If you plan to visit the French Côte d'Azur, be sure to stop over at Monaco. Luxury also spills out onto the table on that small rock, with its endless array of starred restaurants. These are our favourites venues.

Restaurant Joël Robuchon Monte-Carlo

Suitably attired in your finery, make for the Restaurant Joël Robuchon Monte-Carlo. Inaugurated in 2004, it was the French chef’s first restaurant in the Principality, subsequently followed by the no less famous Yoshi (Japanese cuisine) and Odyssey (Mediterranean cuisine). The Restaurant Joël Robuchon Monte-Carlo, for its part, with its modern, inviting aesthetic, conveys a feeling of zen refinement. The open kitchen in full view enables guests to appreciate the choreography of chefs and pastry cooks as they display their art over the fires – a veritable top-drawer gastronomic experience. Also worth bearing in mind is that the French chef has added vegetarian and gluten-free menus to cater for even the most sensitive palates.

Le Vistamar

If, apart from a good table, you’re eager to enjoy one of the best views of Monte Carlo, opt for Le Vistamar (in the splendid Hôtel Hermitage Monte Carlo), where chef Benoît Witz orchestrates a culinary concept which has earned him a Michelin star. Here, the spotlight is on enhancing the products with the finest Mediterranean flavours, while the deliciously original dishes respond to the theme of “a fish, a vegetable and a cooking”, within the framework of different tasting menu options – the perfect harmony between sophistication and simplicity. Worth mentioning is the centrepiece of the house – blue lobster with peas, caramelised shallots and a fine foam infused with smoked duck. To accompany the food, the establishment proffers its striking wine list with exclusive wines from around the world. Among the finest in Monaco.

Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse

Le Louis XV, featuring the acclaimedFrench chef Alain Ducasse, is a fantasy world of modern elegance sited in the Hôtel Paris of Monte Carlo. And, according to the leading international critics, a restaurant which has achieved culinary perfection. The interior design – including a fascinating chandelier with over 800 uniquely different pieces of crystal – is a display of exquisite luxury paying tribute to the “dolce vita” of the Riviera, a place for which Ducasse has always confessed his passion. And, he reiterates that homage through his cuisine, in which the products, flavours and colours of the Côte d’Azur converge. Their fish is fresh from the dockside auction, while the herbs, spices and vegetables are sourced locally and in season. This traditional approach to the product is offset by the avant-garde technique, endowing dishes with freshness and modernity.

Elsa

Contemporary flavours from the French Riviera crafted with local, seasonal produce (the menu changes each season) which is, first and foremost, organically produced, a fact which led the establishment to become the first restaurant with a 100% bio certificate in accordance with European standards. A Michelin one-star, Elsa has earned its place among the culinary elite thanks to the talent and creativity of chef Paolo Sari. Three different tasting menus are available.

Book your Vueling to Nice, just half an hour away from Monaco, and bring out your gourmet streak in one of these excellent restaurants.

Text by Laia Zieger of Gastronomistas.com

Just 50 kilometres from one of France’s most widely visited landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel, and very near another de rigueur tourist resort, Saint-Malo, lies Cancale, which guards a very special culinary secret. This small town in Brittany boasts what are considered to be the best oysters in France. Some even dare to claim they are the best in the world. Whatever their actual rating, the oysters of Cancale are clearly world famous and it is worth making a stopover just to try them.

The Romans are said to have been the first to discover the fine quality of the oysters here, while centuries later, Louis XIV and Napoleon counted them among their favourites, and no wonder! Just as wine is a reflection of the earth that nurtures the grapes it is made from, the quality of this prized mollusc is determined by the place where it is found. It transpires that this stretch of coastline in Brittany is endowed with excellent nutrients, which would account for their special flavour.

Cancale, where fishing has been the major source of income for centuries, has now been given over to oyster cultivation. Your visit will take you to see the oyster rafts and, even more impressively, the ritual of harvesting. A word of warning, though – the success of this display will depend on the state of the tides, so take this into account when planning your trip. Should this not be enough for you, and assuming you would like to gain expertise in the matter, be sure to visit the Ferme Marine de Cancale, an exhibition area where you can boost your knowledge of these prized molluscs and learn about the “Gardeners of the Sea”.

However, Cancale is not only a place to learn about oyster culture, but to taste their exquisite huîtres (oysters), too. In the harbour, next to the Pointe des Crolles lighthouse, you will find a number of stalls where you can get your hands on a good helping of these small delicacies and savour them right there on the beach. There are many prices and types – flat oysters are the most highly valued – and, optionally, you can also squeeze lemon juice on them and ask for them to opened.

If you prefer to eat the oysters or other sea delights more comfortably seated, there are several restaurants along the esplanade where you can indulge in this pleasure, and a generous helping of seafood is reasonably priced. A classic to order is mussels and chips, a traditional dish in the area.

For those seeking quite another gastronomic experience and who have a sizeable current account, this is the land of the acclaimed chef, Olivier Roellinger. Very near Cancale, the Château Richeux houses Le Coquillage, a magnificent restaurant which bears out, day after day, just why it was awarded three Michelin stars – which Roellinger turned down, incidentally – and why his cuisine continues to be exquisite. And – you guessed it – the splendid oysters of Cancale are on the menu.

So, now that you have scoped the spot where the best oysters in France (and the world) are said to be cultivated, it’s time to book your Vueling to Rennes – less than an hour’s drive from Cancale – and treat yourself to that exquisite delicacy.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by Julien Barrier, sam.romilly

By Ferran Imedio from Gastronomistas

Nancy Albrecht, who was born and bred in Berlin and, as the marketing manager at a luxury hotel, knows everything that’s going on in the German capital, tells us that what is happening here in gastronomy is “crazy”. With a new places opening every weekend, she does’nt know where to start, because what is on offer is ever more overwhelming, as vast as the city itself. 

“What has happened here food-wise over the last three or four years is incredible. Incredible“, confirms Matthias Diether, one of the city’s most renowned and youngest chefs.

We had heard that in these parts that something was going on in the German capital. We wanted to see for ourselves, so a few days ago we travelled to Berlin to get to know a city that is ‘on fire’ gastronomically. We went in search of places that were trendy, good and nice to look at (and several of them cheap), like the Bread & Butter trade show to be held from 14 to 16 January. Our base of operations was the Wyndham Grand Berlin Hotel, a modern establishment, well located (about 500 metres from Postdamer Platz), clean and with impeccable service.

TIM RAUE

One restaurant definitely not to be missed is the Tim Raue. A worthy example of a Michelin two star restaurant in one of the most centrall districts (in the Kreuzberg neighbourhood, a few metres from the historic Checkpoint Charlie). The suggestion may surprise you because you’ll think that an establishment so recommended by the bible of gastronomy will be very expensive and luxurious, but when I tell you there’s a three course set lunch for €38, things change, right? And with no etiquette or ceremony. The winelist offers 500 wines, many of them quite affordable, with prices starting from €28.

Tim Raue is a modern, pleasant place frequented by famous Berliners. So many come here that taking photos has been banned to protect the intimacy of celebrities.

And why do they go there? For its fusion Asian cuisine, always light, a marvel playing with aromas, hot spices, sweet flavours… Exoticism passed through the filter of a German who knows to how connect with the Western palate. Squaring the circle. Its cuisine is well rounded, always with some hot spice (not too much, just enough to be enjoyable), some sweetness (fruit) and some sharpness. And never any bread, potatoes, rice or pasta, so as not to detract from the symphony of flavours in each of its dishes. This makes it unique in Germany.

If you go there and your budget doesn’t stretch to the taster menus (from €118 to €168) but can stand the lunch menu (three dishes for €38; four for €48, five for €58 and six for €68), don’t miss the Cantonese style shrimp with mango, carrot and wasabi mayonnaise. Or duck reinterpreted on one of its variations: foie gras, broth, breast on waffle, or leek and apple. Unbeatable. Closed on Sunday and Monday. The rest of the week the kitchen is open from 12:00 noon to 2 pm and from 7 pm to 9 pm.
Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse, 26.

LA SOUPE POPULAIRE

How to convert a brewery into a restaurant. The ubiquitous Tim Raue knows how. You’ll find it done here with a radical industrial design: iron beams, cement, bare bricks in the walls… 

The menu is based on softened, modernised versions of German recipes. The Königsberger Klopse is a meatball originally accompanied with mashed potato, capers and a butter and flour sauce. Here it is the same, but much lighter, not overpowering as you would expect from such ingredients. The cod with vegetables and citrus touches, and the beef and vegetable broth, are well worth the visit.

Open Thursday to Saturday, from 12 noon to 11 pm. Average price between €30 and €40.
Prenzlauer Allee, 24

KATZ ORANGE

You’ll have to look for it because it’s hard to find. It is in the inner courtyard of a block of flats. This is a charming old brewery, built in the late 19th century, that stopped producing beer and is now a most welcoming, modern restaurant.

The light, international dishes, with a touch of sophistication, are made with organic produce. We really liked the salad with goose pâté, the beetroot broth and the salmon with mashed potato and marinated quince.

The taster menu costs €50 for four dishes (€25 more with wine) and €60 for five dishes (€30 more with wine). A la carte is around €40.

Open Monday to Saturday, from 6 pm to 11 pm. It has two floors with a cocktail bar on the ground floor.
Bergstrasse, 22

SAGE

While the DJ spins tunes (club and disco – no classical music because this is a superdiscofashion venue) you go on dining. Sage is considered one of the coolest venues in Europe. When the good weather arrives, it opens a ‘beach’ by the river, with sand and sun loungers where you can enjoy views of the river to the opposite side: on the other bank you can see the East Side Gallery, a long stretch of the Wall painted by graffiti artists from all over the world.

Here, in what was an old loom, they serve uncomplicated, contemporary international cuisine: pizza, soup, meat… Average price between €35 and €40. There are special menus with three dishes (€35), four dishes (€42) and seven dishes (€69). Ah, and of you’re a smoker, there’s a space reserved for you… And it’s covered.
Köpenicker Strasse, 18-20

CAFE AM NEUEN SEE

A must for anyone who likes spots that are quiet, bucolic, romantic even (if you go at night, there are those candles, those little lights by a lake in the Tiergarten, one of Berlin’s big parks). It gets full at weekends because the setting is so nice. Open every day from 9 am (they have a huge range of breakfasts) until midnight and beyond. The menu has simple, international dishes like pasta, pizza, soups, etc. But there is also German food. All products are local. If you’d like to have a drink at night, there are no cocktails but they do serve beer, soft drinks, spirits and liquors.

Lichtensteinallee, 2

COOKIES CREAM

The city’s fashionable vegetarian restaurant. “It’s Berlin”, sums up Diether, our spontaneous guide on this getaway. “It’s in a hidden away spot, where you’d never expect to find a restaurant. And when you walk in you see all kinds, from punks to people wearing suits and ties”.

Hidden away means next to the trade door of the neighbouring five star hotel. It’s an ugly door, with just a chandelier, suggesting there’s something different here, as a clue that you’re on the right track. The premises are a building that includes a restaurant (Cookies Cream, on the first floor), a disco (Cookies, on the ground floor) and a cocktail bar (Draytone, next door). So you’ve just finished your dinner (a three course menu with a starter, main and dessert, drinks not included, costs €36) and now you can enter the disco free of charge.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, evenings only.
Behrenstrasse, 55

CURRY 36

Its name makes it quite clear what to expect here. Curry is king. But, only applied to sausages of all kinds and chicken. Nothing else. They put it on the sausages, on the chips that go with them, in the ketchup… It’s a simple take away (you can also eat at high tables in the street, sheltered by an awning) but it’s always full of Berliners hooked on its way of preparing the hot dog and its variants, and on its prices that start from €1.20. Open every day from 9 am to 5 pm. If you don’t fancy this idea, right next to it there are similar places offering pizza and Chinese food.

Mehringdamm, 36

MUSTAFA

Berliners love this little Turkish place. They travel kilometres to get to this street kiosk next to the entrance to Mehringdamm underground station and to try its shawarma. It’s famous for its queues. We went at 11:30 am an it took us 30 minutes, but friends in the city tell us that at busy times you can wait for up to two hours. 

The portions are huuuuuge, tasty and spicy hot (just enough). They have golden brown chicken with vegetables, sauces and spices Prices are between €2.80 and €4.30.
Open week days from 10 am to 2 am, and weekends from 11 am to 5 pm.
Mehringdamm, 34

THE CASUAL BY PACO PÉREZ

Inside the Das Stue luxury hotel there are two restaurants by Paco Pérez,:the outstanding Cinco, with a Michelin star, and the The Casual, based on Spanish tapas. They are separated by a curtain. The famous restaurant’s taster menu is priced at €140 (€230 with drinks) and the price at The Casual is between €35 and €50.

There are unforgettable tapas like the Galician octopus on mashed potato with caramelized onions (the delicious sauce is paprika-based), the Iberian ham croquettes and spicy garlic shrimp with a perfect poached egg. There are also non-Spanish dishes, like steak tartar with truffled egg yolk and Chinese brioche (filled with Iberian rib pork).
The greatest care is taken over the quality of the ingredients to the point where the fish is brought to Berlin from Catalonia . 
The Casual never closes (the kitchen is open from 12 noon to 3 pm and from 6 pm to 11 pm). On Friday and Saturday nights there is live music or a DJ.
Drakestrasse, 1

BAR RAVAL

In Kreuzberg, one of the city’s most exciting areas, it is owned by Daniel Brühl. It serves tapas, including its unbeatable chicken and ham croquettes (look out Joselito) and cod fritters. There ate hot, cold and speciality tapas, and dishes of the week. And on the first Monday of each month there is paella for 40 people. A real party.

If you stay the night you can try from their list of gin tonics (not a usual drink in Berlin), added recently with 30 types of gin and 3 types of tonic.

Daniel Brühl is not always there because of his acting commitments, but this place is not just another investment for him, he really loves it. An example: he bought the syphon bottles that decorate the room from Barcelona’s Encants market and he also bought the traditional floor tiles in Barcelona. 

Open from 5 pm to 11 pm (weekends to midnight and later). Weekends in April to October from midday. Average price between €20 and €25. If you’re going for a weekend it’s better to book through their website a week in advance because it’s always full.
Ah, and if you go to the Bread & Butter trade fair, look out for them because they will have their own space. This year they will serve tapas and Spanish tortillas.
Lübbener Strasse, 1

FIRST FLOOR

If you want to give yourself an even bigger treat and you don’t mind digging deep in your pocket, check out First Floor, naturally enough on the first floor of the Palace Hotel. While the décor is elegant and classic, the kitchen is run by a chef who has fun with his staff and with his food, Matthias Diether. I’d call him Matthias Donald Duck Diether because his duck dishes are incredible. You’ll have to cough up at least €109 (a four-course menu, with six starters and two desserts included, but there are also menus at €129 and €159), but it’s worth it because eating there is great fun. Modern dishes based on French haute cuisine. 

The colourful presentation plays with textures, each ingredient being served in different versions on the same plate, always with a visual artistic touch. And the taste. The dish called Duck Through and Through is a must: pâté, ham, broth, breast, chutney… Breathtaking! But the crab from Australia and the halibut are also very good

Ah, and one other thing. The wine selection is unbelievable, infinite. There are 1,500 wines. They are in a winelist that the waiters call the ‘Bible’. Some are so good you’ll feel you’ve been in the divine presence.
Budapester Strasse, 45

STREET STALL

And if your budget runs low you can always grab a hot dog for €1.50 at a street stall like the one in the photo. You can see why it’s so cheap, when to sell a sandwich all you need is an umbrella and a hotplate, some sausages, mustard and ketchup. The one you see in the photo was in front of the cathedral, but they sell them for €1.35 in Alexanderplatz. You can’t beat that!

CAFÉ GIPFELTREFFEN

A trendy, cozy spot in the heart of the Kreuzberg district. You go in and feel like you’re in your living room. Simple warm decoration, windows onto the street, quiet background music… Ideal on cold rainy/snowy days.

Here you can order light meals like sandwiches and salads, and enjoy drinks, cold (juices, beer, wine, cocktails, spirits, water) or hot (tea, coffee), while you relax listening to music, chatting quietly with friends (even better with your partner) or reading a book.
After 6 pm it changes from a modern welcoming café into a restaurant with international cuisine cooked with local ingredients. Open every day from 9 am to midnight, and weekends from 10 am to midnight and later.
Görlitzerstrasse, 68

WYNDHAM GRAND BERLIN

 And why not eat at a hotel? Where I stayed, the Wyndham Grand Berlin, is a safe bet, and not just because it’s a great BBB (Bedroom with Bathroom and Breakfast) at a good price. The breakfast has a variety and quality that many top class hotels would be proud of, while the elegant restaurant, called The Post, offers really good Mediterranean cuisine (including gazpacho and Catalan-style grilled vegetable salad) at an average price of €25. Salads, pasta, pizzas, meats, fish… For lunch from 12 noon to 3 pm and in the evening from 6 pm to 10:30 pm.

Hallesche Strasse, 10

Makes you want to go, right? Do it! Check out our prices here!

Some of Vienna’s luxury hotels set about revealing their sweetest side by creating signature cakes to tempt us. In so doing, they became part of one the city’s most firmly rooted traditions, namely that of Viennese cafés and their fine confectionery. Here, then, are some of the venues where you can enjoy these delicious, exclusive creations.

Hotel Sacher Vienna – The Sacher Torte

Who here has not yet tried the Sacher Torte? But, do you know the origin of this popular Viennese cake? Franz Sachercreated this marvel in 1832 while working as an apprentice chef in the household of Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich. This spongy chocolate cake with homemade apricot jam and chocolate topping was so successful that it became one of Vienna’s classics. Eduard, Franz Sacher’s son, opened the Hotel Sacher Vienna, where the original recipe has been jealously guarded until our times. The hotel currently sells over 360,000 “sacher-tortes” each year – a third of them are eaten on the premises; another third are delivered to sales outlets and the remaining third is sent to customers around the world.

Hotel Imperial – The Imperial Torte

Like the sacher-torte, the Imperial Torte has a long history under its belt. In 1873, a young apprentice cook created this recipe in honour of Emperor Franz Josef I to mark the inauguration of the Hotel Imperial. This cake, made up of several layers of almond paste filled with chocolate and marzipan and covered in a chocolate glaze, provides the ideal excuse for visiting this magnificent hotel and indulging in the tasty treat. And, for those who would like to relive the experience or are unable to travel to Vienna, there is always the option to order it online.

Grand Hotel Vienna - The Grand Guglhupf

The confectionery delight which lies behind the Grand Hotel Vienna is their Grand Guglhupf cake. While the recipe is a closely guarded secret, we know it contains butter, sugar, flour and eggs and that the flourish is provided by red wine and cinnamon. Should you be unable to drop in on the fabulous hotel café, located on the Kärntner Ring, you can order it online here.

Ritz-Carlton Vienna – The Ritz-Carlton Cake

In 2014, the luxury Ritz-Carlton created its own signature cake, of which the main ingredients are an exquisite blend of dark chocolate with bursts of orange. You can savour it at the Ritz-Carlton Vienna, situated on the Ringstrasse, or in any of the 85 other hotels in the chain scattered around the world.

Do & Co Hotel Vienna – The Domspitz Cake

The Do & Co Hotel Vienna, located on the Stephansplatz, created the exquisite Domspitz cake inspired no less than by one of the city’s landmarks, St Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom). This chocolate cake with poppy seeds, filled with damson jam coated in chocolate, is sold in a triangular box designed to resemble the roof tiles on the Cathedral.

Vienna Marriott Hotel – The Ringstrasse Cake

At the Vienna Marriott Hotel they also decided to pay tribute to one of the city’s most emblematic

places, the Ringstrasse. This popular avenue features a major architectural complex characterised by its historicist style which is regarded as one of Vienna’s major attractions. The Ringstrasse cake is a combination of sponge cake with raw marzipan, bits of candied orange and hazelnut nougat – a delight on the palate!

Boutique Hotel Altstadt Vienna – The Otto Torte

If only for its unique interior design, it is well worth heading for the city’s Seventh District to visit the Hotel Altstadt Vienna. If to this you add their delicious chocolate cake known as the Otto Torte, crafted by the famous television chef, Sarah Wiener, a successful visit is guaranteed.

Treat yourself to a delicious cake experience – secure your Vueling and travel to Vienna!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación