EAT > Sushi M, Tokyo

It was back in January 2023 and we were returning from Japan and we bumped into the incredibly talented Nicky Reimer chef of Bellota Restaurant on our flight home, sharing stories of food and travel, I asked her what was the best food experience you had in Japan she did not hesitate and said immediately…

ByEd ItorJanuary 19, 2024

SKI > JAPAN WHERE TO SKI >

SKI > Zao Onsen, Japan

The town of Zao Onsen has been an important destination for over 1900 years and the ski resort has been active for over 100 years. So there is plenty of history associated with the town and it is one of the most famous 'onsen' towns in Japan. The steps past Miyamaso Takamiya The first thing…

ByEd ItorJanuary 19, 2024

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Cabernet Sauvignon DRINK > WINE > Merlot

DRINK > Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

I am not going to pretend to be any kind of expert on the wine of Bordeaux and there are many vastly more experience wine writers who have reviewed this wine in the past and given their reviews. But in December of 2023 at a wonderful degustation/omakase dinner at the quite incredible 'Sushi-M' this was…

ByEd ItorJanuary 19, 2024

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Chardonnay

DRINK > Bread & Butter Chardonnay 2021

Our last evening staying at the incredible ANA InterContinental Appi Kogen Resort we were offered drinks at the generous 'aperitivo hour' a time for snacks and drinks while enjoying the music from resident piano man 'Salvatore' (who comes from Calabria). Feeling like we had already consumed a little too much of the house…

ByEd ItorJanuary 19, 2024

EAT > MELBOURNE WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Courthouse Hotel North Melbourne (16/20)

After a rough 3 years the Courthouse Hotel in North Melbourne is back open under new ownership from the team behind Naughtons in Parkville. Seeking to bring the local gastropub back to its heyday with a new menu, wine list and range of beers. The room has a warm refreshed style that is just the…

ByEd ItorDecember 30, 2023

DRINK > MELBOURNE

DRINK > The Central Club Hotel (North Melbourne)

The Central Club Hotel sits on Victoria Street in North Melbourne, it is right on the city fringe close to Elizabeth Street, across the road from the Queen Victoria Markets and a stones throw to Carlton. The convenience of the location makes this a popular venue but it is the combination a smart refreshed fit-out,…

ByEd ItorDecember 18, 2023

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Chardonnay

WINE > Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne NV

My favourite bubbles by a very long way are Ruinart. I like some of the others but there is something quite especially delicious about the Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, so I thought perfect opportunity to learn a little more about the wine.

ByEd ItorDecember 18, 2023

DRINK > MELBOURNE

DRINK > Apollo Inn

Apollo Inn opened in the heart of Melbourne's Flinders lane restaurant precinct in 2023, it was ostensibly a good place to have a quick cocktail while waiting for a table at Gimlet or one of the other nearby restaurants. But it was so popular that the queues to get in for a drink at this…

ByEd ItorDecember 7, 2023

DRINK > SYDNEY

DRINK > Cantina OK! it is tiny but it is also fabulous

At the end of a dark alley off Clarence Street, not far from the Sydney Town Hall you will find a micro mezcal bar that you are probably going to want to make your regular. Cantina Ok! opened in 2019 and it really is a tiny bar, it probably could fit 20 (small)…

ByEd ItorDecember 5, 2023

EAT > PARIS WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > La Cantine du Troquet, Paris (15/20)

"That is the best food I have eaten in twelve weeks of being in France". I was looking for somewhere convenient in Paris to meet my friend Ken who was travelling on a lads trip for the Rugby World Cup, England had just been knocked out of the final by South Africa…

ByEd ItorNovember 10, 2023

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