Rashmi Uday Singh recalls the world’s best dining experiences at temples of gastronomy
It’s exhilarating. Nature plays the stellar role of seductress. She sashays with untamed beauty in the uber elegant Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy; she infuses herself into the food with genie like genius. Looking back, I was blessed by a string of sublime dining experiences. And each time, nature winked and sparkled through it. It’s not only been about dining in gastronomic heavens but doing so in the water, on the sand, in the garden.
MIRAZUR, FRENCH RIVIERA
It’s the ultimate multi-massage of the senses. Unrivalled views of heart-stoppingly blue sky sea and the French Riviera in front of me, three levels of cascading vegetable gardens below me. The sunny cool Mediterranean air-kissed with the fragrance of the famed Menton lemon of the region. And, of course, the brilliant three Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco’s cuisine which defies categorization, dazzles.
I’m dining at Mirazur, crowned the world’s best restaurant at the World’s 50 Best 2019. His dishes seem to embrace the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings...the warmth, the aromas and purity of the South of France. Delicately balanced masterpieces of texture and flavour. Mauro Colagreco’s unique cuisine is inspired by the sea, the mountains and the restaurant’s own gardens, including Menton’s emblematic citrus fruits.
The gem-like trio of vegetarian amuse bouche sets the tone for the spectacular meal. Heady with musky white truffle/ pairing of the salt-crusted beetroot from the garden with caviar cream/ ginger-infused bread served with a Pablo Neruda poem... the parade of culinary masterpieces are heady enough and the eleven wines brilliantly paired by Anais has me flying higher. A nature stroll in the garden with the brilliant chef and his dynamo wife Julia Colagreco completes my world’s best dining experience.
NOMA, COPENHAGEN
I am flying high and happy. Summer flits onto my plate and palate. A fitting fabulous take off for the summer vegetable menu is the first course of “summer butterfly.” Noma, Copenhagen, ranked the world’s second best restaurant in 2019, renowned for its foraging and carnivorous menu is in its vegetarian season and serving only (you read it right) a pure vegetable tasting menu.
Rene Redzepi, the humble multi-faceted genius is as down to earth as he was when the Danish restaurant was declared the world’s best 2012. Love this amazing summer butterfly; an explosion of tangy sweet flavours. This colourful deliciousness is meticulously put together. It’s a complex creation of rose flatbread with rose fudge, parsley paste, sage flowers and rose bee pollen and more.
We taste the vegetable season tasting menu.... Flowers marinade with pollen barbecued pepper candied beets chilled onion bouillon mold pancake with truffle mold pie. Wild mushrooms barbecued pine…never ending banquet of surprising flavours implode with haunting intensity.
LE LOUIS XV, MONACO
“Before cooking comes nature,” says Alain Ducasse. He distills Riviera’s sunshine and the finest, freshest of produce which sparkle our lunch. From the amuse bouche to the cheese and dessert courses, there is the perfection of simplicity. The flavours are lively and honest. There’s joy, lightness and freshness and oh! that iconic pure vegetarian cookpot delights with its intense earthy flavour.
History was made here in this breathtakingly beautiful gastronomic temple Le Louis XV in the legendary hotel deParis Monte Carlo. It was a treat to film my TV show here several years ago and a treat to go back now and feast on the shimmering ambience, service and of course masterpieces of flavour and texture.
“Discovering this land was an essential moment in my life,” explains Ducasse. “My love for this region is deep and carnal. I learned to know it, to tame it. It brought me its beautiful light and colours, and its enchanting landscapes.”
“Nothing has really changed,” he concludes. “The Riviera is still the prodigal inspiration of my cuisine.” Some inspiration that!
FRANCE IN THE MALDIVES
Bare feet. Sand in my toes. On a wooden swing. Would you believe I am in the midst of a three Michelin-starred chef’s dinner? The legendary Maxime Meilleur of LaBouitte – one of only 26 restaurants to be awarded three stars by the Michelin Guide – serves up their refined “French culinary epiphany” of a dinner. And he does so in the rustic beach crab-shack made of recycled materials.
The maestro is here in the Maldives’ resort Soneva Jani. Paired with the finest of French wines, our gourmet degustation sparkled with intense clean flavours and contrasting textures be it the rack of lamb, green bean salad, anchovies, the mushrooms or the cauliflower granita.
The awesome signature dessert Milk, in all its forms – biscuits, mousse, frozen – seduces.
RISE AND SHINE... PRIVATE ISLAND
I’m a dyed-in-the-drool breakfast buff. From my favourite pure vegetarian South Indian breakfast to the unique vegan “Floating Breakfast” it’s all here in the magical Maldives. Swimming is a passion. Swimming and nibbling on my breakfast of vegan cashew cheese, tofu scramble and more is paradise found.
Amidst the miles of unspoilt beaches and untouched nature of Velaa private island, the brilliant young chef Gaushan De Silva dazzles as much with his sophisticated modern Maldivian with French techniques gourmet tasting menus as he does with his authentic Sri Lankan on the beach and teppanyaki on the Tower. His repertoire is impressive as is his generosity. And, what’s more, he is generous enough to share all his recipes too!
VEGGIE WOW WITH BRIGITTE BARDOT... ST TROPEZ
She’s vegetarian – a flag waving one at that! She’s got all the restaurants in her breathtakingly beautiful hometown of Saint Tropez to introduce vegetarian/vegan menus. And when Brigitte Bardot the glam sex bomb Hollywood superstar of yesteryears says so, everyone obeys.
I get to know of this. And right after my graduation and submitting my thesis on “The Rise and Rise of Vegetarianism” in Paris I make a dash for the South of France. I am on a quest to meet Brigitte Bardot and end up eating some amazing vegetarian food.
I fall in love with La tarte Tropezienne, a delicious creamy tarte created in 1955 in her honour. Yes, it’s a vegetarian tarte of St Tropez and it’s delicious. Everyone loves her here.
I meet an artist (please see photo) who paints only Brigitte Bardot’s portraits, Serge Cserg. We munch on the tarte together. Sadly, the 86-year-old Brigitte Bardot is unable to see me, but her very gallant husband Bernard d Ormale not only meets me but also does a tarte Tropezienne tasting with me. That’s what I call “having my tarte and eating it too!”
EPICURE IN PARIS
It’s the only Parisian place which has a lush green garden with fragrant flowering plants. And taking it within its embrace (in more ways than one) is the triple Michelin-starred Epicure.
Presided over by the brilliant Chef Eric Frechon, it serves up gastronomic masterpieices. Two years ago, I’d tipped out on a vegetable tasting menu. This trip, serendipitously, marks the double decade of the French legend Chef Eric Frechon in the iconic almost a century old Le Bristol.
Chef Frechon continues to be Carla and Nicholas Sarkozy’s favourite and has had royalty, heads of state, Hollywood superstars eating out of hands. I love the latest introduction of his jewel of a vegetarian “pineapple tomato,” a vibrant dish exploding with sweet, tangy flavours and textures.
The maestro was also generous to share his superbly simple but simply superb recipe with us.
Should you need it please email me on [email protected]
