#wada-ban

#wada-ban

In the latest issue of Bon Appétit magazine, we're traveling far and wide. To Mexico City in search of the best gorditas, to Hong Kong to explore cha chaan tengs, and to a truck stop in Wyoming that's turning out first-rate blistered naan, biryani, and more.

At Mirra, chefs Zubair Mohajir and Rishi Kumar fuse Indian and Mexican flavors, telling a story of immigration and the Indian diaspora through culture-melding dishes like chaas aguachile, where translucent slices of hamachi are served in a pool of cumin-scented buttermilk and lime juice.

"What we didn't expect was the response - customers were coming by, messaging us, and sharing stories about what the restaurant meant to them. It made us realize this wasn't just a place to eat - it had become part of people's routines and memories."

Henry Harris describes his experience as the head chef and co-owner of Bouchon Racine as 'my most favourite three years of cooking and restaurant ownership.' He emphasizes the importance of creating a space where guests feel 'loved and valued'.

"THE BEST pierogi me and my fiancé have tried ever in NY. Me and him are both Ukrainian and have lived in Poland, and out of all the places we have tried, these taste exactly like homemade traditional Polish pierogis."

A truly great steakhouse isn't just about the steak. We'd argue that the best steakhouses in the country are ones that put as much thought and effort into the drinks, cocktails, and sides as the meat, and that's one place where Prime 44 West shines.

Maydan L.A. is the market's sole full-service restaurant, located in the back of the space, partitioned by a long, tiled bar along the left wall.

Endo Kazutoshi was on the train to Paris when he heard about the fire that had destroyed his restaurant, Endo at the Rotunda, located on the eighth floor of the Helios building. The fire had started on a terrace and quickly spread, affecting the dining room and kitchen, built mostly from 200-year-old hinoki wood.

Sushi Amamoto debuted in the Michelin guide with two stars in 2019, rumored to be due to inspectors being unable to get a table before then.

Katsumi has transformed into a vibrant destination with plum velvet couches and pink neon, appealing to a trendy crowd, especially on weekends with DJs and cocktails.

Living in Japan in the early 2000s, Fralick fell in love with an Italian restaurant in the city of Shizuoka, where he ate Italian food, but with Japanese influences, like pastas made with uni and the fermented soybeans known as natto. "It really reminded me of home," says Fralick, who grew up in upstate New York and started his cooking career in Italian fine dining.

When it opened in 2021, Brixton Market's Temaki quickly became a hit with the city's sushi aficionados. The restaurant, which was London's first dedicated to handroll sushi, received a Time Out reviewer's praise for its 'triple whammy of expertise, exceptional produce and classy execution'. Alas, the south London Temaki wasn't to last. The California-style sushi joint shut its Brixton outpost last summer. Now, however, Temaki has announced a grand return to the city - this time in central London. A new location will open on Mayfair's Maddox Street

Some chefs pride themselves on blurring the lines between food and art. For Executive Chef Andrew Oh, Momoya SoHo has become revered for putting beauty on plates, such is the case for the restaurant's beautiful wine glass parfaits. However, Oh is known for sushi creations that are equally impressive. We asked the chef for tips on sushi-making (known as one of the most difficult culinary techniques to master) so that our next batch of caterpillar rolls look more professional than problematic.

Tse was not raised cooking Japanese food and, in preparation for opening The Azuki Room, travelled to Tokyo to train at the Japan Culinary Institute. He told me a bit about this process, but where his resilience has really been tested is in London. The Azuki Room was due to open in 2025 but suffered a series of unfortunate events: the site was occupied by squatters, the premises were damaged, stock and equipment were stolen, and the specialist sake Tse bought in Japan was consumed.

Fall's scarlet and gold was fading from the mountains around Sapporo as I sat with a small group around a heavy wood table with a charcoal grill in the center. We watched a chef cook channel rockfish over the coals. This northern Japanese delicacy is cherished for its meltingly sweet flesh, which takes on a light pink color because of the species' shrimp-heavy diet.