ATLANTA, GEORGIA	Shout   Chef Tom Catherall (who owns several other restaurants in town) and fellow Brit Ian Winslade (who was most recently the chef of Atlanta's Bluepointe) have joined forces at Shout, where their funfilled small plates, Greek dips, maki rolls, grilled octopus, Anglo-Indian specialties, wood oven pizzas, omelets, and homemade smores are drawing crowds.  The rollicking decor, hip roof terrace, and historic neighborhood don't hurt either.  197 Peachtree St.  Phone 404 846 2000   Restaurant Eugene   People put on fancy duds to feast in the city's quietest small dining room.  At Restaurant Eugene, Linton Hopkins pairs charred Vidalias with peaches to make a salad, stuffs fried okra with goat cheese, and fashions a 'tower of crawb'.  Even his rice pudding is made with heirloom Carolina Gold.  Southern roots and polished service: This is Atlanta in a grown-up mood 2277 Peachtree Road Phone: 404 355 0321   Rathbun's   Kevin Rathbun has found his uniquely American groove in a former potbellied-stove factory in an edgy location.  At Rathbun's, the dining room is all clatter and noise, but the covered patio is the perfect place to relax over eggplant fries dusted with sugar, tacos with lobster and roasted green chiles, mussels and golden chives on sourdough toast, and spectacular mini desserts 112 Krog St Phone: 404 524 8280   Pano's & Paul's   For more than 25 years, Pano's & Paul's has set the standard for a particular kind of plush dining.  The original Paul is gone, but Pano Karatassos, Atlanta's greatest restaurateur carries on, doling out fried lobster tail, Dover sole, escargots, and sweetbreads, along with more contemporary dishes like schnitzel of skate wing with pickled chanterelles 1232 West Paces Ferry Road Phone: 404 261 3662
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND:	Hilton Auckland White, at the ship-like Hilton Auckland, is just that - a white symphony cantilevered, it seems, over Auckland Harbor.  The restaurant's centerpiece is a giant buffet table shaped like a boat.  The view is of real ships and North Auckland far in the distance.  It's no wonder that at least two weddings are held there each week.  Chef Geoff Scott's gazpacho is a tall tower surrounded by leaves that includes pico pico and tree fern tips.  Other best-sellers are manuaka-smoked grilled hapuka fillet on ratatouille, and New Zealand seafood hotpot, a crayfish and citrus bisque.
BANGKOK, THAILAND:	Thiptara   Thiptara, which means 'magic water,' is a traditional two-floor teak Thai house at The Peninsula.  It was literally built around trees between the hotel and the Chao Phraya River.  The opening was attended by 99 monks wearing saffron robes.  Travelers can dine upstairs, among the treetops, or at ground level in one of the exquisite outside salas.  Chef Khun Sumalee's best-sellers include Pomelo salad with fried river prawns, roasted coconut and shallots; spicy prawn soup with lemongrass and lime juice; and deep-fried soft-shell crab with garlic and pepper.   Mahanaga   This romantic, trendy courtyard restaurant serves touted curries such as snowfish green curry, grilled duck breast in peanut curry sauce, and gaeng gari kaeh, yellow curry with Ne Zealand lamb. Address: 2 Sukhumvit Soi 29 Phone: 66 02 662 3060
BARBADOS	THE FISH POT, LITTLE GOOD HARBOUR   Converted 17th century fort, right on the ocean, north of St Charles port.  Best dish: Chef Trevor Byer produces imaginative appetisers  - think goujons alligator in spicy vinaigrette - and fresh fish specials. Phone: 246 439 3000 www.littlegoodharbourbarbados.com   THE RESTAURANT, SOUTH SEA   A traditional Barbadian home with large verandah overlooking secluded white sand cove.  Best dish: Creative menu by chef Barry Taylor features braised elk, seared ostrich and wild boar. Phone: 246 420 7423 www.therestaurantatsouthsea.com
BARCELONA, SPAIN	El Raco d'en Freixa, Sant Elies 22 This contemporary, yet traditional Michelin starred restaurant is sparsely elegant. Best dish: Roedeer loin with pepper crust, beetroot and vegetables.  Wow factor: The Chef is ramon Freixa, who is now a Spanish celebrity with television appearances and popular books. Best table: there is a kitchen table for groups of up to 13; otherwise, ask for a table near the window - good for people watching. www.elracodenfreixa.com L'Orangerie, first floot of the Grand Hotel La Florida Situated on Mount Tibidabo.  Best dish: Cordero a la arcilla - lamb cooked in clay with aubergine ravioli and bell pepper harissa.  Wow factor: stunning views of Barcelona.  Best table: near the edge of the terrace patio, with unrivalled views of the city and the Mediterranean. www.hotellaflorida.com Hoffman, Argenteria 74-78 An old Catalonian house is an unusual setting and home to a respected school of cuisine.  Best dish: Fillet steak cooked in Rioja with shallot confit and potato gratin.  Desserts are also a speciality and are described as 'works of art".  Best table: the chef's table located in the kitchen, so diners can watch their food being prepared. www.hofmann-bcn.com Jean Luc Figueras - Santa Teresa in the Gracias neighbourhood An upmarket dining room in a 1850s former townhouse of designer Balanciaga.  Chef: Jean Luc Figueras, the 'enfant terrible" of Catalan cuisine.  Best dish: the restaurant is renowned for its seasonal ingredients, but among Figureas' unique creations is prawn and ginger-flecked pasta with mango and mustard sauce, or sea bass with cod and blood sausage.  Best table: intimate tables in the private dining room. Contact: 34 93415 2877 El Cangrejo Loco, Moll de Gregal 29-30 beside the water at Puerto Olimpico yacht basin.  Best dish: the name translated to "the crazy crab".  Seafood is the speciality.  Best table: on the terrace with views over the harbour. www.elcangrejoloco.com
BEIJING, CHINA:	Grand Hyatt's Made in China The Grand Hyatt's Made In China is one of those restaurants that has foodies worldwide talking.  The room is an artistic combination of Chinese artefacts.  The lucky diners (maximum 118) all eat in close view of at least one of the four glass-walled kitchens, which are manned by specialists skilled in just one thing.  For example, one specialist cuts a roasted duck into 88 slices, versus the industry 'norm' of 108 slices.  One kitchen houses the apricot wood-fired duck oven, where 35 ducks are cooked each day.
BOULDER, COLORADO	Frasca   Frasca Food and Wine opened quietly (2005), but its band of French Laundry-alum brethren (chef Lachland Mackinnon-Patterson, master sommelier Bobby Stuckey, sommelier Nate Ready, and pastry chef Brendan Sodikoff) are now getting the notice they deserve.  Frasca's menu and casual feel take their inspiration from the small farmhouse restaurants of Friuli, in northeast Italy.  Among the favorites are the heirloom polenta in mushroom broth, the cannellini bean agnolotti, and the slow roated saddle of lamb.  1738 Peark St. Phone: 303 442 6966 frascafoodandwine.com
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETS:	Excelsior   There are 7000 bottled reasons why Boston's power elite frequent Excelsior.  With its hovering waiters, clubby decor, and spectacular view of the Public Garden, this is the place to broker a deal.  Executive chef Eric Brennan's unobtrusively luxurious cuisine - pan-seared striped bass with summer succotash and finnan haddie carpaccio; Long Island duck breast with Marsala fig sauce - is detailed but never fussy.  Int he mood for something more playful? check out the new raw bar, featuring jazzy combinations of seafood and spices., 272 Boylston St Phone: 617 426 7878   Neptune Oyster   Tucked into a storefront in the North End, Neptune Oyster is a chic, tiny clam shack.  Part New England shore, part cutting-edge American, and part neighborhood tribute, the menu features everything from a Maine lobster roll on a brioche bun and roast chicken with clam sauce to tomatoless cioppino and mussels Fra Diavolo.  Go Mondays for the lobster spaghettini special, and go hungry -owner Jeffrey Nace and chef David Nevins are very generous 63 Salem St Phone: 617 742 3474   Hamersley Bistro   Eighteen years after opening Hamersley's Bistro with his wife, Fiona, Gordon Hamersley remains a nightly presence in the open kitchen.  His seasonal menu shows influences from Europe (lamb with carrot and asparagus risotto) and Asia (spiced and roasted whole fish with coconut rice and raita) but emphasizes local ingredients.  And don't miss the slassics: the roast chicken wtih garlic, lemon, and parsley; the grilled-mushroom sandwich; and the souffleed lemo custard 553 Tremont St Phone: 617 423 2700     C.K. Sau   Arguably the most influential chef in town, C.K. Sau has taught his Chinese cooking techniques to everyone from Jasper White to Lydia Shire.  And since March 2005, he's been behind the stove at CK Shanghai, in suburban Wellesley.  Try the pea-pod stems with garlic and whole steamed flounder.  Better yet: Call ahead and ask CK to prepare a banquet. 15-17 Washington St, Wellesley, Phone: 781-237-7500   Petit Robert Bistro   Chef  Robert (formerly of Maison Robert) is causing a stir with a straight forward idea: His Petit Robert Bistro offers everything you'd find in a Parisian neighborhood restaurant, and none of it costs more than $20.  Onion soup, duck confit, and less familiar dishes like Provencal tripe are drawing crowds and local chefs alike.  With food this good and a bill this small, nobody seems to mind that the place is cramped and loud.  468 Commonwealth Ave.  Phone 617 375 0699; petitrobertbistro.com
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA	Oviedo Restaurante   This venerable restaurant reflects the European roots of Buenos Aires cuisine, offering 'excellent Spanish food" in plain yet elegant surroundings.  Known as much for a distinquished clientele as its menu, Oviedo specializes in suckling pig.  Other delights: raw oysters (enjoy with a small glass of dry sherry), scallops, squid-ink paella, and Norwegian cod.  Ask for a tour of the caves that house the wine cellar, hidden behind a trap door just inside the entrance and offering labels from around the world.  The warm lighting and rich decor make dining here a relaxing experience.  Service is excellent, and so is the English spoken by the staff. Beruti 2602, palermo Viejo.  Phone: 011 54 11 4821 3741. www.oviedoresto.com.ar   Casa Cruz   An impeccable restaurant in the fashionable Palermo neighborhood, Casa Cruz has been famed for its lively bar scene since opening in 2004.  Enter through imposing, polished-brass doors, and don't let the lack of a sign dter you.  Once inside, the dark, modern interior has the feel of a nightclub where, "fashion models, celebrities, and cool businessmen wander around as if it were their own living room." But they come for the eclictic menu as much as the scene.  Chef German Martitegui's "urban Argentine cuisine' (Distinctive because of its strong resemblance to European cookery rather than other Latin American cuisines) is at once 'refined and explosive.'   Do not miss the warm oysters and provolone souffles, or the potato and black pudding gnocchi. uriarte 1658, Capital Federal. Phone: 011 54 11 4833 1112. www.casa-cruz.com   La Brigada   Argentina is a carnivor's paradise, and is more Argentine than a grill house or parrilla.  Owner Hugo Echevarrieta presides over his restaurant with an orchestral conductor's aplomb and a surgeon's eye for detail.  Steaks are big enough to serve four, especially the 30-ounce rib eyes.  The best choices are the asado (short rib roast), lomo (sirloin steak prapred with a mushroom or pepper sauce), and mollejas de chivito al verdero (young goat sweetbreads in a scallion sauce).  The menu also includes venison and buffalo, and the local wine list is excellent.  With the sounds of tango in the air, dining rooms on two levels are characterized by whitewashed walls and crip linens, while gaucho memorabilia adds a regional motif. Estados Unidos 465, San Telmo, Distrito Federal. Phone: 011 54 11 4361 5557. www.labrigada.com
CANARY ISLANDS	LA ERA Calle El barranco 3, Yaiza, Lanzarote Set in a courtyard with traditional rustic architecture and design.  Reservations are aessential.  The best restaurant on Lanzarote and one of the best in the Canaries.  Specialises in local dishes.  Best dish: pork marinated in local wine with herbs and rabbit with dates.  Best table: sit at the side of the courtyard. Phone: 34928 830016   PARADOR NACIONALE CONDE DE LA GOMERA San Sebastian de la Gomera Within La Gomera's top hotel, one of the state-run Paradores, this elegant restaurant is the most refined option on the island.  The mansion-like hotel is set on a hill above the port, with a pool overlooking the sea.  The restaurant staff dress in local costume and their colleagues in the kitchen create imaginative versions of classics.  Best dish: Almogrote (goat cheese spread) and Buche Gomero (salted tuna stomach).  Best table: sit by the window.  Phone: 34 922871100   RESTAURANTE DEL DIABLO   Fire Mountain National Park, Lanzarote Part of the Cesar Manrique-designed visitor centre in the Fire Mountain National Park, del Diable is built of lava and glass, over a hot spot on top of one of the volcanoes.  Best dish: Succulent chiken roasted over an open hotel-air vent next to the kitchen.  Best table: glass walls give amazing views over the lunar landscape (NB lunchtimes only).  Phone: 34 928840056.   EL PATIO   Hotel Abama, Tenerife Claims to be most prestigious restaurant in the Canaries.  Chef Martin Berasatequi was awarded three Michelin stars for his restaurant in Lasarte.  Best dish: Signature dishes include hot cockle gelatine, backs of hake with kokotxa and clams, and lobster with a cool salad of tuetonos and greens.  Best table: overlooking the pool and view of the sea.  Phone: 34 902 105600   CASA MONTESDEOCA   Calle Montesdeoca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria A perfectly maintained 16th century colonial style mansion.  Best dish: all meat and seafood dishes.  Best table: If weather permits, sit on the patio, which is an internal courtyard.  Phone: 34 928 333466
CAPETOWN, SOUTH AFRICA	FIVE FLIES The refurbished interior of the historic Cape Dutch building has a modern twist with contemporary art work and 200-seater restaurant.  Cuisine: Irish chef Gerard Reidy prepares chicly presented modern cuising using traditional techniquest and the freshest ingredients. Best table: any you can get - but the courtyard's particularly pretty.  www.fiveflies.co.za LA COLOMBE Constantia Uitsig, The Cape, South Africa In the Constantia Uitsig wine farm, La Colombe is a rustic hideaway under gigantic palms and oak trees.  Cuisine: Innovative, southern French inspired cuisine by head chef Frank Dangereuz keeps winning awards.  Best table: overlooking the gardens.  www. lacolombe.co.za
CHARLESTON, SC	Anson Charlestonians don't talk business over meals.  But when entertaining out-of-town guests, they do like to show off.  Anson, north of the tourist-mobbed City Market, manages to be at once antebellum and postmodern, and the polished cooking shawcases fresh, local ingredients, including shrimp, crab, and heirloom greens.  Deeply flavorful grits stand up to both a hunky pork chop and an elegant slurry of shrimp and country ham, and the wine list is beautifully balanced. 12 Anson St, Phone: 843 577 0551 Cru Cafe One room wide and two rooms deep, CRU CAFE at lunchtime is marked by a jovial pileup of locals-talking real estate and sportfishing and eyeing the coveted spots on the piazza.  They tuck into Chinese chicken salad, bright, tender and meaty cornmeal fried oysters; and sides of macaroni positively molten with cheese. 18 Pinckney St - Phone: 843 534 2434 HOMINY GRILL Charleston food never used to be fancy.  Simply things - shrimp, stone-ground grits, oysters, shad roe wrapped in bacon - were served in the humblest of fish shacks and the grandest of drawing rooms.  The best place to appreciate this tradition is ten year old HOMINY GRILL.  From a breakfast of shrimp and bacon over cheese grits to a lunchtime fried green tomato BLT and a dinner of okra and shrimp beignets with sweet potato spoon bread, you could stay here all day. 207 Rutledge Ave - Phone: 843 937 0930
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS:	Alinea   Hotly anticipated Alinea is living up to the hype.  Thirty-one-year-old phenom Grant Achatz (Formerly of Trio) has a scientific approach, but it's leavened with whimsy (the PB&J," for example, is a peeled grape covered with peanut puree and brioche).  Degustation menus from 8 courses ($75) to 27 ($175) work both the right and the left sides of the brain, 'bridging' disparate flavors.  While avoiding the pompous, Achatz has turned the page on American cuisine, keeping diners' intellects as satisfied as their palates.  1723 North Halsted Street.  Phone: 312 867 0110 or alinearestaurant.com   Fornetto Mei (Beautiful Little Oven)   Half a block from Michigan Ave, adjacent to the Whitehall Hotel, Fornetto Mei (Beautiful Little Oven) features Italian and Asian specialties from chef Erik Wiklund and Taiwanese owner Su Mei Yen.  But this is no fusion spot, the cuisines are kept separate.  It all makes for creative thin crust pizzas, homemade pot stickers, and a wine list free of clihes.  107 East Delaware Place.  Phone: 312 573 6300.
COCHIN, INDIA	THE HISTORY CAFE, Bruntons Boat Yard   Right on the mouth of the harbour, there's an old world charm about the colonial style architecture, even though it's a new build.  Best dish: The menu reflects the mix of cultures that converged here.  From pork vindaloo spicy, rice-based Arab pulao. Phone: 91 48 42215461
CYPRUS	Notios, Almyra, Paphos Located in the hippest retreat in paphos, this stylish eaterie is run by ex-Nobu chef Rob Shipman and its cooler than thou clientele makes for a trendy ambience.  Best dish: flamed seabass sashimi with truffle oil and gremolata.  Best table: sit at the chef's special table, for culinary kudos or enjoy private dining on the rooftop. Contact: 357 26 938 091 Caprice of Mykonos, Londa, Limassol Named after the sister restaurant on the chic Green island, Caprice lives up to it sname with a sleep white interior and floor-to-ceiling windows opening out to the sea.  Best dish: think refined Med cuisine in uber-chic dishes, and the martinis are a must.  Best table: The corner seat to the left, for people watching both inside and out.  Contact: 357 25865 555 Artima, Carob Mill, Limassol Minimalist eaterie in the Carob Mill complex, with a miscrow brewery next door.  Best dish: enormous skewered prawns on creamy risotto with peppers.  Best table: any by the window, to check out the catwalk above and the medieval castle outside.  Contact: 357 25 820 466 7 St Georges Tavern, Yeroskepos, near Paphos In the hills above paphos, this is the epitome of rustic charm.  Best dish: A totally organic experience, savour the lamb tavas, slow-cooked in a clay pot with tomato, onion, cumin and white wine.  Best table: by the kitchen, so clients can admire the culinary talents of owners George and Lara.  Contact: 357 26 963176 Basiliko,  Anassa, Polis Romantic and candlelit, Anassa's signature restaurant provides a cool respite during the summer with its stone walls and arched eaves.  Best dish: a stunning fusion of Mediterranean herbs and oriental spices.  Try any seafood dish.  Best table: book the corner table in the right for views over the courtyard and fountain.  Contact: 357 26 888 000.
DELHI, INDIA	Spice Route, The Imperial Hotel   A visual feast, the Spice Route is lavishly hand painted by muralists brought in from a temple in Kerala and furnished with antiques.  Best dish: Chef Veena Arora creates dishes inspired by all corners of South East Asia.  Chemeen Thoren-Kerala style prawns stir fried with coconut, curry leaves and tamarind is a specialty. Phone: 911123341234   THREESIXTY, THE OBEROI   Contemporary, with an Oriental touch, dark timber floor and dramatic sculptural art installation suspended from the ceiling.  Best dish: a vast choice of world cuisine mainly Japanese, Mediterranean and Indian.  Chef Augusto's sushi is lengedary. Phone: 911124363030   KANDAHAR   Eclectic northern fare fills the menu at this restaurant in the Oberoi,  New Delhi.  Handi (clay pot) curries include Keralan red snapper and an intriguing concoction of jumbo morel mushrooms in pomegranate and saffron sauce. Address: Dr Zakir Hussain Rd Phone: 91 11 2436 3030
DUBAI, EMIRATES:	Nina (One & Only)   The One & Only Royal Mirage has a palette of restaurants, but none is more eclectic than Nina, a sensuous, exotic harem of spices, draped curtains, chandeliers and action.  Indian waiters, sporting saffron shirts, earrings and crazy bleached haircuts, guide guests to tables set with glass beaded mats and 'vine-look' cutlery.  The bread menu alone offers is different every day of the week, and the main menu includes lamb loin tandoori with potato masala and coriander, and seared tuna salad with sweet-and-sour eggplant.   Al Mahara - Burj Al Arab, Dubai   Spectacular 'underwater' restaurant where diners are surrounded by Gulf sea life.  Cuisine: Executive chef Jean Paul Alexandre (formerly fo Raffles, Singapore) oversees some of the finest seafood with a Chinese and Western twist.  Best table: next to the aquarium wall to keep an eye on the marine life outside. www.burj-al-arab.com   Verre by Gordon Ramsay, Hilton Dubai Creek   Understated elegance - glass panels lit with tiny coloured lights, with minimalist white china dn silver cutlery.  Cuisine: three-star Michelin chef Jason Whitelock oversees the kitchen with foie gras, smoked goose and seared scallops on the menu. Best table: any way from the busy waiters' station. www.hilton.com   Al Hadheera Desert Restaurant - Jumeirah Bab al Shams, Dubai   Hidden in the desert dunes, with diners seated on low tables around open fires.  Cuisine: Traditional Arab cuisine at its most authentic - think mezze of humous and tabblouleh and plenty of succulent meats and salads.  Best table: any - they are all under the stars. www.jumeirahbabalshams.com   Sayad - Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi   On the first floor of the palace, with views of the beach and Gulf, it is modern and light, with three large fish tanks and large terrace.  Cuisine: German chef Alexander Paul combines classic European with Asian and Middle Eastern touches.  Menu highlights include the Iranian caviar section and signature dish Maine lobster and tiger prawns.  Best table: on the terrace overlooking the Gulf coastline, or in one of the three private dining rooms. www.emiratespalace.com   The Restaurant, The Chedi Muscat, Oman   Adjacent to the lobby lounge overlooking gardens and the Gulf of Oman, crystal chandeliers blown from Venetian glass, and a pianist at the open bar add to the ambience.  Cuisine: Four open kitchens serve Arab, Mediterranean, Asian and Indian cuisine, with dishes prepared in front of guests. Best table: one in the Arabian courtyard; under the stars with breezes from the sea. www.ghmhotels.com
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA	KHANA KHA   Murals surround diners at this restaurant specializing in Durban curries, including lamb, crab, sugar bean, and fish roe.  Order with rice or as a bunny chow takeaway. Address: 60 Stamford Hill, Greyville Phone: 27 31 309 1542
EDINBURGH, IRELAND	The Bonham   Drumsheugh Gardens   The stylish modernity is an intersting counterpoint to the traditional exterior.  Michel Bouyer arrived via sister hotel The Howard, Edinburgh's L'Auberge and the Michelin starred Jules Vernes in Paris.  Seasonal produce means a revolving menu, but favourites are pan-fried aberdeen Angus steaks, and fish, such as baked Shetland sea trout.  Best table: ask for a window seat to people watch the denizens of Edinburgh's West End. www.thebonham.com   Martin Wishart   The Shore, Leith Refined modern style in the heart of the inreasingly fashionable Port of Leith.  Martin has been Scottish chef of the year and his was the first Edinburgh restaurant to gain a Michelin Star.  Lobster and smoked haddock soufle. Best table: waterfront table looking out over Leith. www.martin-wishart.co.uk.   Rhubarb   Prestonfield James Thomson's country house hotel follows in the extravagant footsteps of the Witchery.  John McMahon, ex-chef of Skibo Castle, where he cooked for Madonna's wedding.  West Coast crab with scallop ceviche and crab apples is a favourite.  Best table:  A salon privee offers private dining for two, complete with its own personal waiters. www.martin-wishart.co.uk   David Bann St Mary's Street   A chic vegetarian restaurant.  David opened his first vegetarian restaurant in 1983, with David Bann opening in 2002 as a more upmarket option.  Mushroom, smoked cheese and ale strudel is a favourite.  Best table: Grab one of the new booth seats. www.davidbann.com   Number One   The Balmoral Multi-award winning rstaurant, with gold cushioned benches and lacquer red walls.  Jeff Bland famously brought Number One its Michelin Star.  Isle of Skye crab and langoustine.  Best table: the gold banquettes provide a degree of intamcy for couples. www.thebalmoralhotel.com
FRANCE	LE BAOLI - CANNES New, instantly A-list hotspot situated right in the heart of port Canto.  Chef: Christophe Gervais. There is a specialist tem of cutting edge Japanese chefs, so go for the Tepanyaki, or alternatively, the lobster salad.  Best tabled: the best tables to eat and look are under the tipi, but with a view of the dancefloor and gardens.  www.lebaoli.com MOULIN DES MOUGINS - MOUGINS Housed in an atmospheric 16th century mill.  Chef: Alain llorca (Michelin-starred).  Best dish: the tapas menu is a journey through Llorca's creative life, from 1998s cuttle fish to 2002's black truffles, and truly remarkable.  Best table: any of the five private salons, or on the terrace in the summer.  www.moulin-mougins.com CHEVRE D'OR - EZE It sits atop an unbeatable perch, overlooking the Cap Ferrat, the Cap d'Antibes and Saint Tropez's Gulf.  Chef: Philippe Labbe (two Michelin stars).  Best dish: try the "Menu Saveurs, Seneurs, Couleurs" with foie gras de canard and les noix de Saint Jacques.  Best table: Nex to the incredible, panoramic, picture-framed windows.   www.chevredor.com RESTAURANT JOEL ROBUCHON - MONTE CARLO The stunning, architectural surrounds of jacques Garcia's Hotel Metropole.  Chef: Joel Robuchon.  Best dish: there are no more than three flavours per plate.  Try quail with white truffles, or lamb cutlets with fresh thyme.  Best table: One that takes in the terrace's unimpeded view of Monte Carlo.  www.metropole.com LA PETITE MAISON - NICE Two floors of a stylish townhouse overlooking a magical village square.  Chef: Michel Mehdi, one Michelin star.  Best dish: if it's the season, the foie gras with truffles is reassuringly expensive.  Best table: any on the terrace overlooking the square.  www.lapetitemaison-nice.com
GRENADA	RHODES RESTAURANT   Overlooking the resort's lush, flower filled gardens.  Gary Rhodes' first overseas restaurant promises locally grown seasonal produce.  Try the Grenadian fish stew with saffron and orange.  www.calabashhotel.com   Phone: 473 444 4334
HAWAII	FERRARO'S BAR E RISTORANTE (Four Seasons Resort Maui) Outdoor patio restaurant overlooking the ocean surrounded by dancing tiki torches.  Chef de Cuisine Paolo Vitaletti hails from Rome - ideal for a chef overseeing a restaurant committed to classic upscale Italian.  Best dish: Rich signature lobster risotto.  Best table: Centre tables 81 and 82, on the back patio, to soak up the action and the stars.   www.fourseasons.com/maui CHEZ PAUL (Olowalu - Lahaina) The oldest French restaurant in the Pacific, the feel is both island-chic and classifcially French.  Chef, Patrick Callarec started cooking at the age of 13 in Menton, France, and went on to chef in some of the finest kitchens around the world, before opening Chez Paul.  Best dish: Poisson des isle au Champagne - Chez Paul's classic preparation of fresh island fish poached in champagne with leeks and capers.  Best table: a centre table to get a feel for the action.   www.chezpaul.net GERARD'S  (Maui's Lahaina Town) Located in the Plantation Inn, its turn of the century style includes period antiques and hardwood floors surrounded by tropical gardens.  Born in the Gascony region of France, Gerard Reversade came to Hawaii in 1973 and opened his own restaurant in 1982.  Using only fresh vegetables grown by local farmers, fresh fish caught by the Lahaina fishermen, and making his own sorbet and jam with Maui grown fruit, Gerard was a pioneer of "Hawaiian Regional Cuisine".  Best dish: caramelised pork tenderloin with honey, rhubarb and banana compote, marinated mushrooms with coriander, curry sauce with coconut.  Best table: request a table on the lanai or garden patio for al fresco dining under the stars.  www.gerardsmaui.com LA MER - (Halekulani) Formal (especially for the islands) with lovely ocean front views.  Hawaii's only Five Diamond restaurant, chef Yves Garnier sharpened his skills in Monte Carlo, cooking for jet setters with highly developed palettes.  Today, his neoclassical cuisine is some of the finest in the state.  Best dish: Kobe style filet of beef three ways: beef carpaccio wtih a parmesan shaving, tournedos of beef with bone marrow and bordelaise sauce, sliced filet of beef on a truffle just with Provencale vegetables.  Best table: the table on the Diamond Head corner of the restaurant which overlooks views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach.  www.halekulani.com DONDEROS - (Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa) Intimate, European Italian with frescos adorning the walls.  Named Kauai's Best Italian Restaurant, executive chef Manfred Steuerwald oversees the preparation of Italian classics.  Best dish: Lobster picata.  Best table: any table on the outdoor terrace.  www.hyatt.com
HUDSON, WISCONSIN:	Twisted Grille   On the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin, Twisted Grille has been packed sine its opening June 2005.  Chef Dustin Vanasse, whos resume includes a stint at Commander's Palace in Las Vegas, stays local with superb walleye cakes, roast prok with garlic cured asparagus, and 'veal butter burgers' (a take on Wisconsin chain Culver's "ButterBurger"). 501 2nd St.  Phone: 715 386 6800; thetwistedgrille.com.
HONG KONG	HUTONG Chinese dining room meets stylish bistro at the top of One Pening on Tsim Sha Tsui.  Dark wood paneling and an array of antiques.  Best dish: try the cuisine of the Northern Chinese provinces, such as bamboo clams with rose water.  Best table: towards the left, to enjoy the very best harbourside views.  Phone: 852 3428 8342 www.aqua.com.hk SPOON Michelin starred Alain Ducasse's Hong Kong venture in the Interontinental brings a touch of Europe to the heart of Asia.  Best dish: Guests area encouraged to experiment and become their own chefs by tailormaking their personal dish using both Asian and Western ingredients.  Best table: anywhere under the gorgeous handblown Venetian glass spoons.   Contact: 852 2313 2256 www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com DRAGON-I One of Central's hippest hangouts.  Think loungebar vibes and boutique decor.  Best dish: Old school Chinese classics and Japanese dishes du jour, favourites include poached chiken with galangal and sea urchin and cucumber temaki.  Best table: In the Red Room after dark, when only tru VIPs and the syle police have access.   Contact: 852 3110 1222 www.dragon-i.com.hk MO BAR In the new Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Central.  Liquid suppers include MO Tox, a combination of vodka, limoncello, ginger, coriander and pineapple and apple juices.  Best table: Sit to the left of the lily pond, by the drawbridge, for the best people watching views.  Contact: 852 2132 0077 www.mandarinoriental.com YE SHANGHAI Enjoy the jazz at One Pacific Place's stylish Shanghainese restaurant.  Best dish: The river shrimp with vinegar is delicously tart, but save some room for the desserts, such as the red bean pancake or the glutinous rice balls with sesame paste.  Best table: By the raised tier, beneath the ceiling fans to enjoy the views inside and out.  Contact: 852 2918 9833 GAIA By the gorgeous piazza of Grand Millennium Plaza Central.  Best dish: Slowly sauteed veal chop with morel mushooms and Marsala wine sauce.  Best table: Dine al fresco by the terraced fountain and bell tower.  Contact: 852 2167 8200 www.gaiaristorante.com. YUNG KEE Yes, it's in every tourist guide, but Yung Kee wouldn't have survived for so long if it weren't good.  Always crowded, the restaurant is famous for roast goose but many other dishes are equally delicious. Succulent roasted goose livers, tea-smoked pork belly (which you'll need to order 24 hrs in advance), and seasonal dishes such as liver sausages or hairy crab roe with bean curd.  Pei dan, also known as century or millennium eggs, are served to every dinner.  Connoisseurs agree that these eggs (usually duck eggs preserved by salting) are some of the best in town.  Yung Kee's history dates back 60 years, although not although in its present space.  It originally started as a dai pai dong (open-air street cafe), but today the restaurant occupies some of Hong Kong's most expensive real estate, covering three stories, with a floor of private rooms and a members-only club.  The ground-floor level, for fast meals and solo diners, is loud and rushed; the upper floors are quieter and much more relaxed. 32-40 Wellington St, Central.  Phone: 011 852 2522 1624 www.yungkee.com.hk XI YAN TASTES Star chef Jacky Yu is the mastermind behind Xi Yan, one of Hong Kong's most famous 'private kitchens" unlicensed restaurants usually hidden away in office buildings.  To accommodate those who were unable to get into the original Xi Yan (Which requires resrevations several months in advance), Yu opened Xi Yan Tastes.  The restaurant seats about 50 in a contemporary Asian setting, and serves classic Asian and fusion dishes such as smoked duck eggs and pickled ginger sorbet with century egg sauce and caramel.  Alas, reservations are still recommended- though only a day in advance. 2/F, Sharp St East, leighton Centre, Causeway Bay.  Phone: 011 852 2881 6693 www.xiyan.com.hk TSIM CHAI KEE NODDLE SHOP Wonton noodles area eaten for lunch, snacks, and light dinners in Hong Kong, and the wontons at these two restaurants attract fiercely loyal fans.  Steps away from each other on the same street, Tsim Chai Kee Noodle Shop and Mak's Noodles Ltd have been rivals for most of their 15 years of existence. Tsim Chai Kee's portions are substantial and wontons area large and bursting with prawns, portions at Mak's Noodles are much smaller, but the wontons are juicy and the borth deeply flavorful.  Because both places are small, they really pack in diners elbow-to-elbow, and sharing tables or booths is part of the experience during busy periods.  The menu at Tsim Chai Kee is limited to three toppings (the famous wonton, fish balls, and sliced beef) and a side dish of seasonal vegetables.  The selection at Mak's Noodles is slightly larger. Tsim Chai Kee: 98 Wellington St, Central. Phone: 011 852 2850 6471 Mak's Noodles: 77 Wellington St, Central. Phone: 011 852 2854 3810
HOUSTON, TEXAS:	Noe   Chef Robert Gadsby's Noe, in Los Angeles, now has a sister in this city's Omni Hotel.  The menu is never dull, and diverse standouts such as mimosa chicken salad, celery-root ravioli, and boneless beef short ribs will appeal to diners of every stripe.  To catch Gadsby at his best, order the tasting menu of six to nine small seasonal courses.   The restaurant is open for dinner only.    4 Riverway.  Phone: 713 871 8177.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA	YUM It's the restaurant of the moment in Jo'burg - the unpretentious, minimal decor makes for a relaxing ambience.  Owner chef Dario D'Angeli's experimental contemporary South African cuisine includes delights such as roasted duck in apricot glaze.  Best table: on the outside terrace, if there's a choice.  www.yum.co.za
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA:	Lemon Garden   Adam Tihany designed the eclectic, fun 375-seat Lemon Garden at the Shangri-La, which is busy from 6 am through 1 am.  Guests can choose from an area that is Day-Glo green and white, or one that is tomato and camel.  Diners take plates from fluorescent-lit alcoves below buffet stations and choose their specialty.  Among the options are cooked-to order Chinese, Indian, Italian and Malay dishes, and pastas and desserts.  Bustling servers wear brightly colored uniforms by the Japanese designer Mineosan.   MADAM KWAN'S   Locals rave about this modern eatery's Assam fish head curry, a sweet and sour nyonya recipe with okra, tomatoes, and long beans.  Expect a wait.  Address: 65, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru.  Phone: 6 03 2284 2297
LISBON, PORTUGAL	Restaurante Pap' Acorda Bairro Alto, Lisbon   A former bakery in Bairro Alta, now the palces to see and be seen.  Portugal's Manuele Brandao.  Acorda (a bread based shellfish stew with eggs, garlic and corianders) or Alentego-style pork.  Best table: clients will feel lucky to get any. Phone: 011 351 213 464 811   Terreiro do Paco   Trendy but elegant brick vaulted restaurant offering cuisine that pays homage to Portuguese traditions.  vitor Sobral, who cooks for the Portuguese president.  Oven baked black pork served with a potato and apple gratin.  Best table: at the front of the restaurant. www.terreiropaco.com   Cipriani   Fine Venetian dining in elegant surroundings.  Giorgio Damasio serves up Italian Specialities.  Thinly sliced prime beef seasoned with classic Cipriani sauce, home-made green thin noodles with ham, au gratin.  Best table: they are all equally luxurious. www.lapapalace.com
LONDON, ENGLAND	VEERASWAMY One of London's original curry houses is now a chic leading light in new Indian cuisine.  Try the Malabar lobster in spicy coconut curry with green mango and fresh turmeric.  Address: 99 Regent Street.  Phone: 44 020 7734 1401 J SKEEKEY 28-32 St Martins Court, Covent Garden.    Sister to the celebrated Ivy, the seafood restaurant is big on charm and low on snootiness.  A favourite with Jude Law and David Schwimmer.  Chef: Martin Dickinson.  Best dish: the legendary fish pie never comes off the menu.  Best table: It's first come, first serve.  Phone: 02072402565 GORDON RAMSAY 68-69 Royal Hospital Road, SW3.   The ubiquitous chef's Chelsea flagship.  Chef: Mark Askew.  Best dish: Prestige Menu.  Best table: only 13 tables, so there's no 'top spot".  www.gordonramsay.com AMAYA 19 Motcomb Street, SW1 .  A chic and sexy Indian restaurant.  Open for just over a year, Jemima Khan, Gwyneth Paltrow and Hugh Grant are all fans.  Chef: Karunesh Khanna.  Best dish: chiken chops to share, basted in spices with curry leaf and chilli.  Best table: table 12, right next to the grill.  www.realindianfood.com TOM AIKENS 43 Elystan Street, SW3.  Chelsea's Michelin starred foodie magnet serves French cuisine against a modern backdrop.  Chef: Tom Aikens.  Best dish: Loin of piglet with baby squid and braised onion.  Best table: tables 4 and 6 give you the privacy (and vantage point) of a corner seat.  www.tomaikens.co.uk LOCANDA LOCATELLI 8 Seymour Street, W1.  Sleek and stylish.  London's best Italian? "Si", say Woody Allen and Liz Hurley.  Chef: Giorgio Locatelli.  Best dish: truffles with polenta.  Best table: tables 100, 200 and 300 are great for feeling in the thick of things.  www.locandalocatelli.com NOBU BERKELEY Berkely Hotel, 15-16 Berkeley Street, W1.  Swanky premises, near the Ritz.  Chef: Mark Edwards.  Best dish: Any dish from the wood-fired oven.  Best table: to the left of the stairs as you walk in.  www.noburestaurants.com BISTROTHEQUE 23-27 Wadeson Street, E2.  A brasserie in a hard to find warehouse conversion on a back street in trendy Hackney.  Chef: Tom Collings.  Best dish: anything from Croque Monsieur to steak tartare.  Best table: table 4 has the best vantage point and is near the kitchen. THE PIG'S EAR 35 Old Church Street, SW3.  Just off the King's Road, it recently attracted Prince William and current belle Kate Middleton.  Chef: Ashley Hancill.  Best dish: caramelised smokeed eel.  Best table: snug against the fireplace downstairs. Phone: 0207352 2908 VEERASWAMY Mezzanine Floor, Victory House, 99 Regent Street, London W1.  Oldest surviving Indian restaurant in London.  First opened in 1926; re-opened in 2005 after a major refurbishment and new menu.  Chef: Gopal Kochak.  Best dish: Lobster Malabar Curry.  Best table: in the romantic alcove. Phone: 02077341401. LE CAPRICE Although one of the older restaurants in London, Le Caprice has been doing a solid job for decades.  Small and intimate, this traditional restaurant owned by Richard Caring is distinguished as much by its service as its food, both of which can be faultless.  Top dishes include eggs Benedict, Mediterranean fish soup, squash risotto, and deep-fried haddock with minted pea puree. Arlington House, Arlington St.  Phone: 011 44 207 629 2239 www.le-caprice.co.uk SCOTT'S It's hard to believe that a restaurant dating to 1851 is one of London's hot spots, but celebrities such as Elton John and Mick Jagger flock to this large, glamorous seafood restaurant with oak paneling and an onyx-topped oyster bar at the center.  Among favorites as scampi Provencal, roasted monkfish, Scottish rib steak with bearnaise sauce, and, for dessert, sloe-gin jelly in a martini glass with frosted berries and clotted cream. 20 Mount St. Phone 011 44 207 495 7309 www.scotts-restaurant.com THE NARROW Chef Gordon Ramsay set aside fancy French cooking to open this small, stylish pub in the Limehouse area, which attracts the banking crowd from nearby Canaray Wharf.  There are fewer than 20 tables, so reserve a spot by the window for a great view of the river Thames.  Though the celebrity chef is never there, the English pub food is as good as you'd expect.  But don't look for standard fish and chips: Swathed in a beer-and-vodka batter, the fish here is as light and crisp as tempura.  Other London classics touted include "London particular," a pea-and-ham soup; creamy soft herring roe; and potted crab with granary toast, fast becoming a signature dish. 44 Narrow St.  Phone: 011 44 207 592 7950 www.gordonramsay.com/thenarrow
LOS ANGELES , CALIFORNIA	Ortolan   Named for a tiny bird that was a delicacy in France before it became a protected species.  Ortolan is the new venue for Christophe Eme, formerly of L'Orangerie.  He has dramatically re-imagined the space, draping some of the walls in rich fabrics, covering others in brick and adding small crystal chandeliers over many of the tables.  The lounge area in the rear has its own fireplace, the bar in the middle sits under a retractable glass roff, and the black marble wall holds rows of planters.  The kitchen turns out French-accented delicacies from leg and breast of roasted squab to crispy langoustines, as well as homemade lobster and parsley oils. 8338 W 3rd St.  Phone: 323 653 3300.  Fax: 323 653 3327   Avenue Christian Shaffer seems to like th ebeach towns.  First came Chloe in Playa del Rey, and now he has followed that initial success with Avenue, an upscale contemporary bistro offering progressive American cuisine.  The casually elegant place, situated just a block from the beach, features a copper-trimmed bar and a heated outdoor patio to take advantage of the pleasant ocean air.  The menu changes monthly, but you can always find foie gras in some incarnation (paired with everything from pork loin to rhubarb), as well as hot chocolate served wtih a marshmallow-coated spoon. 1141 Manhattan Ave.  Phone: 310 802 1973.  Fax: 310 695 6441   Naya   Naya's name is said to mean 'new' in some ancient language, and this charming restaurant offers something, well, naya, not just for Pasadena but for all of Los Angeles.  With ingredients ranging from sweetbreads and foie gras to truffles and pumpkin, Chef Ray Luna incorporates a wide range of influences, but his touchstone is Americana.  Be sure to try his gourmet mac and cheese prepared with goat's milk cheddar, gryere and fontina.  49 E. Colorado Blvd.  Phone: 626 793 4712.   Boa Steakhouse   Boa Steakhouse.  Diets and cholesterol be damned, Angelenos want steak, and Boa Steakhouse in Santa Monica offers beef and more in a stylish, seaside setting.  Both the 40 day dry-aged New York Strip and the 28 day aged bone-in Kansas City Filet are USDA Prime Grade A beef, and they're paired with house-made flavor rubs (from blue cheese crust to tri-peppercorn) and sauced (including Bearnaise and Worcestershire).  101 Santa Monica Blvd.  Phone: 310 899 4466   New Meson G   The New Meson G (2005), where the "G" is for Goodell, as in founders Tim and Liza, means 'large communal table' but Meson G is about small plates and sharing, and chef Eric Greenspan, formerly of Patina, seems to have fun in the large open kitchen turning out everything from braised short ribs and osso bucco to crispy pork belly and sea urchin gratin.  The well-chosen wine list offers versatile bottles to pair with the eclectic cuisine. 6703 Melrose Ave.  Phone 323 525 1415.   EAST INDIA GRILL   This hip urban restaurant has an open kitchen and a luscious house yellow curry; order it with a choice of four meats and three vegetarian options.  Address: 345 North La Brea Avenue.  Phone: 323 936 8844
MALDIVES:	Naya   Raw, at Huvafen Fushi on Male Atoll, shows how attractive  ahealth restaurant can be.  Situated on stilts high above the turquoise waters, the open-sided restaurant has places set with Vietnamese celadon plates and bamboo-wrapped chopsticks.  Cold towers are brought wrapped around a length of lemongrass, and excellent breads are served with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and butter.  The display kitchen offers such dishes as Maldivian seasalt tomato and passionfruit-leaf salad, and olive polenta with seasonal mushrooms and rice crackers.
MALTA	TA FRENC RESTAURANT - GOZO A converted 14th century farmhouse that's both rustic and elegant.  Head chef mario Schembri's French and Italian inspired menu uses vegetables from their own kitchen garden and quail and game from their farm.  Best table: on the terrace or in the 7,000 bottle wine cellar, recently opened for private dining. Phone: 011 21 55 3888.  THE BLUE ELEPHANT - HILTON MALTA Romantic ambience and Thai decoration in the Hilton hotel, overlooking the Portomaso marina.  Inspiring Thai cuisine, including kathiem prik Thai, stir fried rabbit with garlic and fresh peppercorns, and kanom kluai, stemaed banana pudding served in a banana leaf cup.  Best table: on the terrace amid the twinkling lights of the marina.  Phone: 011 21 38 3383 PHOENIX RESTAURANT - LE MERIDIEN PHOENICIA Charming 1930s style restaurant just outside historic Valetta.  Acclaimed head chef Any Gaskin offers a range of French, Italian, Maltese and Mediterranean dishes.  Best table: on the panoramic terrace during the summer months.  Phone: 011 22 91 1083. ZEST - HOTEL JULIANI Within the boutique Hotel Juliani, the restaurant is contemporary and elegant with walk-through wine cellar and suhi bar.  Wide variety of Asian, Japanese and Thai cuisine, including Singaporean seafood laksa and Balinese soups.  Best table: Any, the open air terrace bar has views over Spinola Bay, ideal for pre-dinner drinks.  Phone: 011 21 38 7600. RUBINO RISTORANTE & DOCERIA - VALLETTA Opened in 1906 as a confectionery, there's a real sense of history about this cosy restaurant.  Modern Matlese and Mediterranean.  There's no menu, owner Julian Summut and his team explain the specialities of the day which include rabbit (served on a Tuesday) and suckling pig.  Best table: in one of the front two windows.  Phone: 011 21 22 4656.
MAURITIUS	SPOON DES ILES   One & Only Le Saint Geran, Mauritius Chef: Renowned French chef Alain Ducasse.  Best dish: The island's speciality, heart of palm salad.  Best table: ask for one by the open plan kitchen so yu can see the chefs at work.  www.spoondesiles.com   LA COMPAGNIE DES COMPTOIRS   Chef: Three Michelin star French chefs.  Best dish: Fusion themed seafood.  Best table: All have sea views.  www.veranda-resorts.com
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO	Contramar   Chauffeur driven cars line up outside Contramar, which combines a funky, slightly mod decor with the traditional rites of comida, Mexico's late afternoon marathon meal.  Reservations at peak hours (after 2pm) are snared by embassy types and corporate executives, so Connolly suggests arriving at 1:30 when the doors open.  Waiters display plates of fiant raw clams and offer buttery Chilean sea bass or the signature pescado a la talla Contramar - a butterflied red snapper garnished with chile and parsley sauces in the colors of the Mexican flag. Durango 200, Colonia Roma. Phone 011 52 55 5514 3169. www.contramar.com.mx.   Aquila y Sol   This elegant dining room embodies the ultrachic vibe of the swanky Polanco neighborhood (think Rodeo Drive en espanol).  Chef owner Marta Ortiz Chapa is the hippest thing going on the capital's power dining scene.  Now ensconced in larger, airier digs, Aguila y Sol has an impressive wine list and a menu imbied with flashy variations on classic Mexican themes.  The fall-off-the-bone duck in a rich, dark mole sauce, and says the enormous appetizer sampler serves a crowd.  Thoughtful touches with style: Water glasses are garnished with star fruit, and meals end with a selection of on-the-house sweets.  Watch out for the chile-infused tidbits. They're delicious but dangerous. Avenida Moliere. Phone 011 42 52 55 5281 8354.   El Tajin   An off the beaten path gem, El Tajin is tucked inconspicously into the Veracruz Cultural Center in the southern neighborhood of Coyoacan, famed as the home of Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, as well as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.  Chef Alicia Gironella De'Angeli is considered Mexico's leading advocate of the "slow food" movement, and 'her gracel creations make you want to slow down to savor each element."  Start with the perfectly balaned lime soup, or try the edible squash flowers highlited in many dishes.  As for a table on the veranda, which overlooks the garden. Miquel Angel de Quevedo 687, Colonia Coyoacan.  Phone: 011 52 55 5659 5759.
MIAMI, FLORIDA	1220 At Tides   Long the coolest, swellegant hotel and restaurant on South Beach's iconic Ocean Drive, the white-hued Tides is under new management and its refectory handed to Masschusetts chef Paul Blouin.  His virtuoso bistro fare with inflections from Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the South Seas has succeeded splendidly in luring back the prety (and the famous - JLo, Nelly and Sting) to romantically dine on the front steps and terrace amid seagrapes, palms, and softly glowing, antique railway-style lanterns. 1220 Ocean Dr.  Phone: 305 604 5130.  Fax: 305 604 5180   Aigo   Ai-wha? If you're wondering what that quirky little moniker's all about, this South Beach newcomer takes both name and startin gpoint from the word for 'garlic' in Provencal.  And sure enough, the bulb is all over the place: In a sweet roasted garlic soup with chevre croutons, escargots in garlic-and-Ricard-laced butter and Aigo bouillabase saffron broth.  821 Washington Ave.  Phone: 305 534 5160.  Fax: 305 534 5168   Gables   Chef Adam Votaw, former executive chef at the elite Little Palm Island Resort, has infused the once stodgy Gables cuisine scene with its hottest Latin spark so far.  Subtly bathed in a warm reddish glow, its high ceilinged precincts offer visibility or a measure of seclusion for VIPs like Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriquez, Gloria Estefan, Busta Rhymes, Daisy Fuentes and politico Bill Frist.  225 Altara Ave.  Phone: 305 648 2600.   Yuca   Known to residents as the former chef of Yuca, Douglas Rodriguez is following up his New York ventures (Patria, Chicama, and Pipa) with a sister to OLA Miami.  Ola Steak applies his Nuevo Latino style to the steak house idiom using cuts of organic Uruguayan grass fed beef and dry aged USDA prime.  Look for the fabled 'medianoche' sandwich (featuring foie gras, serrano ham, and truffled cheese) and panfried grouper over Peruvian potatoes.  320 San Lorenzo Ave.  Phone: 305 461 4442.   Tony Coral Gables'   At Chef Norman van Aken's latest restaurant, part of Tony Coral Gables' equally Tony Village of Merrick Park shopping complex, he's really let his hair down, mixing that impeccable quality with a hipper, younger vibe, relaxed services, and a lighter fare.  You get to choose from a variety of small plates from traditional Spanish (cured ham, manchego cheese) to nouvelle (calypso calamari, salmon tartare) as well as elegantly executed sushi and wood-oven pizzas.  Entrees splash about quite a bit in the surf (seaweed stuffed salmon with tamarind glaze, rhum glazed grouper) but also hit land for Latin accented turf (sugarcane glazed pork, mashed plantain and foie gras stuffed roast chikcen with black bean sauce).  4251 Salzedo St.  Phone 305 442 6787.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA:	Wolfgang Puk's 20.21   At the expanded Walker Art Center, Wolfgang Puk's 20.21 - named for the combination of 20th-century art and Puck's 21st-century cooking - is a casual chic place feating Asian-inspired fare.  Scott Irestone (from Chinois Las Vegas) sends out dishes like foie gras with rhubarb sauce and whole fried sea bass.  For dessert, 'spoon, cube & cherry' is as artful as its inspiration - Spoonbridge and Cherry in the nearby Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.  1750 Hennepin Ave.  Phone 612 253 3410.
MUMBAI, INDIA:	WG's Kebabs & Kurries   WG's Kebabs & Kurries, at ITC Grand Central Sheraton Hotel & Towers, is the latest culinary success in the food-and beverage stable of the Welcomgroup, still best known worldwide for Bukhara.  The fort-like restaurant, with its big, glass-sided display kitchen, has a menu with vertical listings of ingredients (vegetarian, seafood, chicken, lamb) and horizontal listings of kebabs (such as tandoori and griddled tama) and curries.   INDIGO   Magnet to the Mumbai A-list, this candle lit former Portuguese colonial mansion has a cosy feel despite its minimalist decor and trendy clientele.  Best dish: Indian-Western fusion cuisine by well-known restauratuer Rahul Akerkar, from Kochi oysters with saffron ravioli to lobster bisque.  Phone: 91222856316
NAPA, CALIFORNIA	Restaurant Budo   Following his acclaimed work at Scottsdale's Hapa, James McDevitt, a Navy brat who traveled throughout Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Korea is blending Asia's cuisines at Restaurant Budo ("grape" in Japanese).  Entrees hover around $30, but Hokkaido scallops and sake cured black cod prove worth the splurge.  1650 Soscol Ave.  Phone 707 224 2330; www.restaurantbudo.com
NEVIS	THE SUGAR MILL, MONTPELIER PLANTATION INN   750 ft above the Caribbean Sea.  Best Dish: Executive chef Mark Roberts offers classical Caribbean cuisine with a contemporary twist using organic produce.  Favorites include breadfruit and leek soup, and five-spice duck.  Besides The Terrace Restaurant, the 17th century Sugar Mill can be hired exclusively for candle-lit dining. Phone: 869 469 3462.  www.montpeliernevis.com
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA	Cobalt   Chef David English began his career in town, at Bella Luna, and now he's returned as the new chef of Cobalt.  A skillful and imaginative approach is what sets English apart in the crowded field of contemporary Louisiana cooking, and his precision shines in drum fillet over shellfish stew, diver scallops with cauliflower puree, and quail with corn bread stuffing.  333 St Charles Ave.  Phone 504 565 5595; www.cobaltrestaurant.com.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK:	Maremma   Named for a region in Southwest Tuscany regarded as Italy's Wild West, foodies will be clamoring over the unique pairing of Tuscan and American cowboy fare at Maremma.  The whimsical menu offers mouth watering dishes like "Sloppy Guiseppe" (A take on the American sloppy Joe) with braised oxtail atop a bed of stone-ground grits and moonshine or penne alla vodka using homemade spaghetti-o's, whiskey, tomato, garlic and Grana cheese.  Apart from this tasty menu, guests will salivate over the two-story interior complete with skylights, mounted bull horns, cacti and a blue glass chandelier. 228 West 10th St.  Phone: 212 645 0200.  Fax: 212 645 2166   Yumcha   Angelo Sosa worked in the kitchens of Jean Georges and Spice Market, and his pedigree shows at the sleep and inventive Yumcha.  This isn't so much fusion food as modern Chinese, reworked as if in Hong Kong.  "Pork rib" becomes rich glazed pork on a spicy cabbage salad, while Peking duck is made with the breast alone.  One caution: This tiny spot is LOUD.  29 Bedford St.  Phone 212 524 6800.  www.yumchanyc.com   Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano   You have to love a chef whose signature dish is fried artichokes.  At Gusto Ristorante e Bar Americano, Jody Williams gives her fans what they want - not just her 'chokes but a whole menu of simple but savvy Italian dishes: delicate fried squash blossoms; fava bean salad sparked with mint, escarole, and Pecorino; pine nut studded Sicilian meatballs; and succulent roast lamb.  60 Greenwich Ave.  Phone 212 924 8000.   BLT Fish   Laurent Tourondel has done it again with his newest (2005) restaurant BLT Fish.  Enter from the street into the casual first floor raw bar, but take the levator up (like past diners Claire Danes, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey) to their third floor to dine more formally and privately.  Here you are privy to a retractable glass rooftop, open kitchen and fabulous menu.  After devouring the table's feather-light cheddar-chive biscuits, order the spcy tuna tartar or raw hamachi to start and follow up with the two-person crispy red snapper "Cantonese style". 21 West 17th St.  Phone 212 691 8888.   Koi   Like it's sister restaurant in Los Angeles, Koi has proven to be a success in only its first few weeks of opening (2005) within the Bryant Park Hotel.  Anchored by majestic honeycomb sculpture that rises at the back of the room and extends across the ceiling, the menu will have diners busy as bees ordering up dishes from the inventive Japanese offereings.  Out of the 165 seats, select a booth in the elevated seating area where you can gaze out at fellow diners and the bamboo-lined walls.  40 W. 40th St.  Phone: 212 921 3330.   Brazilian brasserie   Restaurateur Jeffrey Chowdorow delivers fun and exotic dishes at this Brazilian brasserie.  For a large group, dine in the private room centered by an oversized dritwood communal table.  Otherwise, settle into a back booth decorated with multi-colored rag confetti upholstery and order up a jalapeno caipirinha before gazing down into the extensive and delicious menu.  12 East 22nd St. Phone 212 353 0500.   Alta   The last thing New York needed, you might say, was yet another upscale Italian restaurant.  Turns out it did.  At Alta, Scott Conant (of L'Impero) explores the food of Italy's northern Alta Adige region, previously terra incognita to most Manhattan diners.  make them as satisfying as the comfort food of mHis upscale riffs on the area's hearty ingredients: smoked goose liver 'carpaccio,' asparagus and Riesling terrine, bigoli with cocks' combs and tripe, may sound a little outre, but their earthiness and spot on balance ore familiar Italian cuisines.  520 Madison Ave.  Phone: 212 308 1099.   Peter Luger Steak House   Founded in 1887, Peter Luger is the prototype for the American steak house.  Known for its nearly two-inch-thick, dry-aged porterhouse steaks, this always-busy place is short on atmosphere but very long on red meat.  The menu is brief - 'steak for one, two, three, or four," lamb chops, salmon, plus legendary creamed spinach and steak sauce - but Levine says this is a New York city must. 178 Broadway, Brooklyn. Phone: 718 387 7400 www.peterluger.com   Boqueria   In a city ordinarily known for dinner as theater in three acts, Boqueria exempligies a freer form of dining that elevates the tapas trend.  Levine says the casual spot with cafe tables up front and a communal table in the back has become a symbol of the new, more relaxed and spontaenous way to dine in New York.  Boqueria has the intimate feel and rustic look of a small tapas bar in Spain but, as a real sit-down eatery, can accommodate a larger crowd.  Named after the famous Barcelona market, Boqueria is known for its adventurous but inexpensive list of Spanish wines.  Among the dishes not to miss: fried quail eggs and chorizo on toast, chilled almond soup, fried anchovies, boar terrine, suckling pig, and creme Catalana clasica. 53 West 19th St (Avenue of the Americas). Phone: 212 255 4160 www.boquerianyc.com.   Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano   The original pizzeria opened on Coney Island in 1924, and today it's said to be the country's oldest pizza parlor run continuously by the same family.  But you don't have to go to Brooklyn to try these pies that, says Levine, many New Yorkers herald as the best in the city.  Brick coal-fired ovens turn out the famous pies in a basic pizza parlor atmosphere with tables close together and a cluttered bar.  Don't miss the signature white pizza made with mozzarella, pecorino Romano, and fresh garlic.  Totonno's Manhatten location offers a full menu in addition to the legendary pizza, including pasta alla Bolognese and veal marsala.  The family is justifiably proud of its pizza.  How proud?  The website heralds a Zagat's quote proclaiming, "Only God makes better pizza!" 462 2nd Avenue. Phone: 212 213 8800 www.totonnos.com
ORLANDO, FLORIDA:	Jiko -   the Cooking Place, at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, was inspired by the Lion King Designer Jeffrey Beers has made the focus of the restaurant its twin wood-burning ovens.  Chef Anette Grecchi Gray offers African cuisine, a blend of European, Mediterranean and Indian.  The best-sellers are maize-crusted, pan-roasted monkfish, and oak-grilled beef filet with macaroni and cheese.
PARIS, FRANCE	LE CRISTAL ROOM   A new eatery situated in a sumptuous town house in the 16th arrondissement, which is a boutique and showroom for Baccarat, the French crystal company.  Best dish: Scallops with Petrossian caviar and risotto with white truffles.  A light lunch menu by chef Thierry Burlot.  Decor by Philippe Starck is salon style, think deep red marble mouldings and huge Baccarat chandeliers.  Phone: 33140221110. www.baccarat.fr   ALAIN DUCASSE AU PLAZA ATHENEE   Lies on Avenue Montaigne near the Champs Elysees.  Best dish: The best French seasonal food given an imaginative twist by chef Jean Francois Piege, such as spider crab served in its orange sheel beneath a bubbly foam of coral.  The sauteed Breton lobster with asparagus tips and morels in a light suace gets the critics salivating, as do the superb cheese choen by Alsatian formager Bernard Anthony. Phone: 33153676500.  www.alain-ducasse.com   PIERRE GAGNAIRE   On Rue Balzac.  Best dish: Gagnaire ingeniously uses his menu to tell the story of one ingradients.  For example, La langoustine features a pan-fried version with a lime tuile, a mousseline with lemongrass, a tartare with apple and ginger, and grilled, with thyme nougatine.  Try the prix fixe menu for a good introduction, as it offers nine separate courses.  Continues to be the toast of the town.  Set in a beautiful split level dining room inspired by the Art Deco era, the polite staff in tailcoats add to the whole enchanting experience.  Phone: 33158361250 www.pierre-gagnaire.com   LE MEURICE   At Hotel Meurice, Rue de Rivoli, facing the Tuileries garden.  Best dish: "Blue" lobster in Chateau Chalon sauce, a fillet of red mullet with creamed sardie, or the "Poularde de Bresse" (Chicking stuffed with foie gras).  Has two Michelin stars.  The service is impeccable, the Empire decor unforgettable.  Phone: 33144581055.  www.meuricehotel.com   TAILEVENT   On Rue Lamennais, in the heart of the city.  Best dish: The sampler menu is the one to go for, which offers golden brown frogs legs and pan fried red mullet with aioli.  Tallievent's wine cellar holds more than 25,000 bottles.  Since 1946, Tailevent has been considered the home of French cooking.  its exquisite decor - think crisp white inen, crystal, silver, silk and heavy curtains - is the perfect setting for sampling head chef Alain Soliveres refined dishes.  Phone: 33144951501. www.taillevent.com
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA:	Old Original Bookbinder's finally has the Main Line looks to match its noble steamed lobsters and stately strawberry shortcake.  The 1865 landmark is still more classic than cutting-edge, but dishes like the Asian-accented tuna tartare and the seafood-plumped Cobb salad do work in some nods to the contemporary.  The restaurant is open for dinner only.  125 Walnut St.  Phone: 215 925 7027.  www.bookbinders.biz
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA	ZUNI CAFE Even after 25 years, this local hangout with a national reputation remains hip.  With a vibrant, Parisian-style, standing-only copper bar that greets you upon entering, Zuni Cafe epitomizes casual California chic.  Chef Judy Rodgers was named the nation's outstanding chef in 2004 by the prestigious James Bear Foundation, and she's been making Zuni Cafe a San Francisco leg-end since she arrived 20 years ago.  The fare is basic but wonderful: Roast chicken, hamburgers, Caesar salad, and espresso granita are "beyond compare".  More specialties you shouldn't miss include fresh oysters and the house-cured anchovies. 1658 Market St.  Phone: 415 552 2522 www.zunicafe.com MYTH Elegant but relaxed, the restaurant menu is stylish, celebratory.. think rigatoni with foie gras cream, maitake mushrooms, and marsala.  Many main courses are available in two sizes, a format that plays into the still-popular small plates trend.  The restaurant nicely blends the romantic with the dramatic. 470 Pacific Avenue.  Phone: 415 677 8986 www.mythsf.com FOREIGN CINEMA Few restaurants appeal to such a wide spectrum of tastes as this Mission District haunt.  Movies play on the wall in the covered patio, there's an indoor fireplace for the city's frequent cool nights, and a separate art gallery doubles as a private dining room.  The simple French-Mediterranean cuisine showcases fresh, ingredient-driven cooking.  Among must-tries: beef carpaccio with fried herbs, lavender-scented pork loin, and pear ginger upside-down cake. 2534 Mission Street.  Phone: 415 648 7600 www.foreingcinema.com
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON:	Opened Feb 2005, Crush has turned into a full-blown love affair, as chef Jason Wilson and his wife, Nicole, masterfully reinterpret Northwest classics and bistro standards.  Favorites are the wild salmon, seared till its skin crisps, set atop salt cod potatoes, and the lamb chops paired with herbed corona beans and slivers of lamb's tongue.  The restaurant is open for dinner only, Tuesday thru Saturday.  2319 East Madison St.  Phone: 206 302 7874; www.crushonmadison.com.     A converted warehouse with a brief, changing menu of entrees and shared plates, Crow is taking the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood by stomr.  Red and ornage walls set the mood for such excellent Italian influenced bistro dishes as cripsy duck, braised lamb shank and polenta, and sausage lasagne.   823 5th Ave North.  Phone 206 283 8800.
SEYCHELLES	CERF ISLAND, SEYCHELLES   Chef: Raoul Mangroo, a local islander.  Best dish: Delicious Jackfruit ice-cream dessert.  Best table: a private veranda.  www.cerf-resort.com   LE MONT FLEURI   Saint Anne Resort, Seychelles Chef: French chef Frederic Kulczak.  Best dish: Giraffe crab, truffle and potato pancake.  Best table: ask for the candlelit table under the palm tree beneath the restaurant's terrage for an unforgettable beach dining experience.  www.beachcomber-hotels.com   NORTH ISLAND CULYNARY CONCEPT   North Island, Seychelles Chef: Experiemental chef with flair, Dereck Nair.  Best dish: Nair discusses with guests their likes and dislikes and then comes up with something original for them each day.  Best table: Jene Barnes of Turquoise Holidays recommends a private BBQ on Anse d'Est Beach.  www.north-island.com
ST LUCIA	DASHEENE - LADERA RESORT Dramatic views of the Pitons.  Award winning executive chef Orlando Satchell is known for his innovative take on Caribbean cuisine.  "Fisherman's catch" is as fresh as you'll get, served with wild jerk butter, local flower butter, lemon caviar or creole sauce.  www.ladera.com.  Phone: 758 459 7323.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA	BILSON'S RESTAURANT Chef Tony Bilson has stood tall among the giants of cooking in Sydney for more than 30 years.  An unabashed Francophile, Bilson upholds French standards for fine dining, and his eponymous restaurant, opened in 2003, is the closest you'll get to great French dining Down Under without hopping on a place.  His nine-course fine bouche menu shows the depth and breadth of the chef's powers, with sexy starters such as aromatic lobster tartlet and spinach mousseline anchored by kombu seaweed poached in lobster stock.  Few understand and demonstrate the symbiosis of food and wine (and art) with such brilliance.  This is hotel dining at its formal finest, in a spacious room with damask-clad tables made all the more beautiful by Bilson's art collection. Radisson Plaza Hotel, 27 O'Connel St.  Phone 011 61 02 8214 0496 www.bilsons.com.au   THE BENTLEY RESTAURANT AND BAR   Consider ths example of chef Brent Savage's intriguing food and wine pairing: Gazpacho Three Ways, a trio of chilled soups the color of traffic lights served in small glasses.  There's a green basil version, creamy almond, and, finally, capsicum and tomato.  Matched with a riesling, "it's not just an education; it's symbolic of the attention to detail invested here.  This heritage pub's interior design has a sassy retro look, with chipboard and plywood finishes and a charcoal banquette that runs down the center, separating diners from drinkers at the long, spirits-laden bar. 320 Crown St, Surry Hills.  Phone: 011 61 02 9332 2344 www.thebentley.com.au   SEAN'S PANOROMA   Though Sydney is enamored of newness and glitz, Sean's on Bondi Beach proves that the best things don't change.  Since 1993, this laid-back, breezy room full of retro charm has been a perennial beachfront favorite.  The short menu, scrawled on dangling blackboard slats, is simple and comforting.  In this deafeningly loud, modest wedge og a room with water views, you can eat some of the best food in the state.  The signature festoni (long, flat, corrugated pasta) mixed with shredded argula, house-made chili oil, and Parmesan; the squab salad; and roasted Barossa chook.  Diners also love the cheeky and knowledgeable staff. 270 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach.  Phone: 011 61 02 9365 4924 www.seanspanaroma.com.au
TOKYO, JAPAN:	Park Hyatt Tokyo, immortalized as the location for the film Lost in Translation (starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson), is home to the 52nd floor New York Grill.  Walls are hung with Valeria Adami abstracts of Carnegie Hall, the New York Yankees,  Radio City Music Hall and the Rockefeller Center.  The best tables are windowside, for the view.  Chef Jay Wetzel's best-sellers include a New York Grill mezze platter (including babghannouj and hummus) and Maesawa sirloin.
TORONTO, CANADA	Susur Lee decided to let his long hair down with the opening of Lee, a sleep, affordable, and fun bistro next door to his inimitable fine dining restaurant, Susur.  The earthy dishes reminiscent of Singaporean street food and the loud, happening vibe are a far cry from the seriousness prevailing next door.  603 King St West.  Phone: 416 504 7867.
UDAIPUR, INDIA	Poolside restaurant, Shiv Niwas Palace   Spectacular former Maharaja's palace, with all original features.  Best dish: there's a wide choice of continental and traditional Indian cuisine. Phone: 91 294 252 8016