‘Curry Mile’ in Manchester, tapas and fish and chips in London, suckling pig in Madrid – a bucket list of destination dining for when normal times return
- Steak, oyster, and wine in Margaret River, Australia, is high on Hong Kong-based Briton Shaun Summers’ wish list
- He will also be returning to a Ho Chi Minh City pho stall Anthony Bourdain once featured, and to Bangkok for duck
Once things return to a semblance of normality I will be very keen to revisit my favourite cities once again.
I’ll start with my home country, the UK. Besides catching up with friends and family, there are many great restaurants in London. My absolute favourite is El Pirata of Mayfair. It’s an amazing tapas bar, serving quintessential Castilian food at excellent prices. I particularly enjoy their huevos rotos – broken eggs – the wonderful pata negra Iberico ham, and the pimientos padron.
Another thing I’d make a beeline for is really good fish and chips. It’s very hard to find authentic British-style fish and chips outside the UK. It has to be cod or haddock, served with mushy peas and tartare sauce. My favourite is Rock & Sole Plaice.
One thing everyone should try once in their life is the “Curry Mile” in Rusholme, Manchester. The whole road is literally dozens and dozens of Indian restaurants, of varying quality and cost, but my favourite is Mughli in Manchester with fantastic Indian food served in a modern setting.
Another favourite is the Bleeding Heart, a fabulous French restaurant in cellars with a fascinating history, hence the somewhat gruesome name. Wonderful food with impeccable service.
Whilst in Europe, I would definitely return to Sobrino de Botin, reputed to be the oldest restaurant in the world. It’s famous, attracting tourists from across the world, and their suckling pig is worth the trip.
