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Three weeks after unveiling its 2020 list in France, Le Fooding Guide is back with the first bistro-centric international food awards
"Priceless Cities Best New Bistro" is a new award scheme that recognises bistros that opened in the last 12 to 18 months in four cities: Paris, London, New York and Mexico City that "defy categorisation, where young generations of chefs, sommeliers, mixologists and restaurateurs are free to express their various talents."
Here are the five winners for 2019.
Priceless Cities Best New Bistro 2019
Paris
Le Maquis (18th) won the prize for the best bistro in Paris beating runners up Cheval d'Or (19th) and Cuisine (9th). The restaurant is set in a former neighbourhood bar taken over by two former chefs of Verre Volé, described by the guide as an "old school bistro" that's both "Super laidback and neighborhoody." Revisited classic cuisine includes dishes like "Fresh mackerel with crunchy cucumbers, fresh cream and horseradish and Crispy bork belly with sesame infused rice drizzled with pork fat and peppers."
Image: Le Maquis/Agathe Hernandez
London
In London, there were two joint winners: Mao Chow, a tiny Chinese restaurant in London Fields run by Californian born chef, Jonathan Wu. A "short and playful all-vegan menu, served on mismatched plastic crockery" includes dishes like "delicious gong bao asparagus with fried peanuts galore, chillies and an addictive sweet and sour sauce and "a slightly oversweet, quite unnecessary Chinese doughnut with ice cream and tian mian jiang caramel."
Image: Mao Chow
Joint fist with Tayer + Elementary, (below) a restaurant with a unique menu to enjoy with cocktails (or not), beat the other shortlisted bistro, Bright. The East London party venue takes its drinks just as seriously as its food or "drinking food"!
Image: Tayer + Elementary
New York
In New York, it's Saint-Julivert, a seafood-based wine bar in Brooklyn, who came out ahead of Adda and Crown Shy. "Delicious tapas celebrating high quality seafood with a myriad of culinary touches from around the world" includes dishes like jerk kanpachi collar and “txikito style" octopus carpaccio.
Image: Saint Julivert
Mexico
Finally in Mexico, the restaurant Expendio Maiz, which honours forgotten corn, won the first place with the title of best taco of the year. The restaurant came out ahead of contenders Masala y Maiz and Ticuchi. Don't expect a menu, you'll just keep getting served until you're full.
Image: Expendio de Maíz
Priceless Cities Best New Bistro: How is the Palmares established?
In each metropolis, Le Fooding guide selected three resident jurors (still anonymous and paying their bills) to choose three "exciting" restaurants. The selected addresses were then put to the public vote online. The final grade was an average between jurors (75%) and the public (25%).
