THE JOURNAL

Råbiff (steak tartare) and frites at Usine Mikael Axelsson
We travel the globe to bring you some of autumn's hottest openings .
Whether you’re a frequent flyer who dulls the pain of travelling for business by seeking a tasting menu at every port, or a foodie who hops on a plane for the right dinner reservation, one of autumn’s keenest pleasures is checking out a city's new crop of restaurants. This season's top tables are all about pedigree and pre-opening buzz. These include a café in Milan designed by Mr Wes Anderson, a Brooklyn wine bar, in which LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy is a principle, and in London foodies will be lining up at Paradise Garage – the third hot ticket from Mr Robin Gill, who appeared from nowhere (but really from long stints under Mr Marco Pierre White and Mr Raymond Blanc) as one of the city’s new culinary superstars. Toss in a cool new Asian spot in Paris, and a whole new bar/ restaurant/ café complex called Usine in Stockholm, and there’s much to be excited about.

Usine, Stockholm

The elegant dining room in Usine Mikael Axelsson
A former sausage factory and tax office in Södermalm has been transformed into a bar/ restaurant/ café by designer Mr Richard Lindvall, who looked to New York and Shanghai for leads on approaching the 2,000sqm space. “Big, impressive buildings with hard materials that still keep a welcoming atmosphere are rare in Sweden,” he says. He divided Usine into three, using lots of concrete, black cast iron, white tiles and Farrow & Ball’s “Ammonite” grey paint. He connected the Parisian-style Bistro 38, bar Poche 36, and café/ takeaway via a spacious corridor that doubles as a photographic art gallery. French-leaning daily specials in the include beef bourguignon, chicken with Puy lentils, and grilled salmon with dill potatoes.
What to order Classic cocktails (Negroni, Dark ‘n’ Stormy) in Bar Poche 36, plus tapas such as Ibérico ham, Padrón peppers, potato chips with truffle dip, and chilli with garlic prawns.
Södermalmsallén 36-38, 118 28, Stockholm usine.se

Paradise Garage, London

White Park beef, mushrooms, chard, miso and hazelnuts
Mr Robin Gill honed his skills working for Mr Raymond Blanc (and other luminaries) before hitting Clapham, and now Bethnal Green, with a series of young and brilliant restaurants. At Paradise Garage, he has created a happy, airy space in a converted railway arch, where an open kitchen segues into a counter bar. Here you can sip on natural wines and snack on grilled corn or salt cod brandade, or settle in for the £45 tasting menu. It includes 10 dainty courses featuring seasonal ingredients such as Isle of Wight tomatoes, Chart Farm venison and modish fennel kimchi, lemon verbena, and smoked whisky butter.
What to order Nose-to-tail enthusiasts can share a whole rabbit, brought to the table as roast saddle, confit leg, turnover, offal and rabbit bacon.
254 Paradise Row, London E2 9LE paradise254.com

Bar Luce, Milan

Bar Luce boasts a modern interior, designed by Mr Wes Anderson Attilio Maranzano. Courtesy of Fondazione Prada
Designed to a quirky, yet non-fictional brief, by film director Mr Wes Anderson, this cocktail bar and coffee shop is part of the new, permanent Fondazione Prada arts complex created around the courtyard of a 100-year-old distillery near Porta Romana. It’s something of a homage to the old-school Milanese caffè, with Formica tabletops, wood veneer wall panels, and pink and turquoise colours. The wallpaper recreates details of Milan’s emblematic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the vintage jukebox adds to the 1960s theme, and the playful atmosphere extends to a customised Mr Steve Zissou pinball machine.
What to order Grapefruit juice, a macchiato and a slice of pink- and green-iced cake; strawberry tart and a spritz; foie gras panini; a blood orange lolly; grappa.
Fondazione Prada, Largo Isarco 2, 20139, Milan fondazioneprada.org/barluce

Porterhouse by LARIS, Hong Kong

The Scottish salmon fillet is a favourite at Porterhouse by LARIS
Mr David Laris, of Greek-Australian extraction, is a Shanghai powerhouse. His projects there include former hotspots Fat Olive, Pie Hole and the Funky Chicken; over in Hong Kong, he recently opened Porterhouse by LARIS, a classic steakhouse, where you can brunch on steak and eggs, a gourmet burger or US-style pancakes; lunch on pasta or salad (or steak, really); or book in for the tasting menu, featuring caviar-topped oyster, chilled foie gras with Sauternes jelly, and grilled rib-eye with bone marrow truffle brioche.
What to order A sirloin of Cape Grim Tasmanian grass-fed beef and, for your date, the “Lady’s Cut” of triple-seared Japanese Wagyu.
7/F California Tower, 30-36 D'Aguilar St, Hong Kong __porterhousebylaris.com

Bennelong, Sydney

Bennelong is set in the impressive Sydney Opera House Brett Stevens
Quay Restaurant chef Mr Peter Gilmore is restaurant royalty in Australia, so it’s fitting that he got the gig in the newly redesigned dining space in the Sydney Opera House. Set over three levels, harbourside, Bennelong is not only a produce-led à la carte menu, but also a casual offering of oysters, shellfish and cured meats. The tables in the formal dining area are made from resin and brass, designed to evoke the drop of starched tablecloths.
What to order From the Cured & Cultured Menu: raw mushrooms, aubergine, goat's curd, grains, nuts and seeds, or Byron Bay pig culatello with truffle butter and radishes. In The Restaurant: Wagyu rump cap with roasted oxheart carrot.
Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000 ****bennelong.com.au

Marina Social, Dubai

The roasted halibut panzanella at Marina Social is the dish to order
Mr Jason Atherton, the prolific chef/ businessman who has gone global since emerging from Mr Gordon Ramsay’s stable and opening Pollen Street Social and its London siblings, has landed in the UAE. Marina Social opens this month in the new InterContinental Dubai Marina, headed up by executive chef Mr Tristin Farmer, previously at Maze in Mayfair. This is the first time Mr Atherton has opened a restaurant with a DJ booth — both this and the 2.00am license are a reflection of Dubai’s party lifestyle, as is the emphasis on light dishes and late dining.
What to order Fresh sourdough flatbread; panzanella-style roasted halibut with spiced squid and grilled red peppers; cinnamon apple doughnuts with crème anglaise.
InterContinental Dubai Marina, Bay Central Dubai Marina, Dubai, 393080 marinasocialdubai.com

Four Horsemen, Brooklyn

The laid-back, minimal aesthetic at the Four Horsemen Justin Chung
Chef Mr Nick Curtola, formerly at Franny’s restaurant, has teamed up with Mr James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and wine consultant Mr Justin Chearno to create a wine bar/ restaurant boasting one of Brooklyn’s most authoritative lists of natural, low-intervention, biodynamic and organic wines. The menu is meant to evoke a convivial supper at a winemaker’s house, starting with cheeses and charcuterie, and moving on to small plates such as brandade on toast or tomatoes with whipped feta, as well as sharing plates for three or four people.
What to order Crémant de Jura 2008 from Domaine Tissot, Clos Rougeard Saumur 2009, Dard & Ribo white Crozes-Hermitage 2012, to go with Up In Smoke goat cheese from Oregon with whipped honey; roasted nuts with fried sage and za’atar; pork sausage, lettuces, crème fraîche.
295 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 fourhorsemenbk.com