Call it the year of roots. New restaurants that sparked and fizzed were those with strong personal identities, the chefs telling their own stories. My favourites are the places with unfamiliar dishes, cooked and presented with flair. … →

Charming, Nice-born Jean-Pierre Boue opened his tiny bistro in November 2010. His well-worn room, with its cream-coloured walls cluttered with movie and opera posters, conjures France. Grey-haired and smiling, Boue cooks such bistro classics as foie gras, truffled scrambled eggs, frisee salad and steak with garlic-sauteed potatoes. Gratinee French onion soup is topped with perfectly bubbled and blistered cheese. … →