My 15 best dishes in 2023

Another year has passed, and it’s time to take stock of 2023 from my culinary perspective. Once again this year, I have been privileged to travel around to some of the world’s best restaurants. This list comprises the 15 best dishes I have indulged in this year. It takes us, among other places, all the way to Bangkok, Paris, and Munich, just to name a few. The dishes are mentioned in arbitrary order and are not ranked. Thank you to all the amazing restaurants and chefs for all these incredible experiences. Let’s dig in!

Langoustine with deep-fried rice and two Korean sauces, Koan** in Copenhagen

Copenhagen continues to attract diner from all over the world thanks to the ever evolving food scene in my hometown. This year’s biggest newcomer is without any doubt KOAN by Kristian Baumann that received two Michelin stars just two months after its opening. The chef is adopted from South-Korea and KOAN is the expression of his quest to learn more about his Korean roots. KOAN is a very unique restaurant in Copenhagen with a flavour profile that cannot be compared to any other fine dining restaurant in the city. This serving of langoustine deep-fried with crispy rice attached to it and served with a creamy sesame sauce as well as a sauce made of the Korean rice wine makgeolli was sensational thanks to its complexity, excellent produce and pure indulgence.

Yellow beets, caviar and sauce made with cream, rice wine vinegar and hazelnuts at Substans* in Aarhus

Substans moved to significantly more luxurious premises in Aarhus Ø a few years ago. Here, René Mammen conjures up incredibly tasty dishes based on the best local ingredients of the seasons. This seemingly simple serving of yellow beets with caviar and a cream sauce soured with rice wine vinegar, tossed with roasted hazelnuts, was simply phenomenal.

See the list of my 15 best dishes in 2022

 

Dry-aged duck with condiments, Potong* in Bangkok

In the spring, I had the exquisite pleasure of spending a week in Bangkok, visiting the city’s best dining establishments, including Potong in Chinatown. Here, I had the best duck I have ever tasted. It was dry-aged for two weeks, marinated in rice wine vinegar, and then cooked on a rotisserie. It was served with various accompaniments such as offal, assorted vegetables, and rice; simply outstanding.

 

Anchovy, butter and toasted sourdough bread, Resto Bar, Copenhagen

Can a simple snack at an equally simple Italian eatery squeeze its way in among such prominent restaurants as the others on this list? The answer is a clear and unequivocal “YES”! The art lies in the quality of the produce and timing of the presentation. A hearty slice of butter had been placed on a slice of freshly toasted sourdough bread – still warm enough to gently melt the butter. It was topped with a salted anchovy fillet, which the chefs at Resto Bar fillet themselves; a completely divine dish that is also easy to get your hands on economically.

 

Char with Asian flavours, JAN*** in Munich

 

River prawn, pork belly jam and organic rice at Le Du*, Bangkok

We are heading back to Bangkok and Asia’s best restaurant according to Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Le Du. The restaurant is wonderfully relaxed, and you can sense that all guests are enjoying themselves. The good atmosphere is due in no small part to the excellent food, including this enormous river prawn, which was served with a hollandaise-like sauce made from river prawn heads as well as pork belly jam, organic rice, and shrimp paste; the taste of Thailand on a plate.

Spätzle, ceps and truffle, Sühring** in Bangkok

 

Lièvre a la Royale, Tantris DNA* in Munich

My trip to Munich in the fall truly delivered, and one of the highlights of the journey was Tantris DNA, the revitalized culinary institution that opened its doors way back in 1971. In 2021, the restaurant reopened with a fantastic à la carte concept, where some of the restaurant’s most iconic dishes from the past 50 years have been reinterpreted. The classic version of hare royale, which takes on a terrine-like form, can be very overwhelming, but this version was magical. You got a piece of the saddle fillet along with quince, celery, and a ragout of hare legs, all accompanied by a divine sauce of hare, foie gras, and chocolate. I was on the verge of tears.

 

Langoustine and pumpkin at Vyn in Skåne, Sweden

Daniel Berlin is back! With his new hotel restaurant Vyn in southeastern Skåne, he has opened one of the most anticipated dining establishments in the Nordics this year. It’s all about sourcing the best ingredients, including this fantastic extra-large langoustine, delicately prepared and served with pumpkin, quince, and a sauce made from quince and browned butter.

 

Sardine, fennel and tarragon at Plénitude*** in Paris

Paris. What can I say? It’s a magical city, not least because of the enchanting restaurants that people from all over the world travel to the city to experience. Plénitude received three stars in 2022, within less than a year of opening, and is now on everyone’s lips. I understand why. All dishes are centered around sauces, including this outstanding sardine, served with fennel and a creamy, airy sauce with elegant notes of tarragon.

 

Bitter salads, grapefruit and puff pastry, Table** in Paris

Paris took me by storm, and this final part of the list is also dominated by my dining experiences in the French capital. The journey included a visit to Table, where the self-taught master chef Bruno Verjus’ kitchen blew me away with its immediacy, enormous passion for produce, and the pure deliciousness in every dish. On paper, this dish was the most humble of servings and at the same time, the one that truly impressed me. Crunchy, flaky puff pastry was served with a reduction of grapefruit, radicchio, verbena oil, and grapefruit sabayon; wonderful textures and a perfectly balanced play with the bitter nuances.

 

Grapefruit and salicorn at Le Gabriel** in Paris

It wasn’t only at Table that I fell in love with a dish featuring grapefruit in Paris. Also at the two-starred Le Gabriel at the palace hotel La Réserve, I had a dish with the bitter, sweet, and sour citrus fruit that truly impressed me. There was crispy meringue with fresh grapefruit, grapefruit jelly, and grape marmalade, along with a challenging element in the form of samphire, which added a salty ocean-like note to the dish. It was equally strange, inspiring, and – as I concluded with myself – very tasty; a different dessert that required genuine engagement. Excellent work by Chef Jérôme Banctel.

 

Squid, caviar and chicken consommé at Cocina Hermanos Torres*** in Barcelona

I had an excellent trip to Barcelona in connection with the Spanish Michelin star awards late last year. Here, I had the pleasure of dining at the three-starred restaurant Cocina Hermanos Torres, owned and operated by twin brothers Sergio and Javier Torres. One of the highlights was this signature dish consisting of squid tartar tossed with creamy amasake and topped with caviar. At the table, an elegantly flavored consommé made from chicken broth was poured over the dish, which shone with its delicate textures and beautifully balanced flavors.

 

Fillet and belly of lamb, yoghurt and black garlic at Schloss Schauenstein*** in Fürstenau, Switzerland

Another of this year’s journeys that truly brings back fond memories took me to the tiny town of Fürstenau in the Swiss Alps, where chef Andreas Caminada has built a veritable gourmet empire. The flagship is the three-starred Schloss Schauenstein, where I enjoyed an exceptional lunch. In particular, the dish of roested fillet and braised breast of lamb served with yogurt, an emulsion of black garlic, and a roll of radish impressed me with the quality of the lamb and the finely balanced other elements on the plate.

 

Chocolate, capers and caviar at Table** in Paris

We conclude in Paris, returning to Table, where I was fortunate enough to experience Bruno Verjus’ signature dessert consisting of a half tart shell filled with hazelnuts and the creamiest chocolate ganache infused with capers. The capers themselves were not discernible in taste, but they served as the link between the chocolate and the fresh oscietra caviar on top; a masterful presentation in all its simplicity, attempted to be replicated by many restaurants worldwide. However, the authentic creation is found at Table.

Thank you for reading this piece. Have you tried any of the dishes? Let me know in the comment section below.