Restaurants

Daniel Patterson, the chef behind San Francisco’s Coi, who once helmed Alta Adams alongside chef Keith Corbin, has opened a new tasting restaurant in Hollywood, alongside his wife and former music journalist and producer Sarah Lewitinn. Jacaranda challenges stereotypes of stuffy or restrained fine dining restaurants with a Gen X playlist, casual service and lively conversations among guests. This approach, as Patterson told reporter Stephanie Breijo, better reflects the ethos of Los Angeles, where your next great meal is just as likely to come from a street vendor as it is from a 10-course dinner. The restaurant holds only one seating per night, to allow diners the opportunity to linger as you would at a friend’s dinner party, as well as a multi-course lunch on Sunday.

It’s home to a 170-year-old pub, world-famous golf, medieval cathedral ruins and a legendary bakery that all visitors have to try.

Summer is almost here, making it an ideal opportunity to escape for a short break. If you fancy visiting somewhere with outstanding cuisine, stunning scenery, a fascinating past and a calming atmosphere, there’s one spot that deserves a place on your travel list – and once you visit, you’ll want to come back again and again.

Home to one of Britain’s most ancient universities, St Andrews on Scotland’s east coast is truly unique. Where else might you find a 170-year-old pub a stone’s throw away from an Oliver Bonas? It’s a location I’ve visited so many times, yet every trip uncovers something new to experience.

On a weekend getaway to Lower Largo, a tiny village in Fife, we popped into St Andrews for the afternoon. From Edinburgh it’s approximately an hour and a half’s drive, while from Glasgow it’s an hour and three quarters.

Whether you’re enthusiastic about it or not, most people probably know that St Andrews is primarily known for its golfing legacy.

The Old Course, one of the world’s most famous courses, boasts an iconic landmark that demands a picture, no matter how frequently you’ve been.

The Swilcan Bridge, constructed over 700 years ago, was our initial stop on this outing. Located on the course’s 18th hole, stepping onto the green feels extraordinary, yet it offers the ideal photo opportunity. You’ll inevitably come across fellow tourists, so you may need to queue briefly for your photo opportunity, but it’s absolutely worth the wait. Just a two-minute walk away sits the fantastic Jigger Inn pub, which was our next port of call for a bite to eat.

Dating back to the 1850s, the Jigger Inn is a cosy, welcoming pub with roaring fires that gazes out over the golf course. There’s a brilliant selection of drinks at the bar, or you can sit down and order from the menu, which is exactly what we chose to do.

Nobody will convince me there’s a better combination than a caesar salad, chips and wine, and the Jigger Inn delivered all three brilliantly.

Suitably fed and watered, it was time to explore the town itself. It’s not the largest, with most shops and attractions spread across roughly three main streets, yet you could happily wander around for hours without getting bored.

St Andrews is a truly remarkable place, with its medieval heritage plainly visible as you stroll through its streets. The university began teaching in 1413, which is extraordinary to think about, particularly given that it remains a thriving academic institution to this day.

There’s no denying it’s an exceptionally wealthy area. Students from all corners of the world move here to study, and its multiculturalism only adds to its charm. It’s also famously where William and Catherine first met and sparked their romance.

One of the main attractions is the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, located close to the waterfront. It was built back in 1158, and was previously the largest church in Scotland. Little remains of it today, and it has since been transformed into a graveyard.

Sadly, there was ring fencing surrounding numerous graves due to possible structural concerns, but it’s still a haunting yet captivating place to explore.

There’s so much going on in St Andrews that you nearly overlook the sea being right there. Just past the Old Course sits the celebrated West Sands Beach, which actually appeared in that memorable scene at the start of Chariots of Fire.

Had it been a bit warmer, this would have been the perfect location for a walk, but the wind was battering us from side to side so we opted to retreat into the shelter of the town centre.

St Andrews is brimming with superb shops, from high street names such as H&M and Jo Malone to independent boutiques and retailers that you won’t discover elsewhere. As a passionate reader, I was keen to visit Topping and Company, a popular family-owned booksellers with a handful of stores across the UK.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the range of books available were outstanding. There was an entire table of signed first editions at the front of the shop, and the shelves appeared to extend upwards and deeper into the shop for miles.

It’s the kind of spot where you could easily spend hours browsing – and potentially spend a lot of money. Thankfully, I succeeded in restricting myself to just one book, which proved quite the test of willpower.

There was only one more destination to visit on our trip, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll definitely want to know about it.

A trip to St. Andrews wouldn’t be complete without stopping by Fisher and Donaldson. Founded in Fife in 1919, this family-run bakery is renowned for one thing above all else: its fudge doughnuts.

Hailed as the best in Scotland, these indulgent delights are filled with fresh custard and topped with a mouth-watering fudge icing.

While other cakes and biscuits are on offer, the fudge doughnut really steals the show. We grabbed a few to have with a coffee later, and unsurprisingly, they disappeared quickly.

St Andrews is just a lovely place to spend the day or even the weekend if you want to take it slower. It’s pleasant whatever the weather, but in the summer when the sun is shining, it’s truly unbeatable.

Nestled on the Norfolk coast, this village boasts a stunning dog-friendly beach, famous striped cliffs and the Old Town Beach Cafe serving afternoon tea by the sea

If a peaceful coastal retreat is on your wish list, this charming village delivers seaside serenity in spades, along with plenty of spots to grab a decent cuppa.

Nestled along the Norfolk coastline, this quiet gem boasts a breathtaking beach and dramatic clifftops, offering sweeping vistas and a welcome escape from the daily grind.

Old Hunstanton sits shoulder-to-shoulder with its bigger neighbour, the more well-known resort of Hunstanton – also called New Hunstanton – but it would be a mistake to overlook it. Its unhurried charm appeals to those who’d rather skip the hustle and bustle of a busy seaside town, with leisurely strolls and striking striped cliffs to admire.

The undisputed highlight of the village is Old Hunstanton Beach, a gorgeous sandy stretch that warmly welcomes families and four-legged friends alike, perfect for a paddle when the sun deigns to make an appearance.

Indeed, its dog-friendly reputation is a major draw for keen walkers and visitors eager to give their pooches a proper run around. One tripadvisor reviewer said: “Old Hunstanton Beach is a top pick for dog owners. Dogs are welcome year-round with no leash required on the spacious sands, offering true freedom.”

“This likely reflects the beach’s size and a culture of responsible dog ownership. Enjoy the beautiful cliffs and calm waters with your happy dog by your side!”

Forming part of this stunning landscape are the cliffs, famously banded with three distinct colour layers – red, brown and white. Their striking natural stripes make the beach particularly eye-catching and are believed to represent a geological site of special interest dating back to the Cretaceous Period.

Another notable feature of the area is the historic Old Hunstanton Lighthouse, originally constructed in 1844, perched atop the renowned cliffs. This provides a delightful walk on a pleasant day and delivers breathtaking views across the region.

Café on the beach

Located on picturesque Old Hunstanton Beach, directly opposite the RNLI, is Old Town Beach Cafe, which offers a diverse menu championing locally sourced produce. For those seeking a more traditional pit stop, they also happen to dish up a lovely afternoon tea.

An afternoon tea right beside the sea sounds idyllic, yet it’s entirely achievable, with diners choosing lunch and breakfast options too. You can settle outside in the sand and gaze out at the blue shades of the rolling waves while you sip away.

One diner commented on Tripadvisor: “I visited the old boathouse café twice this week, once for breakfast and again another day for afternoon tea. It’s in a great location just on Old Hunstanton Beach, and the food and service is excellent. A really great place to call into after a walk on the beach.”

Another hailed the venue as an “outstanding little café Hunstanton” while someone else highlighted the spotlessness of the establishment.

One customer gushed: “Spotlessly clean throughout, lovely friendly staff, excellent quality, cater for gluten-free, freshly cooked, served piping hot, mega breakfast excellent as were homemade sweet potato patties gluten-free. Would definitely recommend.”

Read his lips: Sichuan Beef Proper, baked stuffed lobster, whiskey steak, chicken fajitas. There’s nothing like a good meal to chase those S&L; blues away.

George Bush, who never met a menu he didn’t like, eats out in restaurants about once a month–more than any President in recent history. Whenever he finds himself with a free evening and a craving for Chinese food, he slips out of the White House and into a corner table for a little Yan Chow fried rice. Just like your average all-American guy.

Well, not exactly. Where the President is concerned, there’s no such thing as a casual dinner on the town.

Your average guy doesn’t have someone who brings special bottled water for him to drink. Or salt, pepper and sugar for his table. Or an entourage of White House staff, Secret Service and reporters in tow.

Not to mention the food taster.

Yes, Virginia, the President does have a food taster. And no, the White House will not comment on food tasters–or anything else, for that matter–when it comes to protecting the Presidential palate.

But whenever the chief executive goes out to eat, there’s a man in the kitchen standing over the food. Sometimes he just watches; sometimes he digs right in.

The night the First Couple went to I Ricchi, an Italian restaurant in downtown Washington, the food taster washed their plates, glasses and utensils before the meal and kept them in sight at all times; tasted every dish to be served to the President; watched as the food was put on the plates and served; and uncorked and tasted the bottle of wine reserved exclusively for the President and Mrs. Bush.

In April, right after traces of benzene were found in Perrier water, Bush joked with an audience in Indianapolis: “I’m sorry I couldn’t get over here to have lunch with you today; I wasn’t allowed to. On the way over I was notified that the Secret Service had found my food taster face down in the salad. Somebody had washed my lettuce with Perrier.”

Traditionally, Presidents give up public dining when they move into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Nixon occasionally strolled across Lafayette Square, Secret Service alongside, for dinner at Trader Vic’s at the Capital Hilton. Ford and Carter rarely dined out. The Reagans, especially after the assassination attempt in 1981, kept close to the White House for meals. When Nancy Reagan did venture out, she favored the cloistered atmosphere of the Jockey Club.

But George Bush, determined to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible, roars out of the Oval Office and into one of his favorite restaurants at the drop of a Daily Special.

The restaurants love it, of course. It inevitably boosts business. And it’s a big thrill for other customers.

But any spontaneous jaunt is a complicated logistical maneuver for the Secret Service. His security staff gets nervous when the President goes out in public and even more nervous when he does it unexpectedly. But these excursions are safer than his announced appearances in two respects: There’s the element of surprise–what the public doesn’t know can’t hurt him. And he goes out to restaurants so often, they’ve got the drill down pat.

When George and Robert Tsui get a call from the Secret Service reserving Table N-17, they know exactly what to expect.

By now, the two brothers who run the Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church are old hands at handling the hullabaloo that accompanies a visit from the First Customer–it’s the President’s favorite spot for a family dinner. Bush has been a VIP customer of the restaurant for the past five years and still stops by every couple of months: He came right before his inauguration, on the eve of the trips to Poland and Colombia, and to celebrate his son Marvin’s birthday, to name a few occasions.

“They treat this, just like any other American family, as their little favorite Chinese restaurant,” says Robert Tsui. “We try to be as low-key as we can.”

Low-key, all things considered. The President is brought in one of the restaurant’s seven doors; it varies each time and is always a last-minute decision by the security detail. There are Secret Service agents and police both inside and surrounding the restaurant. Customers are waved with a portable metal detector when they arrive for dinner. And then there’s the taster . . . er, make that “nutrition expert.”

“When President Bush was vice president, he didn’t have a nutrition expert in the kitchen,” says George Tsui. “After he became President, the nutrition expert stays in the kitchen to understand what he’s eating.”

The President sits at a big round table in a partitioned area that has a bulletproof window installed by the Tsuis. The Secret Service waits right on the other side of the partition, and only the Tsuis and waiter Tak Chung Pang–all wearing official pins–are allowed past. Bush reportedly wields a mean chopstick and is partial to the Sichuan Beef Proper, a spicy shredded-beef dish with roasted sesame seeds; Peking duck; and the giant spring onions the Tsuis grow on their Virginia farm.

After dinner the President comes into the dining room to greet customers. “There’s no better attraction than the No. 1 man–wherever you go,” says Robert Tsui. “Whether they are Democrat or Republican, whether they politically agree with the man or not, they always love the fact that they’re dining with him.”

An “above average” tipper (20%), Bush pays most of the time by check, which the Tsuis cash. “The thing is, it would be abusing the privilege not to cash the check, because the check may be more valuable uncashed,” Robert explained. “We cash them out of respect to the President.”

But elsewhere in the country, there’s at least one Bush check on display: “George Bush, Business Account, The White House”–now hanging on the wall of Patsy Clark’s restaurant in Spokane, Wash.

House Speaker Tom Foley invited Bush, who was visiting Washington state for its centennial celebration, to join him, his wife, Heather, and Environmental Protection Agency Director Bill Reilly for dinner there last fall. Foley had intended to pick up the tab, but the President pulled rank and paid the $121 bill with a check for $140.

The next morning, a newspaper article said owner Tony Anderson planned to keep and frame the check as a souvenir. “About 2 p.m. that day, a Secret Service guy showed up at the restaurant with an envelope,” says Anderson. “It was a thank-you note from Bush with $140 in cash enclosed. He wanted to pay for dinner. He was insistent on it.”

Anderson only had 20 minutes’ notice of the Presidential supper, which had been reserved under the name of an assistant to the President. There were Secret Service agents “everywhere–35 or 40 guys” including, says Anderson, the one who brought salt, pepper, sugar and bottled water for the table in a shopping bag. The food taster watched, but did not sample, the President’s medium-rare Jack Daniel’s whiskey steak. Anderson found out later that the Secret Service had been visiting his restaurant for two weeks, posing as regular customers, and had the place thoroughly staked out.

“He was a wonderful person to have as a customer,” says Anderson. But having both Bush and Foley under his roof was nonetheless nerve-racking. “I was thinking, ‘These guys are two of the most powerful people in the world. What if something happens?’ I was actually sort of relieved when they left.”

Until it happens, no restaurant can imagine what goes into a visit from the President.

The operative word is secret .

Palm owner Wally Ganzi, who is also a personal friend of the President, knew several weeks in advance that the Bushes would join him and his wife, Reva, along with actress Cheryl Ladd and her husband, Brian Russell, for sirloin steak, onion rings and cheesecake last November. But his staff was told only the day before, when the Secret Service arrived to inspect the premises.

“Someone should pay the Secret Service a compliment,” says Ganzi. “They really try their best in every possible way. They’re not rude, very courteous. They really try not to disturb your business. They don’t strong-arm you.” The one thing they really concentrate on is egress–the quickest way to get the President out if there’s a problem.

Christianne and Francesco Ricchi, on the other hand, got the shock of their lives when I Ricchi’s owners found out they’d be cooking for a very VIP guest–only one month after the restaurant opened last year.

“My husband approached me and said, ‘You will never guess who’s coming to dinner,’ ” says Christianne Ricchi. “The Secret Service flashed their badges and says, ‘Are you the owner?’ He thought it was immigration.”

The couple only had two hours’ notice to prepare for the presidential appearance at the dinner, hosted by former Bush speech writer Vic Gold. “Our concern was making sure that everything was absolutely perfect,” says Christianne Ricchi.

Meanwhile, the Secret Service searched the restaurant, brought in bomb-sniffing dogs, stationed men outside all the entrances and on the roof across the street, and brought in the food taster, who played an unusually active role–sampling all the food and wine.

Time and security were equally tight in May when the Bushes joined former Republican National Committee chairman Dean Burch and his wife, Pat, for dinner at La Chaumiere in Georgetown. Antoine de Ponfilly, who served the Presidential party, found out at 5 p.m. that “someone important” was coming that night, but the Secret Service would not say who it was.

The Secret Service chose the private room upstairs for the President and then positioned two men on the roof, two in the back, three on the stairs and “a lot” in front of the tiny French restaurant, de Ponfilly says.

When the Bushes went up to eat, customers were inspected with portable metal detectors but didn’t find out who was in the restaurant until Bush came downstairs after dinner.

It was more down-home last July at Rio Grande Cafe, the Tex-Mex restaurant in Bethesda, when Bush and fellow Texan Robert Mosbacher, the secretary of commerce, came in for quesadillas, cheese enchiladas, beef and chicken fajitas and the specialty of the house: mesquite-broiled quail.

Manager Jerry Green noticed two police cars in front of the restaurant when he arrived at 3 p.m. Three hours later, the Secret Service toured the restaurant and picked a table for Bush in a back corner.

The food taster asked Green to point out what food would be served to the Presidential party. Green pointed to the 40 pounds of beef already cooking on the grill.

“He got the same old stuff that everybody gets here,” says Green. “Honestly, I’m not going to change my food just for the President. But I did give him an extra quail. I figured I could do that much for him.”

The party lasted two hours and everyone else in the restaurant lingered to watch Bush tackle his fajitas; since he sat facing the front, the customers could get a good look.

“Nobody would leave,” says Green. “The Secret Service finally closed the door when we were filled to capacity with a two-hour wait.”

After Mosbacher paid the bill with his American Express card, Green grabbed the chair Bush had been sitting in “right after he finished with it.” Within two days it was back on the floor–painted red, white and blue.

When Mabel Hanson of Mabel’s Lobster Claw Restaurant in Kennebunkport, Me., curls her hair, you know something’s up.

“The President said, ‘Hiya, Mabel. How are you? What are you all dressed up for?’ ” says Hanson, who just happened to be spiffed up when Bush dropped by last year. “I cried when he came–just a few sniffles. I can’t help it. It’s the President coming through your door.”

Mabel’s has been a Bush family favorite for almost 20 years. There’s a whole wall devoted to the Bushes: lots of pictures of George and Barbara, a few of George and Mabel, a portrait of the President with “He’s Our George” above it and a banner from the President’s inauguration–Mabel’s first trip ever to Washington.

You can usually pick out the Secret Service: They’re the only guys in Kennebunkport wearing suits.

Bush sits at his favorite corner table, where he usually has lobster stuffed with sea scallops. He’s “not too much for desserts” but occasionally treats himself to butter-crunch ice cream or Mabel’s famous peanut butter ice cream pie.

“These people couldn’t change if they tried,” she says. “They’re as natural as grass growing.”

Earlier this month, the Bushes and daughter Dorothy Bush LeBlond went to the Breakwater Inn in Kennebunkport with Bush golfing buddy Spike Heminway, his wife, Betsy, and daughter Alex. Unlike most dinner visits, owner Carolyn Lambert got advance word when Heminway made the reservation the night before and said the Bushes would be joining them.

“It was very important to me that this didn’t get out of hand,” Lambert says. “I told my employees when they came in the next night, ‘If you told any of your friends to come down here and hang around, call them back and tell them not to come.’ ”

In the morning, the Secret Service and a White House staffer showed up and told Lambert, “There need to be people in the dining room. If Mr. Bush felt you were going to lose business because of him, he would be unhappy.”

The restaurant, not surprisingly, was full of the inn’s regular customers and a few enterprising reporters who had wheedled reservations that afternoon for the remaining tables. Except for the food taster in the kitchen, it was a typical Sunday-night dinner in Maine. The President had the pan-fried chicken breast special and mud pie.

When Bush goes to his other hometown, he usually makes a beeline for Otto’s Barbecue in Houston, where he chows down on pork ribs or link sausage with beans.

On his first visit there as President, the Secret Service checked out the bathrooms and sneaked Bush through the back door into the back dining room. “But the customers knew something was up,” says manager June Sofka. “Then the President came in the main dining room and shook hands with everybody. It was just exhilarating.”

“I was busy running around so I didn’t get my picture taken with the President. But I picked up his plate and the silverware and took it home. I still have it.”

When San Juan native Rafael Rodriguez opened Señor Big Ed in Cypress in the mid-90s, there were few Puerto Rican restaurants in Southern California.

“A lot of customers were driving long ways to come to eat at Señor Big Ed,” said restaurant manager Veronica Coronado. “They would get very emotional when they would eat the food, because it reminded them so much of their childhood.”

While cities like New York and Miami have come to be veritable hubs for Puerto Rican cuisine, the food community here in Los Angeles — more than 3,000 miles away from the island — still remains relatively small.

And yet, demand for Boricua cuisine is on the rise locally, due in part to a growing Puerto Rican population — about 47,000 residents, according to the Los Angeles Almanac — and rapper Bad Bunny’s recent Super Bowl halftime show that paid homage to his homeland and made history as the most-watched Super Bowl halftime performance of all time, with more than 4 billion views globally.

“His whole movement and everything that he’s been doing for the island … has really been this big boost for global awareness of the Puerto Rican identity and culture,” said Carmen DeLeon, the actor and chef behind Capicu, a Puerto Rican pop-up in L.A.

While longstanding restaurants like Señor Big Ed have anchored communities for decades, newer spots like Taínos in Woodland Hills and La Casa de Iris in Long Beach are expanding the Boricua food landscape in L.A.

“Everyone comes to look for this food because this is like gold,” said Edwin Torres, chef at Taínos in Woodland Hills.

In addition to traditional guisados, mofongo (mashed green plantains) and banana-leaf-wrapped pasteles, Taínos shares Puerto Rican dishes rarely seen outside of home kitchens. Soon, co-owner Odessa Rodriguez plans to add guanimes con bacalao, boiled flour dumplings with salted cod, a Taíno dish that traces back centuries.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We are just trying to bring back essential plates that our ancestors ate,” Rodriguez said.

DeLeon, known as the Not Starving Artist on Instagram, started her pop-up in 2023 with her sister Anabel, serving small bites at bars, farmers markets and local events. The siblings grew up in Arizona cooking Puerto Rican food with their island-born parents, and DeLeon said she’s passionate about making the cuisine accessible to others.

“I want to attract people first, and then I can talk about where these dishes derive from and where the inspiration comes from,” she said.

The current menu features pizza empanadillas, vegan arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), vegan tostones and gazpacho, and mini sandwiches with ham, cheese and sweet pimiento peppers.

DeLeon hopes more people will grow excited about Puerto Rican food as they discover the culture and meaning behind the cuisine.

“There’s so much history and structure and love behind this group of people, this environment, this culture, this food, this identity,” she said. “I hope that when people eat this food … I want your belly to feel full, I want you to feel as if you’re sitting at my house with my family.”

Similarly, Rodriguez hopes Taínos will become a cultural hub for Boricuas in L.A.

“It fulfills me to feel that I am providing a sense of comfort, nostalgia, home,” she said. “It’s bigger than food.”

Whether you’re craving nostalgic flavors from home or looking to experience L.A.’s small but growing Puerto Rican food scene, here are four restaurants serving up a taste of the Isla del Encanto. — Angela Osorio

OUR Spotlight On column this week is chatting all things UK – this time the seaside town of Deal.

Based in Kent, the town has boomed in popularity in recent years as ex-Londoners ditch the city for the more laid-back life by the sea.

The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey, who lives near Deal said: “I’m seriously impressed with the food scene – and that’s coming from someone who wouldn’t even class herself as a foodie.

“Some of the restaurants rival or even surpass London, yet retain it’s traditional, laidback ambience.

“Sure, you can get your arcade hit and fish and chips, but it has a great family feel too – and a beach so big you will never run be fighting for space”.

Here are some of her other top tips from bars to shops if deciding to visit Deal.

MUST SEE/DO

The brutalist Deal Pier has been through three iterations – one in 1838, destroyed by a storm, followed by one in 1864 which lasted until World War II.

The current surviving structure was opened by the then-Duke of Edinburgh in 1957.

It is worth the windy walk to the end where you can stroll past men fishing over the walls, or to grab a coffee at Deal Kitchen Pier.

Otherwise save some time for exploring the pretty high street littered with independent shops and galleries – head into Hoxton Store for the best trinkets, or Don’t Walk Walk (intentional repetition) for some unique artwork.

HIDDEN GEM

Visit on Saturday mornings to catch the bustling market that takes over Union Road car park.

It dates back to 1699 and is the kind of market that is impossible to leave without picking up something.

From flowers and soaps to groceries and sweet treats, or just your classic antiques and bric a brac, it truly has it all.

Visit early – it opens at 8am in the summer – to avoid the crowds (and get the freshest cinnamon buns).

BEST VIEW

Where better for a view of the ocean than from Deal Castle?

Built by Henry VII as a sea defence system, walk up the steps to the bastions for uninterrupted seascapes.

Send any fussy kids to the underground passageways, where they can pretend to fight off invaders with wooden muskets.

English Heritage members visit for free (non-member adults pay £9.00, while kids between 5-17 pay £5. See english-heritage.org.uk)

RATED RESTAURANT

The Pelican is the place to be for the best food in town, where English seaside meets Japanese cuisine.

Skip the tables for one of the 10 bar stools surrounding the open kitchen to watch the chefs at work.

And come with an empty stomach so you can gorge on crab croquettes, pork katsu and bowls of freshly steamed rice.

Pop in on Thursdays and Sundays for their ramen menu, or nurse a sake martini downstairs in their Cellar Bar.

BEST BAR

Recently renovated, Le Pinardier will transport you straight to France.

The wine bar-cum-shop is one for taking pictures in, from the dusky pink striped cushions to the chequered tiles.

It has some of the best local wines and beers on tap, best chased by some oysters or charcuterie.

Fancy something more low key? Head to The Port Arms pub for traditional boozer vibes, and live music in the front beer garden in summer.

HOTEL PICK

The Rose hotel has won multiple awards since it opened in 2018.

With just eight rooms, it is stylish granny chic with floral wallpaper, grand velvet headboards and some even having rolltop baths.

Take advantage of the complimentary brandy nightcap as well as the free-to-use tandem bike for getting around town.

Or book a package that includes a spot of yoga and a massage at the sister The Pelicans Room.

Wake up to the sound of church bells before heading downstairs for a slap up breakfast at the restaurant – make sure to try the smoked salmon crumpet.

Rooms cost from £110 per night. See therosedeal.com

This small but charming UK market town punches above its weight with a flourishing food scene of Michelin-starred restaurants and a renowned gingerbread legacy

A picturesque UK town boasts an incredible culinary scene, with Michelin-starred restaurants and the birthplace of a beloved British confection.

When it comes to restaurants celebrated for their culinary excellence by the esteemed Michelin Guide, our thoughts might drift towards those dotted along the streets of Britain’s major cities. However, it seems a foodie paradise lies hidden in plain sight within the unassuming Lancashire market town of Ormskirk.

Nestled in the heart of West Lancashire, under an hour from Liverpool and two hours from Birmingham, sits a destination defined by medieval buildings, walkable streets, and the famous Clock Tower standing proudly at its centre. Once a Viking settlement, it’s celebrated for the Charter Market, among the oldest and most authentic outdoor markets in the UK, yet it’s the dining scene that truly warrants recognition.

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Michelin-starred restaurants

Ormskirk plays host to not one, but three Michelin-starred establishments. Among them is Moor Hall, helmed by chef patron Mark Birchall, who delivers classic British cuisine alongside his brigade of culinary experts. The restaurant, located in the village of Aughton in Ormskirk, remarkably boasts three Michelin Stars, a Michelin Green Star and five AA Rosettes.

As Mark Birchall himself puts it: “We want to bring together the very best – beautiful surroundings, with an unrivalled dining experience that pushes boundaries.”

But there’s more. Moor Hall’s sister restaurant, The Barn, has also scooped a Michelin star for its “varied menu created with the best seasonal ingredients”. Diners can look forward to indulging in “60-day aged grass-fed ex-dairy Jersey beef tartare, Jerusalem artichoke, and nasturtium; Cornish Cod, smoked onion, charred leek, bacon crumb, or Stem ginger panna cotta, blood orange, granola”.

Another establishment adding to the town’s buzzing food scene is sō-lō, delivering an “exceptional” fine-dining experience under the helm of Tim Allen. Also holding a Michelin star, its website reads: “Highlighting modern British cuisine, Tim incorporates culinary influences from around the world. Marrying incredible flavours and textures, he ingeniously crafts dishes of the finest seasonal ingredients, which are both truly memorable and emotive.”

‘Gingerbread Town’

Beyond its celebrated restaurants, Ormskirk boasts a rich history of its own and is fondly dubbed the ‘Gingerbread Town.’ The beloved bake cemented its legacy in the town after three trailblazing women first sold gingerbread to passers-by in the 1770s.

The delectable biscuits soared in popularity and are said to have captured the attention of Edward VII and The Princess Royal. Today, that proud tradition endures, with the town even hosting an annual Gingerbread Festival in its honour, and the cherished sweet treat is sold throughout the town, including at its local market and bakeries.

Historic outdoor market

The renowned Ormskirk Charter Market, which has been running since 1286, fills the town centre around the Clock Tower every Thursday and Saturday, with roughly 100 stalls offering everything from fresh fish, meat, and vegetables to artisan breads, creamy cheeses, and homemade pies. Friendly traders also sell plants, flowers, cards, stationery, clothing, homeware gifts, and pet supplies.

The market truly has something for everyone and is undeniably a cornerstone of the town, consistently bringing the local community together with a warm, village-like feel. On occasion, residents can soak up live music and entertainment while picking up their locally sourced produce, browsing the town’s selection of independent boutiques, or catching up with friends over a coffee at one of the fashionable cafés such as Bloom and Brew and Two Brothers Coffee.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Los Angeles is a city rich with regional specificity when considering the cuisines of Asia. When someone asks for a restaurant recommendation for “Korean food” or “dumplings” or “Thai,” I encourage them to be more specific. Are you in the mood for xiao long bao, mandu, gyoza or momos? You want to know where to get barbecue in Koreatown? Those sizzling grills crowded with galbi, while dependably righteous, only scratch the surface of the breadth and depth of Korean cuisine in what is home to the largest Korean diaspora outside of Korea.

There are omakase experiences for every price point. Cramped izakayas. A restaurant where the sole speciality is lamb prepared in the style of the Uyghur people of China’s Xinjiang province. Pho parlors and banh mi shops with pâté-smeared baguettes. Sunny Taiwanese breakfast restaurants slinging steaming bowls of congee and tightly wrapped fantuan.

AAPI-owned restaurants act as the vital centers of countless communities around the city. The San Gabriel Valley, Westminster, Little Bangladesh, Koreatown and so many more. These are places that are both hubs for thriving immigrant communities and sought-after dining destinations.

Here’s a list of 20 AAPI-owned standouts from our most recent guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in the city. — Jenn Harris

Social media is full of posts showing off photos and videos of fancy-looking cafes and restaurants in Gaza. Pro-Israeli accounts often use these images to claim that life is back to normal in Gaza, that people are not suffering and that no genocide ever took place.

These cafes and restaurants do exist. I have seen them myself.

In late March, I went on my first visit to Gaza City since the war started. I was shocked to see the destruction wrought on the city. There were piles of rubble at every corner. Unable to recognise the streets, I felt as if I were strolling through a maze. I soon arrived at an area nearby that shocked me even more. It was full of new cafes that did not exist before the war.

These were not makeshift or temporary places as one might expect; they were built with expensive materials, carefully painted, furnished with tables, sofas, and elegant chairs, with glass facades and shining lights. A luxury feel emanated from them. They looked so out of place amid the rubble and the half-collapsed buildings that it felt almost surreal to see them.

These new establishments do not prove that normality is coming back to Gaza. They are a testament to its continuing genocidal abnormality.

The war made some people in Gaza rich, especially those who engaged in illicit activities like smuggling, looting, and hoarding during acute shortages. This wealth is now coming out in various forms, including luxury cafes and restaurants.

In parallel, the vast majority of Gaza’s population has been thrown into abject poverty. While before the war, the average person was able to afford to sit at a cafe and have a drink and a bite to eat, today this is no longer the case.

Most people cannot even look at these new places, let alone enter them and order something. The vast majority of Gaza’s population lives in tents, has no electricity or potable water, and suffers from the loss of livelihoods. They are surviving on what little aid Israel is allowing through.

I am one of them. My family and I live in a tent pitched near the rubble of our home in the Nuseirat camp. We have lost our family livelihood. The comfortable life we used to have is now just a distant memory.

The expensive new establishments reflect the deeply unjust social order that has emerged in Gaza – one where war profiteering has elevated a new privileged class and collapsed the vast majority into misery with no access to proper education, healthcare and even food. The genocide did not just kill and maim people and destroy homes and schools; it eliminated the prospect of a normal life for most people in Gaza.

I could not afford the fancy cafes, so I continued down the street till I reached a more modest restaurant, which used to go to with friends before the war. Entering it felt like stepping back in time to the days before the war; the place was the same, with the same chairs and tables, and the familiar smells that filled the space.

I sat and observed, dwelling on fond memories of spending time there after university lectures. I ordered what I used to order: a chicken wrap, a soda and a small salad plate. The bill was 60 shekels ($20) – more than three times what I would pay before the war, when my family actually had a normal income.

The restaurant bill, together with the fare I paid for a shared ride to get to Gaza City (15 shekels or $5 one way), cost me a fortune. I felt guilty spending all this money to enjoy a glimpse of normalcy.

The few who are fortunate enough to be able to afford going to cafes and restaurants in Gaza may enjoy short moments of relief, a temporary escape from the horrors of reality. Yet these moments are limited, often accompanied by anxiety about returning to the destroyed streets, the bombed-out landscape and the trauma.

As I sat at Al-Taboon, I thought of the friends with whom I used to spend time: Rama, who was martyred and Ranan, who escaped to Belgium. I sat there alone, holding on to these memories amid the greyness of Gaza’s rubble and the lights of the generator-powered cafés.

The genocide has devasted everyone – even those who have profiteered from it. No amount of time spent in shiny cafes and restaurants will ever erase this reality.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Los Angeles didn’t get many April showers, but May flowers are blooming just the same, leaving a lingering scent of jasmine as the star-shaped flower blossoms across the city. Jacaranda trees will soon follow suit, turning the skyline of entire neighborhoods lavender as spring stretches into summer.

Marine layer aside, this season invites us to get outside and make the most of living in L.A. The Metro will soon open the expansion of its D Line, making it convenient to peruse Museum Row, the Grove and bars and restaurants along Fairfax and in Beverly Hills without a car. Local farmers markets are more abundant than ever, with rainbow assortments of stone fruits and tomatoes.

And there are plenty of patios and rooftops for enjoying sunny evenings and taking in city views. Keep reading if you need dining inspiration this month, like exploring a new hand roll counter in downtown L.A., a buzzy Larchmont diner that lives up to the hype and a pan-African destination for customizable “slop bowls” in Gardena.