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Made it to Tokyo for the Easter holiday and Sakura season. Headed to Dominque Ansel's bakery in Omotesando in the afternoon to find his famed cronuts long gone. Instead, we went for the frozen s'mores (pictured) and the cookie shot. This take on the campside favourite is excellent with its mix of marshmallow, chocolate and ice cream.

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This never gets old…happy holidays from the Big Island

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Nice way to start the trek from Frankfurt to Hong Kong...

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The colours of Ottolenghi's Nopi...

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7am in Paris

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Had dinner at L'Oiseau Blanc after arriving at the Peninsula Paris this evening. Hard to beat these views...

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One of the few places to rival the department store food courts in Tokyo is Harrods in London. A great place to wander around and a feast for the eyes (if not for the stomach as well).

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No matter what one thinks about chef turned TV personality Gordon Ramsay, he does know his steak. In particular, he knows his Beef Wellington (and he is more than happy to remind you of this fact on his various TV programs). This one from the Savoy Grill in London topped the one we had at his steak restaurant in Vegas.

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Men at work @ Honke Daiichi Asahi Ramen in Kyoto This popular ramen spot a short walk from Kyoto Station remains a hit with locals at all hours as it stays open until 3am and is open again 2 hours later at 5am (though I sadly found out they do close on Thursdays). The pork is thinly sliced but portions are large. For those who are especially hungry after waiting outside for one of the small tables, the gyoza are also excellent and a relative steal at 250 yen for 6.

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Only a 15 minute train ride from Kyoto and a short walk from the station is the Yamazaki Distillery. A must visit for any whisky lover as one is able to sample a wide range of their selections, some only to be had there, versus some of the world's finest. A 15 ml serving starts from 100 yen making this a relative bargain though each visitor can only order 3 per order.

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Sometimes the best nights are the most unexpected. We had landed in Osaka in the evening and by the time we took the train to Kyoto and reached the Hyatt Regency Kyoto it was around 10pm. The hotel is situated in a quiet area so not ideal for a late night stroll for some food. Also, the ramen place I had wanted to try near the train station happened to be closed on Thursdays. Decided to hop into a cab where the driver took us to a strip with a couple of restaurants open late. We stumbled on this place, Benkei, for some excellent udon. This bowl came with sliced beef, sweet bean curd, spicy burdock and green onions at a cost of 900 yen. Portions were filling but some locals added a portion of rice on the side to go with the noodles.

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Bomboloni filled with a pistachio diplomat and chocolate sauce on the side @ Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc

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I wonder if they take Starwood points...

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A nice touch by the Butler at the St Regis Monarch Beach. Merry Christmas!

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While I am always a bit dubious of restaurants in hotels, Kin Khao is not your typical hotel restaurant. In fact, it is quite easy to get lost looking for it at the Parc 55 Wyndham in San Francisco (hint: don't go into the hotel but rather around the corner until you find it). But if you are looking for an interesting new Thai offering to the SF restaurant scene give it a try. Though ordering Pad Thai may not sound too adventurous and the price of the $16 entree may cause some to balk, the two jumbo shrimp are a nice touch and the noodles are excellent. Worth ordering with some of their seasonal bites.

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Tyler Brule is right about the JAL experience from Haneda airport - nice lounge, the new Sky Suites are both comfortable and private (though I am running out of movies to watch) and the in-flight wifi is allowing me to post this real-time. On board, one can dine on their Japanese curry as well as this interesting bento box that was one of the breakfast options before landing.

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Everyone talks about Legal Seafoods in Boston but you are really missing out if you don't try Mare Oyster Bar in the North End. The Shellfish Tower here features 18 oysters (with around 20 mostly local varieties to choose from) and an assortment of clams, crab claws, shrimp and lobster. Even late on a Sunday night, locals were trying to squeeze in for their fill before the work week.