In This Issue:

• At the Top: Turkey (and) Burgers
• The World’s Best: Burgers
• Ins and Outs: Top 5 New Restaurant Recommendations
• The Urbie Awards: Madrid 2011/12
• Alan’s View -
  • On The Road: Cruise Rules Exceptions
  • Last Word: Two Sides of Travel, Two Sides of Us

At the Top: Turkey (and) Burgers

November tends to be a sleepy time, the calm
before the holiday storm, the main celebration
for U.S. cities being a tryptophan-laced food fest.
Not so here at Night+Day, where excitement is
building about the launch of our new website at
NightandDayGuides.com (see below for details).

This month we also celebrate the joys of the burger, that perennially popular sandwich with worldwide appeal. Our local writers give you their top three picks for Best Burgers in the world’s coolest cities. From down-home drive-ins to upscale, even fancy, digs for enjoying a messy repast, we’ve got your saturated-fat cravings covered.

November’s Ins and Outs include New York’s exciting entry on the Italian scene, Eataly; a new Chicago locavore hotspot; a Mexican fusion place in Los Angeles; a star chef’s outpost in New Orleans; and a pan-Asian discovery in Miami.

And our Urbie goes to… In each cool city we cover, Night+Day selects an urbanista extraordinaire every two years, someone whose influence on his or her respective city is profound. The Madrid Urbie is awarded to Sergi Arola, a culinary mastermind and disciple of Ferran Adrià, as well as a chef who continues to innovate in one of Europe’s most exciting cities.

Finally, in Alan’s View, N+D’s Publisher and Executive Editor not only managed to call the
outcome of the World Series, but also reflects on American history as he travels to Vietnam
And he found time to send in a flash on the cruise ship that broke an unwritten rule
(not in a good way).

Have a good read, a wonderful holiday season, and great travels.

Night+Day Launches New Look and Features on Website!

Slowly but surely Night+Day is releasing its NightandDayGuides.com 2.0, with a new look and plenty of new features. Check out our new homepage, which features daily recommendations for what to do and see in the world’s coolest cities.

Need to find the hippest restaurant in a particular neighborhood? Or perhaps a hotel with killer city views? Or maybe you’re making a quick stop and need to know where to shop for the best gifts to take home? The answers you need are now at your fingertips, as our new site navigation allows you to drill down to specific information immediately. The best content, easier to find—we think you’ll like it.

And this is just the beginning. We’ll be releasing new features every month. You can follow our progress through this monthly newsletter (be sure you are signed up), by checking our website, or following us on Twitter and Facebook.

More than ever… Right Place. Right Time. It Matters.

THE WORLD’S BEST Burgers

Just when you think there is nothing new under the sun, the ubiquitous burger transforms itself. Once char-broiled, now mesquite-grilled; once Angus, now organic, grass-fed; once topped with lettuce and tomato, now green chile, Maytag blue, and even foie gras. This American staple is now a worldwide classic—here are our top picks for Best Burgers in the world’s coolest cities.

LAS VEGAS • BURGER BAR

The Draw: With a menu developed by acclaimed chef (and Top Chef Masters contestant) Hubert Keller, this popular destination caters to hungry burger lovers as much as it does to thirsty ones.
The Scene: Beef, buffalo, turkey, vegetarian, vegan—you name it, there’s a burger here for you, served on your choice of bun with a dizzying assortment of toppings and accompaniments. The restaurant’s bar runs the length of the narrow room, while high-backed booths provide relative privacy. Just don’t order a drink until you scan the entire beer list. There just might be a few offbeat options to consider.
Hot Tip: If there’s a wait for a table—and there usually is—skip the line and grab a seat at the bar.

The Draw: Forty-three combinations for burgers that come by the full- or half-pound.
The Scene: This charming 1920’s mansion—a restaurant since 1958—draws a mix of business people from the surrounding offices, as well as local families. Burgers come grilled and garnished with an array of spiky Mexican salsas. While the free salad bar might be an unwelcome distraction to hungry carnivores, it’s an intriguing option for those hoping to add a healthy touch to their meal.
Hot Tip: Embers is located directly across from the Centro Comercial Antara, the city’s newest and most upscale shopping center.

The Draw: Zuni’s Judy Rogers might’ve invented pickled onions as a now-classic burger side, but it’s Laurence Jossel at Nopa who gets the whole package right, starting with the best beef in the Bay Area, Marin Sun Farms (grass-fed, of course). It’s grilled over almond wood and served on buttery grilled brioche, with crunchy Little Gem lettuces, basil aioli, and harissa if you ask for it.
The Scene: Nopa is the kind of restaurant you won’t find in LA or New York. It’s both serious (about food and service) and seriously casual. It’s a neighborhood restaurant that locals drive across town for. And it’s utterly without attitude, a trait that might encourage wannabes to take a page from its book. This is a fave of the city’s top chefs. See them stacked up at the bar after work.
Hot Tip: Check out the restaurant’s food blog, for a window into local, sustainable food culture.

Also discover the Best Burgers in CHI   DC   LA   MIA   NO   NY   TOR

INS and OUTS (NIGHT+DAY’S Latest Recommendations)

Top 5 New Restaurant Openings

CHICAGO • GIRL & THE GOAT • American
girlandthegoat.com
Any fan of Bravo’s hit reality series Top Chef will swoon over winner Stephanie Izard’s new rustic-chic foodie haven. Diners can expect Izard’s eclectic style in both décor and food. Walls are painted with chalky clay, and tables are made of butcher block.
full review $$$ 809 W. Randolph St. (Halsted St.), 312-492-6262.

LOS ANGELES • ZENGO • Mexican
richardsandoval.com/zengosm
Chef-restaurateur Richard Sandoval’s empire spans from D.C. to Dubai. Thus, his first foray to the shores of SoCal came with more bated breath than season three of True Blood. His Latin-Asian restaurant is arguably the marquee attraction in the much-blogged-about dining deck at the revitalized Santa Monica Place Mall. The menu specializes in tapas-style fusion plates that tease the taste buds (and wallet) into submission. full review $$ 395 Santa Monica Pl., 3rd Fl. (4th St.), 310-899-1000.

MIAMI • SAKAYA KITCHEN • Asian
sakayakitchen.com
At first glance, this looks like a stylish fast-food joint in hip and happening Midtown. But don’t be fooled by the casual vibe—Sakaya Kitchen is satisfying Miami’s craving for Korean and Asian specialties, using locally grown and organic produce where possible. full review $ Shops of Midtown Miami, 3401 N. Miami Ave. (Buena Vista Ave.), 305-576-8096.

NEW ORLEANS • MONDO • International
mondoneworleans.com
Over the past two decades, chef Susan Spicer has been racking up accolades for her work at the elegant Bayona in the French Quarter. For Mondo, her latest venture, she found a spot near her home in Lakeview, which is as close as you get to the suburbs in New Orleans. full review $$ 900 Harrison Ave. (Marshall Foch St.), 504-224-2633.

NEW YORK • EATALY • Italian
newyork.eataly.it
Co-owner and chef Lidia Bastianich put it best: “This is 50,000 square feet of Italy. In Manhattan.”This basilica of Italian cuisine—the brainchild of dream team Mario Batali and Lidia and Joe Bastianich—is rooted in the Slow Food movement, and features food and wine from around Italy and Europe… full review $ 200 Fifth Ave. (23rd St.), 646-398-5100.

Madrid 2011/12

Sergi Arola (star chef)

Sergi Arola looks more like a rock star than a cook. In fact, that’s what he aspired to be before taking the reins as Madrid’s most experimental and successful star chef. His multiple award-winning establishments, all housed inside cutting-edge design spaces, have made a distinctive mark on the Madrid restaurant scene.

In recent years, Spain has become internationally recognized for breaking with culinary convention, experimenting with untried ingredients, and reaching new standards of excellence, all while maintaining a certain grass-roots accessibility.

Many of the recent wave of chefs, including Arola, hail from Catalonia, and almost all have been influenced by storied master Ferran Adrià (of the now-defunct El Bulli), where molecular gastronomy emerged as an edible art form. Under the tutelage of Adriá, Arola has helped Madrid expand the definition of culinary excellence.

At the chef’s signature restaurant, La Broche, the emphasis is strictly on the food. The interior is all white, ensuring that no visual stimuli distract from the culinary experience itself. Arola’s food engages all the senses, particularly olfactory and visual, and his creations fuse hot and cold and contrasting textures that consistently surprise diners. He explains: “It is a cuisine that is continually adapting to the suggestions and likes of its clients, which ultimately is the raison d’être of cuisine: the enjoyment of those who sit at the table.”

When it came time to select a chef to design a menu worthy of the highly lauded extension to the Reina Sofía modern art museum, Sergi Arola’s name rose to the top of the list. His creative, forward-thinking approach to food was considered a suitable match for the cutting-edge space. Today, his Michelin two-star Sergi Arola Gastro is a perfect reflection of the city’s innovative spirit, and it embodies the chef’s ongoing vision of global cuisine.

We’re about to disembark a ship that highlights an exception to a rule I’ve touted for choosing a cruise: The smaller the ship, the more luxurious the experience. A ship with 2000+ passengers is going to have a great pool party and disco, but pretty average-to-mediocre food and service. If a ship carries fewer than 500 passengers, the reverse should be true.

In addition to doing a megaship’s worth of research on cruise lines over the last 20 years, I’ve personally tested Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Holland America, Radisson (now Regent), Crystal, and this week, Silversea. Up until now the rule held.

A small ship makes getting on and off at ports very quick and easy; it often means that you can dock much closer to city centers; and on board there are no crowds for anything. (It also greatly improves your odds at winning bingo!)

While the disadvantages of sailing on a small ship are to be expected—limited boutiques, activities, entertainment, and gambling—food and wine, along with service, is where the small luxury lines should shine.

The Silver Shadow, one of six ships owned by Silversea, carries approximately 400 passengers, and the cruise line is often rated as one of the best in its class. It deserves that rating in terms of passenger service and cabin comfort (although this ship is due for redecoration).

However, the food and drink on board was quite a letdown. The food’s variety and taste was adequate at best, and the presentation was … not. Larger ships of Crystal and Regent win in the food department, hands down.

One of the perks of Silversea is inclusive alcohol. It is nice to have all-you-can-drink at your disposal (unless you’re on a diet or need to get up at 7am for an early shore excursion). But there is a huge gap between the free wines and those for purchase: The free wines, 30 choices on our ship, border on undrinkable. While I have to admit to a bias—my wife’s son is a major wine producer in Oregon and perhaps these wines suffer by comparison—I heard many unsolicited complaints from others on board as well.

Rules are meant to be broken. It’s unfortunate Silversea chose to break this particular one.

As soon as the Halloween partying is behind us, we tend to lower the volume and slow the pace a bit, particularly in the U.S., as our attention turns to Thanksgiving. And while most people may start thinking about turkeys, I am reminded of the images of American history that we associate with this particular holiday.

Perhaps it is the change of season and mood that brings Night+Day’s sister imprint, Greenline Publications, to mind; perhaps it was planning for my trip to Vietnam; or maybe it was simply receiving a press release announcing that Tauck Tours (a highly recommended upscale tour company) has joined forces with Ken Burns, the noted filmmaker, to offer trips keying off of the latter’s documentaries. (Initial plans call for a tour to national parks and one to Civil War sites.) Whatever the impetus, it occurred to me that some of our avid Night+Day fans might not be aware that Greenline publishes books on travel to historic sites.

In the realm of travel publishing, it is hard to imagine two more different styles. Night+Day Cool Cites series is truly hedonistic (despite the occasional visit to a museum). The Greenline Historic Travel Series is purely cultural (despite the occasional stay at a great hotel). But our approach to both series is the same: We do the best job we can to insure that our readers enjoy peak experiences.

With our Night+Day series we are unique in identifying the various styles in which people approach a city: hot and cool, hip, and classic. We cover each of these distinct styles because, while many prefer one to another, most of us appreciate and enjoy a taste of all three.

Similarly, even though diving into city life—the urbanista experience—may be how we spend most of our travel moments, taking time to explore history by traveling to its most important sites is a fascinating and fulfilling experience. If you visit Greenline you’ll see that we have two guides to World War II sites, one for the Pacific Theater, one for the European theater; we also have guides to Civil War sites and to those of the American Revolution and Colonial America.

In preparing for my trip to Vietnam I decided to revisit the history of the Vietnam War via the 10-plus-hour PBS television series, “Vietnam: A Television History.“ After visiting Hanoi and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), my take-away from the program came sharply into focus. Nobody, on either side of the battles or arguments, knew very much about anything­—whether it was understanding the North or South Vietnamese people, Congressional oversight, military tactics and operations, secret and not-so-secret negotiations—and the leaders who did know something were so overwhelmed by their own personality hang-ups that they couldn’t effectively carry out the public’s interest. This statement of course, doesn’t just apply to the Vietnam War. This is why history and travel are so essential: Hopefully, we learn from them.

Speaking of history, by the time you have read this, two of the most important events of 2010 (which will happen only days from now as I write this column) will be part of America’s permanent record: the critical midterm elections in the U.S. and the stunning World Series victory by my hometown Giants. Both should make for animated conversation around the holiday dinner table. Happy Thanksgiving.