We’ve compiled the week’s best in culinary travel, from “French” establishments to locally sourced dining in the Caribbean.
The French Laundry Reopens April 7 in Napa
After recent renovations, Thomas Keller’s renowned establishment, The French Laundry, has reopened April 7. The Yountville restaurant is housed in a rustic stone cottage, where tasting menus start at $295 per person. If there was ever a time to book a coveted table at the prestigious spot, it would be now.
Rosewood Emphasizes Farm-to-Table Cuisine in the Caribbean
Three Rosewood Hotels & Resorts properties -- Little Dix Bay, Jumby Bay and the soon-to-open Rosewood at Baha Mar -- are aiming to source a maximum of locally grown produce from both farmers in nearby communities, and the resorts' own gardens, to be incorporated into their culinary offerings.
While the endeavor has proven to be a challenge given water scarcity throughout the Caribbean, Rosewood has actively pursued farmers in the area in order to develop partnerships that could be mutually beneficial.
For example, Rosewood Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands grows mangos and coconuts on-site and purchases freshly caught fish to be incorporated into its menus. The hotel is currently working to develop relationships with local growers to source watermelon, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
At Jumby Bay, chef Sylvain Hervochon has been including native conch, spiny anegada lobster, pig, lamb and goat in the dishes he prepares.
When the Rosewood at Bahamar opens in Nassau on May 7, local citrus, lettuces, tomatoes, micro-greens, bush teas, and the area's famous avocados will be featured on menus.
Buzz in Monte Carlo: A New Look for Alain Ducasse’s Restaurant
Shedding its “grandmotherly” aesthetic for a more contemporary take on luxury dining décor, the former Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo has reopened as the “Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse,” under the management of the famous chef.
The Paris-based duo Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, longtime Ducasse design collaborators, updated the space with light with a new crystal chandelier, made of custom-designed Murano glass. In addition, staff uniforms were designed by a former Hermès designer.
The new menu focuses on fresh seafood and Mediterranean vegetables and offers a selection of wine from the hotel’s cellars, stocked with an impressive 400,000 bottles.
Top 10 Museum Cafes and Restaurants in Paris
In the April 10 edition of The Guardian, John Brunton lists the 10 “best” in Parisian museum dining. Selections include:
- Musée Jacquemart-André: Café Jacquemart-André
- Le Jardin des Plantes: La Baleine
- L’Institut du Monde Arabe: Café Littéraire, Self, Le Zyriab
- Le Bal: Le Bal Café
- Le Petit Palais: Le Jardin du Petit Palais
- Musée Rodin: Le Café du Musée Rodin
- Palais de Tokyo: Monsieur Bleu, Le Smack, Tokyo Eat
- Le Musée de la Vie Romantique: Cafe Vie Romantique
- Musée du Quai Branly: Café Branly, Les Ombres
- La Cinémathèque Française: Les 400 Coups