Robb Report has outlined what they consider the most beautiful restaurants in America that opened last year. It’s a smart list, and it really helps highlight a lot of the trends that are developing. Standouts for me are Bad Idea in Nashville, Le Suprême in Detroit, and Bar Miller in New York.
The Fox is Black
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Back in 2018, I drove down to Mexico to spend the end of the year in the Valle De Guadalupe. Kyle and I had been seeing a lot about the area, it’s about a 40 minute drive north of Ensenda, specifically hearing about how great the wineries and wine scene was there. Since then, it seems like that scene has continued to grow in amazing ways as evidenced by the addition of spots like Bloodlust (yes, you read that correctly) which you see below.
Bloodlust is a gastronomic space and wine bar started by three friends, Juliette Cheanne , Poncho Muriedas, and Yuri Muriedas. The iconic look of Bloodlust was created by illustrator Jaime Zuverza, which was inspired by a drop of wine, not a head of garlic. Think of it like many drops of wine combined together to form a round space. If you want to read more about the space, ArchDaily has a great profile on the development.I absolutely wish I would have been able to visit Bloodlust because a space like this is like my literal dream. It’s totally surreal. The plaster work is so beautifully done, and the menu looks absolutely delicious. Is it “Instagrammable” yes, sure, but who cares? I want more spaces that feel unique and interesting and different, and this is one the coolest examples of an innovative concept that I’ve seen in a long time.
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I read a piece last month about Highland Fine Cheese’s “Minger,” a cheese they claim is the stinkiest in the world, and I keep thinking about it. It’s a funny piece that hits a couple areas I find interesting, food and marketing. This quote sums it up well:
“I think it was like a throwaway line, because you can’t prove something like that,” he said. “You can’t qualify it. We know it smells, and we know it’s not very nice. But to say it’s the smelliest cheese in the world is a bit of a struggle, but you can’t disprove it. So I suppose we can get away with saying it, and that seems to be what has lit the firework.”
People either love or hate stinky cheese, it’s a polarizing food. But capitalizing on the stench, and naming it Minger, which is slang for someone who is ugly or smells bad, is a perfect combination for grabbing attention. A professor in the article compares it to the act of eating hot chili peppers. There’s a sense of risk and “danger” to the act. It’s a smart move that will hopefully bring more awareness to the small Scottish cheesemakers.
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I am so in love with these little Japanese cookies. I came across these in a roundup of cat-themed cookies on Casa Brutus (because of course they did). Made by Mitorakaruna, these are a mix of natural, vegan cookies that come in a variety of flavors such as “purple sweet potato and cardamom, coffee cinnamon, and pumpkin clove chocolate” which all sound delightful. What really gets me though is how all the kitties fit together in the tin, almost like a delectable, M.C. Echer-esque arrangement. And how cute is the little drawin on the front, it’s so dang charming. If you’re in Japan, please buy these for me and I will pay you back!
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A few weeks back, I wrote in my newsletter about visiting Sips, a bar here in Barcelona which at the time had been crowned the fourth best bar in the world. Well, as of a few days ago, Sips has now been named the best bar in the world. When I moved to Barcelona I knew things would be culturally different from Los Angeles. There is a gluttony of things to do in LA, so how would Barcelona fare, or compare, in contrast? So it’s little things like this, knowing that the best bar in the world is a literal 8 minute walk from my apartment, that make me so happy to be here.
The whole list of Best Bars in the World is always fascinating to look through, especially seeing which cities/parts of the world tend to over-index. Plus you get so many great ideas for cocktails you can try to make at home.
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Came across this cute little spot called Dizen out in the Pigalle neighborhood of Paris that serves a traditional Israeli street food called sabich, which in Hebrew stands for its initials (SBH) – salat, beitzah, hazilim (salad, egg, eggplant). While the food looks amazing (I could eat pita sandwiches every day) it’s the charming, odd little space that I really love. It has a 60s/70s influence with the curvy entrance walls, baby blue color palette and super simple order signage. I even think that clearly unmovable drainage pipe is super charming, they’re clearly making due with the space they have. Plus the branding is on-point with a funky mix of typefaces, I’m super into it.
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Recently, I was made aware of the fact that Anthony Bourdain had visited San Sebastián, and the Basque Country, on three separate occasions: in 2001 with A Cook’s Tour, in 2007 on No Reservations, and in 2016 for Parts Unknown. Like anyone else who admires Bourdain, I had to see if I could watch these episodes. Sure enough, I was able to find his last visit. It was fascinating to see the places he loved, the other areas around San Sebastián he also visited, and of course, see the area through his eyes.
What made watching this more exciting is that I’m about to head out for a long lunch at Restaurante Arzak. Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena are the owners and chef de cuisine of Arzak, and play a huge part in the episode, with Bourdain calling Juan Mari not only his friend, but his mentor. The fact that Bourdain found this place so special to go to only gives even more weight to the experience, I’m so excited to have a chance to eat here.
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God I’m a sucker for cute packaging. Amour Liquide is a pocket cocktail created by the founders of Distillerie du St. Laurent and Rose Simard of 1 ou 2 Cocktails, who’ve made drinking on the go super cute. These little 100ml cans come in three flavors, Negroni, Old Fashioned, and Espresso Martini (🤮 seriously people, stop drinking these) so you’d have your bases covered with pretty much anyone you hang out with. Can’t you imagine how delighted your friends would be if you popped these out of a cooler when you’re having a picnic or a day at the beach?
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Knowing we’d be in San Sebastián for a fair amount of time, I had to figure out where I could score some natural wine. Thankfully I found PIRIPI, a quaint wine shop opened only two months ago by a husband and wife team, focusing on Spanish natural wines, beers, and ciders. And while browsing their great selection I found BIZIO, a group of Basque cider makers.
They use natural brewing methods (“ancestral petillant-naturel“) which means they intervene as little possible in the bottling and production process. They are made with 100% fruit, without additions –no sulphites, yeasts, or sugars– unfiltered and from spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts.I’m also a big fan of their label designs. It’s very much in the vein of edgy, slightly punk style that is consistent with a lot of natural wine and cider makers. The feeling with many producers is that what they do is an act of rebellion from large-scale, mass produced wine houses. So the labels themselves should communicate that this is something, quite literally, counter cultural. It’s all beautifully done by Amaia Moran and Brou Gràfic.
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Stumbled upon Tamitu last week, an herbal honey that is made by mixing several types of herbs and spices with carefully selected pure honey, which is supposed to give a complex depth to the natural sweetness. The company was created by Mizutani Bee Garden (great name for a band, btw), which was founded in 1912 and has been producing pure honey for over a century.
I really like that they’ve taken a contemporary approach to their branding and marketing. The look of the packaging makes me think of a fragrance, kind of like what Margiela does with REPLICA, and the bottle is kind of new apothecary feeling, it immediately gives me the vibe of “being healthy.” Paired with the photography utilized across the products, site and social, you get this really peaceful, pure feeling that seals the deal here.
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You know I love some tiny little cafés, those spaces that make the most of not much, though the still have such a robust sense of character. A take-out-only shop for “Canule-dou,” a pastry shop specializing in canelés, CANELE du JAPON sits in a small space that was previously used as a lottery ticket sales booth.
To preserve the Canule-dou brand image and its unique organic and distinct nature, the design integrates these characteristics, using earth as a material for the exterior walls and solid chestnut wood and handcrafted “Kurotani washi” paper by Hatanowataru for the interior. Overall, there’s so much thought and care that went into the shop, it’s a delight to see.
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OK, this one is a bit random. Since moving here to Barcelona I’ve became kind of obsessed with figs. This includes buying figs from the local mercado, hand wash, and what I’m so excited to share, this Tiptree Green Fig jam from Wilkin & Sons. As it turns out, Wilkin & Sons has a long standing history of jam making, starting way back in 1885. And these days, the company is more than half-owned by employees through a trust, which I can definitely get behind.
As for the jam itself, it’s made from tiny, unripened green figs that provide a really delicious, bright flavor. When I think of ripe figs, it’s more of a hearty, deep flavor that comes to mind. I like to eat mine on thick slices of buttered toast, and then topped with flaky salt. It’s a perfect combo with my morning coffee. The Wilkin & Sons website say they ship to over 60 countries, so if you’re a fan of figs like me, this is well worth checking out.
