Two things we’ve been doing a lot less lately due to ongoing guidelines and restrictions, are eating out and traveling overseas.
Now that things are starting to get back to some level of normality you may be looking to plan a trip or two in 2022. So why not try to combine your love of travel with the chance to delight your taste buds?
Here are three of the best restaurants in the world in three cities that would make ideal locations for a long-overdue holiday.
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, London
This great restaurant in the heart of fashionable Mayfair, is fronted by French chef Hélène Darroze and has been run by the passionate culinary genius since 2008. She has regularly updated the restaurant, which is now very chic in its approach.
A great restaurant from an aesthetic perspective with stylish wood paneling, there’s an opulence on show here, wood paneling, and a calming pink color scheme helping to accompany your meal with a sense of elegance.
Darroze’s approach to seafood has always been a joy to behold, with her Cornish crab being a particular favorite. Why not combine your visit with a trip to the West End to watch a show? We’d recommend grabbing lunch at the Connaught before walking off your meal in any of the nearby Royal parks before visiting the theater.
London is a great location for a mini-break, so much to do, and hopefully, the weather will treat you well. Make sure to bring an umbrella with you as you talk the center of town, and there’s plenty to do, and a great many Michelin starred restaurants in the city; at last count, there are 66 Michelin-starred locations in the city, which shows how it’s become very much a culinary capital.
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris
If you are looking for an eating experience that makes you feel like you are at the heart of an art exhibit, then Alain Ducasse’s Plaza Athenee is where you might want to visit. The decor of this location is high-end, to say the least, with crystal chandeliers and restaurant booths of a stainless steel shell design, giving your dining experience that little extra.
As for the food, Ducasse’s fresh approach is divine, and there’s a nod to true excess here, from langoustines served with pricey caviar to Atlantic bass served with French beans, there’s a delicate approach to the seafood on offer here. Ducasse has had his name on the door for 21 years and is set to be replaced by young pretender Jean Imbert, but that won’t lessen the quality of this fine establishment.
Located in the 8th arrondissement, you can combine your trip to this restaurant with a visit to the Arc de Triomphe and maybe a walk down the Champs-Elysees, all of which are a short distance from the Plaza Athenee.
Paris is home to 29 restaurants that have three Michelin stars, which goes some way to show just how cultured the palette of Parisians has become. You are spoiled for choice when it comes to great places to eat in the French capital.
Masa, New York
Now when it comes to expensive restaurants, Masa is one that will certainly set you back a fair sum. A meal for two at this exclusive sushi joint could set you back around $2000, but many would say that it’s well worth the money you’ll be spending.
Chef Masa Takayama is a sushi king, and be prepared to taste creative dishes made from amazing exotic ingredients, flown in from Japan just for your pleasure. This is a very exclusive restaurant, with just a 26 seating capacity.
Expect to be enjoying the meal for three hours or more as you are served without a menu, allowing Takayama to impress you with his excellent range of dishes. Masa is situated in Midtown, on the corner of Central Park, so you can look to take a walk around town before you enjoy your sushi feast.
New York hosts 68 restaurants with Michelin star status, five of which have three stars, so the exclusive nature of the handful that has this level of quality is probably the reason that the costs of dining at any of these are quite so high.
If you have something of a sophisticated palette and are keen to mark your return to being able to holiday overseas, then combining your visit with a trip to a Michelin starred restaurant is a bucket list item that you should look to cross off.
Clearly, some Michelin-starred restaurants are very expensive, but others will be more amenable to your wallet, be prepared, though, book an appointment, and don’t expect to be able to just walk in off the sidewalk as that’s not going to end well.
Image credit: Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
