The first and only AAA Five Diamond-rated hotel in the city, the Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale complements the Gold Coast’s natural luxury with pure white and glass design. Crafted by Miami’s acclaimed architectural firm Arquitectonica, the hotel’s curvilinear structure makes waves with its resemblance to a luxury liner. And the similarities don’t stop at the exterior — lavish amenities are to be found inside those sparkling walls. From its fresh, trendy Club Lounge to its restorative spa and exclusive wine tastings, the Ritz offers a dreamy place for the elite to rest their heads, sink their toes and recharge their spirits.

The VIP experience begins on the eighth floor, where the Club Lounge gazes down on the Intracoastal Waterway sprinkled with sailboats. The view only gets better in the Lounge on the other side of the window, where guests are met with a chic, nautical décor scheme inspired by the hotel’s marine surroundings. Espresso and turquoise, hardwood and stone — as if these scrumptious details aren’t enough to treat the soul, guests are waited on by the Club Lounge staff, who offer an adventurous selection of food and drink from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. And the cherry on top? The Lounge makes for an intimate place to experience one of Florida’s most priceless luxuries: watching the sun rise and set.

Believe it or not, there is something sweeter than Florida oranges: the exquisite spa at the Ritz-Carlton. Each experience is inspired by the Earth’s elements, resulting in a lush list of signature services: the Ocean Sea Salt Glow, for example, is a rich blend of massage, scrub and steam for a deep, whole-body detox; the Sapphire Sea Treatment, the ultimate holistic experience, includes a luxurious pearl and kelp body mud to infuse the body with rich vitamins. For those travelling with little ones, the Spa even offers the kid-friendly Glitter Me Beautiful menu, a collection of light services designed for young spa-goers aged five to 17.

Heading down to the Wine Vault, guests are given the chance to take an around-the-world trip without setting foot outside the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale’s sommelier guides the exploration through the 5,000-bottle reservoir while guests sip and savour some of the world’s finest wines. But it gets classier. To keep the ladies warm in the Vault, faux fur stoles are available. To personalize the experience, wine connoisseurs can embark on one of two journeys: the Flight of Six Wines, an intimate discovery of six cuvées selected according to personal taste; or the Five Course, Wine-Paired Culinary Journey, where exquisite dining meets unparalleled wines. And if the cool romance of the Vault doesn’t stir one’s taste, take your journey to the plush lounge setting of the Wine Room instead, or in the Via Luna restaurant with its stunning oceanfront view.

Mirroring the blissful extravagance of the Atlantic in both architecture and luxurious amenities, the Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale puts the gleam in the Gold Coast.

www.ritzcarlton.com

HARTNETT HOLDER & Co RESTAURANT

Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett and head chef Luke Holder are behind the mouth-watering local, organic and foraged farm-to-table food on the menu at Lime Wood’s Hartnett Holder & Co. The atmosphere at the Hampshire-based boutique country house hotel’s restaurant is just as intimate as its New Forest National Park location. A rustic wood table seats 10 for communal lunches and dinners or privately booked events.
www.limewoodhotel.co.uk

EASY TIGER

Gastropub meets bakery in this German-themed downtown Austin eatery and beer garden. Homemade bread, pastries, sausages and corned beef are paired with a carefully curated selection of cheeses, wines, craft beers and spirits, including 37 varieties of reserve whiskies. Cocktails of note include the classic B&E whiskey sour, made with St. George B&E bourbon, and the Courtney Love, featuring Tito’s Handmade vodka, Sutton Cellars dry vermouth, olive juice, lemon and blue cheese olives. While there’s a takeout option for baked goods, lunch and afternoon drinks draw dine-in crowds. A selection of Easy Boards will pair together fresh bread or a pretzel with cured meats, and the homemade beer cheese is a must try. Tiger is also a popular evening spot, with outdoor Ping-Pong tables that create a laid-back atmosphere. It’s no wonder that Easy Tiger’s motto is “Stay awhile.”
www.easytigeraustin.com

LUCIEN

In the past, Lucien has been dubbed both Toronto’s best new restaurant and one of the top 10 new restaurants in Canada, thanks to its modern approach to classic dishes. Chef Étienne Lemieux has a proclivity for experimenting with unique flavour combinations and fresh, local produce awakens the palate with seasonally changing menus. For a main, try the Lake Erie whitefish stuffed with smoked pork and follow it with the buckwheat roulade, a dessert of walnut praline, sweet potato ice cream, maple syrup and whipped bacon. Lucien’s intimate atmosphere, created by dimmed lights and dark wooden tables, is also a draw for customers. Open for lunch and dinner, Lucien also has a bar menu and cocktail list that make a late-night visit just as appealing.
www.lucienrestaurant.com

JALEO

This Washington, D.C., institution has three locations in the area and a fourth in Las Vegas. Chef José Andrés oversees the popular Spanish fare with his skilful take on traditional tapas dishes, paellas and sangrias, bringing the taste of Spain to the U.S. capital. For the full experience, the chef’s tasting menu allows diners to try a hand-picked selection of Jaleo tapas favourites, paired specially with Spanish wines and cocktails. Intensely flavoured cow’s milk cheese paired with honey, rosemary and pine nut shortbread will make your mouth water, as will the legendary jamón ibérico (cured ham). Meanwhile, the downtown D.C. location’s casual atmosphere and inspiring 2012 décor remodel has made it a finalist for the James Beard Best Restaurant Design award this year.
www.jaleo.com

THE RIB ROOM

Known for serving the best of British cuisine, this Knightsbridge bar and restaurant features elegant dishes and a complementary atmosphere, with several private dining rooms and art by expressionist painter Feliks Topolski. Head chef Ian Rudge plates some of the most authentic British cuisine with a twist in his seasonal menu. Try a starter of Sussex Mansion cheese dumplings or Orkney scallops, and follow it up with Loomswood duck breast or caper-crusted rack of lamb (as featured on BBC’s MasterChef series) for your main. Standing out among the neighbourhood’s many fine-dining establishments, The Rib Room is, of course, a meat-lover’s dream and, if you try nothing else, don’t miss the classic menu’s roast rib of Casterbridge Aberdeen Angus beef with Yorkshire pudding, a hearty British dish that will satisfy your hunger and your tastebuds.
www.theribroom.co.uk

The Grill with Tony Cammalleri

Q Gourmet restaurants across Toronto, Montreal and New York have been serving up unconventional versions of the classic burger topped with unique ingredients such as truffle aioli and foie gras. What set this movement in motion?

A The new generation of chefs is not only technically skilled but also understands the importance of having fun in the kitchen. The burger allows both creative combinations of sauces and toppings and the ability to use high-end items such as Kobe beef or ahi tuna in new and exciting ways. The popularity of street food, along with the fact that burgers are a chef’s favourite after-service snack, could be the driving force for this burger movement.

Q- What are some new ingredients people are experimenting with when making and dressing a classic backyard burger?

A- Besides the typical ingredients used in burgers there are healthier options such as tuna, salmon or vegetables. We can also go the route of the “greasy spoon.” In this case you can make two grilled cheese sandwiches and use them in place of regular buns. Then add your homemade patty along with caramelized onions, double smoked bacon, good quality pickles, lettuce and ripe tomatoes. Adding homemade condiments such as your own ketchup or BBQ sauce or combining ingredients such as Sriracha sauce and mayonnaise can really elevate your burger.

Spicy Jalapeno Turkey Burger

500 – grams ground turkey, dark meat
¼ – onion, finely chopped, sautéed then cooled
1 clove – garlic, minced
1- egg
¼ cup – bread crumbs
1 tsp – oregano
2 tbsp – BBQ sauce
1 tsp – Dijon mustard
1 tsp – cajun poultry seasoning black pepper and salt, to taste

Directions:

1 Mix all ingredients using a KitchenAid mixer with paddle attachment or by hand
in a stainless steel bowl.

2 Form into 4-oz balls and place between parchment paper; flatten each ball to
about 1/4 inch (use the bottom of a pot or frying pan).

3 Turn on grill to high heat and season with oil.

4 Grill on high to desired doneness; thinner patties cook faster and lose less moisture. Alternatively, you can use a griddle plate for maximum flavour.

Toppings:

Fried Jalapenos:

3 – jalapenos, sliced thinly

1/2 cup – all-purpose flour

2 – eggs with touch of water, whisked

2 cups – panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1 Slice jalapenos, flour lightly then dip in egg wash and panko.
2 Fry in non-stick pan till golden.
3 Drain on paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

Chipotle Mayo:

1 cup – mayonnaise

2 tbsp – chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped fine

Directions:

Mix together the mayo and chipotle peppers.

Note:
This can be made ahead of time and can last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Chef Cammalleri also designed a Swiss Bacon Mushroom Melt and Classic version for Dolce readers to enjoy. For recipes, visit www.dolcemag.com.

Although The Three Chimneys is not the remotest of UK restaurants, it is, I believe, one of the hardest to get to. The nearest airport, which happens to be in my hometown of Inverness, is three hours away; Edinburgh and Glasgow can only be reached directly by car, which is a five-and-a-half hour journey (a beautiful journey in itself); and even once the weary traveller reaches the bridge, which joins mainland to Isle, there is still another hour drive along the narrowest of single tracks before a menu can be perused, a freshly baked treat can be tasted or an aperitif can be sipped.

Sheep congregate and stagnate en masse directly in the middle of the road, bamboozling and unnerving travellers, reminding them that sat navs, mobile phones and the Internet are all but redundant here. We are situated in the wilderness, on a peninsula surrounded by deep, clean waters. The restaurant is in the middle of one of the richest natural larders to be accessed anywhere in the world. Our lobsters, langoustines, oysters and crabs are all harvested from Loch Dunvegan, which is almost lapping at the restaurant’s front door.

Recently, some of my chefs invested in wetsuits and began free diving for scallops on their breaks. They fish on our days off, making beach fires to cook the catch right then and there. The lamb and beef matures slowly on the island’s lush fauna that also grows unhurriedly, making it more flavoursome and succulent, and the venison comes directly from the mountaintops.

Typically, the new members of staff who flourish here are young (20s), single (long-distance relationships are not the best), love working in a very busy and creative environment and, just as importantly, living in a unique, harsh, breathtakingly beautiful part of the world. Some may say the pride I find as a chef here sounds cliché or stereotypical. And I would agree. If, that is, there were another five or six — or even three — similar establishments along the west coast of Scotland. But there aren’t.

Though this faraway life may seem lonely to some, I am accompanied by the greatest guests who travel from North America and around the world to dine with me. This restaurant is so much more than the sum of its parts. It has a sense of place. It has provenance. It has a soul. It could not exist anywhere else. All of these things and more inspire me, in my cooking, in my work, in my life. I have been fortunate to be part of it all, doing what I love, working in a busy, happy restaurant. Which just happens to be here.

www.threechimneys.co.uk

Founded in 1897, the independent, not-for-profit Canadian Club of Toronto has enlightened its diverse group of international members on topical issues

in the areas of business, politics, social innovation and the economy.

www.canadianclub.org