The Spice of Life

Text: Ruth Ellen-Davis & Soledad Marambio
CATEGORIES: England, Europe, Food & Drink, International, North America, Places, USA

London

Chilango

Two friends bring Londoners the very best in Mexican cuisine. Using only the freshest ingredients, Chilango restaurants allow customers to create their own burrito, taco or salad from grilled meats, sautéed vegetables, crispy greens, black or pinto beans, a range of spicy sauces and creamy guacamole.

27 Upper Street, Angel

42 Fleet Street

www.chilango.co.uk

Buen ayre

Visit one of the city’s oldest markets for an authentic taste of Argentinean parrilla, deep in the heart of London’s East End. The menu, like the décor, is simple: quality hunks of meat grilled to your liking. Diners flock here to grab a choripán, tuck into a bife de chorizo or savor soft provoleta, freshly made empanadas and lashings of chimichurri sauce.

50 Broadway Market, East End

www.buenayre.co.uk

Gaucho Grill

This slick flagship restaurant of the high-end Gaucho chain is designed to impress: the steaks are huge, the wine list long, and the restaurant – housed in the old wine cellars of the Mexican ambassador – is decked throughout in thick cowhide. The cuts of meat are flown in from Buenos Aires, as are the 150 varieties of wine. The Piccadilly branch is located alongside the Cavas De Gaucho wine boutique.

25 Swallow Street, Piccadilly

www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk

Made in Brasil

Immerse yourself in the colorful flavors of Brazil at this rustic and lively restaurant-bar. Brazilian staples include feijoada, bobó de camarão and mocqueca, as well as lighter bites such as coxinha and quibe. Wash them down with icy caipirinhas made from 78 types of cachaça (not all at once!).

12 Inverness Street, Camden

www.made-in-brasil-bar.co.uk

New York

Persepolis

The Upper East Side is home to this Iranian restaurant, which is named after the ancient capital of the Persian Empire. New Yorkers love the pomegranate martinis and smooth, complex cuisine. Top picks include Khorest Fesenjan, a chicken dish made with walnuts and pomegranate, and Shirin rice, flavored with almonds and oranges.

1407 Second Ave., Upper East Side

www.persepolisnyc.com

Tanoreen

“Extraordinary,” “fantastic” – the 2008 Zagat’s Guide didn’t curb its enthusiasm for Tanoreen, which was tapped as the best representative of Middle Eastern food in all of New York. The compliments go to chef and owner Rawia Bishara, who says that she puts everything she learned from her mother and grandmother in her native Palestine into each dish. Don’t miss the Knafeh, a phyllo-dough pastry filled with two types of sweet cheese and baked with honey and pistachios.

7704 3rd Ave., Brooklyn

www.tanoreen.com

Zoma

Harlem has been undergoing changes for some time now. The old jazz clubs and the neighbors who meet for barbecues or games of dominoes have made room for newcomers like the Ethiopian restaurant Zoma. Most of the dishes on the menu are made with kibe, clarified butter mixed with spices from the Horn of Africa. One great way to try it is in Ktifo, a raw meat dish that is seasoned with a powerful local chili pepper. Patrons trade in their forks and knives for injera, a traditional flatbread that is used to pick up the food.

2084 Frederick Douglass Blvd (8th Ave.)

& 113th Street, Harlem

www.zomanyc.com