Entries by Bradley Borchardt

Ichi Ryu Ramen, Fukuoka, Japan

A few years ago I did a ramen tour in Fukuoka and stumbled upon this place that has yet to be replaced as the best bowl of ramen I’ve ever eaten. First let me say that food in this part of Japan is radically different than further up north as Korea and China are closer […]

La Gloria in Lima

Simple, refined, elegant and fun. Isn’t that what “nice” restaurants are supposed to be yet are so often are not? The room reminded me of my time at Montrachet in NYC back in the mid 90’s…a bit clubby, great art, seamless service with food that doesn’t complicate but delivers flavor with a right hook. The […]

Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée

So in my years of culinary work and travel I have developed a bit of a bitter skin. The hype out there nowadays can cause someone like me to retreat to the confines of my grill and wine fridge- never to go out and eat again simply because the media has just made EVERYTHING so […]

Duck Noodles at Oo Tor Kor Market in Bangkok

So you enter the market, walk to the back right corner and seek this place out. The bowl of noodles is simple. Duck meat braised in master stock, rice noodles, a touch of chile and cori-ander. Add a cold beer or fresh young coconut and for 3$ you have entered a version of culi-nary heaven….simple, […]

Chaoyang Market

So this was the market that I shopped at for myself as well as where I would go with my sous chefs to find new products to cook. It was right down the street from the Park Hyatt and took some getting used to after 2 years in Japan. That being said, I did always […]

Tsukiji Fish Market

Well my fave food market is Tsukiji in Tokyo. Fish is my favorite thing to eat and cook and the character of this market is just so fascinating. My first trip there was the day after I landed for my post at the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi. I did the tour with Tetsuya Wakuda….pretty stellar […]

Kuwait

Not much in the way of “local” food but all the support people have brought their respective traditions to this piece of coastal sand. Fantastic Indian, Persian, Lebanese and Egyptian food. Wild sparrows braised in fresh pomegranate juice-incredible…

Mexico

The food here is ancient and the techniques some of the most complex of any cuisine. We owe so much to this part of the world for what would we be without corn or chiles. Go here and eat and you will forever leave behind the insipid tastes of Mexican food that has been dumbed […]

Korea

Amazing cultural integrity for a country who has been over run and occupied by external forces for so many years. This cuisine is one of the most powerful in the world-not for the faint of heart. Seoul is one of the coolest cities out there-go and winter, eat lots of chiles and pork!