dispatches
Hot off the Grill >>> What’s New in the World of Culinary Travel
© Bob Huitink)
Soul Food at the Avila Beach Hotel on Curacao Located in the lively Pietermaai District on the island of Curacao, the historic Avila Beach Hotel is fast becoming a hub for food fans thanks to its growing crop of culinary and cultural events. While annual events often include visiting celebrity chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants in the Netherlands, it’s possible to enjoy a memorable lunch or dinner at the hotel’s Restaurant The Pen year-round. Set overlooking the Caribbean, the restaurant features inspired dishes such as a refreshing watermelon salad with goat cheese, and beef tenderloin or lamb. Another top draw is the hotel’s Live Jazz Night on Thursday evenings at the Blues Bar & Restaurant, featuring music and Happy Hour 9–11 pm. The Caribbean menu features appetizers such as arepas with avocado salsa and soul food mains of stoba (slow-cooked beef stew) and grilled red snapper with funchi fries. www.avilabeachhotel.com
From in-room
Lennox Hotel
Budding Chefs Welcome at RitzCarlton Toronto
Champagne on Tap Since opening in late 2019, the Lennox Miami Beach Hotel has been a hotspot for
camping to handson cooking classes,
A-listers, influencers and
the Ritz Kids program
a fashionable crowd.
at The Ritz-
The eco-chic décor,
Carlton Toronto offers
featuring handcrafted
a family-friendly hotel
furniture from Patagonia
experience with a wealth of activities and amenities for young
and natural, green materials, offers the perfect backdrop for
guests. The Family Fun Package includes overnight accommodation
laidback luxury in an artistically inspired setting. Now, the boutique
in a deluxe category room for up to 4 (2 adults, 2 children), access
hotel has upped the luxe factor even further with a new Moët
to the exclusive Club Lounge with complimentary breakfast, lunch
& Chandon champagne vending machine, the first of its kind in
and light snacks, an in-room movie nightly with snack and a choice
Miami. The gold-rimmed dispenser offers guests the opportunity
of enrichment activity such as the Culinary Creators Experience,
to enjoy French champagne at the push of a button with 200-ml
an interactive activity for two children in the kitchen with a Ritz-
bottles including Brut Imperial, Rose Imperial and Nectar Imperial
Carlton, Toronto chef. The Ritz-Carlton Toronto also offers an indoor
available. To use the service, guests stop by the hotel lobby to
swimming pool, a kids’ breakfast menu at TOCA restaurant and a
purchase a token and borrow champagne flutes, then make their
weekend candy station in the lobby.
selection at the vending machine located in the hotel courtyard.
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/canada/toronto
www.lennoxmiamibeach.com
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taste& travel international april–june 2020
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Devour Tours
Hot off the Grill
Devour Tours Goes Global Devour Tours, best known for their ledby-locals, small-group food tours in Madrid, Seville, San
cURATED by michele peterson
Sebastian and Barcelona, is taking their award-winning travel experiences to new culinary frontiers. You can now find Devour Tours in Paris, Rome and Lisbon, where they are connecting
Carol Perehudoff
combination of food and
food fans to a new crop of local producers, cultural traditions and under-theradar neighbourhoods. Some of the tasty new tours include Paris by Night, an evening food and wine walk through the 11th arrondissement and the Testaccio Neighborhood Food & Market Tour in Rome. All tours are led by passionate storytellers who love sharing their insider knowledge with guests. www.devourtours.com Poke Ono
Culinary Highlights on the Danube
Acclaimed Aruban Chef Goes to ‘Infini’ and Beyond After gaining experience in Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe, Aruba-born chef Urvin Croes quickly became a culinary legend when he brought his own version of modern fusion back to the island. His flagship restaurant White Modern Cuisine, and his Kitchen Table by White chef’s table experience were tremendously successful, but Croes is not one to rest on his laurels. He is now on a mission to bring Asian and Hawaiian flavours to Aruba. The result is the new Po-Ké Ono at Azure specializing in poké bowls, sushi and baos. But he’s not stopping there. His highly anticipated new chef’s table experience at Blue Residences will be called ‘Infini’ and will seat 20 people in an open kitchen where Chef Croes will wow diners with surprise theme menus including an 8-course vegan offering. Wine and cocktail pairings will also be available. By Sue Campbell. www.azure-aruba.com
A prime way to experience Europe’s cultural riches is on one of Viking’s new, state-of-theart longships. Launched in 2019, the ships feature spacious staterooms with full-size verandas, the largest suites on Europe’s rivers and the most al fresco dining. There are also opportunities to sample a range of regional dishes on the ship’s daily menu, designed to complement the day’s destination. On Viking’s Danube river cruise, you can also tailor sightseeing opportunities to suit your tastes — literally — by selecting optional excursions such as a Wachau Valley winery tour, or a jaunt to the Austrian countryside for a first-hand demonstration of local bread baking techniques. Other gourmet experiences might include a visit to the Naschmarkt, a historic Viennese market with the ship’s Executive Chef, or the chance to explore Budapest’s rich food culture at the city’s Grand Market Hall. By Carol Perehudoff
www.vikingrivercruisescanada.com april–june 2020 taste& travel international
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Hot off the Grill Naya
Relaunch of JetBlue Vacations: The Insider Experience If you're going to Aruba or Punta Cana, you can now get the Insider Experience from JetBlue. JetBlue Vacations not only includes booking a flight, hotel and car on one website, but also an insider who greets you at the airport and is available 24/7 for any questions or problems. If you're a Canadian looking for a cheaper alternative for vacation travel, and you can get to a JetBlue city for departures, this could be a great option. Buffalo is popular because it's right on the border. JFK or Boston are also available. Western Canadians may go to Seattle or Los Angeles. By Laurie Heifetz. www.jetblue.com
Explore Spain, Argentina and Peru with Naya Traveler Culinary travellers looking for a highly personalized itinerary with a focus on gastronomy and high-end, immersive culinary experiences will be especially interested in Naya Traveler’s curated journeys to Spain, Argentina and Peru. Highlights in Spain include the old-world markets of San Miguel and La Boqueria, Rioja’s fragrant vineyards, tapas in Andalucia and a private hands-on cooking class at a traditional Basque cooking club. The Basque country experience begins with guided visits to La Brecha food market, farmhouses and fishing villages. Then, under the guidance of a cooking instructor of the prestigious Basque Culinary Center, you’ll be welcomed to the members-only Gastronomic Society where you’ll cook authentic regional dishes such as cod fish in a pil pil sauce or marmitako (Basque tuna stew) followed by fine Spanish wine over lunch.
www.nayatraveler.com 10
taste& travel international april–june 2020
Meliá Launches Wellness Program in Punta Cana Get a wellness boost at the new Wellbeing 360 Experience launched by the Meliá Punta Cana Beach Resort in the Dominican Republic. The 465-room, adults-only, all-inclusive resort recently introduced a collection of wellness activities, programs and accommodations designed to connect guests with body, mind and spirit. In addition, Punta Cana Beach has upgraded its food and beverage menus at five of its 16 restaurants, with an emphasis on healthy options. Guests of The Level and The Level Wellness Suites will also have exclusive access to Quimera, a signature restaurant featuring international cuisine, organic ingredients with ample amount of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, and a smoothie and juice bar where guests can create their own healthy concoction of superfoods such as moringa, chia seeds, turmeric and more. www.melia.com
Hot off the Grill
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Regional Flavours Feature at Bangkok’s Celadon Restaurant No stay at The Sukhothai Bangkok hotel is complete without a meal at its celebrated fine dining restaurant Celadon, voted Best Restaurant in Bangkok. Celadon has just launched a new dinner tasting menu of Thai dishes inspired by local ingredients found in the restaurant staff’s different hometowns throughout Thailand's regions. The tasting menu comes in 6-course and 9-course options and features dishes such as grilled river prawn with wild water plum chips and Thai vodka with tamarind sorbet. Just steps away from Bangkok’s business and entertainment neighbourhoods, The Sukhothai Bangkok offers much-needed serenity and respite in the heart of the city. The hotel is surrounded by luxurious gardens and lotus ponds that pay homage to old-world elegance. By Damian March. www.slh.com Jessica Percy-Campbell
Virtuous Pie Arrives in Victoria Vegans are rejoicing as Virtuous Pie, a restaurant featuring 100-percent plant-based pizza and ice cream, has opened its newest location in Victoria, British Columbia. This trendy pizza spot is already popular with vegans and carnivores alike at locations in Vancouver, Toronto and Portland. Pushing the boundaries of innovation with their creative menu, their pies feature house-made cashew and tofubased cheeses in local favourites such as a creamy mac and cheese skillet, the Pesto CBR pizza (pesto, ranch, ‘chicken’ and ‘bacon’) and the Stranger Wings pizza featuring spicy cauliflower bites with scallions and fried shallots drizzled with a blue cheese dressing. Virtuous Pie also offers gluten-free options, fun cocktails and exciting desserts such as cheesecake ice cream. By Jessica Percy Campbell. www.virtuouspie.com
Ultimate Luxury in San José del Cabo Between lively Cabo San Lucas on one side and laid-back San Jose del Cabo on the other, Villas Del Mar is a collection of stylish beachfront and hillside residences in the exclusive luxury community of Palmilla. The villas offer privacy, impeccable service and extraordinary views across the Sea of Cortez. Guests have exclusive access to ‘Ninety Six’ private beach club and kids club, and can embrace Club Espiritu’s 10,000 square feet of fitness and wellness space backed by ocean and mountain panoramas, or enjoy spa treatments and dinner offered in the privacy of their own villa. Golfers are in for a treat with four championship golf courses nearby, including Palmilla's famed 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course. By Damian March. www.slh.com/villas-del-mar
Michele Peterson is a Toronto-based travel and food writer. She can be reached at www.michelepeterson.com
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