Tsermang Eco Camp, Leh, Ladakh, India

August 2, 2013
Hotels
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The project of an Indian-French couple, Tsermang Eco Camp is an extraordinary place in an extraordinary part of the world.  Located on the banks of the Indus river, just outside of Leh proper, it’s a brilliant example of how to do low-impact tourism that takes advantage of a location’s strengths while leaving a minimal footprint in a fragile environment.  At the end of every summer, the entire place is packed up and put into storage.  It’s maybe good to start with what Tsermang does not provide:  There is no electricity, no bar, no disco and no swimming pool.  What Tsermang does provide is a chance to go off the grid in comfort, in a quiet, beautiful location, with amazing food from a professional chef, and 10 or extremely comfortable tents with real beds.

The key to understanding the place – and deciding whether it is right for you – is that they make do with what is available. Meals are brilliant (especially when you consider they are coming from a tent), but there is one dinner option per day.  Showers are from a bucket, and the water is solar-heated, so you need to plan around the sun’s scheduling to get hot water.  Tsermang practices a form of ‘austere’ luxury – trying to make you very comfortable within the limits of what is practical and responsible in a place like Leh. The owners can also help to arrange guides and drivers for trips and hikes in the surrounding areas.

If you come looking a traditional, high-maintenance Indian luxury hotel, you will be disappointed. If your idea of luxury is a good meal, a good night’s sleep and a beautiful view, then Tsermang can provide one of the most remarkable experiences you are likely to have.  It’s that good.

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Restaurant Verjus, Paris, France

June 17, 2013
Restaurants
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We picked Verjus pretty much at random via a listing in Le Fooding, and boy did we ever win.

At dinner, Verjus only offers a tasting menu, which in June made brilliant use of early-summer French veg, cooking in a modern American style – it’s a killer combination.  I can’t remember a meal that was so infused with the essence of fresh green veg. Meat & fish were there, and were very good, but it seemed always somehow ensconced in a halo of fresh and green.

The meal was a really interesting counterpoint to dinner at Le Chateaubriand a couple of nights earlier.  Both were brilliant, but in very different ways. Whereas Le Chateaubriand takes you to places you didn’t know existed, Verjus makes you happy to be alive and eating.

We heard a few suspiciously American accents floating around and upon asking learned that the proprietors were in fact Americans.  The story, we learned, is that they had started out doing at-home cooking, but when the waiting list for their dinners started reaching into the hundreds, they decided it was time to open shop in a proper restaurant.  Presumably, Paris is pleased that they did.

The photo, sadly, does absolutely no justice to the beauty of the food.  Go check out their website for some proper images.

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Guesthouse 1×6, Keflavik, Iceland

April 27, 2013
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Just steps from the harbour in Keflavik is Guesthouse 1×6, one of the most pleasant surprises on a generally excellent trip to Iceland.  Some local carpenters with a vision have transformed an otherwise nondescript house into six unique, outdoorsy rooms.

If you are exploring the peninsula, or have an an early flight from the airport (10 mins away), the Guesthouse makes a great place to stay for a couple of nights.  Rates are very reasonable, and several restaurants are in walking distance, but best of all is the private backyard thermal pool. Who needs the Blue Lagoon?

Icelandair Marina Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland

April 16, 2013
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Yes, it’s an airline-branded hotel, but don’t hold that against the Icelandair Marina.  It’s a fun, clever hotel in a great location.

Located in a repurposed paint factory, the main door opens directly onto the Reykjavik repair docks, with the harbour and mountains beyond. The ‘nautical’ theme of the rooms has nothing to do with twee New England hotel decor – it’s fresh, funny and very comfortable.  The lobby bar appears to be the place to be on a Friday night, and the cocktails are good, if an investment.   At other times the lobby is nice spot to have a drink and read a book while waiting for your Northern Lights tour to begin.  Breakfasts are excellent.  Central Reykjavik is just a few minutes’ walk away, and the desk staff are very helpful with recommendations.

As a last tip, if you arrive on Icelandair, log in to your flight booking on their website, then check the Marina’s availability via their hotel listings – you may be able to score a good discount.

Protea Willow Creek Hotel, Bloemfontein, South Africa

January 26, 2013
Hotels
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Bloemfontein is not much of a tourist destination, it’s a handy stopping point on the Johannesburg-Cape Town drive, as well as being home to a well-regarded medical center. That’s not the ideal setup for a quality hotel experience, but the folks at Protea have come up with another winner in their Willow Creek hotel, between the university and downtown.

Done up in an Afromodern style, the hotel looks out over the Bloemfontein’s open-air zoo, and has a nicely landscaped outdoor patio attached to the restaurant and a small pool. Rooms are comfortably furnished – though some rooms have a glass shower adjoining the bedroom, so best to ask about that if you’re traveling with someone who you don’t want to be naked in front of. As usual with the Proteas, staff are friendly and helpful, and the overall experience is so pleasant that we were in no rush to get back on the road.

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Van de Markt Restaurant, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

August 9, 2012
Restaurants
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In July 2012, Van de Markt moved up the block to a prime location directly on the Amstel River, and has built a large wine cellar to go with its elegant new dining room. The atmosphere is a bit more formal than we remember at the old address, but certainly not stuffy, and the service is very attentive. In fact it manages to be the kind of place you could go for either a romantic or business dinner, and nobody would feel awkward.

The food is broadly based on French and Italian concepts with subtle tweaks borrowed from other places: fresh ravioli made with peas; or a Terrance Major cut of beef with a smear of charred eggplant, which adds the smokiness you find in a good baba ghanoush to the dish. We felt bad for the dessert team though, because they have to compete with the most impressive cheese trolley we’ve ever seen in Amsterdam.

You can order off the menu, but we suggest you just go with the tasting menu and see what shows up.