L'Imperiale
L'Imperiale is the last (and best) of a string of adjacent restaurants located above the Toulouse market. The bustling, family-run, semi-open-air bistro is a joy to be part of with mom and daughters scampering from table to table with a variety of interesting plates such as vegetable stuffed mushrooms and salmon tartare. But you are really here for their renowned cassoulet. There is a lot to like about this unique version including creamy beans and rich broth, sumptuous duck confit and two delicious Toulouse sausages. The topping is a layer of bread crumbs which is distinctive. The only criticism might be that I wish instead of the juicy sliced pork that they used crunchy pork belly like L"Auberge des Lices.

Les Lices
Lde Lices is an unassuming spot inside the Carcassonne fortress with little ambiance, rickety furniture and brusque service. Yes...but...what a cassoulet! This near-perfect rendition featured perfect creamy beans, a deeply rich and flavorful broth, delicious duck confit and the piece de resistance: perfect, crunchy chunklets of pork belly. I was too full to finish the dish but picked out every last piece of "ventreche". With a perfectly golden toasted top coating - you might think this was the perfect cassoulet. Except for one fault - a thoroughly tasteless sausage. Unless I was imagining things - it was the exact same tasteless sausage that let down the wonderful Cassoulet at Comte Roger. I think I might write them a sausage letter.

Manny's Steakhouse
At XF we write first-hand reviews from actual visits but the sermon on the Manny's Steakhouse web page is sufficiently grandiose and difficult to verify so we quote: "Sourced from our own herds, Manny’s Heritage Beef™ comes from steers sired by our own bull, American Made, and his siblings. Every cut, every bite, of our 100% genetically verified, hormone-free Bull-to-Table™". Surpasses all USDA regulations and industry certifications - Midwest Family farms are used to raise these cattle - Corn finished for a minimum of 180 Days - Only genetically verified, genuine Black Angus - 16-month average age at harvest - No antibiotics and no hormones for at least 120 days before harvest - The even trademarked "Bull to Table! What we can verify is that these steaks are the best in America. I even shipped a batch back to my restaurant in LA and they were superb even with our less well-developed equipment and skills. This is the best steakhouse in America.

Born and Bred
In the world of steak, Born and Bred is a giant. The family consolidated the Korean beef industry many years ago such that most of the beef sellers in the Majang meat market purchased through the family. Now the son, Mr Jung, has taken the enterprise to the next level with a restaurant and butcher shop in a gorgeous new building. The crown jewel is in the basement where a speakeasy counter with 7-8 seats provides the format for one of the most astonishing dining experiences you will ever encounter. The cornerstone of the experience is Korea's Hanwoo beef; Beefy (but not as beefy as the Spanish cuts) and fatty (but not as fatty as Japanese Wagyu). The treasure is butchered, served raw, some pieces cooked by you and some by the owner Mr. Jung in a procession of beef that is impossible to match or even imagine. The grand finale carcass rolled out to shave raw beef sashimi was a mesmerizing finish. Certainly one of the world's greatest steakhouses and indeed dining experiences anywhere. It should be noted that the restaurant is fine but rallying 7 guests for the counter experience is unforgettable.

Frantzén
Chef Bjorn Frantzén has created a magical dining experience that feels a bit like someone's home. You start up in the lounge before you descend into the open kitchen/dining room. He uses most of the luxury ingredients found in today's fine dining but his versions of everything just seem more effortless. Many diners from around the world consider this one of the most exciting dining experiences in the world. If you can get a reservation you should - Frantzén is unforgettable.

Flippin' Burgers
Flippin’ Burgers is the place that started the whole burger craze in Stockholm. Flippin' Burgers still holds up as the best burger joint in town, thanks to their tireless attention to detail and their imaginative “burger of the month” creations. They are very popular and the queues can sometimes be painfully long, so our tip is to arrive at their Odenplan restaurant 10 to 15 minutes before they open. They also have a great beer and wine selection in the bar, which makes any time spent waiting for a table much more tolerable. The price for a burger is around 100 SEK, and fries are an additional 35 SEK. But we really recommend you get the delicious cheese fries for 45 SEK with their own cheese from Väddö. If you really want to have the full Flippin’ experience, order one of their tasty milkshakes or floats.

Schmaltz Appetizing
An Appetizing shop is a Jewish purveyor of all the things to eat with bagels like the legendary Russ & Daughters (1914) from New York. At Anthony Rose’s shop, you can find smoked Acadian sturgeon, kippered salmon, and gravlax. There are pickles, chopped eggs, and, of course, tubs of cream cheese. You can sit down nearby at sister restaurant Fat Pasha for a more comprehensive menu but for a quick hit and run "the morning after", Schmaltz is hard to beat. Pro tip - Come for the fish… stay for the pastrami!

Sushi Masaki Saito
Sushi Masaki Saito was the first restaurant in Canada with two Michelin stars. Chef Masaki Saito, raised in Hokkaido and trained in Tokyo, focuses on the purity and source of his ingredients AND THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY OF HIS RICE. All of his seafood comes from Japan and his preparations show deep respect for Edomae tradition enhanced with his own personal flourishes. Shirako (cod fish sperm sac) skewered and grilled over binchotan is rarely seen outside of Asia but here it fits in nicely with an Old Edo-style neighbourhood in Tokyo including a 200-year-old Hinoki dining counter imported from Nara, Japan that is surrounded by traditional Japanese handcrafted décor. Unmissable.

Bozar Restaurant
The overall dining experience at Bozar is very enjoyable but the main event is stunning: award-winning Pate en croute and Pithiviers. Every element contributes tender beef, smooth foie gras, crunchy pastry, and rich sauce. Chef Karen is one of the world's great specialists in this art form.

Operabaren
Operabaren is an art nouveau gem located inside the Royal Opera House, serving traditional Swedish cuisine like Swedish Meatballs in Cream Sauce with Potato Puree, Lingonberries, and Pickled Cucumber. But the star dish is Toast Skagen originated by Swedish superchef Tore Wretman. When sailing around Skagen he threw together the ingredients at hand for his crew: egg, oil, shrimp, fish roe, and bread. Wretman turned the egg and oil into mayonnaise, mixed it with the prawns, toasted the bread, and shaped the fish roe into small eggs. The dish has been on the menu of Riche, another Wretman restaurant since 1958.