Award-winning Chef Tim Raue’s flagship eatery, opened in 2010 near Checkpoint Charlie, is renowned for aromatic, Asian-inspired cuisine crafted with Western ingredients and techniques. Awarded two Michelin stars, diners pack the retro-influenced interior adorned with delicate Chinese pottery and dark wood furniture to dine on such fare as wasabi langoustine. The six-course “Unique” tasting menu is preceded by amuse-bouche, such as spicy cashews, prawn sashimi and marinated pork-belly, moving on to mains featuring Wagyu beef, lobster, Australian winter truffle and tofu. Conversation point: Raue’s wife, Marie-Anne, is the restaurant’s maître d' and sommelier.
Mazunte, a small beach town 70 kilometers from the center of Puerto Escondido, is a gem, quiet and little touched by mass tourism. Among the simple restaurants set under thatched palapas facing the sea is Los Amigos. The chef and owner is originally from Argentina; his proposal is simple, all local and fresh. For those tired of seafood, he does a superb Argentine grill every Saturday, which includes pork belly, steak, marinated ribs and chicken, all cooked over wood coals.
Zipolite is the famous nudist beach, a favorite of hippies since the ‘60s. Today it is quiet and little touched by modern development. The owner of the restaurant Zipolipas, which opened in 1978, is Dona Felipa, whose kitchen is simple and homey. A plate of fried fish, or octopus ceviche, is best accompanied with the specialty of the house, macerated fruit water that is even better with a shot of local mezcal in it. The sea view is spectacular.
Everyone knows Doña Adela and her stand, which sets up on the south end of Puerto Escondido’s main beach starting early in the morning. Adela prepares whatever the fishermen bring in, grilling over a wood fire. Pescado a la Talla is a red snapper or pargo, split open, slathered with salsa and roasted to perfection. It is eaten as tacos with a squirt of lime.
This outdoor eatery that opens only in the evening has become something of an institution among locals in Puerto Escondido. Originally a small locale with a few sidewalk tables, it has expanded due to popular demand and now extends down the block in either direction. Tasajo - salted beef – is grilled to smoky perfection on wood-fired grills and served over hand-formed “tlayudas,” corn-based dry-grilled flatbreads, like tortillas but finer and crispy. They are best accompanied by an ice-cold beer.
“Smoked Fish” proclaims the hand-painted sign and, indeed, this simple locale offers tacos of tuna or marlin smoked on premises, as well as tempura-fried shrimp or fish. Colorful salsas and house-made pickled vegetables complement the delectably fresh oceanic fare.
Almoraduz is the best and indeed the only “fine dining” option in Puerto Escondido. Atmosphere is casual - the locale is open to the outdoors. The kitchen is in the capable hands of young chefs Quetzalcoatl Zurita and Shalxaly Macías. Together they have combined their talents to offer a unique and representative cuisine of the Oaxacan coast. The menu is influenced by traditional recipes as well as the seasonal availability of ingredients. The tasting menu ($400, $650 with wine pairing) changes frequently. A starter might be tuna in a crust of aromatic “chile negro,” rack of lamb with traditional Oaxacan mole Coloradito or a piece of snapper, cooked properly and set on a bed of black rice with green sauce – an edible work of art.
The Berber & Q group, co-founded by former Ottolenghi chef Josh Katz, opened its second site in June 2015 at 46 Exmouth Market. The new restaurant specializes in shawarma slow-cooked on a rotating spit over hot coals, alongside Middle Eastern cocktails, wine and beer. Look for spit-roasted lamb and chicken; cauliflower shawarma with golden sultana, rose and pine nuts; bowls packed with rice and lentils topped with lamb shawarma, harissa and anchovy; and pitas stuffed with chicken, lamb and slow-braised beef short ribs. Sides include grilled pitas, confit potatoes, blackened aubergine, grilled fattoush and more. For dessert lovers, ice cream pita sandwiches come with tahini soft-serve and caramelized bananas.
Driven by conflict and poverty from a humble farming community in Turkey, the Yavuz family sought asylum in London in 1990 and settled in a small flat in Hornsey. The family purchased a small shop in the Green Lanes area and launched the first Gokyuzu in 1999. Encouraged by an uncle with culinary skills, the family developed their own style of preparing Turkish cuisine. The restaurant is now well-established as the leading Turkish dining experience in Northeast London. Expect prodigious portions of lavash, mixed meze dishes and mains of spicy chicken, lamb and aubergine grilled or stewed to perfection and served with mint, onion and yogurt.
Pigsty is a must-visit for fans of all things pork. Brought to you from the team behind The Jolly Hog, purveyors of the finest sausages and pork products, Pigsty calls three converted shipping containers its home, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. From brioche buns filled with three different porky products to their "Breakfast in Bread" (sausage, bacon, eggs and cheese served in a hollowed out sourdough loaf), expect a big eat at a very affordable price.
See the original blogpost: http://tinyurl.com/hccs3xj