Eating Around the World

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The ingenuity of Le Pré Catelan

I have  a new favorite chef  in Paris and his name is Frédéric Anton. Its not that i didn't know him- he used to be a frequent Joel Robuchon's guest in Gourmet TV( i was a big fan!), which is unfortunately not airing anymore. Frédéric Anton definitely stood out from other featured chefs  on that program. He had wild imagination, was very precise (In the same way as Joel Robuchon is, who was his mentor.)and was actually able to cook something that was not only creative but delicious at the same time. How could i know if the food was tasting good as it was on TV you might ask. Well, a foodie like me can smell good foor from very far away, even through TV :)
So, to make a long story short , it was last Friday's night and as always we had no idea where to dine. You see, its on Fridays evenings when you realize that you are in Paris, one of the most busy and visited cities in the world. I had my Gault Millau book in front of me and was calling to all restaurants i wanted to go: Le Chateaubriand or Bistrot Paul Bert in 11th, La Table de Joel Robuchon in 16th , anywhere we called we got the same answer- "Désolé, complet!" . Desperate to eat something good i even called to L'Astrance, but , of course, it was full.  And then, "Eureka!" , there was still one free table in Le Pré Catelan , a three Michelin stars restaurant, well hidden in Bois de Boulogne. As they say, good things happen unexpected- i was very excited to dicover this place, especially, that it was not planned.

Gulab Jaman on fire

If you love simple and hearty Indian food as much as i do , you should know Kiranes (85, avenue des Ternes  , 75017, tel. 01 45 74 40 21 ).I've tested many Indian restaurant in Paris, and, believe me, noone has better cheese naan than Kiranes  naan which is crispy and burnt how it has to be. A real perfection! (not very good for your healthy diet , of course:)) The other thing that makes me to come back to Kiranes is the traditional Indian "gulab jaman" dessert featured in the video below.

Iguazu falls view from a helicopter

A two days visit to Iguazu waterfalls (Iguazu in Guarani language means "Big Water") was my most memorable experience from all the trip. The falls are the natural border between Argentina and Brazil, so I happend to go to Brazil also. (Even if it was only half day). I made this video of Iguazu falls from a helicopter.    

Palacio Duhau, Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

The fashionable Palermo Soho area. It is so similar to New York Soho that it is even named after it.

Buenos Aires is one of those cities, where I could easily live . The people are very warm and it must be quite easy to adapt as Buenos Aires is already a "melting pot' of various European cultures. The Argentina capital is also very safe. To be honest, prior to the trip I was a little worried about the security as  my last visit to South America didn't finish that well. My bag with all my documents and credit cards was stolen in Lima in the middle of the day one year ago and i thought Buenos Aires was also dangerous. But this is really not the case.

Strikingly similar to Europe, in some aspects, Buenos Aires is even more modern than some European cities. It is the hub of art, cutting edge design and perfect climate for business.  Speaking of the climate, "Buenos Aires",means "Fair Winds" which is not accidential. One will be amazed by the quality of air in this city and continuously blue sky.

The hotel i stayed, Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Buenos Aires  perfectly  represents the spirit of Buenos Aires , a symbiosis of "glorious old "and dramatic modernity.

This is what porteños eat

Ok, if you don't find my tomato soup (featured below) that exciting, maybe you will find this more appetizing? This is what  porteños (the Buenos Aires residents) eat - a juicy steak as seen in Cluny ( El Salvador 4618, Palermo)  restaurant.

Delicious hot tomato soup

Who could have thought that a simple tomato soup from a hotel room service can be so inspiring? Moreover, it is not the everybody's favorite gaspacho, but HOT tomato soup. And to be honest, I've always looked quite sceptically at hot tomato soups as they they often taste like ketchup. Don't they?

Eating "helado" in Palermo

Apart of the most incredible steaks, Buenos Aires has the most fantastic artisanal ice cream.  Yesterday I was  walking in the trendy Palermo area and you can see "heladeria" on almost every corner. Above is  the picture of my copious portion of "dulce de leche" and fresh melon ice cream. You could feel small pieces of melon in the melon ice cream and "dulce de leche" flavor was simply heavenly.

"Dulce de leche"  is very common  in Argentine desserts. Basically it is caramelized milk  that  tastes something like  caramel, but less intense.( The French equivalent is "confiture de lait".)

Cabaña las Lilas, Buenos Aires

Its one day I am in Buenos Aires and I absolutely love it. It is not exactly how i imagined though - Buenos Aires is very European. Of course,I knew that it is the most European city in South America, but, still, i thought it will be something like Lima where I've been one year ago. In fact, Buenos Aires reminds me a lot of Barcelona or Madrid- and with its architecture, and people and culture.
There is one thing that is definitely different from the cities where i usually spend my time though. The seasons.  Its is deep autumn here in the southern hemisphere and in the evenings can be quite chilly.(Even though during the day time the sky is stunningly blue and the sun is shining.) I should have thought of that before packing my summer dresses, bathing suit and sandals :)

Buenos dias Buenos Aires !

Just arrived to the capital of Argentina. More to come. (Can't wait to eat the famous steaks!)

Guacamole image

Freshly prepared guacamole as seen in Rosa Mexicano in New York  (at Lincoln center). So healthy and delicious- I could eat it every day.

Peter Luger Steakhouse

I think it  is perfectly normal to have very high expectations when you go to a restaurant which has 28/30 mark in Zagat (togather with some finest restaurants in NY like Per Se and Le Bernardin) and one Michelin star. You do expect a "meal of your life" . But after yesterday's lunch in Peter Luger steakhouse in Brooklyn I realized how bias and subjective guides are about this restaurant. It was not that i was disappointed, because it was my third time there and i knew the place, but i imagine that some restaurant connoisseurs ,who travel especially for this steakhouse, do feel let down.

Yes, Peter Luger is legendary,  "New York's number 1 steak house for 23 year in a row" , but, on the other hand,it is way too  overhyped and overrated for what it is. Nothing special,nothing exceptional. Nor about the place, neither about the food. The steaks were good, but i find the steaks at  Sparks or Wolfgang's in Manhattan as good if not better.(And you don't have to drive to Brooklyn and spend extra $40 for a round trip). Also, the freshness and  the quality of the rest of the products( like shrimp cocktail ) was below average.

So for me it is out of question to agree with Zagat and Michelin ratings for this restaurant.As, if to be believe in the judgement of Zagat guide, Peter Luger is in the same league as Per Se and Le Bernardin which is a complete nonsense.