Voted the No. 2 Best New Restaurant in America in 2016 by “Bon Appetit,” Filipino-American chef Tom Cunanan and co-owners Genevieve Villamora and Nick Pimentel have a hit on their hands. Packed with flavor, the ginisang tulya (clam stew) makes the two-hour line worth the wait for one of the 24 coveted seats inside their small Filipino eatery. Luscious littleneck clams with tiny pieces of Chinese sausage in an XO sauce made with coconut are all sopped up with the house-made savory donuts.
Pro tip: To snag a seat at this super popular no-reservations spot, show up at least two hours before the doors open at 5:30 p.m.
You must know that my last meal on this earth will be sushi if I have anything to do with it and my husband as well, so we are HUGE sushi fanatics. We have eaten more raw fish than all the cooked food we have shared over the fifteen years we have been together and that just shows you how much we love it. After living in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami we have had some amazing sushi, sashimi, and cooked Japanese food. That said we have been looking forward to trying this new super hip sushi place in downtown Durham for a while and I finally had the chance to have lunch there last week.
The fish was amazing, very fresh, clean and simply presented. The portions are ample and there are just enough choices to make everyone happy. The atmosphere is quite stark, grim and very dark, with gray walls and a dark floor. It has low ceilings, as it's in the basement of a building, and it could be a little colorful to give it a cozier vibe.
I think for dinner the cost would be double of what I spent for lunch and at $30 for a decent amount of food but (not really enough) I think I will save this for later when I have landed a great contract for one of my team building events.
I have been to the Bleu Olive twice for dinner and enjoyed it immensely. They are a family owned business on Hillandale Road that leans towards Greek as well as other Mediterranean dishes. The best choices are their appetizers and we have enjoyed a number of them on our last visit, all very good with ample portions. I recommend choosing a number of appetizers instead of an entree and you can't go wrong. My favorites are grilled octopus ( perfectly cooked), tirokafteri ( roasted red pepper and feta dip), tsatsiki, pan-seared crab cake and their hummus.
On a second visit, I had their seared sea scallops on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes with a mushroom sauce. Nothing Mediterranean about this dish but it was delicious none the less. They tend to lean towards mainstream items for their entrees so if you want to have the Greek experience stick with the appetizers.
Great service, low lighting, cozy atmosphere.
20 minutes outside of Quito in the valley of Sangolqui lies a legendary site serving pig roasted in a clay oven that is as good, or better, than anywhere in the world. Outside, as many as six whole pigs start the day to be roasted, chopped, fried and served in any format you might imagine. We recommend a plate of hornado (roast pig) and a plate of chicharron con mote (fried pig skin with giant corn). This is an absolute benchmark dish for Quito, Ecuador, and indeed, Latin America.
This Fountain Valley eatery is known for its modern American tapas, home-grown ingredients from the onsite garden, and handcrafted mocktails. But the wow item here is the whole Kurobuta pig’s head, with 15-hour sous vide, green onion roti, garlic paste, salsa roja and tiger sauce. Served on a platter, it’s enough for your entire party to share. There are no words to describe the allure when it arrives at the table. Pull the fork-tender meat off the head and enjoy!
This sleek, upscale locale focuses on contemporary steak and seafood plates. Don’t miss the King Crab Poppers, succulent crabmeat lightly tossed with sriracha aioli and topped with wasabi masago. It is one of the most delicious morsels you'll ever indulge in at this Newport Beach waterfront eatery.
Chef Ross Pangilinan's globally inspired eatery is the hot ticket in town. He brings the fine dining experience to Mix Mix with his creative and unique use of ingredients in a less formal setting. Definitely not to be missed is the handmade pasta served carbonara style with ikura and a soft egg. It’s beautiful on the eyes and the palate.
Opened by Benoit Matray in 1912 in the heart of Paris, Benoit is the only Parisian bistro to receive a Michelin star. Traces of its millennial history remain with the hook at the wine cellar entrance where Beaujolais was bottled, and the plates and trompe-l’oeil in the first-floor salon drawn by the wife of Benoit’s son, Michel Petit. In 2005, Petit sold the restaurant to award-winning Chef Alain Ducasse. Amid its plush décor of ornate mirrors, etched glass panels, faux marble columns and red velvet upholstery, guests dine on traditional French cuisine presented on large porcelain plates. A private oval dining room on the upper floor seats 20 amid decorative panels and a fireplace. Famous dishes include oxtail and gelee terrine with remoulade-style celery; meuniere-style sea turbot with carrots and turnips; pan-seared black pudding with raw apple and mashed potatoes; and savarin soaked in Armagnac and filled with whipped cream.
Established in 1868 in the historic meatpacking district, the Old Homestead is the oldest steakhouse in New York City. Housed in a three-story Greek-revival mercantile building built in 1842, the restaurant began as a bar with just six seats and served its first charcoal broiled strip just after the Civil War. Today, celebrities and power-brokers dine amid the dark wood, chophouse décor on prime dry-aged meats, 12-ounce Japanese Wagyu beef steaks for $350 and Opus One wine.
Table talk: Some claim the restaurant created the doggie bag. It’s said the portions were so large the staff needed to think of something to suit guests’ desire to take the excess home.
This Chinese and Asian restaurant is known for its Lanzhou-style hand-pulled noodles and braised beef. Portions are large, and diners can watch as skillful kitchen workers stretch, fold and pull noodles to order. Nudo has different noodle bowls, each with a variety of toppings and preparations, but all with the same made-to-order noodles. The most traditional is the beef soup that’s garnished with blanched vegetables and spicy pickles. Chicken, pork or vegetarian bowls are available.