Unbelieveably right … Chef and co-owner of Spice I Am Sujet Saenkham talks about his craft

One of my favourite Dr Seuss books is the one about green eggs and ham, and the thing about Spice I Am, is that like the aforementioned dish you can eat Spice I Am anywhere.

If you ever find yourself in Sydney’s Kings Cross on a Saturday night, I know a place where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy some of the city’s best Thai cuisine.

I say some of the best only because Spice I Am – Sydney’s iconic Thai eatery – has two other locations, one in Balmain and one further downtown in Wentworth Avenue.

But back to Spice I Am Darlinghurst, a short stumble from the Coke sign.

I get there late on this particular night and my date is running even later. The light is subdued but you can still find your way around without stumbling over things or tripping on handbag straps. There is polished dark timber everywhere soothingly reflecting the gentle lights.

Outside, next to us through the huge glass window a group of eight girls are sitting under the heaters laughing and cheersing each other.

We start with cocktails – a lychee martini for me and a lychee mojito for her.

“This mohito has everything I like about mojitos and nothing I don’t like,” she pronounces.

We swap. It’s the best mohito I’ve ever had, all the sweetness – without being too sweet, and none of the vinegar rictus some mojitos can give you. My martini is pleasantly spicy.

Then it’s on to entrees – steamed spicy fish wrapped in banana leaf parcels. “It’s like a Christmas present and dinner all in one,” she says, again writing my review for me.

The minced fish is spicy. Very spicy and loaded with finely chopped kefir lime leaves. We are both starving and this is just what the doctor ordered on this chilly night.

By now the cocktails have disappeared and have been replaced by an Austrian gruner veltliner by Nigl.
If I had my way everyone would eat Thai food with this awesome grape the Austrians have been growing since they were flogging it to Roman legionaries in Kremstal, Niederosterreich.

More food arrives, deep fried betal leaves topped with prawns – like a giant crunchy prawn chip. Then the crispy pork belly with chilli jam.

Spice I Am’s co-owner and executive chef Sujet Saenkham gets this dish so completely right it’s almost unbelievable. The crackly is still crunchy, yet the pork is still melt in your mouth.

It’s very rich and I have to struggle to save room for Spice I Am’s signature dish, the roast red duck curry.

This comes served in a fresh coconut with the top hacked off.

It’s rich and spicy and unctuous all at the same time and no trip to Spice I Am would be complete without this dish. Let me say it again. Only a gibbering idiot would go to Spice I am and not order the roast red duck curry.

What we can’t eat is taken home, because after all, you can eat Spice I Am anywhere, right Sam?

Spice I Am

www.spiceiam.com

info@spiceiam.com

The family that surfs together, stays together … Greg Bunt samples one of his creations

Have you ever wondered where the awesome food comes from when your are staying in world-class luxury retreat? Lunch Magazine’s Lauren Arena talks to expat chef Greg Bunt, of Sundara the new beachfront restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

What inspired your decision to become a professional chef?

In all honesty it was the prospects of travelling and being based in different countries as well as the being able to experience different cultures.

How is Sundara different from other places you have worked?

We have created a real beach feel with the cuisine at Sundara, simple plating with fresh and light flavours.  It is very different from what I used to cook being based on in a fast paced city environment. To me, the venue and surroundings have a profound influence on the style of food I put on a plate and this applies to not only a resort destination like Bali but anywhere in the world.

What do you like most about Bali?

I love surfing and so Bali is an ideal location for me. And my other passion, cooking, I love the exotic ingredients found in Bali.

When you’re not in the kitchen, what do you enjoy doing in Bali?
Simply put, besides the obvious of discovering Bali with my family – surfing.

Tell me about your experience living and working overseas.

 I have lived in Hong Kong and Macau and cooked throughout Asia.

Chefs are constantly learning and this is what really drives my passion for what I do. I have a very fond memory of living with a Thai dessert chef whom I met at a market. He really took me under his wing and taught me a great deal about Thai desserts, working with Asian sugars and flours. This and many other anecdotes make for amazing experiences in the life of a chef.

Describe your work/life balance

There is little time for much else when you are a professional chef. That is, if you want to be excellent. When I am off, I am generally thinking about new combinations of flavour or what I have to achieve when I return to the kitchen. I enjoy moments with my family which normally brings me back down to earth.

What is your signature dish?

Signature dishes for me are always changing, at the moment I really enjoy cooking a salt bush lamb rack for two persons served with broad beans, artichokes, mint leaves, rainbow chard and tomato relish.

What is the most unusual ingredient you’ve worked with/use?
Bali flower heart, a sour little red heart-shaped flower.

What is your most complex dish?

All our dishes are complex in the steps and methods to prepare them.

What are your thoughts on modern cuisine versus traditional cuisine?
There is a place in today’s world for cuisines, both modern and traditional. I never close my mind to anything new or anything traditional.

What is your advice for young chefs?
Keep your attitude to yourself, be humble, listen, watch and learn the good and take note of the bad, travel and cook in as many countries as you can and never believe you have learned it all.

”What local ingredients do you use to blend your own take on traditional cuisine?
Coconut saour, a toasted coconut spice mix that we use together with mangosteen, prawns, ikan bilis, herbs and spicy dressing in our all day menu.

What makes a five-star dining experience?

A timeless space, discreet and unintrusive attentive service, a well planned beverage list and constant ever-changing food.

The name Sundara is the Sanskrit word for “beautiful” and pays tribute to the glowing sun that warms this Indian Ocean hotspot.
Immediately positioned as one of Bali’s top dining destinations, Sundara offers the perfect mix of five-star flair and relaxed beach-club vibe.

With its direct beachfront location and panoramic views of Jimbaran Bay, Sundara provides a sexy and sophisticated hideaway – all day from lunch until late night.
“Sundara will become a must-see landmark for all of Bali,” says Michael Branham, General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Bali at  Jimbaran Bay.

“We’re creating a very social meeting place that will attract a stylish crowd from well beyond our Resort.

It’s part of our ongoing desire to evolve and deliver an outstanding and exciting experience for our guests.”

Helmed by Greg  and the restaurant’s General Manager Jan-Peer Lehfeldt, Sundara feels modern yet relaxing, cutting edge yet natural.
The menu is eclectic and international. For lunch, you can choose from shared plates of sushi, salads and wood-fired pizzas, served
on the open-air rooftop deck with panoramic views.

For the afternoon, you can book a daybed by the infinity edge pool, change into swimsuits and enjoy cocktails and casual cuisine by the water.

In the evening, Sundara transforms into one of Bali’s most sophisticated dining experiences. you can expect an abundance of vibrant, innovative and classic flavours, celebrating steak and seafood.

www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay/dining/restaurants/sundara/

Amy Hughes

Indian restaurants in London come six a penny.  They’re sort of like your “local” pub; everyone’s got at least one curry house ‘round the corner.  And then there are the Bombay Brasseries, the Cinnamon Clubs and many others which attempt upscale Indian and often fall short.

On this typically rainy Saturday night, we’re in Bloomsbury, home of London’s literary ghosts, headed to Salaam Namaste.  From a side street heavy with former council housing blocks, we enter the white table-clothed restaurant, crowded with locals.

Like a neutron bomb… Salaam Namaste

The area is surrounded by University College London, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and nearby Gray’s Inn Road, home to London’s law chambers.  If first impressions are anything to go by, we’re expecting nothing more exotic than chicken Tikka Masala. How wrong we were.

With a menu that stretches over several pages, we finally narrow down a choice of experimental dishes with classics.  We begin with Tandoori Portobello mushrooms filled with figs, cashew nuts, curry, raisins, chilli and paneer.  It’s like a neutron bomb – meaty, multi-textured, and warm as the medley of spices hit the tongue.

Mint grilled salmon is a stand out dish, able to convert even fish-haters with its charred flavour. What’s immediately obvious is that all of the spices here are freshly ground. A chicken Tikka, perhaps the most basic of Indian foods, is exemplary for its powerful cumin and pungent coating. It’s served with green apple chutney, which perfectly balances the salty Tikka. We declare it the best chicken Tikka we’ve tasted outside of India.

If all of this is starting to sound like a feast for twelve, thankfully, it’s not. Portions are small enough to allow for lots of sampling. Sabbir Karim is responsible for the menu, and fills in when the award-winning chef takes time off.  During the week, he’s a flight steward for British Airways, which explains the diversity of Salaam’s offerings.

Award-winning… Sabbir Karim

Karim came to the UK, like so many others in the Indian restaurant trade, from Bangladesh. He married a woman from Karachi, and if Pakistani and Bengal dishes aren’t enough, he gathers recipes from his weekly travels to try at the restaurant, including a Goan Crab Vindaloo sourced from Dorset, and a Persian Chicken Dhansak cooked with lemon juice, herbs and lentils in a hot, sweet and sour sauce.

The thoughtful balance of flavours excites the palette, together with a fresh ginger and date naan, and lashings of the spicy root vegetable and tamarind rice cooked with cashews, peanuts and dried chillies.

There are no copper Balti bowls here; only large, white palette shaped plates to enhance the artistry of the food, aimed at those with adventurous taste buds.

The meal is like a theatrical performance, with eye-catching headlines delivering sensationally rich, and thoughtful tastes, playful twists of rhubarb and cheese, lamb and papaya.  All the while, the favourites are executed with as much care and attention, making one wonder whether all the other Jalfrezi’s and Tikka’s aren’t imposters.

Salaam Namaste isn’t exactly on the tourist track, but it’s worth a special trip. A comparable meal in the West End would cost twice as much with half the flavour.  It may not be “local,” but I’ll be back.

www.salaam-namaste.co.uk

The 84-year old, shrinking signora hunches over as she sets our frothy cappucini down on the Formica table.  She was born in the back of this latteria, or milk store, and took over the family business years ago.  It’s small, and empty, save for the refrigerated milk and Coke bottles, and a few pastries behind a glass counter.

Local flavour… Campo de’ Fiori

Elizabeth Minchilli, an American expat living in Italy the last 40 years, has brought me to Latteria di Vicolo del Gallo, named for its street address, to begin one of her exclusive food tours around Rome.

The latteria, she explains, is one of a dying breed; rare because it’s an old fashioned coffee bar, resistant of restoration.  Instead, it’s like a step back into the 40s or 50s – and in a place you’d least expect it.  Located just off the Campo de’ Fiori, this is some of Rome’s most expensive real estate.

The latteria may be at the heart of a tourist attraction, but few know about this treasure.  And that’s where Elizabeth comes in.  She knows quite a few of these places, and not just in Rome, but also Florence and Venice.  Minchilli authored three restaurant apps, but food is actually a second career for Elizabeth.

Architecture and design were her original areas of expertise, having written several books about recreating rustic Italian style in a non-Italian home, and through years of contributing articles to Architectural Digest, the New York Times and others.

But about four years ago, she got tired of writing about furniture, and switched the focus of her blog to food. Soon, Minchilli’s readers wanted to know whether she would show them the places she wrote about, and that’s how her small (only 1-4 people maximum), bespoke tours began.

Tours can be tailored specifically to client requests; today Minchilli takes me on her tour of Campo de’ Fiori and the Jewish Ghetto.  It’s a touristy area, but one with a rich history.  We walk through the market talking about the stark contrast of exotic produce, like blue potatoes flown in from Peru, to the first wild asparagus just in from Umbria, both selling at a stall where there are no prices listed.

If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.  And Minchilli tells me it’s so local, there are prices for friends, and prices for strangers.  I learn it’s bad form to patronise more than one vendor (unless they sell different things).  And who would want to offend their produce supplier?  Just opposite, stalls sell rainbow coloured pasta in phallic shapes, and pink limoncello; items no Italian would go near.

The place for pizza… Forno de Campo de’ Fiori

The first stall, with its expensive, unusual inventory is for the wealthy residents whose homes line this legendary square.  Minchilli fills me in on the history of the area, explaining that years ago, after the war, many who lived here were desperate to escape to the calm of the suburbs, for more greenery and more space, but those who remained now hold some of the city’s priciest property.  They’re the ones buying the Peruvian blue potatoes.

We step into Forno de Campo de’ Fiori, a bakery known for its pizza bianca which is like focaccia, just drizzled in olive oil and salt.  The key, Minchilli says, is to eat it fresh; within 45 minutes of it coming out of the oven. The owner comes from a family of bakers and we compare this pizza to that of Roscioli, owned by the same family and just around the corner.  They’re both excellent.  Roscioli is a bigger bakery, filled not just with bread, but cakes, and Panini, whereas the Forno concentrates more on its pizza.  You wouldn’t go wrong hitting either, or both.

There’s a quick stop at I Formaggi di Gianni e Paola, across the street, to buy mozzarella di buffalo and burrata for a tasting over cocktails at Caffe Peru.  I learn all hard cheese is called “formaggio,” while soft cheeses simply go by their names, like mozzarella, ricotta, or stracchino.  Our midday aperitivi tasting goes beyond Campari.  I taste Aperol, a similar drink, but with half the alcohol.  It tastes of bitter oranges.  Then there’s Crodino, a non-alcoholic adult soda made with blood oranges.  Apparently it’s hard to match wines with mozzarella as the tannins get in the way.  Perfect excuse for cocktails.  When children take the tour, Minchilli replaces the cocktails with craft beer and soda, offering kids a natural fizzy pop tasting.

Norcineria Viola is busy as people pile in to try plates of pork in various forms.  The fennel sausage is delightful and we eat it with unsalted bread to balance the salty meat.  A cold, red, farmhouse wine goes down too easy given its not even lunchtime.

Simple living… Beppe e i suoi formaggi

We’re making our way to the neighbouring Jewish Ghetto, and just on the border sits Beppe e i Suoi Formaggi.  It’s the main event for me; the wine and cheese tasting, we sit at a lovely table in an old wine cellar.  Beppe began life as Rome’s first ever wine bar.  It originally opened as a wine shop, and evolved because most stores closed during the day for lunch.  Beppe’s owner thought there was a market for serving food, and asked his wife to prepare simple, “non-cook,” dishes to offer.

The idea took off and has been replicated all over the city. Over time, Beppe has turned into more of a boutique wine shop, stocking vintages that go well with cheese, mostly from the north.  I try a Nebbiolo that could keep me here all day.  The concept here is simple: fantastic, affordable wines, champagnes and cheese to purchase, with table service for both, and one hot dish a day, as well as fondue.  I’m told they serve cheese you won’t find anywhere else in Rome.  I think I could live at Beppe.

Instead, we’re off for a “proper” lunch in the Jewish ghetto, at Da Gigetto.  Here, we eat deep fried artichokes, a Jewish Roman dish one shouldn’t try at home.  Like most fried food, it just doesn’t work as well without a serious deep fryer.  The highlight is vigna rola, a seasonal stew only available for about four weeks a year because all three ingredients are in season: artichokes, fava beans and peas.  It’s light, wholesome flavour is a welcome treat.

We’ve skipped pastries and finish with gelato at Alberto Pica, another classic latteria, where the ingredients are fresh and natural.  Gelato di riso, a signature flavour with a creamy base and real grains of white rice is both slightly strange and delicious all at the same time.

A day with Elizabeth begins at 10.30am and finishes at 3pm, with 10 stops and I can guarantee you won’t be hungry for dinner.

http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com/

Fashionable… Roca Moo

Breaking down the barriers between kitchen and restaurant, the new space unites head chef Felip Llufriu with his diners in one central kitchen-bar.

Reflecting the fast pace of the Catalonian capital, the restaurant has embraced an open kitchen with a chic cafeteria design, where guests can dine at the bar directly in front of Roca Moo’s famed chefs – allowing customers on a tight schedule to indulge in award-winning cuisine on the fly without having to compromise on flavour or quality.

With the celebrated Roca brothers, Joan, Josep and Jordi as gastronomic advisers, Llufriu brings the vibrancy of Barcelona on a plate with his unique spin on Catalan cuisine.

A selection of tantalizing menus excites the palate, including a seasonal lunch menu, tapas, a six-course tasting menu and a la carte options in the evening. Expect dishes like suckling pig with sweet potato and mandarin;  mushroom omelet with white Catalan sausage; and carrot cream with cardamom and foie from the main dining room. While the newly installed Roca Bar serves Spanish street-food amid the energetic vibe of the hotel lobby.

The new open-air design was completed by Sandra Tarruella Interioristas, who were entrusted to refresh the space while ensuring they maintained the original concept created by Rosa Maria Esteva in 2003.

www.hotelomm.es

Sydneysiders have become food-obsessed – it’s an epidemic sweeping across the city at a rapid pace. Maybe it’s the rise of the 21st century gourmand, but foodies have become the new hipsters,  hunting down the city’s trendy eats to sample the latest and greatest and, of course, be seen doing so – cue Facebook status update and Instagram happy snap. It seems the food industry has attracted a new cohort of chino-wearing, macchiato-sipping connoisseurs who are as discerning as ever.

Historically hip… Bar 100

Last year saw a record number of new eateries open up in the Sydney Metro area – perhaps in response to the bulging crowds. But while foodie hipsters are busy cleaning truffle oil out of their beards and brunching in sardine-packed cafes sprinkled across Sydney’s inner city suburbs, the rest of us (who aren’t keen on waiting two hours for an overpriced, less-than-amazing plate of food) are left to our own devices.

“Everyone’s a critic these days,” says Bar 100 Executive Chef, Tim Fisher of our growing epicurean palettes.

Fisher, a two-hatted chef with over 20 years experience in the kitchen, says the best food comes from quality ingredients cooked well.

And his tightly run kitchen does just that.

“Simplicity is the key,” says Fisher, “my food philosophy is wholly based on fresh, quality produce… and a bit of technique as well”.

Simple cooking… Tim Fisher

Fisher doesn’t allow himself to get carried away in the hype surrounding the foodie revolution and the glamour-filled kitchens of reality television.

“The cooking industry is in crisis,” says Fisher.

“The kitchen can be a stressful place and these days a lot of young chefs come into the industry wanting to be celebrity chefs, but they have no hands-on experience and wouldn’t last a day in a professional kitchen,” says Fisher.

Despite his accolades, the father of three remains grounded.  He enjoys cooking at home for his family and says his Mediterranean menu was born out of his 11 years spent at Lucio’s and quizzing all his Italian friends.

Walking through Bar 100 is like a breath of fresh air. It’s not a hole-in-the-wall bar with pint-sized furniture made of recycled crates or pre-loved ironing boards, but, housed in The Rocks’ heritage-listed Mariner’s church (built circa 1856), Bar 100 is an impressive space with cathedral-high ceilings, bespoke chandeliers and a four tonne behemoth of a marble bar.

Delicious… Grilled John Dory

There’s a sense of grandeur about the place that is so lacking in the up and coming foodie haunts scattered through Redfern and Surry Hills. The kitchen is in the basement of the building and design elements of the original colonial structure are still evident, with walls made of sandstone blocks and distinguished archways leading into a sunny courtyard. The ambience is cool and relaxed complementing the trattoria-style menu.

Dishes range from beef burgers to homemade gnocchi, Alaskan king crab, twice-cooked duck and a selection of pizzas and salads. I decide on grilled John Dory with cracked olives and lemon butter and a side of smashed potatoes. The generous serving of fish is cooked beautifully and the soft, flaky flesh is bathed in a sweet sauce that marries nicely with the tang of the olives. The potatoes are deliciously earthy and herbaceous.

Dessert  is too tempting to pass up, with tiramisu, gelato, and a cheese platter on offer. My choice is panna cotta – and it’s a winner. The gorgeously moulded baked cream has a fresh hint of lemon and wobbles about my plate under a generous drizzle of berry compote.

The historic venue isn’t a hipster hangout but attracts a mixed crowd. A Friday night $10 burger special lures a fair few office workers in for a well-earned drink, while weekend events and live music add a party vibe.

It’s more than just glorified pub grub. It’s honest food with clean, fresh flavours and a homely touch. Coupled with a lengthy wine list, a sugar-fuelled cocktail menu and one of the best views in Sydney, Bar 100 is an oldie (in Sydney’s fickle mind) but a goodie.

www.bar100.com.au 

Mark Eggleton

From the outside the steel framed door and windows of Le Chateaubriand on Avenue De Parmentier in the 11th arondissement looks just like any other bistro. Even after you enter and pull back the curtain encircling the door it still exudes the air of an average French bistro. A smattering of tables and bistro chairs on a wooden floor, an open kitchen at the rear and a bar running from the door halfway down one side of the restaurant.

Fresh... chef Inaki Aizpitarte

The fripperies of an expensive fitout and the attendant staff pretentiousness are nowhere to be found. This isn’t some temple of gastronomy in which the room is designed for you to worship the high cuisine and its creator – it revels in its simplicity and chef Inaki Aizpitarte might just be the saviour of French cuisine. 

Aizpitarte’s neo-bistro brings boldness and vitality back to French cuisine at a time when it seems to be going through an existential crisis. It’s a crisis that is probably the continuation of a deeper malaise affecting the whole country. Unemployment is high, the manufacturing sector stagnant, property prices are down and the Gallic shrug has become an involuntary spasm. There are solutions but for the moment the nation is content to blame two old favourites – the banks and the rich.

Reason being is the French don’t really trust wealth nor do they care much for extreme displays of it either. Sure they’re home to some of the world’s premier luxury brands but those brands exist for the tacky nouveau-riche consumers of China and Russia or the extended families of Gulf-state royals. They’ve even managed to turn on one of their favourite sons, Gerard Depardieu, who says money means nothing to an artist and at the same time flees as a tax exile.

So unlike Americans, the French don’t blame the poor for not dragging themselves up, they blame the rich for pushing everyone down. Unfortunately this funk has made its way into French cuisine. It’s weighed down by its own history and a lost desire to continue to innovate. Where once you could drive around regional France and easily find a half decent bistro or restaurant now you’ll often find over-prepared food made without passion. And unfortunately, it’s the same in Paris.

No frills... Le Chateaubriand

Dare I say it, but much of the cuisine of France has lost its joie de vivre. Where once the delectable joys of French cuisine burst into life on the palate they now seem tired. Food has become a chore and even the Michelin-starred chefs are hiding their lack of innovation, artistry and panache behind ever-richer yet duller creations. It would seem they’ve become fearful of produce and its ability to inspire through natural flavour combinations.

Aizpitarte embraces produce and his creations are genuinely exciting. He makes it interesting by reinventing the simple in a stylish manner. There’s also a certain anger in his culinary invention – it’s not quite polished and it’s stylishly raw.

On the night I visit nearly every course melds normally discordant flavours into seamless creations. A scallop, treviso and butternut squash dish fills the mouth with herbaceous fresh ocean flavours while Iberian Pork belly with roman broccoli and grapefruit provides a new twist on comfort food – the fatty crunch of the pork layers the tongue but it’s peeled back by the citrus tang of the grapefruit and freshness of the broccoli.

A dessert of quince and Jerusalem artichoke ice-cream doesn’t sound right but it cleanses the whole mouth beautifully. The subtle natural sugars of the quince work beautifully with the earthiness of the Jerusalem artichoke.

All of this is matched with some quirky but inspired wine choices, including an Assyrtiko from Santorini – an unusually delicate white wine paired with monkfish. An altogether fascinating Sicilian Pantelleria Gabrio Bini is a rose-style, aged in clay amphora. It’s an extraordinary wine but works wonderfully with the pork.

Aizpitarte conjures up food to make you think but it’s thoroughly enjoyable. Wonderful natural flavours meld together in innovative, unusual combinations. He embraces a whole of European cuisine and, in a way, his edgy, raw creations provide uneasy comfort to a city and a nation that’s suddenly uneasy and unsure of whom to blame for its travails.

Le Chateaubriand

129 Avenue Parmentier, 75011 Paris

01 43 57 45 95 ‎

www.lechateaubriand.net

Amy Hughes

You’d be forgiven for thinking chicken Kiev got its start in the Ukrainian capital. After all, a hearty dish of chicken filled with butter, wrapped in bread crumbs, and deep fried is the perfect meal to withstand sub-zero temperatures and cold winds blowing across the Dnipro River.

Ukrainian capital... Kiev

Ukrainian chefs say they have the only authentic recipe for the dish, but they concede that chicken Kiev, despite its name, has a far more sophisticated provenance: It’s French. The French connection isn’t as odd as it first appears.

Viacheslav Gribov, head chef at Kiev’s Hotel Dnipro, says that during the late 1840s, Russian royalty sent chefs to Paris to learn from the best and return home with impressive recipes. One of those recipes was for a dish they called Mikhailovska cutlet.

“The dish was made in Paris with veal,” Gribov says, “but in Moscow, it was made with chicken. At that time, chicken was more expensive and considered more of a delicacy.”

Chicken Kiev remained a dish served in posh dining rooms, and later appeared on the menus of official dinners in the Soviet Union, but it needed American immigrants to make it popular. In the years after World War II, chefs at white tablecloth restaurants, like the Russian Tea Room in New York, began putting the dish — renamed chicken Kiev — on menus to lure Russian and Ukrainian immigrants who had settled in that city in large numbers.

Back in Kiev, though, chicken Kiev wasn’t popular until visiting tourists began requesting it in the city’s restaurants in the 1960s. “Chicken Kiev made Kiev famous,” says Gribov.

Upholding tradition... chef Gribov

Kiev chefs like Gribov have strict rules for the dish and decry variations. They say neither the Russian version stuffed with cheese, nor the American and British recipe calling for garlic and parsley, are the real deal.

“This began as a dish for dignitaries meeting one another. You would never serve them garlic,” he says. Gribov should know. He’s been serving the dish to some of the biggest political heavyweights in the world since 1978, including Fidel Castro, Mikhail Gorbachev, and President Clinton.

But the authentic Kiev recipe, Gribov says, calls for only butter inside, and if done properly, a bit of butter remains unmelted when served. “We don’t just learn how to make the dish; we also learn a special way of serving and cutting it to avoid butter splashing out,” he says.

Classic... Ukrainian Chicken Kiev

The Ukrainian version comes with a small bone sticking out that keeps the butter sealed inside. It resembles a conical corn dog and delivers the same fried, crunchy outside and soft center.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Kiev tourists made the dish popular, and locals quickly followed. But, like so many dishes, chicken Kiev has fallen out of fashion. It’s now a food of convenience, relegated to supermarkets and fast food restaurants, and has all but disappeared from Ukrainian menus.

“I’m worried that very few chefs know how to make it,” says Gribov. “Young chefs are not being trained to make chicken Kiev. I’m thrilled every time someone orders it.”

These days, he says, Kiev’s urban dwellers want exotic, international cuisine. “People order lasagna, pizza. They want Mediterranean or Asian food. Many people have never left the country and want to experience something foreign through food. “

Ironically, one of those foreign places is seeing a revival of the dish. In London, as the Evening Standard reports, there’s a yearning for the comfort foods of yesteryear. Chicken Kiev is back on West End menus, with new ingredients, like truffles and a mozzarella filling.

So how does Gribov’s pure, but plain version taste? Delicious. A satisfying crunch, followed by a mouthful of warm melted butter. The technique of frying, then baking makes it extra crispy and erases any yearning for garlic or parsley. And here, portions are far less sinful, fitting inside the palm of a hand. Though it’s also served with shoestring French fries, putting this dish firmly in the high carb, high fat camp. But it’s worth it. The views from the hotel’s Panorama Club dining room are also worth it, even if you skip the chicken and head straight for a few shots of fine Ukrainian vodka.

www.hoteldnipro.ua

Bahaus on a plate:

The Moselle River in Germany is known for its pastoral landscapes, rustic taverns and traditional cuisine, so Becker’s Hotel & Restaurant is a refreshing change.

High expectations... Uva at The Vine

The hotel is elegantly modern – its architecture a nod to the Bauhaus style. This focus on unembellished modernist design fits in perfectly with the motto of owner and head chef Wolfgang Becker: “Only that which is meaningful makes it to the table.”

The restaurant was awarded with two Michelin stars in 2009 for its unique blend of contrasting tastes. Each evening, guests can choose between five or eight course menus, with delicacies such as goose liver with braised rhubarb, vanilla and coffee; and pink roasted duck breast with creamy savoy cabbage and potato patties. To complement the cuisine, the restaurant manager and sommelier Christine Becker recommends carefully selected wines, often from their own vineyards.

A taste of Napoli:

Located on the tenth floor of the Romeo Hotel, Il Comandante restaurant offers stunning views over the city of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. Chef Salvatore Bianco’s a la carte dishes are infused with the flavors and aromas of the region and shortly after he joined the kitchen, the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star. Signature dishes include caciocavallo risotto with citrus and meat sauce; grilled ricciola fish with creamed spicy pumpkin, salicornia and ginger; and lamb parmesan with grilled tomatoes, mozzarella and onion cream. As well as the a la carte menu, chef Bianco serves a daily tasting menu using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Contemporary... Il Comandante at Hotel Romeo

Double trouble:

The Met Hotel in Thessaloniki has not one, but two, amazing restaurants. Avenue 48, an elegant restaurant featuring modern Greek cuisine, is led by Executive Chef Dimitrios Tsananas, while CHAN serves up a Pan-Asian menu by star restaurateur Oliver Peyton in a dark, masculine space designed by Andy Martin.

Dining with a view:

Guests of Uva Restaurant at The Vine in Portugal experience an exquisite gourmet menu along with breathtaking views of Funchal’s harbor. In the kitchen, renowned chef Antoine Westermann combines French savoir faire with the finest regional produce. The restaurant offers three and four course menus with dishes such as fish carpaccio marinated with olive oil, apples, coriander and soft avocado cream. 

Rome in NYC:

Located in the Gramercy Park Hotel, Maialino Restaurant successfully captures the warmth and feel of a traditional Roman trattoria. The décor is also influenced by this theme, from oak tables and tiled floors to checkered table cloths.

Broad windows offer guests a fantastic view of the Gramercy Park while Executive Chef, Nick Anderer, draws his inspiration from classic Roman dishes, using fresh seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms.

Guests can choose from a range of antipasti before moving to typical southern Italian dishes like octopus carpaccio and classic pasta dishes such as spaghetti alle vongole (pasta with mussels), garganelli al sugo di coniglio (pasta with rabbit) or coda alla vaccinara (oxtail with tomatoes and celery). Naturally, all dishes can be paired with the expansive selection of Italian wines.

www.designhotel.com 

Culinary Masters on show... Justin Quek

A three-day gourmet food and wine festival at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands is set to engage and educate food-lovers in 2013.

The inaugural Epicurean Market will bring together the finest in culinary delights from Singapore and abroad with offerings from acclaimed restaurants and chefs including Nancy Silverton, Daniel Boulud, Tetsuya Wakuda and Justin Quek.

"What's amazing about Marina Bay Sands is the sense of openness and knowledge sharing that takes place every day among the celebrity chef restaurants – it really is like a melting pot of cultures and cuisines,” says Justin Quek of Sky of 57.

“Epicurean Market is a great way for us to share this camaraderie with an audience, and also to a great extent, demystify what it is we do every day."

The market will feature daily talks, demonstrations, workshops and master classes. Between bites, visitors can visit the Beer Garden or pick up gourmet items at the Market Place.

"We are offering a taste of Marina Bay Sands through a powerhouse display of the finest in food, wine, cheese and spirits, delivered by our community of chefs and vendors,” says Tamir Shanel, Vice President of Food and Beverage at Marina Bay Sands.

“It will be a great opportunity for guests to discover something new, expand their gastronomic knowledge and experience choice culinary picks."

The market will also showcase a collection of cognacs, the Courvoisier 12 Year Old and the Courvoisier 21 Year Old, as well as some of the world's leading single malt whiskies.

The Epicurean Market will take place in the Sands Expo and Convetion Centre from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 January 2013.

www.marinabaysands.com