Search results for

Head chef Bee Satongun and co-owner Jason Bailey, a husband-and-wife team, are dedicated to bringing back lost recipes and techniques of heirloom Thai cooking. Paste is one of Bangkok’s most exciting Thai restaurants, and the Michelin judges have duly noted that fact by gracing it with a star. The cuisine is based on century-old family recipes served with innovative twists and an attention to detail that make it as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious. Signature dishes include black cod poached in duck lard and larb salad with pheasant, hog plum leaves, and edible flowers, but really everything is good.

The interior of the Catholic Church of the Assumption, in the heart of Soufrière town, will surprise with its decidedly Caribbean hues and French design: an ornate wood ceiling vaulted to resemble the ribs of a boat, baby blue pillars, and brightly colored stained-glass windows. Visitors are welcome to join in the Saturday evening mass at 6:30 or Sunday morning mass at 8:30, both with the sermon in English and Creole. A quick and respectful tour is also possible at other times to admire the architecture, including the partially blue-painted exterior. While there is no printed information on the church inside, it’s worth a stop.

Da Gemma manages to meld fine dining with a relaxed atmosphere, making use of crisp white-linen tablecloths, artfully plated dishes, and a friendly, warm staff. The restaurant, one of Amalfi’s oldest outposts, has innovated without losing touch of the traditions that are fiercely held in this part of Italy. Seafood is the star of the menu, featured in appetizers, pastas, and entrées. Don’t miss the kitchen’s modern version of insalata caprese, with not just vine-fresh tomatoes but fried and liquefied ones, too. The impressive wine cellar holds a range of bottles from mostly Italian regions and vintages.

Not only can you load up on produce, freshly ground Middle Eastern and Indian spices, natural honey, and every variety of date known to man at the refurbished Waterfront Market (known as Deira Fish Market when it opened in the 1950s), you can have a truly authentic Dubai experience. In spite of having been updated with modern conveniences and air-conditioned facilities, one satisfying ritual has been preserved from the old market: When you want to order grilled fish or shrimp from the restaurant, you can select your own from the display.

Brunch lasts nearly all day at Crema in Pacific Grove, and you need that time to explore the array of separate quarters in the restaurant’s converted Victorian mansion. Investigate the historic photos, antique furniture, and artistic decor in the downstairs espresso café and wine bar; grab a spot with friends in the garden courtyard or in the dining room upstairs; or keep to yourself in the studious Peacock Room. Once you’ve found your favorite nook, enjoy fizzy and floaty drinks, rich egg dishes, golden waffles, or house favorites like the bacon cheddar biscuits that are football-size and accompanied by honey butter. As the day progresses, Crema is a favorite stop for friends to get together, often over games of Jenga, Battleship, Scrabble, and Yahtzee—all available to borrow from the espresso bar. Pro tip: The goblets of fruity sangria and the Micheladas served with a slice of country bacon are as good in the morning as they are in the afternoon.

Between the São Conrado and Barra da Tijuca districts lies the exclusive quarter called Joá—Rio’s answer to Beverly Hills—amid whose mansions hides a secret next to zero visitors know: Joatinga Beach, a shoreline as incredible as it is hard to get to. For instance, you can find it only at low tide (yes, the beach is that small). And even though it’s officially public—as are all Brazilian beaches—you reach it by finding your way through the labyrinth of a built-up city neighborhood. There’s no cell service and barely any Internet. But the minute you tread the sand and wade into the turquoise waters, you forget all the rest, which is no easy trick in the middle of busy Rio.

Montevideo’s Ciudad Vieja, or Old Town, is located on a peninsula separating the Río de la Plata from the harbor. It has the orderly grid typical of many Spanish cities in the New World. Until 1829, the Ciudad Vieja was walled though today only one gate (the Puerta de la Ciudadela) remains of those defenses. This section of Montevideo is home to many of the city’s most famous historic buildings, including the cathedral and the Cabildo, which today houses the city’s archives.

Tastee and Juicy may be the two most popular brands of Jamaican patties, but one definitely should not miss out on the super premium patties on offer at Devon House Bakery. Set on the grounds of the historic Kingston mansion, just a few minutes from such notable area hotels as the Courtleigh, Jamaica Pegasus, and the Knutsford Court, Devon House Bakery espouses some serious Old World cafe charm. A fine selection of sinful sweets – brownies, butter cookies, cakes, muffins – awaits inside. So too does one of the most amazing Jamaican patties I’ve ever tried. Options go well beyond the usual beef with fish, pork, shrimp, and lobster elevating the typical Jamaican patty to new heights. The best choice, though, is the curry goat. Spicy and succulent, the Devon House goat patty melts in your mouth while warming your soul. Pure, delicious niceness and most certainly the very best Jamaican patty I’ve ever had. Don’t miss it!

Kourou, located on the mainland where the Kourou River flows into the Atlantic, was once the home of the “Kourou Prison,” part of the infamous Devil’s Island prison system. After the prison closed in the mid-1900s, most of the buildings were demolished to make room for the Hôtel des Roches. Among the remnants of the old facilities, the most noteworthy is the Dreyfus Tower, a small structure that resembles the leaning tower of Pisa, standing where the river meets the ocean. The original purpose of the tower was to communicate with the islands via the semaphore flag system in the days before radio. Remnants of the prison bakery also remain nearby.

As befits a town with 475 years of history, San Miguel supports a number of city tour guides. One of the most popular is the Patronato Pro Niños Historic Walking Tour—a fund-raiser for children’s health care—which leaves from the city center, the Jardín, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 a.m., for a two-hour stroll through history. You’ll surely stop at the Chorro (a public patio lined by old, open-air laundry sinks), a popular photo spot. And for real down-to-earth insight (plus a couple of laughs) about San Miguel people, culture, and rituals, book a tour with local storyteller Joseph Toone.

San Miguel is chock-full of unique shops offering everything including art, antiques, collectibles, and trinkets. There’s something for everyone, from furniture to jewelry, at Mixta, a shop housed in a beautiful 18th-century structure on Calle Pila Seca. The idea—as the name suggests—is to mix local design with international ideas. As you find yourself seduced by the shop’s mishmash of old photography, shawls woven by an indigenous women’s cooperative, designer dresses, reproduction Eames chairs, silkscreen-print handbags, and colorful Chiapaneco table linens, the common denominator shines through, bright and clear: a brilliant eye for beauty.

Head to Willemstad’s Pietermaai district at happy hour, and you’ll quickly stumble across a row of festive Euro-style bars on Nieuwestraat—but none are as funky and eclectic as the Cuban-themed Mundo Bizarro. This indoor-outdoor lounge-restaurant is filled with antique furniture, bold paintings on colorful walls—look for the older Cuban woman wielding a cigar and a sassy stare—and knickknacks from around the planet. Try some of the most beloved items from its international menu, such as smoked-beef carpaccio, rib eye, salads, and quiches. Fridays at 10 p.m. are popular for the live salsa band.

Forget food trucks and crepe stands. When Parisians want a quick, easy meal, they head to the local boulangerie and order a jambon-beurre—"un mixte, s’il vous plaît!” The best sandwiches are the simplest: a thick slice of country ham nestled between butter-spread halves of a freshly baked baguette. Ensconced in an old chevaline (horse butcher shop) replete with 1950s decor, Chez Aline is a fast-food deli with a reputation for the best jambon-beurre in the city. Chef Delphine Zampetti offers a selection of other sandwiches, salads, and desserts to curb your hunger.

The small town of Créon is located a little over 12 miles (20km) from Bordeaux. It is one of Aquitaine’s original Bastide towns, centered around a market square, which comes alive on Wednesdays.

Although the market is mainly a food market, you can find some stalls that sell household goods, clothing, etc. as well. As with all markets in France, it’s the town’s weekly ‘social'; people catch up, either with each other, or on the towns news, while shopping for the coming week. People watching is of course great, but its also a chance to engage with the locals, and make use of the French words you may have picked up by now.

We tasted freshly baked breads, delicious cheeses, fruits, and ham, you simply wouldn’t get back in the US. Because of Bordeaux’ proximity to Spain, hispanic influences are strong. Fiestas are put on throughout the summer, and Basque influences make their way into the incredible cuisine here.

Uturoa’s local town market, which opens at sunrise daily (but only stays open for a few hours on Sundays), offers a selection of hand-crafted souvenirs and pareus on its upper level as well as a vast selection of Raiatea’s freshest seafood and produce—which make for curiously colorful photo ops—on the main level. It really bustles on Wednesdays and Fridays.