The Best: MEAL

As the year draws to a close, we thought it would be fun to ask a few of our globe-trotting colleagues to weigh in on some of their best travel experiences from the past twelve months. First up, we asked, where did you have your favorite meal?

Above: The mushroom toast at GJELINA, Venice Beach, California
"Gjelina is a great little place on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, in the heart of Venice. The interior is simple but has an architectural bar of different heights jutting out into the room. The food, however, is much more complex. Looking simple and beautifully fresh on the plate, it packs wonderful bright flavor punches. A good example is the pappardelle made of rye flour served with housemade lamb sausage, rapini, tomato confit, white wine and Pecorino." ~ Steve Wilson, CEO & Founder, 21c Museum Hotels

Above: The Hainanese Chicken Rice at Wee Nam Kee, Singapore
"One of the world's only national dishes that lives up to its enduring legacy." ~ Mac Malikowski, Editor, Mouthfeel Magazine

Above: A traditional steak dinner at Lo de Jesús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
"Ambiance, service, quality of food.  Part of the strong LGBT tourism marketing of the city of Buenos Aires, this is where you can go and feel like part of the community – especially (or even) with a big group of gay and lesbian friends." ~ Donna Keren, SVP, Research, NYC & Company

Above: Lunch at Restaurant La Terrazza di Lucullo at Caesar Augustus , Capri, Italy
"A window seat at the edge offers some of the most spectacular restaurant views you’ll ever have, with authentic, delicious Italian food and a few bottles of rosé. It was followed by some more rosé on their terrace and after asking nicely, they gave us access to the pool. One of the best afternoons of 2016. " ~ Anders Lindström, Director of Communications USA, Norwegian Air

Above: the perfect end to the meal at Restaurant Bareiss, Hotel Bareiss, Baiersbronn, Germany​
"Because this extraordinary eight-table restaurant is an exemplary of haute cuisine and the virtues of Germany’s 'dual-training system,' with a kitchen helmed by Chef Claus-Peter Lumpp, who received his third Michelin star in 2007, and ably supported by Thomas Brandt, Gault Millau’s Maître of the Year and sommelier Jürgen Fendt, the three of whom are a formidable triumvirate of talent and taste—and because I’m still dreaming of that langoustine with imperial caviar and that trolley of post-prandial mignardises." ~ Mark A. Thompson, Ph.D., writer/editor/journalist/photographer