Global Dining
Hei Fung Terrace, Tokyo, Japan
For some authentic Cantonese cuisine in the heart of Tokyo, look no further than the celebrated Hei Fung Terrace in The Peninsula Tokyo. Following a Suzhou garden theme to reiterate the hotel’s proximity to the Imperial Gardens, the restaurant features wood beams, lacquered window screens and traditional Chinese chairs, with hanging birdcages adding a decorative touch. Chef Tang’s versatile XO Sauce – based on the very recipe from The Peninsula Hong Kong – adds punch and zest to just about any dish on the summer menu. Other specialities include double-boiled winter melon soup with sliced ham in chicken broth, which you could follow with sautéed sliced duck with ginger stem and pineapple. But if you don’t want a whole meal, ask for the takeaway candied walnuts, which have been soaked in honey, coated in sesame seeds and deep-fried to a golden brown color. Too good to miss!
Hei Fung Terrace
The Peninsula Tokyo
1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan
Phone +81 3 6270 2738
Visit http://tokyo.peninsula.com
Maha Bar & Grill, Melbourne, Victoria
Just opened in February this year, Maha Bar & Grill is a new approach to Middle Eastern dining just off Flinders Street in downtown Melbourne. The delicious aromas of cardamom, cinnamon and cumin waft from the partially open kitchen and even out as far as the courtyard. The decor is warm, chic and stylish, with leather banquettes and stone imported from the Middle East. Start off with kerkadere, a hibiscus tea traditionally offered to weary travellers, then try the flavours of the Mediterranean and Middle East, underlined by chef Shane Delia’s experience in French gastronomy. The signature dining style is the soufra or sharing menu. The venue also has a bar with innovative cocktails and mezze.
Maha Bar & Grill
21 Bond Street
Melbourne
Phone 03 9629 5900
Visit www.mahabg.com.au
AZUR Restaurant, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
AZUR Restaurant (pronounced “as you are”) is an elegant but relaxed restaurant overlooking the twinkling lights of Dubai’s harbour; guests can even dine outdoors on the terrace, where there is a show kitchen. Inside, the ambience is relaxing, with twinkling candles and scattered turquoise and blue cushions enlivening the brown and grey decor. And service is excellent, with Joseph, the head waiter, effortlessly combining a good knowledge of the menu with friendliness. The menu highlights the sunshine of Mediterranean flavours with a philosophy of wellness, using organic ingredients wherever possible to create carefully balanced delicacies complemented by an extensive water menu (though never fear, the wine list is mighty fine too).
Try the tabouleh, all organic and mixed at the table by an informative waiter. For dessert, rejoice in the return of crêpes suzettes – so seventies, but very entertaining.
Azur Restaurant
The Harbour Hotel & Residence
Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Marina
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Phone +971 4 319 4000
Visit www.emirateshotelsresorts.com
Babette’s, Vienna, Austria
This luminous bistro also works as a classic bookstore for anything edible, stocking an impressive collection of cooking texts, from Austrian pastry guides to Jamie Oliver’s latest bestseller. The small premises in Vienna’s “bohemian bourgeois” Fourth District has white walls and huge windows to let in the sun, while splashes of colour come from the books, food posters and jars of herbs. Sit at the bar and watch the chef prepare your meal; each day the dishes change, inspired by the recipes in the cookbooks all around. I had basil and coconut soup with wonton, very light and fresh, followed by grilled capers with capers, lemon rind and speck and accompanied by sweet potato and lentil strudel. For coffee, you might want to stroll on down the same street to Alt Wien Kaffee, where you can see the coffee being roasted. Just follow your nose – good coffee and food is never hard to find in Vienna.
Babette’s
Schleifmühlgasse 17
Vienna, Austria
Phone +43 1 585 51 65
Visit www.babettes.at
By Brian Johnston
Brasserie Roux, London, UK
Airline passengers flying out of London’s Heathrow airport will no longer have to contend with the vagaries of airport food following the appointment of gastronomic legend, Albert Roux, to a restaurant at the new Sofitel London Heathrow at Terminal 5. The appointment brings a fresh injection of French flair to Heathrow’s dining scene. The Brasserie Roux offers diners the best of French regional cooking and boasts an exclusive boardroom for private use. In addition, a Chef’s Table gives guests the opportunity to dine within the heart of the kitchen. Albert Roux, OBE and Légion d’honneur, is one of the world’s best-known chefs. In 1967, he opened Le Gavroche in London, Britain’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, and has since been voted the most influential chef in the country.
Brasserie Roux
Sofitel London Heathrow
Terminal 5, Heathrow Airport
London, UK
Phone +44 20 8757 7647
Visit www.sofitelheathrow.com
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