Chocolate Clam Tasting Menu at Grand Velas Los Cabos

 

Chocolate Clam Tasting

Guests will be able to enjoy a fresh take on Baja California’s “Candy of the Sea” courtesy of a new chocolate clam tasting menu at the AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Los Cabos.

Named for the uniform brown color of its shell rather than any chocolate flavor, the meaty Mexican chocolate clam is one of the largest West Coast bivalves, reaching up to six inches across. Each of the signature five restaurants at the “Beyond All Inclusive, Beyond All Compare” resort have prepared one version of the dish paired with a wine, including a few from Mexico’s wine region in the north of the peninsula.

Menu

Highlights of the menu include a chocolate clam with white bean, lardo and piccalilli from Cocina de Autor’s two Michelin starred chef Sidney Schutte and, from its Velas 10 steak and seafood restaurant, Clam Au Gratin made with chocolate clams, creamy baby spinach, bacon and grated Grana Padano cheese. The resort’s Italian restaurant Lucca offers a Spicy Clam Crudité made with red pepper vinaigrette and a roasted lemon chutney with fresh tomato and basil crumble and garlic bread. From Piaf, Grand Velas’ fine dining French option, the chefs have created chocolate clam tartar and Kumamoto oysters with Mediterranean lemon, refreshing pea sorbet and cauliflower vichyssoise. A stuffed Chocolate Clam with grilled ham, mushrooms, corn and Oaxaca cheese will be available from the Frida Mexican restaurant. Guests can enjoy the myriad varieties of traditional chocolate clams freshly shucked poolside at Cabrilla, the resort’s poolside cevicheria, beginning soon.

For additional information, visit https://loscabos.grandvelas.com/


About Grand Velas Los Cabos:

The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Los Cabos on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula offers the next generation of all-inclusive amenities and facilities with dramatic ocean views and unique spaces infusing every area of the resort. Located between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, the beachfront property features 304 ocean view suites, all over 1,180 sq. ft. with private terraces and some personal plunge pools.

The Top 100 Hotels In The World

Elite Traveler, a leading private jet lifestyle magazine, has announced the Top 100 Hotels in the World for 2018.

For the second edition of this list, Elite Traveler presents updated picks of the properties that offer the most opulent hotel experiences. Hand selected by Elite Traveler’s editors, the list feature 14 new entries, including the spectacular Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland.

From basking in the foothills of a Unesco-designated wilderness reserve in British Columbia to rubbing shoulders with A List celebrities in Mexico , the collection offers a true ‘round the world’ variety of hotels frequented by those who travel by private jet.

Highlights Of The Top Hotels Include

1) Clayoquot Wilderness Reserve a completely outdoors hotel set inside a Unesco park where guests can be flown by helicopter to dine on the peak of a 3,000 ft tall mountain.

 

2) The Belmond Copacabana Palace regularly visited by the likes of Justin Bieber, Mick Jagger and Tom Cruise.

 

3) Explora Patagonia Hotel Salto Chico overlooking Lake Pehoé, this hotel is home to a huge 14,830-acre equine facility and sits at the bottom of the picturesque Patagonian mountains.

4) The Royal Suite at the Plaza, New York which features a library personally curated by Prosper Assouline.

5) The Royal Entourage at The Savoy, UK – where guests have the services of a bartender, spa therapist, stylist and beauty technicians, as well as the use of the American Bar which was recently voted Best Bar in the World for 2017.

6) The Four Seasons Hotel George V is the first hotel in Europe to house three Michelin-starred restaurants under one roof. Le Cinq, Le George and L’Orangerie have five stars between them making this an exceptional gourmand destination.

7) The Ritz Paris, France has recently undergone a $450 million renovation and is home to the world’s first Chanel spa, focused on fragrance, makeup and skin care.

 

The New Hotels for 2018

1) Qualia in Whitsundays, Australia – a favourite with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp, Qualia’s airy open interior overlooks the turquoise waters of the Great Barrier Reef

2) Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland, Canada – while Fogo Island Inn’s spectacular suspended build may be the star of the show, each of the hotel’s 29 guest rooms offers spectacular views out onto the dramatic landscapes surrounding the hotel.

3) Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake, Four Seasons, Hangzhou, China – sitting in a set of tranquil gardens on the shores of the West Lake (a UNESCO World Heritage site) the Four Seasons at Hangzhou blends traditional Chinese architecture and design with all the luxuries expected from one of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands.

4) La Réserve Paris, Paris, France – With views over the Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais and the Panthéon, it’s easy to see why this beautiful French hotel makes our list, especially when you add in their two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Gabriel.

5) Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris, Paris, France – With two restaurants, its own art gallery and a 99-seat cinema, Le Royal Monceau is putting in a big claim for the best hotel in Paris.

6) Hotel Eden, Rome, Italy – Having closed for just under 18 months, Hotel Eden reopened back in April 2017, bursting back onto the scene with 98 new rooms and suites, unmatched views across the Rome skyline and Europe’s first spa to offer treatments from award-winning skin-care pioneer Sonya Dakar.

7) One&Only Palmilla, San José del Cabo, Mexico – Situated in the very chic Los Cabos, the One&Only Palmilla features the area’s only swimmable beaches and offers guests remarkable views of the Sand José del Cabo and the Sea of Cortez.

8) The Royal Mansour, Marrakech, Morocco – If a series of restaurants headed up by a three-Michelin-starred chef and accommodation in the form of 53 individual three-story riads isn’t enough to entice you to The Royal Mansour, then maybe the fact that the hotel is the city’s highest point (other than the tower of the Koutoubia mosque) offering unrivalled views across Marrakech is enough of an attraction.

9) Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort, Dibba-Musandam, Oman – With its own private beach, a live-in guest-experience manager and its own Omani dhow cruise boat, the Six Senses Zighy Bay Resort is easily one of the country’s most luxurious hotels.

10) Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore – As the original Shangri-La Hotel, the Singapore outpost recently had a major makeover and is the perfect hotel to offer guests a peaceful getaway from the buzz of Singapore city centre.

11) La Residence, Franschhoek, South Africa – Overlooked by a series of beautiful mountains and surrounded by a series of vineyards and plum orchards, La Residence is a true sanctuary of calm, offering guests an amazing luxury hotel experience alongside quaint countryside views.

12) Chewton Glen, Hampshire, UK – The only British hotel to be added to the list for 2018, Chewton Glen is a gourmand’s heaven. Situated within 130 acres of beautiful forestry, the hotel is most well known for its amazing restaurant, The Dining Room, and for guests being offered the chance to receive cooking lessons from celebrity chef, James Martin.

13) Lanai, Four Seasons Resort, Hawaii, USA – After a somewhat sizeable cash injection from the fifth richest man in the world (aka Larry Ellison), Lanai has become the most desirable luxury destination in all of Hawaii. Sitting in an unspoiled and uncrowded island, the Lanai features some of the most aweinspiring nature you’ll ever see.

14) Plaza New York City, New York, USA – Set within a beautiful Beaux-Arts style building, The Plaza’s interior takes its inspiration from Louis XV interiors, with the Royal Suite featuring a grand piano and a personal library curated by Prosper Assouline.

See the full list of extravagant places to stay by visiting the Elite Collection Top 100 Hotels

www.elitetraveler.com/category/top-100-hotels-in-the-world

Areina Thomas’s Recipes for Tequila Cocktails

Tequila is a great spirit, with many uses across a range of cocktails. With this in mind Areina Thomas has mixed up a variety of unique takes on traditional tequila cocktails, spicing up the recipes with many different flavor combinations and techniques, currently trending in the realm of mixology. For these drink recipes Areina uses Tequila Cazadores

 


THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY

1 ½ oz. Cazadores Reposado
½ oz. Mezcal blanco
½ oz. Aperol
1 oz. Perfect puree red roasted bell pepper
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
¾ oz. agave syrup

In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients with ice, shake well and serve over the rocks in a double fashion glass with a hibiscus chiles salt rim.


LATINI

2 oz. Cazadores Reposado
2 oz. Latini-syrup
1 oz. fresh lime juice

Latini Syrup Recipe
3 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
8 Guajillo or New Mexico dried chiles
1 pasila chile
3 slices of orange
3 oz. fresh lime juice

In a sauce pan, boil water, sugar, chile, orange slices for 15 minutes, cool and add lime juice, strain into a glass container. Keep refrigerated.

Shake together all ingredients with ice and serve up with a Tajin rimmed martini glass.


PICANTE MARGARITA

1 ½ part Tequila Cazadores Reposado
½ part premium triple sec (Cointreau)
½ part Agave nectar
½ part lime juice
½ part lemon juice
1 slice of jalapeno

Combine all the ingredients, besides jalapeno with ice. Shake with slice of jalapeno and serve over the rocks. Garnish with lime wedge


ABOUT AREINA THOMAS

With deep seated passion for all things food and drink, Areina Thomas has always felt at home when it came to the hospitality industry. From countless hours of watching and helping her mother, a personal chef to working in one of the top restaurants in San Francisco, Areina has worked with the best of the best. With her passion and taste for flavors, Areina is a dynamic mixologist and wishes to share her knowledge throughout.

Chef Calvo’s Hawaiian Nachos Recipe

If you are looking for comfort food with an exotic twist, food that might bring you flavors that remind you of a great vacation, look no further than Chef Adrianne Calvo‘s recipe for Hawaiian Nachos + Pineapple Avocado Relish + “Lava” Aioli.

Hawaiian Nachos + Pineapple Avocado Relish + “Lava” Aioli

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 Corn Tortillas, Quartered, Fried Crispy

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 lb Blue Fin Tuna, fillet
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup Pineapple, chopped
1/4 cup Hass Avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro
Pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
1 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce

Scallions for garnish

Directions:

Preheat fryer to 375 degrees F. Season Tuna fillet with brown sugar, garlic salt, and pepper. In a hot skillet with a small amount of canola oil almost to the smoking point, sear tuna on all sides quickly, and set aside. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 minutes for easy slicing. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl whisk garlic, cilantro, lime juice, honey, and mayonnaise. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine Pineapple, Avocado, cilantro, salt, lime, and black sesame seeds. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, cayenne pepper, horseradish, and Tabasco. To assemble, slice Tuna 1/4 inch thick. Place a small dollop of garlic cilantro sauce on crispy tortilla, place Tuna on top. Add a spoonful of the Pineapple Avocado Relish and then top with lava aioli. Garnish with scallions.

ABOUT CHEF ADRIANNE CALVO:

Adrianne Calvo is the Executive Chef and owner of Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar, Host of Maximum Flavor Live on NBC’s 6 in the Mix, author of four cookbooks: Maximum Flavor (2005); Chef Adrianne: Driven by Flavor Fueled by Fire (2008); #MaximumFlavorSocial (2014); and Play with Fire (2015), and founder of the Make it Count Foundation. Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar opened in 2007 and offers a varied and rotating menu with something for everyone. Monthly, the restaurant holds its signature event, Dark Dining, where guests are blindfolded for a sensual experience eliminating one sense in order to enhance another, providing maximum flavor. For more information, visit:

Chefadriannes.com
Instagram.com/chefadrianne

Chefs take Diners to New Heights in Puerto Vallarta

One of the world’s exhilarating dining experiences, Dinner in the Sky comes to Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta from January 28 – February 28, 2017. Groups of 22 adventurous guests will be lifted nearly 150 feet in the air by a crane, taking in breathtaking views of the property’s on-site golf course and beautifully polished grounds, Banderas Bay and Sierra Madre Mountains.

Guests at Dinner in the Sky can mingle with fellow diners during a one-hour experience consisting of a three course gourmet dinner menu designed by top chefs, including Mikel Alonso and Bruno Oteiza, disciples of Spanish superstar Juan Arzak and owners of Biko in Mexico City, regularly among the top 50 restaurants in the world on the San Pellegrino list. A complimentary cocktail hour precedes the dinner. When staying three nights at Casa Velas or its sister properties in Vallarta-Nayarit, guests enjoy special discounted rates for the experience.

A celebration of gastronomic innovation and excitement, Puerto Vallarta’s Dinner in the Sky costs $50 USD a seat when staying at Casa Velas or the nearby AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit and $80 USD when staying at Velas Vallarta. An exciting happening in the Puerto Vallarta area, outside guests can enjoy the dinner for $242 USD on site or $170 pre-order, pending availability. Guests can reserve their space for two dinners Wednesday through Friday (beginning at 6 p.m. and again at 8 p.m.); Saturday and Sunday features three dinners (beginning at 5, 7 and 9 p.m.). A vegetarian menu is also available on request.

www.hotelcasavelas.com.

New resort Grand Velas Los Cabos opens in Los Cabos, Mexico


The $150 million resort on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, the Grand Velas Los Cabos, has officially opened its doors. The beachfront property features duplex wellness suites with juice bars, wine-based features inspired by the proximity to the region producing Mexico’s fine wines, and dramatic ocean views and unique spaces infusing every area of the resort. A gallery of contemporary art opening soon continues the company’s commitment to bringing the art, fashion and culture of Mexico to guests.

Grand Velas Los Cabos offers the next generation of all-inclusive amenities and facilities including a selection of gourmet specialty restaurants led by top chefs, including two star Michelin chef Sidney Schutte; oversize designer suites, some with plunge pools; a Leading Spa of the World; staff ratio of 3 to 1; exceptional meeting facilities, and a commitment to the environment.

 

Located between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, Grand Velas Los Cabos features 304 ocean view suites, all over 1,180 sq. ft. with private terraces and some with personal plunge pools. In addition, five gourmet restaurants with an extensive beverage and wine program; a 16,370 sq. ft. convention center with the capability for 20 breakout rooms; 35,000 sq. ft. spa with 16 treatment rooms and a leading hydrotherapy facility; three pools; and pool and beach concierges are available.

Rounding out the list of amenities and services are a Life Fitness Center with personal trainers, exercise programs, yoga, Pilates and meditation; recreational activities program; separate teens’ and kids’ club facilities and activities program; 24-hour personalized butler concierge service; and 24-hour insuite service. The curved, half-moon design of the hotel catches eyes with an iconic grand entrance that’s open air, three stories high and over 300 ft. above sea level.

All of this beachfront is just 35 minutes from the Los Cabos International Airport which directly services over 40 destinations in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Gourmet Culinary Program

Grand Velas Los Cabos’ variety of gourmet restaurants and foodie experiences allow guests to explore and savor a worldly fusion of flavors without leaving the comfort of the resort. Food, creativity and presentation comparable to that of top restaurants in world capitals is served in five fine-dining restaurants, including the resort’s signature restaurant, Cocina de Autor, which is helmed by two star Michelin chef Sidney Schutte. Other on-property fine dining options include Frida, offering Mexican fine dining; Piaf, which serves gourmet French specialties; and Lucca, with a menu of traditional Italian cuisine. For guests seeking a casual dining experience, the all-day dining restaurant Azul offers panoramic beach vistas and a relaxing, open-air, yet air-conditioned, environment in which to indulge in international cuisine. Amat Café serves up coffee specialties, Velas 10 prepares seafood and steak and Cabrilla focuses on fresh ceviche. 24-hour In-Suite Dining is also offered.

Offering innovative libations and sensory ambiances for every mood, the resort features four diverse bars: Sky Bar, Miramar Bar, the bar at Cocina de Autor, and Koi. Highlights of the casually elegant space at Koi include a dramatic marble bar, state of the art sound and video equipment and comfortable seating groups. A DJ will spin the latest hits for guests’ listening and dancing pleasure with a dedicated dance floor.

All restaurants and bars are designed to take full advantage of the stunning views and have indoor and open air seating.

Renowned for the best Mexican wines, Baja California furthers its appeal for wine aficionados at Grand Velas Los Cabos. Bringing a wealth of knowledge from decades of experience across many continents, Master Sommelier Don Pedro Poncelis Brambila is responsible for developing the wine list comprised of 50 included wines of sparkling, white, rose and red from the best regions of several grape varieties in addition to a supplemental list of over 200 wines of the world from the very best and most prestigious domaines. Furthermore, he will implement various wine offerings for resort guests, such as food & wine pairings, wine tastings and even a wine lovers over the top getaway for millionaires.

Unique dining events, foodie experiences, premium liquor brands, and custom cocktails in innovative ways are also planned for the resort.

Designer Suites

Stylish suites all feature ocean views and a private terrace with sitting area, separate living area with sofa, king or two queen beds, expansive bathroom with Jacuzzi and built-in shower. A private plunge pool also greets guests in Grand Class Suites, the multi-bedroom Presidential and Governor Suites, and the Imperial Suite.

Signature Spa

The two-level, 35,000 sq. ft. Spa at Grand Velas Los Cabos has 16 treatment rooms, some with a water view. Guests enjoy authentic and innovative treatments using the latest technology and products of the Earth, traditional in the Mexican culture. Signature treatments center around the Blue Agave plant native to Mexico and its pre-Columbian ancestral healing benefits.

Grand Velas Los Cabos

1-888-407-4869
http://loscabos.grandvelas.com/