Where to Stay

The Crawford Hotel: We were madly in love with our hotel, located in lower downtown Denver. The lobby is designed like a train station terminal, but a super fancy one. The “terminal” includes an ice cream shop, a bar, shops, and a coffee shop. Guests at the hotel get a coupon book which includes free coffee, beer, and ice cream at the shops in the lobby, as well as discounts at local bars and restaurants. Sound amazing? It gets even better! The rooms are gorgeous, with a high ceiling and pristine glass-enclosed showers, and guests can reserve a complimentary tesla, complete with a driver, to visit local spots. The location and amenities served as the perfect backdrop for our weekend in Denver.

Where to Eat and Drink

Cholon: Dynamite South Asian fare is featured at this chic downtown venue. Don’t miss the scallion pancakes, the crystal dumplings, or the fried rice. The three of us ordered a handful of appetizers and entrees to share and it was the best way to sample a bunch of items. Be sure to compliment your meal with a cocktail!

Kachina Cantina: As you can probably tell, Denver offers a variety of cuisines. This Mexican spot is cute and charming, with a colorful décor and wall murals. The restaurant serves brunch, lunch, and dinner; we went for Sunday brunch and had a fantastic meal. There are many delicious options, from chilaquiles to cauliflower tacos to warm vegetarian pozole. A mimosa is definitely a good idea, or a bloody mary if you prefer!

The Bindery: Located in the trendy Lohi neighborhood of Denver, The Bindery serves up fresh Italian fare like burrata including seasonal vegetables, beet ravioli, oysters, and risotto. The restaurant is contemporary and sleek, and it provides a gorgeous spot for a luxurious meal.

Lady Jane: For bold, bright, delicious cocktails in a stylish bar, visit Lady Jane. It’s a great place for drinks with friends, with the added bonus of plenty of eye candy for people watching!

Pigtrain Coffee Co.: Hot coffee and breakfast pastries are available all day at this coffee shop in the lobby of the Crawford hotel.

The Terminal Bar: The Crawford Hotel’s bar serves up 20 local craft beers, and features plenty of seating where you can sip your beer while watching the bustling activity of the hotel. I highly recommend the tater tots or pretzel bites as a bar snack to accompany your beer!

What to Do

Visit the 16th Street Mall: Don’t panic, this is no ordinary mall. Denver’s 16th Street Mall is a mile-long promenade with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Free shuttles go up and down the promenade, but we preferred to just stroll along so that we could peruse the shops and stop for coffee.

Visit the Denver Milk Market: Located on the Milk Block, where the original Windsor Dairy Farm of Colorado was once situated, the Denver Milk Market is a super fun food hall with a cocktail bar, a pizzeria, an ice cream vendor, and more. This was one of our favorite spots to visit in Denver, it’s definitely an iconic local venue.

Visit the Union Station Farmer’s Market: Filled with vendors selling freshly squeezed juices, croissants, live music, and artisanal goods, this is a lovely local market to visit. We had a great morning appreciating the goods of the different stalls, stuffing our faces, and absorbing the scene.

Weekend in Denver: The Verdict

Rocky Mountain National Park is an epic, iconic place to visit in Colorado but don’t pass up the opportunity to have a whirlwind weekend in Denver where there is food and drinks galore.

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Note: the interview has been edited for brevity & translated from French to English. 

Q&A with Executive Chef Michel Wahaltere

Maria: What makes your restaurant successful?

Chef Wahaltere: At Hôtel Métropole Brussels, we manage three venues in one location at which provides variety to the guests. Those are the Brasserie Métropole, Bar “Le 31”, Le Jardin Indien with a combined capacity of over 150 places to include indoor and outdoor seating. Our good reputation continues to grow which is something we’re grateful for.

Maria: What is the creative process behind your dishes?

Chef Wahaltere: Stay focus on where we are, BELGITUDE which means using Belgian products as much as possible. Therefore, I am selecting products from local farmers and artisans like champignons coming from Tour & Taxis, Cukoo from Malines’s and Belgian Charolais beef, and mozzarella from de Ardennes. All these products are made with Belgian traditions. And of course, we use Belgian beers in our recipes rather than wine!

Maria: Why did you choose Brussels?

Chef Wahaltere: I didn’t choose Brussels, Brussels chose me. My mentor and good friend from childhood renowned restaurateur Mr. Antoine Pinto reach out to me when I was still working in the United States and offered me a job at his Belga Queen Brasserie back in 2015. Thanks to the network connection, Hôtel Métropole Brussels asked me to join their team in 2017. After six months at the hotel, I was already promoted to Hotel Executive Chef. Another good reason to be back in Belgium was to be close to my mother and family.

Maria: Can you tell us about your favorite creation on the menu?

Chef Wahaltere: the flavor of the combination of local products gives life to very traditional Belgium dishes that are in our DNA: BELGITUDE. I like to use Belgian beers and Liege syrup in our recipes. Other dishes we like to serve are the steak tartare, codfish or sole meunière, and crevettes grises (little grey shrimps) from the North Sea. Also, Brussels “forgotten” dishes such as “Oeuf a la Meulemeester” hard-boiled eggs topped with crevettes grises, parsley, mustard, light beer cream, and grated cheese.

Maria: What would you like for your guests to remember from the dining experience?

Chef Wahaltere: Hôtel Métropole is an iconic place, as it is one of the oldest Brussels hotels, and it is considered as an institution. Also, I want our guests to try the Belgian cuisine made with Belgian products. We are currently offering the white asparagus which are very typical from the region. We also offer a flexible choice rather than plat du jour (daily special) therefore, we offer 2 great lunch menus: the DAILY CHEF’S SPECIAL BRASSERIE composed by two-courses menu and the MENU 37 composed of a three-course menu.

Maria: Tell me about the process of pairing wine and food?

Chef Wahaltere:  Actually, we are mainly focusing on the offering of Belgium beers as this is part of our BELGITUDE concept. However, we do have a selection of wines in our menu and we will promote more Belgian wines very soon. Also, if/when we reopen the Gastronomic restaurant which is my biggest desire as a celebration of the 125 years anniversary of Hôtel Métropole Brussels will take place next year. In fact, I would be doing a wine tasting this week in search for us to offer Belgian wines to our guests.

Maria: Our readers enjoy local tips from chefs. What three places do you recommend for visitors to see?

Chef Wahaltere:

• Visit the landmarks: Atomium, Brussels Grand Place, and Brussels Comic Art Museum
• Enjoy food and Décor at Belga Queen Brasserie
• Reserve a table at Two- Michelin starred Restaurant Bon-Bon

About Our Dining Experience

We had the pleasure to enjoy and eat at Café Metropole in the company of Chef Wahaltere. Below you can find some of our favorite dishes:

·       Hard boiled eggs with shrimp and beer mousseline.

·       Shrimp croquettes.

·       Lobster Ravioli, green asparagus cream, duo asparagus salsa, and truffle carpaccio.

·       Cuckoo from Mechelen crockpot, North Sea grey shrimp sauce, potatoes croquettes.

·       Café Liégeois.

·       White wine: Cours des Dames France Chardonnay.

The Verdict

Hôtel Métropole Brussels is an iconic landmark of the city, a former palace constructed in 1895 in the former “Caisse d’Epargne” headquarters. It used to be one of the oldest banks of the city and has been selected by many international films due to its location and décor. At the reception, you will recognize the old bank boxes. The rooms and charming suites are spacious, luxury facilities where you can meet, enjoy and relax. The view of Brussels from our suite is something that you should experience on your next trip to the Capital of Europe.

It was a real pleasure to meet Hôtel Métropole Executive Chef Michel Wahaltere, who began his international career studying in Liege and bringing his Belgian flair to France and the United States. After all his travels and opening restaurants in many cities, he’s happy to be back in Belgium promoting Belgian cuisine and products.

Hôtel Métropole Brussels, Place De Brouckère 31, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium Website

Disclaimer: I was graciously hosted by Hotel Metropole Brussels. As always, opinions are my own and it was a true pleasure to meet Chef Michel Wahaltere. 

The post Chef’s Perspective: Chef Michel Wahaltere of Hôtel Métropole appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

The Rooms

InterContinental Bangkok is a 5-star property that strikes a balance between modern décor and traditional Thai hospitality. Our room was very spacious with a fantastic view of the ever-changing Bangkok skyline. It was hard to leave our comfortable bed, but we had only 48 hours to explore Bangkok!

The Food

The hotel has 12 different restaurants covering several types of cuisine. We had the pleasure to meet and interview Executive Chef Rolando Manesco and Executive Chinese Chef Han Long Hua and discussed with other members of the diverse team at InterContinental Bangkok. We enjoyed dining at 4 of the different restaurants at the property: Espresso, Summer Palace,  Theo Mio, and Club InterContinental. Here are some of our favorites dishes and wines:

At Summer Palace, Chinese Cuisine by Han Long Hua:

• Snow fish with crab egg white and teriyaki sauce.
• Wagyu beef with black pepper corns
• Chilled whole coconut served with mango puree, sago pearls and ice cream.
• White Wine, Domaine Chandon, Chardonnay, Victoria, Australia.
• Red Wine, Caliterra, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile.

The warm, welcoming environment at the InterContinental Bangkok makes it easy to feel at home. Everyone we met represented the kindness characteristic of the Thai culture. We even met foreign repeat guests during our stay.

I asked Mr. P. Richard, a recurring French guest for more than 20 years why he continues to return to the property. He said “location, friendship, feeling at home, and perfect sleep quality.”

Dining Traveler Tip: Don’t miss cocktails and appetizers with a view from Club InterContinental Lounge. The lounge is on the 37th floor with a dazzling view of the city matched with excellent service.

The Facilities

No trip to Thailand is complete without a spa treatment! Even if you only have 48 hours in Bangkok, don’t pass up on their beautiful Spa InterContinental. Entering there gives you the feeling of going to the sea.

Infinity Fitness: the 24-hour fitness center is perfect to work out all the delicious food that Bangkok has to offer. Get your cardio on with panoramic views of Bangkok where you can work out and relax. The fitness center even has personal trainers ready to assist.

Oasis Pool: The rooftop swimming pool on the 37th floor offers a relaxed and informal setting as well as cocktails from the Oasis pool bar. Another great view from Bangkok’s skyscrapers.

What to do during 48 hours in Bangkok

You may not want to leave the InterContinental Bangkok BUT there’s plenty to see and do in city. Here are our recommendations:

• Wat Pho, one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok known also as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha
• Enjoy the food, busy life, tuk tuk ride to Chinatown Bangkok
• Erawan Shrine, featuring a gilded statue of the god Brahma where many people come to pray and it’s often the site of rituals and traditional dances.

The Verdict

Bangkok is a city of contrasts with action at every turn. The food, the colors, the people, and so much more make it one of the most dynamic cities in the world. If you’re looking for a luxury hotel to return to at the end of the day, InterContinental Bangkok is the place for you. With its charming staff, luxurious amenities, and central location, it’s the perfect oasis in Bangkok.

InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Phloen Chit Road, Lumpini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Website

Disclaimer: I was graciously hosted by InterContinental Bangkok. As always, opinions are my own and it was a true pleasure to meet the friendly and professional team at the hotel. 

The post Urban Luxury: A Tour of InterContinental Bangkok appeared first on The Dining Traveler.