Latest news with #foodscene
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
The 10 best restaurants in Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria's burgeoning food scene is a fusion of tradition and innovation, evident in the clutch of restaurants adorning Michelin stars. Las Palmas offers everything from gourmet tapas to edible works of art, all paired with award-winning local wines. Puerto de Mogán and other coastal towns in the south serve up ocean-to-table freshness, while mountain villages like Tejeda tempt with hearty stews and smooth local cheeses. And whether it's grilled octopus or sweet black pudding, they'll always be accompanied by the ubiquitous, tangy mojo dips, unique to the islands. Our expert picks out the culinary highlights. Find out more below, or for more Gran Canaria inspiration, see our guides to the island's best hotels, things to do and beaches. Las Palmas and the north Piscos y Buches It might look rough and rustic with its high stools and bench tables, but this is not your run-of-the-mill market eatery. This popular tapas restaurant within the Mercado del Puerto (Port Market) serves up gourmet Canarian staples like sweet black pudding, goat meat kebabs and an amazing grilled octopus with peppers and onion. There's also a huge selection of local wines to work your way through too, which is just as well as there are very few better places in the capital to while away your time people-watching with a glass of vino and some top-notch nibbles. Contact: Prices: £ Reservations: Recommended
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Winsome, Manchester M1: ‘The new, big, generous beating heart of Manchester hospitality' – restaurant review
Winsome has been much anticipated on the Manchester food scene, not least because chef Shaun Moffat was pretty much the toast of the town during his time as executive chef at the Edinburgh Castle gastropub in nearby Ancoats. Rather than being attractive in a sweet, innocent way, as the restaurant's name suggests, Moffat's style – or swagger, to be more precise – is elegant but plentiful modern British cooking, featuring a scoop of Fergus Henderson, a nod to Mark Hix, a dash of London's Quality Chop House and a teeny touch of Toby Carvery. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Think meaty things, saucy things, big bowls of crunchy roast spuds and exquisite oversized yorkshire puddings. Pork with rhubarb ketchup and freshly baked parker house rolls to drag through warm butter or hollandaise. Asparagus with a dippy egg for starters, or mussels and trotters on toast. Bread-and-butter pudding with brandy custard. You get the gist. This is Cool Britannia wearing a napkin bib with a side portion of rhubarb jelly and custard for pudding. But Winsome is far from a novelty restaurant. Yes, there are little playful touches here and there – dino egg cups, cow-shaped gravy boats and school dinner puddings – but it's all done in such a sleek, cool and pared-back way. Moffat may be a hugely experienced chef, but this is his first proper bricks-and-mortar venture, working with Owain Williams, who, among many other restaurants, launched Liverpool's rather brilliant Belzan, and Tom Fastiggi, ex head bartender at Manchester's bold, glitzy Schofield's. Winsome has taken over a large, cool, airy space clamped to the side of Whitworth Locke, one of those new-fangled co-working/hotel/gymnasium/cocktail bar/leisure/third spaces populated by bright young things on laptops. What is it exactly? An apparthotel? A cult headquarters? Never mind all that, this restaurant stands fully alone, so let's just concentrate on Winsome. It is from the outset an attractive and lovable room, with a large open kitchen down one side and blue-aproned staff serving trays of sbagliatos and breakfast martinis laced with Duerr's marmalade. Tables are large and well spaced, and topped with pale tablecloths topped with pale paper, presumably to protect the linen from spills. No such luck with us. Perhaps your family can share a platter of cylindra beetroot in goat's curd without someone leaving a CSI Manchester crime scene smear; mine was not so successful. 'I do apologise,' I told the staff as we gave back the empty plate after a feast of Tewkesbury courgettes in a glut of excellent olive oil that we'd spilled rather dramatically while grabbing our fair share. There's something about Moffat's cooking, however fine and highfalutin it may seem to be, that lends itself to the sheepish dry-cleaning of blouses. A plate of Brixham crab came with celeriac remoulade and a whole heap of mustard cress that weirdly reminded me of growing the stuff back at primary school. Another starter of incredibly rich fried wild mushrooms and shallots on a slick of well-seasoned pease pudding was similarly deeply nostalgic. For mains, we shared a whole john dory, cooked perfectly and served in a pool of pale green pie shop liquor, and a Creedy Carver assiette of duck featuring rare breast, rendered skin and a jug of rich duck jus. It was a Sunday, so both came with all the Sunday lunch trimmings, which here involve cartoon-esque XL yorkshire puddings, carrot puree, roast parsnips and a thick piece of trencher bread topped with stewed beef shin in ale. This is confident, clever cooking that stays just the right side of earnest, or at least as earnest as a chef can be when he also serves up a dessert that is essentially a 1980s school sponge pudding with a scoop of milk ice-cream flecked with multicoloured sprinkles, or hundreds and thousands as they will for ever be known in my heart. In a further nod to the sainted Fergus Henderson, right at the end of the meal eccles cakes are offered with slices of St Sunday's cheese from Cumbria. Winsome may well be my new favourite restaurant, and it's the new, big, generous beating heart of Manchester hospitality. It's classy but come-all – bring your gran, bring your baby, no one need feel conspicuous. There's something about the place that makes me want to use it as a canteen, not least out of sheer curiosity as to what Moffat will put on the menu next. Great cooking, and forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff. Bring your appetite and don't wear pale colours. Aaah, Manchester, you have so much to answer for. Winsome will seriously impact your waistline. Winsome 74 Princess Street, Manchester M1 (no phone). Open lunch Thurs-Sun noon-3pm (8pm Sun), dinner Mon-Sat 5-11pm. From about £60 a head for three courses; Sun lunch £35 for two courses, £39 for three, all plus drinks and service
CNN
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
This ‘quintessential college town' charms visitors with big-time sports and a bustling cultural scene
Rodger Bowser has worked in kitchens in London, studied cooking in Ireland and been a private chef on houseboats in France. But when it came time to plant his flag somewhere and build a lasting career in food, he always knew he'd return to Ann Arbor. His decision goes back to Bowser's formative years as an aspiring chef, when he moved here from rural Michigan for a summer job and became enchanted with the place. 'Being in Ann Arbor, in a college town with multiple thoughts and viewpoints and diversity, and just the way people thought about things … it really opened my eyes up to a different world that I didn't know existed,' says Bowser, now head chef at Zingerman's Delicatessen, a beloved Ann Arbor eatery. Such is the pull of this unassuming Midwestern city, where students, faculty, staffers and alumni migrate back and forth from the handsome University of Michigan campus to the nearby restaurants, shops and bars of Ann Arbor's bustling downtown. The planet around which the rest of the city orbits, the school boasts some 53,000 students and a vast menu of cultural happenings, lending Ann Arbor a casual sophistication. A2, as it's known to locals, consistently ranks among the nation's top college towns. Most visitors to the city have ties to the university, but with a year-round calendar of events, a thriving food scene and big-time college sports, Ann Arbor offers plenty for other visitors as well. 'For a weekend getaway, it's a pretty cool place to be,' Bowser says. 'There's great entertainment — we have folk festivals, film festivals … we've got great museums and great restaurants. And if you're into the nature part of things there's some pretty cool stuff around town in terms of parks and stuff like that. I really like this town.' Prev Next Most mentions of Ann Arbor start with the University of Michigan, the state school with its blue-and-maize (they don't call it yellow) color scheme and famous sports teams, perennial powerhouses in football and basketball. Notable alumni include former President Gerald Ford, Google co-founder Larry Page, actor James Earl Jones, quarterback Tom Brady and CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, along with numerous members of Congress and foreign heads of state. One of the top public universities in the country, U of M attracts students from all 50 states and 99 countries, giving Ann Arbor an international flavor that complements its friendly Midwestern charm. Its central campus sits in the heart of the city and offers many attractions, including a handful of free museums. Chief among them is the university's art museum, whose large collection includes 19th-century landscapes, portraits by Pablo Picasso and abstract works by Helen Frankenthaler. From there it's a short walk to the school's museum of natural history, which offers kid-friendly exhibits on everything from microscopic organisms to dinosaurs, plus a planetarium hosting star shows and animations on black holes. The U of M campus also is home to some striking 20th-century architecture, including an Art Deco bell tower and grand buildings by Albert Kahn and Eero Saarinen. But its most crowd-pleasing structure may be its Gothic law school library, whose gorgeous reading room looks like something from a Harry Potter set. Stroll through the central campus's main pedestrian thoroughfare, called the Diag, on a warm day and you'll find hundreds of students lounging in the grass, playing music, hustling to class or passing out leaflets for events. And wow, are there a lot of events. On one recent spring day, posters around town heralded theatrical productions, jazz concerts, a comedy festival, a Zine Jamboree, a roundtable on human rights in Turkey and a Beyoncé-themed dance party. No happening in Ann Arbor, however, can compete with Michigan football. Each home game draws thousands of visitors who turn the town into a sprawling street festival, complete with tailgate parties and throngs of raucous, blue-clad fans. Games are held in Michigan Stadium, nicknamed 'the Big House,' which holds 115,000 people and is the largest stadium in the country. Almost all of Ann Arbor's population can fit inside. Residents rave about the town's game-day atmosphere, which reached a crescendo two seasons ago when Michigan won the national title. 'You should come here on a Saturday in the fall,' says Parker Kern, a U of M sophomore who is studying aerospace engineering, echoing a common refrain. 'There's a bunch of people in the streets and they're all migrating towards the Big House. Everyone's really excited. There's music everywhere. And usually we win.' City resident Nate Hoard often hosts several dozen friends for pre-game festivities at his house near campus. Many of them park their cars on his front lawn. 'It's electric. They sell T-shirts that read, 'Saturdays in Ann Arbor,'' says Hoard, describing the scene. 'It doesn't matter if they (the football team) are good or bad. Even in the worst seasons, it's the best day.' Don't worry: Non-football fans will find plenty of other diversions here — starting with places to eat. Ann Arbor isn't known as a foodie destination. But for a mid-sized city it punches above its weight, buoyed by a mix of creative student hangouts and higher-end eateries serving everything from Afro-Caribbean food to Korean barbecue to award-winning cocktails. The granddaddy of the city's culinary scene isn't some starchy, white-tablecloth restaurant, though. It's a deli. Zingerman's opened in 1982 and has grown into a regional institution, serving more than three dozen varieties of sandwiches from its handsome brick storefront in the Kerrytown neighborhood just north of downtown. Its specialty is the Reuben, but the exhaustive menu also includes barbecued brisket, Italian subs and a handful of vegetarian options — many named for the staffers who created them. Even Bowser, now a Zingerman's managing partner, has a difficult time deciding what to order. 'What's my favorite sandwich? The one in front of me,' he says. 'It's hard to pick.' Over the years the deli has expanded into a Zingerman's empire with a bakery, a creamery, a coffee purveyor and catering business — all in Ann Arbor — along with a mail-order service. Their growing domain also includes Miss Kim, a lively Korean restaurant serving such innovative small plates as lotus roots with toasted cashews in a doenjang pepper sauce. Its chef, Ji Hye Kim, is a four-time James Beard Award semifinalist. Students also flock to Frita Batidos, a Cuban-inspired, casual eatery in an airy downtown space that's locally famous for their deliciously messy burgers, customizable with such toppings as tropical slaw, cilantro-lime salsa or a fried egg. For a savory-sweet combo, pair your burger with a batido, a Cuban fruit milkshake. And if you want a nearby nightcap, consider The Last Word, a handsome basement bar with live music, a full kitchen and a speakeasy vibe. Ann Arbor's density of bars, eateries and events is one of the things that appealed to Hoard when he moved here 11 years ago. 'I park my car Friday night when I get home and I don't have to drive again 'til Monday morning,' says the 43-year-old, who runs a distribution company and lives downtown. 'I can walk to a Big Ten game … I can walk to a 5-star restaurant. Whatever I want is within walking distance. All these things add up to a great atmosphere.' Further afield is York Food + Drink, a spacious hangout south of downtown with a deli counter, a wine store, a bar and a recent pop-up serving barbecue. York has been a community gathering spot for decades; on a recent weekday afternoon a group of senior citizens shared a table, writing postcards to Congress to lobby for preserving Social Security. Owner Tommy York drifts from table to table, chatting with customers. He greets an arriving woman by name and asks about her new hip. 'I know everybody (in town). Not because I'm special, but because I've been working in retail food for a long time,' says York, who bikes to work. He came to Ann Arbor for grad school in the '80s and never left, buying the business in 2001 because he wanted a casual place where people could bring their kids. 'One of the things I like about the Midwest is that you don't have to get dressed up to go out,' he says. 'You come as you are.' Founded as a frontier outpost in 1824, Ann Arbor got a huge boost when the fledgling University of Michigan relocated here 13 years later from Detroit. According to legend, the village was named for the wives of its two founders, both named Ann, and the area's towering bur oaks. Ann Arbor celebrated its bicentennial with much fanfare last year. The city's arboreal heritage lives on at the Nichols Arboretum — affectionately known as the 'Arb' — a park-like expanse along the Huron River with walking paths, grassy fields and more than 100 species of trees. It also has a reputation as a romantic spot. Playwright Arthur Miller, a Michigan alum, famously recalled the Arb as 'good for anatomical studies, especially in spring under a moon.' Other city attractions include a botanical garden, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, a 106-year-old farmer's market each Saturday and miles of walking trails along the winding Huron River, where residents go kayaking and tubing in the summer. Visitors also can easily spend a day browsing the streets of Ann Arbor's compact downtown, home to eclectic shops selling everything from vinyl records to macarons. There's also an outpost of Shinola, the Detroit maker of wristwatches, leather bags and other luxury goods. Many local merchants know one another and are quick to recommend each other's stores and restaurants. This home-grown, community feel is an Ann Arbor trademark, says Hilary Gustafson, co-owner of Literati Bookstore, a downtown mainstay that hosts author readings, panels and a handful of book clubs. Gustafson and her husband Michael opened the store in 2013, filling a void left by Borders, the Ann Arbor-based bookstore chain that had closed its original store here two years earlier. 'Sure, we are a retail business — we sell books. But our role as we see it is kind of a community-building space,' she says. 'A lot of other businesses here are like-minded … we're not just a collection of stores selling goods — we're a collection of stores that support each other and try to build community.' Indeed, Ann Arbor hums with a distinct blend of civic spirit and school pride. People like it here, and it shows. It's one reason why University of Michigan alums return over and over. Asked what he enjoys most about Ann Arbor, Tommy York doesn't hesitate. 'There's something here for everybody,' he says. 'And the people — the people are great. I'm a small-town person in a city that has big stuff.'
Washington Post
07-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
The 20 best new restaurants in the D.C. area
By Tom Sietsema May 7, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. EDT 8 minutes ago 1 min Every year around this time, I get to answer one of my favorite questions: 'What's new?' Let me share the bounty, which includes imports from New York, tasting menus from top chefs, some welcome bargains plus several places with original ideas that you won't find anywhere else in the country — unless I'm missing a menu that includes pheasant under glass or a setting that marries church and steak. This has not been an easy year in Washington. Federal layoffs and labor issues have taken their toll on restaurants, and diners seem more hesitant than before to pay ever-higher prices to eat away from home. Even the big cheeses worry about the fate of downtown. That means that as much as we all want to follow what's fresh, being a regular at your favorite restaurant, old or new, might be more important than ever. Restaurants are an investment of time and money. Diverse as they are, these 20 newcomers brim with rewards. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement LIST MAP Filter D.C. Maryland Virginia Vegetarian-friendly Entrees under $25 Showing all 20 restaurants La' Shukran 417 Morse St. NE, alley entrance, D.C. Middle Eastern Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi 1330 Maryland Ave. SW, D.C. Afro-Caribbean Osteria Mozza 3276 M St. NW, D.C. Italian The Occidental 1475 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, D.C. American Wye Oak Tavern 211 E. Church St., Frederick, Md. American Alara 1303 Wisconsin Ave. NW, D.C. Mediterranean Butterworth's 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, D.C. French Cordelia Fishbar 550 Morse St. NE, D.C. Seafood The Duchess 1002 W. 36th St., Baltimore Guamanian Elena James All Day 8551 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. American Elmina 2208 14th St. NW, D.C. Ghanaian Elyse 10822 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax, Va. American Evelyn Rose 111 Church St. NW, Vienna, Va. American Kayu 1250 H St. NE, D.C. Filipino Minetta Tavern 1287 Fourth St. NE, D.C. American La Plaza Bar & Tapas 3917 14th St. NW, D.C. Spanish Raw Omakase 1326 14th St. NW, third floor, D.C. Japanese Rosedale 4465 Connecticut Ave. NW, D.C. American San Pancho 7056 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, Md. Mexican Tapori 600 H Street NE, Suite E, D.C. Indian and Nepalese Use Ctrl + scroll to zoom the map Use two fingers to move the map © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors Story continues below advertisement Advertisement
