April 2014

T H E FOOD ISSU E

SOUTHEAST ASIA

APRIL 2014

FROM MINIBARS TO MIXOLOGISTS, COOL COCKTAILS TO CRAFT BEERS

MELBOURNE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH

95

PLACES TO EAT LIKE A LOCAL SINGAPORE S$7.90 ● HONG KONG HK$43 THAILAND THB175 ● INDONESIA IDR50,000 MALAYSIA MYR17 ● VIETNAM VND85,000 MACAU MOP44 ● PHILIPPINES PHP240 BURMA MMK35 ● CAMBODIA KHR22,000 BRUNEI BND7.90 ● LAOS LAK52,000

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For further information and reservations, please contact: Grand Nikko Bali Jalan Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, PO BOX 18, Nusa Dua 80363, Bali - Indonesia Tel: +62-361-773-377 Fax: +62-361-773-388 E-mail: sales@grandnikkobali.com URL: http://www.grandnikkobali.com

Check out our new and improved look at

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Volume 08 / Issue 04

Contents

April 2014 Features

Special 64 Asian Libations This region is afloat in new bars, new breweries and creative mixologists that are adding a little stardust to the moonshine.

Whether it’s eccentric speakeasies in Hong Kong, organic cocktails in Bangkok, or blending with bravado in Singapore, our team of writers tells you where and how to best get your drink on. edit ed by m er r it t gu r le y

SONNY THAKUR

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Chicken by the Sea The island of Hainan birthed one of China’s most iconic dishes: Hainanese chicken. j eff ch u and his mother search out the backstory of this family favorite, learning how to raise the birds, cook the dish, and connect over a not-so-simple plate of rice. gu ide a n d r ecipe page 83

84 95 Places to Eat Like a Local For the second edition of our global eating guide, we asked our

far-flung correspondents, favorite chefs, critics and resident food experts to share their beloved insider spots—places that so define their locale, they couldn’t be anywhere else.

94 Take Root For millennia, ginger has been the omnipresent worker bee of Asian cuisine, fortifying weak terrines and tummies. st eph a n ie zu bir i tracks the plant’s pep around the continent. gu ide page 101

102 Eating L.A. The always-voracious ga ry sht e y nga rt takes on all of Los Angeles, high and low, farm to table, tacos to rice bowls, bucatini carbonara to coconut cream—the best food in the city right now. pho t ogr a phed by mish a gr av enor . gu ide page

111

Stir-fried pork and ginger at Tsukiji, Manila, page 94.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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Contents Radar 26 Meals on Wheels The hottest new restaurant in town just drove past you! by k ate whitehead

30 Kitchen Aids Why does a cooking tool make a great souvenir? Because every time you use it, you relive your trip. by jennifer

dest i nat ions

40 Hidden Indian Follow marco ferrarese ’s quick guide to Penang’s Little India to eat like a local and hunt down the best dishes among a smorgasbord of excellent food choices.

Plus The reinvigoration of Hong Kong’s Sai Ying Pun neighborhood; eating your way around Hoi An; confessions of a roomservice waiter; and more.

Trip Doctor

by diana hubbell

34 Spicing Up Samui Locavore chef Alex Gares shows jeninne lee - st . john how to find the bona fide homegrown flavors of this Thai island.

50 The Fix How, what and when to eat to stave off jetlag.

54 Strategies The best airport and airline food around the world.

60 Tech New apps and websites for foodies with wanderlust.

62 Deals A spa treatmentfilled trip to the Maldives; Hong Kong with a side of Disney; a grand opening offer in Nanjing; and more.

Decoder

Departments 12 14 … i n b o x 16

e d i t o r ’s n o t e

contr ibu tors

flowers

32 Gourmet Guides If your travels are focused on the world’s best bites, then consider enlisting the help of these victual virtuosos.

10 …

On the Cover Joseph Boroski mixes cocktails at Bangkok’s Bar & Hospitality School. Photographed by Pornsak Na Nakorn.

112 Melbourne A Victorianthrowback beach-ringed beauty, Australia’s second city is trending casual in its dining scene, and going global in music and wine, while keeping its laid-back, cool-kid vibe. richard mcleish guides us around his hometown foodie, fashionista and footballer heaven. photographed by paul philipson

Last Look

118

luke duggleby takes us

through the life cycle of edible laphet tea, in Namshan, Burma.

PAU L P H IL IP SO N

Century-old bathing boxes stand in colorful contrast to the Melbourne skyline, page 112.

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Destinations

April 2014 123

102

LOS A N G E LES HAINAN

KOH SA M U I

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78

106 34

28

HON G KON G

HOI A N

M E LBOU R N E

112

DESTINATION

PAGE

WHEN TO GO

WHAT US$5 BUYS

WHO TO FOLLOW

Hainan

78

November to early March is most temperate.

A meal at Xinsheng Wenchang Chicken Rice Restaurant.

@visitisland

Hoi An

28

In May, June and July, the crowds thin and it’s perfect beach weather.

Five banh mi from Tiem Banh Mi Phuong—lunch for the whole family.

@hoiantravel01

Hong Kong

21

November and December are lovely and cool.

Avoid the sweltering, humid summer if at all possible.

A four-day pass for the Hong Kong Tramways.

@timeouthk

Koh Samui

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January through April has the least rain; May and June are slightly cooler before the wet season really kicks in.

Two beers at 4 Monkeys Coffee Bar.

@SamuiNightlife

Los Angeles

102

Whenever. Temperatures vary little yearround, with highs hovering between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius.

A glass of Canada’s Berg water, from glaciers off western Greenland, at Ray’s & Stark bar.

@LATimes

Melbourne

112

In the austral summer of December through March.

Starting price for a child’s ticket to an Australian Football League game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

@OnlyMelbourne

Long Weekend

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Beach

Active

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

Food+Drink

Shopping

Arts+Culture

ge fique Voya My Magni

DUA NUSA BALI FITEL

SO

RT

O H RES

BEAC

ESCAPE ANTING CHARM AN ENCH LINESE EETS BA M CE N TREAT EGA RE EL T N CH O FREN ACHFR VISH BE DUA, IN A LA

SA T N5, NU BTDC, LO 9 2889 361 84 WISATA L: (+62) AN PARI TE AS W A KA NESI .COM UA DO IN AD 3 US 36 IN BALI 80 FITELBAL INFO@SO

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A taste of tropical luxury on the magical island of Bali BOASTING MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OF THE SHIMMERING SEA, SOFITEL BALI NUSA DUA BEACH RESORT’S SPACIOUS ROOMS AND SUITES OFFER SOPHISTICATED STYLE AND EXQUISITE COMFORT. REVEL IN A WORLD OF REJUVENATION WITH A SAVANT MIX OF WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES, FRENCH COSMETOLOGY AND TRANQUIL SURROUNDS. DISCOVER ALL OUR MAGNIFIQUE ADDRESSES ON

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If, like me, your mobile phone is overloaded with food pictures, I think you have a problem.

Or, at least a fun obsession. Whether you’re in Singapore, Bali or Manila, in a restaurant, a street-side food stall or even an airport, snapping photos of your next meal is the norm these days. Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Your friends, family and a long list of others know what you’re eating before you’ve even had a taste. Our food has become art, our electronically shared meals the galleries. This is particularly true in Asia, where the diversity of dishes, flavors and palates knows no bounds, a sentiment that bubbles to the top in this, our annual food issue.

In “95 Places to Eat Like a Local” (page 84), you’ll find Mumbai and Marrakesh, Shanghai and San Francisco, Hong Kong and Hoi An. With this extensive inside take on where to eat around the world, you will be hard-pressed to get through the list without making a few long-distance reservations.

If you fear that your own appetite is overly ravenous, remember that there are other diners with even more searing culinary preoccupations. This month, in “Chicken by the Sea” (page 78), Jeff Chu embarks on a quest for the best Hainanese chicken rice on that Chinese island, while Stephanie Zubiri traverses the region, and thousands of years, to, yes, root out how ginger has made its way in to every Asian cuisine (“Take Root,” page 94).

We make a splash this month with cocktails in a special section (“Asian Libations,” page 64) that also includes Asia’s best craft beers, tells you how to make the most of minibars and a helps you determine what kind of watering hole sates your own thirst best.

Drinking—from fine wines to flat whites—and dining are deeply woven into the cultural fabric of Melbourne, one of the world’s best foodie stops. This month’s Decoder (page 112) highlights the best of what’s new in the city and will have you veering down unlikely alleyways for dinner when you’re not heading out to the Yarra Valley wineries. Best of all, when vineyard-hopping there are designated drivers, so you can devote your journey to some great meals. Just don’t forget your phone.—c h r i s t op h e r k u c way

Where to find me chrisk@mediatransasia.com @CKucway on Twitter

Our Next Stops

Penang Istanbul Hong Kong Papua New Guinea

The T+L Code Travel + Leisure editors, writers and photographers are the industry’s most reliable sources.

While on assignment, they travel incognito whenever possible and do not take press trips or accept free travel of any kind.

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N A P AT R A V E E W AT

Editor’s Note

Contributors

Richard Mcleish

Jeff Chu

Stephanie Zubiri

why is melbourne such a foodie town? A big variety of influences is readily absorbed by the locals who are wellinformed and open-minded. biggest new trends there Gelati sweetened the city this summer, with ramen in the works for the winter months. i’m arriving saturday morning. what are we doing for the next 30 hours? First, brunch at Galleon Café in St. Kilda.

Then it’s into the city for a game of footy at the MCG. With a thirst developed, next up is the nearby Carlton Club before a pasta at Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar and some laneway bar hopping. Finish the night off paryting in Brunswick before dashing to the airport. your bar style?

Late, lively and ludicrous.

the best hainanese chicken rice… Is definitely in Hainan. taking a mother-son trip as an adult feels... Weird. One of the secrets to our success on this trip was that we agreed to leave our stresses behind.

We committed to not talking about family stuff and focused on enjoying every new sight and every new taste. did you disagree at meals? As I get older, I find that I can’t eat as much.

My mom still eats heroically at a buffet. I stand—well, mostly I sit—in awe. where are you eating next?

Los Angeles. On the menu: sushi and Mexican food, two things that are vastly inferior in New York, where I live. I expect to return home with tubs of salsa and stacks of freshly made corn tortillas.

how’d you come up with the idea for a story about ginger? I love learning more about the stories behind strong and bold ingredients. Where they’ve traveled, how they grow, anecdotes and folk tales... I was originally looking at lemongrass or basil but then it dawned on me that everywhere I went in Asia, ginger was always there, present and earnest. most surprising ginger-filled dish It would have to be chicken korma—Who knew ginger and tomatoes would go so well together? ginger is best… Fresh, raw, grated straight into a hot pan of sizzling onions and garlic.

Frying out the rawness tempers its potency. It is a strange alchemy—the spice mellows out yet intensifies in aroma at the same time.

Writer “Chicken by the Sea” (page 78).

Writer “Take Root” (page 94).

‘As I get older, I find that I can’t eat as much. My mom still eats heroically at a buffet. I stand— well, mostly I sit—in awe.’

—JEFF CHU

F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F R I C H A R D M C L E I S H ; C O U R T E S Y O F J E F F C H U ; C O U R T E S Y O F S T E P H A N I E Z U B I R I

Writer “Find Your Bar Style” and “Decoder: Melbourne” (pages 64 and 112).

exotic & idyllic retreat

Inbox

...where life is a private celebration

A Bright, Sunshiny Day Lovely cover photo in February... vibrant, wholesome and sophisticated. Great style! f

Sanur I Ubud I Nusa Dua I Jimbaran

Lies Sol

phuket

Flashpacking 2.0

Reading the Leaves

Hostels (“A Hostel Environment,” June 2013) are a big market nowadays because there are lots of young people traveling who have enough disposable income to enjoy some creature comforts. But there is one major difference in walking into a hostel now and walking into one 20 years ago. In my backpacker days, everyone would sit around and drink beer and swap stories. Now, everyone is staring at their laptop or mobile device, and off in their own world. Shame—because being disconnected was one of the great benefits of taking time off to travel. f Greg Hill

For your Street Eats story (Last Look, September 2013), perhaps a photo in Burma showing a plate of the traditional laphet thote (pickled green tea leaf salad) could be considered, as it would provide an image of a dish available from the street vendor stalls that is uniquely Burmese. f Scott McIntire

P. 62 361 705 777 F. 62 361 705 101 E. experience@kayumanis.com

CONTACT INFO

california

Editor’s note: Great idea, Scott! Please turn to page 118 for a close-up look at laphet. If there’s anything else you readers would like to see in the pages of Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia, e-mail, tweet us, or visit our Facebook page.

tleditor@mediatransasia.com, travelandleisureasia.com, f facebook.com/ TravelLeisureAsia or @TravLeisureAsia.

Got something to say? Tell us at

Comments may be edited for clarity and space. www.thegangsa.com

www.kayumanis.com

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Radar On Our

News. Finds. Opinions. Obsessions.

A late bite at One Stop.

on the map

C H R I S T O P H E R K U C W AY

SIZZLING SAI YING PUN This old Chinese neighborhood in Hong Kong’s Western District is changing fast.

A new escalator and the promise of an MTR station later this year are ushering in a fresh crop of bars and restaurants worth checking out. By Kate Whitehead → T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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1 Metropolitan Bistro de Paris The signage mimics

the Parisian Metro and snails are on the menu at this very French affair offering home-style cooking with a Provençale touch. Get a table on the terrace to watch the world go by. GF 46 High St.; 852/6271-6102; french-creations.com; dinner for two HK$400.

2 High Street Grill

One of the newest kids on the block, the menu is Australian fusion so expect Asian favorites as well as plenty of pasta and pizza crowd-pleasers. Come on a Sunday for a great brunch in a calming atmosphere. 48-88 High St.; 852/2559-2638; casteloconcepts.com; dinner for two HK$700.

3 One Stop Ristorante &

Clockwise from top left: High Street Grill’s salmon salad; picnic favorites at Pata Negra; the sweet side of Corner Café; outside Metropolitain Bistro de Paris; Grassroots Pantry.

Bar This is the sister business of One Stop Food Supply, a small store across the road that specializes in sustainable meats and gourmet ingredients. The enterprising owner of the provisions shop has taken advantage of the supply of fresh produce to open this very affordable restaurant.

The décor is simple with bold art works and tables out front for dining alfresco.

52 High St.; 852/2858-1018; dinner for two HK$300.

4 Fuku Robatayaki &

Kaki Although this Japanese joint isn’t much to look at, the vibe is warm and the food is consistently great. As you’d expect, robatayaki features on the vast menu as well sushi, sashimi, noodles and rice. Its great food and reasonable prices draw a crowd, so make a reservation to ensure a table. 69 High St.; 852/25489961; dinner for two HK$400

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T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

5 Grassroots Pantry

Hong Kong doesn’t have many Western vegetarian restaurants, so this homey spot with a staff dedicated to wholesome food and green living was an instant hit. The ingredients are mostly organic and locally sourced and the interior has a vintage vibe. Cooking classes are also offered. 12 Fuk Sau Ln.; 852/2873-3353; grassrootspantry.com; dinner for two HK$600.

6 Corner Café This pint-sized café with tempting treats is ideal for a quick lunch or coffee. The cakes and savory treats are all homemade—the quiche is especially good. Coffee is imported from Italy and Australia. 56 Centre St.; 852/3480-8436; dinner for two HK$200.

7 Pata Negra House

This Spanish deli specializing in the nation’s much-loved Iberian ham is a meat-lover’s paradise. For the less carnivorously inclined, there are plenty of cheeses, olives and wine— everything you need to put together a great picnic. Shop E, Tung Cheung Bldg., 1 Second St.; 852/2527-5181.

8 Taco Chaca Most agree that the best tacos in town are served at this Southern Californian-style taqueria.

The menu is big on flavor with Mexican favorites such as burritos, quesadillas and enchiladas, along with a bevy of spicy sauces. There are only a few tables within, so if its busy you may get stuck outside, but at these prices you can’t complain.

Shop F, Tung Cheung Bldg, 1 Second St.; 852/2559-9519; tacochaca.com; dinner for two HK$200. ✚

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F H I G H S T R E E T G R I L L ; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C W AY ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F M E T R O P O L I TA I N ; C O U R T E S Y O F G R A S S R O O T S P A N T R Y

Radar

Radar cruising

SEA FARE

Shipboard cuisine is going beyond the buffet.

1 Crystal Serenity—fresh from a US$17 million makeover—is bringing foods of the world (Alsatian tarte; lamb dumplings from North Africa) to its Tastes restaurant. The “living walls” planted in the alfresco Trident Grill provide the herbs (crystalcruises.com).

Chef Bo delicately composes a plate.

2

Bo on Bangkok

Diana Hubbell talks to Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava, one of the head chefs and founders of Bangkok’s Bo.lan restaurant, about the changing scene in Thailand.

Q: What does it take to do Thai food well?

A: It’s not that easy to do Thai food by hand,

when you’re not shortcutting anything. It’s like the difference between ParmigianoReggiano and grated Kraft.

Q: Has there been a shift in Bangkok’s Thai restaurants?

A: Five years ago it was very hard to find a good Thai restaurant that cared about sourcing the ingredients. If you had asked me then, I would’ve said that the dining scene was stagnant. I’m quite happy with what’s happening with Thai food now, and in a fine dining context as well. And that people are doing different things. It’s cool.

Confessions of a RoomService Waiter This server at a luxury hotel in Boston delivers the dish.

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It’s crazy what you run across in the wee hours—like guests eating off the trays others have left outside their rooms….

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

Q: What inspired you to start the city’s first

farmers’ markets?

A: We tried to get organic products and it was super difficult to find any. So we started working directly with the farmers. At first it was just to get organic veggies for Bo.lan, but to make it sustainable, they had to be able to sell to other people. So we’d give them a free space to sell at the restaurant once a week, as long as the goods were ethical and sustainable. With the farmers’ market we tried to make people aware that everything we choose to eat impacts the environment.

Bo.lan 42 Pichai Ronnarong, Sukhumvit Soi

26; bolan.co.th; set menu from Bt1,980.

A famous author lived in our hotel for a few months, and ordered room service every single meal—for her Yorkies! She demanded we use “French service”—plating the food at the table.

Befitting its home port of Miami, the new Norwegian Getaway has cooked up the Tropicana Room, a retro dinner club with a decidedly Latino vibe. To order: ceviche and churrasco steak (ncl.com).

3 New guest lecturers aboard Holland America Line ships include New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman and Jehangir Mehta, a former protégé of JeanGeorges Vongerichten (hollandamerica.com).

4 Oceania’s Riviera and Marina are now offering food-themed excursions and courses, such as a tour of the Mercado Central in Valencia, Spain, followed by an onboard paella class (oceaniacruises.com).

—jane wooldridge

The worst people are the ones who forget to take down their Do Not Disturb signs or those who answer the door naked. That happens more than you’d think!

COURTESY OF BO.L A N

q& a

Try the “iHealth” menu at Harbourside InterContinental.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F I N T E R C O N T I N E N TA L ; C O U R T E S Y O F F I V E L E M E N T S ; C O U R T E S Y O F W E S T I N S I N G A P O R E

Food synergy at Westin Singapore.

Fresh wraps at Fivelements.

wellness

Green on the Go

Bypass the buffet in favor of these new healthy dining options being offered at major hotels across the region. By Melanie Lee It’s tempting to pig out when you are on vacation, but a few hotels are rolling out super food menus to help combat the urge to splurge. The SuperFoodsRx dishes in the restaurants at the new Westin Singapore (65/6922-6888; starwoodhotels.com) give diners the option of forgoing the usual buffet in favor of a long list of healthy food options packed with antioxidants. A key concept of this menu is “food synergy,” the theory that the combinations of certain foods are even more nutritious than if they are eaten separately. Thus, at their signature restaurant, Seasonal Tastes (meal for two S$70), the Bircher Muesli comes with cinnamon, because it works together with whole grains to control blood-sugar levels; and the organic fennel salad is topped with crushed

walnuts, because combined they help you burn fat.

Also catering to the food-conscious is InterContinental Hong Kong. Their all-day café, Harbourside (852/23132323; meal for two HK$1,000), has collaborated with Hong Kong Adventist Hospital dieticians to come up with an “iHealth” menu that uses ingredients that are known to prevent heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. Expect nourishing dishes such as beetroot gnocchi.

Meanwhile, the Sakti Dining Room (meal for two Rp750,000) in Bali’s Fivelements (62/361-469-260; fivelements.org) healing and wellness resort offers epicurean vegan dishes such as home-baked eggplant, which is stuffed with five spice-marinated tofu and rambutan blossoms.

Radar

trending

Meals on Wheels

The hottest new restaurant in town just drove past you! By Kate Whitehead The food truck phenomenon took off in the U.S. when out-of-work chefs set up restaurants on wheels. These creative cooks, following in the tire tracks of the ice cream vans that paved the way starting with their original incarnation as 19th-century horsedrawn wagons, dole out easy-to-eat, tasty—and often gourmet—fare at, thanks to the low overhead, reasonable prices. The appetite for these mobile munchies just keeps growing, spilling past borders and taking the AsiaPacific region by storm.

AUSTRALIA

Melbourne prides itself on being a foodie city, so it’s no surprise the place was quick to embrace the food-truck craze. The first in the city was Beatbox Kitchen (beatboxkitchen.com; meal for two A$25) in 2009 and five years on it’s still serving classic burgers and fries, with a few variations like the vegfriendly Shroom Burger. It was such as 26

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hit that the owner followed it up with a taco truck and before long there were dozens of trucks milling about Melbourne. Soon Chingon (chingon. com.au) joined the scene with its own brand of Mexican favorites, creating competition. Luckily Melbourne has enough hungry customers to keep everyone in business.

Try to catch White Guy Cooks Thai (whiteguycooksthai.com.au; meal for two A$25), a flashy ride that hit the streets in 2012. Simon Williams is the “white guy,” but his menu isn’t strictly Thai. Alongside the red and green curries and Thai-style corn fritters, he serves up Vietnamese rolls, teriyaki salmon and Korean beef bulgogi.

Today there are about 50 trucks in Melbourne, targeting mostly the inner suburbs, and it’s easy to find them thanks to Facebook and Twitter. In fact, it safely can be said that without social networking sites this food fad could never have grown so big so fast.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

Get the Where The Truck (app. wherethetruck.at) app for a fairly comprehensive directory of Australia’s food trucks.

JAPAN

Japan’s food trucks are smaller than those in the U.S. and Australia and zoning regulations mean that public open space can’t be used for kitchens.

A few quick-thinking entrepreneurs have found a loophole though and have set up companies that match trucks with building owners. In Tokyo, trucks often congregate in one area at lunch, giving office workers plenty of choice and creating a buzz downtown.

Look out for: Tofu Tofu (facebook. com/tofutofu.cafe; meal for two US$20) for a fun vegetarian bite. The brightly painted VW minivan works magic with tofu, packing in plenty of flavor.

But if you’re craving some meat, then Rodeio Grill (rodeiogrill.jp; meal for two US$30) should hit the spot.

F R O M T O P L E F T: © T R A C Y M O N S O D / C O U R T E S Y O F S H A W A R M A B R O S ; C O U R T E S Y O F F L A M I N G W H E E L S ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F S H A W A R M A B R O S

From left: Heaping plates of goodness at Shawarma Bros; Flaming Wheels cooks up hot wings and chili beef nachos.

Clockwise from top left: Pizza-Aroy’s mobile wood-fired oven; White Guy Cooks Thai; Where’s the beef? At Daniel Thaiger; piping hot Pizza-Aroy.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F W I L LY ’ Z ; C O U R T E S Y O F W H I T E G U Y C O O K S T H A I ; C O U R T E S Y O F M A R K F A K I O N I ; C O U R T E S Y O F W I L LY ’ Z

MALAYSIA

Street-side snacks served from mobile kitchens are nothing new in Malaysia, but last year Kuala Lumpur welcomed a new breed of vehicle: the super-shiny modern food truck sporting all the bells and whistles. Flaming Wheels (myflamingwheels.com; meal for two US$30) belongs to a Malaysian restaurateur who was inspired by the U.S. food trucks and invested a good chunk of capital into a very flash looking vehicle—think Hot Wheels.

The menu has plenty of local and international bistro favorites, such as chili beef nachos, goulash and Singapore noodles. It’s made such a splash in Kuala Lumpur that the Malaysian prime minister even stopped by for a bite in January.

PHILIPPINES

Manila caught the food truck bug so thoroughly that in December 2012 it created the country’s first food truck

market in downtown Makati, offering a new breed of alfresco dining, quite unlike the illegal street vendors for whom mobility was all about being able to make a quick exit when the cops showed up. The original market closed but a new edition is in the works.

Check the Food Truck Park Facebook site for news on its next location.

Shawarma Bros (shawarmabros. com; meal for two about US$10), however, endured. It opened in December 2012 and was so popular it sold out of shawarma for the first three days and went on to pick up an award for best food truck.Shawarma Bros is still going strong and recently opened a brick and mortar restaurant on Raymundo Avenue, Pasig City.

THAILAND

In Bangkok, most mobile food carts are attached to motorcycles. This makes good sense given the city’s notoriously terrible traffic, but it hasn’t stopped

confirmed foodies doing their bit to boost the legit food truck movement.

First came a couple of Korean Taco trucks called Kenji. They made a splash and lasted a year before disappearing from the scene. Demonstrating more enduring success has been Bangkok’s first gourmet burger truck, Daniel Thaiger (facebook.com/DanielThaiger; burgers for two Bt280). Opened last September, it’s the brainchild of Californian Mark Falcioni and his Thai wife, Honey. Named after their young son, this Sukhumvit-area pitstop has been a huge hit; its “Mr. Steve” burger uses organic beef.

The prize for one of the quirkiest trucks goes to Pizza-Aroy (pizza-aroy. com; pizza for two Bt500) for its mobile wood-fired pizza oven. It’s actually a utility pick-up truck, and the oven complete with chimney is mounted on the back. It serves piping hot pies on the move—or will tool over to your house for a portable pizza party. ✚

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Six Dishes: Hoi An

Our abridged meal-by-meal guide to where to eat now. By Lara Dunston

breakfast My quang (yellow noodles and pork) at Hai

morning snack Hoanh thanh chien (fried wontons) at Ms. Ly Café

lunch Com ga (chicken and rice) at Com Ga Ba Buoi

Mr. Hai makes the most refined rendition of this popular breakfast noodle dish. Succulent char siu pork slices, fresh prawns and a quail egg rest atop silky turmeric rice noodles in a spiced pork broth. 6A Truong Minh Luong St.; VND30,000 a bowl.

In the kitchen of her centuries-old family home, Chef Ly produces the prettiest version of these flat fried shrimp wontons, which she tops with her made-to-order sweet and sour tomato salsa. 22 Nguyen Hue St.; 84-510/386-1603; VND90,000 per dish.

Hoi An’s take on Asia’s ubiquitous chicken and rice is distinguished by fluffy yellow turmeric-tinted rice, shredded chicken, slivers of onion, black pepper and Vietnamese mint, with chicken broth on the side. 22 Phan Chu Trinh St.; VND15,000 per plate.

dessert Tau hu nuoc duong (silky tofu in ginger sauce) at Nguyen Thai Hoc Street

evening snack Cao lau (Hoi An noodles and pork) at Ty Cao Lau

dinner Banh uot thit nuong (barbecued pork skewer rolls) at Mai Fish

Dessert is eaten following lunch or as an afternoon snack rather than with dinner in Hoi An and you’ll find the best vendors a block from the Japanese Bridge. The silky tofu with a syrupy ginger sauce is the most sublime.

Nguyen Thai Hoc St., where it meets Bach Dang St.; VND5,000 a dish.

As Mr. Ty sets up at 4:30 p.m., his plastic tables fill with customers waiting for a bowl of his coarse handmade noodles and roasted char siu pork drizzled with luxuriant broth and sprinkled with deep-fried dough. Corner of lane off Phan Chu Trinh St., one block west Le Loi St.; VND20,000 a bowl.

The best lemongrass pork rolls in town are served riverfront at Mai Fish restaurant where you can leisurely roll your own pork (or beef or seafood) in soft rice paper sheets with pungent peanut sauce and fragrant herbs.

45 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St.; 84-510/ 392-5545; VND90,000 a platter.

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Photographed by Terence Carter

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Why does a cooking tool make a great souvenir?

Because every time you use it, you relive your trip.

Try to guess each item’s place of origin.

1. If you’re a nonna making potato dumplings in this boot-shaped nation, you might employ a macchinetta per gnocchi to create the signature indentations. 2. In the Land of Smiles, sticky rice steamers are used to achieve that tender-yet-chewy goodness; serve the rice with khao soi curry. 3. A must-have tool in an island nation obsessed with green tea? The chasen, or bamboo whisk, for blending the powdered matcha into hot water. 4. A molinillo whips hot chocolate—an Aztec drink invented here 2,000 years ago—to frothy perfection. 5. Clay tagines are the secret behind tender lamb stews and fluffy couscous in this North African nation; the pretty one shown here is intended for serving. 6. In this country, coffee is traditionally made by boiling the grounds in a cezve; enjoy a cup after a Bosporusside meal of kebabs and meze. 7. For Mid-Autumn Festival, locals break out wooden yue bing mo molds to make moon cakes and cookies filled with lotus seed and red bean paste. 8. The small but sturdy pohaku kui ai turns taro roots into creamy poi, a staple in these Pacific islands. 9. You may know this South American country for its coffee, but equally delicious are its hearty bean and rice dishes, made in porous La Chamba pots. —jennifer flowers

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Gourmet Guides

If your travels are focused on following the world’s best bites, then consider enlisting the help of these victual virtuosos. By Diana Hubbell Intrepid foodies these days venture beyond the obvious to search for more authentic local cuisine. Leading the way are bloggers and fellow gourmands who offer private, bespoke tours that veer well off the beaten culinary path.

Clockwise from top: Mark Wiens’s skillet doublewhammy; food fever at Bangkok’s Chinatown; flavorful khao kluk kapi.

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C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F M A R K W I E N S ; © K O R AT M E M B E R / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C O U R T E S Y O F M A R K W I E N S

MARK WIENS, BANGKOK

Co-founder of the popular blog eatingthaifood.com, Mark Wiens specializes in steering visitors away from tourist traps and towards some of the city’s most interesting eats. where to go “Surrounding fresh markets and on the outskirts of hospitals, universities or transportation hubs—these are often great areas for stumbling into delicious street food. Petchaburi Soi 5 is an entire street that is jam-packed with vendors in the evening. Wang Lang Market is great in the middle of the day, and throughout the maze of Chinatown’s back alleys are a few areas I especially enjoy.” must-try “A dish known as khao kluk kapi begins with rice that’s stir-fried with a hint of shrimp paste. Assembled on top of the rice are pieces of sweet pork, salty Chinese sausage, dry shrimp, omelette, sour green mango, diced shallots, Thai chilies and, finally, cucumbers and long beans. Practically the entire scale of what your mouth is capable of tasting is represented on a single plate. Khao Kluk Kapi Niyngow [66-84/696-8797; Bt40], a small lunchtime stall located surprisingly close to Khao San Road, makes it very well.” stay away from “A food cart that has a big handwritten sign for green papaya salad or pad thai is probably a cart you want to avoid, unless of course you want tame Thai food.” Contact Mark at migrationology@gmail.com; private half-day group food tours from US$70 to US$80 per person.

JENNY GAO, CHENGDU

Like any good Chengduren, Jenny Gao’s been a foodie since she could hold her chopsticks. In addition to writing for her blog, jingtheory.com, and appearing on the BBC, Gao leads visitors through the city’s tea houses and snack stalls, or to her own house for a home-cooked Sichuan meal. where to go “You couldn’t avoid good food in Chengdu, even if you tried. There are small, family-owned restaurants that have been around for years. If there’s a line snaking out the door, that’s usually a good sign. Take a cue from what’s on other people’s tables and you can’t go wrong.” must-try dish “A classic Sichuan street snack, tianshuimian, which translates to ‘sweet water noodles.’ The best version is served up at Zhang Liangfen [39 Wenshuyuan Jie; RMB5], an age-old hole-in-the-wall across from Wenshu Temple in the center of town. You get a bowl of thick, chewy, hand-pulled noodles with an incredible elixir of sweet, savory and spicy sauces ladled on top.” on the horizon “There is a new trend in cultural preservation

Clockwise from right: Food blogger Jenny Gao; packed food stalls in Chengdu; sweet water noodles.

spawned by popular food documentaries in recent years such as CCTV’s A Bite of China, which is reviving interest among a younger generation in their cultural heritage.

This spells a positive change that hopefully leads to more efforts to preserve, as well as push forward, Sichuan’s rich culinary identity.”

Contact Jenny at jing@jingtheory.com; tours priced upon request.

CLOCK WISE FROM TOP: COURTESY OF JENNY GAO; ©JACKQ/DRE AMSTIME.COM; ©DARREN SOH; COURTESY OF VICTORIA MIL N ER (2); COURTESY OF JEN N Y GAO

VICTORIA MILNER, SINGAPORE

Though well-versed in the Lion City’s fine dining scene, the author of singaporefoodie.com is just as comfortable frequenting a hawker center for a humble plate of Hainan chicken rice. where to go “My favorite place to take visitors is Tiong Bahru—it’s a little enclave not far from the city but full of historical charm. You can visit the wet market to buy fresh produce, pop into a French bakery for croissant

Clockwise from top left: Victoria Milner at work; at Maxwell Road hawker center; a bowl of fish soup.

and then sample local pau [buns], all in the one wonderful little village. It is hard to choose, but my favorite hawker center is Maxwell Road.” must-try “A fish soup at a particular hawker stall in the city called Han Kee Fish Soup [Amoy Street Food Centre, Cnr. Telok Ayer St. and Amoy St., #02-129, 069111; S$6]. You’ll know it when you see it because the queue will weave around the center. Go before 11:30 a.m. on a weekday to avoid the afternoon lunch lines.” memorable meal “Sitting down for a meal in Pulau Ubin, a little island just off the coast of Singapore is an unforgettable experience. It’s not fancy. In fact, you feel transported back a century as you eat wonderfully prepared noodles from a simple restaurant in a kampong that feels untouched by time and the scars of modern life.” Contact Victoria at victoria@singaporefoodie.com; private half-day group tours from S$50 per person, including all food. ✚ T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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Spicing Up Samui Locavore chef Alex Gares shows Jeninne Lee-St. John how to find the bona fide homegrown flavors of this Thai island.

Chef Alex Gares heats up Four Seasons Koh Samui.

The first thing you need to know about southern Thai food: “It’s spicy,” says Alex Gares. “And if they tell you it’s spicy, do not even taste it.” This coming from the executive chef who put pork trotters boiled with sea anemone, and frog stir-fried with turmeric, garlic and cilantro on the menu at KOH, the new cliff-hanging, tree-straddling restaurant in the clouds at Four Seasons Koh Samui (219 Moo 5, Angthong; 66-77/243-000; fourseasons.com; doubles from Bt25,600). Gares is all about going local with a menu that’s a greatest-hits compendium of dishes that were his staff members’ favorites growing up, such as the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly kra pow. “We’re not tweaking or Westernizing the dishes,” he says.

“We’re bringing real Thai food to our visitors that want to try to it.”

Here the el Bulli-trained Barcelona native shares his island itinerary for the real McCoy Koh Samui experience.

Eat “I like to sit on the pillows in the bamboo huts on the beach at Haad Bang Po [Moo 6, 4169 Ring Rd., Bang Po; 66-8/1788-8936;

4 Monkeys Coffee Bar.

Stir-fried frog legs at KOH restaurant.

Wade in and catch your lunch.

Gorge on local oysters.

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dinner for two Bt600] where a grandmother and daughter team cooks southern food and fresh seafood like steamed sea bass.” + “For real Thai food, go to Ranong [Moo 2, Chumchon Chaweng Yai Soi 4, Chaweng; dinner for two Bt450]. They make great local soups. Get the pork spare ribs with hot basil and kaffir lime.” + “I don’t really go out for Western food that often, but when I do, I quite like The Larder [9/144 Moo 2, Chaweng; 66-77/601-259; dinner for two Bt1,500] and Barracuda [Soi 4, Maenam; 66-77/921-663; dinner for two Bt1,500].”

Do “On Baan Bangmakham and Bang Po beaches, wait for low tide and you’ll get 50 meters of beach. Walk out onto the rocks and pick oysters. My six-yearold daughter and I eat them fresh right there. I have to tell her to stop after she’s eaten 20.” + “Also at low tide, I go to catch crabs with my daughter—blue, white, sand, any kind. She was so proud, she cooked them up herself. Just last week, we also caught seven nice prawns. You might try taking [your catches] to a local chef to cook for you.” + “Ordinations are family celebrations, like weddings and funerals, and are very welcoming. I was once in a temple with 200 people. Everyone was looking at me, not the new monk, because I was the only foreigner.

But it was great. I was eating real, deep Thai home cooking the grandma was making.”

Drink “4 Monkeys Coffee Bar [Moo 6, 4169 Ring Rd., Bang Po, Maenam] is just a few pieces of bamboo, really. It’s a cute little wooden shack on the beach with a retro feel: vintage portraits of the King and Queen on the wall, old Thai furniture and cool artifacts. The best time of day is around sunset for sundowners, when there’s a nice cool breeze.

Try their banoffee pie—amazing.” + “Two other nice local bars are Sawasdee Cup [Baan Bangmakham; 66-8/1956-2669], reasonably priced with good mojitos, and Blue Marlin [Bang Por beach]. Three minutes from the hotel, it’s a nice place to spend a relaxing few hours on the beach to drink and eat.” ✚

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F F O U R S E A S O N S (4) ; C O U R T E S Y O F 4 M O N K E Y S C O F F E E B A R

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Caffè Culture

Three reasons we’d rather be in Florence right now: flaky cornetti, bracingly strong espresso and that inimitable Italian sensibility. Here, how to fit in—plus a few places to get your fix. the look 1 Leather handbag by Salvatore Ferragamo. 2 Cashmere-and-silk scarf, Loro Piana. 3 Leather iPad case, Etro. 4 Cat-eye sunglasses, Persol. 5 Calfskin wallet, Bulgari.

6 Lipstick in Scarlett, Dolce & Gabbana. 7 Nine-karat rose-gold ring, Pomellato. the locations Take in the scene at Chiaroscuro (chiaroscurofirenze.it), home to 30-minute coffee-tasting classes; the wood-paneled Caffè Cibrèo (edizioniteatrodelsalecibreofirenze.it), where Isidoro Vodola has been perfecting his drinks for 25 years; and Caffè Florian (caffeflorian.com), which recently added an airy art gallery. —valerie waterhouse 36

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Photographed by James Wojcik

S T Y L E D B Y M I M I L O M B A R D O . P R O P S T Y L I S T: C H R I S T Y P I T R E . M A R K E T E D I T O R : C O U R T N E Y K E N E F I C K

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Art for Us All

The Affordable Art Fair in Singapore is returning next month, helping make original works of contemporary art accessible to a wider audience. This event brings together pieces of varying styles from more than 75 local, regional and international galleries, spanning the mediums of paint, sculpture and photography. Prices range from S$100 to S$10,000 and everything is clearly labeled so you can just browse within your own budget. Plus 75 percent of the works are under S$7,500, so there are lots of options for those who are loath to cross the five-figure mark. And if you fall in love with a piece that’s beyond your means, don’t despair—some of the items are part of the Own Art scheme, which allows you to arrange payment in installments instead of one daunting chunk.

The fair also gives up-and-comers a chance to shine through the Young Talent program, supporting artists ages 18 to 35 years, who are born or reside in Southeast Asia and do not have gallery representation. This gives enthusiasts the opportunity to take home art from some of the region’s most exciting budding talents.

If all the browsing feels daunting, there are workshops to help guide you and plenty of experts to turn to for advice. So spend the afternoon exploring, meeting artists, sipping wine and munching on snacks—the experience itself may feel like a creative journey. May 23-25; 1F Pit Building, 1 Republic Blvd., Singapore; affordableartfair.com/Singapore; general admission S$15.

From top: An oil on canvas

by Nguyen The Hung; a pigment print

by Ric Tse.

t u to r i a l

HOW TO DRINK MATÉ The tealike beverage is a favorite Argentinean tradition (even Pope Francis loves it), but it comes with a set of unwritten rules. Juan Carlos Cremona, owner of La Martina de Areco (54-23/2645-5011), a café in San Antonio de Areco, outside Buenos Aires, explains the ritual.

1. In groups, a cebador (leader) is chosen to serve everyone.

He or she heats water to just below the boiling point, then pours it into a flask.

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2. The gourd—a dried squash or a wood-lined metal goblet—holds the ground yerba maté leaves. Purists use a sieve to remove twigs.

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3. The cebador moistens the grounds to release the flavor, inserts a bombilla (straw), adds more water, and passes the gourd to the first drinker.

4. On your turn, sip with gusto. Some add sugar or honey, but real gauchos take it amargo— bitter. When done, say “gracias” and pass it along.

5. Hungry? Locals often enjoy their maté with galletas dulces (sweet pastries).

—colin barraclough

t r av e l e s e Lav rats (n.) People who mill about the back of the plane blocking access to the restrooms. C’mon, gang, move along.

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F A F F O R D A B L E A R T F A I R S I N G A P O R E ( 2 ) ; I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y L- D O P A

Next month’s exhibition in Singapore will give artlovers the chance to buy fabulous pieces without breaking the bank. By David Ngo

dining

TASTES OF TOMORROW

F R O M TO P : C O U R T E S Y O F DAV I D T H O M P S O N ; C O U R T E S Y O F A N D R É C H I A N G ; C O U R T E S Y O F L O H L I K P E N G ; B F G I M A G E S / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E W I T S A R T M U S U E M ; C O U R T E S Y O F 3 3 M E LV I L L E R O A D ; C O U R T E S Y O F D O K T E R & M I S S E S

The Future of Food forum at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards earlier this year had the region’s best chefs playing Nostradamus of noshes. T+L asks three of the finest to share their prognostications.

David Thompson Author and chef; Nahm, Bangkok “Cooks are now more aware of the politics of food. They now understand the importance of judicious consideration when sourcing and selecting ingredients and are aware of its environmental impact. More cooks are realizing that their industry is partially responsible for the depletion of world stocks. I think that will be increasingly important in the operation of restaurants and food.”

Clockwise from above: Johannesburg city center; a Nigerian headdress at the Wits Art Museum; sitting area at 33 Melville Road; ceramics at Dokter & Misses.

why go

Joburg’s Jam

Don’t think of it as just a stopover: today’s Johannesburg deserves some serious exploration of its own. → Because downtown is back. For ages,

visitors have sought refuge in the gated suburbs north of town, but inner-city crime rates are dropping and young urbanites are moving in. Walk down lively Juta Street in gritty-but-safe Braamfontein, where Dokter & Misses (dokterandmisses.com) sells hand-cast ceramics and Afro-Deco furniture, then join the crowd for retro cocktails at the 108-year-old Kitchener’s Carvery Bar (27-11/403-0166).

→ Because few cities have better street fashion. Joburg is full of irrepressibly natty

locals wearing sharply tailored jackets, riotously colored tees, and patterned eyewear. In Maboneng, a warehouse district turned artists’ hub, the sidewalks are like runways, as are the quirky galleries

and rooftop cafés of Arts on Main (artsonmain.co.za).

→ Because the culture scene has a fitting new home. Make that two new homes: In 2012 the Wits Art Museum

(wits.ac.za) unveiled its genre-jumping collection of traditional and contemporary African art. And this past fall, the continent’s first design museum—the Museum of African Design (moadjhb. com)—opened in Maboneng. → Because you can have an elegant mansion all to yourself. The sleepy

burbs are still good for sleeping. In quiet Hyde Park, the rambling villa at 33 Melville Road (33melville​road.co.za) has three roomy suites and a garden where a jacaranda tree bursts into bright purple in spring. —peter jon lindberg

Loh Lik Peng Hotelier and restaurateur; The Unlisted Collection, Singapore, London and Shanghai “A growing consciousness about not just ingredients and techniques but towards niche speciality dining. I think we are going to see more extreme ways of dining.”

André Chiang Patron chef; Restaurant André, Singapore “Chinese cuisine is going to undergo an evolution. It’s just waiting for someone, or something, to a give it a whole new lease on life.”

—stephanie zubiri

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Outside Restoran Kapitan.

Sri Ananda Bahwan kebabs and tandoori.

Banana leaf dishes at Top One Café.

Tongue-ticklers at Madras New Woodlands.

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Hidden Indian

Follow Marco Ferrarese’s quick guide to Penang’s Little India, to eat like a local and hunt down the best dishes among a smorgasbord of excellent food choices.

TANDOORI CHICKEN

DOSAS

It’s hard to top the quality of this North Indian staple dish on offer at Restoran Kapitan (93 Lebuh Chulia, George Town; 60-4/264-1191; meal for two from RM25).

Perfectly baked tandoori chicken chops are served atop warm naan with a side of mixed curries.

Check out the street view from the veranda or head upstairs for air-con and a more intimate dining experience.

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The best South Indian entrees in town are grilled to order outside the entrance of Veloo Vilas (22 Lebuh Penang, George Town; 60-4/262-4369; dinner for two RM10), an Indian Tamilowned restaurant that makes up for its bare-bones ambience with an array of delicious snacks. The rawa dosa—a crispier version of the South Indian crêpe—is delectable, but come early before it is all gobbled up.

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BANANA LEAF DISHES

Set at the northern edge of the Little India cluster, Top One Café (67 Lebuh Pantai, George Town; 60-4/264-3405; dinner for two RM18) looks ordinary, but in fact their kitchen cooks up outstanding traditional South Indian banana leaf meals. Try their daily choice of vegetarian set menus with white rice and crispy papadum, or spice it up by adding chicken and mutton curries.

VEGETARIAN SETS

MEATY MAINS

Few dare to dispute the mouth-watering goodness of Madras New Woodlands (60 Lebu Penang, George Town; 60-4/263-9764; dinner for two RM22), a cozy vegetarian restaurant with reasonable prices. Its series of selfproclaimed “tongue tickler” dishes includes all the most beloved North Indian specialties. Savor the creamy curries, like aloo mutter, over crunchy naan.

A plum in the center of Little India, Sri Ananda Bahwan (55 Lebuh Penang, George Town; srianan dabahwan.com; dinner for two RM18) serves up a fingerlicking-good veggies, but it’s the meaty North Indian menu that truly shines.

Their mutton or chicken korma, tikka masala and tandoori barbecue meals sing with spice blends so fragrant your nose may get jealous of your mouth. ✚

Photographed by Kit Chan

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AUGUST 2013

Radar t+l p i c ks

Movable Feasts

Five culinary adventures that put a new spin on the traditional food tour.

Saigon See (and taste) Saigon from the back of a vintage scooter with Vietnam Vespa Adventures.

Kicking off at sundown, the four-hour drive digs into the city’s finest street food, from chili-rubbed crab to sizzling banh xeo pancakes. vietnam​ vespa​adventures.com.

Mendoza, Argentina The best way to take in Argentina’s stunning wine country?

On horseback. The itinerary with Mendoza Holidays: an equestrian trek through 8 hectares of grapevines and olive groves, followed by a traditional meal of empanadas and Malbec at a picturesque winery. mendoza​ holidays.com.

Paris Unravel the mysteries of Paris à la Inspector Clouseau in a chauffeured Citroën 2CV. Your retro ride, courtesy of Experience Paris, will whisk you away on a tour of iconic patisseries to sample pains au chocolat and brioches au sucre. manstouch.com.

Bangkok Got a case of the midnight munchies?

Dig into the Thai capital’s culinary secrets with Bangkok Food Tours’s midnight tuk-tuk crawl. Snack on after-hour favorites like pad thai while zipping through the city’s vibrant nightscape. bangkokfoodtours. com

Copenhagen Lifelong local Mike Sommerville of Bike Copenhagen with Mike steers guests to the trendiest tables in this cycling-mad city. You’ll taste Danish hot dogs at the new Copenhagen Street Food market, and imperial oatmeal stout at microbrewery Mikkeller. bikecopenhagen​ withmike.dk.

—melanie lieberman

Stopping for local seafood in Saigon’s District 4 on Vietnam Vespa Adventures’ street-food tour.

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Photographed by Olivier Laude

Radar street smart

Carmel Market, Tel Aviv

How to taste your way through Israel’s capital of cool? We asked the habitués of this historic quarter of food stalls and cafés for their picks. By Lindsey Olander

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1 Naeel Husein Produce vendor “I eat at Miznon almost every day.

Near Carmel Market, it stuffs pitas with grilled vegetables and meats.” 30 King George St.; 972-3/ 631-7688; NIS70 for two.

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2 Meirav Ameo High-tech product designer “Friday afternoons find me snacking on fresh bread and olives at Porto, one of the city’s best wine boutiques.”

6 Tchernichovsky; 972-3/620-6610.

3 Barak David Mizrahi Graphic designer “Café Italia is a simple place that lives by the maxim ‘less is more.’ Great seafood, dessert.” 6 Kreminitzki; cafe​ italia.rest-e.co.il; NIS200 for two.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

4 Ifat Schlezinger Creative director “After ordering a mix of greens— apple, celery, ginger and cucumber— from the Tikva juice stand, I feel like Superwoman.”

HaShomer St.; no phone.

5 Rotem Bar Or (left) with friend Ross Belfer Singer “There’s always something going on at Hoodna Bar, be it an art exhibition or surprise jazz session.” 13 Abarbanel; 972-3/​ 518-4558.

6 Shiri Gafni Criminal prosecutor “Georgian restaurant and bar Nanuchka is cheerful. I always get the sorrel soup and cheese-filled khinkali dumplings.”

30 Lilienblum; 972-3/516-2254; NIS150 for two.

Photographed by Sivan Askayo

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your travel dilemmas solved ➔ e a t i n g r i g h t , a n d o t h e r t i p s t o a i r l i n e s f o r f o o d 54 ... t h e b e s t a p p s f o r c u l i n a r y a d v e n t u r e s 60

f igh t j e t l ag

50 …

the top a ir ports a n d

Trip Doctor

by Amy Farley

SPECIAL REPORT

AIRPORT + AIRLINE FOOD

Havanna Alfajores cookies LAN (on Argentina flights)

PAGE 54

Nongshim shrimp crackers Korean Air

Terra Blues potato chips JetBlue

Milk chocolate Swiss International Air Lines

Turkish delight Turkish Airlines

Achiras del Huila biscuits Avianca (Colombia)

Biscoff cookies Delta Air Lines

MOVE OVER, PEANUTS

Cherry Ripe chocolate bars Virgin Australia

Arare rice crackers snack mix Japan Airlines

Photographed by Levi Brown

Sweet potato & taro chips Hawaiian Airlines

The best in-flight snacks deliver a sense of place and express an airline’s personality.

From hyper-local delicacies (Korean shrimp crackers) to iconic sweets (Turkish delight), these are a few of our favorites.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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The Fix

By Amy Farley

WILL HELP ME FIGHT JET LAG?

—george frank, brooklyn, n.y.

A: Even more than foreign-transaction fees and data-roaming charges, jet lag is the bane of international travelers.

Resetting your internal clock to a new time zone can be a days-long process.

Fortunately, there are ways to ease yourself onto a new schedule—and what you eat and drink can play a key role.

First and foremost, say nutritionists and dietitians, is the matter of hydration. “When you’re dehydrated, you are irritable, tired and weak,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, a New York–​ based registered dietitian and author of Read It Before You Eat It. To avoid compounding the effects of crossing time zones, drink plenty of water, 100 percent fruit juice or herbal tea while you’re in transit—and 50

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even before you depart.

Taub-Dix advises travelers to plan ahead, avoiding salty food (in favor of water-rich fruits and vegetables) and drinking water well in advance of a flight. Caffeine and alcohol (sadly) are also inadvisable while flying. Both are dehydrating and can disrupt sleep—even alcohol, which acts as a stimulant a few hours after you consume it. Studies show

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

by the numbers

4

hours

The minimum block of “anchor sleep” that your body’s internal clock needs to begin adjusting to the new time zone.

WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?

AVOIDING FOOD POISONING WHILE EATING ADVENTUROUSLY Do...

Take cues from locals. Long lines

are a good sign, and high turnover means that food doesn’t sit out and spoil.

Snoop.

Inspect prep stations for cleanliness. Raw foods should be stored separately; cold foods should be on ice.

Don’t...

Leave unprepared.

Get a prescription for an antibiotic such as Zithromax, which can help with severe food poisoning.

Forget about the water. Even ice

cubes may be suspect. Look for bottled water with the seal intact.

I L L U S T R AT I O N S , F R O M L E F T: J A V I E R J A É N ; B E N W I S E M A N (4)

Q: ARE THERE ANY FOODS THAT

that although it may initially help put you to sleep, the quality of your rest will be poor. The same is true for heavy, high-fat meals, TaubDix says. They’re difficult to digest and may lead to a restless night.

Once you’ve arrived, it’s equally important to be mindful of your meals, especially if you find yourself dragging, according to Angela Lemond, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Sleep deprivation messes up your feelings of hunger and satiety.

So you’re more at risk to compensate by overeating,” she says. This will only exacerbate the problem, however. To keep your energy levels steady, opt for lighter meals with a good balance of protein, complex carbohydrates and plenty of plant-based foods. And make sure to have protein-rich snacks on hand, especially if you’re traveling to areas where such foods are hard to find: nuts, peanut or almond butter with whole-grain bread or crackers, cheese, yogurt or easy-to-pack protein bars.

But in many ways, overcoming jet lag is as much ➔

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The Fix

about when you eat as what you consume. Studies suggest that the body’s natural circadian rhythm is tuned to light and, crucially, food. There’s even some evidence that our food-based circadian clock can actually override the more widely recognized light-based one. A recent experiment involving mice at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center revealed, in rodents at least, the presence of a foodrelated clock that can be manipulated with fasts. In this study, a 16-hour fast was enough to throw off the animals’ light-based cycles and turn them into night owls.

by the numbers

16 times

The decrease in jet lag reported by eastbound travelers who followed the Argonne diet, according to a 2002 study in Military Medicine.

Have a question for T+L’s Trip Doctor? Contact tleditor@mediatransasia.com.

Follow @TravLeisureAsia on Twitter.

For those of us unwilling to go to such extremes, there’s the Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet, developed in the late 1970’s by biologist Charles Ehret, who worked at the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. Ehret prescribed a four-day cycle of feasting and fasting to help break the body’s circadian rhythm before landing in a new time zone. His ideas caught on and, by the 80’s, the diet’s adherents included members of the military, athletes, professional musicians and even Ronald Reagan. Ehret later collaborated with Bill Ashton to create Stop Jet Lag (stopjetlag.com), a service that provides customized plans for travelers that regulate light, sleep and meals. Most of these plans begin with a modified, less draconian version of Ehret’s feast-fast cycle, counseling large- and lightmeal days instead.

Stop Jet Lag’s plans vary according to traveler and itinerary, but Ashton says there are a few general rules when it comes to meals. The most important is to think about your diet at least 12 hours in

advance of what will be your first morning in the new time zone (which could be on the plane). Plan to have a light meal around that time and then let your blood-sugar levels steadily drop, more or less mimicking what happens during sleep. On an overnight flight from Bangkok to Perth, for example, this would mean skipping the in-flight dinner that’s served at about midnight, Perth time.

Better to focus on rest. Follow up with a protein-heavy “breakfast” according to your new time zone, which will signal your body that you’re now on a different schedule.

This may mean breakfasting while the rest of the plane is sleeping. Ashton advises packing your own food, or asking the flight attendant to set aside a meal for you, even if it’s not what you’d traditionally associate with breakfast.

Though there haven’t been enough studies to say definitively if this plan works, the basic principles resonate.

“Mealtime is a natural synchronizer,” Lemond says.

“The more you can mimic where you’re going before you leave, the better off you’ll be.”

Q: HOW LONG IS TOO LONG TO LINGER AT A TABLE?

A: Most high-end restaurants in this region expect to turn over a table two to three times each night—that means they anticipate a party of two will stay for about an hour and 45 minutes (four-tops are usually allotted two hours). So once you’ve paid your bill, try not to spend the next hour nursing your final sip of wine.

Internationally, diners enjoy a more leisurely pace. In Italy, for instance, experts say it’s virtually impossible to overstay your welcome. In countries from Australia and China to Argentina, meals typically run a full two to three hours. If you don’t know the protocol, look to the waitstaff for cues. They’ll let you know when your time’s up.

the final say

Q: CAN I PACK DUTY-FREE ALCOHOL IN MY CARRY-ON?

A: As a general rule, yes, as long as you keep your items in the sealed plastic bag from Duty Free. Some countries (South Africa and Argentina included) will confiscate liquids over 3.4 ounces in secondary, at-gate security checks; dutyfree items, however, should be exempt. Until recently, if you had a connecting flight in the European Union or the U.S., you would have to either stow your purchases in your checked bag as you switched planes or toss them. But the introduction of new liquid scanners in the EU and the relaxing of such rules in the States (thank you, TSA) mean that you can now carry these items on board.

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Strategies

AIRPORT+ AIRLINE FOOD

Uptown Brasserie from chef Marcus Samuelsson, at the new Delta terminal at JFK.

by emily saladino, with additional reporting by brooke porter katz, melanie lieberman and seth porges.

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T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

GABI PORTER

Gate-side dining used to mean nothing more than ketchup-scented food courts and generic, mediocre bars. But these days, airports are luring internationally recognized chefs, whose hometown successes are being spun off on concourses from coast to coast. Here are some of the airports that are getting it right. PLUS Airport lounges with serious food cred, international terminals worth a culinary detour and the best airlines for food according to Travel + Leisure’s annual World’s Best Awards survey.

A 24/7 ESCAPE. TRANQUIL BY DAY. ELECTRIC BY NIGHT. SITUATED BETWEEN MAENAM AND BO PHUT, IT HAS THE FINEST AND MOST PRISTINE BEACH LOCATION IN THAILAND, OVERLOOKING STUNNING BEACHES AND LUSH FORESTS, W RETREAT KOH SAMUI AWAKENS AS THE SUN GOES DOWN, IGNITING THE UNEXPECTED. ILLUMINATING.. ENVIRONS. TAKE IT EASY. SURROUNDED BY VERDANT FOLIAGE, EACH OF OUR 74 PRIVATE-POOL RETREATS BOASTS A PRIVATE OUTDOOR POOL AND INFINITE ISLAND VIEWS. INSIDE, PREMIER TECHNOLOGY MEETS W SIGNATURE BED, BLISS® SPA AMENITIES AND WHATEVER/WHENEVER® SERVICE. W RETREAT KOH SAMUI T 66 77 915 999 / F 66 77 915 998 EXPLORE WHAT’S NEW / NEXT WRETREATKOHSAMUI.COM WHOTELS.COM/KOHSAMUI

Strategies The Turkish Airlines departures lounge at Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

LOUNGE ACTS

Where food takes center stage.

HOW TO GET IN

THE SPACE

THE FOOD

GREAT DISH

TURKISH AIRLINES

Istanbul Atatürk, Departures

Star Alliance first or business international ticket, or Gold status.

Ottoman chic, with dramatic arched entryways.

35 stations with meze (tabbouleh; zucchini salad), flatbreads, house-made pastries and wine.

Spicy menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs).

QANTAS

Singapore Changi, T1

Oneworld or Emirates first or business international ticket; Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status.

Bamboo and Peranakan tiles are among local touches.

Hawker stations (noodle bowls; salt-and-pepper calamari) and sit-down fare by Aussie celebrity chef Neil Perry.

Grilled salmon with cucumbermint salsa.

PLAZA PREMIUM

Hong Kong International, T1

A two-hour stay will set you back HK$400.

Beige leather chairs and soft lighting create a serene vibe.

Cantonese dim sum and noodle soups at Market Place, plus à la carte international dishes at the Hub.

Himalayansalt-crusted rack of lamb.

LAN VIP

Bogotá El Dorado International, T1, Colombia

LAN premium economy or business ticket; TAM first or business; Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire.

Mad Men en español (marble bathrooms; Midcentury chaises).

Latin favorites such as sweet panelitas de leche, top wines from Chile and Argentina, and Juan Valdez coffee.

Almojábanas (cheesy Colombian pastries).

CENTURION

Dallas-Fort Worth International, TD

American Express Platinum or Centurion cardholder; US$50 with any other Amex.

It’s a mod, mod world: pops of color; sleek loungers.

Dean Fearing’s Tex-Mex favorites, local craft beers, and cocktails by PDT’s Jim Meehan.

Smoked brisket tacos paired with the rum-based Corn n’ Oil cocktail.

AIR NEW ZEALAND/ STAR ALLIANCE

LAX, Tom Bradley International Terminal

Star Alliance first or business international ticket, or Gold status.

Classic L.A.: the patio has a fire pit and views of Hollywood.

A California-centric wine wall and international buffet, including a noodle bar.

Japanese curry with tofu and vegetables.

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COURTESY OF TURKISH AIRLINES

AIRPORT/ TERMINAL

THE LOUNGE

Have a go-to airport snack?

Share with @TravLeisureAsia and include #TLAsia for a chance to be featured in the magazine.

F R O M L E F T: S . P E L L E G R I N O ; C O U R T E S Y O F D E LTA A I R L I N E S ; C O U R T E S Y O F L A N ; C O U R T E S Y O F A I R F R A N C E ; C O U R T E S Y O F V I R G I N A U S T R A L I A . I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y H O L LY W A L E S

MUNICH

TOKYO

Check out Terminal 3’s 24Hr Food Gallery for the Hainanese chicken rice, nasi padang (steamed rice with meat and veggies), and snacks from cult chain Killiney Kopitiam.

Past security, there’s Terminal 1’s Ambassador Transit Hotel, where you can sip cocktails at a rooftop bar with panoramic runway views.

Catch a local band at Airbräu, the open-air beer garden and on-site brewery on MAC Forum’s Level 3.

It’s where locals go for the best-priced craft brews in town (come summer, a JumboTron airs soccer matches for sprawling crowds). Looking for epicurean souvenirs?

Gourmet shop Leysieffer has you covered.

Sushiden sources its nigiri and sashimi from the legendary Tsukiji Fish Market, while nearby noodle bar Sojibou makes its soba by hand in an open kitchen.

And that’s just the start. Indulge your sweet tooth at candy emporium Okashi Greenport; then stop at Fukujuen, a branch of Japan’s oldest tea shop.

CREATIVE AMBASSADOR, BARNEYS NY

LINTON HOPKINS

SEIJI YAMAMOTO

of Tokyo’s S. Pellegrinowinning RyuGin JAPAN AIRLINES Wagyu filet with foie gras, caramelized apples and Périgueux sauce.

HIGH-FLYING CHEFS Many airlines have called in the pros to develop and consult on their menus.

Here are a few top toques and a taste of what they’re adding to in-flight dining.

NRT

MUC

“I am a health nut, so I am all about Starbucks oatmeal and a bag of almonds.

If push comes to shove I will go for a California Pizza Kitchen blowout.”

of Atlanta’s Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch DELTA AIR LINES Slow-cooked beef brisket with heirloom grits and kale slaw.

DUBAI

DXB

At Dubai’s Terminal 3A, fine wine purveyor Le Clos has opened its new flagship, complete with hard-to-find varietals that span from 1895 to the present and a bottle-your-ownwhiskey station.

There’s also Jack’s Bar & Grill, the world’s first Jack Daniels– themed bar, offering top-end Select distillations by the glass.

CEO, HOTEL TONIGHT

SIN

In the Departures Public Zone, order the foie gras with roasted scallops at Altitude, which overlooks the Jura Mountains; the menu is courtesy of distinguished Relais & Châteaux chefs Gilles Dupont and Thomas Byrne.

Want to burn off that last bite of mille-feuille? Head to Les Jardins de Genève, where local DJ’s spin on the outdoor terrace.

WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY-PLEASURE AIRPORT SNACK?

SINGAPORE

SAM SHANK

GVA

SIMON DOONAN

FIVE TERMINALS WORTH GOING EARLY FOR

GENEVA

“A double americano and a chocolatechip cookie.”

HECTOR VERGARA

Latin America’s only Master Sommelier LAN Top wines from Valle del Maipo, Chile, and Mendoza, Argentina.

THIBAUT RUGGERI

of Paris’s Lenôtre; 2013 Bocuse d’Or winner AIR FRANCE Sautéed shrimp with mushrooms and potatoes.

LUKE MANGAN

Chef, restaurateur and author VIRGIN AUSTRALIA Barramundi fillet with bok choy, ginger, soy and sesame dressing.

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57

Strategies

WORLD’S BEST AIRLINES FOR FOOD

The winners, according to our annual reader poll.

INTERNATIONAL

1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES 93.33 2 EMIRATES 89.73 3 CATHAY PACIFIC 86.83

Flourless chocolate torte

“A box of Jujubes. If I can, McDonald’s for a diet Coke. Fountain sodas taste better.”

BY THE NUMBERS It’s not easy getting all those meals up in the air. A look at what it takes.

10, 500 k i l o s Reindeer meat served last fall on Finnair.

500+ Dishes sampled to create each new menu on Virgin Atlantic.

CHEF/ RESTAURATEUR

the front of the plane, healthy menus are available without advance notice. + Cathay Pacific partners with Michelin-starred restaurants in Hong Kong and uses specially designed onboard equipment (rice cookers; toasters; skillets) to carry out its vision.

But the airline’s most popular item? Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream.

MARIO BATALI

FOUNDER, DYLAN’S CANDY BAR

WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY-PLEASURE AIRPORT SNACK?

DYLAN LAUREN

Many long-haul carriers stake their reputations in part on their dining programs. That explains Singapore Airlines’ investment in a pressurized tasting room to simulate the in-flight experience of eating and drinking.

Also noteworthy: the Givenchy china in first and business class. + Emirates always offers Middle Eastern–inflected dishes (Arabic meze; lamb stew); at

2.36

million Eggs used annually for breakfast omelettes aboard LAN.

“I do not eat at airports ever, except for Rick Bayless’s place in Chicago’s O’Hare.”

1.94 MILLION

Bottles of wine consumed in Swiss’s economy class in 2012.

Hungry? Download this: GateGuru Yelp-like reviews (courtesy of your fellow travelers) indicate which spots are worth the trek. Don’t have time to sprint? A nifty feature helps you choose among the closest options. Free; Android, iOS, Windows. + iFly Pro Detailed maps offer bird’s-eye views of your terminal, making it easy to pinpoint the location of your preflight provisions—as well as nearby ATM’s, restrooms and the best duty-free shops.

Free; Android, iOS. + LoungeBuddy Dig up the details on individual airport lounges (including which ones charge for their chow). Free; Android, iOS.

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T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

C O U R T E S Y O F S I N G A P O R E A I R L I N E S . I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y H O L LY W A L E S . I N F O G R A P H I C S , F R O M L E F T: P H I L I P G L E N N ; I R E N E H O F F M A N ; J U A N C A R L O S E G A S ; A L L F R O M T H E N O U N P R O J E C T. C O M . C O M P L E T E P O L L M E T H O D O L O G Y C A N B E F O U N D AT T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E . C O M / W O R L D S B E S T/2 01 3

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

do business your way leave the rest to us

SM

It is said a good work-life balance is important. That’s where we come in. All across Asia, our comfortable accommodations, full range of amenities and warm hospitality provide everything you need to unwind and rejuvenate, so you can perform at your best when it matters.

We make your well-being our business – so you can focus on yours.

ramada.com/apac

Š2014 Ramada Worldwide Inc. All rights reserved. All Ramada hotels are independently owned and operated except for certain international Ramada hotels which are managed through a joint venture partner.

Tech Want to share a travel app or ask a tech question? Tell us at tleditor@mediatransasia.com.

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Looking to book a Shanghai street-food tour or a Provençal cooking class?

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GET YOUR GUIDE

(Free; iOS) Like an OpenTable for guided activities and food crawls, Peek provides direct booking service straight from the app or website.

Its real strength lies in its carefully curated content—all outings are vetted by Peek staff or trusted tastemakers. Take a quick personality quiz for customized suggestions.

(Free; Web only) Great for travelers looking for an immersive culinary experience, Web-only Trip Feast helps pair intrepid foodies with famous local chefs for cooking lessons.

Currently available in six countries across Southeast Asia, tours include stops to taste the best bites each city has to offer, with some sightseeing woven in.

Why foodies love it Unique offerings—a dinner cruise on the Thames in London; a coffee plantation visit in Maui—are the rule, not the exception.

Why foodies love it The chance to explore farmers’ markets, eat home-cooked meals and experience the cuisine like a local.

(Free; Android, iOS) The pioneer of online excursion booking, Viator delivers more than 1,300 food and drink itineraries around the world: many are offered as exclusive deals, and all have low-price guarantees. Among its smartest features? Sorting options by proximity to your hotel, and booking confirmations that sync with iPhone’s Passbook.

(Free; Android, iOS) Though it’s most comprehensive in Europe (tapas-bar hopping in Madrid; pizza tasting in Rome), Get Your Guide has standout day trips the world over. Thanks to a fun tool that lets you browse globally, it doubles as a source for ideas even before airfare is booked—especially great for travelers who like to (literally) follow their gut.

Why foodies love it Should Viator not have what you’re looking for, it lets you create a custom experience.

Why foodies love it With 1,500-plus culinary adventures, there’s no shortage of inspiration here.

PEEK

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TRIP FEAST

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BEST INTERNATIONAL

Illustrated by Ben Wiseman

Clockwise from top left: The spectacular panorama that is Phang Nga Bay; inside the calm Spa Naka; at Z Bar; looking out from a seaview pool villa.

S P ON SOR E D S E RIES GUIDE Getting There Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com), Nok Air (nokair. com) and AirAsia (airasia.com) and Thai Airways (thaiairways.com) fly directly to Phuket from Bangkok daily.

Stay The Naka Island, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket 32 Moo 5, Tambol Paklok, Naka Yai Island, Phuket; nakaislandphuket. com.

Naka, Naturally When arriving on Naka Island, honor the dragon. I was led to a giant gong and struck it twice, made a wish and paid my respects to the mythical Thai serpent for which the island is named.

The gong’s baritone song was a fitting welcome to this tiny islet, majestic and resoundingly calm. Just five minutes from Phuket’s Ao Po Grand Marina, this intimate retreat is an entirely different animal than the busy beaches of Patong. “You are away from it, but it is right there,” says David Sayer, guest experience manager at Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort.

After making my silent wish for perfect weather, which was granted, I was escorted by buggy through the resort, which takes up a third of the island, to my

private pool villa. After an hour of lazing and swimming, I ducked into Spa Naka for an Indigenous Massage treatment—an hour of hot herbal ball therapy paired with a tension-melting oil rub down. As night fell, I found my way to Z bar, on the island’s western edge.

Reclining on the bar’s beachfront beds and sipping an icy cocktail, I took a mental freeze frame of the view stretching across to Phang Nga Bay. The next morning I hoisted a kayak out to sea and paddled my way around the island.

The 6-kilometer journey took two hours and I savored every minute. There were stretches of the journey where I was the only person in sight, amid the limestone karsts of the endless Andaman.

Stopping to rest wherever a beach looked inviting— Naka Island boasts broad sweeps of bisque sand shaded by towering palms. The local population is only 100 strong, made up of fishermen who reside in a little village on the coast. So, feast on fresh seafood to your heart’s content at My Grill at Naka Island Resort. After an active day in the sun, a heaping plate of oceanic bounty was just the ticket for dinner. I ordered a gorgeous cut of grilled tuna with a zesty Thai chili sauce on the side. The sun set just as they brought out dessert—a warm chocolate fondant with a side of white chocolate ice cream. I took a bite out of its gooey center, watched the sky burn orange in the dying light, closed my eyes and thanked the dragon.

Eat My Grill, Tonsai and Z Bar at Naka Island Resort A blend of Western staples and Thai favorites. Tables are limited at My Grill so reserve in advance.

Tenta Nakara Simple Thai food on the beach.

66-81/398-6515; tentanakara.com.

Do Kayak. Paddle around Naka for stunning views of other islands.

Bike to Tab Po Beach. The beach itself is average, but the water is great for swimming, and the bike ride and hike through the jungle to get there is a fun little adventure.

Snorkel. Arrange a day trip to nearby islands for snorkeling or diving.

Pearls of the Andaman. Check out the pearl farm on nearby Naka Noi.

Deals

Anantara Riverside Resort Bangkok.

T+L READER EXCLUSIVES

City

CHINA Suite Special at Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou (fourseasons.com/guangzhou).

The Deal A stay in a suite located between the 74th and 98th floors. The Highlights Chauffeur-driven Mercedes Benz limousine round-trip transfer between the hotel and the airport; exclusive access to Executive Lounge located on 99th floor; complimentary buffet breakfast; all day refreshments and drinks; evening cocktails; unlimited garment pressing

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service; 25 percent discount on any soothing 90-minute spa treatment (except Spa Ritual) at Hua Spa. Cost From RMB7,760, double (RMB3,880 per night), through April 30. Savings Up to 16 percent.

THAILAND Weekend City Escape at Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa (bangkokriverside.anantara.com). The Deal A stay in a Deluxe room on a weekend night. The Highlights Complimentary breakfast at The Market and a

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romantic buffet dinner accompanied by Thai dance performances at the Riverside Terrace. Cost From Bt4,900, double, through the end of the year. Savings 37 percent.

HONG KONG Elevate Your Experience at Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers (sheraton. com/hongkong). The Deal A stay in a Tower Executive Suite.

The Highlights Tea, coffee and evening cocktails with open bar and hors d’oeuvres at Towers Lounge; breakfast at Oyster &

Wine Bar; 10 percent discount on all onsite food and beverage; two-hour free use of the boardroom. Cost From HK$4,400, double, through December 31. Savings Up to 25 percent.

SINGAPORE Super Saver Deal at Hotel Fort Canning (hfcsingapore.com). The Deal A stay in a Garden Deluxe room.

The Highlights Free Wi-Fi and complimentary aperitifs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Private Lounge every evening.

C O U R T E S Y O F A N A N TA R A B A N G K O K R I V E R S I D E R E S O R T & S P A

WANT TO EAT BREAKFAST WITH SHREK IN MACAU OR SEE TANAH LOT TEMPLE IN BALI? THIS MONTH’S DEALS HAVE YOU COVERED.

Cost From S$266, double, through May 31. Savings Up to 20 percent.

Family

SINGAPORE Urban Adventure Package at Shangri-La Hotel (shangri-la.com). The Deal A stay in a Tower Wing room.

The Highlights Two complimentary tickets to Universal Studios Singapore, at Resorts World Sentosa; buffet breakfast for two; shuttle service to Universal Studios Singapore; and late check-out until 4 p.m.

Cost From S$455, double, through December. Savings 20 percent.

HONG KONG Disneyland Magic Deal at Ovolo Hotel – 256 Tung Chau Street (ovolohotels.com).

The Deal A stay in a Deluxe Studio room. The Highlights Two complimentary tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland; free breakfast, access to the mini-bar, all-day coffee and snacks, and daily happy hour; flexible check-out. Cost From HK$1,580, double, through April 30.

Savings Up to 30 percent.

THAILAND Bay Suite Hot Offer at Regent Phuket Cape Panwa (regenthotels.com). The Deal A stay in a Bay Suite. The Highlights Daily breakfast for two at The Restaurant, complimentary use of iPad and Wi-Fi, selected non-alcoholic items from the mini bar, four pieces of laundry daily, and shuttle service to Phuket Town.

Cost Bt7500, double, until April 30. Savings Up to 20 percent.

INDONESIA Launch Experience at hu’u Villas Seminyak (huuvillasbali.com). The Deal A stay in a One Bedroom Loft. The Highlights Deluxe breakfast for two and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. Cost US$269, double, through June 1. Savings Up to 25 percent.

Romance

INDONESIA Precious Romantic Hideaway Package at Ametis Villa Bali (ametisvilla.com). The Deal A stay in a Premiere villa.

The Highlights One two-hour spa treatment at Ruby Spa, one dinner by candlelight served in your villa, one two-hour sunset excursion to Tanah Lot Temple, and a welcome cocktail. Cost US$1,619 (US$540 a night), double, through July 31.

Savings Up to 35 percent.

THAILAND Staycation Package at The Siam (thesiamhotel.com).

Opening CHINA Grand Opening Offer at Fairmont Nanjing (fairmont. com/Nanjing). The Deal A stay in a Deluxe City View room. The Highlights Complimentary buffet breakfast for two and 30 percent off at all of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets. Cost From RMB888, double, through April 30. Savings 40 percent.

The Deal A stay in a Pool villa.

The Highlights A romantic candle-lit dinner for two; one breakfast and one lunch set for two; a 60-minute aroma journey treatment at Opium Spa by Sodashi for two; a drawn bath with rose petals for two; and butler service. Cost From Bt37,400, double, through December 15. Savings Up to 30 percent.

MALDIVES Shine Spa Experience at Sheraton Maldives (sheraton.com/maldives).

The Deal A stay in a Beach Front Deluxe room. The Highlights The “Essence of Maldives” 110-minute massage package for two people; 15 percent discount off the 80-minute Deep Ocean, Aromatic Sea or Wave Away massages; and daily breakfast for two at Feast.

Cost US$1,500 (US$500 a night), double, through December 25. Savings Up to 30 percent. ✚

MACAU DreamWorks Package at Holiday Inn Macao Cotai Central (ihg.com). The Deal A stay in a King Superior room. The Highlight Shrekfast with the DreamWorks gang, including a colorful cast of your favorite DreamWorks cartoon characters, for two. Cost HK$1,448, double, through May 31. Savings Up to 15 percent.

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Island

PHILIPPINES Holiday Bliss at The District Boracay (thedistrictboracay.com).

The Deal A stay in a Deluxe room. The Highlights Roundtrip airport transfers from Caticlan, daily buffet breakfast, paraw sailing near the resort, grill-toorder dinner and a one-hour massage. Cost P19,780 (P9,890 per night), double, through to the end of April. Savings Up to 30 percent.

hu’u Villas Seminyak.

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vietnam The cool kids head to Yoko bar in Saigon.

thailand Sip the Siam Sunray at the Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok.

ASIAN

LIBATIONS

hong kong Quench your thirst with a Hong Kong Star at Catalunya.

cambodia Phnom Penh’s The Oyster Restaurant and Bar pairs local Himawari microbrews with its seafood and Khmer menu.

singapore Tour the town with master mixologist Michael Callahan.

THIS REGION IS AFLOAT IN NEW BARS, NEW BREWERIES AND CREATIVE MIXOLOGISTS THAT ARE ADDING A LITTLE STARDUST TO THE MOONSHINE. FROM BANGKOK’S ROOFTOPS TO HONG KONG'S SIDE STREETS, OUR WRITERS TELL YOU WHERE AND HOW TO GET YOUR DRINK ON. . E DI T E D BY M E R RI T T G U R L E Y.

KORWIT K R A JAIPHOT

laos The iconic Beerlao is a perfect marriage of locally grown rice and German malts.

philippines Stock up on boutique beers at the Global Beer Exchange, Manila.

indonesia Kickstart the afternoon party with a wasabi-fueled PH Bloody Mary at Potato Head Beach Club, in Bali.

A map of Southeast Asia constructed out of colorful shots on ice at Spasso, at the Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok. *Prices throughout this section are approximate rates for one round of drinks for two, unless otherwise noted.

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Asian Libations

Want to knock back a cold one with a side of hot wings? Or are you simply aching for a coffee-and-cocoa-infused vodka martini, dahling? Either way, Richard Mcleish has you covered.

Bar type: HIPSTER HANG OUT the scene Once a rarity, the Hipster Bar has finally flooded the region with full selfconscious style and pose. Mingle like it ain’t no thang as you watch the crowd watching you watch them. the crowd

Secretly well-off design students

Bar type: DIVE BAR .the scene A global urban phenomenon, the Dive Bar is where the flotsam and jetsam of a city wash up at the end of any given night.

It’s where the drinkers go to drink, great ideas are had and then forgotten, and hope goes to die.

Bar type: EXPAT PUB the scene Every city in the world has an Irish bar, but in Asia these refugee camps are as bastions of hominess for long-term expats, and prime people-watching venues for locals. the crowd

Jaded expats, foreign-educated locals, NGO staff.

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blend in

Open-door fashion policy.

Mind the grump in the corner and take in the game on TV. order A pint of lager. go to Paddy Rice Irish Sports Bar, Phnom Penh; paddyrice.net; US$3.00. Draft, Manila; 63-2/846 9725; PHP500.

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the crowd Journalists, guitarists and singles. .blend in Under-dress to impress. order Cheap local beer. go to C’s, Shanghai; 86-21/6294-0547; RMB30.

Mao’s Red Lounge, Hanoi; 84-4/3926-3104; VND100,000.

Bar type: ROOFTOP LOUNGE the scene The Rooftop Bar, literally reaching for the stars, has an elevated status among venue choices in the region. Rub shoulders with the upwardly aspirational as you survey the city. the crowd Well-heeled

Bar type: LIVE MUSIC JOINT the scene

Usually a little scruffy around the edges, the Live Music bar is a magnet for musicians, groupies and music nerds alike.

It’s a great place to meet the creative fringe of a city. the crowd

Long-haired guitarists and

and aspiring coolios. blend in Don gender-neutral clothing and an air of apathy. order The seasonal small batch craft beer. go to Open Door Policy, Singapore; odpsingapore.com; S$16. Yoko, Saigon; 84-8/ 3933-0577; VND35,000.

locals, dates and jetsetters. blend in Glam it up in downtown style. order From the top shelf, preferably a bottle. go to Ku De Ta, Singapore; kudeta.com/ Singapore; S$40. Ozone, Hong Kong; ritzcarlton. com; HK$190.

their indie friends. blend in Slide into black jeans and a band T-shirt and heavy up on your rock ‘n’ roll attitude. order A whisky on the rocks. go to Mao Live House, Beijing; mao-music.com; RMB30. Jaya Pub, Jakarta; 62-21/3192-7508; Rp70,000.

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WHAT’S YOUR BAR STYLE?

CRAFT COCKTAILS

Cocktails can tell you as much about a culture as the cuisine. Stephanie Zubiri turns alcoholic anthropologist, testing potent concoctions that brim with local flavor.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F C ATA L U N Y ( 2 ) ; C O U R T S Y O F D I N G D O N G ( 2 ) ; C O U R T S Y O F H YAT T; K O R W I T K R A J A I P H O T; C O U R T E S Y O F F I N D E R S K E E P E R S ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F W AT E R C R E S S M A L A M

HONG KONG

Set within warm, inviting wooden interiors, Catalunya has garnered just as many accolades for its bar as its kitchens, with award winning mixologist Dario Nocentini at the helm, moving beyond the Mediterranean in flavor and inspiration.

T+L TIP In honor of its city of residence, indulge yourself in a Hong Kong Star—a frothy sweet and sour splendor of pineapple, Frangelico, Belvedere vodka, lime, honey and the ubiquitous star anise. GF Guardian House, Morrison Hill, 32 Oi Kwan Rd., Wan Chai; 852/2866-7900; catalunya.hk; HK$170.

BALI

The brainchild of Pablo Fourcard and Josh Davies, Watercress Malam is a welcome addition to Bali’s nightlife. Opened just this January, the cocktail menu is inspired by the lush tropical climate and fertile volcanic soil of the island. T+L TIP Order the After Dark Iced Tea, a large glass filled with mango, pineapple and dragonfruit, mixed with Tanqueray gin, bitter Campari and Cointreau, and topped with a tea infusion and lots of crushed ice. This sultry libation will keep you cool as you melt languidly into the evening.

21a Jl. Batubelig ; watercressbali. com; US$20.

SINGAPORE

Ryan Clift of the Tippling Club transforms familiar local Southeast Asian flavors with his signature modernist flare and imagination at Ding Dong, where he packs his cocktails with bold spices and herbs normally reserved for the wok—like galangal. T+L TIP Ask for the Pirates of Malacca, an icy rum-based cocktail with a refreshing blend of calamansi, pineapple, falernum sweet syrup and gula melaka, the local palm sugar. 23 Ann Siang Rd.; 65/65570189; dingdong.com.sg; S$32.

BANGKOK

Mood lighting, wooden paneling and arched ceilings at Spasso set the perfect loungey atmosphere for nursing a well-earned after-work drink. The cocktail menu is peppered with local spices like Thai holy basil and lemon grass, and even the dangerous Mekong whisky makes a few appearances. T+L TIP Sip the Siam Sunray to enjoy the zesty bite of fresh ginger, lemon juice and kaffir lime leaves, offset by sweet Malibu rum and charged with a shot of Smirnoff vodka. 1F Grand Hyatt Erawan, 494 Rajdamri Rd.; 66-2/254-1234; Bt600.

MANILA

Tucked away in a quiet nondescript area of Makati City, Finders Keepers is a hard-tofind hipster bar often packed with the young, the beautiful and the edgy bobbing about to some rock or electro beats. The mohawked barmen whip up a selection of cocktails using local Don Papa Rum from the Philippines’s historic sugar producing region. T+L TIP Try the Strawberry Don, a mix of fresh strawberries, Don Papa rum and limes, the perfect taste of Manila—a little bit of west, a little bit of east. Warehouse 5, La Fuerza Plaza, 2241 Don Chino Roces Ave., Makati; 63-917/8219761; P500.

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Asian Libations

MINIBAR MAYHEM

The most fun drinks in Bali are invented by a molecular-specialist who uses travel as his muse. Dre Masso tells Jeninne Lee-St. John how to get crafty with the minibar. inspire me in some way.” So do the people he meets on his journeys: “I’ve had the pleasure of Bill Murray’s company a few times. He’s always respectful to our industry, polite, charming, very funny, generous and, best of all, he loves cocktails and making them,” Masso recounts. “The first time I met him he bought a bottle of XO cognac and rosé champagne. He grabbed sugar cubes and Angostura bitters from the bar and made all the staff and other guests champagne cocktails. For the entire night.”

Masso and I agree that one of his best

creations is the wasabi-fueled PH Bloody Mary, though I’m also partial to the dramatic smoky, orangey, earl grey tea cola, tri-liquored Prohibition Iced Tea and the secretly potent cinnamon, starfruit, ginger and bourbon Twinkle. But you don’t need an Iron Chef’s kitchen to concoct your own delish drinks—even while traveling. See, Masso let me in on a secret: great cocktails are often born of simplicity. As proof, he gave me three you can make with just the contents of your minibar and other hotel-room amenities.

Now, get mixing.

Espresso Martini

St Clement’s

ingredients

ingredients

ingredients

Espresso or string coffee; vodka; 1 sachet of sugar; a chocolate bar.

Brew a strong coffee and pour half a cup. Add sugar and vodka. If you have a shaker (or jam jar), add all ingredients and give a good shake, then strain into chilled cocktail glass. If not, simply pour over lots of ice in a tall glass. Garnish with smashed chocolate from the fridge.

Gin, tonic and orange juice (fresh is best).

Pour the gin over ice with equal parts tonic and orange juice.

Soft fruit; 1 sachet of sugar; champagne.

Crush whatever soft fruit you have on the fruit platter with a sachet of sugar in a jug, bowl or large glass. (Watermelon, raspberries or strawberries are going to work best; dragonfruit and mangoes are happily ubiquitous in Asian hotels.) Add champagne and stir well. Pour into champagne or wine glass, and jump in the hot tub!

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Hotel Bellini

NIKOL A KOSTIC

Master mixologist— and nice-guy extraordinaire—Dre Masso says globehopping is key to the success he’s had helping open more than 20 bars in the past two decades. These days, if you’re lucky, you can find him overseeing the barkeeps at Potato Head Beach Club (Jln. Petitenget 51B, Seminyak; 62-361/4737979; ptthead.com; Rp240,000) in Bali, but he’s often on the move.

“Travel is a colossal inspiration. I love markets,” he says.

“Food, theatricality, new discoveries, simplicity, music, tradition, culture, moments—these all

Boozy Bangkok Bars in Bangkok are multiplying like rabbits.

Richard Mcleish finds the picks of the litter.

U.N.C.L.E. Secreted above the new Lady Brett restaurant is this enclave of style and indulgence that pours premium spirits to a well-heeled crowd. ladybrett.com; Bt980.

F R O M T O P L E F T: P O R N S A K N A N A K O R N ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F U . N . C . L . E . ; C O U R T E S Y O F K U D E TA ; C E D R I C A R N O L D

BLEND IT LIKE BOROSKI In the past few years, Bangkok’s nightlife has seen a shift from standard whisky-soda watering holes to sleek bars pouring sophisticated cocktails. Joseph Boroski has been a driving force in the movement, as well as the man behind the menus of some of the city’s most successful speakeasies—Maggie Choo’s, Iron Fairies, Clouds, among many others. After eight years of seeing the city’s thirst for complex, balanced libations rise, he’s opened Bar & Hospitality School (125/13 Sukhumvit Soi 55, between Thonglor sois 5 and 7; 66-2/7126025; josephboroski.

Le Bar by Le Beaulieu This gastro lounge repackages fine dining into a walk-up affair. le-beaulieu.com; Bt930.

Joseph Boroski, the mastermind behind some of Bangkok’s hottest bars, talks to Diana Hubbell about nightlife and his new Bar School and tasting lab.

com), a training ground for aspiring mixologists by day and an avant-garde tasting laboratory by night.

The venue doesn’t look much like a school. A barely marked door opens to reveal a brooding interior decorated with preserved insects and a taxidermied peacock. The constantly changing nocturnal menu veers equally eccentric and draws heavily on local produce. “There are ingredients here I have never seen anywhere else,” he says. So, patrons might expect a tequila-laced concoction topped with blow-torched pomelo and Thai-chili salt, or a shockingly

blue lemongrassbutterfly pea martini.

In his effort to make the most of the region’s vast resources, he’s shaken up just about everything. “I tried a durian cocktail when I first got here,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t know that I’ll recreate that one.”

These days, he and other rising stars are shooting for more agreeable, but still local, ingredients, sometimes even in their own backyards.

“If I need produce, I head to one of the wet markets. I’m also happy to grow my own—I’m planning to have a garden on the roof. Other ingredients are all around,” he says.

“Butterfly pea flowers grow wild in the city.

Call it ‘farm to glass.’”

He also anticipates Bangkok’s bartenders will experiment more with niche trends.

“Mixologists are trying fat-washing, a technique that lets you add ingredients like meats to flavor a spirit,” he says. “It emulsifies the alcohol with tiny particles of fat that coat your mouth and change the way it tastes. You can have a Manhattan with bacon-infused bourbon, or a dirty martini laced with olive oil.”

Bold drinkers are clamoring to see what wild tipples Boroski comes up with next. If they can find his door.

Ku De Ta The party brand arrived ambitiously with two restaurants and the sweeping Ku Bar. kude ta.com/Bangkok; Bt840.

Maggie Choo’s A cavernous den of old Shanghai (concubines on swings, crooners on stage) makes some of the best cocktails in the city. facebook.com/ maggiechoos; Bt800.

The Roof @38th Bar This latest protrusion into the skyline offers 360-degree views. mode sathorn.com; Bt780.

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Long has the hangover plagued humanity!

Luckily, no matter where you are in the world, there’s an age-old cure.

Stephanie Zubiri plays local nursemaid.

INDIA Replenish your electrolytes with some fresh coconut water.

HONG KONG Gulp gallons of ginseng tea to help purge the excess of hot energy (or yang) in your body.

THAILAND Shovel down some pad kee mao or “drunken noodles.” The spice helps you sweat out the toxins.

KOREA Ladle yourself an ox blood and cabbage-filled bowl of haejangguk, which literally translates to “soup for hangover.”

JAPAN Shock your tastebuds with the Japanese remedy of umeboshi— pickled salt plums— guaranteed to pucker your mouth and distract your senses.

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HONG KONG’S HIDEAWAYS

Stockton joins the growing trend of clandestine cocktail lounges popping up in Hong Kong. Great finds, if you know where to look. By Madeline Gressel

One dangling bulb is the only hint that a fabulous cocktail bar lies at the end of a dark alleyway on Wyndham Street. Follow the flickering light to Stockton, a portal to another era—not the illicit glitz of American Prohibition like your standard speakeasy, but the wood-paneled, muted opulence of 1890’s London. A heavy door leads into a long and low wooden den, all leather sofas, candles, dusty tomes and taxidermied penguins.

Of course, you’ll find a familiar highbrow emphasis on finely tuned, original cocktails. Mixologist Suraj Gurung spent three months perfecting the menu with the Stockton team. “Every cocktail is there for a reason,” he tells us. “You’re not just drinking a cocktail, you’re drinking a part of history. Pause, relax,

look back. That’s what we are doing.” Like many speakeasies, Stockton limits its menu to historically appropriate liquors: rum, gin and whisky (though they keep vodka behind the bar for insistent patrons).

But here you’ll also find a sense of humor.

Each cocktail carries a legacy—from lime sours like the Brass Monkey (White Horse HM King, maca, lucuma, chuncho bitters), invented by British sailors to keep scurvy at bay, to the Athole Brose (blended whisky, honey, oatmeal, drambuie, Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira), which dates all the way back to 1475, when the Scottish Earl of Athole allegedly filled a whole well with it to incapacitate a rebel clan. Who doesn’t like their libations with a side of lore? 32 Wyndham St.; 853/ 2565-5268; HK$260.

From East to West

Here’s a full night’s itinerary of Hong Kong’s new additions and best-kept secrets, from the gastronomically decadent Wan Chai to the hipster haven of Sai Ying Pun. 8:00 p.m. Behind Yenn Wong and Jason Atherton’s Ham & Sherry is a bar so secret it hasn’t even a name. Spanish tapas complement campy cocktails and the longest sherry menu in Asia (including bottles from the now-defunct elBulli cellar). 1-7 Ship St.; 852/2555-0628; HK$200.

10:00 p.m. The Graham Street wet market isn’t where you’d expect to find top-shelf Japanese

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whisky and jazz, but there they are at 001. Ring the antique bell at the unmarked black door. 97 Wellington St.; 852/2810-6969; drinks for two HK$250.

Reservations are essential.

11:30 p.m. Housed on three floors of a walk-up, Sense 99 is more party than bar, with a full set of instruments for anyone to use.

With a vibe like friend’s basement, it makes sense this chill, art-filled

spot is members-only. It’s a fee of HK$200 a year to join the club. 99 Wellington St.; 852/9466-4695; HK$100; weekend nights only.

1:00 a.m. After midnight, flocks of hipsters fly to XXX, a funky underground club where visiting DJs spin real music, from drum‘n’bass to hip-hop to sixties throwbacks until the wee hours.

B/F, 353-363 Des Voeux Rd. West; HK$100; weekend nights only.

I L L U S T R AT I O N S I N T H I S S P R E A D B Y W A S I N N E C H A N TA K O R N ; C O U R T E S Y O F S T O C K T O N ( 2 )

Hangover Helpers

SINGA-POURS

Asian Libations

Mixologist Michael Callahan from Singapore’s cult bar 28 HongKong Street takes Mark Lean on a tour of his favorite neighborhood spots for cool cocktails, and more.

C O U R T E SY O F 28 H O N G KO N G S T R E E T (3)

+ “New to the scene, L’Aiglon [69 Neil Rd.; 65/6220-0369; barlaiglon.com; drinks for two S$50] has bartender Louis Tan mixing balanced and approachable drinks made with high quality ingredients like the refreshing Screaming Tomato, the bar’s version of the classic Bloody Mary.” + “Ryan Clift and his team at the Tippling Club [38 Tanjong Pagar Rd.; 65/ 64752217; tipplingclub.com; dinner for two S$200] are world-famous for their food. Try the smoked eel omelet. But it’s Australian Zachary Degit’s drink list, including hits like the gin-steeped Jolly Green, and gomme and fruit-spirit cocktail Purple Drank, that make it a night to remember.” + “I have always loved coming to Jigger & Pony [101, Amoy St.; 65/6223-9101; jiggerandpony.com; drinks for two S$50].

With Aki Eguchi’s

attention to details, I would keep close watch on the junior staff. One day they will be running great bars of their own.” + “I’ve waited a long time to enjoy 28 HongKong Street [28 HongKong St.; 65/6533- 2001; 28hks. com; drinks for two S$50] as a guest. I love it even more now. With a revolving door of world-class bartenders pulling guest shifts here, you never know what surprises await.” + “As I’m from the U.S., I have a soft spot for that lingering savory char taste. The food at Burnt Ends [20, Teck Lim Rd.; 65/ 6224-3933; burntends.com.sg; dinner for two S$250] cooked in apple- and almond-wood burning machines and grills, is complemented by an ambitious barrel-aged cocktail program. So grab a menu, close your eyes and point.

You can’t go wrong.” + “Izy [27, Club St.; 65/6220-3327; izy.com.

sg; drinks for two S$50] serves ultra-hip Japanese fare in small plates. After work, the overly plush seats out front are wondrous vantage points to watch the masses wander to the pubs of Club Street to unwind.

At Cache, the stylish bar hidden behind a mirrored wall inside, bartender Kley Dhillon creates tasty drinks, making this joint a place for dinner and cocktails.” + “This high-energy taqueira is a lively canvas on which the culinary expertise of Chef Mario Malvaez, from Mexico City, is displayed. At Lucha Loco [15 Duxton Hill; 65/6226-3938; luchaloco.com; dinner for two S$150], if you stare at the ribs hard enough the meat will just fall off the bone— while top-notch agave spirit offerings from bar man Ash Jahari and the team equate to plain, good fun.” + “If you had a long night at the bars order

some grub here: Ronin [17, HongKong Street; brunch for two S$50] has the best eggs I have had in Singapore. Go for the Portobello mushrooms and avocado with eggs plate and copious cups of coffee! The guys here are hip, remarkably lovable and known for their deft, precise pulls of properly roasted beans.”

Cocktails with Callahan

Follow Michael Callahan’s eight golden rules for serving up dynamite drinks, and you’ll soon be the life of the party.

1

Invest in home molds to make very cold and hard ice. Or order a block from a reputable supplier. Make sure you request “food grade.” If having a party, procure way more ice than you could

possibly use as running out of ice will ruin the event, full stop.

2

Keep it simple but diverse. Stick to three drinks representing three different cocktail styles: stirred, shaken and built.

3

Presentation is key. Source proper glassware or vintage glassware from a thrift store.

4

Use a jigger to ensure consistency.

Professionals always measure.

5

Take a short course from a local craft bar or just watch the movements of a good barman. They are precise, calculated and entertaining.

6

If expecting many friends, consider making drinks in batches,

or just go with a punch. No one wants to wait all night.

7

Be mindful of the dilution of the drink. It’s the secret variable that most don’t think about.

8

Work the crowd, have fun and smile!

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Asian Libations

HOPPY HAPPENINGS

As the thirst for flavorful craft beers rises to a near unquenchable level, new microbreweries and tap-happy bars are flooding the market with a wave of beautiful brews. By Cole Pennington

breweries Great Leap Brewing (Doujiao Hutong #6 Beijing; 86- 10/57171399; greatleapbrewing. com; RMB60), has undergone a renovation—think age-worn wood and

antique furnishings —and emerged as one of the trendiest places in town to grab brews inspired by China’s rich history and using local ingredients. The fledgling Kerry Hotel (1388 Hua Mu Rd., Shanghai; 86-21/61698888; shangri-la.com/

shanghai/kerryhotel pudong; RMB60) brews its core lineup right on the premises. In September, beer geeks attend The Kerry Hotel Craft Beer Festival, with more than 50 craft beers to sample.

T+L TIP Last year, Beijing’s Slow Boat

Brewery (slowboat brewery.com) enthusiasts could only fill up a growler from the tap, but now they can buy at certain outlets as well. Pop into El Gran Bocado Taqueria (1F, 55-6 Xingfucun Zhong lu Jiezuo Daxia,

Chaoyang Dist., Beijing; 86-10/64161715) for some authentic Mexican street food and bring home a few bottles of the First Immortal Double India Pale Ale or the smooth, strong Zombie Pirate Pale Ale.

Slow Boat Brewery Taproom, Beijing.

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C O U R T E S Y O F S L O W B O AT B E W E R Y

CHINA

CAMBODIA

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: P O R N S A K N A N A K O R N ; C O U R T E S Y O F C R A F T P O I N T B R E W I N G C O ; C O U R T E S Y O F G R E AT L E A P B R E W I N G ; C O U R T E S Y O F K AT I P U N A N

brewery Newcomer Kingdom Brewery (kingdombreweries. com) is churning out Cambodia’s first and only craft beer. beer Kouprey Dark Lager is particularly tasty, with strong smoky and sweet notes thanks to imported German malts. bars In Phnom Penh, swig a bottle while taking in the view of the Tonle Sap River at the Foreign Correspondents Club (Preah Sisowath

Quay; 855-23/210-142; fcccambodia.com; US$8). For an up-close look at the operation, flag down the Kingdom’s doubledecker bus for a free lift to The Taproom (1748 National Rd. 5; 885-23/430-180), their very own pour house.

T+L TIP Swing by Kingdom’s Taproom on a Friday for their TGIF deal—pay US$10 to enjoy endless draft brews and burgers from Mike’s Burger House, a small eatery bringing juicy burgers to the capital.

JAPAN

brewery What started as a foray into craft beer during an English teacher’s stay in 1989 is now Numazu’s Baird Brewing, one of Japan’s most exciting young breweries. beer Wabi-Sabi Japan Pale Ale, a new release, promises hyper-local Japanese herbs like wasabi and Green tea leaves to give it an unfamiliar dimension of zest. bar Baird Harajuku Taproom (No-

surrender Bldg.

2F,1-20-13, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/64380450; bairdbeer.com; ¥750) serves the firey Wabi-Sabi on tap.

T+L TIP Check out Baird Brewery Gardens Shuzenji, opening in the spring.

They plan to maintain an orchard on the premises that will provide spices and ingredients for the many new brews debuting in 2014, like the small-batch Destination Ale that uses Japanese sweet plums called sumomo.

Brews to Bites Some cuisines simply beg to be washed down with an icy beer. Here are a few restaurants answering that call. ja pa n

Wachi Kunsei delicately partners a selection of smoked tapas with their 40-some types of bottled beers and five draught brews, which rotate local labels. 571 Obiya-cho, Nishiki Takakura Sagaru, Nakagyoku, Kyoto; 81-75/212-6342; ¥3,000. thailand

Craftpoint Brewing Co.

Thirty taps flow at Mikkeller Bar.

Thailand’s Leo beer might seem flavorless to seasoned craft drinkers, but the folks at Jham Jun Phranakorn have found the perfect use for it: a key ingredient in a special stir-fry sauce used in their signature Leo chicken dish.

Jhamjun, 5F, Fortville Guesthouse, Phra Sumen, Bangkok. si nga p or e

Katipunan is starting a beer revolution.

PHILIPPINES

brewery Katipunan (facebook.com/ KatipunanCraftAles) may be producing only about 2,000 bottles a month, but the young brewery is looking to “start a revolution” by bringing craft beer to the masses in Manila. beer Ditching the ubiquitous pilsner and lager styles, Katipunan (named after a Filipino revolutionary-era secret society) chooses to focus on the de riguer style of craft beer: pale ale. Try the winning combination of Indio Pale Ale

Great Leap Brewing.

with a burger at B&B Burgers and Brewskies (Unit E, Forbes Town Center, Burgos Circle, BGC; dinner for two P1,300) buy Bring home a bottle from organic grocer Ritual (Unit A, The Collective, 7274 Malugay St., San Antonio, 1203 Makati; ritual.ph).

T+L TIP Try the Night and Day drafts by Craftpoint Brewing Co. (facebook.com/ CraftpointBrew), a set of “twin beers” released this spring that use coffee beans supplied by coffee specialist The Curator.

THAILAND

bars The recently opened Mikkeller Bar (Ekkamai 10, Yaek 2; 66-2/381-9891; mikkellerbangkok.com; Bt500) has 30 taps and loads of bottles of their own and other special brews. Set in an airy house with a lovely garden, it’s destined to dominate Bangkok’s burgeoning beer scene.

Meanwhile, Evil Twin Brewing’s (eviltwin. dk) esoteric one-off batches are exclusively at Beerosophy (66-91/ 085-4876; facebook. com/beerosophy; Bt550).

importers Pacific B&B is bringing in Italian ales; share a 750ml bottle like wine among friends at Bellino (Thonglor Soi 13, M Place Mall; 66-2/712-5446; dinner and drinks for two Bt1800). Beervana (seekbeervana.com), the American ale importers, will add American-Japanese brewer Baird (bairdbeer.com) to its lineup.

T+L TIP Pour a pint of Baird’s from a custom draft wall, a first for Thailand, at SWAY (Thonglor Soi 10, Arena 10, Bangkok; Bt500).

At RedDot, the pork and beef ribs are both done in house-made beer marinade, while the beer brats (as you may have guessed) are sausages cooked in beer broth. 33/34 Boat Quay, Singapore; 65/64750500; reddotbrewhouse. com.sg. ca m bodi a

The Oyster Restaurant and Bar taps local Himawari Microbrewery for delicate beers to bring out the flavors of the raw oysters while heartier ales like Oatmeal stout offset the spicy palate of the Cambodian dishes on the menu. 313 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh; 855-23/214-555; himawarihotel.com.

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Asian Libations

ASIA’S BEST BEERS BEER

FLAVOR

BAR

Beerlao, Laos

This Laotian lager owes its unique taste to locally grown rice and imported German malts.

Inhale a frosty glass of lager with a view of the mighty Mekong River at local spot Bor Pen Yang. Fah Ngum Quay, Ban Wat Cham, Vientiane.

Japan Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale, Japan

Matured in sake barrels made from cedar, it follows an original recipe that was first brought to Japan in the 19th century, resulting in superbly dry pale ale.

Sample this crisp, nutmeggy white right as it comes out of the maturation casks at Kiuchi Brewery. 1257 Kounosu, Naka-shi, Ibaraki; kodawari.cc.

Lion Stout, Sri Lanka

Lion’s principal product is a bland lager, but the stout is another story; it’s toasty, malty, and pairs exceptionally well with Sri Lankan coconut-based curries.

Sip a pint in a lounge-like atmosphere at The Brewery by O! No. 10, Dutch Hospital Precinct, Colombo; thebrewerybyo.com.

Le Ble d’Or Sweet Lager, Taiwan

Using Taiwanese honey from Yunlin county, this sweet lager is perfect for an afternoon tipple during Taiwan’s hot summers.

Head to Le Ble d’Or Xinyi for fresh frothy brew.

Songgao Rd., No. 11, B1, Taipei; lebledor.com.tw.

Minoh Yuzu White Ale, Japan

This unusual winter offering packs a puckering punch with an infusion of zesty local yuzu fruit.

Female brewers Mayuko and Kaori Ohshita are shaking up the beer scene with in-your-face recipes on offer at Minoh Tap Room. 3-19-11 Makiochi Minoh-Osaka; minoh-beer.jp/brewery/access.

Boxing Cat Donkey Punch Porter, China

See what happens when chocolate and ancho peppers get cozy in a stout. Spoiler alert—it’s delicious.

Try it at its birthplace, Boxing Cat Brewery. 519-521 Fuxing Middle Rd., Huangpu, Shanghai; boxingcatbrewery.com.

Est. 33 Black Brew, Thailand

The Thai conglomerate behind Singha produces this microbrew, but its an entirely different animal—made with local black glutinous sticky rice that lends a slightly sweet taste and fullbodied mouthfeel.

EST. 33 is the perfect escape from the Bangkok hustle. Bldg.

E, Crystal Design Center, 1420/1 Praditmanoontham Rd., Bangkok; est-33.com.

Fat Pauly’s RASTAFA-RYE Rogenbier, Philippines

German rye flavors collide with gingery island vibes in this seriously esoteric brew.

Global Beer Exchange bottle shop and tap room is always stocked with this hard-to-find rogenbier.

Unit 103 Tritan Ventures Bldg., Paseo de Magallanes 1200, Makati, Manila; globalbeerexchange.com.ph.

Craftworks Jirisan Moon Bear India Pale Ale, Korea

An overload of three types of hops come together to make this citrus explosion, one of the first true IPAs in Korea.

Down a cold one at the Craftworks Tap Room.

Myeongsan Building, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon 2-dong 651, Seoul; craftworkstaphouse.com.

Brewerkz Hopback Ale, Singapore

Using a variety of three English hops and skipping the pasteurizing process, Hopback Ale is brewed in the spirit of a proper pint from Great Britain.

Brewerkz has six locations throughout Singapore, but the original riverside bar is best. 30 Merchant Rd., #01-05/06 Riverside Point; brewerkz.com.

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C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F S L O W B O AT B E W E R Y ( 2 ) ; J O H N B O Y E R ; C O U R T E S Y O F J I B I R U C R A F T B E E R B A R

A mix of new standouts and old favorites, here are our 10 favorite regional beers, in no particular order. By Cole Pennington

A MODERN TRADITION OF ASIAN HOSPITALITY Designed in the style of a traditional Malay village, Meritus Pelangi’s 355 guestrooms and suites are housed in wooden chalets that are spread across 35 acres of lush landscaped gardens along a stretch of white sandy shores. Be ushered into a world of ethnic charm and tropical tranquility at this award-winning resort!

LEISURE FACILITIES Relax with refreshing and rejuvenating beauty and massage therapies at exclusive Pelangi Spa, or pick from land or sea excursions and water sports activities readily arranged for you. You won’t be able to resist taking a dip or simply lazing around the resort’s outdoor free-form swimming pools with water cascades. For the fitness enthusiast, rev up at the gym equipped with steam and sauna. The resort also offers squash, tennis, archery, mini golf and bicycles, amongst a smorgasbord of fun activities!

Pantai Cenang, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia T (60 4) 952 8888 I F (60 4) 952 8899 E pelangi@meritushotels.com I Room Reservation (60 4) 955 1866 I E resvn.pelangi@meritushotels.com Enjoy Best Rate Promise at www.meritushotels.com

April 2014

In This Issue

M I S H A G R AV E N O R

78 Hainan 84 95 Places to Eat Like Local 94 Ginger 102 Los Angeles Chef Jason Neroni (center) and staff at Superba Snack Bar, in Los Angeles, page 102.

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The chicken rice at Raffles Hainan is served with three dipping sauces.

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CHICKEN

BY THE SEA

COURTESY OF R AFFLES HAINAN

The island of Hainan birthed one of Chinese cuisine’s most iconic dishes: Hainanese chicken. Jeff Chu and his mother search out the roots of this family favorite, learning how to raise the birds, cook the dish, and connect over a not-so-simple plate of rice.

F R O M T O P L E F T: S O N N Y T H A K U R ; P H I L I P P E N G E L H O R N ; P ORNSA K N A N A KORN (2)

Chef Carl Chen stresses the need for patience when cooking Hainanese chicken rice.

Any chef can tell you that THE SIMPLEST recipes often prove the MOST DIFFICULT

COURTESY OF R AFFLES HAINAN

to perfect.

In the cuisine of the Chinese diaspora, few dishes seem more elementary than Hainanese chicken rice. How hard could it be to poach chicken, then steam rice in the poaching liquid? At its best, the slightly fatty chicken skin pairs harmoniously with the juicy meat.

Each fluff of rice, infused with chickeny flavor, sings of a happy marriage of basic ingredients.

I grew up eating Hainanese chicken rice every chance I got. It’s a mainstay of Chinese-Malaysian cooking and a litmus test; I’ve used it to pass judgment on restaurants in London, New York and Hong Kong.

Before my first visit to Singapore, which offers some of the world’s best chicken rice, I scoured page after page of vigorous online debate about which hawker stall sells the finest version. Then I happily ate my way across town.

Yet there’s a reason it’s Hainanese chicken rice, not Singaporean. It was born on the Chinese island of Hainan. When waves of emigrants in the 19th century left for colonial Malaya to labor on plantations and in service, they took this recipe with them. It tasted like home.

I wanted to find the roots of this beloved dish, and meals are always best enjoyed in good company—so I decided to bring my mother. The best cook in our big, food-loving family, I thought she’d enjoy both the eating and the expedition. She also loves to travel, but she spends all her vacation time on her family, never on herself. This was a chance to help sate her unfulfilled wanderlust.

Along the way, we hoped to grasp how Hainan is changing and juxtapose a taste of history with a glimpse of the future. This fastblossoming subtropical island has become a popular destination, especially among Chinese snowbirds. It’s now often called “the Hawaii of China,” though one acquaintance was quick to note that, “This is said by people who have never been to Hawaii.”

If China’s provinces were sisters in a sprawling family,

prosperous Guangdong would be the ambitious one who never found a ladder she didn’t want to climb, while Hunan, an agricultural heartland boasting fiery cuisine, would be the earthy hothead.

Hainan, China’s smallest province, would be the pretty little one that everyone forgot. En route to nowhere, it has little coal or oil. But

lovely mountains rise in its heart. Its fertile coastal plains abound with maize, beans and greens. Even in the rapidly developing city of Sanya, where the chief cash crop seems to be condos, you’ll notice rice paddies alongside still-sprouting high-rises clad in old-school bamboo scaffolding.

Being a backwater has its benefits. Traffic’s not terrible. Its clean waters produce abundant seafood. Hainan enjoys China’s bluest skies.

When locals say that the forecast calls for fog, it’s the real thing, not the yellow-gray smog that smothers much of the mainland.

Other than the emerald necklace of golf courses along Hainan’s coast, the tourist infrastructure is still immature. One morning, we visited the Yetian Cultural Village, which highlights two indigenous Hainanese minorities, the Li and the Miao. Most displays are only in Chinese, in which I’m nearly illiterate, so my mother read the factoids aloud: The tribes worship a god with 33 incarnations, each of which removes a different kind of suffering. They have a curious custom of honoring the dead by burying cut fingernails in small wooden boxes. They eat mostly seafood and game hunted with bow and arrow—raccoon, snake, bear. No mention of chicken.

Afterward, we bumped down a country lane, past locals untangling fishing nets by the roadside, until we arrived at a restaurant called Shi Hai Ren (“people who harvest things from the sea”). “Everything here is wild-caught,” affirmed the proprietor, Miss Chan, who said she was “born on the sea” and told us, “What comes from the wild tastes different from what is farmed—much better.”

Beneath a canopy overlooking Haitang Bay, we feasted alfresco on a superbly fresh green wrasse, steamed and crowned with ginger and scallions; shell-on, wok-fried prawns; orangeand-white cockles with meat that looked like miniature, melting creamsicles and tasted of the ocean. As my mother picked at the wrasse’s bony remnants, she wondered how we might be able to take a live fish or two back to Hong Kong. “Your grandmother would like this,” she said. Forgive the pun, but we were happy as clams.

Yet I also couldn’t help but feel that the siren call of the sea—or really, the seafood—was diverting us from our mission: to eat chicken.

On Hainan, Hainanese chicken isn’t called Hainanese chicken. It’s Wenchang chicken, after the city that supplies the island’s finest poultry.

Wenchang was also the port of departure for the emigrants to Southeast Asia, who took live chickens with them.

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Our first taste came in Sanya. Carl Chen, a chef at the Raffles Hainan, where we were staying, had recommended an unpretentious eatery specializing in the dish. The chicken— RMB42 for half a plump bird—landed on our plastic table with bowls of dipping sauce—soy spiked with vinegar, garlic, ginger and cilantro.

The meat had a pleasant chew; these weren’t unnaturally tender corn-fed, factory-farmed birds. The rice shone with chicken fat, and the kitchen dished up wok-fried winged beans as an accompaniment.

Most Hainanese agree that Wenchang chicken must be made from chickens born and raised in Wenchang. The waiter bragged that the chefs here slaughtered their own birds. Where were they? He gestured at a closet door; squawks emerged from within—a hidden avian death row.

A couple of days later, we drove to the outskirts of Wenchang, past rubber and mango plantations, to a chicken farm. Another point of agreement: Wenchang chickens must spend part of their lives ranging and foraging freely. Chef Chen had told us he prefers three-month-old birds, but the farm manager, Mr. Zhang, said that chickens were best slaughtered after six. For four months, they roam. For their last two, they plump up in open-air, palm-shaded longhouses, on a diet that includes oats and coconut.

From the farm, we went into central Wenchang. If Hainan can be the Hawaii of China, then some opportunistic bureaucrat will soon try to rebrand Wenchang as the Paris of Hainan. Bridges arc across the laconic Wenchang River. A bustling street market fills the banks. At cafés around the main square, old men sip tea, mostly an herbaceous local variety colloquially called lo ba cha (“father’s tea”).

Under a gazebo, others play Chinese chess.

Historically, Wenchang has been Hainan’s cultural capital, but little ancient architecture remains. A surviving landmark, the Confucius Temple, built during the 11th century, has been extensively rebuilt. Most intriguing: a gallery used as a local military hall of fame; strikingly, most of the honored heroes were Kuomintang and had to flee to Taiwan after the Communist victory in 1949—facts noted without prejudice.

We strolled Old Street, a curvaceous thoroughfare lined by 19th-century, Europeanstyle buildings with Victorian Gothic arches.

Renovated within the past five years, the elegant colonnaded buildings are almost all done in shades of gray. It appeared as if the restorers had only black-and-white postcards for inspiration.

Of course we wanted to try Wenchang chicken in Wenchang itself. We passed a couple of restaurants with sad-looking cooked chickens 82

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languishing under heat lamps. Finally, on our way to the train station, we found the grandly named Yanhe Chicken Rice Palace.

Too grandly, we learned. A waitress in heels tottered into the glassed-in kitchen to prepare our order. I watched her giggle as she flailed at a chicken with the cleaver, barely making a dent. Finally, a cook, pitying her, took over.

It wasn’t worth the effort. “Not good,” my mom said, after tasting the chicken. The skin, thick with fat, hadn’t been properly rendered.

The meat was bland, the rice greasy. I mourned for this bird. It had given its life in vain.

What caused this tragedy? To find out, we needed to learn to cook. One afternoon, we met Chef Chen in the Raffles kitchen. We’d been told to reserve three hours for the lesson—it seemed like a lot of time to poach chicken and steam rice. “When you’re cooking Hainanese chicken rice, you can’t be impatient,” he explained. “You have to cook slowly.”

He took us to the walk-in refrigerators. First, two (already dead) young chickens, no more than 1.5 kilograms each. Then he piled our trays high with lemongrass, shallots, ginger, cilantro, scallions, leeks.

Into the stock went large pieces of ginger, 20 crushed garlic cloves, stalks of lemongrass, areca flowers, two green onions, one choppedup leek, and some cilantro—all for two chickens! We began to realize just how complex the creation of culinary simplicity can be.

The next couple of hours were a whirl of mincing, smashing, crushing, pureeing, sautéing, poaching and steaming. Chef Chen guided us through the prep of the chickens; a clay pot of rice steamed not only with stock but also chicken fat, shallots, pandan leaves, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and scallions; and a trio of dipping sauces.

The sauces provided the best metaphor for this dish’s chameleonic character. The first, a bold local favorite balancing tart and savory, blends calamansi juice with hot oil, ginger and garlic, cilantro and Maggi sauce. The second, popular among the Cantonese, is subtler— no citrus, just ginger, garlic, scallion, oil and salt. The third, we tasted only at the Raffles. Bright in color and flavor, it suggested room to play. It built on that calamansi-and-garlic base, adding minced red pepper, a splash of fish sauce and a sprinkle of sugar.

This was all so much work that I questioned how it could possibly be worthwhile. Even when I thought the chicken was ready, it wasn’t; “you have to let the chicken rest at least half an hour before carving it,” Chef Chen said. By the time we sat to eat, my legs ached, my head throbbed with hunger, and my stomach grumbled too.

But oh, this chicken. It was a revelation, exploding with flavor. So too the rice. Each sauce stood out—the Hainanese one sharp and citrusy, the Cantonese one mellower, the pepper-based one vegetal.

This chicken rice, paired with these sauces, was not one dish but three, each with different depth and dimension. Could I cook it myself? I don’t know if I’d dare. Being in the kitchen with Chef Chen taught me new respect not only for a dish I’ve long loved but also for the craft.

The other revelation of the cooking lesson? My mother. I’m a decent home cook—nothing near as good as she is—but I realized that I’m a terrible cooking reporter. As we spoke with Chef Chen, who conducted the lesson in Cantonese, I had no idea what to ask or how.

But it didn’t matter, because my mom, an accountant by training, blossomed into a journalist in the heat of the kitchen. Where I stood back, she moved forward, peering into steaming pots and hovering over cutting boards. When I was silent, she had question after perfect

question, clipboard and pen in hand: How much ginger? That much garlic? How much calamansi juice?

I brought her to Hainan because I thought it would be good for her.

Really, it ended up being good for me. I remembered a moment years ago, when I complained about how she treated me like a child; she gazed at me evenly and said, “You will always be my child.” In the Raffles kitchen, that was true in the best of ways—she knew what I needed without me saying a thing.

Throughout the trip, from our hotel balcony and on walks along the splendid beach, I’d been contemplating the sea. Wenchang-born emigrants, with their Wenchang-born chickens, had sailed these waters two centuries ago. If you’d told them to use lemongrass or pandan leaf, they might have laughed. Three sauces? What would have been absurd to them was awesome to me.

Places change. Tastes too. Some versions of chicken rice that we ate on Hainan were like the worst of the development that we saw— slapdash, forgettable, meh. Chef Chen’s reimagined, refined chicken rice was a welcome reminder that good things can evolve, but in the right hands, retain and even elevate their essence. One hopes that Hainan, still largely raw in its remarkable beauty, can do the same.

As my mother and I ate the fowl of our labor in the Raffles kitchen, I looked at her and my heart felt as full as my stomach. She is usually a woman of simple words, but her mouth now held none at all—only more chicken and more rice. She looked back at me, nodded her head slowly, and grinned. ✚

+

T L Guide STAY Raffles Hainan Clearwater Bay Avenue, Yingzhou, Lingshui; 86-898/8338-9888; raffles.com/hainan; doubles from RMB1,800 per night.

EAT Xinsheng Wenchang Chicken Rice Restaurant 15 Xiangrui Lu, Sanya; 86-138/76861812; dinner for two RMB70.

Shi Hai Ren Seafood Restaurant Wanghai Lu, Chiling Scenic Area, Yingzhou, Lingshui; 86-898/8347-5122; dinner for two RMB350.

Longquan Township Park Leisure Resort Restaurant 300m from the Dazhipo exit, Haiwen Highway, Wenchang;

86-898/3161-8999; dinner for two RMB300.

Bai Wei at the Raffles Hainan Clearwater Bay Avenue, Yingzhou, Lingshui; 86-898/ 8338-9888; raffles.com/ hainan/dining/bai-wei/; dinner for two RMB700.

SEE+DO Yetian Cultural Village Yingzhou Village, Yingzhou, Lingshui; 86-898/83470995; yetianguzhai.com; RMB50.

Confucius Temple 77 Wendong Lu, Wenchang; 86-898/6322-7482; RMB30.

Clearwater Bay Golf Club Clearwater Bay Avenue, Yingzhou, Lingshui; 86-898/83358888; hncwb.com; RMB2,560 for round of golf for two.

RECIPE Hainanese Chicken Rice (serves four)

Hainanese sauce

Adapted from Chef Carl Chen’s recipes

¼ c garlic, finely minced ¼ c ginger, finely minced 1 c hot vegetable oil 1/3 c calamansi (or lime) juice 2 T cilantro ½ t Maggi seasoning sauce

1 young chicken, preferably about 1.5 kg 2 T salt Chicken broth (enough just to cover the chicken) 1 stalk of lemongrass, trimmed and crushed 1 leek 1 large piece of ginger, peeled and chopped 10 cloves of garlic, crushed Cilantro (optional) Rub salt all over the chicken, inside and out.

In a large pot, bring the broth to a rolling boil and add all additional ingredients. Skim any froth off the top. Dip the chicken in and out of the broth eight times, then set the chicken aside and bring the broth back to the boil.

Reduce heat to low—enough to maintain a simmer. Put the chicken into the pot, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the broth and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before carving.

1½ c jasmine rice 2¼ c chicken broth 3 T of chicken fat (or vegetable oil) 8 shallots, crushed 8 cloves of garlic, crushed 4 thick slices of fresh ginger 1 stalk of lemongrass, trimmed, quartered and crushed 1 pandan leaf, roughly chopped 2 scallions 2 t salt In a Dutch oven or clay pot, sauté the garlic and shallots in the fat over low heat, stirring constantly—10-15 minutes. When the shallots are golden and beginning to fall apart, add the lemongrass, the pandan leaf, and the rice. Stir well. Add chicken broth, salt and scallions. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook until all liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy—about 18-20 minutes. Pick out ginger, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, pandan leaf and scallions before serving.

Mix garlic, ginger and hot oil well. Then add calamansi juice, cilantro and Maggi sauce.

Stir well.

Cantonese sauce 1 c ginger, cut into chunks 5 cloves garlic 1 c plus 2 T hot vegetable oil ½ t salt ½ t chicken bouillon powder (optional) 1 T finely chopped scallion Puree ginger and garlic in a food processor until creamy. Add 2 T of oil, mixing well. Then press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any large pieces of ginger and garlic. Add remaining oil, salt, chicken bouillon powder (if using) and scallion.

Chef Chen’s special sauce 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 c red pepper, finely minced ½ c calamansi (or lime) juice 2 T fish sauce ½ white sugar Mix all ingredients together well.

VENICE Osteria Bancogiro Request a Grand Canal–facing table and order gnocchi with scallops and porcini. For more restaurants with spectacular vantages, turn to page 91. 122 San Polo; osteriabancogiro.it. $$

S I M O N W AT S O N

For the second edition of our global eating guide, we asked our far-flung correspondents, favorite chefs, critics and resident food experts to share their beloved insider spots—places that so define their locale, they couldn’t be anywhere else. From roadside chicken rice in Ubud to the finest pho joint in Las Vegas, this is it: your food-lover’s map of the world.

From far left: Istanbul’s Van Kahvalti Evi; Carmel’s Breakfast House, in Phoenix; Lauras Bakery, in Copenhagen.

Six indulgent reasons to get out of the hotel early.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T: D A V I D H A G E R M A N ; C O U R T E S Y O F C A R M E L' S ; C O U R T E S Y O F L A U R A S B A K E R Y; © B I G P H O T O / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

AMSTERDAM Pancake Bakery Bacon-, cheese- or apple-​ topped pannenkoeken (larger and thinner than American flapjacks) are the items to order at this intimate canal-side space.

191 Prinsengracht; pancake.nl. $$

PHOENIX Carmel’s Breakfast House This neighborhood coffee joint, dreamed up by a local weatherman in search of a good cuppa, has morphed into a full-blown daytime hangout, with panini, tartines and brown-butter scones made daily.

4233 E. Camelback Rd.; carmels​breakfast.com. $

culinary mecca that is Torvehallerne Market.

17 Linnesgade; lauras bakery.com. $ ISTANBUL Van Kahvalti Evi At this cozy spot in the Cihangir district, breakfast spreads come loaded with sesame bread, white clouds of kaymak (clotted cream) and briny, herb-flecked cheese. Add a skillet of sizzling soujuk sausage, and you’re set until dinner.

52A Defterdar Yokuşu; 90-212/293-6437. $

COPENHAGEN Lauras Bakery In a land obsessed with morning pastries (Danish, anyone?), Lauras takes the cake. Expect rows of kanelsnegle (intensely spiced cinnamon rolls) and Pop-Tart-like hindbærsnitters, all in the

TORONTO Rose & Sons Torontonians are serious about their diner breakfasts, and chef Anthony Rose has given them cause to remain true.

Eggs with schmaltz hash; pastrami lox; wildblueberry bread pudding—​ this is no typical greasy spoon. 176 Dupont St.; roseandsons.ca. $$ VIENNA Orlando di Castello What’s drawing creative types to this eye-catching, white-onwhite café? Perfect poached eggs on dense walnut toast and beautifully served Viennese Melanges (espressos with milk)— some of the city’s best.

1 Freyung; orlando​di​ castello.com. $$

TOKYO: TWO MEALS WORTH YOUR TIME

RESTAURANT

ROKURINSHA

rokurinsha.com; $$

the queue 120 minutes

DURATION

Cult ramen haunt in Tokyo Station.

NARISAWA

PAYOFF

eating time 12 minutes

We’d endure the epic line all over again for another slurp of that umamirich tsukemen ramen.

best course (“carbonized” steak) 02h18

first course (bread) 00h15

narisawayoshihiro.com; $$$$

orders taken 90 minutes

16th course (dessert trolley) 03h15

Food-nerd nirvana in the Aoyama neighborhood.

0 hours

1

2

You’ll need to book a month ahead for chef Narisawa’s tasting menu, but you’ll savor every second of this mind-​altering marathon.

3 4 hours

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN The seductive aroma of spit-roasted chicken has three food capitals in a spin. On Manhattan’s Upper East Side, at the new Rôtisserie Georgette (rotisserieg.com), the juicy poulet rôti is matched with sublimely crunchy potatoes and flame-kissed leeks.

Heirloom chickens and game birds are the specialty at Le Coq Rico (lecoq rico.com), in Paris’s boho Abbesses quarter.

And in London, two young chefs have turned a 2006 Ford Transit van into the roving rotisserie Spit & Roast (spitandroast. com), whose free-range Suffolk chickens are now a cult sensation.

BEST EXCUSE TO GET OVER YOURSELF AND EAT SCRAPPLE: BRAD SPENCE’S FUNKY-PORKY RENDITION AT PHILADELPHIA’S AMIS (AMISPHILLY.COM). restaurants $ Less than $25 $$ $25 to $75 $$$ $75 to $150 $$$$ More than $150 Prices throughout are in U.S. dollars and represent approximate prices for a three-course dinner for two, excluding drinks.

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We know what you’re craving.

And we know where to find it.

The Fried Chicken LIT TLE SKILLET

Cayenne-and-paprika spiced fried chicken served with maple syrup and waffles dusted in powdered sugar. 360 Ritch St.; 1-415/777-2777. $$

The Burger

The Dessert ICE CREAM BAR

4505 MEATS

Gruyère-topped patty of dry-aged California beef in a sesame-scallion bun.

1 Ferry Bldg.; 4505meats.com. $

Wild-cherry phosphate float, flavored with tart cherry juice and garnished with shards of bittersweet chocolate. 815 Cole St.; theicecreambarsf.com. $

The Okonomiyaki NAMU GAJI

Oyster-infused scallion pancake with bonito flakes, tonkatsu sauce and mayo. 499 Dolores St.; namusf.com. $$$

The Coffee SIGHTGL ASS

The Sandwich BAR TARTINE

Rainbow trout smørrebrød with trout roe and quark cheese. 561 Valencia St.; bartartine.com. $$

The Salad BOULI BAR

Eastern Mediterranean salad with purslane, freekeh (green wheat), ricotta salata and a pomegranate reduction. 1 Ferry Bldg.; bouletteslarder.com. $$

DAV I D A L E X A N D E R A R N O L D

Classic cappuccino made with small-batch, single-origin beans.

270 Seventh St.; sightglasscoffee.com. $

FOOD HOOD: LAS VEGAS

Along Spring Mountain Road—a.k.a.

Chinatown—are scores of authentic Asian restaurants. Here, six highlights.

PHO 87 Purists flock to this unassuming storefront for super-fresh goi cuon (summer rolls) and fragrant oxtail pho.

3620 S. Jones Blvd.; 1-702/233-8787. $

CHINA MAMA Order the signature soup dumplings—here called steamed juicy pork buns—and don’t overlook the lamb with cumin or the crispy beef.

3420 S. Jones Blvd.; 1-702/873-1977. $

SP RI NG

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T: TA I P O W E R S E E F F ; T H E P O W E R O F F O R E V E R P H O T O G R A P H Y/G E T T Y I M A G E S ; © B L U E H A N D/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

Where every order comes with a side of history.

DANIA BEACH, FL Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor Alongside an endless array of vintage kitsch (turn-of-the-20thcentury license plates; displays of retro candy) are 45-​plus flavors of south Florida’s favorite ice cream, handmade daily for 58 years.

128 S. Federal Hwy.; jaxsons​icecream.com. $$

BEVERLY HILLS Fountain Coffee Room The luncheonette at the Beverly Hills Hotel has

served local starlets and studio heads since 1949. While the banana-​leaf wallpaper remains, there are nods to today’s tastes: cold-​pressed juices and a decadent caramel pumpkin pie named for Mary J. Blige.

9641 Sunset Blvd.; thebeverly​hillshotel.com. $$$

MELBOURNE Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar Melbourne’s reputation as a coffee capital began here, where the city’s first-​ever espresso was

made in 1954. The look is pretty much unchanged, as is our order: a short black.

66 Bourke St.; 61-3/​9662-1885. $ MUMBAI Brittania & Co. The Irani cafés of Old Bombay may be in decline, but you’d never know it at this sepia-toned relic. Parsi families pack the wobbly tables for berry pulau (basmati rice with fried onions, shaved almonds and tart barberries). 11 Sprott Rd.; 91-22/2261-5264. $

N RD .

Brittania & Co., in Mumbai.

M OU NTAI

ZEN JAPANESE CURRY Pick your protein (pork tonkatsu, say) and it’ll be served over rice with thick, house-made garam masala gravy.

5020 Spring Mountain Rd.; 1-702/985-1192. $ HONEY PIG Korean DIY heaven: sizzle your beef, pork or seafood to caramelized perfection on your own domed grill. 4725 Spring Mountain Rd.; 1-702/876-8308. $$

The invasive lionfish, which has run roughshod over the Caribbean, is turning up on local menus. (For a spiny, poisonous predator, it’s surprisingly delicious.) At El Boliche Cebicheria (38-17 Calle Cochera del Hobo) in Cartagena, Colombia, lionfish carpaccio is topped

CHADA THAI Siamese small plates (Cornish game hens with fish sauce; crab lettuce wraps) and a killer wine list.

3400 S. Jones Blvd.; 1-702/641-1345. $ NAKAMURALYA Wafuu pasuta (Japanese-style pasta) is a rare find outside the motherland. Try the uni-and-tomatocream spaghetti—and thank us later.

5040 Spring Mountain Rd.; 1-702/251-0022. $

LIONFISH with a bracing leche de tigre dressing, nasturtium petals, chiles, tomatoes and sea-bass caviar.

Some 800 kilometers north, in Jamaica, Little Ochie (littleochie.com) owner Evrol “Blackie” Christian tosses lionfish in his secret jerk sauce and sears it on an open pimento-wood flame next to the shore.

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Your unofficial fourth meal awaits.

P H O T O C R E D I T T E E K AY

CAPE TOWN CHARLY’S BAKERY Where to find Cape Town’s premier buttercream-frosted everythings? Behind a pastel-pink-and-white

façade resembling a giant layer cake, of course. Our preferred pairing: the “wicked” chocolate cake, topped with a layer of dark ganache. 38 Canterbury St.; charlysbakery.co.za.

KYOTO, JAPAN GION KINANA With a taste akin to peanut butter, kinako, or roasted soybean flour, is as quintessentially Japanese as matcha.

It’s the signature ingredient at this tiny ice cream shop, inside a traditional wooden merchant’s house in

the Gion geisha district.

570-119 Gion-machi Minami-​gawa; kyo-kinana.com.

LIMA, PERU XOCOLATL Sumptuous cakes; spiced bonbons; bars crowned with fruit— everything in the pastry cases at this high-design chocolate boutique spotlights cacao from the Amazonian rain forest. 111 Calle Manuel Bonilla; xocolatl.pe.

MARRAKESH AL JAWDA Stock up on dried dates and mountain honey while nibbling on a dizzying array of baked treats, some filled with figs and nuts and others infused with orange-flower water. 11 Rue de la Liberte; 212-52/543-3897.

ROME GELATERIA MILLENNIUM Located just outside the Vatican, this husband-and-wife operation is known for its funky range of

flavors (such as mascarpone pear and persimmon).

2/A Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie; gelateria​ millennium.it.

TEL AVIV DALLAL These aren’t your bubby’s pastries.

Hidden on a charming Neve Tzedek side street, Dallal churns out refined takes on old-time Jewish comfort foods, from rugelach and muffins to poppy-seed tarts.

7 Kol Israel Haverim; dallal.co.il.

IAN MACLELL AN

BOSTON FLOUR BAKERY Call ahead to reserve your sticky bun—these caramel-smothered, pecan-studded brioche rolls are among the best you’ll ever have. No wonder they sell out in mere hours.

1595 Washington St.; flourbakery.com.

Sticky buns at Flour Bakery, in Boston’s South End.

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COOL CROWDS

Plug into the scene at one of these stylish spots.

BUDAPEST Borkonyha Wine Kitchen A fashionable bistro dedicated to Hungary’s woefully underrated wines. Late nights draw well-heeled locals for sautéed duck liver and freshwater trout with dill. 3 Sas Utca; borkonyha.hu. $$$

Bar del Fico, in Rome.

BUENOS AIRES Paraje Arevalo On the still-boho side of Palermo Hollywood,

this storefront bistro attracts a chic clientele with brilliantly flavored blackboard specials influenced by the chefs’ stints at renowned European restaurants Mugaritz and the Fat Duck.

1502 Arevalo; parajea revalo.com. $$$$ MONTREAL Le Filet A convivial dining room at the foot of MontRoyal is the place for

briny Canadian oysters with yuzu marmalade, fresh Gaspé char, and gnocchi with lobster.

219 Ave. du Mont-Royal Ouest; lefilet.ca. $$$ PORTLAND, OR Departure Restaurant & Lounge With a Jetsons-inspired interior, this Pan-Asian restaurant on the 15th floor of the Nines hotel is redefining happy hour for the city’s

trendy set. Try the crispy squid with spicy miso. 525 S.W. Morrison St.; departure portland.com. $$$ ROME Bar del Fico At this modern restaurant in the Parione quarter, nattily dressed Romans hold court over salumi, mini-​pizzas and terrific cocktails.

26 Piazza del Fico; bardelfico.com. $$

Eight singular neighborhoods, eight great “New British” haunts.

Islington

Smokehouse is a modern-day boozer that happens to serve charred leeks with duck eggs and a pork rib eye with pancetta and lardo—and blimey, what treasures on tap! smokehouseislington.co.uk. $$$

Shoreditch

Inside the Shoreditch town hall, the Clove Club (from rising star Isaac McHale) goes Noma-esque with small bites of locavore esoterica, such as gull’s eggs with lovage. thecloveclub.com. $$$$

Fitzrovia

At his urban-rustic Newman Street Tavern, Peter Weeden dry-ages Galloway beef, butchers whole Scottish Blackface sheep, and bakes super-voluptuous onion tarts. newmanstreettavern.co.uk. $$$

F R O M T O P : D A N I L O S C A R P AT I ; C A R O L S A C H S (8)

Bermondsey

Tom Sellers’s Restaurant Story snagged a Michelin star just months after opening.

Prepare yourself for candles that melt into beef drippings and smoked eel sandwiched within squid-ink “Storeo” cookies. restaurantstory.co.uk. $$$$

Notting Hill

With only 14 seats, tiny Marianne packs outsize flavors into AngloMediterranean dishes such as sweet Cornish scallops with artichoke and dusky jamón. marianne restaurant.com. $$$$

Brixton

The three-course lunch at Salon—a minimalist gem in the happening Brixton market—is London’s best bargain at the moment, at just £15. salon​brixton.co.uk. $$$

Soho

Watch street life from a window seat at Damson & Co., a homey deli-café devoted to strictlyBritish deliciousness: farmhouse cheeses, goose salami and daily “soused fish” (ceviche to you). damsonandco.com. $$

Hackney

Affordable, soulful and quietly inventive (anyone for duck with pickled carrot and hazelnut purée?), the blond-wood-paneled Mayfields has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. mayfieldswiltonway.co.uk. $$$

BEST-KEPT SECRET IN BANGKOK : PASTE (PASTEBANGKOK.COM), A WEE TEMPLE TO MODERN THAI FROM CHEFS BONGKOCH SATONGUN AND JASON BAILEY. T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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SEATTLE “This chanterelle, apple and egg dish at Sitka & Spruce (1531 Melrose Ave.; sitkaandspruce.com; $$) is the ultimate winter brunch.”

—ARAN GOYOAGA (@CANNELLEVANILLE), FOOD BLOGGER AND STYLIST

LOS ANGELES “Kang Hodong Baekjeong (3465 W. Sixth St.; baekjeong.co.kr; $$) has the best Korean BBQ in town right now, if you’re willing to wait in line.”

—ZACH BROOKS (@MIDTOWNLUNCHLA), FOUNDER OF THE MIDTOWN LUNCH BLOG

NEW YORK CITY “Harold Dieterle creates delicious Thai-inspired dishes at Kin Shop (469 Sixth Ave.; kinshopnyc.com; $$$). This house special is braised cobia fish with sawtooth herb, mini bok choy and rambutan curry.”

—DANIEL KRIEGER (@DANIELKRIEGER), PHOTOGRAPHER

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA “I love the bánh mì and spicy sriracha chicken-fry sandwiches at Asheville Sandwich Co. (202 State St.; asheville sandwichco.com; $). They put fries in the sandwich.”

—TIM ROBISON (@TIMROBISONJR), PHOTOGRAPHER/ILLUSTRATOR

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: A R A N G O Y O A G A ; Z A C H B R O O K S ; T I M R O B I S O N ; C O U R T E S Y O F K I N S H O P

Food-obsessed Instagrammers share their top local meals of the year.

Balthazar, in New York.

YES, IT REALLY IS THAT GOOD

Sometimes locals go to “touristy” places—because sometimes the tourists are right.

Il Pirata, on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M L E F T: S I M O N W AT S O N ; © A N G U S O B O R N /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; K E L L I W O N G

Meals with a killer view.

BARBADOS Cuz’s Fish Shack The fish “cutter” sandwich is a Bajan obsession, and this decades-old clapboard hut on Carlisle Bay is the place to get hooked.

Cuz’s kids now run the show, but the recipe is the same: pan-fried blue marlin, lettuce, tomato, pickles, fiery Scotch bonnet sauce, and cheddar cheese or a fried egg on a pillowy roll. Needham’s Point, Hastings; no phone. $ CUZCO, PERU Limo Request a table on the balcony of Limo’s colonial-​era hacienda,

overlooking an elegant plaza. Alpaca sweetbreads and lomo saltado (marinated beef with fiery amarillo peppers) accompany the best pisco sours—and vistas—in town. 236 Portal de Carnes; cusco​ restaurants.com. $$

You’ll find hearty plate-lunch staples such as musubi rice balls, mac salad and pork luau stew; the owner’s mother runs a shave-ice stand next door.

46-499 Kamehameha Hwy. $$

KANEOHE, HAWAII He’eia Pier General Store & Deli Fishermen, paddleboarders, the odd biker gang—everyone on Oahu’s windward coast stops into this ramshackle diner/ bait-and-tackle shop perched on an old pier over Kaneohe Bay.

Il Pirata

PRAIANO, ITALY

Antonio Sersale, owner of Positano’s Le Sirenuse hotel, swears by the seaurchin linguine at this Amalfi Coast idyll, where a sun-drenched terrace is built into rocks above a glittering cove. Via Terramare; ristorante ilpirata.net. $$$

NEW ORLEANS Commander’s Palace Believe the hype: the restaurant where French-Creole and Cajun first blended with nouvelle cuisine four decades ago still sets standards for inventiveness (absinthe-poached oysters), high-gloss classics (turtle soup) and white-glove service.

1403 Washington Ave.; commanderspalace.com. $$$

NEW YORK CITY Balthazar Given the gorgeous interior and crazy-sexy crowd, the food at the SoHo stalwart is far better than it needs to be. Take it from star chef Eric Ripert: “I go as often as I can—they have great energy, good service and fantastic steak frites.” 80 Spring St.; balthazarny.com. $$$

PARIS Angelina Skip breakfast—hell, skip lunch—and save

every calorie for the decadently thick, not-too-sweet hot chocolate at this ornate 1903 teahouse, an erstwhile haunt of Coco Chanel. 226 Rue de Rivoli; angelina-paris.fr. $$$ UBUD, BALI

Nasi Ayam Kedewatan Since 1964, this humble roadside spot has served the finest chicken rice (nasi ayam) in town, garnished with grated coconut, long beans, peanuts and fiery sambal. Jalan Kedewatan; 62-361/ 974-795. $ YOUNTVILLE, CALIFORNIA

Ad Hoc Winemakers, farmers and off-duty cooks make the scene at Thomas Keller’s convivial Napa Valley canteen, where the nightlychanging three-course dinner costs just US$52.

6476 Washington St.; ad hocrestaurant.com. $$$

BEST CREATIVE USE OF FISH HEADS : FISH-HEAD CURRY AT MUTHU’S (MUTHUSCURRY.COM), IN SINGAPORE—CHASE IT WITH A MANGO LASSI. T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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Whatever you call a savory topped flatbread—lahmacun, khachapuri, manakeesh or simply “pizza”—you’ll find every piece of the pie in New York.

Here are our favorite global slices, and where the city does them best.

STAFF MEALS

What hotel employees crave during their shifts.

1

CHICAGO Hearty rib-eye sukiyaki and shoyu ramen from Cocoro are go-to orders for the staff at the Peninsula (peninsula. com), seven blocks away. 668 N. Wells St.; cocorosushi.com. $$

7

7

2

HOI AN, VIETNAM The bell desk at the Nam Hai (thenamhai. com) swears by the pork-and-pâté bánh mì from beloved Hoi An stallkeeper Phuong, who recently opened a brick-and-mortar shop.

2 Phan Chau Trinh St.; no phone. $

6

3

5

4

1. Coca

2. Lahmacun

3. Manakeesh

4. Pissaladière

A cross between a pizza and a tart, coca is a staple of Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands.

Try it here with blue cheese and roasted onions. La Vara 268 Clinton St., Brooklyn; ​ lavarany.com. $$

The ultimate Turkish street food: supple and charred from a brief stint in a kebab oven, with a spicy, tomatoey schmear of ground lamb. Ali Baba 212 E. 34th St.; alibaba​ turkish​cuisine.com. $$

A breakfast flatbread glossed with olive oil and za’atar (a mix of wild herbs and sesame seeds). Best when loaded with mint, tomatoes and cucumber. Balade 208 First Ave.; balade​ restaurants.com. $

Slow-cooked onions that caramelize into a jam (with a pungent zing of olives and anchovies) top flaky puff pastry or bread dough.

Tartine 253 W. 11th St.; tartinecafenyc.com. $$

SPAIN

TURK E Y

LEBANON

FR ANCE

5. Khachapuri

6. Uttapam

7. Margherita

The republic’s oozy cheese breads come in many regional forms, including the boat-shaped adjaruli and, here, the round imeruli, with extra sulguni cheese. Oda House 76 Ave. B; odahouse.com. $$

The South Indian treat (actually a griddled pancake) is made of an earthy batter of ground lentils and rice, often topped with peas, chiles and tomatoes. Saravana Bhavan 81 Lexington Ave.; saravanabhavan. com. $$

La vera pizza napolitana is blistered and puffy with air bubbles and topped with mozzarella, tomato and basil—the tricolore of the Italian flag.

Kesté 271 Bleecker St.; kestepizzeria.com.

GEORGIA

INDIA

ITALY

$$

MEXICO CITY Around the corner from the Four Seasons Hotel México, D.F. (four​ seasons.com), Tacos de Fabiruchis fills fresh-made tortillas with chorizo in salsa verde or home-​style chicharrón prensado (pressed and shredded pork rinds). Calle Burdeos; no phone. $ MUMBAI Just behind the landmark Taj Mahal Palace (tajhotels.com) is the equally iconic Bademiya, where Mumbaikars have come since 1942 for their late- night smoky, spicy kebab fix. Tulloch Rd.; 91-22/2284-8038. $

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6

AFTER HOURS

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: A N D R E W R O W AT; © E R I C G R E G O R Y P O W E L L /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; P I C H AYA N E E K I T S A N AY O T H I N ; C O U R T E S Y O F L A S A N D W I C H E R I E ; A D A M F R I E D B E R G ; A N D R E W R O W AT; J E N N I F E R F L O W E R S ( 2 )

How do China’s rival food capitals stack up?

vs.

SHANGHAI

HONG KONG

the noodle joints WEI XIANG ZHAI

Join a communal table and order ma jiang mian, thick wheat noodles covered in a peanutsesame sauce and spiked with chili oil.

14 Yandang Lu; 86-21/5383-9032. $

CHUN

KAU KEE

AUSTRALIA DAIRY COMPANY

Cha chaan tengs (tea restaurants) are Hong Kong’s version of the breakfastall-day café: think fluffy scrambled eggs on buttered white toast, and oh-so-creamy steamed milk custard. 47 Parkes St., Jordan; 852/2730-1356. $

the beloved local chains YANG ’ S FRY DUMPLINGS

When you’ve had your fill of xiao long bao soup dumplings, seek out this temple to shengjian bao, a breadier version, pan-fried to a crisp.

97 Huanghe Lu; 86-21/5375-1793. $

ATLANTA Octopus Bar In an unmarked room behind an East Atlanta pho house, kitchen workers and industry minions meet after work to lick their wounds and shoot Fernet. To eat, there’s high-minded Asian cooking, like monkfish-​ liver torchon and freshwater-​eel congee.

560 Gresham Ave. S.E.; octopusbaratl.com. $$

Beef brisket on noodles (flat, egg, or vermicelli) in a clear, flavor-packed broth is the ultimate Cantonese comfort food. Taste it at this tried-and-true spot.

21 Gough St., Central; 852/2850-5967. $

the iconic holes-in-the-wall Gruff owner Qu Minglan serves up homey classics such as soy-sauce duck and crab with sticky-​rice rolls, then nags you to finish before it gets cold.

124 Jinxian Lu; 86-21/6256-0301. $$

Where to end a night on the town.

TIM HO WAN

AUSTIN, TEXAS East Side King James Beard Award– winning chef Paul Qui is behind this graffitied food trailer (one of two) that sets up in the backyard of East Side hot spot Liberty Bar and serves till 1:30 a.m.

Get the piping-​hot beet home fries with Kewpie mayo and sweet deep-​ fried chicken thighs.

1618½ E. Sixth St.; eskaustin.com. $$

BARCELONA Bar Velodromo The sprawling Art Deco interior of this 1933 landmark is as inviting in the madrugada (late at night) as it is during the day. Why wait for breakfast to order huevos estrellados (eggs over fries)?

213 Carr. de Muntaner; 34/93-430-6022. $$ LOS ANGELES Tatsu Ramen A stylish strip-mall noodle bar in Little Osaka that serves a rich and savory tonkotsu ramen as well as a vegan-​friendly version (this is L.A., after all).

2123 Sawtelle Blvd.; tatsu​ramen.com. $$ MIAMI BEACH La Sandwicherie Swing by this teeny SoBe sandwich shop late enough, and you’ll see chefs such as José Mendin (of the ragingly popular PubBelly) scarfing down postshift saucisson-andCamembert baguettes.

229 14th St.; lasandwicherie.com. $

The Kowloon flagship of this dim sum franchise is the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant. Avoid long queues by arriving at 8 a.m. 11 Fuk Wing St., Sham Shui Po; timhowan.com. $

the street snacks JIAN BING

This popular breakfast crêpe is filled with eggs, fried youtiao crullers, chili flakes and hoisin sauce.

Get it on Yanqing Road, but hurry: they’re gone by 10 a.m. Xinle/Donghu intersection; no phone. $

EGG WAFFLES

This honeycomb-like snack has an addictive cakelike aroma. Lee Keung Kee North Point Egg Waffles perfects the crisp-on-the-outside, tender-onthe-inside formula. 178 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui; no phone. $

the hotshot expats PAUL PAIRET

Following successful Mr. & Mrs. Bund (mmbund.com; $$$$), the French-born chef’s Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (uvbypp.cc; $$$$) is a multisensory experience, with videos, a musical score and an avant-garde 22-course dinner.

MATT ABERGEL

The Calgary native earned his cult cred with Yardbird (33-35 Bridges St., Sheung Wan; yardbird​restaurant.com; $$$), a rambunctious yakitori joint. His latest, Rōnin (8 On Wo Lane, Central; roninhk.com; $$$$), is a sexy izakaya with a modern Japanese menu.

La Sandwicherie, in Miami Beach.

Edited by Peter Jon Lindberg, Nikki Ekstein, Jennifer Flowers, Jacqueline Gifford, Brooke Porter Katz.

Reported by Brett Anderson, ChuckEats, John Curtas, Peter J. Frank, Margie Goldsmith, Aran Goyoagan, David A. Keeps, Stirling Kelso, Sarah Khan, Daniel Krieger, Heidi Mitchell, Shane Mitchell, Nilou Motamed, Pat Nourse, Kathryn O’Shea-Evans, Sheila Pierce, Tim Robison, Matt Rodbard, Gail Simmons, Anya von Bremzen.

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Take Root

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MORGAN OMMER

Plunge into pink duck breast with ginger nuoc mam (fish sauce) at May Restaurant in Saigon.

FOR MILLENNIA, GINGER HAS BEEN THE OMNIPRESENT WORKER BEE OF ASIAN CUISINE, FORTIFYING WEAK TERRINES AND TUMMIES. STEPHANIE ZUBIRI TRACKS THE PLANT’S PEP AROUND THE CONTINENT.

I’ve done most of my soul searching throughout the years by experiencing Asian cultures through the plate. Sitting in Singapore-based celebrity chef Samia Ahad’s open kitchen at Coriander Leaf, it hits me. Watching her fry spices for a chicken korma—the creamy, braised dish with its origins in India and Pakistan—in a large skillet, the heady scent of sizzling onions, garlic, cinnamon, cumin and ginger permeating my skin, I realize how crucial ginger root is to cuisines across the continent.

Ancient ayurvedics called it a “universal great medicine” and ginger’s use in cooking is found in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, which dates back to the 4th century BC. There is evidence, actually, that it was cultivated in the Indian subcontinent as early as the 2nd millennium BC, spreading to the rest of Asia as it was integrated into cooking techniques. The main purpose originally was to perfume food that was no longer fresh, but necessity eventually gave rise to innovation. So, history saw each of the regions going off on its own culinary tangent while retaining similar uses 96

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for the plant and beliefs about the root’s powers.

“Asian cuisine is not the same without ginger, the root of which is finely chopped or grated, and together with onion and garlic is the basis of many a stir-fry or curry,” Loukie Werle and Jill Cox write in their exhaustive culinary book, Ingredients.

Paradoxically, I’d say, most of us overlook ginger’s astonishing omnipresence precisely because it is so common. Being Asian, and growing up in Manila, I never really gave ginger a second thought, it sneaking into dishes ranging from steamed garoupa in the Chinese restaurant to sushi platters in the Japanese.

Looking back, I can’t think of a moment when ginger was not present on the kitchen counter, sitting there, like a gnarly mystical icon, the discreet deity of culinary lore, sometimes mellow and meek, but most of the time powerful in its flavor and essence. An old Hindu proverb referring to the ignorant and unappreciative of the details in life goes, “Can the monkey know the taste of ginger?” I suppose I’ve been a bit of a simian all these years, eating away without giving the spice its due credit.

F R O M T O P L E F T: S O N N Y T H A K U R ( 2 ) ; P O R N S A K N A N A K O R N ( 2 )

Chef Toshiro Okajima recommends the buta shoga yaki (stir-fried pork and ginger) at Tsukiji, in Manila.

n unsung hero, ginger is the supporting character without which the delicious plots of many a recipe could not unfold. It’s used as an active ingredient—lending fire and adding layers, a mashed-up member of the party in Thai curries, and backstroking around Chinese soups—and as a covert agent: Indians use it to mask the smell of odorous meats like lamb, Japanese to cover fishiness, and Filipinos to hide any strong, potentially unappealing scent. “It gives all dishes the fifth element of Asian cuisine without being overpowering,” says Thai Tu Tho, owner of May Restaurant in Saigon, who calls ginger the third most important ingredient in Vietnamese food after fish and soy sauces.

“Ginger represents the heat of the dish without being fiery.”

“Ginger is always there in cooking, teas and all, and that goes for each South Asian country,” says Chef Avanish Kumar Jain, who works at Spices in The Peninsula Manila but misses the Muslim quarter in his hometown of New Delhi, “where you can eat nihari, a rich lamb stew topped with lemons, radishes, coriander leaves and strips of ginger.” Indians use it as a paste

with garlic for tandooris, and, freshly grated, dried and ground, it is one of the most important ingredients in curry, sometimes lending sweetness, other times heat and providing a certain depth in the harmony of flavors without hogging the limelight, he says.

“Without ginger, no curry can be made.”

Nor most Japanese food. “Almost 80 percent of Japanese dishes have ginger. [The cuisine] could not exist without ginger,” says chef Toshiro Okajima of Tsukiji in Manila. “We use it to make broths. We pickle it, make marinades from the juice, use it fresh to top miso. We garnish with ginger flowers, braise meats with it and sometimes even use the very young and fresh ginger for tempura.” Okajima could go on, but his point, I think, is that each dish is crafted with a careful selection of ingredients that creates a subtle backdrop on which ginger can truly shine.

The best quality ginger is found, according to Chef Kwong Wai Keung of two-Michelinstarred T’ang Court in Hong Kong’s Langham Hotel, in China’s Guangdong province. He

Thai-Chinese Chef Baimonh Tanataveetram of Bangkok’s Rock Restaurant and Bar says his favorite dish is coconut-poached prawns and pineapple topped with fresh young ginger.

recommends the city’s famed ginger and scallion crab dish as an exemplary showcase of the spice. Unlike in many other Asian countries, my native Filipino cuisine doesn’t make use of a vast array of fragrant spices and herbs. Ginger happens to be one of the few truly exciting ingredients we use. “Ginger adds a peppery zing to any dish,” says food writer and restaurateur Claude Tayag, “especially in making kinilaw, our local ceviche.”

The star of much Thai cuisine is blue ginger, galangal, which is more floral and intense, giving food a more pungent, piney, mustardlike dimension. But also keep an eye out for fresh young ginger or its flower in any number of dishes, say, chopped in stir-fries and julienned in salads, notes Kanchanaburi-born, Thai-Chinese Chef Baimonh Tanataveetram of the new Rock Restaurant and Bar in Bangkok.

“My favorite dish is kanom jin sao nahm—rice noodles dressed in coconut, lime, fresh pineapple, chili and fresh young ginger topped with dried shrimp,” he says. “I like using young ginger, it has a little bit of heat, a good smell and it heals your stomach.” he beauty of the best food lies in its inherent quality of being both pleasurable and nourishing. That’s ginger incarnate. It is central for stews “as its warmth stays longer in the body than chili. Historically and traditionally, it is used to cure all sickness symptoms,” May Restaurant’s Thai says. “It is also to keep your blood flow at a good pressure if you’re old and to give you an energy kick when you’re younger but exhausted.” Adds Okajima, “My grandmother always told me, eat ginger for good skin!”

There’s modern—and Western—consensus on ginger’s medicinal abilities. Various recent studies have shown ginger relieving muscle pain, improving asthma medications, managing hypertension, mitigating liver damage caused by acetaminophen and proving as effective in treating migraines as the drug sumatriptan. The use of ginger in oncology is also becoming more prevalent, from simply reducing nausea in chemotherapy patients to possibly helping prevent certain cancers.

Participants in a University of Michigan Medical School study who were given ginger root supplements showed reduced

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Imagine ancient merchants braving the cool, warming their hands and hearts with caravan-side brewed fortifying ginger tea inflammation markers (a precursor to colon cancer) in their colon within only one month as compared to the control group, according to a paper published last autumn in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

These scientific findings only seem to prove what travelers and traders have known for at least 2,500 years. Having originated in the Indian subcontinent, the easily transportable root likely traveled to China and Southeast Asia via the Silk Road, beginning even before the term was coined during the Han Dynasty, back between 206 BC and 220 AD. Imagine ancient merchants braving the cool climates of northern India, crossing the steep mountain ranges of southern China all the way up to Chengdu, all the while warming their hands and hearts with a caravan-side brewed cup of fortifying ginger tea. Chinese sailors used to bring potted ginger plants aboard their ships to combat scurvy and seasickness. (Today, my friends’ Chinese grandmothers chew ginger candies to ward off carsickness.)

The Chinese and Indian civilizations of yore were important proponents of ginger’s culinary integration. Both dietary traditions are anchored in strong beliefs in food therapy and were developed around finding inner harmony.

Much of today’s Indian cooking is rooted in the ayurvedic practices of eating specifically to cure and prevent ailments caused by the disproportion of one’s three elemental substances, or doshas. Likewise, the ancient Chinese practice of Shiliao believes in the warming and cooling properties of certain ingredients that can be used to counteract the imbalance of heat and cold in one’s body—the main source of illness and disease. In both spheres, ginger represents a good source of fire, which is presumed to strengthen the spirit.

DARREN SOH

Ginger butter prawns at Coriander Leaf Restaurant and Cooking Studio, Singapore.

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Steamed seabass with ginger perfumes the dining room of Spices, at The Peninsula Manila.

Which is probably why traditional therapies prescribe eating it as an imperative for pregnant women and new mothers. “I heard a story about a man who was looking for ginger for his sick wife who was expecting her first born,” says Thai Tu Tho. “After a lot of prayers, the man found a ginger root that had a human face. He brought it back to his wife and after having it with congee, she immediately felt better and delivered a beautiful baby boy.” And Kwong Wai Keung has “an unforgettable childhood memory. As I grew up in a poor family, we were unable to afford pig’s trotters, which is what normally a woman will eat after giving birth. Therefore, my mum ate duck eggs with ginger and rice wine after she gave birth to recuperate her health.”

A few weeks back I was taken ill—pregnant, bedridden, devoid of energy, depressed. My husband was away at work and even my dogs forsook my darkened room. My only friends? A steaming bowl of arroz caldo and warm cup of salabat tea. For anyone with a smidgen of Filipino heritage, arroz caldo, white rice cooked gently in a broth of chicken, garlic and the magic ingredient—ginger—this soupy, thick, deliciously satisfying mush seasoned with fish sauce, fried garlic, spring onions and tangy calamansi lime is the culinary equivalent of your mother’s embrace. In my childhood home, the ginger dominated, bits of it floating about, acting as welcome fragrant bursts of sweet heat, warming the coldest of chills from inside out.

And, brewed to a sharp intensity, salabat, a strong spicy ginger tea with lots of honey, was simultaneously pleasant and disagreeable to a young child.

Ideas for this article had been percolating in my brain for weeks. That day, I began to regard my soup and tea allies a bit differently from how I had as a girl. With each taste of ginger came a memory—that bowl of gingered chili clam soup in Saigon; the black chicken curry at the foot of Sigiriya Rock in Sri Lanka; the curry paste I pounded in Chiang Mai… Plus the overwhelming sense of comfort in the universal belief that throughout Asia, people will recommend the same cure. “Everything good is found in ginger,” says another Indian proverb.

Well, I say a little ginger in everything does everyone good. ✚

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T L Guide HONG KONG T’ang Court Order this: Sliced garoupa with deer tendons, preserved vegetables, straw mushrooms and tomatoes in gingered fish soup. The Langham; 8 Peking Rd., Tsimshatsui, Kowloon; 852/ 2132-7898; hongkong. langhamhotels.com; set dinner for two HK$1,000.

PHILIPP ENGEL HORN (2)

PHILIPPINES Downtown Cafe Order this: Chinilaw-Chicharon Kinilaw (citrus-washed tuna ceviche, pork cracklings, apple and cucumber kimchi) and Iced Salabat Tea. The Quad at Nepo Mart, Angeles City, Pampanga; 63-917/6761689; dinner for two P1,000.

Spices Order this: Steamed seabass with ginger. The Peninsula Manila; corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues, Makati City, MM; 63-2/887-2888; peninsula.com/manila; dinner for two P2,000.

Tsukiji Order this: Buta shoga yaki (stir-fried pork and ginger). 900 Arnaiz Ave., Makati City, MM;

63-2/812-2913; tsukijirestaurant.com; dinner for two P4,500.

SINGAPORE Coriander Leaf Restaurant and Cooking Studio Order this: Ginger butter prawns, or Tandoori chicken. 3A Merchant Court #02-03, River Valley Rd., Clarke Quay; 65/67 32-3354; corianderleaf.com; dinner for two SG150.

THAILAND Rock Restaurant and Bar Order this: Kaonom jin (coconut-poached prawns and pineapples topped with fresh young ginger).

7/1 Soi Chumnanaaksorn Paholyothin 9 Rd., Bangkok; 66-8/26888200; dinner for two Bt2,500.

VIETNAM May Restaurant Order this: Pink duck breast with ginger nuoc mam (fish sauce). 3/5 Hoang Sa, Q1, Saigon; 84-8/ 3910-1277; may-cloud.com; dinner for two VND550,000.

‘Can a monkey know the taste of ginger? ’ I suppose I’ve been a bit of simian all these years, eating away without giving the spice its due credit

Chef Kwong Wai Keung brews sliced garoupa with deer tendons, vegetables and straw mushrooms in ginger fish soup at T’ang Court, Hong Kong.

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Tomahawk and Shigoku oysters at Connie & Ted’s, in West Hollywood.

Opposite: Chego’s Roy Choi.

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EATING L.A.

THE ALWAYS-VORACIOUS GARY SHTEYNGART TAKES ON ALL OF L.A., HIGH AND LOW, FARM TO TABLE, TACOS TO RICE BOWLS, BUCATINI CARBONARA TO COCONUT CREAM—THE BEST FOOD IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW. PHOTOGRAPHED BY MISHA GRAVENOR

Clockwise from above: Cauliflower with cilantro pesto, fideo with octopus and kielbasa, and fried brussels sprouts at Bar Amรก, in Downtown; a chef at Paiche; the dining room at Paiche, in Marina del Rey; Los Angeles, as seen from Griffith Park; a rum cocktail at Bar Amรก.

I’M EAST COAST THROUGH AND THROUGH, BUT I’M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY IT: I LOVE L.A.

My first encounter with the mega-megalopolis took place at the advanced age of 30. A college friend of mine had a cousin who rented a place by the beach. Which particular beach, I do not recall, but the path to the sands was lined with giant swaths of bougainvillea, which made me think for just a brief moment that I was in southern France. That notion was dispelled when we reached the beach, no mere Mediterranean. I had never seen the Pacific Ocean before.

Made placid by the better portion of a bottle of California Chardonnay, I walked into the moonlit water, bent down, and slapped the waves. Somewhere up (or down) the coast, an enormous industrial building, a waste-processing plant, perhaps, smoked its way deep into the night. But I refused to let go of the moment’s magic, because that lump of ugliness amid the grandeur of the Pacific was Southern California too. I continued to walk into the ocean, the water dark blue around my legs, the temperature, as always, perfectly set to 20 degrees Celsius, my gaze resolutely drawn toward Asia in the infinite distance. And I thought: Oh, this isn’t so bad.

“Twenty years ago L.A. was a food desert,” says Brad Johnson, one of the partners behind Willie Jane, a restaurant in Venice specializing in, of all things, Southern cuisine. My first visit to L.A. was only a decade ago and I remember being wowed by AOC, a restaurant on Third Street near the depressing bulk of the Beverly Center mall, which combined the freshest market ingredients with an easygoing Gallic flair. Now that unparalleled freshness— so farm-to-table, so snout-to-tail—has crept into every cuisine under the always-smiling SoCal sun, including Willie Jane’s deviled eggs. They pop right out of the chickens in the community garden next door, to be filled with marinated shrimp and deposited upon the froth of a convincing lemon aioli.

I’m here in Los Angeles to write about a dozen or so of the city’s best new restaurants. Brunching on Willie Jane’s bright Venice patio, I stare at the charred red Fresno chile that accompanies a fantastically textured dish of shrimp grits. I sink into the grapefruit brûlée, which redeems this recently maligned fruit with mint and blueberries and a glaze of brown sugar. Govind Armstrong, the beloved, dreadlocked chef, comes out to say hi as I finish off a Coal Miner’s Daughter, a bourbon drink made beyond delicious with macerated ginger and lavender honey. It is then that I notice something unusual about the clientele around me: unlike the bulk of upscale Angelenos, they are not uniformly thin and fit. The man next to me is positively buxom. I know this is a Southern restaurant and there are certain standards to uphold, but still, we’re in Venice, with all the beachy buffness that neighborhood entails.

As I digest a round of deviled eggs, my belly happily makes dolphin greeting sounds with other bellies across the room. Next door, past the chickens, the Second Community Baptist Church reverberates with prayer, and a few blocks down, at a bus stop, a Vietnamese woman holds up an umbrella against the afternoon sun. There is nothing more quintessentially West Coast than this. love L.A., but I can never truly understand it, because I cannot drive, or at least not well enough to survive the 405. I decide to test out the Uber app. Uber allows users to request a nearby car and driver to take them around the city. And so a motley collection of Alis and Yakovs shuttle me from meal to meal, commenting at length on the Armenian–Azerbaijani conflict, the cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Glendale, and the importance of owning the right car in L.A. “If you don’t have a Bentley in T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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Clockwise from below: Grilled brine cabbage with miso custard, horseradish, fennel seed and almonds at Trois Mec, near Hancock Park; the entrance to Trois Mec, inside a former pizzeria; the interior of the restaurant. Opposite: Beverly Hills 90H20 water with crispy farro, pork belly and poached egg at Ray’s & Stark Bar, inside lacma.

this town, you’re nothing!” the Uber owner of a Ford Focus shouts at me. “Nothing!” Just then a Bentley swings past us onto Wilshire Boulevard. We contemplate our station in life.

As a ferocious heat wave descends upon the city, I Uber my way to L.A.’s Chinatown to check out Chego, Roy Choi’s new place specializing in rice bowls. It’s impossible to overstate Choi’s contribution to this city’s mobile-food infrastructure. The Kogi Korean barbecue taco trucks, which roam the streets of the metropolis and can be snared by following social media, have helped to make life in this city of haves and have-nots just a bit more democratic. Or as Choi himself tells me, “I live on the streets, I feed the streets.”

Clad in a black L.A. Lakers cap, black shorts and a black Stüssy Yo! MTV Raps T-shirt, Choi is an amiable bear of a man and a local hero. Half of Chego’s customers seem to be snapping photos of him as he bustles around his newest store, opposite a coin-operated Winnie-the-Pooh ride. Choi’s family owned a string of stores and sold homemade kimchi and generally embodied the full blast of Korean immigrant life, SoCal style. The experience shaped not just Choi’s attitude toward food, but everything. This is a smart, sensitive chef who knows exactly what he’s talking about and how he became who he is. “Asian kids couldn’t show off our foods, our school lunches growing up,” he tells me. “You were opening yourself up for ridicule. We hid our family food. Cheap Asian rice bowls formed what I really loved. It was a treat my father would take us to.”

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Why did he decide to tackle this genre, a distant, cosmopolitan relative of Korean bibimbap? “Asian kids in America, if you opened up their refrigerators and threw everything in a bowl, you would get this mix of life and culture.” As he talks, I dip into the rice bowls in front of me, occasionally washing down the flavors with a mandarin Jarritos Mexican soda. The “sour cream hen house” bowl is an outrageous but intuitive mix of flavors, the sour-cream sambal clearly one of the greatest culinary inventions of this decade. The slow-cooked “chubby” pork belly crunches with pickled radishes. The “ooey gooey” fries (bring on that sour-cream sambal!) are like an Asian answer to poutine.

“We want to serve delicious, healthy, full-flavored food below ten dollars,” Choi says. The clientele? “Pretty girls without makeup.” Choi’s latest project is the boutique Line hotel, a Korean-flavored venture in K-town that opened in January, for which Choi is providing the “food, beverage, and culture.” His dream is “a private club for the public where anyone can walk in and jump in our pool.” fter the streetwise egalitarianism of Roy Choi, I Uber clear across town to Marina del Rey to sample Paiche, the newest offering from Ricardo Zarate. This is the third restaurant from the Peruvian-born Zarate, whose Mo-Chica and Picca are beloved by nearly every Angeleno foodie I’ve ever met. A cavernous Peruvian-Japanese izakaya with

IT IS TIME FOR ME TO GO NATIVE AND DRINK THE LOCAL FAVORITE—WATER. RAY’S & STARK BAR AT THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART FEATURES, YES, A WATER MENU, BOUND IN HANDSOME BLUE LEATHER

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Clockwise from top left: Deviled eggs with smoked shrimp, black radish and trout roe at Venice’s Willie Jane; outside Superba Snack Bar, in Venice; salad, “ooey gooey” fries, and a rice bowl at Chinatown’s Chego; diners at Bar Amá.

AT BAR AMÁ, THE QUESO DIP SEEMS AS COMFORTING AND ODD AS AN EARLY BECK TUNE (I KEPT HUMMING “GET CRAZY WITH THE CHEEZ WHIZ” WHILE EATING IT). THE PUFFY TACO TAKES ME BACK TO THE COLLEGE DINING HALL, EXCEPT IT COMES WITH ACTUAL BEEF

lunchtime music imported directly from a Minsk disco, Paiche is part of a large and sad apartment complex. On the plus side, there are lots of charming middle-aged Latina ladies crackling away at their chicharrones de pescado, and the pisco sour is the happiest of drinks come 1 p.m., brimming with Angostura bitters and organic egg whites.

The open kitchen makes you feel positively Hemingwayesque as you do little more than watch a tall man bravely cutting up a humongous kampachi.

Speaking of giant fish, the restaurant’s eponymous paiche, a native of the Amazon basin, happens to be one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. It tastes firm and meaty; I place it in the same textural universe as abalone. And the honey-slathered uni-shrimp toast here is completely distinct from any other sea-urchin dish I have encountered. It’s the perfect, if unexpected, combination of honey and sea, and easily one of my favorite dishes on this trip. Even Zarate’s crunchy quinoa, the ancient grain no one can shut up about these days, is more than fine by me.

Gorged on oversize Amazonian fish, I head north to the Superba Snack Bar, on Venice’s Rose Avenue, the beach town’s burgeoning alternative to the well-established and often predictable Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Inside this bright and airy house-made-pasta joint there’s a typical Venice crowd radiating life. Here, every man from age 20 to 70 has a full head of hair and the women look almost newborn. I drink a chilly El Porto, an homage to white port, Prosecco and orange peel, while listening to the cheerful hostess give the English language a workout on the phone: “We’ll just communicate when you guys get here.”

I dig into a salad of roasted white peaches and coconut “burrata,” which the server explains is a “coconut cream transformed into a kind of paste that’s sort of like burrata.”

The dishes are described by the staff, accurately I might add, as “super awesome.” The most super awesomest dish of the day may be a smoked bucatini carbonara. It’s the eggiest, wettest carbonara ever, with pasta slowly turning the consistency of porridge lost beneath a hailstorm of black pepper. It’s as if an intelligent and unabashed extraterrestrial species got their hands on a Roman cookbook and then just turned the dial up to 11. “Here you go my dear, enjoy,” a server says as the poached egg is expertly placed over my dense, delicious mush. igh-end food is better in New York than in L.A.,” says my friend David, who works in the entertainment industry and travels to New York a lot, as we settle down to a Thai meal at the popular West Hollywood joint Night & Market. He may be right, but what I wouldn’t give to have a Thai place of this caliber and authenticity open up around the corner from my apartment in Manhattan. Or, as my friend Nina put it: “If you ask them for Thai spicy, you will get Thai spicy.”

We don’t ask, but spicy it is. David and I are sitting below the requisite portraits of young King Bhumibol and his wife and the requisite offerings to the gods. “It looks like a Silver Lake crowd,” David says, as I note the near-ubiquity of facial hair.

To continue the izakaya motif from Paiche, I order a buttery pig collar with a tallboy of Chang beer, savoring the great spicy mouthfuls of delicate pork. I follow it up with a lemongrass-covered and bird’s-eye-chili-studded moo sadoong, or “startled pig.” David, one of the most intrepid and enthusiastic eaters I know, is grazing on a salt-crusted branzino and a papaya salad whose chilies explode like gastric fireworks. “I just burned my face off,” he says, but doesn’t stop eating. This is spicy you can feel in your gums.

Only the Hawaiian sweet bread with ice cream, served for dessert, can put out the fire.

The next night I give L.A.’s idea of “high-end food” a spin.

Ludo Lefebvre, the French-born genius behind the city’s pop-up cult restaurants called LudoBites, has opened Trois Mec in a strip mall off Melrose. According to one of Ludo’s chefs, unspeakable acts are committed in the alley behind the restaurant, and sometimes inside it. “A guy in a bulletproof vest ran in at 11 p.m. and said, ‘I need to hide!’”

Ludo’s crew is very entertaining, their attitude matching their food word-for-bite. If you sit by the chef’s counter, Ludo himself will shoot the breeze with you and that alone will be worth the price of admission. “So sorry my reach,” he might say with his French accent as he slings a delectable dish of avocado, sushi rice and salt-cod cream your way.

Sitting this close to the gods also gives you the chance to admire Ludo’s epic, elbow-deep tattoos up close.

My dining companion is another David who works in the entertainment industry. Mirror and marble have been foisted upon the small space, a former pizzeria whose exterior is largely intact (the sign out front still reads raffallo’s pizza), and the overall effect is that of a tiny, in-the-know refuge amid a sea of urban blight.

And, oh, the food. An amuse-bouche of buckwheat popcorn that tastes like postmodern kasha, the buckwheat immeasurably improved by the rice wine. A delicious dish of raw beef riding a wave of smoky eggplant, which is followed by one of Ludo’s most famous dishes—a “potato pulp” of extraordinary complexity that Ludo dismisses as the height of simplicity. “I hope you understand what I say—just potato and butter.” Well, not quite. There’s an onion soubise, a kind of onion-butter compote, soaking up the potato hash, and, atop this wondrous starch, a pinch of bonito flakes that takes this dish to a different planet entirely. Lest you worry about the edginess of the neighborhood, the tattoos, and the potato abuse, Trois Mec is also effortlessly high-end. “I like how quiet this place is,” David tells me. The amount of food on the set menu, usually an occasion for American bloat, is also judicious.

The reservation system at Trois Mec is beyond my comprehension. Apparently you have to wake up at 8 a.m. on alternating Fridays to buy “tickets.” But this doesn’t stop obsessive Ludo-heads from swarming the place. “I see people come eight times,” Ludo says.

“I have my clock set,” says the guy next to me, dipping his truffled grilled cheese into Ludo’s campfire ice cream.

Eating in L.A. is fun. I like being called “buddy,” “dude,” and even “dog,” as I’m served my morning coffee (“Here you go, dog”). The attitude at Bar Amá, the hybridist chef Josef T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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Centeno’s new place in Downtown, isn’t quite up to “dog” levels, but it’s pleasantly festive and informal. The queso dip seems as comforting and odd as an early Beck tune (I kept humming “Get crazy with the Cheez Whiz” while eating it). The puffy taco takes me back to something served at the Oberlin College dining hall, except it is appropriately spicy and comes with actual beef. Inside, an adult party (cue the Mexican fried ice cream and the mezcal). Outside, middle-aged skateboarders sail by in the dusk as downtown L.A. lives out its strange new gentrified existence.

But if you really want serious fun at your dinner table, nothing can top West Hollywood’s new Connie & Ted’s, from Michael Cimarusti, the chef whose Providence is widely lauded. The food comes from that mythical place Californians call “back East”—more precisely, it’s a West Coast homage to the Rhode Island clam shack.

I’m out tonight with my friend Nina, who works in film, and her husband, John, an architect. “This is the most expensive restaurant that’s been recently built,” John says of the cavernous open space, its light fixtures twinkling from within what look like lobster traps. “It’s very porous— California indoor-outdoor.” A loud ship’s bell sounds to recognize a gentleman who has ordered a two-pound lobster. I appreciate the kick and smoke of the linguica sausage in the Portuguese fish stew, with its hake, mussels and Manila clams. There’s also a platonic lobster roll, served hot or cold, and the Shigoku and Kumamoto oysters simply cannot be refused. n the previous night at Connie & Ted’s, I had helped myself to several glasses of the light and crisp Noble Ale Works Pistol Whip’d Pilsner, which reminded me of the fact that Nina and John are the only friends I have in Southern California who actually still drink booze. It is time for me to go native and drink the local favorite—water. Ray’s & Stark Bar at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art features, yes, a water menu, bound in handsome blue leather. A menu of the waters of the world must have a worldly sommelier, and that person would be Martin Riese, who, in his stylish glasses and striped suit, looks perfect for the part.

With a delightful German accent, Riese describes to me his journey from the Danish border to the watery center of L.A.’s food world: “My whole life I had the North Sea just in front of me. I was always addicted to water.” In 2005 he managed Berlin restaurant the First Floor, which featured one of the world’s first water menus, and then published a book called The World of Water. In 2010, he was accredited by the German Trade Association for Mineral Water. And now, he’s in the perfect place—a city where people are perpetually in recovery. “We had the Anonymous Alcoholics come in,” Riese says, “fourteen of them, and they said, ‘Thank you.

Now we have something to pair food with.’”

Intrigued, I allow Riese to do just that. He serves the restaurant’s signature dish, a delicious betruffled agnolotti, with a US$12 bottle of Danish Iskilde, which, according to Riese, “has the same hints of mushroom and earth.” Next, he presents his own water, Beverly Hills 90H20 (US$16), “the 110

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first sommelier-crafted water,” which is paired with a Stilton, because “blue cheese has acidity. The blue-cheese acidity goes down because this is very smooth water.” I finish off with a racy, salty Vichy Catalan (US$12) and a Stinking Bishop cheese. I am starting to hydrate in a really big way. By the end of the meal it becomes painful to hear the words “Would you like some tap water?” addressed to a pair of visiting Beijing tourists at the next table. As for me, I’ll never drink tap in this town again.

But I will drink beer. To counter the effect of all that healthy Danish water, I Uber down to Koreatown’s Beer Belly, a craft-beer bar that used to serve spectacular pancakes and beer, but has recently shifted over to duck territory, as in “death by duck,” which features duck-fat fries, duck-skin cracklings, and, for good measure, duck confit.

This is the happiest I’ve ever seen Angelenos, a citizenry that’s already not afraid to smile. There’s a mix of K-town locals and beer fanatics sipping on an insane Craftsman Triple White Sage from Pasadena, while dipping their sage-roasted duck breast into a sage jus. There are also strips of buttermilk fried chicken and a deep-fried s’mores Pop-Tart that just may save the world. The parking lot smells of a substance that is now all but legal in California, giving you a strong hint of Beer Belly’s peaceful vibe. t’s my last six hours in L.A., the temperature is skirting three digits, and I am giving Uber a workout. I zoom over to Guisados in Echo Park as my Ukrainian driver explains everything that’s gone wrong with his life thus far (the rent in the San Gabriel Valley could be cheaper, for one thing, and women could love him more).

Guisados opens at 10:30 a.m. and there’s already a large Mexican family completely clad in Dodgers attire chowing down on their morning tacos in the clean, white space, along Sunset. I taco down. The chicharrones are as dense as any but with bursts of heavenly fat, the mole is richer than Croesus, the shrimp are smoky, the chuletas a creamy journey through the land of pork and bean. The chicken mole? I better shut up before I embarrass myself about the chicken mole. I drink a cantaloupe agua fresca that’s an unabashed toast to California’s climate and possibility.

All my trips to L.A. end the same way my first one did, when my friend told me of a magical place called In-N-Out, and I fell in love. Many tell me that L.A. has better, more pedigreed burgers, but I don’t care. When I see an In-N-Out, I swallow reflexively. By now I know to get my fries well done and my double-double burger Animal Style: mustardcooked, and choked with grilled onions. I stop by the one on Orange and Sunset on the way to the airport, no longer confused by the bible verse printed on the soda cup, John 3:16, though I know the verse’s promise of “eternal life” is not compatible with the double meat patties and double cheese going down my gullet. The man next to me carefully wipes down his own table after finishing his gargantuan burger feast. I guess that’s the final strange thing about In-N-Out. Like Roy Choi’s Chego, like the temple of the Ludovites who wake up early to buy tickets to Trois Mec, like so many other places I visited, this is a community. ✚

Clockwise from above: The bar’s water sommelier, Martin Riese; an L.A. sunset; a Coal Miner’s Daughter cocktail at Willie Jane; a fish taco, chilies torreados taco and chuleta en salsa verde taco at Guisados, in Echo Park.

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T L Guide EAT Bar Amá 118 W. Fourth St., Downtown; bar-ama.com; dinner for two US$50.

Beer Belly 532 S. Western Ave., Koreatown; beerbellyla. com; dinner for two US$40.

Chego 727 N. Broadway, #117, Chinatown; eatchego. com; dinner for two US$25.

Connie & Ted’s 8171 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; connieandteds.com; dinner for two US$75.

Guisados 1261 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park; guisados.co; dinner for two US$15.

Night & Market 9043 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; thenightmarket.blogspot.com; dinner for two US$50.

Paiche 13488 Maxella Ave., Marina del Rey; paichela.com; dinner for two US$55.

Ray’s & Stark Bar 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Hancock Park; patinagroup.com; waters US$4 to $42.

Superba Snack Bar 533 Rose Ave., Venice; superbasnackbar.com; tasting menus from $45.

Trois Mec 716 N. Highland Ave., Hancock Park; troismec. com; approximately US$75 per ticket.

Willie Jane 1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice; williejane.com; dinner for two US$85.

Our Definitive Guide to

A Victorian-throwback beach-ringed beauty, Australia’s second city is trending contempo-casual in its dining scene and going global in music and wine, all the while maintaining its laid-back, cool-kid vibe. Richard Mcleish guides us around his hometown foodie, fashionista and footballer heaven.

Photographed by Paul Philipson

A dramatic welcome at Adelphi Hotel.

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Room with two views at The Cullen.

Below: Urban respite at Adelphi’s overhanging pool.

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INNER NORTH

CBD

PRAHRAN

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ST. KILDA

Lay of the Land CBD An overgrown office by day, the city’s inner laneways overflow at night with locals ducking past colorful graffiti into hidden-entrance bars and galleries.

Prahran This colorful borough full of century-old heritage buildings is grounded in Chapel Street, a veritable walking mall of big and local labels, and eateries and bars.

Inner North Fitzroy and Collingwood are crowded with converted warehouse apartments, cool cafés and grungy pubs. After brunch, wander Brunswick and Gertrude Streets.

St. Kilda Once a den of sin, this is now a professionals’ playground full of shops, bars, restaurants and beach-side activities.

Brunswick On the city fringe, hip kids fill cheap-rent warehouses with band-fueled parties and art studios. It’s still home to many immigrants: to which the Mediterraneantinged Sydney Road testifies.

Getting around Buy a Mykki card (A$6) for the public transport; after midnight take a taxi.

Stay Like much else here, local-boutiquey is the best bet. (Though The Langham shines.)

THE CULLEN Catering to the design-savvy travel set, The Cullen is highlighted by extras such as a yoga deck, contemporary artworks and edgy interiors. It’s self-consciously located in the colorful Commercial Road area, a short stroll from shop- and bar-laden Chapel Street as well as Prahran Market. 164 Commercial Rd., Prahran; 61-3/90981555; artserieshotels. com.au/cullen; $210.

THE PRINCE Housed in a classy Art Deco building, The Prince is popular for its sleek interiors, great pool and vibrant location. Drinking and dining outlets in the building range from a low-key dive bar to private dining at Circa.

Nearby St. Kilda promenade is great for a sundowner and some people-watching. Right

on a tram line, it’s only a short ride away from the CBD bustle. 2 Acland St., St. Kilda; 613/9536-1111; theprince.com.au; $160 including breakfast.

LYALL HOTEL & SPA Soaked in old-world aesthetics, the low-rise Lyall Hotel brags an understated homey charm. Its location in the heart of styleconscious South Yarra—a hub of shopping, style and sophistication—means the hotel’s bicycles (free for guests) are great vehicles of exploration. 16 Murphy St., South Yarra; 61-3/9868-8222; thelyall.com; $280.

ADELPHI HOTEL The sugar-coated new trajectory of the recently refurbished Adelphi is encapsulated by its in-house Om Nom Restaurant and

Dessert Bar. It is conveniently grounded among the CBD’s great bar- and restaurantfilled laneways. Look out for the iconic overhanging pool. 187 Flinders Ln., Melbourne; 61-3/8080-8888; adelphi.com.au; $275.

OVOLO HOTEL Also holding a stellar inner-city spot among the laneways, the year-old Ovolo caters to a youthful crowd, foregoing room service and in-house dining for free minibars and Wi-Fi. Designed with the mobile in mind is the “grab and go” breakfast.

19 Little Bourke St., Melbourne; 61-3/86920777; ovolohotels.com/ en; $240 including light breakfast.

THE LANGHAM The grandiose V-shaped Langham hotel is perched majestically above the Yarra River, affording great views of the CBD from the 380-plus rooms as well as the expansive pool deck on the 9th floor. The busily popular shopping and eating area of Southbank below is just an elevator ride away. Plus, it’s the only hotel in Melbourne included in the T+L 500: World’s Best Hotels 2014. 1 Southgate Ave., Southbank; 61-3/86968888; melbourne. langhamhotels.com.au; $290.

Hotel prices are in Australian dollars and represent starting rates for double occupancy.

Shop

Six spots to stock up on Aussie style, sound and supplies.

H O T A I R B A L L O O N : © R I C H A R D I 'A N S O N / G E T T Y I M A G E S

CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY As the city’s style-makers left their 20-something shared-warehouse ideologies behind, a league of gentlemen emerged, and places like Captains of Industry were born.

Offering hearty daytime food, bespoke footwear and straight-razor shaves, this all-male triumvirate of industry would be any discerning captain’s perfect lair. Level 1, 2 Somerset Pl., Melbourne; 61-3/9670-4405; captainsofindustry.com.au.

PIERRE & CHARLOTTE An unlikely fusion of Japanese and European influences, the studio of Pierre & Charlotte sits unassumingly on a quiet cobbled street. Melding art, music and fashion motifs in their handcrafted pieces, the couple steers beyond mass production towards socially conscious design. 15 Purcell St., North Melbourne; 61-3/9329-4414; pierreandcharlotte.com.

AESOP Mother Nature meets contemporary design in this walk-in eco-womb. All 11 of the brand’s stores across the city offer a unique spread of the high-grade locally-made unisex products and fragrances sourced from the country’s abundant natural resources—a perfect gift from down under for friends up top.

242 Gertrude St., Fitzroy; 61-3/94198356; aesop.com/au.

POLYESTER BOOKS AND POLYESTER RECORDS The Polyester pair—just down the street from one another—are landmark retail fringe points of the city, known to offer boundary-pushing publications and presses that others are unwilling to carry. Get some local band or writer tips from the knowledgeable staff, who may know the artists personally. Indie-cred bonus: They take Bitcoins. 330 and 387 Brunswick St., Fitzroy; polyester.com.au and polyesterrecords.com.

PIECES OF EIGHT Named after a playful take on the world’s first currency, this inner-city treasure trove of creativity has a gaudy gold entrance that’s hard to miss.

Housed safely inside are unique works by silversmiths and jewelry designers in what is a telling showcase of the area’s talent pool. 28 Russell Pl., Melbourne; 61-3/9497-8121; piecesofeight. com.au.

KLOKE Flashy international fashion labels are less ubiquitous in Melbourne, where a swathe of local independent designers buck the season-to-season production lines and magazine-generated trends.

Fresh on the scene, this debut store of Kloke hawks their functional-fashion gems for which the city (and beyond) is currently hot. 270 Brunswick St., Fitzroy; 61-3/9078-6600; kloke.com.au.

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From top: A treasure trove of unique jewelry at Pieces of Eight; Aesop’s eco-womb is full of Australian products.

See Do 1

Hot-air balloons sail over the Melbourne skyline at sunrise.

Street Art Once darkened, bin-strewn grottoes to avoid, the CBD’s labyrinth of bluestone-cobbled alleyways now burst with color and creativity, thanks to the city’s active artsy class who has made it a canvas. Focal points include works by artists such as HaHa and Miso in Hosier and Caledonian Lanes. Take a tour for a close-up look and the inside word.

2

Survey the city from the sky, then immerse in its vibrant arts-scape.

Live-Music Scene The kicking live-music scene of the city has spawned global acts such as Nick Cave; Hunters & Collectors; and Gotye. On any given night, inner-city pubs such as Cherry Bar (cherrybar.com.au) in AC/DC Lane rock with live performances. Tune into the scene through public local station Triple R (rrr.org.au) or read about upcoming gigs and news in Beat Magazine (beat.com.au).

3

Hot-Air Ballooning Get the ultimate city view courtesy of pilot Chris Shorten of Balloon Flights over Melbourne, who flies passengers over town each morning (weather permitting) as the sun rises, before descending into a champagne breakfast nearby where you can compare photos and gush. balloonovermelbourne.com. au; $750 for two including breakfast.

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Jimmy Grants serves up fuss-free Athenian fare. Below: Market offerings at Claypots include fresh-caught prawns.

Eat The food scene in Melbourne is simultaneously chilling out and spiffing up. Seek out these six hot spots with an empty stomach.

JIMMY GRANTS Playing on the colloquial name of “immigrants”—the backbone of Melbourne’s cultural diversity— Jimmy Grants is the latest walk-up venue in an increasingly deformalizing eating scene. Run

by Greek go-to restaurateur George Calombaris, it packs a wide-ranging demographic that gorges fuss-free (read: using their hands) on Athenian souvlakis. 113 Saint David St., Fitzroy; jimmygrants.com.au; $40.

CLAYPOTS With a deep St. Kilda soul, Claypots is a testament to the seaside location’s unmanufactured vibe—hotchpotch interior, live music roster and stand-out seafood. On any evening, waiters seat walk-up diners who then fight among themselves for chalk board-listed offerings fresh from that day’s market purchases.

Match your catch with meze, or a namesake clay pot, then stroll down nearby Acland Street for a perfect St. Kilda night out. 213 Barkly St., St. Kilda; 61-3/95341282; claypots.com.au; $70.

BUILDERS ARMS HOTEL Local restaurateur Andrew McConnell recently waved his wand over the Builder’s Arms Hotel to somehow seamlessly combine modern public bar ambience with a chic bistro and private fine dining room under the same roof. Start with a microbrew at the front bar and follow into the bistro for the coveted gastro fare, such as rotisserie offerings that change daily. 211 Gertrude St., Fitzroy; 61-3/9417-7700; buildersarmshotel.com.au; bistro $100, dining room $150.

ATTICA Inside what looks like a modest suburban eatery from the street hides some of the city’s best creative dining. With head chef Ben Shewry’s signature consideration and care in every bite, the eight-course degustation menu that might include “Red Kangaroo with Herbs Tended by the Hands of our Cooks” would turn any eater into a food writer.

74 Glen Eira Rd., Ripponlea; 61-3/9530-0111; attica.com.au; eight-course tasting $190.

TONKA Hidden down a dark and unlikely alley, the tenacity and bravery of Tonka hunters are rewarded once safely inside this bustling spot strictly for those in-the-know. In the kitchen, two tandoor ovens and a team of well-pedigreed chefs enliven the traditional Indian cuisine canon—think: grilled local asparagus, 63° egg, pomegranate and makhani—with freshness and flair. 20 Duckboard Pl., Melbourne; 61-3/9650-3155; tonkarestaurant. com.au; $100.

HIHOU Heralding a new sophistication, Hihou (“hidden treasure” in Japanese) is one of the city’s suavest bars. With an extensive Nihon-tinged menu of drinks and creative dishes (the “Hihou Dog” is a sesame brioche with arabiki pork sausage and pickled cabbage), guests can rub shoulders at the marble communal table or mount the wall-length black ottoman in the back and seduce their dates if the venue hasn’t already. 1/F, 1 Flinders Ln., Melbourne; 61-3/ 9654-5465; hihou.com.au; $70.

Yarra Valley Wine Tour Flee the rat race for the grape-growing Yarra Valley region an hour’s drive east of the city.

Drop by the big-name labels that cater well for visitors, such as Yering Station (yering.com), the state’s first winery; powerhouse Domaine Chandon (chandon. com.au); or Innocent Bystander (innocent bystander.com.au), which has a cellar door and a lively restaurant.

Vinetrekker (vine trekker.com.au/yarravalley) offers tours, if you don’t want to drive.

Restaurant prices are listed in Australian dollars and represent approximate rates for dinner for two, unless noted.

From left: Thaitinged Chin Chin; bookworm heaven Metropolis; cuttingedge art exhibited at Utopian Slumps.

Local Take

I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y W A S I N E E C H A N TA K O R N

These natives know where it’s at. Follow their lead.

ROBERT F. COLEMAN

DOUG MASKELL

JON BUTT

Editorial Director, The Thousands online magazines in eight cities

Founder and Director of Sand Hill Road, proprietors of pubs and a film production house

Artist, curator, gallerist and current Director of c3 Contemporary Art Space

“Start in the CBD with a Jungle Juice (20 Centre Pl., Melbourne) bagel and coffee, then walk up the road to the State Library’s Dome Room and have a game of chess with the old boys. Pick up a book at Metropolis (252 Swanston St.) around the corner and head upstairs for a pint at the Rooftop Bar, waddle over to the Vic Market (qvm.com.au) for all things artisanal, from stationary to fish hooks. Lunch at the Mr. Burger food truck (93 Therry St.), cross the road and grab an espresso martini from dimly-lit Prudence (368 Victoria St.).

Then go south of the river by taxi to the inexpensive Albany Hotel (1 Millswyn St., South Yarra) and enjoy a private swim in their incredible rooftop pool.”

Bar Hop

“Melbourne must be explored rather than visited. Flinders Lane, with Thai-tinged diner Chin Chin (chinchinrestaurant.com.au) and gastropub Cumulus Inc (cumulusinc. com.au), and AC/DC Lane both capture the quintessential Melbourne walk-up culinary experience. For hipster cool it is Smith Street, Fitzroy, all the way, with Saint Crispin (saintcripsin.com.au) and Huxtable (huxtablerestaurant.com.au) as standouts. And watch what 90,000 football fans do before the game by heading to Richmond’s Swan Street, which is lined by bars like Richmond Club Hotel, The Corner Hotel and Post Office Bar Pizza.”

“Melbourne Now at National Gallery of Victoria (ngv.vic.gov.au) is dominating

the local art scene. Many kick-start their careers within artist-run initiatives such as Platform and Kings galleries, while hybrid spaces like c3 and Slopes exemplify the changing landscape. For cutting-edge collectors, go to Neon Parc or Utopian Slumps. Institutions not to miss are Centre Contemporary

Photography, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and Gertrude Contemporary. Best inner-city escape: The Abbotsford Convent (1 St Heliers St.,

Melbourne), a sprawling ex-convent filled with galleries, studios, dining and site-responsive art installations within lush gardens and evocative architecture.”

Closets of cool, the plethora of bars in the city brim with life and character, all distinct from one another. Current favorites include a duo in Richmond: Bar Americano (baramericano.com) with its super-slick cocktails, and Bar Economico (bareconomico.com.au), known for its Latina-tinged kitsch.

North of the city, mingle with the fringe at Howler (h-w-l-r.com) in Brunswick North or meet a local artist at creative perch The Alderman (134 Lygon St.; 61-3/9380-9003) in Brunswick East.

Bar Economico.

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Last Look

Photographed by Luke Duggleby

Namshan, Burma

Handpicked in the hills Tea pickers from the Palaung ethnic minority gather tea leaves on the steep hills surrounding the ridge-top town of Namshan, deep in Burma’s remote Shan State.

Local leaves Workers sort tea leaves by hand into different grades. Lower quality plants are dried, while the best are pickled for up to six months in large wooden boxes or even in a simple hole in the ground.

Tossing the tea Almost everyone who lives in Namshan is involved in the tea business, an industry that produces thousands of tonnes of tea a year, mostly for domestic consumption.

A salad like no other There’s a catch with laphet: unlike most teas, this variety is meant to be eaten. The national delicacy mixed with onions, chilies or garlic is typically served at the end of a meal.

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FIREWORKS AND DJS: THE PERFECT COMBO

W HOTELS AND ENERGY DRINK BURN LAUNCHED THEIR THIRD GLOBAL ONLINE SEARCH FOR TOP TURNTABLING TALENT AS PART OF THE W HOTELS & BURN DJ LAB IN JULY

PUT YOUR SPIN ON IT More than 1,400 aspiring DJs/producers uploaded their best beats in the competition’s first-ever online search to clinch one of six available spots on the weeklong DJ BOOT CAMP at W RETREAT KOH SAMUI. An expert panel of DJ LAB mentors that included Global Music Director for W Hotels Worldwide Michaelangelo L’Acqua plus top DJs PAUL OAKENFOLD, JAMES LAVELLE, ANDY CALDWELL and DJ WHITE SHADOW, judged the submitted tracks. The six that made the cut were UK duo Parvenu, Adam Share from the US, Turkey’s Sezer Uysal, Mexico’s Tatiana de Leon, aka T.A.T, Berlin-based Sylwia Kubicka, aka Vonda7, and Seoul’s Wendy Bailey.Throughout the weeklong program in Koh Samui, the mentors delivered workshops on everything from music engineering skills to building a distinct brand to prime the DJ Lab participants for the global stage.

Post boot camp, the class of 2013 celebrated by mixing it up alongside three-time Grammy nominated DJ Paul Oakenfold at W Bangkok before embarking on a global tour. Each DJ also produced a track for an exclusive W HOTELS AND BURN EP. As part of the 2013 launch, W Hotels hosted global warm-up events featuring headline performances from 2012’s DJ Lab winners. Gio Vanhoutte performed at W Seoul, Dogus enchanted crowds at W Barcelona, Vitor Kurc played W Santiago, and Posso’s Vanessa Giovacchini got the party started at W Los Angeles – Westwood.

SOUNDING SHIP SHAPE ON THE DJ LAB YACHT

RECORDING SESSION IN ACTION

BRING THE BEATS W HONG KONG’S WOOBAR stepped to the beat as W Hotels Worldwide again teamed up with Hong Kong’s hottest music festival, CLOCKENFLAP, in November by bringing the after party with WOO WEEKEND. W’s hottest DJ talent also mixed it up at the festival, as two of the brightest stars from the W Hotels & burn DJ Lab 2013, T.A.T and Parvenu, played the Clockenflap Your Mum stage. To kickstart the WOO WEEKEND, queens of Beijing rock Nova Heart ramped up energy levels on the opening night of the festival back at WOOBAR, while Parvenu, T.A.T and Hong Kong indie rockers Chochukmo commandeered the stage on the second night. For Clockenflap’s official closing party, AFTER-FLAP, experimental Danish band Efterklang electrified the party scene with a mesmerizing DJ set.

The night became hotter as Daft Pink and W DJs got behind the decks to close the festival with a beat-filled bang. Many acts that played Clockenflap rocked up for WOOBAR’s official after-party including the father of Chinese rock Cui Jian and Brit indie rockers The 1975.

WENDY BAILEY ON THE DECKS

HONG KONG’S COOLEST ROCKED UP TO ENJOY THE SONIC THRILLS OF MUSIC FEST CLOCKENFLAP KITMAN FOR CLOCKENFLAP 2013

W HONG KONG’S RESIDENT DJ ANGUS WONG

THE 1975’S LEAD SINGER MATT HEALY WITH CLOCKENFLAP REVELER

REVELERSAT THE ENDLESS SUMMER ZOUKOUT RECHARGE PARTY

GET WET AT W SINGAPORE W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE summoned revelers to sip, play and flirt at the Endless Summer ZoukOut Recharge Party in December before they partied till dawn at the city’s ultimate dance festival, ZoukOut. As the official partner for ZOUKOUT, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove got the party started from 2pm with bespoke cocktails and beats from Zouk’s resident DJs at WET Deck. Zouk resident DJ’s Adrian Wee and DJ B shared the decks with Wendy Bailey of W Seoul and W Singapore’s very own Mr. Has.

SSSSHH!! SILENT DISCO AT W BALI Music fans donned headphones and zoned out the chat for W RETREAT & SPA – BALI SEMINYAK’S SILENT DISCO in October, which introduced three very different DJs mixing up three distinctive musical styles at WOOBAR. Master scratcher DJ Crip bought the hip hop; DJ Kulki delivered a heady mix of indie/electro while Hugo Marti got everyone on the dance floor with some uplifting house. The merrymaking continued with an after party headlined by W Retreat & Spa – Bali Seminyak’s resident music director Danny Fry.

ALFRESCO BEATS AT W RETREAT & SPA – BALI SEMINYAK’S SILENT DISCO

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TROPICAL ROMANCE

I DO Water worshippers looking to tie the knot can don their diving gear and say “I do” at W Retreat & Spa Maldives with the Deep Love Underwater Wedding Package, where green turtles and reef sharks will be your guests as you swim up the aisle.

Once you’ve come up for air, sail away on a sunset cruise or kick back in your own Ocean Haven, our rustic play hut replete with infinity pool and Jacuzzi seats, wraparound sundeck and glass paneled floors perfect for peeking at the lagoon fauna.

A COCOON OF COOL, W RETREAT & SPA MALDIVES ATTRACTIONS LIE ABOVE AND BELOW THE OCEAN, WITH THE AWAY SPA DELIVERING OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD OVERWATER MASSAGES WHILE SUBTERRANEAN PURSUITS INCLUDE SNORKELING THE HOUSE REEF UNDER AN ELECTRIFIED MOONLIGHT AS CORALS UNCOVER THEIR FLUORESCENT MAGIC. THIS CHIC RETREAT ON FESDU ISLAND IN THE BLISSED-OUT NORTH ARI ATOLL ALSO HAS RED-HOT STYLE CREDENTIALS, AND FASHION LOVERS AT SECURED FRONT ROW SEATS FOR THAI FASHION DESIGNER MILIN’S RUNWAY SHOW “I THINK SOLD” IN OCTOBER AT AN EXCLUSIVE W HAPPENING FOR GUESTS STAYING AT W RETREAT & SPA MALDIVES.

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CUT THE EDGES

KOREAN COOL: NEW SEOUL TRENDS HIT THE RUNWAY

K -POP BAND BOYS REPUBLIC

UPCOMING DESIGNERS KO TAEYONG, PARK SEUNGGUN, KYE HANHEE, YONI P AND STEVE J

W SEOUL teamed up with top Korean fashion magazine CÉCI for its first collaborative fashion show, CUTTING EDGE FASHION, to champion promising designers in Korea throughout 2014 in November. Selected by a judging panel of seven fashion editors, the four that made the cut were fashion maverick Park Seunggun, menswear designer Ko Taeyong, contemporary womenswear label Steve J & Yoni P and hip urban designer Kye Hanhee. In an exclusive catwalk showcase, the four designers revealed WHAT’S NEW/NEXT FOR KOREAN FASHION with their Spring/Summer collections for 2014. W DJ Lab artist DJ Gio and DJ Pascal Dior provided a celebratory sonic backdrop at the after party, where more than 500 VIPs, celebrities and fashionistas mingled at WOOBAR.

BREAK THE NORM The worlds of design and music collided at W SPACE and W MUSIC BAR@ I.T HYSAN ONE in one of Hong Kong’s most hip shopping districts, Causeway Bay. A collaboration between W Hong Kong and hip local fashion distributor I.T, this creative pop-up showcased avant garde designers including Maison Martin Margiela and Comme Des Garçons between June 2013 and January 2014. The backdrop to the space was suitably captivating, combining W HONG KONG’S signature neon lighting and the hotel’s Enchanted Forest design narrative with sticks made of white wood wrapped in light tubes for an ethereal, offbeat feel. Fashionistas cruising for cutting edge threads also tuned into groundbreaking beats at W MUSIC BAR, with seven playlists specially curated by W Hotels’ Global Music Director Michaelangelo L’Acqua. The Afterdark playlist’s loud and energetic tunes delivered a sonic jumpstart, while the Retreat playlist’s fun, bumping sounds acted as a stress-soother. As an added auditory bonus, all songs and playlists were available to download.

STREET SNAP AT W GUANGZHOU

STREET SNAP TRENDSETTING: W SPACE IN HONG KONG

W MUSIC BAR

W invited fashion-savvy gals and boys in China to submit their most stylish poses via the STREET SNAP campaign in December/ January in collaboration with China’s Grazia magazine. With an interactive social media campaign across Sina Weibo, this stylish call-to-arms culminated with an award ceremony at W GUANGZHOU. More than 50 style icons and fashion bloggers were invited to the EWOW suite, where fashionistas made their boldest style statements on the catwalk to compete in one of two categories, Most W Stylish Talent and Most Popular Talent, where five winners scooped a twonight stay in W Hotels across Asia-Pacific.

With the hashtag #W STYLISH SHOW, this red-hot fashion campaign generated more than 15,000 retweets and attracted more than 3,000 stylish contenders.

ROOFTOP COOL: A CHARITY YOGA SESSION AT W TAIPEI

STRETCH OUT W Taipei hosted a charity yoga session, “A TIME FOR YOGA” with Nike and Space Yoga in aid of TAIPEI WOMEN’S RESCUE FOUNDATION in September at WET Deck. The charity event included a 90-minute yoga session, healthy brunch at the WET Bar and a goodie bag with Space Yoga mat, water bottle and towel from NIKE, plus a t-shirt and shopping bag from W TAIPEI. Delivering panoramic view of Xinyi district’s mighty skyline, the session was led by instructor Shirlyn Shih, who advised the yummy yoga bunnies on effective muscle strengthening, hormonal system & mental balance, and physical well-being.

Post-yoga session, guests rolled away their mats and savored a high protein, low fat and high fiber brunch designed by executive sous chef Colin Chun, which included an avocado, asparagus, and orange salad box, flax and chia seed English muffins, spinach with smoked salmon, Greek yoghurt with fresh fruit.

Three energy-boosting smoothies – berry, tofu and flaxseed; honey melon and kiwi, and a grapefruit & broccoli detox – delivered a delicious, nutritious accompaniment to the wholesome brunch.

FLAWLESS FACE With an A-list following that includes Anne Hathaway, Juliette Binoche and Frieda Pinto, TAIWANESE FACIALIST SU-MAN has wowed the spa world with her trailblazing treatment, which offers similar results to Botox by incorporating Shiatsu and Pilates techniques.

The former dancer visited W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE and W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK from London to deliver her signature therapy to facial fans at both hotels in October. The celeb-endorsed treatment begins with an initial skin analysis and shiatsu massage after which Su-man steam cleanses the skin then gently extracts and exfoliates.

A nourishing botanical placenta mask is then applied, while toning and moisturizing deliver the final flourish to your new fab face.

Su-Man first discovered shiatsu massage after a major back injury while performing as a professional dancer with Belgian dance company, Rosas. She says, “I think the whole body is connected. Your face shows everything that’s happened to you.

Therefore for me a facial cannot just become a superficial thing, I need to connect the body and the chakras. When I touch you, we both make a connection and your body guides me, telling me where to go, so it’s very intuitive.”

SU-MAN

W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK

W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE

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CUTTING-EDGE ECO BECAME A REALITY AT W TAIPEI WITH THE “TRASH RE-DESIGN” PROJECT WHILE W SEOUL – WALKERHILL WOWED THE SEOUL DESIGN FESTIVAL WITH SEUNG YONG SONG’S WORKS, WHICH ALSO TRAVELLED TO W HONG KONG FOR BUSINESS OF DESIGN WEEK…

ECO CHIC REIMAGINED TREE-SHAPED JEWELRY HOLDER BY FANNY KUO

W TAIPEI TRASH REDESIGN PRESS CONFERENCE

PINBALL GAME

BY WANTING LIAO

A COASTER COMBINING THE SHAPES OF A LOLLYPOP AND GRAMOPHONE RECORD BY YUJUI CHOU

Trash has been stylishly re-imagined at W Taipei, where the “TRASH RE-DESIGN TAIWAN DESIGN CENTER X W TAIPEI” project enlisted local designers to create sensational, sustainable products for the hotel. During the four-month long design workshop in 2013, designers repurposed everyday recyclables such as water bottles, bath amenities and in-room slippers and transformed them into fab yet functional pieces. Items poised to be purchased by the hotel include a red tree-shaped jewellery holder by Fanny Kuo, which underlines the “Nature Electrified” theme of the hotel, and a sleek purple pinball game by Wanting Liao that underlines the popularity of the arcade classic within Taiwan’s famous night markets. The other eco-friendly

gem that made the cut was a coaster made from recycled PET bottles that combines the shapes of a gramophone record and lollypop by Yujui Chou.

A DESIGNER’S NIGHT AT W TAIPEI invited the seven winning designers to WET Bar to mingle with the Taiwanese design community, while a dedicated Facebook page enabled users to vote for Yifei Cheng’s sassy 3 in 1 fashion emergency kit, which features three pieces of recycled material that can be utilized in different ways: one makes an equally cool tie, headband, belt or strap, another is handkerchief, hair accessory or pocket square, while the final accessory can be worn as a top, shawl or scarf.

SEUNG YONG SONG’S FURNITURE WAS EXHIBITED AT W SEOUL – WALKERHILL’S BOOTH AT THE SEOUL DESIGN FESTIVAL

DESIGN DEMOCRACY Always on the look-out for the latest in cutting-edge design, W SEOUL – WALKERHILL sponsored the up-and-coming designers award at the SEOUL DESIGN FESTIVAL in December, which uncovered 35 of the hottest new creatives around. During the festival, W Seoul also showcased art work by furniture designer Seung Yong Song, one of W Hotels’ Designers of the Future.

RIGHT: THE JUDGING PANEL OF W SEOUL DESIGN FESTIVAL’S UPAND-COMING DESIGNERS AWARD EFFORTLESSLY CHIC: ROCKING CHAIR AND TABLE BY SEUNG YONG SONG

DESIGN UNCOVERED

ONE OF W HOTELS’ DESIGNERS OF THE FUTURE, SEUNG YONG SONG PIECES FROM SEUNG YONG SONG’S WHEELJEK COLLECTION

W Hotels Worldwide was selected as the official media hotel of BUSINESS OF DESIGN WEEK, a must-attend ideas exchange platform for Asia’s most innovative thinkers, for the fifth year running in December.

One of the winners of the W HOTELS DESIGNER OF THE FUTURE AWARDS – which is created in collaboration with Design Miami – Korea’s Seung Yong Song was invited to exhibit his Wheeljek Collection at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Created for W Bangkok, it takes its inspiration from the fluidity and versatility of the Thai capital’s ubiquitous street food carts. To toast this cool collaboration, W Hong Kong organized a private cocktail party at its Extreme WOW Suite where Seung Yong Song’’s piece also put in an appearance, as did an artist live drawing corner.

W HONG KONG WAS THE OFFICIAL MIEDIA HOTEL FOR BUSINESS OF DESIGN WEEK

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