August 2014
JAZZ IN
ISTANBUL
MONTENEGRO
Soundtrack of the city
The new jet set playground
HELSINKI Endless summer
PIERRE GAGNAIRE
DINNER AT
The art of French cuisine
NOMA
Food gone wild
24 HOURS IN
SHANGHAI China’s coolest city
MIAMI BY DESIGN A new generation of entrepreneurs is reshaping the city’s skyline
SUITE DREAMS
Vivanta by Taj Coral Reef
IGNITION
Bentley Continental V8 S
ESCAPE IT ALL
The ultimate itineraries
WHY LUX* YOU MAY ASK? BECAUSE OUR 2,018 TEAM MEMBERS UNDERSTAND YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS. IT’S WHY EACH ONE OF US HAS COMMITTED TO MAKE EACH MOMENT MATTER... IT’S WHY WE WISH TO HELP YOU CELEBRATE LIFE... AND IT’S WHY WE CREATED A BRAND OF HOLIDAY THAT’S SIMPLY MORE LIGHT-HEARTED. THERE ARE 2,018 ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTION BUT TO HELP YOU DECIDE, CHIERI WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF HER FAVOURITE REASONS TO GO LUX*
Visit luxresorts.com MAURITIUS ILE DE LA REUNION MALDIVES
PHONE HOME We believe that holidays should be stress and hassle-free, which is why if you explore our resorts you’ll find a telephone box and inside a vintage phone. Here you can make local and international calls free of charge. We just ask one thing. Please do not call the office! Chieri Yokoshima, Guest Relation
LUX* MALDIVES
Contents title
Sectiony
August 2014
On the cover 62 Miami by design 100 Shanghai in 24 hours
The latest in a long line of entrepreneurs Bars with Bund views and vintage are breathing new life into Miami motorcycle tours in China’s coolest city
76 Jazz in Istanbul 104 Insider... Helsinki
Generations of musicians have made Perpetual summer sunlight means there’s jazz part of the soundtrack of the city even more time to visit the Finnish capital
86 The Balkan Riviera
Montenegro is making a name for itself as the jewel of the Adriatic coast
62 Sea change
New developments along Miami Beach and Downtown Miami are breathing new life into the city
dotwnews.com
December 20XX
23
u n f o r g e t t a bl e e s c a p e f ro m t h e eve r y d ay ultimate pr ivacy e x c l u s ive i s l a n d h i d e away unparalleled diving oppor tunities
Th e lu xu r y r e sort ex perien c e prov iding a sea mless integra tion o f e n vir o n me nt, c u ltu re an d m odern design En jo y o u r " Ra madan Es c ape" spec ia l off er f o r s ta ys in July /Au gu s t 2014: - 25 % o ff the bes t rate of th e day - Co m plime ntary da ily break fas t for two - Com plime ntary da ily din n er for two To c la im th is offer v isit m aldiv es . h ada ha a .pa rk.hya tt.com a nd apply special off e r c o de RAMESC o r : em ail: r e s e r vatio n s . park h adah aa@ hya tt.com or ca ll: Hya tt ca ll center a t +971 4 2 0 9 6 6 6 1 o r c o n tact y o u r preferred trav el agent. Minimum 4 nights stay. T erms a nd conditio n s a pply.
The trademarks HYATT,™ PARK HYATT ™ and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt International Corporation. ©2014 Hyatt International Corporation. All rights reser ved.
Contents Sectiony
title
August 2014
132 36
In the news 36 Europe
Harrods keeps innovating; palaces in Paris; style on the high seas
50 Debut
Hot hotels, chic boutiques and exclusive new resorts
40 Middle East & Africa 52 Diary
Golf breaks in Morocco; new looks in South Africa; Mall of the World, Dubai
The best exhibitions, festivals and sporting events around the world
44 Asia & Oceania 54 VIP
56 142
World Bank pumps money into sacred sites; Marco Polo in China
Behind the scenes at the Marques d’Elegance exotic car show in Ontario
46 Americas 56 Interview
Colombia on the rise; astronaut’s oasis in New Mexico; Atlantis found
How resort designer Jean-Michel Gathy draws inspiration from travel
Spend it 128 Escape 142 Set sail
The finest tailored travel itineraries — from Tokyo to King’s Landing
Unwind on Saramour, a beach and health club on the sea
132 On the road 146 Suite dreams
Aston Martin, Mercedes and McLaren unleash four-wheeled fury
A home above the waves at Vivanta by Taj Coral Reef in the Maldives
138 Ignition
Behind the wheel of the superb Bentley Continental GT V8 S
dotwnews.com
August 2014
25
Contents
August 2014
116
124
Gourmet travel 110 Taste of... 118 Chef’s table
San Sebastián is a bastion of fine dining and home of Basque cuisine
Pierre Gagnaire talks about the evolution of French cuisine
114 Restaurant news 120 Spirit of travel The ultimate dining experience; Rosewood’s sense of taste
In the highlands of Jalisco, the blue agave plant has shaped a nation
116 Gourmet journey 124 Reservation
Take an indulgent tour of Chicago’s finest bars and restaurants
An unforgettable evening at Noma, the World’s Best Restaurant
118
dotwnews.com
August 2014
27
News
The latest news from the world of luxury travel
56
Curated luxury Designer Jean-Michel Gathy is behind some of the world’s most iconic resorts, including Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives
36
Luxury travel news from around the world
50
The best new hotels and resorts
52
Your guide to August’s top global events
54
VIP at the Marques d’Elegance in Ontario
56
Hotel design legend Jean-Michel Gathy
C
M
C M
M
C
C M
Exclusive offer from ₏ 333 per night The Adriatic has a new jewel within its exquisite superyacht haven. Regent Porto Montenegro has now opened its doors, offering 51 double rooms and 35 suites and residences over five lavish floors, allowing guests to marvel at the five-star views of Boka Bay and the mountains of Montenegro. The exclusive escape goes to greater lengths for privacy, with speedboat transfers available to remote beach areas, accessible only via water. Design inspiration is drawn from Renaissance-era Venice, with Mediterranean flavours permeating the indoor pool, Regent Spa and the hotel’s four restaurants.
Obala bb, Porto Montenegro Village, 85320 Tivat, Montenegro Phone: +382 (0)32 660 660, Email: reservations.pm@regenthotels.com w w w. regent hotels.com/Por to-Monteneg ro
Destinations
The world’s most desirable locations
86
Fresh perspective Stylish Lido Mar beach club is one of the attractions bringing waves of jetsetters to Porto Montenegro
62
Entrepreneurs dream big in Miami
76
A brief history of jazz in Istanbul
86
Montenegro — jewel of the Balkan Riviera
102
How to spend 24 hours in Shanghai
104
An insider’s guide to summer in Helsinki
Miami
MIAMI DREAM ON Miami’s story began with a group of creative individuals whose entrepreneurial successors continue to reshape the city today Words: Joe Mortimer 62
August 2014
dotwnews.com
Miami
dotwnews.com
August 2014
63
Istanbul
ISTANBUL and all that jazz From Nişantaşı to Karaköy, the streets of Istanbul dance to an unexpected tune Words: Merlin Ural Rivera
76
August 2014
dotwnews.com
Istanbul
dotwnews.com
August 2014
77
Jewels in a treasure chest Small but perfectly formed, Montenegro is a hidden gem on the Adriatic Coast Words: Stephan Burianek
dotwnews.com
August 2014
87
Gourmet
Your ultimate guide to luxury dining
116 Edible art
Photo: Christian Seel
A corn and white chocolate masterpiece from the kitchens of Alinea, one of Chicago’s most exciting eateries
110
114
116
Basque cuisine like no other in San Sebastian
A sense of taste with Rosewood; the ultimate dining experience
A gourmey journey through the streets of Chicago
118
120
124
The rules of French cuisine are changing, says Pierre Gagnaire
Mexico’s blue agave plant has helped shape the character of a nation
Reservation for one at Noma, the ‘World’s Best Restaurant’
SAN SEBASTIร N In the capital of Basque Country, a culinary revolution has been simmering for decades. Finally, the world is catching on
WORDS: Vicky Vilches
Photo: San Sebastiรกn Turismo & Convention Bureau
TASTE OF...
Photos: Martin Berasategui – Relais & Châteaux; Mugaritz – Óscar Oliva; Arzak – Coconut
Martín Berasategui
The Basque CounTry in Northern Spain is home to a Michelin star constellation like no other, with the highest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita on earth. A total of 19 restaurants share 28 stars, spanning the three provinces of the region. The region’s award-winning chefs blend tradition, innovation and extraordinarily high-quality products in a unique fashion that has earned them the attention and awe of the culinary world. This is the result of a recipe that combines the best fresh fish from the Cantabrian Sea; the aromas, colours and flavours from the land and the mountains of the region; and the excellent meat from its valleys. In addition to the Michelin Guide, the quality and great flavours of Basque restaurants are recognised in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List produced annually by the British magazine, Restaurant. This year, five of the top 35 restaurants on the list are from the Basque Country: Mugaritz, Arzak, Azurmendi, Asador Etxebarri and Martín Berasategui. Astonishingly, four of them are located in the city of San Sebastián. The bestranked among them is Mugaritz, boasting the sixth place overall. It is followed by Arzak, the restaurant run by Juan Mari Arzak, probably the best known Spanish chef after Ferra Adrià — the man who revolutionised the gastronomic world at El Bulli. San Sebastián is a synonym for gastronomic excellence, but not only for its famous and laureate chefs, and high-end restaurants. Pintxo is San Sebastián’s most peculiar and interesting gastronomic phenomenon. Like a Basque version of tapas, pintxos represent the best taste of the city.
“Visitors are usually very knowledgeable about the array of famous Michelin-star restaurants, but I believe it is the unique dining experience of the pintxo bars that most captures their culinary hearts,” says Jon Warren, founder of San Sebastián Food, whose company specialises in gastronomic tours and culinary experiences in the city. His headquarters are located in Hotel Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection Hotel — the best in the city — and includes a gourmet shop that stocks speciality Spanish food. Going for pintxos is the perfect way to enjoy the local food scene and the culture of the Basque region, hopping from bar to bar in the old town in a relaxed and authentic way, just like the locals. It's a great activity for short visits, as it means you can try a multitude of dishes in one night, cramming in more flavours and tastes (not to mention wines) in each bar along the way. The pintxo trail includes many bars of the old part of the city (Parte Vieja) and some others in Gros, the hipster area in front of Zurriola Beach. Every pintxo bar has its own speciality, or signature pintxo, so it may be a little tricky to find out where to go and what to order. Do not worry if you are not sure about which bar is best; it’s almost impossible to have a disappointing experience. And there are new ideas for those who want to emulate the locals. Pintxo Passport is a handy, pocket-sized guidebook created by San Sebastián Food that lists the best dish in each bar and pairs it with a glass of wine. “It means you spend less time wandering around or waiting at the busy bars and more time enjoying some of Spain's finest food and wine,” says Warren.
aritz Mug
k Arza
dotwnews.com
August 2014
111
thal men Blu n sto He
The ultimate dining experience? DEGUSTATION ...MELBOURNE Heston migrates the Fat Duck Molecular gastronomist Heston Blumenthal is marking the 25th anniversary of The Fat Duck with a six-month relocation to Melbourne’s Crown Towers hotel. The three Michelinstarred restaurant in Bray, England, is closing for building renovation, but the celeb chef vows the new pop-up will offer the same dining experience and will transition to become a “Dinner by Heston Blumenthal” by mid-2015. Flinders keepers Flinders Street’s Rosati was once a chic yuppie dining destination and even played host to scenes from Kylie Minogue’s “I’ve Got To Be Certain” video. After a decade of decline, new owners are spinning around the 1938 building with a US $4.7 million makeover. While this means plans for a hotel conversion have been abandoned, the 840-person restaurant and bar will retain the distinctive ‘sawtooth’ roof of the former clothing factory. Reymond goes to the Max Jacques Reymond served up the last dish at his eponymous restaurant on New Years Eve after 27 years, but reports of his retirement have been greatly exaggerated. Despite handing the baton to his duo of protégés, Reymond has clubbed together his trio of offspring, Nathalie, Edouard and Antoine, to acquire the former Hotel Max and create L’Hotel Gitan. Reymond will oversee the new venue’s Mediterranean-style fare, but leaves his children in charge of the hotel.
114
August 2014
dotwnews.com
Three Michelin stars earned by three Catalonian brothers and a range of the finest unreleased single cask malts in the world — it has to be The Ultimate Dinner experience. Luxury experience provider VeryFirstTo has paired the Roca brothers’ 14-course gastronomic extravaganza at El Celler De Can Roca with a selection of whiskies from The Macallan, creating a palette-melting charity dinner. The never previously offered range of Macallan whiskies will include M, the world’s priciest, as well as the 62-year old The Macallan in Lalique. The Rocas’ Gironès restaurant was named World’s Best Restaurant 2013 by Restaurant Magazine and is the current number two according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The brothers serve traditional Catalan cuisine, with scientific twists and this particular dinner experience was curated following a visit to The Macallan’s distillery in Speyside, Scotland, under the auspices of Bob Dalgarno, The Macallan Master Whisky Maker. The restaurant will open exclusively for a one-off charity dinner on March 22, 2015, with a cost of EUR 8,500 (US $11,447) per person. Proceeds will be donated to CharityWater, which helps provide safe drinking water within developing countries. veryfirstto.com
A tAste sensAtion Taking its A Sense of Place philosophy to a mouth-watering new level, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has created ‘A Sense of Taste’, providing unique culinary journeys at each of the brand’s properties around the globe. Epicurean Encounters will cue up private tours, providing exclusive access to local culinary delights, from cheese-making in Vancouver to Red Sea fishing off the coast of Jeddah. Partners in Provenance pays respect to local farmers and seeks the highest quality ingredients within a hotel’s radius. Rosewood chefs sync their skills with seasonal produce, including choice cuts and ethically line-caught fish. And for the connoisseur, once-in-a-lifetime Bespoke Dining journeys offer dining experiences both on and off site, with venues including cellars, desert tents and private islands. www.rosewoodhotels.com
Gourmet journey
Photos: Christian Seel
Dessert of chocolate, pâte sucrée, violet and hazlenut at Alinea
Inside Alinea
Alinea’s ‘nest’ of corn, white chocolate, honey and mango
116
August 2014
dotwnews.com
Gourmet journey
City bites: Chicago Let the Windy City blow you away with its cuisine, from home-grown favourites to gourmet meals with a generous serving of science 1. Brunch
2. coffee stop
Yes, breakfast may long be considered the most important meal of the day, but in Chicago, brunch steals the limelight. For one of the most decadent in the city, visit the Michelin-starred Sixteen, which is located on the 16th floor of the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Although only open on Sundays, it’s worth shuffling your itinerary around to enjoy dishes such as acorn squash bisque and roasted duck with a mash of potatoes, forest mushrooms and duck salami. Can’t make it for brunch? The breakfast is still top-notch.
Whoever said that it’s hard to find decent coffee in America has surely never tried coffee in Chicago, where java is treated with an almost equal reverence as hot dogs. Get your caffiene fix in the most stylish part of town at Pierrot Gourmet at The Peninsula Chicago. It’s located on North Michigan Ave, better known as Magnificent Mile, which is also home to plenty of designer shops to peruse afterwards.
401 N Wabash Ave; +1 877 458 786; www. trumphotelcollection.com
3. Lunch
to Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse, which has been serving up prime cuts to hungry masses — from celebrities to powerplayers and regular steak lovers — for just over two decades. Be one of the first to try the newest cut on the menu, the Gibsons 42 Chop, which is dry aged for seven weeks and is named for one of the restaurant’s long-time patrons, Chicago Bears’ 1943 NFL MVP Sid Luckman (42 was his number). Of course, there’s enough on the menu for those who don’t feel like steak, but one thing everyone will agree on is a side order of double-baked potatoes.
There’s no doubt that Chicago is a steak-lover’s city. Follow the crowds
1028 North Rush St; +1 312 266 8999; www.gibsonssteakhouse.com
108 E Superior St; +1 312 337 2888; chicago.peninsula.com
4. Dinner Many of the city’s see-andbe-seen eateries require a pre-purchased ticket. With a little pre-planning, you could be working your way through a 15-course tasting menu at hotspot 42 Grams, which opened in Uptown earlier this year. Request a seat with a clear view of the open kitchen to see the team at work. Alternatively, head a 10-minute drive south to Alinea, an establishment that sparkles with three Michelin stars and is headed by chef Grant Achatz. The restaurant has certainly earned its place in the top 10 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List, not least for the creative way food is prepared and presented —
expect dishes such as green apple helium balloons, and scallop with citrus aroma and 14 textures on the extensive tasting menu. 42 Grams, 4662 N Broadway St; www.42gramschicago. com. Alinea, 1723 N Halsted St; +1 312 867 0110; www. alinearestaurant.com
5. night cap If a $100,000 bottle of Armand de Brignac Nebuchadnezzar Champagne at Board Room doesn’t tempt — then head over to the lounge at Travelle in The Langham for a martini garnished with caviar and stuffed olives, and a finishing spritz of truffle mist. 330 N Wabash Ave; www.travellechicago.com
Sixteen, Trump International Hotel & Tower
Pierrot Gourmet at The Peninsula
Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse
dotwnews.com
August 2014
117
Changing the rules Pierre Gagnaire has made a career out of bending the rules of cooking, but he is still a traditionalist when it comes to French cuisine Interview: Joe Mortimer
P
ierre Gagnaire is obsessed with food. Ever since he set foot in the kitchen of the Nelson restaurant in Saint-Étienne, where he got his first job as an errand boy in 1964, food has consumed the chef extraordinaire, proving to be a source of inspiration and exasperation for the last half a century. After embarking on his apprenticeship in Lyon in 1966 and subsequently serving in the French navy before hitchhiking from Quebec to Acapulco, Gagnaire settled down at his father’s Saint-Étienne restaurant Le Clos Fleuri — his first taste of Michelin stardom. The young chef opened his first restaurant in 1981 and was awarded his own Michelin star the next year, and another by ’86. Gagnaire quickly learned to bend the strict rules of French cuisine, creating dishes that were so bold and daring that his second restaurant, also in Saint-Étienne, was awarded the coveted three-Michelin-star ranking in 1993. Bankruptcy in 1996 didn’t deter the chef for long, and he opened his next venture in Paris six months later, and his three stars were reinstated after just two years. It’s evident when talking to him that Pierre Gagnaire is a man for whom food is not merely a part of his life, but the essence of it. Anyone who has ever eaten at any of Gagnaire’s 11 restaurants around the world will know the delight that accompanies each dish as it comes out of the kitchen — individual works of art designed to tease, surprise and tantalise all five senses. His creations are playful and whimsical, and yet so technically sophisticated as to leave the diner in awe, combining flavours, textures and colours that make the mind (and palate) boggle. The language used on the chef’s website is the language of love; words such as tenderness, harmony, humility and rhythm appear frequently, and it’s no surprise to learn that he finds inspiration in jazz music, art and poetry — influences that are apparent in the presentation of his food. Here, Gagnaire talks about his favourite subject with a mixture of passion and melancholy, evoking both sadness and optimism for a new wave of French restaurants and chefs springing up across his native land.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is the guy who does the cooking; the person who is in the kitchen, holding the pan” French cuisine is very traditional, with techniques and styles perfected over many generations. Is the food scene in France changing at all? Yes; the world is changing. There is a new generation in France that is clever and works very hard. In England you have this idea of the ‘gastropub’. What is a gastropub? It was the bistro in France 30 years ago. Now, this kind of bistro is coming back in France. Today you find small restaurants, not too expensive, with a chef who is in the kitchen and serves the food. Simple and tasty food. Now once again you have bistros in France. It’s true that we lost that for a couple of years, but this kind of restaurant is making a comeback. Why do you think it has come back into fashion? Because many young chefs don’t have much money and don’t have much time. It’s so hard to do [what I did]. I begin to work for myself 35 years ago and, at the start, I lost money. It was very complicated. You must be absolutely crazy to do that. But now, having a private life is very important for young people, and when you have a private life, you don’t spend time at work. You spend time with your family. My life is my work; it’s not a choice. When you want to do things of a high quality, you must be involved day and night, and many people don’t accept that. They do the job, they want to do well, but they need time for themselves and time for their children.
Chef’s table
Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire at InterContinental Dubai Festival City
To be a chef of your standard do you think you have to be a little obsessed? Totally. I have two sons your age. They don’t work like that. For them, the private life is very important. For myself, too, but finally, I chose work. I made the choice. Are there fewer chefs who are so passionate these days? No, people still have passion, but the passion is finished at the end of the day and on Sundays. It’s a different way of seeing work. Is it good or not good? We shall see. But I know that if you want the work and want to obtain real quality, you must be involved 100 per cent. In many countries you see French fusion, but not in France, where cuisine remains traditional? Why is this? It’s true. In France, we are in France. Of course we have different international restaurants, but there is no mixing, thankfully. There is more tradition and more savoir faire. Traditions are reflected in the quality of the young chefs that come up. Even if they learn different techniques later, they do their work honestly from the training. Where is the best cuisine outside of France? I don’t know, it’s difficult to say. You have very good chefs in Japan and very good chefs in America and Italy. But it is impossible to reason globally. Behind every restaurant, you have a man. Perhaps there is a fantastic chef in Greece and nobody knows him? At the end of the day, the most important thing is the man who does the cooking; the person who is in the kitchen, holding the pan. Sketch in London just had a big refurbishment — how important is the design in the overall dining experience? We opened Sketch in London years ago. At the beginning it was more
Gagnaire treats cuisine as a fine art
like a club, but it has grown and now we made the choice to become a real restaurant; very comfortable and very creative in terms of decor. It’s a dangerous exercise; it’s expensive to do and complicated to manage, but people always want new, new, new. Ultimately, the experience is not the decor. You don’t eat the candle or the plates — you eat what is on the plate and that is what’s important. We must not forget the most important aspects are the taste, the product and the experience. People today take a greater interest in healthy eating. How do you stay on top of that? I have always approached it like that, even before the trend started. But it’s easy to talk about [eating well] and difficult to do. It’s very expensive, and at the same time there are more and more sandwich shops and more and more concepts with pizza. Where is the verity? You have restaurants in 10 cities and you spend a lot of time travelling. When you are not in the kitchen, what do you enjoy about travel? Spending time with my team. For me, that is the most important. And to spend time with myself. To have time to create and to keep the emotion and the energy. That is what’s really important. What are the biggest challenges you face as a chef and restaurateur today? To keep the quality and to grow. My ambition is not to be the best for six months or one year, it’s to stay on the stage for a long time. I have had three stars for 21 years. Since 21 years ago, we’ve had to keep up this kind of quality every day. When you think like that, you don’t think about money. You think about quality, quality, quality. It’s tiring but it’s a good challenge. Like that, your life is acceptable. n
dotwnews.com
August 2014
119
Land with no Limits
Foraged ingredients and surreal culinary creations are just part of the story at Noma in Copenhagen, says Elissa Freiha
A
gainst the colourful backdrop of the Danish skyline, there is an old shipping warehouse made of brick that houses the ultimate foodie hideaway. On it, a simple metal sign bares the letters ‘noma’. All lowercase, of course, for it is against Danish culture to highlight your success. In fact Jante Law, or the law of humility, is taken very seriously in this country. This is why, despite having two Michelin stars and dominating the World’s Best Restaurants List for the past 10 years, Noma’s local media has remained modest. However, as we were fortunate enough to win the waiting list lottery, we will now be honestly immodest in our review of this alternative eatery. We pass through the front doors after inspecting their homemade beehive to enter a timeless yet modern space, where we are greeted by the kitchen staff, who are notably young, happy and tattooed, in front of an open kitchen. Large windows brighten up the cozy room, filled with hues of grey and black wood and elegant Scandinavian lines. We are taken to the communal table in the back corner and immediately notice that most of the cutlery is missing; a glass, a napkin, a plate and a knife are the only ornaments. The simplicity of the environment is balanced by the complexity of the dishes. Head chef René Redzepi has based Noma’s philosophy on the Nordic history of foraging for food, meaning all the ingredients are locally sourced. No menu is available; one must enter Noma with an open mind and trusting taste buds.
124
August 2014
dotwnews.com
We are presented with our first amusebouche, a small fragrant bowl with last year’s red currants, shoots of pine and young, unripe, strawberries in rosemary oil. It’s crisp and perfectly appropriate to prepare your palate for the extensive range of unusual flavours to come. The whimsical intricacy of raw, shrimpfilled lily pad ravioli floating in vinegar and roasted yeast water is simply amazing. We delight at the rainbow colours of a fresh flower tart, and giggle at our attempt to gracefully eat the Noma equivalent of a sandwich: two fried cabbage leaves used to sandwich creamy sandfire, a regional beach plant. Interestingly, the most famous dishes are some of the most straightforward: a thin beef tartar with a drizzling of olive oil, a pinch of celery powder and sprinkling of fried black ants; a crisp mound of Swedish reindeer moss, fried and topped with dried cèpes powder, that we dip in a juniper-infused crème fraîche — a table favourite, as was a thick dumpling filled with bitter greens and an absolutely delectable topping of fermented grasshoppers — a classic Danish dish with a Noma twist. The list goes on. To add to the adventure, every two dishes are served with an accompanying glass of wine, impeccably paired with every label hunted down and picked by the sommelier. Desserts consist of frozen yeast, caramelised with flower essence and elder salt, and finished with a large section of fried pork skin covered with chocolate and berries to break apart and share. Patrons are then invited to tour the establishment with one of the chefs, including the three kitchens, the private dining
The important bit What: Noma Where: Strandgade 93, 1401 København K, Denmark Price: US $288 per person for 20+ courses and $180 for wine pairings Book: +45 32 96 32 97 or booking@noma.dk www.noma.dk room, the outdoor barbecue shack, and the incredible research and development area. In another kitchen, computers, a library, and countless seeds, herbs and spices are readily available for the 50 or so chefs and interns from 23 different nationalities to hone their skills. The chefs, who must be ready to play any role, including service, are encouraged to experiment in their own time and submit innovative dishes to their colleagues for criticism at weekly meetings. Three hours later, with roughly 23 courses and a fair amount of wine under our belts, we migrate to the lounge, a dim, warm space with low couches and fur covers, to sink into our Noma coma and reflect on our journey. The Noma experience is outstanding on every level. It feels as though the team is confident in what they serve and this makes the atmosphere very understated and relaxed. I seldom see impeccable service that is so wonderfully genuine. In the end, we feel as though we had embarked on a gastronomic pilgrimage together, lead by a humble forager, to a land with no limits. n
Motoring
smooth o p e r at o r The Bentley Continental GT V8 S might be the most driver-orientated incarnation of the Continental ever made, says Joe Mortimer
NUTS & BoLts Engine: 4.0-litre, twin -turbocharged V8 Power: 521 bhp Torque: 680 Nm (@ 1,700 rpm) 0–100 kph: 4.5 secs Top speed: 309 kph Consumption: 10.5 l/10 km CO2 emissions: 246 g/km Origin: Crewe, UK Price: from US $192,900
I’m not going to lie; there isn’t a huge difference between the Bentley Continental GT V8 S and its older sibling, the GT Speed. And that’s a good thing. The main difference is the engine, and an extra $80,000, give or take a few thousand. The GT Speed is powered by a monstrous W12 engine that has more power than most humans will ever need in a car, especially one they want to use every day. This, by contrast, has a finely tuned V8 that outdoes its bully of a big brother in several respects. There’s the noise for starters — the V8’s purr is positively enchanting, so much so that it can be hard to stop driving the car. If you’ve been driving it for long enough, you might even convince yourself that it’s singing to you. Even when the intelligent engine switches to four cylinders for extra fuel economy when cruising, the sports exhaust maintains its low rumble, prolonging that comforting hum that V8 enthusiasts will be familiar with. Then there’s the performance enhancements on the V8 S models. The ones that enable the engine to produce 680 Nm of torque at an obscenely low 1,700 rpm, which is why the car can race to 100 kph in 4.5 seconds, just 0.3 seconds slower than the GT Speed. What makes this car so insanely driveable is the playfulness of the drive experience. The suspension
has been lowered by an additional 10 mm in the V8 S models, bringing you ever closer to the ground and permitting tighter cornering. It’s a powerhouse, but still agile, and doesn’t balk at demanding manoeuvres while accelerating or braking. When the dampers are set to sport mode, you can almost feel the surface of the road through every point of contact with the car — the pedals, the steering wheel and the extremely comfortable
leather seats. Sadly this means you’ll have no use for the built-in massage function. While the GT Speed feels like it glides across the surface of the road, the V8 S is very much a part of it, which is a rewarding experience for passionate drivers. Not all is perfect. The manual transmission paddles are fixed to the steering wheel column rather than the wheel itself, which rules out manual gear changes while cornering (unless you have enormous
Ignition
“The V8’s purr is positively enchanting, so much so that it can be hard to stop driving the car”
hands) and back-seat passengers weren’t thrilled with the limited space in the rear of the car, but frankly, this isn’t a car to share with others. In the front, the luxury pedigree of the Bentley brand is evident throughout the cabin, with diamond stitched pattern on the leather seats and door panels, hand-stitched Bentley logos on the headrests and piano black veneer across the dash and glove compartment. The gear stick, AC vents and organ-
style AC controls are in polished chrome, which looks superb, but tends to get very hot when parked in the sun. The eight-inch touch screen includes everything you’d expect from one of the most advanced carmakers on the planet: climate and multimedia control, a clear and easy-to-use navigation system, and controls for the powerful Naim sound system, which seems redundant when you have the beautiful soundtrack of the V8 to listen to.
Externally, the V8 S looks almost identical to other models in the Continental range, which all feature the Bentley ‘B’ insignia emblazoned on a red background on the wheel hubs and bonnet, with the notable addition of V8 S badges on the front wings and set in the door well. A figure-ofeight exhaust and mandatory red brake callipers stress the high-performance abilities of the car, and the Mulliner package (an optional extra) means this model has 21-inch, seven-spoke Black Edition wheels, which look the business. From the luxury carriages of old to the highperformance Bentleys of the new millennium, the British carmaker’s combination of luxury styling and performance engineering has made it one of the leaders in its field. With this new Continental GT V8 S, the carmaker offers a model that provides an exuberant driving experience at a price that puts it within reach of discerning individuals with a long driving career ahead of them. n dotwnews.com
August 2014
139
Download the full digital edition BUY NOW OR
visit www.dotwnews.com/ezine/