Knife Pleat - Costa Mesa

What does a one-Michelin-star tea look like?

Small. Little bites, lithe and light, delicate, exquisite.

There's not a single ingredient that doesn't get to sing, and everything serves a purpose, whether it primes your palate, tickles your taste buds, or just makes magic in your mouth. No nonsense, no fillers, just a concise three-tier and some sandwiches that prioritize top-notch quality over uncomfortable quantity.

Start by selecting a single tea from a carefully curated list. I went Grand Earl Grey and got the cleanest, truest earl grey I've ever had. It's a shockingly straightforward cup of bold and woody, strong and simple, with a less harsh finish no matter how long it steeps. It's undoubtedly elegant and gracefully self-assured, but it's my bestie's Jin Xuan Oolong that floats with floral and fruity notes, a breezy bouquet as beautiful as its drinker.

Start with the sandwiches before you fill up on everything else. The Maine Lobster Eclair is a brick of a baguette, an all-butter shell with a shattering crust. It's reminiscent of a Red Lobster cheddar biscuit...if Red Lobster were run by Michelin-starred chefs. The filling has the full, sweet succulence of a delicate lobster with some crunch from small bits of celery.

Gravlax Salmon is a slick and meaty fish, sweetened by a sheet of cream cheese with a lift of dill on an earthy rye-caraway bread. 

Bright Persian Cucumbers crunch across an herby cream cheese, and even the Radish & Watercress has some pop, with a dry and bitter radish to offset the thick slab of butter beneath. It is a masterful chef indeed who can make radishes remotely interesting.  

Take that Deviled Egg from the top tier, and bite into that creamy concoction. The yolky mix is seamless, a balance of density with uplifting herbs offset by a few pops from the dill smoked trout roe on top. 

The middle tier has more savories; meet the Green Circle Chicken Barquette which holds the best chicken salad my bestie has ever had. There's savory chicken, crunchy celery, some sweetness from the apple, and just enough curry to give it some grit without turning it into a heavy hitter. 

The Winter Crostini is a pile of cold roots: celeriac, carrot, butternut squash, and yellow beet, all beautifully cooked and topped with some tangy pomegranate to sweeten the deal.

My favorite is always the Sunchoke, a sweet, roasted root with a simple, buttery tart shell and a dollop of cream on top. 

Desserts are very dessert-y, but the lower amounts of sugar show restraint. There's a simple little Strawberry Cream Puff, with a cake so fluffy and light. There's a Lemon Cake a la Sansa Stark, and my favorite is this Cacao Pod of chocolate mousse with fragrant hazelnut and a tangy layer of passionfruit. I've never seen anything so beautiful or tasted anything so complete. The Financier has a lovely pistachio with a base of brown butter cake. My least favorite has to be the Rhubarb Tartelette. This vibrant setting sun is more like a very light jelly, and it strips the rhubarb of a lot of its tartness. It might make it more palate-pleasing and far less jarring, but it takes the barb out of the rhubarb.

Just around the edge of a flawless black sesame Macaron sits a Diamant Chocolat Sable, basically a rich chocolate cookie, a perfect ending accompaniment to any tea. 

It's a lovely tea service that ends entirely too soon. I loved every moment and cherished every bite, and I left fully satisfied but felt like I could always have one more. It's beautiful but it's not cheap, and it's something most people can rarely afford to replicate. Still, I think I'd choose it again, even over other great tea services that might cost half as much. Afternoon tea is already very elevated, so why not splurge on the very best?

Hironori Craft Ramen - Los Angeles

Just a couple of guys, making the best ramen that they can. 

The devil's in the details, and they spare no attention. Everything they can reasonably make, they make, and these handmade noodles make all the difference. They're round-flat like linguine, neither thick nor thin, and have a just slightly uneven texture that brings out the al dente and makes the soups stick. 

The Tonkotsu is among the most balanced broths I’ve had. It's richly uniform and almost creamy with so much slowly simmered depth. A dollop of their fresh minced garlic makes it pop, and their spicy sauce gives it life. 

Summer calls for the Spicy Cold Dipping Noodle, a lighter but no less desirable dashi base, red with a chili oil to add an approachable level of spice. It's filling yet refreshing, and it makes you say "ahhhh" after the 80-degree walk from your car.

Appetizers seem promising, and we took a chance on these Eel Tempura Bao. The fried breading adds some crunch to a very tender fish and a soft steamed bun. Not necessary but enjoyable all the same. 

I used to have just one favorite for ramen, but now I'm not so sure. Nowadays there are noodles for every temperament and broths for every mood, and LA has only good choices for miles and miles. HiroNori is one of them, though, and I would gladly have it again.

Peasants Feast UPDATE - Solvang, CA

What's better than lunch at Peasants Feast? DINNER at Peasants Feast. What better than dinner? TWO dinners. 

There's a Snap Pea salad with a kick of horseradish that bites back, and I loved the lemon peel that added some extra zest. 

I've never been truly impressed by a caesar salad, but their Copenhagen Caesar is right up there with Ryla. The dressing was so creamy on lettuce so fresh and anchovies so juicy. 

Rockfish Tacos are a lighter choice. Chunks of fresh fish pair well with salsa and a shredded slaw. I love that the tortillas are hand pressed, but they are a bit thicker than I'd like. 

This Sea Urchin Carbonara is a delectable creamy, bacon-bliss. The sea urchin is just a topping, about which I have no complaints. 

A slab of Pork Chop Schnitzel drapes over a bed of beans, and the thin but generous meat makes a mighty meal.  

How can a simple side of Mac & Cheese be this good? Little orecchiette ears sport thick coats of a rich, 3-cheese sauce, and herbed breadcrumbs add just the right crunch. 

Even the kid's menu fried chicken was great for all ages. The batter is a bit bland but probably healthier so no complaints. 

Best restaurant in Solvang, and I know this without even having to try the others. Would literally come back to Solvang just to eat here again. 

Heritage - Long Beach

It’s a simple six-course menu, but two of the courses are dessert. The price seems affordable for a Michelin-starred meal, and I love the relaxed living-room ambiance of this quiet little Long Beach house. There's not a lot of space for tables, but they don't use the space greedily, placing the tables just far enough apart for privacy. 

The meal starts smoothly with a clean Kanpachi Crudo. Beautiful see-through slices of fatty sweetness uplifted by a citrusy pineapple, cooled by slices of celtuse. 

Cannonball Cabbage is covered in soubise and caesar, and it is as unideal as it looks. The cabbage itself has a smoky sweetness that's bold enough to stand alone, but those subtler notes are just soaked with sauce. 

Grilled Diver Scallop is the sole standout, the most tender slices interspersed with geoduck upon a sweet bed of sunchoke. 

Next comes perfectly pink slices of Iberico Pork Presa over a sweet little snap pea puree and a caviar beurre blanc. It's beautiful to look at, and the pork is exceptionally tender. 

And here is where it ends. There's no more dinner to be had, and we switch gears over a bowl of palate-cleansing Blackberry Froyo with its icy shards of pomegranate granita and tangy lemon notes. Remarkably refreshing. 

The last course is a Burnt Sage Honey Cake, with cute little pumpkin cubes and sprinkles of granola crunch. The cake itself is so perfectly crumbly yet moist. 

It’s rare that I criticize portion size, and I often deride the gluttony that fine dining feels the need to provide, but here they give you very little food. If you add up every dish here, including dessert, it’s maybe half a dinner plate. The price seems affordable, but it's quite pricey when you see how little your money buys. 

This food is backed by shiny new Michelin stars, one red and one green to boot.

Except I’m not sure Heritage deserved it. It pains me to say so because I love the concept and the vibe, and I thoroughly enjoyed what little I was given to eat. Although each dish is overall delicious, they seem to play it safe. They had access to the best and freshest ingredients but they made them into things that didn’t offend but also didn’t register. Their sauces are textbook, and their cooking skills are superb, but it's overall unremarkable; the same classics I've been eating for years. 

Cobi’s - Santa Monica

Just the idea of take-out from Michelin's newest Bib Gourmand makes my heart flutter, and I swear it skipped a beat when Cobi's appeared on Doordash. The food travels well despite the distance, and those soup-stews pair perfectly with pouring rain.

The first thing I notice is that they charge Santa-Monica prices for Santa-Monica portions, which means you get noticeably less than South Bay likely due to the exorbitant overhead. The Green Papaya Salad for example, is a lighter option. A sensible portion for an appetizer, the container is maybe half full. It’s a fresh salad, a balance of savory, spicy, and sweet. The papaya packs plenty of crunch, and the chili dressing is spicy but edible. 

I can appreciate smaller portions but wtf is this? 

Beef Rendang for $22 in a container barely bigger than the free side of sauce. The beef is flavorful, deep in chilis and spice, but even with all beef, minimal liquid, and zero filler, I can’t imagine anyone happily paying this much for so little.

No complaints about the Nasi Goreng. This rich fried rice with egg is as good as any. Add pork belly for extra cost and extra savor. 

Their signature Butter Chicken is by far their best. The silky tomato masala is the consistency of cream, with tender cubes of chicken that melt in your mouth. It’s the only dish that lives up to the hype. 

Drag these chewy, tortilla-thick Roti slices through all the sauces. It also comes with its own sweet and creamy curry to dip.

The portions are small but the food is rich and filling. Three people ended up satisfied with no leftovers but no hunger pangs either. I don’t know enough, (actually, I don’t know anything), about Laotian food to comment on authenticity, but if this is it, I want more. Good, it is, Bib Gourmand, I’m not so sure. Good food but definitely not good value for the price. 

Estela - New York, NY

My last meal in New York, and I managed to squeeze in one more Michelin star because Estela, unlike most of its fine dining counterparts, actually knows how to do a lunch. 

Same stuff, smaller menu, so you get a few of the highlights that put this place on the World 50 Best map. But don't google it - there are many snide articles about how Estela doesn't deserve to be there. 

Immediately these buttery Oysters with just the right hint of brine are elevated by a beautiful yuzu kosho mignonette. I know the quality of the oyster is what matters most, but this mignonette is worth a mention. 

Why so many haters? Have they tried the Tuna? Surely this cured-meat masterpiece alone could catapult a chef to international acclaim. Stunningly red and raw, this heart-shaped presentation is a plate after my own heart. Smear on the pil pil, which has a depth of flavor dark as the night. It enhances that beautiful gooey texture of the tuna and makes those flavors pop, and it gets all over your lips so you can see what you'd look like if you decide to go goth. 

This enterprising Endive dish looks like just a salad, but load up those boats with walnuts and this fragrant and fruity ubriaco rosso cheese, and it is transcendental. Savor every bit of crispy anchovy you encounter, and use your spoon to scoop up that oil-juice on the bottom. 

Warm, tender Lobster lays in a sauce that lingers with an herby high. Woodears are a brilliantly unexpected addition, and the texture adds magic to the lobster and grapes. 

Fried Arroz Negro: how much can you get out of crispy rice? It's beautiful, and it's so much more than I could imagine. The rice has a crunchy crust, contrasting tendrils of tender squid, and the romesco isn't much, just enough to bring out the full savory notes. 

The Wagyu Steak is their most traditional dish, two perfect cuts of a perfect cut of meat, one concealed beneath a leaf and shavings of a bolder cheese. I don't need the veg, but the beets are lovely. 

Estela. Elegant yet daring, demure but dashing, understated but oh-so-bold. The flavors are enticing, and the balance between classic and creative makes every bite mesmerizing. I would come back to NYC again JUST to have lunch at Estela. 

Semma - New York, NY

A product of the prodigal Unapologetically Indian restaurant group, Semma is a spectacular spawn. A menu full of authentic, hard-hitting share-plates, given in generous portions make for an astonishingly affordable menu. It’s no wonder they got Michelin’s mark within mere months. 

The Gunpowder Dosa is their signature dish. The classic comfort remains recognizable, but there has never been a batter so beautiful, filled with a spice mix so formidable.

I never thought I’d see snails outside of Paris and Vietnam, but here they ate. The Nathai Piratta serves them so tender, tucked into a surprisingly smooth ginger-tamarind sauce. The kal dosa are quite thick, like blini for caviar but better.

Mirchi Ka Salan simmers stuffed peppers in a sesame-peanut sauce. They were my least favorite dish but remain recommended for vegetarians who can take the heat. 

Meen Pollichathu is a whole sea bass simmered in ginger and shallots, topped with a creamy sauce. This one is simply succulent and sometimes that’s all you need.  

Valiya Chemmeen Moiles is just stunning, a lobster of epic proportions, cooked to perfection with a gravy of mustard, turmeric, and coconut milk. This one is the dish to remember, unanimously voted the best of the night. 

Paratha and coconut rice are mandatory options for soaking up sauce, must-haves for the leftover soupy splendors of sea bass and shellfish. 

If you want to end the meal with something sweet, a Shahi Tukda will do. It’s a bread pudding of buttery brioche soaked in a fragrant, milky cream. Just a bite or two will suffice, and it will satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you too full to move. 

Strongly spiced and heavily sauced, these dishes make a significant splash on a food scene that often panders to more conservative palates. More impressively still, Semma makes it all taste good. Their spices are strong, made even more so by their powers combined, yet Semma stays on the right side of marvelously memorable without being an unpleasant punch in the face.

I expected to be blown away, but Semma exceeded all expectations.

Kochi - New York, NY

It’s an unassuming little storefront, snug and secure in a cozy corner of Hell’s Kitchen. The menu makes it easy, a mandatory 9-course tasting to take away the stress of choice. 

It’s a fusion of foods, inspired by Korean cuisine, but each course if so creative conceived and so exquisitely executed with an incredible attention to detail. 

The first course is Corn Soup, with a crisp fritter to offset the cream and a gochujang pico to add some punch. A taro chip of caviar adds a layer of luxury to something that’s already a standout. 

The Hwe is a scallop of summer, sweetened by melon with a hit of strawberry chojang and chilled with fruity ice. 

The chef’s special is optional, except it’s entirely necessary, and at a measly $24, it is a steal. Each order is an entire piece of Abalone, an unforgiving shellfish, deceptively difficult to braise. This one is so tender, its texture delineated by a diced shrimp stuffing. Then the yuzu foam makes it come alive. 

Eggplant Twigim is exquisitely grilled, skewered alongside a silky rice cake. An earthy pine nut hummus adds an edge with a sparring smudge of pepper sauce that adds a sweet burn. 

The Halibut is here and it is flawless. The butter poach brings out all the flavors, the sweet and savory sauce is divine, and a spoonful of caviar makes it come alive. 

You can’t make fabulous fusion without a technical foundation to build upon, and the Chicken is a clear example. This beautiful breast is so juicy, as is its soy-based jus, smothered with enough white truffle to get a person fired. 

A Flat Iron Steak is marinated in a subtle galbi sauce, not sweet enough to overpower, with a cover of black truffle to add a layer of luxury. The sides are mushroom purée, fried potato, pickled celery, fried summer squash, and a mustard green dip in the middle. It’s a mashup of color, flavor, and texture, meant to be mixed for a choose-your-own-adventure. 

Snow Crab Bibimbap is a signature dish, and the uni and chunk of claw conceal the complexity that lies below. Creamy avocado holds the sprouts and seaweed rice together, and chunks of candied anchovy add an unexpected flavor-burst. 

The Froyo is the beginning of the end, a sour yogurt atop a tangy compote, with a sesame sable crunch. 

Then comes the Ice Cream proper, a simple milk sandwiching a berry stripe, sitting in a berry cream. 

Chef comes out to ensure that we’re satisfied, and we’re struck by his humility and youth. He’s a down-to-earth guy whose easy manner masks his prominent position at the helm of one of NYC’s best restaurants and hottest tables.

Kochi is the kind of place I’d like to keep a secret. The competition is keen at this $145 price point, but Kochi is undoubtedly among the best. There is no comparison to classics like Blue Hill because despite the identical cost, the experiences are entirely diverse. That said, I think I prefer Kochi. The savory-sweet flavor-theme will not please every palate, but it sure was pleasurable for mine.