When I entered the vaunted Restaurant Daniel on NYC's Upper East Side, I knew I was in for one of my best dining experiences of the year. I'd carefully chosen French chef Daniel Boulud's flagship fine dining establishment months in advance. The two-star Michelin restaurant offers history, excellence, and elegance in a Neo-Classical space. The entrance to Daniel Daniel is in the former Mayfair Regent Hotel at 65th Street and Park Avenue. It was once home to Le Cirque, an influential French restaurant where Boulud served as executive chef from 1986 to 1992. While at Le Cirque, he earned his firs ..read more

In a city of barbecue heavyweights, InterStellar BBQ continues to hold its own in a small Northwest Austin strip mall. Sandwiched between a beauty salon and a Korean chicken and karaoke bar, owner and pitmaster Jon Bates and team serve some of the Texas capital's best smoked meats. After seeing success at the same location as his previous restaurant, Noble Sandwich Co., Bates pivoted to barbecue and re-opened the restaurant as InterStellar BBQ in February 2019. A few months later, it received a glowing review from Daniel Vaughn, Texas Monthly's barbecue editor. I was introduced to InterStellar ..read more

The best barbecue joints in Texas, like the Burnt Bean Co. in Seguin, nail the basics (brisket, pork ribs, and sausage), but don't stop there. They find ways to elevate every menu item, from often-overlooked sides to desserts. By the time I hit Burnt Bean, I'd already been to four of the top five spots on Texas Monthly's 50 Best BBQ Joints list for 2021, and they still surprised me. Burnt Bean ranked #4 on that list after its first year in business, but I can see it at #1 in the next iteration (the rankings are updated every four years). Pitmasters Ernest Servantes and Super Dave Kirkland met ..read more

At the intimate 15-seat Bar BenFiddich in Tokyo, Japanese mixologist Hiroyasu Kayama delivers the ultimate farm-to-bar experience. Kayama spends each day growing fresh herbs on a family farm about 55 miles outside of Tokyo. Six nights a week, he commutes to Bar BenFiddich in West Shinjuku to put on a show for cocktail enthusiasts. Bar BenFiddich is a regular on The World's 50 Best Bars lists, ranking #37 globally in 2023 and #4 on the Asia-specific list. The latter ranking earned him the honor of being named Japan's best bar. Inside Bar BenFiddich Hiroyasu Kayama is at work in his white jacket ..read more

South Austin restaurants have much to offer foodies, from some of the city's best sushi and barbecue joints to old-school local favorites. Like nearby East Austin, the area has seen a lot of new development in recent years, especially along the three main corridors of South Lamar Boulevard, South First Street, and South Congress Avenue. For this story, I'm defining South Austin as the region bordered by Lady Bird Lake (the Colorado River) to the north, Loop 1 (MoPac) to the west, the I-35 highway to the east, and West Slaughter Lane to the south. My picks for the best restaurants in South Aust ..read more

The James Beard Awards, often heralded as the "Oscars of the culinary world," have unveiled their 2024 semifinalists, casting a bright spotlight on Texas. The Lone Star State, renowned for its bold flavors and innovative dining scene, is again making a substantial mark, as reflected by this year's 39 semifinalists. The prestigious awards are organized by the James Beard Foundation, "a nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America's food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability." Until 2020 ..read more

The historic Pearl Brewery in San Antonio, Texas, has transformed from a 19th-century beer-making powerhouse into one of the city's most charming restaurant districts. This iconic spot, which ceased brewing operations in 2001, has reinvented itself as a gathering place where food lovers and families can explore fantastic restaurants. The Pearl Brewery In this guide, we'll take a culinary tour through the Pearl's best restaurants, diving into the flavors and stories that make each spot a must-visit for locals and travelers to San Antonio. Whether you're craving innovative Texan cooking or inter ..read more

'Tis the season to sit back and reflect on my best bites of 2023. My most extensive trip of the year came in February when Kel and I traveled to Saigon in Southern Vietnam via Tokyo to attend a friend's wedding. I received a crash course in Vietnamese food and coffee, which continues to pay dividends in Texas. The remainder of my foodie adventures were in the United States, where the list begins. Join me as I turn the page on 2023 with these delicious bites in mind. The United States California Nutella brioche In April, I returned to San Francisco for the second time in three years. I continue ..read more

The historic city of San Antonio, Texas, took its end-of-the-year celebrations to new heights with the introduction of Holidays on Houston Street. During the holiday season (November 24, 2023, to January 2, 2024), five blocks of Houston Street in downtown San Antonio, from The Alamo to Legacy Park, were decorated with 400,000 twinkling LED lights. Carolers Outdoor movies, free concerts, and family-friendly events were held throughout this time. On December 16 and 17, several blocks in the heart of downtown San Antonio were closed to traffic. Visitors were treated to a European-style holiday ma ..read more

Vietnam, a country celebrated for its vibrant flavors and rich culinary traditions, offers a dessert landscape as diverse and enjoyable as its scenic beauty. In this article, we're diving into the sweet world of Vietnamese desserts. Whether it's chuoi nep nuong, a grilled banana delicacy wrapped in sticky rice, or the iconic che, a colorful sweet soup, these treats are as much a part of Vietnamese cuisine as pho and banh mi. My introduction to Vietnamese desserts came by way of a 2023 trip to the country in Southeast Asia. Since then, I've continued to try new Vietnamese dishes at home in Aust ..read more