Restaurants in Chicago - JAM (recommendable)

Jam is a restaurant in west Town (near Wicker Park), where the chef was originally a chef at Charlie Trotter's.

Main dishes are around $17. I tried seared fish with green beans and caramelized onions. They also know their ingredients and take a lot of care with the presentation of the dishes. The fennel soup may not be so exciting, but we thought it might have been a palette cleanser. A way of introducing the delicious dishes that follow.

The tasting menu was $37:

-Fennel soup

-Foie Gras Tortellini

-Ono (which is a fleshy fish)

-Roasted pork with finely chopped olives and figs

-Mini donuts which get dipped into a chocolate mousse

937 North Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60622-4949
(773) 489-0302

www.jamrestaurant.com

Restaurants Vienna - Kim Kocht

This is a very original restaurant opposite the Volksoper in Vienna. One of the main downsides is that one has to reserve months in advance. Due to the difficulty in making reservations, I must confess, it has been a while since I have been there.

Kim is the owner. She has an interesting way of combining asian cuisine with european flavours. The 3 course meal before 20:00 costs 42 Euros, which is not cheap but I think it is worth it.

Kim Kocht

Lustkandlgasse 4

A-1090 Vienna

www.kimkocht.at

Restaurants London - Zaika (very recommendable)

I started this blog about 10 months ago and am still catching up on the good restaurants I have been to in the last two years. I thought I should add a couple more for London since I lived there for two years and will start of with Indian recommendations. Many people go to London wondering where they can get a good Indian meal.

Zaika is a great contemporary Indian restaurant in Kensington High Street in an elegant setting. It is not pretentious.

The food is not on the cheap side. A main dish costs around 20 GBP, but I find it worth it. I enjoyed the Mirch Murg and Tandoori Murg Makhanwala dishes which were both chicken dishes with a delicious array of spices.

If you do not have a lot of time in London, do not want to spend too much and want to try a modern Indian, then I would recommend the Urban Turban - it is a must!

Zaika Restaurant

1 Kensington High Street

London W8 5NP

+44 20 7795 6533

www.zaika-restaurant.co.uk

Restaurants in Chicago - Takashi (very recommendable)

There has been a lot of fuss about this restaurant and it is well deserved! The chef has spent time playing with different flavour combinations and has really succeeded - an absolutely top restaurant!

It is a place of informal elegance - do not expect white linen.

If you go on Tuesdays you can try this great place for a three course prix fixe of $36, which is great value for money. This level of quality, detail and creativity usually costs more than a $100. (Unfortunately they have discontinued this prix fixe menu).

They serve the most innovative and gorgeous dishes in Chicago at an affordable price.

We liked all the dishes, but some of our favourites are:

-summer roll (gulf shrimp, avocado, asparagus, japanese omelet caper-golden raisin vinaigrette)

-warm baby octopus and fingerling potato salad with smoked parika, prosiutto, preserved lemon, chickpea mousseline

-seared maine skate wing with roasted stuffed zucchini, ratatouille, eggplant caviar, pistachio-caper vinaigrette

-chicken in clay pot (chicken, shimeji mushrooms, eggplant, haricot vert, yuzu juice); this dish was even able to enthuse a young teenager

The waiters are professional, but will make you feel at ease.

www.takashichicago.com

Restaurants London - Zuma (very recommendable)

This is an upscale casual restaurant. In a way this is a Japanese style tapas place. So if one is a larger group one can try many small dishes and share them.

They have a large choice of warm dishes and sake. The average cost per person is around 70 GBP. I enjoyed all the dishes from the softshell crab sushis to the simple karaage (crispy fried lemon sole with spicy ponzu sauce and green onions).

5 Raphael Street Knightsbridge

London SW7 1DL

+44 207 584 1010

www.zumarestaurant.com