (stuffed squid). Pretty good, although the cutlery played havoc with eating this dish right, no thanks to the dull knife that made it hard to cut the squid without the stuffing being displaced.

One of my fellow food bloggers noticed that they did not change out the wine glasses between wines. I’m not too bothered by that as that’s becoming more common, but when you got a messy dish and they take sauce-covered utensils and drop it back on the table for re-use, that’s not good. It’s like saying co-mingling flavours from this dish into the next one is no biggie, which is a disappointing thing for a restaurant of this calibre – considering the next dish was a playful sea urchin bibimbap.

It was sadly underwhelming, as sea urchin has a complexity that is overwhelmed by the various elements that make up this dish, especially if the condiments were used – oh, and of course that squid sauce that carried over from the last dish. I mixed everything up but saved half of the urchin on the side fearing this was the case. At least I got that nice mouthful of urchin at the end. Probably the weakest dish of the night.

And the wait times between dishes get longer, as too over half an hour until the next dish (dish 5 of 8) arrived.

I love red mullet and it was quite good here. Cooked well, good sauce, a few unnecessary distractions. A good dish, but by now I was beyond knackered and getting seriously annoyed by the pace. I read a few reviews about this place and several reviewers mentioned that the dining experience took way too long. I should have paid more attention to those concerns because it took yet another half hour for the next dish to arrive.

This pigeon was absolutely fantastic. I loved it, one of the best I’ve ever had, but would have loved it more if we didn’t wait half an hour between each dish of this tasting menu. I’ve truly have lost interest in this meal. I think they sensed it as they did apologise for the wait.

What annoyed me even more is that now I see people are leaving already, having completed their meal – people who came in after me. The shorter tasting menu was 6 courses (as opposed to 8) but it can’t cause that much of a time difference, can it? My dinner dragged into its fourth hour when the dessert came.

Based on citrus, it was nice, but I was so done. I quickly ate this and asked for the bill. They were surprised as there was another dessert coming. I was so tired I didn’t notice. So they managed to bring it to me relatively quickly.

Chocolate with pomagranate. Good, but I was done. They also quickly dropped some closing items.

No coffee for me, and they processed my payment quickly. At least they didn’t return my card on a dirty food dish like last night at that disastrous Rooster…

I stepped out and walked to the Metro, wondering what happened. There were some excellent dishes (the pigeon especially spectacular), some that didn’t quite work (bibimbap), but the ridiculous pace was just annoying. The fact I had to rush them and this dinner still took 3.5 hours. Now I’ve had plenty of 3.5hrs+ tasting menus, but they didn’t force people to wait half an hour between dishes.

Sadly, that marred what could have been a very good night, because some of the cooking was excellent. Unless they figure out their gameplan a little better, from the very poor pacing to the sloppy service, there are far better options in Paris.

Two days in Paris. Two absolutely spectacular lunches. Two dinners that can be described as shitshows in different ways. I hope tomorrow, my last full day here, changes that.

Perception
53 Rue Blanche
Paris, France

Review: Clamato

20 January 2024

I woke up early on this Saturday morning, excited to get my Paris trip going. However, that turned out to need some improvisation as “icy conditions” closed several places I had planned on visiting. Really? It’s been 2 days since it snowed and that was only like 3cm. Sigh. So instead I spent the morning at Les Invalides, where I had not been for absolute ages.

I took in the Charles de Gaulle exhibit as well, which was rather interesting, but decided to head out as I needed to get to my lunch destination, Clamato. It’s a no-booking place, so I envisioned a line of some sort when Clamato opens at 12 midday, considering its reputation as one of the finest places for seafood in Paris.

When I got there about 10 minutes early, there was a short line. I suspect the cold weather scared some people off. Once the clock hit 12, we were let in, and I took a comfortable spot at the counter. Greeted by several excellent servers, I enjoyed an excellent orange wine as I looked over the menu. Smiling, I ordered and relaxed over my midday tipple.

Not long after the treats began arriving. First up were sardines.

Oh, delicious. These marinated beautifes laid on a potato cake bed, to be enjoyed straight or with a dip in the interesting “barbecue” sauce. Again, absolutely delicious.

Bit the big dish was even more delicious, as I had a selection of shellfish. There were a half dozen oysters mixes, which were all meaty and delicious. But for me it were l’amandes, or dog cockles, that really made this selection awesome. I love raw clams when I can get them, and these were just fantastic. This whole dish was a true joy to enjoy!

I sipped on a bit more wine, feeling I had a bit more left in me with so much on the menu I wanted to try… I could have ordered more raw shellfish but I have to check out some other stuff, so I did. Enjoyed more wine, and soon my next set of dishes arrived.

First up is a beautiful cockles dish cooked in ‘nduja butter. Absolutely addictive. You just quickly pull the cockles out and let them swim in the sauce for a little, and…mmm…so darn good.

The egg mayonnaise with caviar was pretty good, but I probably misordered here as someone who is not a particular enthusiast of caviar.

Both worked well, and I soon finished the cockles that had been gathering more of the awesome butter. Just as I asked for a refill of my wine, my final dish appeared.

La seiche. I love cuttlefish to death, and this was a stunning dish of “pasta” from the mollusk swimming in a fermented espelette pepper sauce. No words to describe how good this is. Wow…

An amazingly good lunch, again! Is this the trend moving forward here on this Paris trip, that my lunches are gonna be better than my dinners? Service was absolutely fantastic despite the frantic pace here, which is credit to my servers who never missed a step and still managed to joke around with colleagues and fellow patrons. Such a fun place where I would be every week if I lived in Paris!

Well, this lunch has sold me once again on Paris. But now I’m very full, and I need a long walk in this pleasantly cool weather…

Seafood lovers: make sure you check Clamato out while in Paris. You’ll be happy you did! And it’s made me forget about last night’s Rooster debacle!

Clamato
80 Rue de Charonne
Paris, France

Nearly Choked by Fishbone at a Restaurant Named Rooster…

19 January 2024

I was still on a high from that amazing lunch at Le Rigmarole. So far Paris has been quite good, although I’m worried that the weather – although it has stopped snowing – may disrupt my weekend plans. But for now, this first day has been quite good, and I’m optimistic about the rest of this extended weekend.

Dinner this evening was at Rooster, a place that goes under the radar from many visiting food people despite the pedigree of Chef Frédéric Duca. Boasting an extensive CV at eateries in France and the US, his 5-year-old restaurant doesn’t seem to get the blogging love (or hype) that other places get. Is that why I chose this for my first dinner?

I arrived and was promptly greeted by Chef Duca and several staff members, leading me to my counter seat where I had a good view of the kitchen. The excellent service pair provided top-notch care of its patrons from start to finish, which is something that I’ve not experienced much in Paris over my visits, so this was a huge plus.

I relaxed as the night’s food and wine began and after a sip of a bubbly, I reached into my starters – and the evening went completely pear-shaped.

Instead of getting some delicious mackerel as I thought I would, I got a mouthful of bone. No, not one or two pin bones, which is an occupational hazard of eating fish (especially mackerel), but the ENTIRE RACK of them. Who in the world would make this kind of mistake at a restaurant of this calibre? UGH!

And I’m not talking about those semi-edible pin bones. I ended up with a rack of ribs. Some went down my throat, some nicely got impaled throughout my mouth and gums.

I taste blood…

I honestly didn’t care about the fritters that also came out, frankly just used it to huck down my throat to help a few lodged bones pass… Come on, WTF was that? What a ridiculous start.

A this point, my expectations are beyond low. If it wasn’t for the two very good servers I may have considered walking out. They seemed utterly shocked when they saw the reminants of this mackerel starter and were very apologetic, as one walked straight to Chef Duca with the evidence.

Chef clearly got the message as he was keeping a weary eye on me for the rest of the evening. Even if he didn’t prep this, it’s his fault for letting it go without looking. The main job of any chef running a kitchen is quality control, and this was a massive fail. Yet, with jetlag now crushing me, I was willing to keep going.

Things looked up a little with this amberjack dish, which they said was a perennial favourite. The raw amberjack was good, although I was eating it very deliberately, not wanting more bone down my throat. I noticed Chef Duca was staring as I was taking my initial bites… The flavours, mixing elements of mustard, citrus, and carrot worked well with the fish. And I’m happy to report, no bones.

Next up was the veal tartare, so I (hopefully!) don’t need to worry about bone. I think there were too many distractions on this plate, such as the tarragon sabayon, which clashed with the veal. Even the bottarga didn’t quite work here. For a bottarga devotee like me to say that is not good. Everything non-veal on this dish fought against the natural goodness of the veal.

We move into the first main course with the sea bass. Nope, no bones, thank goodness, and it was quite good. Only the whelks were way overdone and staring to petrify, but the fish itself was very good. Nowhere near the quality of stuff I had at lunch at Le Rigmarole, but it did its job.

The last of the main courses is the lamb, and I have to say I was glad I stayed after the bone debacle, as this dish was fabulous. Chef’s talents finally shone when he let the main ingredient be the star. Absolutely lovely quality meat here, helped on by the delicious jus.

At this point I am absolutely puzzled on how a kitchen can deliver something so good like this lamb and crank out something that 99% of kitchens would be horrified to send out like that mackerel. Alas, that’s perhaps my Paris expectations coming back to earth after the lunch that turned out to be too good.

Being my first night back in Paris, I went with a cheese course, and that was much needed.

Delicious selection, one of the true joys of being in France is the variety and quality. I love variety in my cheeses, from geographic to biological to process.

A pre-dessert before we have the final dessert focusing on the pear.

Not bad, especially as a pear fan, but I think the cheese won the evening here after the lamb. Well, that’s that, time to head out.

Unfortunately at this point the sommelier did something that is just really, really unprofessional. He actually returned my credit card, after scanning it, right into a plate that had just held food. Really? Maybe it was just crumbs, but still that is so not proper. Seriously, what’s next, return the card in an empty glass of wine?

And not a word from Chef Duca about the debacle. He can’t pretend to hide behind any language barrier, having spent several years of his life cooking in NYC. So this last bit of comedy and him hiding from his kitchen’s mistake tells me plenty.

Oh, we went from perfect execution at lunch to this mess in a matter of a few hours. If it wasn’t for that lamb and my two fabulous servers, this evening would have sucked at a level not seen for a long time. Un désastre total…

Yep, back down to earth. Merde…

Rooster
137 Rue Cardinet
Paris, France

Review: Le Rigmarole

19 January 2024

Over the holidays I had found an unusually priced flight to Paris direct from Chicago, so I went with it. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Paris, a town that I truly have not agreed with during my previous visits. From bad Michelin experiences to perpetual issues with RER-B from CDG, each trip was more exhausting than the previous.

So when I headed there late last week for an extended weekend, I had minimal expectations, even with the food stops I had pre-arranged. A short red-eye flight was met by luggage delivery issues, and – évidemment – RER-B problems. I literally had to run from the RER-B station to my hotel to drop my bag and run to the Metro to get to my lunch destination, Le Rigmarole.

Many in the food world mourned the closing of Le Rigmarole in the fall of 2022, but its rebirth a year later has sparked a joy in the same dining community that valued the restaurant for quality and creativity. The return of Le Rigmarole came only upon the owners-chefs-partners-parents making a decision to value their work-life balance. This mean Le Rigmarole is only open for lunch on Wednesdays to Fridays, so if I had missed this opportunity it wouldn’t have worked for me on this trip.

I just didn’t anticipate it taking so long to make it from CDG as I still barely made it despite landing almost 4 hours earlier…

I relaxed as I took a seat at their busy but small counter. Quickly I relaxed when Chef/Owner Robert Compagnon leaned over the counter and asked how hungry I was. I wasn’t as honest with him as I should be for this Friday lunch. I was HANGRY. I had not eaten since Wendesday – the ridiculously poor dimsum at MingHin Cuisine. Yes, it’s been over 1.5 days since I’ve eaten! I had forgotten to eat lunch on Thursday and I don’t like eating before flights, especially long ones, so I just hung on until now.

So I told him I was hungry and gave him my dining preferences. He asked for allergies or restrictions, and what I said to him endeared me to him for the entire dining experience: “I doubt you’ll use it, but please no edible gold.” He laughed and went straight to his partner Chef Jessica Yang and repeated what I said.

I think I’m gonna like this place.

Soon Chef Yang came by and poured me a delicious orange wine as the food started to arrive. First up was some pickled vegetables.

Definitely interesting. I love beets, so that worked, but the star was the garlicky carrots. Really good appetite opener, not that I needed one.

Then some fried butternut squash. As a person who is usually indifferent to squash, this was sublime. Execution was perfect, making each bite even better. You rarely see something like this done so well outside of Japan.

Then we have some grey mullet. This was delicious, nice and fresh, not needing much help to bring out its deep flavours. Fabulous.

Then oyster swimming in a delicious broth. Mmmm, so good. Despite being in Paris I think a lot of this trip will be focused on seafood as the quality is so good. Chef Yang, who seems to be extremely busy with the full tables, rushed back to pour some more good stuff, like this Mondouze le Chateau, as the food kept coming.

Oh goodness this red mullet is fantastic. Love the char, cooked absolutely perfectly to squeeze the natural goodness out of this fish. I especially enjoyed this dish, which is saying a lot considering this excellent, almost flawless start so far. Even drank the broth, to which Chef Compagnon joked, “we don’t judge.”

Then he presented the chicken loin. Beautiful stuff, nearly raw throughout. I’ve not had raw(ish) chicken since Japan, and it’s something I miss. Lovely flavours definitely, one that it’s hard to describe because it’s not like undercooked chicken. It’s something different when it’s designed that way. So good.

Next up is some ravioli with ricotta. Delicious little packages that went so well with the last of the wine as Chef Yang came to switch out this with a generous pour of Albahra.

The wines have worked really well with the courses coming, which is quite something considering many of the diners were having different items due to their stated preferences, and she was on top of everyone of them. This is well-oiled partnership you can see, and it’s almost like they read each others’ minds sometimes. The best pairing of the day.

Next up is one of my favourites, gizzards. So lovely, the texture is just perfect. When gizzards are done right they are so darn good, and this was done very, very right.

This was followed up by scruptious pasta, bathed in a very rich and decadent ragoût. The quality of the pasta was stunning, again executed with absolute perfection. I’m starting to feel full, but this food is so good I had to continue…

Puntarelle, something not seen too often. For some it’s an acquired taste, but I love it. Delicious and fresh, the way vegetables should be.

Meatball! It also makes me miss Japan even though this is one of the items I almost never order when there. This was absolutely delicious, again executed perfectly. One thing that says plenty about this place is that nothing has been mis-executed, not even close. It has been nearly a flawless kitchen output for me.

Chef Compagnon then brought out some chicken tails for me, having overheard that it was my favourite part of the creature. These were so good it made me almost tear up – from how good it was, and from truly missing Japan. I was full now, and I don’t think I can eat much more…

A very nice dessert focused on the grilled banana. Not too sweet, which is a perfect ending for me.

Then a chocolate and coffee later, I was completely and utterly satisfied. It’s clear that this lunch will be on my “10 Best” list for 2024, and I’m so glad it happened so early in the year!

What blew me away was the flawless execution by this kitchen. Not one dish missed even by a tiny bit. Fabulous service despite a very full house made it all an exemplary dining experience.

I thanked the chef-couple and headed out and towards the Metro. Now that was spectacular! I’ve all but forgotten about the bad, sleepless red-eye flight or the RER-B issues, and I’m starting to feel very optimistic for the rest of this long weekend in Paris.

Has my Paris luck changed for good? Wow, this was ridiculously good. Heavily recommended!!!

Le Rigmarole
10 Rue du Grand Prieuré
Paris, France

A Ridiculously Poor Excuse for Dimsum – Review: MingHin Cuisine (Streeterville)

17 January 2024

My quest to find good dimsum in Chicago has been ongoing. Too many disappointments, from just poorly-made products to inauthenticity in flavour. So one evening after a long day at the office, I decided to stop off at MingHin Cuisine for a quick dinner.

I have never been to their Streeterville location, even though it’s relatively close to my office. I’ve had some good food from their main Chinatown location, so I have high hopes.

Immediately those hopes were falling as I walk into the malodorous restaurant…not the most inviting smell, especially in River North. Placed into a big banquette, I ordered. As they did not do wines by the glass, I went with tea. And I’m glad I did, as things just went pearshaped when the food began to arrive…

First, these pork ribs were a complete disaster. Tiny shards of bone everywhere shows an absolute lack of care in preparation. Plus more often than not there were nothing more than bone. Probably the very worst version of this dish I’ve ever had over hundreds of times eating it. Plain awful.

The tripe was absolutely flavourless, like they totally forgot to season it during prep. Almost no sense of ginger, one of the prime essences of this common dish. Again, just piss poor quality.

The crab roll would have been good if it wasn’t literally soaking in oil. My goodness the amount of residual liquid oil inside these rolls could have filled a sauce plate…

Then some very uninspired shumai, but you literally cannot screw this dish up, but they still tried somehow… Sloppy is the word.

And finally, the wrapped sticky rice was the last straw. Poorly made, the contents are all cheap and not traditional, and they weren’t even inside the sticky rice – but added on the side like the person who made it had no idea what these dishes are.

I’m done. This is extremely sad, like dimsum being made by people who either never been in a kitchen or have no idea what dimsum is. For MingHin to do this is even sadder.

Avoid this location at least. The main Chinatown shop needs to do some quality control, and fast! I can’t imagine how much the rent is on this space for them to serve some of the WORST dimsum I’ve had in my life!

MingHin Cuisine (Streeterville)
215 East Ohio Street
Chicago, Illinois

The 10 Best Dishes of 2023

As I said in the previous post on the 10 best dining experiences of the past year, 2023 was a good year for eating. Now I’m presenting the 10 best dishes of the year.

This list is very different, but related, to the previous post, as it undoubtedly influenced this particular list. I tried not to replicate any from the previous list, but two were just too good not to add here… But overall, I tried to avoid listing things twice, although a few other dishes from the previous list would come very, very close to making this list.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this second look back at my food journey in 2023!

1. Tripe and dungeness crab at Off Alley (Seattle, Washington, 1 December)

Stunning dish. Maybe the best tripe dish I’ve had in my life, and I eat them all the time as my readers know. I make it at home quite often as well. This version captured the essence of tripe for me, easy to eat but retaining the necessary unique texture and flavour. Oh, and that crab and sauce… Absolutely stunning, worth flying across the country for.

2. Capitone at Pulejo (Roma, Italia, 29 March)

Again, sorry for another repeat from the previous list, but this was ridiculously good. So good, I ordered a second dish! I love eel, and these large European eels are getting harder and harder to find. No need for any unnecessary smoking, cooking these things fresh is the best way to capture its flavour. So good.

3. Short rib at EnVie (Lansing, Michigan, 8 April)

Finding something good in Michigan’s capital was unexpected, but getting one of the best braised short rib dishes in your life was ridiculously unexpected. Cooked to absolute perfection, this oft-ruined…ah, let’s be honest, ruined 99% of the time…dish retained flavour and texture without losing the unique qualities of the short rib in a way that’s hard to describe without you tasting it. But needless to say, it made a huge impression on me, and makes me want to visit Lansing again and again.

4. Crudo at Pescheria Mattiucci (Napoli, Italia, 30 March)

Just look at this crudo plate. I waited years to return to Napoli to have its amazing seafood, and this was a welcome reward for my first night back. The gamberi rossi were especially delicious. This tiny eatery has become world famous for its daily crudo selection, and it’s easy to see why! Most people stop off here just for this dish on their evening stroll. If I lived in Napoli, that’s what I’d do!

5. Duck at Noisette (Denver, Colorado, 29 April)

I honestly did not expect to have such a good night at this new and very popular Denver eatery, but the kitchen and front-of-house staff surprised me – especially with the perfectly cooked duck. The additions of pea shoots and morels turned a fabulous dish into a spectacular one that landed on this list. It’s not easy that a duck dish beats something from Boka, which consistently makes some of the best dish in the world, but this certainly did that night!

6. Tira de asado at El Che Steakhouse (Chicago, Illinois, 20 June)

It’s hard enough to find proper tira de asado in Chicago, but this version was done so darn well it turned me into a devotee of El Che for a short time – until they blew it a few months later with poor quality meat and wonky service. But the memories of this first visit, where I enjoyed very high quality rib meat, plus a very generous portion, remain. So delicious… Question is whether I should give them another chance in 2024 – will I get something nearly as good as this, or will I get another dud like the last visit?

7. Tomato broth at Iluka (København, Danmark, 10 October)

Really, Mel? Even with that amazing whole plaice you ate, you’re picking the soup? Yes. It was a spectacular dinner at Iluka in Denmark’s capital, but what really made it amazing was the opener. This tomato broth was so intense and refreshing it’s something I would dream of bottling up and drinking all the time! Of course the oysters and samphire made this even more memorable, but I totally stand by adding this as one of the top ten dishes of 2023!

8. Monkfish stew at The Franklin (Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 5 November)

I didn’t expect much when I saw this dish as exclusive to one of those dreaded “restaurant week” menus, but turned out to be a complete surprise. Strong flavours, with a perfectly cooked (and generous) piece of monkfish that worked super well with the rest of the dish. A true feast for seafood lovers! And more impressive this came on that dreaded “restaurant week” menu!

9. Beef tartar at Matū (Beverly Hills, California, 27 December)

I usually don’t order tartar because of the multitude of variables, from quality of the meat to the quality of the meat cutter. You can have fabulous quality meat but the tartar ruined due to poor cutting. And even a good cutter can rescue poor quality meat just so much. But this so-so food at Matū was absolutely highlighted by this dish. One of the best tartar dishes I’ve had in ages.

10. Salo at Anelya (Chicago, Illinois, 30 December 2023)

Nothing reminds me of Ukraine more than enjoying some salo, and the version I had at Chicago’s newest Ukrainian restaurant, Anelya, was absolutely spectacular. One of those you just put in your mouth and experience two minutes of pure pleasure as it melt away. It really sums up the whole concept of the “best dish of the year” for me. Mmm…

Again, this list is subjective, but looking back at so many good dishes through 2023 it’s not easy to extract the best from the year. This just represents 10 times that something jumped out at me so significantly that it left a memory that’s hard not to cherish.

What were your 10 best dishes of 2023?

The 10 Best Dining Experiences of 2023

One of the joys of travelling again is being able to experience so much good food. Of course, that also means treading through some mediocre (and some just awful) stuff as well. Of all of 2023, these I believe represent the 10 best dining experiences of my 2023.

Now before you start asking questions, this is obviously very subjective. And this represents the entire dining experience, not just one or a few particular dishes. I will have a “10 Best Dishes” list as the next post, so save your appetite for that as well!

As always, click on the photos for a larger version. And read the original reviews by clicking the title.

I hope you enjoy this little trip back through 2023!

1. Nuta (Warszawa, Polska, 7 October)

It’s been years since I’ve been back to Warsaw, and what I missed greatly is tasting the wonderful creations of my dear friend Chef Andrea Camastra. Since my last visit he shuttered his Michelin-starred Senses and opened Nuta, which has quickly earned a Michelin star as well. I predict it will become a 3-star restaurant sooner than later. The last time I made this prediction was many years ago about a certain Maaemo in Oslo, and you can see what happened there. Just look at some of these dishes, the intensity of flavours, coming to the edge of overwhelming you but never stepping over the ledge, shows what magic his kitchen can create. Absolutely groundbreaking stuff, and these photos or words can’t describe these flavours. You really need to experience for yourself.

2. Off Alley (Seattle, Washington, 1 December)

This turned out to be one of the biggest and best surprises of the year, a wonderful night of excellent service and amazing food in a converted alley. Reminds me a little of the legendary eel restaurant Kabuto in Tokyo, but a little more forgiving for the knees! Every dish was stunning, from the black cod to duck, from the grilled foie to the foie ice cream. However, the tripe and dungeness crab is easily a candidate for dish of the year. So good, it may force me to look at using Seattle as a springboard to any West Coast/Pacific travels in the future!

3. Pulejo (Roma, Italia, 29 March)

This is the dinner where I had a “terzo” – asking for a second helping of the amazing capitone. But overall this Michelin-starred restaurant is one of the best, from service to food. I usually avoid Michelin places in Italy, but Pulejo is truly a gem. Each of the dishes were spectacular, from the cuttlefish to the tortelli. But goodness that eel, it’s beyond memorable. Truly worth its star in an age where Michelin has become degraded, with some of the best and friendliest service in the continent.

4. Nasime (Alexandria, Virginia, 23 November)

One thing I miss most about Japan is being able to have a kaiseki dinner at a counter. Nasime is about as good as it gets without the $1500 tickets to Tokyo. Amazing quality and cooking, and a vibe that remains as authentic as it gets without it being stale or static. Chef Shimomura’s cooking is always fantastic and boundary pushing, without losing the overall characteristic of an excellent kaiseki experience. From the foie miso grilled lamb to the yuba-wrapped Chilean sea bass, each dish was stunningly good as usual. And likely the most affordable kaiseki in North America, not to mention one of the very best. So good to be back…

5. Piatto Romano (Roma, Italia, 29 March)

This lunch inspired me to revive this blog. On my first trip to Europe since 2019, it not just helped to revive this blog, but this Piatto Romano experience was so quintessentially Lazio it made me love food and travel again. The beef heart was amazing, and eating the pasta made me tear up. Something very special about this lunch that really kicked me out of the 3-year deluge I’ve been in. Probably the first time I smiled so carefree since 2019 whilst sipping on that grappa…

6. Cocoro (Chicago, Illinois, 10 May)

Cocoro has become my hideaway, especially after a long day at the office. This is my comfort food, just feasting on Japanese delicacies, from the addictive shishamo to some excellent nigiri (their hotate is always fantastic), and the always spectacular saba sashimi. But with so much on the menu, as well as my favourite shochu (Tantakatan, made from red shiso leaves), it’s no wonder it’s become a perennial favourite of mine. But it was this first visit that made me fall in love with this place, one that I now have a “usual” table.

7. Kiln (London, England, 12 October)

Kiln has been a staple for me in London, and it has never disappointed (unlike most other London eateries). Love the vibe and music, sitting at my “usual” corner seat in front of the turntable, enjoying amazing dishes. This time the culled yaw was exceptional, as well as the always-good sausage. Throw in a scrumptious bavette, rich monkfish swimming in ankimo curry, and delicious cockles, this lunch became a 2.5hr epic. Absolutely best place to eat in a London that has ebbed and flowed for years.

8. Bayan Ko (Chicago, Illinois, 17 August)

Getting to Bayan Ko involved an unpleasant post-work ride on the disgusting Red Line and perpetually delayed and overcrowded Brown Line, but it’s worth it. My first visit on this stormy summer day was the best of them all, as sadly my most recent visit showed a noticeable decline in quality of food. But this particular visit was just breathtaking, from the scrumptious sisig nigiri to the lamb belly, not to mention the palabok and the duck. Let’s hope 2024 brings this quality back when they shift formats to a tasting menu!

9. Leichi (Santa Clara, California, 2 September)

I think left coasters have so many great choices when it comes to authentic Asian cuisine they don’t truly appreciate it. For me, finding a place like Leichi during my domestic travels – with some extremely authentic izakaya items that I’ve not had since Japan – is truly a treasure. From the chicken cartilage to fermented squid innards, it was truly a night when for a tiny second felt like I was back in Tokyo, or even Hakodate… Makes me miss Japan plenty, but this was about as close as it gets to being back.

10. Aji (Chicago, Illinois, 25 October)

Many of my long-time followers will be surprised with this one. Although I generally don’t like overly-creative omakase sushi experiences, being an edomae traditionalist, I have really grown to like what Aji does. They don’t overdo it, respecting the fish – which so many places don’t do properly (including a place in St Louis I choose not to name again). But of all my 2023 visits, this October one turned out to be spectacular, not just for some excellent pieces like the kampachi, aji, and the fabulous toro-uni hand roll, but also for the unexpected appearance of my favourite fish, nodoguro – which I’ve not had since I was in Japan many years ago.

It was very hard to put this list together, as there were many runners up that made the second half of this list very hard to compile. Some will be represented in the next (“10 Best Dishes”) list, when certain dishes just transformed a dining experience.

What were your 10 best dining experiences of 2023?

Review: Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant

11 January 2024

As mentioned earlier, 2024 is not starting very well. And that trend isn’t really changing, so I wanted to wind down a little after a stressful day at the office. I chose Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant because I’ve heard so many good things, and I wanted to skip boozing today because I have an early morning important event to attend.

I got there early, thanks to a somewhat functional Brown Line. Still quiet, and they gave me a nice spot at the counter. This would be a good bar, but alas they are a BYOB place. So a mango juice in hand, I ordered. Skipped lunch, so was hungry.

And in no time the freshly-fried lumpia came out. This was absolutely delicious, some of the best I’ve had in a long time, better than the ones at Bayan Ko. I was really optimistic at this point.

The garlic rice then came out, and I was glad it was as garlicky as advertised. For someone who eats garlic raw all the time and uses it excessively cooking, this was a treat. Went well also with the liempo.

Good chunks of pork belly, did not make me regret skipping on my absolute favourite thing, the beef shortrib. This was so far a really good dinner. And after a little, conserving my rice, the main course arrived, kare kare.

Their rendition is beef tongue. Although they say it’s braised, they did way too much to it afterwards. The sauce on it did not work, sadly, fighting the somewhat burnt tongue and its werd texture. Cutting the tongue lost its unique appeal, especially since there were chunks that seems burnt solid that was hard to eat. The bagoong helped it down, but when I ran out of bagoong on the side, I had to abandon the rest of this dish.

Oh well, that was an optimistic start that didn’t carry through to the end. Too bad. I thanked my excellent server and headed out for a much-needed walk to do some pre-storm shopping.

Maybe that last dish was an anomaly. Too bad, as it started so good.

Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant
4337 North Western Avenue
Chicago, Illinois