St. Hubertus - San Cassiano
Seasonal, local “mountain” cuisine from the Dolomites; excellent dishes that let the ingredients shine and conveyed a sense of time and place
Le Calandre - Rubano
An amazing risotto is only one reason among many to visit this excellent modern Italian restaurant near Padua. A choice of several tasting menus and great service make one want to return
Enoteca Pinchiorri - Florence
Classic Italian cuisine, very well executed, but short of a three-star level; a wine list that is both impressive and expensive
Osteria Francescana - Modena
One of the most famous fine-dining restaurants in the world. Unfortunately, an overuse of culinary trickery felt a bit forced, and led to a meal that was more experimental than delicious
Reale - Castel di Sangro
A vegetarian tasting menu full of unusual dishes. Sadly, for the most part weirdness trumped tastiness
L'Ambroisie - Paris
Classic French cuisine, a la carte only. Desserts were uniformly excellent, but the rest of the dishes varied widely from one to three-star levels - good luck in ordering “right” plays a big role in one’s experience
Arpège - Paris
Amazing mostly vegetarian French cuisine, creatively reinterpreting classic dishes. Ironically, the single non-vegetarian dish was the high-point of an excellent lunch
Plénitude - Paris
Enjoyable Mediterranean-inspired French cuisine with a focus on unique sauces, only marred by a rushed service more appropriate for a speed-eating competition
Le Pré Catelan - Paris
French cuisine with bold flavors and many excellent dishes. Add to that a beautiful park setting in the middle of Paris and you have a trip worth taking
Kei - Paris
French cuisine with Japanese touches. Seafood and meat cooked superbly, desserts amazing, but most savory courses ended up being just “ok”
CORE by Clare Smyth - London
Excellent French-British cuisine with mostly domestic ingredients; the only downside was the rushed service
Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) - London
French cooking with sometimes unusual spice and ingredient combinations. Mostly successful, especially the desserts, but also a few misses
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught - London
French food with British ingredients that plays it a bit safe, without any truly outstanding dishes. Great service, beautiful dining room
Atelier Crenn - San Francisco
French-Californian cuisine that stays fresh with inventive dishes, most of them superb
Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen - Paris
A beautiful setting in the middle of Paris with solid modern French cuisine that occasionally is a bit heavy
Christopher Coutanceau - La Rochelle
Stellar French seafood cuisine in a beautiful setting. Some audacious flavor combinations, great service and an excellent wine pairing - a true three star meal
Cenador de Amós - Villaverde de Pontones
A few excellent dishes and a great wine pairing don’t justify the trip to this out-of-the-way restaurant in Northern Spain. Much of the food and the service were underwhelming
Les Prés d'Eugénie - Eugénie-les-Bains
Seasonal, light, expertly prepared French cusine in a palatial setting with wonderful service
Auberge du Vieux Puits - Fontjoncouse
Beautifully presented, delicious dishes in the Languedoc region of France: works of culinary and visual art
L'Oustau de Baumanière - Les Baux-de-Provence
Lovely cuisine inspired by Provence. Some dishes superb, most pretty good