The Single Life

From eel in NYC to Michelin-starred rice, in 2019 it’s all about focusing on one thing. Chef Okuno Hachibei’s relatives have run unagi (fresh water eel) stands in Japan for the last eight decades, so you can bet he knows a thing or two about the Japanese delicacy. At Hachibei, the first authentic Japanese eel restaurant in NYC, it will be served via one option only: a set meal available in both regular and large potions, all focusing on unagi no kabayaki (grilled eel with a sweet and savoury glaze). Fancy something sweet? Good, because that’s all Albert Adrià’s Cakes & Bubbles serves: it might stretch across Champagne, cava, fizzy wines, waffles, doughnuts, ice cream and handmade chocolates, but really, Albert’s focusing on the sweeter things in life. And another Spanish import comes from multiple Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta, who opens Arros QD this year – a restaurant with rice at its heart (and that means a whole lot of paella on the menu).