Michelin
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[Michelin 1*] La Degustation



I've always been curious as to why a company that sells would do so much effort in making a guide of restaurants or as Paul Bocuse, French chef of all times, said "The Michelin is the only guide that counts".

The Michelin guide was intended to encourage people to travel and boost the demand for cars and car tires. When internet was not prevalent, the guide had the most up-to-date maps of restaurants, petrol stations and hotels. It allowed people to explore the countryside, go on a picnic, make a detour to a less well known restaurant.

When it comes to selecting restaurants, I reference the "Bandwagon Effect" -- how many people are lining up to wait to dine for this restaurant/and if it is crowded. The food won't be too far off. So the michelin guide is more like a second opinion.

When I visited Prague last year with some friends, we wanted to try traditional Czech cuisine, but that has been renewed and revived.

La Degustation is one of the only three Michelin starred restaurants in Prague.

The chef, Oldřich Sahajdák is all about farm to table cuisine, bringing a modern twist to traditional Czech cuisine.

We weren't particularly hungry, but we didn't want to miss out on the wine pairing they had.





Hokkaido pumpkin, cracklinks, whipped cream paired with palava grand cru 2010 sonberk
Sturgeon caviar, egg, butter milk paired with Soave Montefiorentine 2013 - ca rugate 



Trebon catfish, yeast kohlrabi, paired with ryzlink vlassky 2013 

The soup was absolutely amazing! The chef gave us his secret recipe to this, with leeks, carrot, onion, pineapple and any vegetables you may desire with a pinch of yeast!

Foie gras, pistachio nuts paired with riesling berncasteler doctor spatelese 2015 

You will never guess, but the crumbs were actually shredded foie gras! Melted in my mouth immediately :9



European perch, dill, moravian sparking wine paired with gruner veltliner federspiel 2013

Sumava mushrooms, caraway seeds

Piglet, beetroot, cabbage paired with pignot gris 2012 d weinbach 

Beef tongue, apple, yellow peas paired with cuvee cs,m, cf 2007 

The beef tongue paired really well with the moist yellow peas and the red onions really lightened up the dish.




Bread ice cream, plum jam, beer kocour 

Sweet egg yolk 
You will be amazed how this little thing is so flavorful, and it tasted nothing like the egg yolk we so commmonly have in Asian pastry.



After dinner, we were invited by the chef to visit their kitchen. Our eyes were gleaming as we we were eager to find out how the soup was so stupendously clear yet flavorful.

"The secret to the soup, is cooking the vegetables with a pitch of fermented yeast, and make sure to strain it afterwards",  Sahajdák whispered with a laughter.

"We always buy the freshest ingredients from our farmers, and you won't find food that are out of the season".

"Sometimes it's a lot of pressure, because you have to make sure your dish is perfect every time, but as you see we have an open kitchen because we want our guests to know how we've prepared it to perfection. That also means we can't scream at each other across the table haha."


Such an amazing experience to see action envelop before us. It really marked an good end to our dining experience at Prague!

Degustation Du Chef Menu 3,150czk, Wine Paring 2100 czk

The Gate to Paradise: Meo Modo



 I guess the best way to understand if someone is destined to be with you is through traveling. Too many things can go wrong and one conflict can easily lead to another. It was raining, my luggage was lost during a flight transfer, and everything that seemed could have gone wrong has.


It was raining the day on the day, and although the Val D'Orcia was as picturesque as it could be, I was in no mood for it. The rain stopped as we reached this monumental gate and there was a huge rainbow hanging across the sky.






Suddenly, it seemed as everything was ok, and that no matter what happens next, I should at least enjoy this dinner. We were greeted by staff with umbrella and a lavender towel. There is a farm on spot, where all the fresh produces were used for the restaurant.




It felt visiting a distant uncle's villa, rows of bookshelves, a warm fireplace, a living room with a grand piano... Finally we were seated at a table under the arcade, overlooking a beautiful garden of greens.



The restaurant, Meo Modo, recently received a Michelin star and is part of the boutique hotel Relais Borgo Santo Pietro.  (I would love to come back here again for my honeymoon or something!). Chef Andrea Mattei is most known for creating seasonal dishes straight from their own organic farm.

[----- Our Menu -----]

Absolutely Borgo 150 Euro


  • Seasonal Vegetables with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and beet root sauce
  • Mushroom Sponge, Cherry tomatoes and goat cheese with fermented millet and olive oil 
  • Sunflower seed, cream and coffee risotto 
  • Sucking Pig with wild berry sauce and spinach cream (with Lavender infusion) 
  • Dried tomato with lemon, zucchini with elder flower 
  • Flower and Leaves, Mascarpone cream and vanilla
Infused tomato, millet and olive oil capsules with goat cheese

seasonal vegetables with beetroot sauce

Mushroom sponge 


Risotto with coffee, cream and sunflower seed

Suckling pig

Flower and leaves with mascarpone cheese and vanilla 



 You could tell from the menu that it isn't your ordinary, over the top, sous vide style of cooking. Everything is engineered from seasonal flavors and food at its rawest form.

The suckling pig actually reminded me somewhat of a peking duck with its smokey, powerful flavors, which when paired with wild berry sauce really feels like you are hunting through a forest. It was good at giving you an imagery.

I would say the thing that really surprised us both was the dried zucchinis, which was almost as thin as hair!

All in all, I would say this is a place for a romantic dinner, with impeccable service and most of all, having chef that does justice to home grown organic food!


Dried zucchini that was so thin that you could see light through it!









[Michelin Restaurant 1*]: Esszimmer


I love the modern look of this Michelin 1 star restaurant in Salzburg - Esszimmer (which literarily means dining room). The restaurant is led by chef Andreas Kaiblinger, who grew up in Salzburg and is known for casting a creative insight using local produce. 

I love the modern fireplace that they had, which conveys a really warm, welcoming atmosphere. 


So more on the food, I chose the Esszimmer menu ( it was such a debate since I am a fish lover and they had another course that's entirely devoted to fish!)

Esszimmer Menu


Tuna, Wasabi, Jerusalem artichoke and black garlic
-2013 Riesling Johannisberg, Geyerhof, Kremstal

I would say there was a lot of asian influence in this dish, the soft tuna blends in very well with the wasabi and the balsamic vinegar sauce underneath it, and the white foams helps to almost cleanse the palette before your next surprise. There were crunchy garlic pieces and ginger slices as well.




Danube salmon in parsley stock with parsley root and black olives
- 2013 Gruner Veltliner Wechselberg, Birgit Eichinger, Kamptal

I have to say this dish tasted very similar to the another salmon soup that I had at Silvio Nickol, but with denser and stronger in terms of flavor. The salmon was perfectly cooked. A bit too rich for my liking, but it was delicious nonetheless.


Sea bass with apple, celery and beet root
-2013 Grauburgunder, Pioder-Rosenberg, Sudoststeiermark

I love how the crispy skin of the sea bass pairs so well with the acidy from apple and the light fragrance from the beetroot.


Saddle of lamb, braised shoulder of lamb with couscous and ratatouilli
- 2010 Pago de carrovejas Tinto Crianza, Ribera de Duero

Lamb shoulders when done properly, are sweet and succulent, without feeling guilty of all the fattiness it brings. The meat should fall off the bone almost instantly and that was exactly what it did.
It was so tender and soft there wasn't much chewing needed. This is that ultimate finale -- packed with strong, bold flavors that enriches the soul.


Olive strudel and olive sorbet with salt almonds, dried apricot and nougat
- 20 years old Tawny, Dirk von Niepoort, Duoro

I was so full by then that there was no room for dessert...so I cannot comment on this. But the rest of the stuff that I had, everything just synchronizes and builds towards a grand finale.
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