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.

Poules Moules
In the gorgeous town of Bruges, the cultural and architectural treasures are overwhelming but dining options are less impressive. Poules Moules serves authentic regional food in one of the main squares, including their namesake mussels. Among other delights, the beef Carbonnade is superb. Order a local beer and you will be delighted.

Areia Marbella
Areia is a unique Gourmet Mediterranean restaurant in Marbella that uses regional ingredients and techniques to feature classics from the past - think tartare and Rossini - as well as innovative dishes like an eel in a manchego cream. A beautiful room and excellent service make this a wonderful place to take friends, family, and out-of-town guests.

Paladar Taberna
Chef Victor is part of a new wave of openings of decent food in Marbella - maybe 6-7 places. Here you will find superior ingredients and recipes that are distinctive without being ostentatious. Brilliant!

Skiffer Liuskaluoto
This is a once-in-a-lifetime pizza experience you could only have in Helsinki. A ferry bumps nose-first into the dock so people can clamber on and off to take the two-minute ferry ride to an island surrounded by boats. In this magical setting you are served a unique oval pizza with a cracker-like base - try the house-special surf and turf with fresh chorizo and local crayfish.

Savoy Café
The Savoy Cafe is French but the restaurant is dedicated to Finnish traditions. The room, their service, and the food are terrific. Perched high above the city, this beautiful space is loaded with history. Gustaf Mannerheim, the 6th president of Finland was credited with saving Finland twice as well as providing the Savoy restaurant with the original recipe for Vorschmack. This is a cornerstone dish of Finnish society made from ground lamb, onion, water, and anchovies or herring. Vorschmack is simmered for several hours and served with baked potatoes, beets, and sour cream.

Sea Horse
Top-notch local cuisine since 1934, Seahorse has been a magnet for artists and other dignitaries for decades. The seahorse murals are charming and the menu is enticing. The house specials are the fried herring, onion steak, and squeaky cheese dessert. You can also try the national dish: Salmon soup but the star of the show is the liver in lingonberry sauce with crunchy bacon.

Restaurant Fisken på Disken
In a city awash in delicious salmon soup, Fisken Pa Disken stands apart with a knockout version of this national dish. The flavors are unpretentious and clean, with a traditional dill-infused broth touched with allspice. Neither the mall location nor the modern decor can detract from the excellence of this traditional Scandinavian specialty. We had it twice in 3 days and wanted to go back a third time.