Services 1 — Team Janice Lee

Foodie Janice

Maison Boulu

We chose Maison Boulud as our last dinner in Montréal since we were taking an early train to Quebec City the following day. The restaurant is located in the Ritz-Carlton, and it's huge, including a bar and lounge and two private dining rooms. It was packed on that Friday night! We ordered their nine-course tasting menu and asked to be seated in the quieter section of the indoor dining room by the French doors overlooking the patio dining area.
Maison Boulud offers the cuisine of a chef deeply rooted in French tradition, yet inspired by decades of experience in New York City. Daniel Boulud, a native of Lyon, France, is considered one of America’s leading culinary authorities and one of the most revered chefs in New York, his home since 1982. He has continually evolved his cuisine and expanded his reach to Canada—with restaurants in Montréal and Toronto—as well as across the United States, the Bahamas, Singapore, Riyadh, and Dubai.
Chef Daniel’s approach remains a soulful reinterpretation of French classics, steeped in rich culinary tradition and inspired by the rhythm of the seasons.
The nine-course tasting menu was served at a perfect pace, and our server was friendly and attentive. Everyone at the restaurant seemed to be having a great time. We certainly did!

Europea

Europea is one of the three Michelin one-star restaurants in Montréal. The restaurant’s décor is striking, with bold artwork. We had their deluxe set menu for lunch. All the dishes were beautifully presented and tasty, but they all felt “pre-made” with no real “wow” factor. It was a nice lunch break, but we did not feel that it deserved one star.

Mastard

Mastard was located quite far from our hotel, the Ritz-Carlton in the downtown area. Following a major renovation last year and now equipped with a new minimalist décor that highlights natural materials, the restaurant is chic and can accommodate about 50 diners. The five-course tasting menu was offered to everyone (with one optional add-on). The dishes were definitely hyper-imaginative, seasonal, and delicious. Brian and I both had the refreshing zero-proof wine pairing. We can see why Mastard was among the three Montréal restaurants that have earned a One Michelin Star award!

Toqué

Toqué! was our first culinary adventure during this five-day trip to the Québec region in Canada! Although it did not earn any Michelin stars, it was definitely one of my favorites on this trip.

With a permanent spot on Montréal’s best restaurant list, Chef-owner Normand Laprise has built his restaurant on a passion and commitment to showcasing Québec’s local and seasonal ingredients since 1993.
He truly deserved — and just received — the Icon Award from North America’s 50 Best Restaurants for his legacy in promoting Québec cuisine in 2025!

Brian and I enjoyed meeting him, touring his beautifully designed kitchen and amazing wine cellar, and receiving the gift of his signed cookbook. The beautiful and delightful dishes, along with the exceptional service, made our meal at Restaurant Toqué! very memorable. There’s a reason this restaurant has been part of Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants since 2015!

Hilda and Jesse

This was an easy choice after my extensive research; Brian hates the traditional big-spread brunches. There are limited Michelin-starred restaurants open for lunch on Sundays in San Francisco, so when I came across Hilda and Jesse's site on the Michelin pages, it immediately caught my eye!
First, the name of the restaurant was unique—it came from the grandparents of the co-owners: Ollie Liedag’s grandmother and Rachel Sillcocks’s grandfather—Hilda and Jesse—honoring their roots while pushing culinary boundaries.
Offering what may well be the Bay Area’s most creative and ambitious take on brunch, this casual spot located in the charming North Beach neighborhood was such a delight for Brian's birthday celebration on the day of! The hospitality was cheery and warm, and every "traditional" brunch dish had a creative interpretation. Everything was beautifully presented—a total riot of flavors mixed with stellar ingredients—and every course was equal parts unexpected and undeniably satisfying. We even had the playful non-alcoholic pairing with the tasting menu.
This was probably one of the most unconventional, casual-yet-fine Michelin dining experiences we have had over the decades!

BENU

I decided to recreate a similar, unforgettable two-day culinary indulgence we had back in 2015 — ten years ago — in San Sebastián, Spain, for Brian's birthday. So, I booked four Michelin-starred restaurants (dinner/lunch/dinner/lunch) for our three-day weekend on June 1st in San Francisco!
The hardest to book was Benu — the first restaurant in San Francisco to receive three Michelin stars in 2014, and they have maintained that distinction for eleven consecutive years!
Benu is an oasis in the center of the city. You are welcomed into the dining room through a courtyard where you’ll see many large ceramic jars used by Chef Corey Lee to make his own soy sauce through a traditional fermentation process that takes years to perfect.
Benu only serves the chef’s tasting menu, and we opted for the non-alcoholic pairing with the meal. Corey Lee’s ultra-precise approach to Asian cuisine — especially Korean flavors rooted in French technique — is showcased in all the delicate bites, such as the exemplary lobster coral xiao long bao: a tissue-thin-skinned soup dumpling plumped with lobster meat and lobster consommé, resembling a small, crimped water balloon.
There were seven small delicacies (amuse-bouche) served before the xiao long bao — the first course — and it was one wow after another.
Brian was absolutely delighted when he was given a wooden music box to play “Happy Birthday” before receiving his special birthday cake!

Kato

It seems like our children love to pick Kato for their birthday celebrations... We were here for Ryan and Cory's birthdays, and this time for Ruthann's 45th!
Chef Jonathan Yao is on a mission, deftly drawing on his Taiwanese background to deliver inspired, bold dishes. We can really see, smell, and taste that Chef Jon continues to grow and perfect his tasting menu, paired with one of the most inventive zero-proof beverage programs in the city!
There were two "add-ons" on the tasting menu: one was the cruller, or youtiao—Jon's interpretation of a classic Taiwanese breakfast dish—and the other was red-braised beef, or niurou mian, the most popular beef noodle dish among all Chinese!
We decided to add both dishes to the original tasting menu, and everyone's favorite was the youtiao!
With Jon's creativity and the team's impeccable service, it's easy to see why Kato has earned the top slot on the Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants and a "One to Watch" distinction from the World’s 50 Best.
We shall be back!

Providence

Brian decided to celebrate this year's Valentine at Providence, a Michelin 2 star staple in Los Angeles. This is our 1st time back after their complete renovation and we both loved it much more than the old setups and decor! The striking blue-greens and warm sand tones present a serene atmosphere. Purity and precision are the underpinnings of Chef Michael Cimarusti's California cooking, inspired by flavors from Asia and the Mediterranean. We truly enjoyed every dish on the tasting menu; you can taste the freshness and quality of all the seafood dishes, but we liked the A5 wagyu with morel mushrooms just as much! An unforgettable Valentine dinner indeed.

La Mer

We selected La Mer for our 27th anniversary dinner, as it has been our most cherished restaurant in Honolulu during the years Mom lived here for 17 years! We have countless photographs with Mom and wonderful moments shared at this establishment. This was our first return to Honolulu in over eight years, since I took Mom back to California in March 2016... We were delighted to be seated in our familiar spot with the stunning ocean view. The same manager and executive chef greeted us warmly, and everything felt wonderfully familiar-like reuniting with an old friend.
La Mer is Hawaii’s longest consecutive AAA Five Diamond and Forbes 5-Star restaurant. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious fine dining restaurants on Oahu, with ocean views capturing the romance and elegance of Halekulani. Tranquil, graceful, and refined, La Mer epitomizes superlative fine dining, with an internationally acclaimed menu that features local and tropical ingredients in dishes inspired by flavors from the south of France. We shall be back!

Mugen

We decided to celebrate our 27th anniversary in Honolulu this year!
Our 1st anniversary weekend dinner was at a restaurant so highly rated that we had to save another amazing restaurant for our next visit, given our short stay.
Mugen is an award-winning fine dining concept that is elevating Hawaii’s status as a destination for culinary travel. It is part of ESPACIO The Jewel of Waikiki. The talented, rising star chef Colin Sato at this Forbes Five-Star-rated fine dining restaurant curated a five-course dinner menu highlighting hyper-seasonal and local ingredients, where every dish tells a story and every sip is a celebration. Brian and I enjoyed incredible wine pairings with different choices of dishes from their extensive award-winning wine collection, honored with the Wine Spectator "Best Of" Award. We were so glad to have made the choice of coming to Mugen as our welcome dinner!
The manager, Wes, gave us a tour of the spectacular full-floor suites of ESPACIO after dinner. Definitely a possible alternative to the Kahala for our future visits!

71 Above

It's no secret that 71 Above is one of our favorite local places to dine. We have always wanted to try their chef's table experience but never made the reservation early enough to get in! We finally did it, and it was as good as we expected!
The canape chawanmushi was presented so creatively, the ricotta dumplings were perfectly balanced with the summer truffle and Parmigiano Reggiano! The grilled prawns with the summer succotash and yuzu kosho were delicious. And the A5+ wagyu with kimchi and shiso was outstanding! Of course, Brian LOVED the honey peach sabayon... thank you, Chef Javier!

n/nala

After the big family b-day celebration at Redbird on Father's Day, I wanted an intimate, quiet dinner with just Brian at my favorite restaurant in town—n/naka on the actual date!

This is our 1st visit after Niki reopened on Friday, May 17, 2024, after a six-week temporary closure. This was n/naka's first major interior overhaul since opening 13 years ago. The space has been reimagined to resemble a Japanese tea garden infused with California culture.

I appreciate the chef, Niki Nagayama, and her sous chef and life partner, Carole Iida's
interpretations of Kaiseki. The traditional Japanese culinary art form reflects the ever-changing rhythms of the earth by taking the freshest seasonal ingredients and presenting them in their most natural states.
It was a beautiful way to celebrate and see my old friend, Chef Niki. I felt we have grown and aged gracefully together in the past 13 years!

We celebrated brian's Birthday in Sonoma County this year! Single Thread, a Michelin 3-stars restaurant, and one of the only 2 restaurants in the US that made the top 50 in the world in 2024, was the reason that brought us to Healdsburg. Single Thread was more than a restaurant, it's a farm, a restaurant and a boutique inn! It was a magical weekend!

We had the birthday dinner at "The" restaurant on Sat, June 1st. It was definitely a WOW experience provided by Chef/Owner Kyle Connaughton for the 10-course omakase. The menu begins, unforgettably, with a botanical landscape interspersed with impeccable first bites, serving to introduce the meal’s central themes: impeccable ingredients, precise, artistic presentation, and pure, harmonious flavors. Chef Kyle's interpretation and execution of the kaiseki-influenced cuisine were in a class of its own, and simply unique and exceptional.

The Friday dinner after we checked into the inn was a pre-ordered hot pot donabe dinner that was served partly at the rooftop garden, and partly at the private den! The dishes were as beautiful as they were tasty!

The breakfast experience for both Saturday and Sunday was unforgettable, too! One can "taste" and "feel" the care and thoughts from Chef Kyle and his wife, the head farmer, Katina Connaughton, who truly utilize their nearby 24-acre farm to provide much of the bounty prepared in the kitchen; and the couple’s time in Japan informs the restaurant’s ethos, from every single dish to the practice of omotenashi, a spirit of wholehearted hospitality. It was a truly relaxed and awesome weekend!

Bistro Na's

This was Bistro Na's most recent collaboration with another Michelin-starred restaurant, Camphor in DTLA's Art District on 4/26/24. We are patrons of both restaurants but were pleasantly surprised since all the dishes were either presented differently or not on either restaurant's regular menu! Our favorite from Camphor was the rock lobster crudo while the beef Wellington from Bistro Na was definitely the winner! This was our 2nd collaboration dinner we attended at Bistro Na, and we look forward to many more!

Kato Restaurant

This is our 2nd visit to Kato; we celebrated our son Ryan's birthday when they moved to the new polished confines of the Row in DT back in 2022. This time, we are celebrating our son Cory's birthday! Chef Jon Yao received his 1st Michelin star in early 2021 at his original West LA strip mall location and continued to grow and perfect his creative tasting menu. The self-taught chef started his cooking career at age 24 and has been perfecting the Taiwanese flavors of his childhood through the seafood-focused offerings inspired by Jon's family recipes and the food he ate growing up in the San Gabriel Valley! It was an amazing, unique tasting experience, especially with the alcohol-free flight pairing!

HUACA

My trusted local ambassador in Lima, Fernando, had recommended a special restaurant with a renowned archaeological site called Huaca Pucllana in the neighborhoods of San Isidro and Miraflores. Since I was counting on sharing it with Brian, it was booked for Tuesday night, 3/26… this restaurant is mostly outdoors, with views of a pre-Incan stepped pyramid! Ancient ruins in the heart of big cities are always fascinating to me, even though the food was not as interesting as some of my other adventures.

La Mar

Fernando took us to a local favorite, La Mar, for lunch on 3/27. The place is so popular that a line had already formed before they opened at noon! It's a very "happy" dining hall with an impressive seafood bar!

Mish Kina

On Mon 3/25, I had Amazon cuisine for the 1st time in my life for lunch! Mish Kina had an atrium room with colorful murals of the jungle. The chonta salad made from a base of delicately shredded palm hearts was so delicate and delicious. The taperiba drink was also very interesting. The fruit is also known as mango ciruelo, but not quite the mango flavor. Again, delicate and delicious. My main dish was a huge fish called paiche, the cod of the amazon! What a treat!

Cala Restaurante

For dinner, I was driven a bit further away from the San Isidro district. Cala Restaurante is by the ocean, and I asked for the terrace on the 2nd floor, which is quieter with a nice, different scenery. I tried their version of the ceviche, just as good as the one I had for lunch yesterday. Then the razor clams was out of this world! I decided to treat myself with their version of the cheesecake for desert, and it was YUMMY!

Pescados Capitales

My restaurant experiences in Lima starded with the best ceviche in my life for lunch as my 1st adventure at Pescados Capitales, with the help on a nice waiter who spoke perfect English! My local ambassador translator recommended Osaka, a high-end fine dining chain outlet offering fusion Peruvian cuisine! There were a mess up with my reservation, but I was able to be seated after 20 minutes of wait. The GM waited on me personally and offered me their best dishes! And for dinner.

Osaka

Osaka is one of the most popular high-end, fine dining chains offering fusion Peruvian cuisine in San Isidro, Peru! There was a mix-up with the reservation, but the general manager served me personally at the end, and recommended all their signature dishes to me, a delightful feast!

The Talented Gaggan Anand - A Grand Finale!

Gaggan Anand was the world's 50 Best Restaurant 2023. The Michelin two-star restaurant offers a total experience in all your 5 senses! Molecular gastronomy, cutting-edge equipment, complex techniques, and global influences from the international kitchen team all play a part in the creation of the set menu, including the matching drinks that focus heavily on natural and biodynamic bins, predominantly from Europe. Seating for 14 only. Unforgettable, as the last dinner in our 30 days SE Asia trip!

A Magical Night at "Half-Moon" - Mezzaluna!

Mezzaluna is a 2-star Michelin restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. It's perched on the 65th floor of State Tower and offers sky-high breathtaking river views, which reminded us of one of our favorite spots at home, 71 and above. Chef Ryuki Kawasaki has led the team and retained their two Michelin stars for 6 years in a row....He combines premium Japanese ingredients with classic French cooking techniques, and his philosophy is simple: When you start with the finest ingredients in the world, you don't need to do much to make them shine! Our "autumn" seven-course tasting menu certainly was a total delight!

Modern German Cuisine in Bangkok

The twin chefs Matthias and Thomas are the chefs and owners of this two Michelin stars restaurant offering modern German tasting menus influenced by family recipes, childhood memories, and travels. Suhring showcases each dish expertly with traditional German techniques, the chefs' journey & excellence; we dined at a restored 1979's villa; it was simply a memorable experience, especially after a long chat with the chefs in the kitchen!

A Beautiful Setting in the Riverside Resort

This Michelin-recommended restaurant is located in the 5-star luxury Cross Chiang Mai Riverside Resort. The Oxygen Dining Room is nestled within the expansive glasshouse, overlooking the serene Ping River. The French and Thai fusion cuisines offered dishes that were presented in very playful and artistic ways; we thoroughly enjoyed what the set menu had to offer.

Great Meal with Live Piano Music!

We stayed at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal in the city center of Phnom Penh, and totally enjoyed their fine dining room with a live piano performer! The service was impeccable; we had the chef's tasting menu, and Brian definitely enjoyed drinking from the Jeroboam of the XO before dessert! Yes, the size matters, the liquor tasted much richer!

Eat in Saigon - Anan!

Anan (means eat in Vietnamese!) Saigon is the 1st and only restaurant receiving the one-star Michelin in Ho Chi Minh City! This little gem is in a very narrow building that has 3 stories and the rooftop. The chef-owner Peter Cuong Franklin applies modern cooking techniques to authentic street food recipes. I wanted to try their chef's tasting menu but was told that it needed to be pre-ordered when the reservation was made. Luckily, I ordered most of the dishes individually and loved them all... but the very crowded seats were a little too bustling for our taste!

Good Enough for the French President!

Le Corto in Ho Chi Minh City is run and owned by Cambodian-born Sakal Pheoung, who grew up in France's Savoie, and his menus reflect his dual heritage. Le Corto was chosen to serve dinner for the 1st French President François Hollande who visited Vietnam back in 2016. We had a 'casual' lunch at this cozy modern French restaurant; Brian LOVED the Beef Wellington and the 'cigar' dessert!

An Amazing Powerhouse

Brian and I had the most unforgettable dining experiences at 2 of Ms. Vy's restaurants and her cooking class in Hoi An, Central Vietnam. Ms. Vy is a dynamic businesswoman who owns 8 restaurants; Vy's Market Restaurant is the first fully interactive street food experience, where she recreated the atmosphere and ambiance of the local markets as she remembers them when growing up and working in her parents' restaurant as a child. I had an amazing chat with her after lunch at one of her restaurants, Morning Glory Signature. Trinh Diem Vy is truly inspirational, a petite woman who is a chef, restaurateur, author, and founder of Hoi An's 1st cooking school!

A Pleasant Welcome in Vietnam, 2023!

Gia was our 1st meal in Hanoi, Vietnam 2023! It's the only one Michelin star restaurant pursuing innovative Vietnamese cuisine, and Gia means family in Vietnamese. After checking in and being greeted on the 1st floor, we were escorted to the 'dining room' on the 2nd floor in an old charming building. The 12-course set menu changes with the seasons and is informed by Vietnamese culinary heritage. We had the 'fall' menu, and it was one delight after another. We also visited their kitchen through a 'bridge' on the 2nd floor and met the young chefs Sam Tran and his team after our main courses. Then we were seated on the 1st floor to finish our finale - fresh fruit and dessert! What a wonderful way to start our adventure in Hanoi!

The Restaurant That Opened For Us, Only!

This was the most unexpected treat of the entire trip! Our dear friend, Jess, arranged a dinner for us at a Japanese restaurant through a small Zen garden in a quiet residential neighborhood. The 3 of us were seated at the sushi bar, served by special dish after special dish with great conversation with the chef who spoke English. We were so curious as to why the restaurant was so quiet and the waitress was always by our side....then we were told it was their day off, and we were the ONLY customers there! I then understood the power of the best 'regular' customer of the restaurant was able to do! Thank you, Jess! You certainly made us feel very special!

Our Only 3 Michelin Stars In 2023's Trip - A Big Disappointment!

We were so excited to start our 30 days SE Asia trip 2023 w/the overture of a 3 Michelin stars restaurant in Taipei! So Cal has many special Chinese restaurants, but none were 3 stars! Needless to say, having the chance to try the 1st and only 3-stars restaurant in Taiwan was highly anticipated. Le Palais is located on the top floor of Palais de Chine Hotel. The sophisticated decor was a nice welcome. We were seated at a beautiful box seat, with plenty of privacy and far from the next table. All good! We ordered a few of the delicacies on the menu that appealed to us, but not their famous duck since we just had a huge family reunion dinner at a "Duck Restaurant" the night before...the dishes were all nicely presented, and tasted good, but nothing was a WOW! We were totally disappointed and actually quite puzzled as to why the restaurant even deserved a star, let alone three! Save Yourself a Trip.

Music And Food As We Continue...

We continued our anniversary celebration with music and good food. We like going to José Andrés's San Laurel for our pre-concert dinners. Our first revisit was on Sat, Oct 7th before walking across the street to enjoy one of our favorite operas, Don Giovanni. We returned four days later (requested the same seats!) on the 11th before walking over to the Disney Concert Hall for a special trio with Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Lisa Batiashvili, and Gautier Capuçon! This concluded our one-week celebration!

The Day Of ... 10/5/23

We celebrated 'day of' with one of our favorite chefs, Josef Centeno's artsy Asian-Italian Orsa & Winston in DTLA! Josef has been awarded with a Michelin star in 2019 and 2021, and was chosen as the LA Times Restaurant of the Year in 2020 during the pandemic! His nightly-changing tasting menus are always creative and amazing! I can eat here every night! 😋😘

Anniversary Celebration 'Prelude' is Better

Oct is always a special month for me. Brian and I celebrated our 26th anniversary with a few special treats! We had a "prelude" celebration at Mélisse with their season-driven prix fixe menu and wine pairings. Josiah Citrin's chic French-New American is a restaurant in a restaurant that receives a two Michelin-starred LA institution with an intimate 14-seat backstage dining room with Chef/Partner Ken Takayama. We were treated royally!

Mid-Autumn treats!

This year's Mid-Autumn falls on Friday, Sept 29th. Our family celebrated on Saturday night! And I shared some handmade, creative mooncakes with the family from two different sources, both DELICIOUS and fun! It's so important to pass on these traditional holidays' stories and food to the grandchildren! 😋😘

An old regular and a new adventure!

We are lucky to live 5 minutes away from The Langham Hotel in Pasadena! The "Royce" steakhouse is our old regular; we know we will get fresh and well-executed dishes every time!

One of the date nights in Sept 2023 with my husband. I have been reading about "The Yangban" in the Arts District, now that they have transformed into a formal restaurant from the previous casual deli, so we decided to give it a try on another date night! The modern Korean cuisine is creatively presented by husband and wife chefs Katianna and John Hong.

71Above

Wanted to feel like a "staycation" date night with hubby, so we visited one of our favorite place, 71 & above! it's nice to be reminded how spectacular LA still is, from above! and the food is always creative and delicious!

Good food, amazing wines, and dear friends!

This was a feast at longo seafood restaurant that fits for emperors and empresses! Every traditional dish was created w/a "twist" for our special group! The wine selection was simply INCREDIBLE! So honored to be invited!

We enjoyed the Kinn and Bistro Na’s special 5-course pop ups

Chefs Ki Kim (Kinn) and Tian Young (Bistro Na’s) collaborated for a one-night-only dinner on Sunday, April 9. It was our 1st time trying chef ki's dishes; I thought his crispy octopus was AMAZING! But somehow brian and I didn't feel quite satisfied after the dry aged duck, so we added the famous pan fried beef buns from Bistro Na's regular menu; we miss this dish so much since this was the 1st time we returned to the restaurant's dining room after the pandemic... these buns should only be served "eat-in" and not "take-out"; when they are eaten immediately from the chef's kitchen at the table, they are simply DIVINE!

Iki Ramen

It's no secret that I am a fan of Iki Ramen! We went to their newly opened location on Sunset Blvd. on our "date night"! The place is modern and sleek, with the same amazing omakase, and friendly service by our favorite waitress Renata! So happy for the owners, Jeff and Hanny!

San Laurel

We had 2 concerts in DTLA last weekend; Handel's Solomon opera at Dorothy Chandler Pavillion on Friday and Igor Levit's Beethoven sonatas at Disney's Concert Hall on Sunday. We originally had a reservation at Agua Viva but due to the rain, we moved to indoor dining at San Laurel, also by the talented Michelin-starre chef Jose Andres. We liked the modern Californian dishes with Spanish flair so much, we decided to come back again on Sunday!

71Above

We chose 71Above to celebrate Valentine’s this year... You just can't go wrong with the VIEW! and our friend, Alex the GM always treat us as VIPs... Definitely one of our favorite regulars!

The Stonehouse

We had dinner, breakfast, lunch, brunch at The Stonehouse in San Ysidro Ranch as part of the "package" with our favorite weekend getaway for more than a decade ... it was heaven!

Caruso’s

Caruso's' in Montecito was a pleasant surprise! It is a one-star and green star Michelin restaurant that's "hidden" in the Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort (it was hard to find!). The setting was lovely with glowing heat lamps next to every table in the semi enclosed patio area. You can hear the ocean sounds, but you can't see it past sunset (the restaurant only serves dinner). There are 2 types of tasting menus, and we picked the more elaborated one. We were very happy with our choice; the presentation and the service were 1st class, and the food was creative and delicious. We will definitely come back again when we visit Montecito/Santa Barbara!

Chinese New Year at Shanghailander Palace

The lunar new year was early this year, it was on January 22nd, 2023. We are in the year of the rabbit! Brian and I decided to celebrate 3 days in a row with family and friends this year, after 3 long years of the pandemic. We invited 11 couples on Friday the 20th for our 1st new year celebration, we had 2 tables in a private room at one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley for banquets! We had a "boy's" table and a "girls" table and we had a blast!

As you can see on the menu, we had a 12 course tasting menu consisting of dishes that represent auspiciousness and luck! Yes, it was too much food.... but SO yummy and so much fun!

HAPPY YEAR OF THE RABBIT!

Orsa & Winston

This was the perfect meal to end 2022! We went back to one of our favorite chefs/eatery- Orsa and Winston in LA after more than 2 pandemic years! We have followed Josef Centeno since Maison G and Opus before he opened Baco Mercat in 2011, one of his 4 totally different, but equally amazing restaurants in DTLA! Orsa and Winston was awarded the Times' restaurant of the year in 2020 while receiving a Michelin star in 2019, 2021 and 2022! All VERY challenging years for the restaurant industry while the world battled with the pandemic... What amazing accomplishments! To Josef and his team for a fabulous 2023!

Meteora

We visited the new Meteora by Vespertine's chef Jordan Kahn for the second time on my date night. Our first visit was back in July when they "soft opened". It's a holistic restaurant experience that takes diners on a multi-sensory journey through nature, creativity, and discovery.

Da Vittorio

Our last gourmet meal for our 2022 European trip was at Da Vittorio, a three Michelin stars restaurant run by the legendary Cerea family! The dining room is elegant without being stuffy and sumptuous without being cold. All the dishes are striking for their beautiful presentation, as well as their rich and intense flavors...it was wonderful visiting the chefs in the kitchen and had a photo taken with the "family", especially with "mama"!

Ristorante Christian E Manuel

After departing the Barolo resort, we reached the heritage rice growing plains of the Vercelli province. The Ristorante Christian E Manuel, the Michelin-starred eatery of fabled chefs, the Costardi brothers performed "magic"! We LOVED the Costardi brothers' modern interpretations of the risottos! Mum is in charge of the dining room, NOT the kitchen!

Palás Cerequio

The Michelin-Starred Chef Damiano Nigro is responsible for all the creations at Palas Cerequio's gastronomic restaurant. We stayed at this Le Langhe wine country resort from October 19th to 22nd, 2022. We loved the chef's creations so much, we had 4 consecutive dinners there! We enjoyed the white truffle to the fullest!

Vistamare Restaurant

Chef Claudio Fortuna is responsible for Vistamare, the signature restaurant of Grand Hotel Miramare where we stayed at Santa Margherita Ligure! This was our first stop in Italy during our 2022 trip, we were well pampered with both the meals and accommodations!

La Casa de Manolete

During our October 2022 trip, We had a very special lunch on the 1st day we arrived in Cordoba! La Casa de Manolete was a legendary 19th century landmark noted for its gastronomic take on classic Cordobas dishes and illustrious history which includes former home of well-loved bullfighter Manuel Rodriguez Sanchez, "Manolete" and before him the philosopher Jose Ortega y Gasset! We had a wonderful chat with the talented chef, Juanjo Ruiz and took a pic where Manolete posed when it was his home!

El Restaurante Canabota

Lunch at El Restaurante Canabota, Sevilla was simply a delight! it was so much fun sitting at the open kitchen counter, watching owner Juanlu Fernandes and his chefs preparing every dish skillfully for our tasting menu! Even though they only have one star Micheline, it was my favorite sea-food restaurant for fish in the entire 2022 Europe trip.

Aponiente

Aponiente is a three Michelin star restaurant by visionary Chef Angel Leon Gonzalez, whose "Cuisine of the Sea” has made the restaurant a culinary standout of the Andalucia region of Southern Spain. We were so glad to have the opportunity to include it on our itinerary for our 2022 trip. Our modern tasting menu was simply divine! I took a photo with all the staff who served us, and they all autographed the menu for me!

Belcanto

Belcanto, our 1st Michelin restaurant treat (2 stars!) during our 2022 Europe trip! it's a chic, wood-paneled dining room serving modern takes on Portuguese classics from Chef Jose Avillez. Brian and I were both wearing the "sleeves" when eating the desert because it's so yummy that one would forget and just wipe their mouth on the sleeve!

n/naka

Niki and I, 11 years ago when she first opened n/naka, and us now in 2022. She never ceases to surprise us, because she is always creating - a true master and she continues to shape the LA food scene! n/naka received its 1st two Michelin stars in 2019, one of only five LA restaurants that received the rating that year!

Iki Ramen

Same creative and amazing food at Iki Ramen EVERY time!

Manuela

My weekend date night with hubby.... One of our favorite outdoor dining (w/out the street noise!) Manuela in DTLA's Art District! They have the BEST, fresh vegetable dishes that taste yummy and cook just right! We have tried everything on their menu, and never get tired of them! They also has the BEST maitre’d, BIANCA! She is friendly, professional and attentive, a beautiful lady who has a good head above her shoulder!

Majordomo

Celebrating Sarah's birthday at David Chang's Majordomo! The smoked bo ssam was definitely enough for 6! Bing was the staple - We had one with cultured butter & honey and the other with eggplant dip! YUM! The GM Miguel and the lead sommelier Alyssa were always professional and friendly! So glad they are back after the pandemic!

Agua Viva

Got to try out Jose Andres’ Agua Viva at Conrad's rooftop restaurant! Completely outdoor with an incredible view of the city hall! ONLY IN LA! Great date night with Brian.

Caldo Verde

My date night with hubby.... We checked out the James Beard award-winning team of Chef Suzanne Goin's Caldo Verde - a menu based in Portuguese flavors (since we will be heading to Portugal in a couple of weeks!) at the Proper hotel tonight, and ran into the Luminex - the outdoor digital art exhibition in DTLA! Fun to see the crowd on the street (we always like to eat outdoors), but sorry, Suzanne, the food does not warrant for a 2nd visit....

Nice Chinese New Year Luncheon

My "gang" celebrated the Chinese New Year with a luncheon feast at Shanghailander Palace in Arcadia with Marylee Blaylock, Steve Aaronson, Marilyn Simon and Stella Ling in Feb. 2019!

The omakase at Iki Ramen is AMAZING! Just like their ramen!

Iki Ramen

Guy Savoy

We visit Las Vegas every 10 years... and we always have a dinner at Guy Savoy! This was a visit in Aug of 2018... We had a great chat with the executive chef and their pastry chef... The food and service always been consistently excellent - a true 3 Michelin star!

El Celler de Can Roca

In Oct 2017, we were in Gerona, Spain, and visited the Michelin 3 stars restaurant, also voted the world best restaurant in 2013, 2015 and 2018. Pictured w/ Josep Roca the 2nd brother who was in charge of the dining room and wine. Joan the oldest brother and youngest brother Jordi are in charge of the magical feast; Joan in the world of savory dishes while Jordi in the desserts. the famous "olive tree" and the "globe" were the 2 most memorable amuse-bouche!

La Chévre d’Or

"Golden Goat" is the restaurant at the 5 star hotel, Chateau De La Chèvre d'Or - a medieval castle in Eze, France. The view from the restaurant was simply amazing, the food/dessert was creative and magical! It's a 2 Michelin star restaurant, this was one of the highlights in our 2017 Europe trip!

Brian’s Bday 2017

Celebrating Brian's birthday in June 2017 at another one of our local favorite - The chef's table at The Royce at The Langham Hotel in Pasadena!

Patina

One of our many visits at one of our favorite restaurants in DTLA (especially before attending the Disney Concert Hall) in May 2017 - We miss you patina!

Alexander’s Steakhouse

One of many birthday celebrations at one of our favorite local spots - Alexander Steakhouse in Pasadena!

Vespertine

Vespertine is truly a gastronomical experience; Chef Jordan Kahn is a genius and a perfectionist! The 2 Michelin stars are well deserved. We miss going there since the pandemic... We hope it will be open again in the very near future!

Mirazur

We visited Mirazur in Menton, France in our 2017 Europe trip-- on the French Riviera with sweeping views of the Mediterranean and just a stone's throw from the Italian border. The food was exceptional and the setting was simply elegant. It has earned the #1 spot at the world's 50 best restaurant awards in 2019, while maintaining a 3 Michelin star status!

71Above

71Above is one of our favorite spot with families and friends! The view just takes your breath away! The food is quite creative and delicious- it's a staycation restaurant for us!

Arpége

Chef Alain Passard at Arpége in Paris has retained 3 Michelin stars for more than 2 decades. In 2001, Passard famously announced that Arpége - until then a meat institution' was turning vegetarian! Janice at the entry door in Oct 2017. All the vegetables arrive daily from Passard's own farms and one of the signature dishes was the autumnal ravioli trio w/amber consomme. I can still recall the taste!

Disfrutar

Our lunch was more than 3 hours at Disfrutar, Barcelona in 2017... It was a pure enjoyment every minute of it! Pictured w/our host and one of the 3 el bulli alums who serve the most playful, sensual cuisine! There was a 10 mins break at their garden before numerous deserts were served! A 2 Michelin stars restaurant that was ranked #5 in the world's 50 best restaurants 2021

The French Laundry

Our visit to The French Laundry in June 2017 after their long-waited reopening in April 2015!

Waku Ghin

A 2 Michelin star restaurant since 2010 at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. It's the brainchild of chef Tetsuya Wakuda, known for his skill in combining fresh produce with French culinary arts and Japanese-style presentation. During our 2016 Asia trip, We sat at the private "chef's table" with a mother/daughter couple from Dubai and indulged ourselves in the omakase chef's menu, a culinary voyage through the different seasons and regions of Japan.

Restaurant Andre

The culinary philosophy of premiere chef Andre Chiang, whose restaurant Andre was in the top 50 world' best restaurants list when we visited Singapore in 2016. The restaurant was opened on October 10th, 2010 and closed on February 15th, 2018. He gave up his Michelin stars in Singapore and moved back to Taiwan to train the next generation of chefs. He is the only Chinese-born chef ever named in the world's 50 best restaurants in the list's inception in 2002.

Visited Joel Robuchon in Singapore, October 2016

Martin Berasategui Restaurant

We had the pleasure of visiting Martin Berasategui Restaurant in San Sebastian in our 2015 Europe trip! The restaurant was opened in 1993, the great chef Berasategui has been winning awards and has become the chef with the most Michelin stars in Spain and 3rd most in the world!

Arzak

Another memorable Michelin 3 stars restaurant: Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain. Pictured with "Dad" Juan Mari Arzak Arratibel in 2015, considered to be one of the great masters of new Basque cuisine. "Daughter" Elena was named best female chef in the world 2012. The unforgettable "ocean" dish was served on an i-pad with the ocean sounds and movements.