Ottolenghi’s restaurants worth flying for
Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Feast
The secret to making one of the smoothest, most delicious hummus recipes you'll ever try can be found in Yotam Ottolenghi's Jerusalem. His books, Plenty and Ottolenghi, the Cookbook, hold the key to zingy salads, buttery pastries and speckled meringues as fluffy and glossy as those temptingly displayed in the windows of his London restaurants.
He has sampled local delicacies and cooked in kitchens all over the world. In his own, at Nopi and Ottolenghi, he fuses Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours - with plenty of his prized pomegranate.
Chad RobertsonOttolenghi's best restaurants in San Francisco
Tartine Bakery 'It's out of my scope to describe the deliciousness of the morning pastries at Tartine Bakery. The infamous queue - always there, all times of the day - speaks for itself. Everything is wonderfully buttery and sweet and soothing: my frangipane tart was so light and airy that it could have flown away.' Tartine Bakery, 600 Guerrero Street, San Francisco, USA (00 1 415 487 2600; www.tartinebakery.com)
Mission Chinese Food 'A pop-up restaurant turned permanent with a cult following of immense magnitude. Despite the too-cool-for-school style of the chef and diners, the food is deadly serious. The pork belly with soy cured eggs and cucumber and tea-smoked eel rolls with pulled ham hock were our favourites. Massive flavours, all perfectly balanced. Be prepared to queue: it's worth it!' Mission Chinese Food, 2234 Mission Street, San Francisco, USA (00 1 415 863 2800; http://missionchinesefood.com/sf)
Chez Panisse 'I couldn't mention San Francisco without nodding to the legendary Chez Panisse. In the case of Alice Waters, who lets her ingredients do the talking, no fancy adjectives are needed.' Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, USA (00 1 510 548 5049; www.chezpanisse.com)
Pictured: Tartine Bakery, San Francisco
Helloo Dave on FlickrOttolenghi's best restaurants in Jerusalem
Rachmo 'For local buzz and no-frills bustle, Rachmo is the place to head. Soulful Kurdish cuisine whose speciality is the kubbe soup. Choosing between the beetroot and onion, the root vegetable and turmeric and Swiss chard and spinach is so tough that you'll have to go three times. Or go once, very hungry.' Rachmo, 5 Haeshkol Street, Jerusalem, Israel (00 972 2 623 4595). Just outside Machane Yehuda Market.
Majda 'Stunning antipasti and Mediterranean meze served from the ground floor of the home of Michal and Yaakov. Michal works her magic in the kitchen, her husband is the most welcoming host and, together, they have made something very special. The fresh and seasonal menu changes daily; I'm still dreaming about the sardines in fresh tomato sauce and wild lettuce stuffed with spiced ground meat. A haven from the bustle of the city, the restaurant is located in a small village called Ein Rafa, up in the Judean Hills. Take the Highway 1 from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and exit at Ein Rafa. Follow signs to the village where you will see red-lettered signs directing you to the restaurant. You might need to ask if you get lost as the signs are in Hebrew.' Majda, Ein Rafa, Jerusalem, Israel (00 972 2 579 7108)
Pictured: Rachmo, Jerusalem
Ottolenghi's best restaurants in LA
Joan's on Third 'A gourmet marketplace, culinary emporium and bustling café serving Joan's signature sandwiches, soups and salads. Not just one for the celebs.' Joan's on Third, 8350 West Third Street, Los Angeles, California, USA (00 1 323 655 2285; www.joansonthird.com) Osteria Mozza 'Take a pew at the L-shaped mozzarella bar, take in the atmosphere and high-spirits of chefs and diners alike and take home the memory of mozzarella so fresh it's practically weeping and burricotti crowned with braised artichokes, currants, pine nuts and a fragrant mint pesto.' Osteria Mozza, 6602 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, USA (00 1 323 297 0100; www.osteriamozza.com)
Pictured: Joan's on Third, Los Angeles
Ciya Sofrasi, Istanbul
Ciya Sofrasi 'Though no longer the city's best-kept-secret, the restaurant retains all of its unpretentious charm. Focused on serving a wide range of tapas-style food, owner-chef Musa Dagdeviren collects inspiration from his extensive travels all over Anatolia. The seasonal menu features unusual regional dishes that you're unlikely to find elsewhere. Lamb meatballs with soured cherries; springtime meat stews cooked with bracingly tart green plums; sweet pistachio flaky pastries served with clotted cream: all washed down with a sumac sherbet.' Ciya Sofrasi, Güneşlibahçe Sokak 43, Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey (00 90 216 330 3190; www.ciya.com.tr)
Manuel VazquezTrangallán, London
Trangallán 'The most exciting tapas I've had in London, amidst very cool décor, served by very lovely people. Conversation-stoppers included the ajo blanco [chilled soup] with cockles and the smoked anchovy salad but, really, it's all worth heading to Stoke Newington for. Be sure to save some space for the outstanding sweet tapas: the smooth chocolate ganache with fleur de sel and olive oil pretty much tipped me over the edge into foodie heaven. Cultural offerings, from film screenings to flamenco, in the basement, for when you're sated.' Trangallán, 61 Newington Green, London N1 (020 7359 4988; www.trangallan.com)
PA PhotosOttolenghi's best restaurants in New York
Momofuku Ssäm Bar 'Where else but Momofuku Ssäm Bar for David Chang's famous pork belly buns and cereal milk? Such fun.' Momofuku Ssäm Bar, 207 Second Avenue at 13th Street, East Village, New York, USA (http://momofuku.com)
Torrisi 'Inventive, exciting classic Italian-American dishes from this unassuming and relaxed 18-seat restaurant. From the warm home-made mozzarella antipasto through to the bourbon cream puffs, it's all a treat.' Torrisi, 250 Mulberry Street, New York, USA (00 1 212 965 0955; www.torrisinyc.com)
Pictured: Momofuku Ssäm Bar, New York
Mallorie EkstromOttolenghi's best restaurants in Boston
Toro Restaurant 'I adore tapas and I'm addicted to croquettes so thought I'd arrived in heaven here with Toro's tempura meyer-lemon skin with salt cod croquettes. I could have sat there all day, ordering plate after plate.' Toro Restaurant, 1704 Washington Street, Boston, USA (00 1 617 536 4300; http://toro-restaurant.com)
JM Curley 'Dude food shouldn't taste this good. Strong contender for the best burger ever. Get creative with your toppings: peanut butter, spinach spread, duck confit.' JM Curley, 21 Temple Place, Boston, USA (00 1 617 338 5333; http://jmcurleyboston.com)
AlamyTrattoria da Fabiana, Italy
Trattoria da Fabiana 'A delightful Sardinian-owned trattoria in the Piedmonte region, 70 kilometres south-east of Turin. Sea bass fillet on crushed peas with hazelnut sauce and an octopus lollipop croquette were particular highlights from our 10-course fish supper.' Trattoria da Fabiana, Frazione Bossolaschetto 12, Bossolasco, Piedmonte, Italy (00 39 0173 799 038)
Pictured: Bossolasco, Italy
BasBoerman on FlickrOttolenghi's best restaurants in Amsterdam
Toscanini 'My favourite restaurant in Amsterdam ever since I lived there in the mid-90s. From all the marvellous dishes it's the lamb's tongue with quail egg that I can't let go of.' Toscanini, Lindengracht 75, Amsterdam, Netherlands (00 31 20 623 2813; http://restauranttoscanini.nl)
Yotam Ottolenghi's four-part series 'Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Feasts' is on at 7pm on Sundays from 24 February 2013 on Channel4. For more information, visit www.channel4.com
By Hazel Lubbock. Published in February 2013.