Duck Pad Thai @ Weera Thai
Pad Thai is one of those dishes we reflexively order in Thai restaurants whenever we’re looking for something familiar and comforting. Typically it contains shrimp, beef, squid or chicken along with a mélange of rice noodles, eggs, peppers and various veggies. Peter Weera simplifies things at the recently face-lifted Weera Thai by festooning his noodles with crispy (and quite spicy) roasted duck breast to create a rich and satisfying alternative to this same old same old Siamese staple. It, along with an expanded menu of Northern, Isaan and Laotian specialties, have signaled Weera’s entry into Las Vegas’s big-time Thai – providing serious competition to the venerable Lotus of Siam and Chada Thai. Be careful when you order, though. Even specifying “medium hot” will have you reaching for the fire hose on some of these dishes.

Chilli Chocolate Steak @ The Bombay Bicycle Club
For an evening of eccentric eating with a dash of austere silliness, check out the Bombay Bicycle Club. There’s a good chance an entertaining wait-staff will ask you to select from a slew of burlesque hats to wear during dinner. The outlandish and colorful décor is a hoarder's delight, complete with trapeze swing chair and, obviously, bicycles. A house specialty is the Chilli Chocolate Steak. The chocolate-chilli infused steak, cooked to medium-rare perfection, arrives drenched in the infused marinade. A hint of the chilli offsets the sweet, enticing your taste buds for more.

Irish Ham Blaa  @ Hatch and Sons
Smack in the center of Ireland's busy capital and tucked neatly under The Little Museum of Dublin, Hatch & Sons is the perfect stop for breakfast. The traditional Irish menu includes a section of Waterford blaas, doughy white bread buns that have been granted protected status by the EU. The name is derived from the French word blaad, for leftover dough, or blanc, for white (referring to the flour). About the size of a saucer, a blaa is finished with a flour dusting. With a nice crusty top, it’s perfect for making a sandwich. I recommend Hatch & Son’s blaa with Wicklow cheddar, roast Irish ham, relish, tomato and rapeseed mayo. All of the flavors in this breakfast sandwich meld perfectly and I couldn't get enough of it. It was good till the last bite. The coffee, decor and service are also exceptional. I may have found a new favorite spot in Dublin.

Turkish Eggs Menemen  @ Brother Hubbard
Brother Hubbard's fusion brunch items are an absolute must if you live in Dublin. James Boland and Garrett Fitzgerald opened their Middle Eastern café in 2012 on Chapel Street. Channeling Middle Eastern and Scandinavian inspiration, the frequently-changing menu filled with seasonal ingredients offers a global selection of dishes with excellent coffee, baked treats, flavorsome omelets, pancakes, a popular pulled pork sandwich and their signature Middle Eastern Breakfast Plate and Turkish Eggs Menemen. The specialty features eggs scrambled with tomato and roast peppers, topped with fresh herbs, chilli and onion alongside a light feta and black olive yogurt served on sourdough toast with spinach. Pro tip: Add pan-fried chorizo for €2.95. Best yet, it's available all day.

Gubbeen Eggs  @ The Fumbally
Luca D’Alfonso and Aisling Rogerson’s community cafe on the corner of Fumbally Lane and New Street features unique food with the freshest ingredients. Opened in a previously derelict industrial space just a stone's throw from St. Patrick's Cathedral, The Fumbally is bright, airy and decorated with mismatched furniture and communal wooden tables scattered with cookbooks and magazines. The menu is equally eclectic, featuring street foods from around the world along with health conscious dishes and locally roasted coffee. A house specialty, the Gubbeen eggs is their take on a Spanish huevos revuelto. Scrambled with olive oil, garlic and Gubbeen cheese, the eggs are served on a brioche with fresh tomatoes. Other house favorites include avocado on toast, falafel and the slow-roasted porchetta sandwich.

Dim Sum  @ Yauatcha City
I love yum cha and have a whole list of favorite restaurants. But when it comes to pure quality and variety, no place does it better than Yauatcha. This self-styled tea house in Broadgate Circle serves exquisite all-day dim sum and the combination of flavors and inventiveness always keeps me guessing. Definitely order the Bean Curd Cheung Fun. Fresh steamed rice noodles are stuffed and served in salty, sweet soy sauce.

Medium Chicken  @ Silk Road
Once an unknown gem in South London, this northern Chinese restaurant has become an institution. Big portions, bold flavors and low prices make this an attractive night out. The Medium Chicken dish with thick belt noodles keeps me coming back for more. The rich, star anise and chilli-flavored broth is hearty with poultry and potatoes. Near the bottom of the serving bowl, the waiter will bring handmade noodles to soak up the rest of the rich broth.

Wood Roasted Peking Duck @ Min Jiang Restaurant
Forget the dry and stringy take-away duck you're used to. West London's Min Jiang roasts their fowl in a wood oven, which produces a stunningly aromatic and juicy bird. There may be some stiff competition for the crown of best roast duck in London, but combined with the stunning view east across Kensington Gardens, this is unbeatable.

Bone-in Rib-eye @ Goodman
People always ask me where to get the best steak in London and in six years I have never changed my answer. Goodman steakhouse is the pinnacle of the industry. Although they have a wide range of USDA beef on the menu, ensure you order the British-bred steaks off the blackboards. Dry aged for 40+ days, these are the Rolls Royce of beef. Don’t expect a cheap meal but it’s so, so worth it. Pro tip: Always order your rib-eye medium, trust me. And get the truffle mac ‘n’ cheese. Cracking wine list, too.

Ricotta Hotcakes  @ Granger & Co.
At his airy, no-reservations dining hall in Notting Hill, Chef Bill Granger is famous for his Ricotta Hotcakes. Served with honeycomb butter, bananas and maple syrup, the hotcakes are fluffy beyond belief. Each mouthful is like biting into clouds – delicious, sweet and rich clouds. Your day deserves this.