Casa Marcial

 Comforting fine dining experience

The Cantabrian Sea selection

There are restaurants that impress through sheer technical brilliance, and there are restaurants that linger in the memory because they remind you of something deeply familiar. Casa Marcial belongs firmly to the second category, although reducing it to comfort food would miss the point entirely. Hidden among the green hills of Asturias, the three Michelin-starred restaurant has achieved something increasingly rare in modern fine dining: it refuses to chase spectacle for its own sake. Instead, every plate feels rooted in the landscape, the seasons and the quiet confidence of a family that has spent decades refining rather than reinventing its culinary identity. The cooking carries unmistakable Asturian DNA, yet it never feels constrained by tradition. Local ingredients such as beans, seafood from the Cantabrian coast, mountain herbs, aged cheeses and slow-cooked meats appear throughout the tasting menu.

Restaurante Marcos

Top class Asturian offering 

Lobster, jowl and bergamot

Restaurante Marcos has quickly established itself as one of the defining culinary destinations in Gijón, earning a prestigious Michelin Star and bringing a fresh level of sophistication to the city's dining scene. Located in the heart of Gijón, the restaurant is the vision of acclaimed Asturian sommelier and restaurateur Marcos Granda, whose reputation for exceptional hospitality and world-class wine programs is already well known throughout Spain. The intimate dining room, centred around an open kitchen with seating for only a handful of diners, creates an atmosphere that feels exclusive without becoming intimidating. Leading the kitchen is chef Marcos Mistry, whose contemporary tasting menus showcase the finest ingredients from Asturias and the rest of Spain.

The Legacy House

Legendary dim sum offering 

Sea Cucumber Dumpling, Matsutake Mushroom, Pork, Shrimp

Perched within the refined calm of the Rosewood Hong Kong, the Michelin-starred Legacy House leans into understated luxury rather than spectacle, with warm woods, soft lighting, and carefully framed views that remind you where you are without demanding your attention. There’s a strong sense of identity here, rooted in Cantonese culinary tradition but polished through a contemporary lens. That balance shows up not just in the food, but in the way the entire experience unfolds. You’re not rushed, not hovered over, and not left wondering what comes next. Instead, everything moves with a kind of quiet precision that allows the food to take center stage. And for the most part, it earns that spotlight.

Yat Tung Heen

Hallmark of classic Cantonese feast

Char siu bbq pork

Yat Tung Heen sits inside the Eaton Hotel in Hong Kong. The Michelin-starred hotel restaurant is very popular among both locals and tourists. On a weekday lunchtime visit, it was almost packed, which is unusual. The menu leans heavily into Cantonese classics, but there is a sense of restraint. Nothing feels overworked or overly modernized for the sake of trend. Instead, the kitchen seems focused on precision and consistency. For my second visit, I opted for a selection of dim sum dishes along with a char siu and a stir fry rice.

Ibai

The finest fire-themed restaurant in the UK 

Basque Tortilla

Ibai has established itself as one of London's finest destinations for serious steak lovers, yet reducing it to merely a steak restaurant would miss much of what makes it special. Located in the heart of the city, this Basque-inspired restaurant captures the spirit of northern Spain with remarkable confidence, combining exceptional produce, restrained cooking, and a deep respect for tradition. The menu is built around the principles that have made Basque cuisine so admired around the world: outstanding ingredients, precise cooking, and an understanding that simplicity often requires the greatest skill. One of the great pleasures of dining at Ibai is exploring the daily specials, which are treated not as afterthoughts but as central attractions.