Few cuisines in the world possess the depth, diversity, and history of Indian food. Its recipes have been refined over centuries, shaped by countless regions, cultures, religions, climates, and traditions. With a culinary heritage this rich, innovation can be a risky proposition. Push too far toward modernity and you risk losing the very qualities that made the cuisine beloved in the first place. Remain too rooted in tradition and there is little opportunity to surprise diner

This was my logic: Pizza is delicious. Since pizza is Italian, the best place to eat delicious pizza would be in Italy. Pizza, at least as we recognize it today, was invented in Naples, Italy. Therefore, I will find the best pizza in the world in Naples. The last step is where I went wrong, but not by much. Pizza was indeed invented in Naples, which is part of the Campania region of Southern Italy. Within Campania, and not terribly far from Naples, I found what may very

This post is part of my "Greatest Hits" series, where I feature the very best restaurants I have had the privilege of dining at. These are places that transcend a great meal and become destinations in their own right. One such restaurant is Lo Scoglio da Tommaso, on Italy's stunning Sorrento Peninsula. Located in the tiny fishing village of Marina del Cantone in Massa Lubrense, Lo Scoglio sits on a dramatic stretch of coastline overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea between Sorrento

Kaiseki is the pinnacle of Japanese haute cuisine, refined over centuries in Kyoto and deeply influenced by Zen aesthetics and the formal structure of a Japanese tea ceremony. While it may have roots as a modest, pre-tea meal, today, it is a highly codified, culinary art form where flavor, color, texture, seasonality, and presentation are balanced with ceremonial discipline.

Holbox is the latest in my "Greatest Hits" series, a compendium of the best restaurants I have been to globally. Ironically, I write this post about the best Mexican, seafood restaurant I have been to in California (or the United States, for that matter), from the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, located on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Banderas Bay, Mexico Here, in the gorgeous, Mexican beach cities that dot the coast, including Bucerias, Puerto Vallarta, San Pancho, Sayulita

Arsicault This is the first time a bakery is making the "Greatest Hits" list (a register of my favorite restaurants of all time). One of my favorite people introduced me to Arsicault recently and created a monster. Yup, you know who you are and I blame you (in a good way) for my obsession with this place. Each time I think I have tasted the best thing that Arsicault has to offer, another pastry or savory item challenges me to reconsider. Everything is just that good! Arsi

That Bangkok is truly a food lover's paradise, is just one of many reasons to visit the city. During my visit, this food and travel lover visited many historic sites and learned to cook Thai favorites like green curry, pad thai, tom kha and mango sticky rice. In addition, I shared about my street food adventure where I tried more than 15 different types of street snacks, in four different parts of the city. Now it's time to sit down and be pampered by great service and eve

Bello is located in Newport Beach, California. Recognized by Michelin as a "gastronomic retreat," this is a restaurant you don't want to miss. It made my "Greatest Hits" series because I have never had anything short of an excellent meal here. The chef and co-owner of Bello is Sandro Nardone, who comes from a lineage of chefs and farmers so famous, that Pope John Paul II and politicians from Rome would travel to dine at his family's restaurants and homes. Nardone is origina

This is the ninth installment in my "Greatest Hits" series celebrating restaurants that conspicuously stand out due to their extraordinary quality, consistency and service. Kokkari Estiatorio makes the list because, since its opening in 2000, it has been checking all these boxes and more. Consequently, it has established itself as the Bay Area's flagship, Greek, dining destination. Kokkari Kokkari is named after a small, fishing village on the island of Samos in the eastern

Honda-Ya is the eighth installment in my "Greatest Hits" series, featuring exceptional restaurants that have stood the test of time. I cannot count the number of visits I have made to this restaurant. Similarly, I have not counted the number of menu items they offer, but I can tell you that there are more than 200 and each one that I have tried is exceptionally delicious. Honda-Ya Honda-Ya is a Japanese izakaya that was founded in Tustin, California, over 30 years ago. The

About 30 miles southwest of Houston, along the West Galveston Bay, lies the city of Kemah, Texas and one of the most interesting restaurants I have ever been to called Th_Prsrv. For that reason, I am not only including this restaurant in this Houston series, but in my Greatest Hits series as well, featuring the best restaurants I have been to. Kemah Waterfront First about Kemah: The city changed its name from Evergreen to Kemah when its post office opened in 1907. The word

Chaak Kitchen is the newest addition to my "Greatest Hits" series, featuring exceptional restaurants. Chaak, located in Tustin, California, is relatively new compared to previous restaurants I've featured in this series. The restaurant opened strong in 2018, and only continues to get better. Chaak Kitchen Chef Gabbi Patrick and her husband, Ed Patrick, are co-owners of both Chaak, and their first restaurant, Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen, which has been open for nearly 20 years.

Dining at Alinea has been a dream of mine for a very long time. I remember reading about it and looking at pictures of the dishes with my mom over a decade ago and commenting on the sheer artistry. I am sure we were not the only ones. Alinea is Chicago's only, three-star Michelin restaurant. In addition to earning three Michelin stars, the restaurant and chef have won numerous awards including just about every "James Beard" designation, "Best Restaurant in America," "Best

If you missed my last post, I am doing a "Greatest Hits" series on restaurants that have remarkable food, have stood the test of time and continue to provide an exceptional dining experience. For the second installation of "Greatest Hits," I am featuring a restaurant called A16. A16's flagship restaurant was founded in 2004 on Chestnut Street in San Francisco's Marina District. Since then, A16 restaurants have been opened in the United States in Oakland, Napa, Tokyo and Yok

The restaurant industry has an astonishingly high turnover rate, but there are some restaurants that stand the test of time. These restaurants transcend food trends. They are simultaneously innovative and consistent and they provide an extraordinary dining experience year after year, from decor to service to cuisine. Like a greatest hits album containing a compilation of the best songs by an artist, I have created a "Greatest Hits" list for restaurants. Whether they are e

Dill This is the final post about my Iceland adventure. There was so much to say about this exquisite meal, that I had to dedicate an entire post to Dill. This restaurant absolutely blew me away, which is why I am including it both here, in my series on Iceland, as well as in my "Greatest Hits" series, which includes truly exceptional restaurants that I have been fortunate enough to dine at. Dill Dill is the first Michelin rated restaurant in Iceland. While other restaura