Favourites

Neige D'ete - Paris /  by JOYCE WANG

To sum up how much I loved Neige Dete, I booked it immediately for my birthday after the first visit. It didn't disappoint, my birthday dinner was even better than my first meal there. The restaurant is very small, only 7 tables or so. All the staff and chefs are Japanese, including the sommelier, which I'm starting to believe it's the best trend in Paris at the moment. Japanese chefs cooking French food really does blend the best of both worlds. French food is often thought to be very heavy and buttery, but the Japanese way gives it a very light finish, much cleaner. The post tasting menu feeling is more uplifting than let's just all crush on the floor. Not to be deceived though, you will feel very very full after. They got their first Michelin star very quickly and it's still a very young restaurant (2 years), yet it's very well known in the foodie world and it constantly have people coming from all around the world to try the food. I'm very very glad to have discovered this place, for sure there will be many more meals to come. 

 

 

Favourite Patisserie in Paris /  by JOYCE WANG

Jacques Genin

There is often a saying, if you only have time for one patisserie in Paris, go Jacques Genin because it's impossible to go wrong. That's true, I've yet to have something I don't love at Jacques Genin. The millefeuille is made fresh on site, freshly pipped and stacked in the upstairs kitchen. The lemon and basil tart is legendary and I've yet to try something better than this. On your way out, buy some of their caramels, which are just the most perfect texture. It doesn't stick to your teeth, doesn't have grainy bits and very light to eat. For sure the best caramel I've ever come across. 

Millefeuile Vanilla 

Millefeuile Vanilla 

Lemon and basil tart

Lemon and basil tart

Caramel Tart

Caramel Tart

Du Pain et Des Idees

The most famous bakery in Paris? Rightly deserved. It's so old school and everything so so good. The escargots are their speciality but I actually find them a bit too sweet but the pastry is just another world buttery. I love their bread and fresh tarts like apple, apricot etc, depends on the season. Do not buy to go and wait ages to eat them, they taste best when eaten there. 

Pistachio and chocolate Escargot

Pistachio and chocolate Escargot

Paris Brest - Bistrot Paul Bert

Having tried many Paris Brest from famous patisseries later, the classic from Bistrot Paul Bert is still my favourite, much lighter than all the others. Yes even better than the Jacques Genin one, although both very good. 

Pierre Herme

Pierre Herme at Paris is a completely different game. Having tried many cakes over the years I still find theirs the most challenging and perfect. The raspberry, rose and lychee croissant is just so unusual with this surprising jam inside (croissant Isphahan). The vanilla tart is unlike anything I've tried before, gorgeous layering inside too. Only the store at 7th has the croissant. 

Vanilla tart

Vanilla tart

Croissant Ispahan

Croissant Ispahan

Mori Yoshida

I haven't tried many things at Mori Yoshida, only the apple tart, which is still one of the best I've come across. Beautiful thin pastry and the perfect apple acidity vs sweetness. Really need to go back to try the Mont Blanc next round.

Apple Tart

Apple Tart

Angelina 

Angelina has opened all around the world now but as always things taste different and much better in Paris. Hot chocolate and Mont Blanc are their signature items. Before this I've tried many many Mont Blancs, all Japanese style, which use fresh chestnuts, all very sweet and use too much cream. The Mont Blanc at Angelina made me rediscover the love for the French way of making it, using candied chestnut and double amounts of chestnut cream in one cake. It's got a beautiful grainy chestnut texture, just the finest example of a perfect Mont Blanc.

Apple Tart - Poilane 

Poilane has shops in London too but the apple tart is just not as good as the ones in Paris. It's really different to the fancy Mori Yoshida version, more rustic. More like a apple pastry than tart but definitely one of the best apple tarts in Paris. 

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Patrick Rogers

The most famous chocolatier in Paris? He's won the MOF! I really love his chocolates, the flavours are so unique. I buy a massive box to go when I'm in Paris. 

Favourite desserts in London /  by JOYCE WANG

LONDON

I'm going to update this list regularly as I eat more desserts but so far my favourites are listed below. p.s I dislike very sweet / very creamy desserts. 

Millefeuille - Hedone - Chiswick

This is the world's best millefeuille! The texture is just incredible, everything melts instantly. Super light, just not sure how millefeuille can be made this way. Maybe someone need to request Hedone to release a cookbook. 

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Millefeuille - Casse Croute - Bermondsey

The first time I had millefeuille at Casse Croute it was overcooked and quite hard. But the second time it was spot on, slightly heavier than the Hedone version but still excellent, especially for London standards.

Pistachio and strawberry tart - Casse Croute

They only have this in the summer. It's incredibly summery and refreshing. Must order if you spot it on their menu! p.s I may have developed a habit of stalking Casse Croute's twitter feed...

Vanilla / hot cross bun doughnut - Bread Ahead

No doubt that everyone in London knows the best doughnuts are found at Bread Ahead, Borough Market. In fact I don't even like doughnuts but these are exceptions. It's not the doughnut itself that I like so much but the super light cream inside. My favourite flavours are vanilla and hot cross bun. Beware, very addictive. 

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Pastries - Little Bread Pedlar / Monmouth

I'm not ashamed to say that I've tried every single pastry from LBP. London is not like Paris where I can find good pastries easily. Take croissant for example, it's either too sweet, too pale or too rich. No one seem to be able to get it right in London. Maybe apart from Hedone's perfect croissants but those are harder to find. Little Bread Pedlar sell their pastries at all the Monmouth shops and at Spa Terminus on Saturdays where I normally go to pick up some sourdough bread too. Can't really say which one is my favourite, everything is really good. Morning coffee at Monmouth with a croissant / pain du chocolat is just such a great experience. Just make sure to avoid the Borough market weekend queue!

Maitre Choux - South Kensington

I find myself looking for good French patisserie in London and fail 90% of the time, then shoot off to Paris to satisfy my craving. The choux at Maitre Choux is really decent, especially for London standards and made so beautifully. I always see people just staring through the window and admiring how beautiful all the creations are. I've tried all their flavours and everyone has their own preference. I love the coffee and salted caramel choux and eclairs. 

Yeast Bakery - Broadway Market Saturday

Yeast bakery supplies a few cafe's in London with their delicious danish and pastries. On Saturday, they run a shop at Broadway Market (near Ellory restaurant, Netil market end), which sells these amazing Kouign amann, they look really different from the classic but are very very buttery and delicious. 

 

Rhubarb and almond tart - St John

I really love the St John bar, not the restaurant (which is good too). The natural light at the bar is so beautiful and you can order as many dishes as you like without being confined to the 3 course menu. This rhubarb and almond tart was just spot on, the crunch, the cream, the refreshing rhubarb and not very sweet. Hit all the boxes for me. 

Pastel de nata - Lisboa Patisserie 

These are the best Portuguese egg tarts in London. I know everyone loves the oozy ones from Taberna do mercado but I prefer these ones a lot more (also much cheaper). I went back to Taberna do recently and tried it again after its set and it was very very nice too. 

Bakewell Tart / Apple Pie - Scotts

If I want to go somewhere for English desserts, I'd go St John (including Bread & Wine) or Scotts. The seafood dishes at Scotts are amazing too but not as stunning as their English desserts. The main star is the pastry, buttery and light. The apple pie is the best I've ever had and so were their the Bakewell tart (but a lot sweeter than the apple pie, can't finish a whole one). 

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Brown sugar tart - Ledbury 

This is Ledbury's most famous dessert. I don't think they'll ever be able to take it off the menu because everyone would request it! 

Bageriet - Swedish Bakery in Covent Garden

Bageriet is one of my favourite bakeries in London. It's not a fancy cake place but everything is made with soul, excellent technique and good ingredients. I've tried most things from the bakery, including cinnamon buns, coconut macaroons, raspberry and hazelnut caves. Everything has been excellent. The egg tart is one of the most interesting cakes I've ever had, as soon as I tasted it my definition of dessert just transformed. I tasted salt, then this duck egg yolk flavour kicked in, followed by sweetness of the pastry, such a magical and hard to explain experience. It doesn't appear often, watch out for it. Photo below is the sugar pretzel bun, which is probably the softest thing I'll ever find. Pillow doesn't even explain how soft it was, amazing technique. 

End of the Eclair - Broadway Market

Finding these beautiful eclairs were a wonderful surprise at Broadway Market, which really shows how London is transforming. Compared to the Michelin star patisserie chef made eclairs at Maitre Choux, these seem more rustic and home made but they are just as good, some flavours seem to be even better. Unfortunately it's only available on weekends when Broadway Market is on. Follow her twitter for updates!

Most beautiful places I've visited /  by JOYCE WANG

Moraine Lake / Banff Park - Canada

Banff park has been voted one of the most beautiful parks in the whole world. The lakes were truly stunning, one after another with different hues of blue and green. If you can avoid the crowd, stay the night to take some beautiful sunrise and sunset photos. That's the problem, overcrowding at beautiful places!

Koya San - Japan

Koya san is not the most beautiful place I've ever been but no place has had that tranquil effect like it. It's far and I had to change many trains / buses to get there. Once we arrived, the mountain of temples were the most peaceful experience I've ever had. We stayed overnight at one of the temple lodges, which served great vegetarian dishes. Next day, toured the temples, which is a world heritage site that's been around for over 1500 years. Many locals believe the temples here are sacred, if you make a wish, it'd become true. It's one of my favourite places in the world, truly a soul cleansing place.

Lake Wanaka - New Zealand 

Wanaka wasn't the most beautiful place I visited in New Zealand, but this sunset was by far the most memorable, erm, maybe apart from the bungy jump. I'll never be able to forget this sunset!

Isle of Skye - Scotland

Isle of Skye is probably the most under rated destination ever. Maybe because it rains most of the year and is only open during summer months. The scenary is some of the best I've seen in the world, some parts were even better than my New Zealand trip. The best way to visit is to rent a car and drive up from Glencoe, such a beautiful route. 

Franz Josef Glacier - New Zealand

The only time I've visited a glacier. It's a great experience, especially taking the helicopter around to see the full stunning view. So sad the glacier is almost gone due to global warming. 

 

 

Faviken Magasinet /  by JOYCE WANG

I've been to some really disappointing restaurants on the world top 50 list but Faviken thoroughly deserves to be one of the world's best restaurants. It's an experience, the whole thing. The out of nowhere location (I took 2 planes and drove over an hour), the red building, my bunk bed, the small kitchen, the joy of being on the chef's table and talking to people who have travelled cross continent just for food and of course, the amazing produce and cooking. Throughout the night I heard stories of how the trout was caught in the nearby lake, how the dairy cow was aged for 5 months (the longest I've heard so far and the flavour was out of this world), the milk we drunk was unpasteurized, people whispered over 'the good butter' (everyone saw from Chef's table on Netflix), the list goes on and on. Essentially the feeling was they made everything from scratch using only local produce. It's difficult to describe how good this place was, you just have to go and try it for yourself. One of those places that'll challenge you on what food can be, the orchestration of a menu, the timing between each dish etc etc. It's a place you'll never forget. 

p.s I highly recommend that you stay at Faviken for the night, especially for the incredible breakfast! 

Favourite Restaurants in London & UK /  by JOYCE WANG

Ledbury - Nottinghill

For people outside London, Ledbury is perhaps on every top London restaurant list. It's worth going and in my view the only restaurant in London that's worth the 2 Michelin star. Ledbury has created many classic dishes over the years, like the flame grilled mackerel, truffle toast, pork jowl and brown sugar tart. Wine list is equally strong. However, the formula doesn't change very much and the flavours remain relatively similar. It's consistent but not as challenging for me as Hedone. If you haven't been, it's worth going. If you have been, go for the a la carte which has more of the seasonal dishes. But I'd pick Hedone over Ledbury any day. 

Hedone - Chiswick

Hedone is my favourite restaurant. It's by far the best restaurant in UK. No one can beat Mikael's passion for good quality produce. He is constantly changing every dish, constantly creating new dishes and have a killer wine list. I don't know any restaurant in London that has more regulars who go there weekly/monthly basis and still never get enough of the food. Hedone classics is super long too, but its carte blanche only, so you'll get what the chef feels like that day. I've taken many friends who said they had the best meal of their lives after. 

The Fat Duck - Bray

No need for introduction on this one, everyone knows Heston Blumenthal, the magician that whisks Nitrogen magic from his childhood. Yes, it's expensive, very gimmicky but always extremely entertaining. I went there for a 5h lunch post the refurbishment and was impressed by nearly all the dishes. Some even challenged me on the extend our taste can detect. A dish of woody mushroom tasted everything of the wet soil after the rain, like you are transported there instantly and those memories of walking on wet soil just plays over and over while I enjoyed the very delicious food. There is nothing like it in the UK and very few in the rest of the world. Yes you should book it and check out the fuss, because it's very well deserved. The only 3* in UK worth going. 

 

Barrafina - Soho

The best seafood tapas London has to offer. The runny tortilla and carabineros (Spanish red prawns) are signature dishes but everything is equally special. Go for the daily specials where everything's incredibly fresh. It's simple cooking here, no foam or liquid drops, but somewhere that I can eat anytime any day. They open at 5pm for dinner and I normally queue from 4.50pm to grab the first seating. There are three Barrafinas now, all very close to each other and all offer different dishes, all very good.

 

St John Bread and Wine - Liverpool st

Love St John Bread and Wine, it's my favourite in the St John group. Simple cooking and nose-to-tail. If I'm taking someone for British food, this would be in the top 3 along with a sunday roast somewhere and maybe Brawn. They also serve great British desserts, especially the freshly baked madeleines and apple crumble, the smell is just divine!

Casse Croute - Bermondsey

I really miss Paris when I'm in London. The cosy setting, the warm and busy bistro vibe, and the delicious yet casual food. Nothing hyped, just good classic french food. Casse Croute ticks all the boxes, excellent French food, lovely small room and excellent service. The mains are always rich, in that French saturated with butter way and the desserts are truly the best French desserts we have in London. The amazing Paris Brest, millefeuile, pistachio and strawberry tart...I've lost count but basically everything is good!! Love this place very much! Follow their twitter to check for daily menus!

Parlour

This is probably the only restaurant I can say that I love it from breakfast to dinner (also the only restaurant on this list to serve breakfast haha), to the chef's table (basically everything). Located at Kensal Rise might be a bit far out for most people but it definitely should be on everyone's foodie hit list. Lunch has great deals and superb cooking. Breakfast is casual and generous, Chef's table is crazy inventive and very very theatrical. It's one of the best Chef's table I've ever tried, a lot of surprise elements and gorgeous food. Only problem is Kensal Rise is far out for most people to go to. 

40 Maltby Street

A wine bar with excellent wine and superb food that is always very very consistent. The plates are smaller and a bit of French influence in taste but everything is always stunning from starter to dessert. On Saturdays, there is Maltby Street Market on with street food packing the entire street but don't be tempted to skip 40 Maltby Street with all these on display, it's really a place not to miss.