GAYOT's Blog

By Jeff Hoyt

 

I enjoyed my first visit to New Orleans so much, that I was on the verge of renting an apartment there. But tragedy struck, and somehow, it took me more than two decades to return. I vowed to visit this year, but once again, fate stepped in.

 

In 1986, I drove to the Crescent City for the one-sided Super Bowl between the Chicago Bears (of Super Bowl Shuffle fame) and the New England Patriots, and fell in love with the city’s music, food, and joie de vivre. My traveling companion and I made plans to rent a place so we could stay at least through Mardi Gras. 

 

Continue reading “I Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans” »

Mother’s Day spa package at the    Argyle Salon & Spa

by Sophie Gayot

By Jeff Hoyt

We’re a big fan of S. Pellegrino, both their water and their awards. For the last few years, we’ve helped judge their cooking competition for young chefs. Last year, GAYOT.com was even able to attend the gala night they announced the world’s 50 best restaurants.

We’re glad to note that many of the American selections earning a World’s 50 Best Restaurants Award already graced our choices of top 40 restaurants in the USA, including Daniel, Per Se, The French Laundry, and Alinea. (For more on Alinea, The Aqua Panna Best Restaurant in North America, read André Gayot’s description of his recent meal there.) Around the world, we’ve written extensively on the soon-to-shutter El Bulli in Spain, and reviewed many of the honored restaurants, from The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais in South Africa to Quay in Australia to Iggy’s in Singapore to Biko in Mexico. We have nearly 500 restaurant reviews each in London and Paris, including The Fat Duck, which S. Pellegrino ranked #3 in the world, and Le Chateaubriand, ranked #11. You can view the rest of the winners at: theworlds50best.com.

So keep coming back to GAYOT.com for the latest in restaurant reviews and news worldwide.

By André Gayot

As the world gets global and progressively engulfs its denizens into a single one-fits-all mold, it’s an encouraging sign that here and there some rebels are proclaiming a personality of their own. Interestingly enough, the affirmation of such an individualism stems from the food, not as a raw material, but from the understanding we have of it and the procedures we invent to process it.

I had the privilege to observe such a comforting manifestation where last week in Puerto Rico when I attended the third annual “Saborea” (Spanish for “Savor” or “taste) event. It takes place along a sandy beach fringed with coconut trees on this American-style Caribbean island. The tropical setting is enough to tell what is reasonable to expect under these latitudes. Indeed, location, tradition, and production determine ipso facto the limits of the gastronomy. But imagination, this essential human addition, can transcend—or not—the regional capacities.

Continue reading “The Global Show of Savor” »

By Jeff Hoyt

 

They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but you can enjoy a free dinner in Bellevue, Washington, courtesy of the Grand Cru Wine Bar, even on the weekend. Make a reservation at this wine bar in Seattle’s neighbor to the east, and enjoy “Dinner on Us.” The promotion runs on Saturday nights, as well as Wednesdays.

 

Everyone in your party can enjoy a complimentary two-course dinner from a pre-selected menu, such as Caesar salad and Dungeness crab mac ‘n cheese, or corn and red pepper chowder followed by classic beef Stroganoff. For small parties, there’s only a small catch: an 18% gratuity will be charged based on the value of the meal. Parties greater than six must spend an additional sum of $150 on other food, dessert, or, of course, wine. See why we named this one of the Seattle-area’s top 10 wine bars, and tell them GAYOT.com sent you!

 

Keep coming back for more Seattle Restaurant News, Restaurant Reviews, Culinary Events and Seattle Wine Dinners.

 

Samples of local cuisine

By Yaira Solis Escudero

 

The third annual Saborea Puerto Rico: A Culinary Extravaganza!, the creative food event, was just held at the famous beach Punta del Escambrón in the The Millenium Park in Old San Juan.

 

Besides having a good time and eating well, the purpose of Saborea is featuring Puerto Rico as an unparalleled culinary destination throughout the Caribbean. The island tourism has been strengthened by the notable growth and development of the gastronomic sector. The event also served to present the new generation of Puerto Rican chefs.

 

 

Continue reading “A Weekend Full of Puerto Rican Flavors” »

by Alain Gayot

Soon, we’ll be able to purchase a flight on Virgin Galactic for a twenty minute trip to space. But for nostalgic flyers who prefer to travel back in time, a WWII era B-17 Flying Fortress is the ticket.

For about $400, you’ll be able to sample, for twenty minutes, what brave men experienced as they went on bombing raids over Europe. No first class, no business class, not even premium economy here. These aluminum war machines took ten svelte men in a very noisy, rather uncomfortable environment featuring cat walks, cramped spaces and no facilities.

However, thanks to the Experimental Aircraft Association’s devotion to promoting all things aviation past and future, a happy few will be able to board the Aluminum Overcast, a pristine and fully functional aircraft, during its inaugural 2010 national tour. Stopping at an airport near you, enthusiasts can simply take a ground tour ($5) and chat it up with the crew or embark on their very own mission. You’ll also be able to purchase memorabilia and learn about aviation overall.

Continue reading “Experimental Aircraft Association’s B17 Flying Fortress” »

by Jennifer Olvera

 

In Chicago, spring has sprung! We’ve had a few warm days, and ramps—among the season’s first edible indicators—are at-the-ready. (Cue the swooning sound.) We just love these wild, potently flavored beauties, which are foraged locally in cool, forested areas. And we’re psyched to share where you can find them around town.

 

Blackbird’s Mike Sheerin will serve puréed ramps with halibut; upping the ante further, they’ll also be pickled, alongside.

  Continue reading “Ramps, Morels Usher in Chicago’s Spring” »

 by Sophie Gayot

Due to the volcanic activity in Iceland, some key figures could not make it, but French Consul General David Martinon welcomed the packed house watching the North American premiere of Heartbreaker (L’Arnacoeur), a romantic comedy starring Vanessa Paradis (Johnny Depp’s life partner) and Romain Duris, and directed by Pascal Chaumeil.

Continue reading “French Romance in Hollywood” »

by Becky Sauer

 

Chef John Besh is known for his New Orleans establishments: Restaurant August has previously been named one of our top 40 restaurants in the country; The Besh Steakhouse at Harrah’s is one of the Top 10 Steakhouses in New Orleans; La Provence is one of the most romantic restaurants around; and he also serves up fine food at Lüke, Domenica, and The American Sector.

 

But now the James Beard award winner wants to cook deep in the heart of Texas. The new Embassy Suites San Antonio Downtown Riverwalk Hotel will feature a restaurant from the former “Iron Chef” competitor when the hotel opens in August.

 

Stay updated on the San Antonio dining scene with San Antonio Restaurant News, Restaurant Reviews and Culinary Events.

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