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Where to Find 8 Amazing Hotel Restaurants

By U.S. News & World Report

Savoring innovative cuisine from diverse cultures around the world has long been one of the pleasures associated with travel. And nowadays hotels are catering to travelers with discerning palates by offering their guests a gourmet experience within the confines of the property itself. Today, a wealth of five-star restaurants and renowned chefs can be found on-site at leading properties across the world. These eight hotel restaurants are leading the charge with creative menus, top-notch chefs and unexpected twists on traditional favorites.

[See: 10 Top Hotels in Europe for Food and Wine Lovers.]

Clement Restaurant, The Peninsula New York

New York City

Clement Restaurant, located on the mezzanine level of the Peninsula New York, overlooks Fifth Avenue, and embraces a concept that complements its classic interior. The restaurant has evolved into a warm, welcoming institution, where chef Frederic Robert has introduced a wide variety of traditional American dishes that infuse global flavors. Crowd-pleasers include the seaweed-crab vanilla salad, the poached Flounder filet with spring vegetables and crusted Lamb with yogurt tahini and eggplants. A popular pre-theater prix fixe dinner features braised Wagyu beef bourguignon with caramelized heirloom carrots, sauteed seasonal mushrooms and smoked bacon.

Twenty-Eight Atlantic, Wequassett Resort and Golf Club

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Twenty-Eight Atlantic, Wequassett Resort and Golf Club‘s fine dining restaurant, offers a refined setting for enjoying authentic New England dishes. With a focus on locally sourced seafood and produce, chef James Hackney celebrates the best of the Cape with seasonal menus, bringing a new interpretation to old classics (think: a parsnip and almond cream chowder and a prosciutto-wrapped monkfish). What’s more, the food is served in an intimate venue that showcases Shaker-style furnishings, hand-blown glass chandeliers and nautical etchings. In the evening, grand, floor-to-ceiling windows offer breathtaking views as the sun dips behind Pleasant Bay.

The Restaurant, Auberge du Soleil

Rutherford, California

Aptly named The Restaurant at the Hotel Auberge du Soleil, this picturesque venue invites guests to enjoy delectable cuisine paired with stunning Napa Valley views. Executive chef Robert Curry’s Mediterranean-inspired cuisine is complemented by one of most extensive wine cellars in the valley, which boasts more than 15,000 bottles of domestic and international wines. Begin your dining experience with a savory white corn soup, snap peas and chervil, followed by a flavorful northern halibut, string beans, bacon and a basil broth. The main course can include duck topped with peaches, almonds and lemon verbena or bacon-wrapped veal with cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic potato croquettes.

[See: Where to Find the Best Hotel Concierges.]

Angle, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa

Manalapan, Florida

Angle, the jewel of Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa’s culinary scene, dishes out contemporary American cuisine with a seasonal focus. Led by chef Manlee Siu, the menu’s inspired interpretations of classic signatures include a poached wild Florida shrimp cocktail with lemon caviar and beet-horseradish sauce and cinder-brined Berkshire pork tenderloin with black-eyed peas and Florida red snapper with heirloom beans, tomato tartar verbena pesto and beans. What’s more, an award-winning wine list has been expertly curated by resort sommelier, Levin Glane. If you’re looking to splurge, the onyx and amber chef’s table offers an indulgent culinary experience in the center of the dining area.

Wadakura Restaurant, Palace Hotel

Tokyo

Chef Shinji Kanesaka directs a top-notch culinary team that features some of the city’s most skilled cooks. After earning a Michelin star with his first outpost, Sushi Kanesaka, located in Tokyo’s Ginza district, Kanesaka went on to debut in Singapore before setting up his second Tokyo restaurant inside the Palace Hotel’s Wadakura Restaurant. Here, edomae (a classic Tokyo sushi style) is artfully crafted in one sublime piece at a time, resulting in delicious flavors and textures. Named for the eponymous moat outside its windows, Wadakura pays tribute to Japan’s cuisine with staples such as tempura, teppanyaki, sushi and kaiseki from four distinct areas.

1981 Restaurant, Naïa Resort and Spa

Placencia, Belize

All of Naïa Resort and Spa’s dining options are designed to please its patrons. Named after the year that Belize attained independence, 1981 is the resort’s signature restaurant and offers guests a modern take on Belizean cuisine, with an emphasis on high-quality local ingredients and inventive cocktail creations. Appetizers include fresh ceviche made with catch of the day and octopus and shrimp tossed with red onions, cilantro, roasted garlic and ginger. A must-try is the creamy al dente risotto made with shank steak that’s been braised for six hours and topped with parsley, tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

Luke Dale-Roberts X, Saxon Hotel

Johannesburg, South Africa

Luke Dale-Roberts X at the Saxon opened in 2016 to critical acclaim and has already become a firm favorite for local gourmet food aficionados. If you’re itching to reserve a table, keep in mind advance bookings are essential. Under the guidance of Luke Dale-Roberts, the chef renowned for The Test Kitchen, Cape Town’s award-winning restaurant, the venue underwent a complete decor overhaul and now reflects a sophisticated and elegant atmosphere. Guests can enjoy Wagyu beef grilled over coals at their table, adding a bit of flair and drama to their dining experience. Five- or eight-course meals are featured, and include vegetarian options. Another new addition to the menu is a rich rice pudding and quince dessert, which the restaurant’s pastry chef and Dale-Roberts recently refined.

[See: 12 Hotels With Superlative Room Service.]

Red Rooster Shoreditch, The Curtain

London

The first European venture from New York hotelier Michael Achenbaum, The Curtain brings a creative energy to ever-emerging Shoreditch, fusing luxury hospitality with the dynamism of east London. The new hotel is home to Red Rooster Shoreditch, which is helmed by acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson. Red Rooster celebrates the roots of American cuisine, channeling Southern soul food alongside New York City’s diverse culinary traditions. The Bird Royale Feast features waffles, biscuits, mac and greens, pickles and rooster sauce, while the glazed salmon is perfectly complemented with morels, pea puree, asparagus and port butter. A scrumptious Sunday brunch is accompanied by the House Gospel Choir.

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Where to Find 8 Amazing Hotel Restaurants originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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