tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20359937576618494462012-02-13T14:03:25.957+08:00The main purpose for this blog (so far) will be my reviews and opinions of some of the best restaurants in the world that I've visited, in particular Michelin 3-star establishments.Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.comBlogger201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-8739255368480293172011-12-26T19:45:00.011+08:002011-12-27T23:47:58.774+08:00

Having traveled and dined among Europe's best establishments, it often makes me not easy to eat and have favorable reviews on the US restaurants I've visited (Just to name a few, I've been to per se twice, Alinea, Joel Robuchon, Jean Georges etc). However, there is an exception and this belongs to my favorite dining place in the United States - Urasawa. The exceptional dining experiences I had at

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-69094002647796427272011-11-04T15:12:00.012+08:002011-11-06T20:31:43.575+08:00

Haute cuisine has become a big trend in the developed society all around the globe in the past several years. Pioneered by Alain Ducasse and Joel Robuchon, many more celebrity chefs have followed their foot steps to open several restaurants bearing the chef's name. Pierre Gagnaire, a talented and adventurous chef, without exception has also expanded his wings as far as Seoul and Moscow. When he

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-68797928892075060842011-09-19T01:24:00.014+08:002011-09-23T02:06:53.602+08:00

Thomas Keller is arguably the current finest Chef in America. His legendary restaurant, the French Laundry has elevated American restaurants to be considered among the world's best according to the British's restaurant magazine. After achieving many accolades, Chef Keller was still up to a challenge when he decided to open per se in New York where everything is almost the opposite of Yountville.

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-53727501085843327112011-06-19T11:57:00.007+08:002011-06-20T22:06:01.516+08:00

If you have followed my blog or restaurant reviews, L'Arpege is certainly the place that needs the least introduction since it's the most frequent top dining institution I have visited in the past half-decade. It was the first time I came to Paris twice in the same year - it translated to two L'Arpege meals: the 5th visit took place in Feb '10 with my parents while the 6th one occurred in Dec of

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-40007913304526078872011-02-24T20:47:00.006+08:002011-03-02T18:21:21.246+08:00

My third visit to L'Ambroisie (you could find the reviews of my earlier visits at the blog archive), the place that arguably presenting French haute cuisine at its finest, took place at early Feb '10 - finally I had a chance to dine here during the black truffle season. In L'Ambroisie, many things simply would never change: there are always two kinds of bread (white and wheat), one will start the

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-51615769739726227072010-11-04T14:56:00.016+08:002011-06-20T22:05:14.123+08:00

Joel Robuchon is the name that should be familiar to chefs cooking serious foods as well as people loving gastronomy. When he retired in 1996, it took him only 5 years before making a come back. It might be surprising that among all places, he opened his fine dining restaurant in Macau with the strong support from the Ho's family. Then, come big waves of all Robuchon's dining places in Tokyo

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-69630151785455459362010-05-18T16:47:00.014+08:002010-05-21T00:22:05.068+08:00

While it is true that I’ve been to more than 30 3-star Michelin establishments in the past 3-4 years, there are only five or fewer of these restaurants that I visited more than once on separate trips and Pavillon Ledoyen, tucked away in the quiet gardens flanking the Champs-Elysees and dwarfed by the Petit Palais, is one of them. If I may add, the true three star places serving exceptional

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-89846378467947716022010-03-25T13:25:00.010+08:002010-05-20T15:13:05.207+08:00

My meal at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (ADPA) in the early Spring 2006 ranked among the best I’ve ever had, easily at the top 3 or 5. It was not a difficult choice when I decided to return here in the Fall 2008. I arrived closed to 8:00 PM and was seated in the middle side of the spacious dining room. The restaurant was more than half-filled by the time I got there. The décor and interiors are

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-39027722749919236162009-07-25T21:09:00.010+08:002010-05-20T15:14:26.539+08:00

Thursday, April 20th, 2006 marked my visit to another Alain Ducasse’s top restaurant located inside the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, an art nouveau marvel. This time I brought my parents to experience a meal at 3* Michelin restaurant for the first time. Before coming there, I briefed them on what to expect and what it is like to eat at this kind of place so that they would not be overwhelmed. Actually, I

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-44646459093907676422009-06-29T00:59:00.026+08:002011-03-02T22:21:13.399+08:00

There were 2 restaurants that I really wish to visit: Le Louis XV and Marc Veyrat. Thankfully, I managed to visit both of them in autumn 2008. Even I dined at Le Louis XV twice, whereas for Marc Veyrat I had a meal at his last fine dining restaurant since he had sold La Ferme de Mon Père in 2006. La Maison de Marc Veyrat, located at the edge of a lake in the village of Veyrier du Lac - about a

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-20590205132955251872009-04-06T23:43:00.011+08:002012-02-13T12:08:11.933+08:00

As one of the most expensive and arguably the best restaurants in Paris, it is usually never easy to hold a reservation at L'Ambroisie. However, this is not the case for me (at least for lunch). For this 2nd visit, I asked the hotel's concierge to book this place and everything went smoothly. It was in the last day of September 2009; the weather was a bit chill and many leaves began to fall ...

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-4414750322668252842009-02-27T22:12:00.007+08:002011-03-02T18:23:37.821+08:00

L’Ambroisie, along with Le Louis XV, is the 3-star restaurant that I always really want to go. So many people talk about the perfection that the establishment could offer, from the food and wine to service and decoration. Tuesday, June 5th, 2007, in the beautiful and sunny day, I had a reservation at the restaurant for 1 PM. I came about 45 minutes earlier since I would like to take a short walk

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-80060149999751719312009-02-12T19:44:00.014+08:002011-12-27T22:22:18.924+08:00

It is widely known that Alain Passard is one of the most celebrated chefs in the world, and his baby - L'Arpege, not surprisingly, becomes one the world's top restaurants (as well as the most expensive). For me, it is an easy choice whether I should dine here everytime I come to Paris. I tasted Passard's food at the end of Spring 2 years ago and at the beginning of last summer. This time, early

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-5525939782928148962009-01-30T22:16:00.009+08:002011-11-03T17:50:40.990+08:00

In December 2007, Michelin - the prestigious gastronomic guidebook that some say could make or break a restaurant - released its first Asian edition, Tokyo. The most surprising news is that Tokyo officially dethroned Paris as the world’s culinary capital (191 restaurants stars were awarded compared to 65 stars at Paris). Long before the Michelin guide was released, I already had a plan to go to

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-88388002275861860502009-01-23T23:25:00.012+08:002011-11-03T15:51:41.742+08:00

Like many foodies have said, there is hardly (if any) many fine dining restaurant that could surprise, amaze and at the same time frustrate its clients other than the one and only - Pierre Gagnaire Paris. In the extreme case, some would claim that having a meal here is like a culinary gambling ... it may not be completely wrong since you will spend a few hundred Euros and there is a likelihood

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-63348027194382890852008-12-16T12:24:00.010+08:002011-06-20T00:52:38.190+08:00

The 2006 Easter holiday was the time when I eventually visited and savored the 3* restaurants at its original country - France, the home of the legendary Michelin Red Guide. As the guide suggests 3-star restaurant is a place that serves exceptional cuisine and worth a special journey. Here it comes: at the end of May this year (2007), I, all by myself, flew to Europe specifically to indulge more

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-44963585673592036182008-12-03T14:07:00.022+08:002011-06-20T00:33:20.252+08:00

Michelin 3-star establishments have always been identical with places serving excellent food and wine accompanied by outstanding hospitality set up in unique and comfortable ambiance. Being an adventurous person who loves surprises, I do not want to return to the same place twice unless that restaurant is, of course, exceptional. By that time I arrived at this place, I have been fortunate enough

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-56545494409412566642008-11-25T09:44:00.020+08:002010-12-30T16:38:40.803+08:00

Joël Robuchon is one of the most revered Chefs in the world. When Gault Millau bestowed the highest rating of 19.5/20 to Robuchon’s legendary Jamin in 1988 (only Marc Veyrat surpassed it in 2004 by receiving a perfect 20/20), I was still in primary school and too young to understand any gastronomy world. Who expects a boy that used to eat KFC and fried eggs almost everyday would sit and savor the

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-85666690017099678702008-11-20T14:38:00.031+08:002010-12-30T16:33:20.772+08:00

Almost a year ago I had my first taste of 3-star Michelin restaurant at Alain Ducasse New York (ADNY) and it was excellent. However, I’m still curious what it would be like to dine at the one in Europe especially in France – the home of the Michelin guide book I suppose. More than 4 months ago, on Easter Monday in 2006 I, all by myself, had a dinner at the French 3* restaurant called L’Arpège,

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035993757661849446.post-82064292076812542332008-11-06T21:06:00.024+08:002010-05-20T15:03:29.966+08:00

Alain Ducasse at the Essex House? Check ... Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee? Check ... Le Louis XV? (Finally) check and here is my story. In the beginning of Autumn 2008, at last I managed to dine at a palace in which many consider as the most perfect restaurant in the world - Le Louis XV. It was all started here, 21 years ago, when Alain Ducasse decided to accept the challenge from Societe des

Bu Pun Suhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01692166862692528975noreply@blogger.com1