Phillippe Labbe, chef of Shangri-La Paris.
Travel roundup: Three pieces of hot news for the hungry traveller.
THE CHEF
Philippe Labbé
When the much anticipated Shangri-La Hotel opens this month in Paris, Philippe Labbé will be the man in charge of the hotel's culinary division. Formerly at the Plaza Athénée and then La Chèvre d'Or, chef Labbé will oversee everything from the all-day menu at La Bauhinia to the gourmet French offerings at L'Abeille. Early in 2011, the hotel will also unveil Shang Palace, which is being billed as the first gourmet Cantonese restaurant in Paris.
THE TREAT
Dim sum for dessert
The Lakeside Grill, in the Wynn resort and casino in Las Vegas, specializes in classic American comfort food: Caesar salad, clam chowder, prime rib. When it comes time for dessert, though, the restaurant takes its inspiration from China. An innovative, stylized "dim sum" cart offers a selection of desserts divided into chocolate, fruit, creamy and nutty categories. Instead of har gow, shui mai and fung zhao, you'll find dishes like buttermilk panna cotta, hazelnut bar tart and French toast bread pudding.
THE RESTAURANT
Copper-plated grill
Southern Spain's legendary Marbella Club - formerly the private residence of Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe - could easily rest on its laurels. The hotel was a major hub for the international jet set back when the term had cachet and it still boasts one of the most luxurious subtropical gardens in Europe. The recently unveiled renovation of the delicious Grill Restaurant proves that the Marbella is still a force to be reckoned with. Anchoring the room is a shiny, new copper-plated grill station where chef Juan Galvez turns the region's phenomenal ingredients into dishes fit for royalty.
Special to The Globe and Mail