Mitch Tonks
Mitch Tonks - Dartmouth
My Favourite 10 Restaurants in the World
Of course restaurants are subjective and what some look for in a restaurant, others may not. My selection is based on those restaurants that have warmth, great food and caring and attentive service.
They are places where I have enjoyed some of the most fantastic meals of my life and I return to them as often as I can. The experience is then repeated, and consistency for me is everything. I have taken some inspiration from all of the Italian ones for our own restaurant, The Seahorse.
Gatto Nero, Burrano, Venice
I stumbled on this place whilst researching a book back in 2000. I simply asked the maitre d’ at the hotel where I was staying where he would eat seafood and he sent me here. It is run by my (now friend) Max and his mother & father who do the cooking. Max is the waiter and he also catches and buys the fish and wine.
The cooking is simple and truly wonderful. It’s everything you would want in a restaurant. I have filmed here and cooked in the kitchen and I recommended it to Jamie Oliver who filmed an episode of Jamie Does.. here and put it in his book; he thought it the best risotto he had ever tasted.
I bologna, Rocchetta Tannaro, Piedmonte, Italy
I go here every year, twice if I can between the months of November and January when it is truffle season. They prepare them here in the traditional way, over risotto, on eggs, on fonduta, raw veal. It’s simple, seasonal food in a beautiful small dining room laid up immaculately. You choose your wine by walking into the wine cellar and it’s amazing.
Harry’s Bar , Venice
This place is legendary, it’s pricey, small, packed, the food is so simple but exceedingly good. It’s one of those places that I can’t put my finger on why, but it ranks as one of the best places in the world in my view - maybe it’s the story behind the restaurant and the smart brilliant waiters that make everything a show. Dress smart as you will be among the well dressed Venetians who frequent this place daily. It’s a local institution.
Cal Isidre, Barcelona
Whilst looking to eat at El Bulli just outside Barcelona, I was recommended this place. It has amazing, simple Catalan food, sea cucumbers, goat, clams, ham. It’s a comfortable restaurant with no stars but should have three - the owner Isidre doesn’t want any. He’s in the dining room everyday and each morning he walks around the famous Boqueria market buying the produce for that day.
Cal Pep, Barcelona
The best tapas in the world, Senor Pep still cooks traditional and modern tapas in the tiniest kitchen behind the bar in view of the customers. The locals will queue for hours to get a half hour at the bar.
Zuma, Raphael St, London
I’ve been eating here for 10 years and a visit to London with my wife never excludes some sushi here. The atmosphere is electric, it’s full of very wealthy people and it’s nice to be amongst it even for an hour. Expect modern Japanese cooking, robata grills, sushi and tempura. Great cocktails too.
Rockpool, The Rocks, Sydney
I love Sydney especially around the Rocks area. The cooking is hugely influenced by nearby Asia and it is here that chef Neil Perry takes his influence and mixes it with classic western preparations. I ate fabulous tuna with bone marrow and red wine sauce here amongst other wonderful seafoods. Neil is a star in Australia and comes to the Seahorse to enjoy our seafood. I am a huge fan of this place.
Sailors Thai, the Rocks, Sydney
The chef here David Thompson is a western master of Thai food. I have tasted flavour explosions here unlike anything I have ever eaten. One dish was called toffee pork. It had been cooked 7 seven different ways and was, crisp, soft, chewy, firey hot, sweet and salty all at the same time, it was just amazing. There is a canteen upstairs too that does fabulous green curry.
Tetsuya, Sydney
This city centre restaurant is protected by large gates and sits around a beautiful Japanese garden. Tetsuya the chef came to Sydney as a KP and taught himself to cook. He is now a star in the cooking world and a wonderful man. He majors on seafood and is creative with his cooking.
There is no menu - guests eat what he has and, depending on where you sit, will determine what you eat as there is often not enough of say one fish to go round so he will serve another in one part or the restaurant – one of the truly great fine dining experiences of my life.
St John, St John Street, London
Fergus Henderson is a genius and loved throughout the cooking world. In New York they hold “Fergus Stock” a tribute to the man’s simple food that includes lots of offal and a certain air of “Britishness” that only Fergus can capture. There are combinations like eccles cake and cheese that are just genius. Simplicity is the key and lunch here is almost religious. Book well in advance.
First Published April 2011 By The Dart