(above) Vicuna jerky served with hearts of palm, a poached egg and fried trout roe. Source: Tom Schierlitz/Bloomberg Pursuits

The Owner Of The World's #1 Restaurant Picked A Surprising Location For His Next Venture
March 8, 2013 - businessinsider.com

Julie Zeveloff
On the heels of his success with Noma, the Danish restaurant that holds the title of "best restaurant in the world," owner Claus Meyer could have opened a copycat kitchen anywhere in the world.

Instead, he decided to open a restaurant in La Paz, Bolivia — a city where haute cuisine is practically nonexistent, according to Bloomberg Pursuits' Ryan Sutton.

Gustu, which is slated to open next month, will serve a $260 tasting menu for two, far less than the $900 price tag at Noma but much more than the average Bolivian could afford.

Meyer's target audience is embassy workers, bankers, and gastrotourists who are willing to endure the 12-hour flight from New York to La Paz to feast on a Bolivia-sourced menu.

Sutton was skeptical that Gustu would entice travelers, despite its pedigree. But after getting a preview of a meal there, which included chicharrones, a singani cocktail with local liquor, and a llama shoulder poached in butter for 14 hours, he was convinced otherwise.

It sounds like Gustu will definitely be the next destination for adventurous foodies to add to their bucket lists.