Restaurant Les Parisiens, Paris 75007, France
Sheer instinct guided me towards this decidedly precious gem of a restaurant in Paris, France, a little over a month ago, in part steered by a charming Instagram reel that I happened to stumble upon, revealing the hugely energetic and talented young resident chef, Thibault Sombardier, as he attempts to coax the front of house team into trying one of his new creations, each one at first resistant, even eyeing the dish, ‘Escargots Feuilletes’, somewhat suspiciously, before succumbing to what appeared to be an altogether celestial experience …
Cavatina by Avinash Martins, South Goa, India
Right off the bat, I have to admit that I went to Cavatina with the somewhat unfair expectation of Chef Prateek Sadhu’s standard of food at restaurant NAAR, and as much as I tried, and do believe successfully managed to shift my perspective, am not sure I can call this an altogether balanced review …
… Moreover, given how little I tasted with respect to the number of dishes, since the ‘degustation’ menu that day did not appeal to me for a first experience of Cavatina, it certainly isn’t going to be a comprehensive assessment.
6 Ballygunge Place, New Delhi
In September 2022, I visited Calcutta for the very first time, for one night and one proper meal … a friend of mine had invited me to join him on what was essentially a work trip for him, and quick introduction to the ‘City of Joy’ for me, punctuated by a night-time excursion to view the famous and altogether formidable ‘Durga Puja Pandals’ that might rival the work of some of the greatest installation artists in the world …
Café Lota, National Crafts Museum, New Delhi
On La Tour d’Argent Restaurant, Paris, France
NAAR
NAAR … a name that has reverentially been on the tip of every gourmet tongue since its baptism into the vast culinary landscape of India, which I can safely say, having only recently enjoyed a first of what I hope will be several encounters, is much deserved.
