Updated 27 May 2014

This is where you can find my dining, drinking, and dish bucket lists along with the reviews that got the particular places on the rolls.  If anyone has further recommendations for places to hit throughout the world, feel free to let me know at ben@beneats.com.  I’m looking for not only places that have amazing/gourmet/expensive food, but also ones offer different experiences, foods that would be different for my Western palate, places that would be considered ‘authentic’ for the area, or just your personal favorites.  If you’ve tried any of these, I’d also love to hear about them.

Dining:

• North America:
  • Canada – QC – Mont Temblant – Le Cheval de Jade [TripAdvisor – Yelp]
  • USA – CA – Sausalito – Sushi Ran [Marin Independent – TripAdvisor – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – CA – Yountville – The French Laundry [Restaurant Mag – Zagat – Yelp – TripAdvisor]
  • USA – DC – Georgetown – Citronelle [Zagat – Yelp – Washington Post]
  • USA – DC – Penn Quarter – Minibar [WP – Fearless Critic – Yelp]
  • USA – IL – Chicago – Alinea [Restaurant Mag– WSJ – Tangmesiter – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – IL – Chicago – L20 [Eater – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Per Se [Restaurant Mag – NYT – NYMag – ChowHound – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Momofuku Ko [NYT – NYMag – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Le Bernardin [Restaurant Mag – GQ – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Daniel [Restaurant Mag – GQ – Zagat – NYT]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Sushi Yasuda [NYT – NYMag – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare [GQ – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Eleven Madison Park [Restauant Mag – GQ – Zagat – Yelp]
  • USA – PA – Philadelphia – Green Eggs Cafe [Yelp]
• South America:
  • Brazil – São Paulo – D.O.M. [Restaurant Mag – TripAdvisor – ChowHound – NYTimes]
• Europe:
  • Belgium – Kruishoutem – Hof Van Cleve [Restaurant Mag – TripAdvisor]
  • Denmark – Copenhagen – Noma [Restaurant Mag – TripAdvisor – Yelp]
  • France – Paris – Pierre Gagnaire [Restaurant Mag – TripAdvisor – Yelp]
  • France – Paris – Creperie Broceliande [TripAdvisor]
  • Germany – Bergisch Gladbach – Vendôme [Restaurant Mag]
  • Greece – Santorini – Ambrosia [Restaurant Mag]
  • Italy – Modena – Osteria Francescana [Restaurant Mag]
  • Italy – Volterra – Fortezza Medicea [Mystery Fanfare – Budget Travel]
  • Italy – Piedmont – Combal.Zero [NYT – Restaurant Mag]
  • Monaco – Le Louis XV [Gastroville – TripAdvisor]
  • Netherlands – Sluis – Oud Sluis [Restaurant Mag – TripAdvisor]
  • Spain – Girona – El Celler de Can Roca [Restaurant Mag – Gastronomy]
  • Spain – San Sebastian – Arzak [Restaurant Mag – TripAdvisor, Gastronomy]
  • Spain – San Sebastian – Mugaritz [Restaurant Mag – Gourmet Traveller – TripAdvisor]
  • Sweden – Stockholm – Frantzén/Lindeberg [Restaurant Mag, Anne’s Food, TripAdvisor]
  • Switzerland – Crissier – Restaurant de L’Hotel de Ville [Docsconz, TripAdvisor]
  • UK – London – Dinner by Heston Blumenthal [Restaurant Mag, Guardian, Gotham Gal]
  • UK – Bray – The Fat Duck [Restaurant Mag, Cheese and Biscuits, Yelp]
• Africa:
  • South Africa – Cape Town – La Colombe [Restaurant Mag, Bountiful Plate, TripAdvisor]
• Australia:
  • Sydney – Quay [Restaurant Mag, Food Pornographer, Noodlies]
• Asia:
  • Japan – Tokyo – Nihonryori RyuGin [Restaurant Mag – One Man’s Meat– ChowHound]
  • Japan – Tokyo – Sukiyabashi Jiro [IMDB]
  • Japan – Tokyo – Aronia de Takazawa [Tiny Urban Kitchen – WSJ– Timeless Facade]
  • Japan – Tokyo – Calico Cat Café [HuffPo – SpotCoolStuffTravel]
  • Taiwan – Taipei – Modern Toilet [Time – Foodista – TripAdvisor]
  • Singapore – Iggy’s [Restaurant Mag – Wandering Palate– TripAdvisor]
  • Singapore – Keystone [Food in Singapore– TimeOut – TripAdvisor]

Drinks:

• North America
  • Canada – QC – Quebec City – Ice Bar [About.com – Daily Mail]
  • USA – CA – Huntington Beach – Don the Beachcomber [Wikipedia]
  • USA – CA – Los Angeles – The Varnish Bar [Delish]
  • USA – CA – Los Angeles – Tiki-Ti [Esquire– Wikipedia – Yelp]
  • USA – CA – San Diego – Noble Experiment [Yelp – TheMixter – Friend’s Recommendation]
  • USA – CA – San Diego – Craft & Commerce [Delish]
  • USA – CA – San Francisco – Beretta [Tales of the Cocktail]
  • USA – CA – San Francisco – Rickhouse [Million Times Yes – Food&Wine – Yelp]
  • USA – DC – Penn Quarter – The Round Robin [Forbes – WP – World’s Best Bars – Yelp]
  • USA – IL – Chicago – The Violet Hour [Chicagoist – Backyard Bartender– Yelp]
  • USA – LA – New Orleans – Arnaud’s French 75 Bar [Eliza Bites – Esquire – Yelp]
  • USA – MA – Boston – Drink [Drinks Int’l – Knight – BakingMeHungry]
  • USA – MN – Minneapolis – Nye’s Polonaise Room [Esquire 1– Esquire 2 – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Pegu Club [Wandering Eater – NYMag– Esquire – Yelp]
  • USA – NY – NYC – Please Don’t Tell (PDT) [Drinks Int’l – NYMag– Yelp]
  • USA – OR – Portland – Clyde Common [Delish]
  • Guatemala – La Antigua – Café No Sé []
• South America
• Europe
  • France – Paris – Harry’s New York Bar [Cocktailia– Esquire– Wikipedia]
  • Scotland – Inverie – The Old Forge [Telegraph – Esquire – Scotland in a Week – Guardian]
  • Sweden – Stockholm – Gondolen [Stockholm Tourist– Esquire – HG2]
  • Switzerland – Chur – H. R. Giger Bar [Unfinished Man – Daily Mail]
• Africa
• Australia
• Asia
  • Japan – Tokyo – Bar High Five [Departures– Esquire – Jigger]
  • Japan – Tokyo – Tender Bar [Wallflour– Departures – Moldiver – Jigger]
  • UAE – Dubai – Sky View Bar [TripAdvisor – Daily Mail]

Dishes:

I’m warning you ahead of time that these links can tend to be pretty graphic…you might not want to continue past this point.  I have a rule that I’ll try (probably) any food once, and these ones are on my list for sometime in the future.

• Fugu
• Haggis
• Bird’s Nest Soup
• Kangaroo
• Canard à la Rouennaise (Be warned…not for the faint of heart…or vegetarians)
• Ortolan (a bit more graphic than the last, and illegal in the EU)
• Frog Sashimi (preceded by a first course that is still moving, so now you know that before you click)
• Hákarl
• Casu Marzu (This sounds absolutely disgusting, and it pushes the limits of my try-anything-once rule.  The first guy to eat it in the video compares it to a strong, rich, smooth Stilton.  Gordon Ramsey tries it with a grimace and lets out an immediate curse.)
• Durian (I’ve had the chance to buy one of these nearby, but not wanting to stink up my kitchen I have avoided doing so.)
• Mjólkursoðinn lundi
• Þorrablót (Not a food, but an Icelandic festival where many types of rare Nordic foods are served, including the Hákarl from above.)
• Odori Ebi