t a journal of places less explored

MONOCLES
MEN AND
WOMEN IN...
Our editors and
correspondents
take to the road to
report from cities
on the up, on the
way and simply
out there (that
would be Perth)

special edition

SAN SEBASTIN

SAPPORO

CRDOBA

Promenades, pintxos
and a plethora of
pristine beaches

A report from the

Portland of Asia
good coffee included

Argentinas second
city takes a
step forward

CHIANG MAI

ANCHORAGE

We go in search of
vinyl, hot dishes and
good Thai vibes

Taking the temperature

of a northern city
on the edge

t issue 02 t 2015

ESC001

THE WORLD
FOR THE
WELL TRAVELLED
A new edition from Monocle devoted to
exploring cities bursting with fresh business
opportunities, buzzy neighbourhoods, tasty
bars and sunny places to settle in
and take stock

+++

Fashion for the season ahead, observations

from tram stop to tarmac and the best bike
makers for elegant navigation in
town and country

SHAKE DJIBOUTI:
The defence forces
that keep the African
enclave on guard

REPORTS FROM
THE BEACHES
OF BEIRUT...
AND THE
CARRIAGES BETWEEN
MILAN AND PALERMO

THE
MONOCLE
RESTAURANT
AWARDS:
TOP 50

10

ADDIS ABABA

TRIESTE

PERTH

WARSAW

BANGOR

We report from
a jazzy African hub
on a new high

Stroll around
Italys enduring
Habsburg outpost

The simple luxuries

that come from being
a bit remote

A European capital
gets its groove (and
local cool) back

Essential
aviation
pit-stop

Design and travel. Hospitality forecast

THE BUSINESS OF PLEASURE

From the future of on-the-road catering to connected concierges and hoteliers devising
new models for hospitality, our panel of insiders offer their views on the world of
travel and where it is heading.

NOTES: From its base in the Alpine spa town of

Merano in German-speaking northern Italy,
the Kaiserhof has trained generations of students
from around the world in the art of hospitality.
Originally opened for service in 1903, it has been
based in the neoclassical Kaiserhof Hotel since 1975.
Here students are taught the tricks of the catering
trade: interning in kitchens and at reception desks
in summer and taking classes in cooking, hotel
management and event management.
Our region benefits from being bilingual in German
and Italian. Today, however, we focus on teaching
in English, Spanish, French and Russian. Not only
because many students will work overseas but also so
that all of them can communicate with tourists who are
arriving from abroad.
Tourism has become increasingly international in
recent years because the internet has made everything
much more available and transparent.
With todays ease of travel, people are taking shorter,
more frequent holidays and spending less time in each
place. People arent travelling to Egypt or Turkey so
much anymore. Theyre going where its easier to get
to, where its cheaper and safer to the Balearic Islands
and to Greece, most of all.
Since I became director of the Kaiserhof School
in 2000 our student body has tripled and much has
changed in the
global economy
and beyond.
We still concentrate on Tyrolean cuisine, for
instance, but

students now learn to cook for special dietary needs as

well, something thats very important today.
Technology is also a key part of what we teach.
New media and computer management, reservation
systems and online marketing are part of the students
education from the beginning.
Travellers expectations have increased, especially
in South Tyrol. Even mid-level businesses have had
to improve their infrastructure and the services that
they offer. Travellers are looking for luxury, authentic
cuisine and someone who speaks
their language. Only hotels with at
least four stars survive here. Thats
because guests want perfect service
and perfect food.
Bicycle tourism is also very
important in our region; a lot of
cyclists visit us. All of our cities have
cycle lanes and theres a path along
the Adige River thats very popular. Bike tourism is thriving in many places, not just in
South Tyrol, because it offers a different way of travelling. Life slows down a bit, you can see everything you
want to see and at your own pace. You just find your
path and youre off.
Some of my favourite places to cycle are the
regions along the Danube, which are incredibly beautiful; then theres Lake Neusiedl, and the Po River in
the Comacchio region where theres a nature reserve
that opens three times a year just for cyclists. Its full of
animals you hardly ever see in Italy. lr

People
are going
to where
its easier,
cheaper
and safer

RECOMMENDATIONS: Palers favourite travel pastimes

1
2
3

Take a gracht tour of Amsterdam, exploring

the canals by boat.
Enjoy the panoramic view of Croatia from the
mountaintop fortress of Motovun in Istria.
Stroll the beautiful streets of Brussels in the evening.

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the monocle escapist 2015

IMAGES: VAUGHAN BROOKFIELD, DAVE STRAIGHT

01
Josef Paler
Director of the Kaiserhof School, Merano

02
Sam Chapman
Co-founder of Sherwood, Queenstown

03
Gianmario Tondato da Ruos
CEO of Autogrill, Milan

NOTES: New Zealand-based Sam Chapman, who

previously owned restaurants and bars in Auckland
and Wellington, took over a failed 1980s mock-Tudor
motel with two partners and transformed it into the
Sherwood Hotel on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.

NOTES: Autogrills highway-spanning service stations

are hallmarks of any Italian road trip. Since starting as
a biscuit-stand on the Milan-Turin motorway in the
1940s, the firm has expanded and now has outposts in
airports, railway stations and roads across 29 countries.

Id always found the hotel travel experience kind of

unsatisfying; more often than not you felt like you were
in some non-place. Travel is finding out what it is to
really be somewhere. The better experience has always
been about how close you get to what it might be to
live somewhere.
In most hotels the room is your experience but our
guests are happy to forsake some of the things that
hotels have traditionally focused on. Theyre not worried about having thousands of dollars worth of marble
in the bathroom or a gazillion-inch television on the
wall. The rooms have to feel like a lovely place to be but
theyre much more interested in who they might meet
in the common areas.
Food is critical. Eating and eating together is
such a huge part of being human. Its one of the best
platforms for meeting other people and it provides that
universal moment that everyone can share in.
Technology already augments reality but creating
digital platforms is going to make the experience so
much more seamless. As technology develops theres
the opportunity for the app to do the storytelling too;
the rise of the digital collective experience.
Hotels have to get out of the situation of being the
worlds most perishable commodity and the only way to
do that is making it about the experience. The opportunity is to tailor unique experiences for people, to engage
with the local community and environment in a way
hotels havent traditionally managed to do. sfg

Big chains are losing ground and people want an

experience that is seen to be real. They want quality in
food and traceability in the production chain; they want
attention to how the story of food is told.
Our challenge is to maintain a local approach but
build it to an industrial level. We can learn from small,
independent players and bring in the structure to innovate. Our attitude to tradition cannot be like that of a
Luddite; we dont want to destroy progress but it must
take into account sustainability and the environment.
Until five years ago, if youd blindfolded a person
then left them in a big airport hub they wouldnt have
known what city they were in. They would simply
have been surrounded by big brands. Now small but
important changes are happening and local products
are emerging.
Design in our sector must be warm and functional.
Inside, many kitchens are now open to view; in the past
the kitchen was somewhere that had to be hidden and
only smells would escape from them. But now the most
important seat to have in a restaurant is virtually in the
kitchen. This mirrors a new approach to transparency.
Until not long ago we dedicated a small amount of
our income to food; it wasnt perceived as something
of value. Now teenagers want to become chefs. This is
ultimately positive because it brings along a quality we
are happy to pay for. Whenever people talk about whats
great where they live, they mention restaurants; food is
extremely influential for quality of life. chr

RECOMMENDATIONS: Chapmans home-and-away comforts

RECOMMENDATIONS: Adventures of Tondato Da Ruos

2
3

An exquisite meal at Frache in Amsterdam, followed

by a short stroll to Caf Nol for a nightcap.
Organic food at Port Vilas Mamas Market in Vanuatu.
The family farm near Erewhon. Even after 40 years its
silent beauty takes my breath away.

I like to get involved in sports when I travel. The

SlickRock cycle trail in Utah offers great views over
the Colorado River.
Japan is the most interesting destination Ive ever
visited it is an incredible place.

247
the monocle escapist 2015

Design and travel. Restaurant Awards

Notes: Yakumo Saryos seasonal
dinner course is carefully chosen:
you might be eating sweetfish
with the juice of a sudachi citrus
fruit or kurumaebi prawns with
lily bulb and yuba tofu skin.

Notes: Owner of Santa Lucia,

Alberto Cortesi, has guided
the restaurant into our listing
for its unswervingly delicious
dishes, rejection of pretence
and ever-busy ambience.

37
Chefs choice
Yakumo Saryo
Tokyo

39
Star spot
Santa Lucia
Milan

42
Quietly confident
Gambrinus
Lisbon

To dine in Yakumo Saryo is to be

transported into another world created by
Shinichiro Ogata. From the moment you
walk up the leafy steps you know youre
in for something special. Chef chooses
the dishes, which means the only decision
guests have to make is whether to have a
chilled sake or a crisp koshu wine. fw
yakumosaryo.jp

Nestled in the heart of Milans San Babila

neighbourhood, Santa Lucia is one
institution that is unswayed by crowds
that beset the city for its various annual
fashion and design shows. Currently
located close to the grand Duomo, the
restaurant started life on Via Agnello in
1929 first opened by Leone Legnani
and his wife Rosetta. White-jacketed
waiters move briskly, presided over
by black-and-white photos of cinemas
golden-age stars who have graced the
restaurant over the years. The fare is
Neapolitan but beyond the exemplary
pizzas; there is a mean steak on offer
and wed suggest the anti-pasti. jaf
asantalucia.it

38
Family matters
Russ & Daughters
New York

40
Fishermans friend
Els Pescadors
Barcelona

Joel Russ opened this veteran Jewish

deli on East Houston in 1914 and it has
changed little since then, a time-warp
serving fish-based takeaway fare and
now run by the fourth-generation Russ
family. Food is a conduit for memory
and most of our important memories
revolve around family, says Niki Russ
Federman, co-owner and greatgranddaughter of Joel. Recommended
nibbles are the pastrami-cured smoked
salmon (on a bagel, obviously) and the
heebster (whitefish-and-baked-salmon
salad with horseradish-dill cream cheese).
The latest offshoot, which opened in
2014, is a caf on Orchard Street. mdb
russanddaughters.com

Located on the 19th-century Plaza Prim

in Barcelonas one-time textile hub,
Poblenou, this fishermans favourite
is at the heart of the entrepreneurial
areas upheaval (See Issue One of
The Forecast). Simple but refined fare
includes shrimp and sardines served in
a simple, convivial apartment. jaf
elspescadors.com

41
Have a butchers
Vorderer
Zurich
On the Bellevueplatz, the Rosenberger
family has been serving Saint Gallen
Bratwurst, Brli rolls and kicky mustard
for half a century. The same familyowned butcher has made its white-porkand-veal bratwurst for 30 years. They are
ordered through a takeout counter and
enjoyed wrapped in wax paper. jbr
sternengrill.ch

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the monocle escapist 2015

Gambrinus
Round the
corner is the
snack bar, which
serves a lively and
less-lavish
lunch

Bar
Tartine
Techniques of
hipsters are
highlighted in a
simple setting

44
Belgian brothers
Au Vieux Saint Martin
Brussels

47
Hip hangout
Bar Tartine
San Francisco

Lisbon has a high turnover of loud,

fancy restaurants but Gambrinus has
been earning quiet respect for over eight
decades. Its chefs have been committed
to traditional Portuguese fine dining since
1936 yet its the high standards of service
and classic-modern decor that make this
the must-go spot for a great meal. sta
gambrinuslisboa.com

Always open and ever-busy, Au Vieux

Saint Martins quick dishes remain true
to the restaurants oh-so-Belgian roots.
It was founded as a family affair in 1968
by three brothers, whose grandfather
Joseph Niels invented the recipe for
the restaurants filet amricain, which
remains a staple of the menu. jog
auvieuxsaintmartin.be

43
Raise the steaks
Hafuu (honten)
Tokyo

45
Tricks of the trades
Karakoy Lokantasi
Istanbul

Regulars hesitate to share the name of

this Kyoto steak house and you can see
why: reasonably priced wagyu beef of
this quality and price is a rare find and
only possible because Hafuus owner
is a butcher. The restaurant, on a quiet
residential street just south of Kyoto
Palace, is small and welcoming. Take a
seat at the counter, order one of the set
meals and watch the action in the kitchen.
The original dinner course includes slices
of lightly roasted beef, butter-soft Wagyu
filet steak, and a palate-cleansing yuzu
sorbet. Its so good that you might want
the take-away beef-cutlet sandwiches.
Open for lunch and dinner. fw
hafuu.com

This family-run spot is a modern take

on the classic Turkish esnaf lokantasi
(tradesmens restaurant). The food is
hearty, home-cooked fare and the
owner Oral Bey greets diners with a
warm handshake and makes sure there is
always space for locals. It is a decade old
but the service is as spirited and speedy
as the day it opened.Youll find everyone
from shopkeepers having a simple soup
to designers and artists tucking into long
lunches with Turkish white wine served
from glass beakers. The tiles of the dining
room are Turkish quartz and the work of
local architects Autoban. sgr
karakoylokantasi.com

In the agricultural breadbasket of

California, skills such as preserving and
pickling can feel like a throwback to the
Old World. Then again, with the states
brutal drought perhaps they are needed
more than ever. Bar Tartine, opened in
2005, brings them to the forefront along
with other traditional approaches such as
fermenting, making vinegars and infusing
oils. There is an east-European accent
to the food but influences range from
Scandinavia to East Asia. Chefs Nicolaus
Balla and Cortney Burns are in the
process of taking over the restaurant from
its former owners. Can they hold on to its
umami-inflected magic? alg
bartartine.com

STOPOVER CITY 8: BERLIN

Michael Hpfls menu at Pauly
Saal is hard to beat. The clean white
walls and low lamps at Lokal create
a relaxing ambience and for quirky
decor and stellar food theres Bandol
sur Mer in Mitte.
paulysaal.com; +49 (0)30 2844 9500;
bandolsurmer.de

46
Top it off
DOC carlton
Melbourne
With a mixture of Italian charm and
Australian ingenuity, DOC Carlton is the
centrepiece of Tony Nicolinis selection
of restaurants across town. Pizza toppings
are meticulously sourced, from the hills
of Abruzzo to the nearby suburb of
Carlton, and served on a base perfected
by Nicolinis father, Vito. nsg
docgroup.net

48
Roots abound
Aprazvel
Rio de Janeiro
Sitting at the top of hilly Santa Teresa,
Aprazvel (literally, pleasant) is a Rio
institution: Ana Castilho opened the
restaurant in her house in 1997. On the
menu are imaginative Brazilian dishes
inspired in part by Castilhos upbringing
in Minas Gerais, Brazils culinary heart.
She calls it roots cuisine. st
aprazivel.com.br

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the monocle escapist 2015

Notes: Marcearia Gadanhas olive

oils, hams, teas and preserves
available from the restaurants
deli are tasty take-homes and
Marques main courses are
almost unbelievably moreish.

49
Rural idyll
Marcearia Gadanha
Estremoz
Despite Lisbons increasingly notable
food scenes, our Portuguese top spot
belongs to the Marcearia Gadanha in the
Alentejo region. The bucolic landscape
is the nations agricultural heartland and
in a one-stop grocery shop in Estremoz
chef Michelle Marques culinary
creations are scaling new heights. jaf
marceariagadanha.pt

50
Beside the seaside
La Fontelina
Capri
Since opening in 1949, little has changed
at La Fontelina. The beach clubs rickety
straw-and-bamboo structure has blown
out to sea several times but this jet-set
favourite continues to attract a dolce vita
crowd while keeping things eminently
uncomplicated. The menu is guided by
whatever the fishermen catch. lr
fontelina-capri.com

ORCHID ROOM,
OKURA: TOKYO
This is a fond farewell to one of the
classiest restaurants in Tokyo and
perhaps the world on the ground
floor of the Hotel Okura, which
opened in 1962. The menu offers
old-fashioned Continental cooking
and the regulars wouldnt have it any
other way. Expect classics such as
double consomm, beef stroganoff,
and Wiener schnitzel. If you still have
room (and even if you dont) order
the crpe suzette, which is prepared
with flair by a jacketed waiter. Its
worth a visit just to see the interior,
a marriage of 1960s modernism and
Japanese craftsmanship. The Orchid
Room will close at the end of August
when the main building of the
Okura is redeveloped.
hotelokura.co.jp