Michelin-Starred Restaurants in and near Athens

Hytra
Image: hytra.gr

Since founding L J Soldinger Associates, LLC, as a full-service international public accounting firm in 1989, Larry Soldinger has led the firm as managing partner. In his leisure time, Larry Soldinger enjoys visiting Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.

The Michelin Guide lists several restaurants worthy of visiting across Greece. These include Funky Gourmet and Hytra in Athens, Varoulko in nearby Piraeus, and Botrini’s in nearby Halandri.

The recipient of two Michelin stars, Funky Gourmet serves a variety of innovative cuisine from Chefs Nick Roussos and Georgianna Hiliadaki. Housed in a neoclassical home at 13 Paramythias Street and Salaminos in Athens, Funky Gourmet includes a minimalist dining room on the first floor and an art deco lounge.

Hytra, which holds one Michelin star, sits on the sixth floor of the Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens. There, Chef Tasos Mantis prepares modern, elegant dishes for guests. The restaurant also boasts views of the Acropolis.

Located on Akti Koumoundourou 52 at the Mikrolimano marina in Piraeus, Varoulko has earned one Michelin star for Chef Lefteris Lazarou’s well-balanced dishes, which feature quality seafood and produce. Varoulko also offers spectacular views of the sea.

Another restaurant with one Michelin star, Botrini’s serves modern Mediterranean cuisine at 24b Vasileous Georgiou in Halandri. A family-owned establishment, Botrini’s has the distinguishing feature of offering homemade salamis, oils, and wines.

The Junior League Program at Kemper Lakes Country Club

Kemper Lakes Country Club
Image: kemperlakesgolf.com

Larry Soldinger earned a bachelor’s of business arts degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1970 and began his accounting career in 1973. He founded L J Soldinger Associates in 1989 and has spent the last 27 years evaluating companies, negotiating and structuring transactions, and obtaining funding for clients. Dedicated to his firm, Larry Soldinger also finds time for recreation: as a member of both Kemper Lakes Country Club and Twin Orchard Country Club, he enjoys golf as a pastime.

Kemper Lakes Country Club is located in Kildeer, Illinois and has been a host to some of the greatest golfers in the world including being host to the Women’s PGA Championships in 2018. The club also features the Junior Program for young golfers. Using the PGA Junior League as a model, staff at Kemper Lakes teach instructional golf programs to introduce the fundamentals of golfing to youngsters while promoting a fun atmosphere.

PGA Junior League Golf is set up similar to little league baseball. Boys and girls aged 13 and under compete in a structured team environment during a six-week season; the goal of this program is to spark an enduring interest in golf among young people.

Best Blues Bars in Chicago

Blue Chicago
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Based in Deer Park, Illinois, Larry Soldinger is the managing partner of LJ Soldinger Associates, where he has worked since 1989. In his free time, Larry Soldinger enjoys attending Chicago blues performances, with a preference for Vance Guitar Kelly and his Backstreet Blues Band.

Chicago is known as the home of blues greats including Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley. To this day, Chicago attracts some of the biggest names in blues, and there are many clubs dedicated to the genre.

One especially popular club is Blue Chicago, a world-renowned venue that has been presenting authentic blues artists since 1985. Located in the River North entertainment district, the club promises high-energy performances and has lately focused on female vocalists such as Shirley Johnson and Claudette Miller.

Blues enthusiasts should also visit B.L.U.E.S., which has been voted the best blues club on the city’s North Side. Patrons enjoy good music in an intimate environment that welcomes a roster of mostly local artists, including Vance Guitar Kelly and Pistol Pete.

Other great blues bars in Chicago include Buddy Guy’s Legends, Kingston Mines, and Rosa’s Lounge.

Top Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Europe

Anna Stuben Gourmet Restaurant
Image: gardena.it

Since 1989, Larry Soldinger has served as managing partner of LJ Soldinger Associates, where he works with businesses on tax planning and preparation and other financial considerations. When not working, Larry Soldinger enjoys traveling the world and searching out Michelin-rated restaurants in Europe.

There are many Michelin-starred restaurants from which to choose. The following are three of the best, as selected by Conde Nast.

1. Anna Stuben Gourmet Restaurant at Hotel Gardena Grodnerhof, Trentino: A South Tyrolean lodge, Italy’s Hotel Gardena Grodnerhof offers a stunning menu at the Anna Stuben Gourmet Restaurant, which draws on high-quality local ingredients and pairs them with wines as suggested by expert sommelier Franz Lageder.

2. Largo do Paco Restaurant at Casa da Calcada, Amarante: Located in the center of Amarante, Portugal, Largo do Paco Restaurant offers a menu created by the chef each day, drawing on the freshest ingredients available in the market to highlight a Portuguese style that balances contemporary and traditional.

3. La Magnolia at Hotel Byron, Florence: Offering a constantly evolving menu, La Magnolia restaurant sources fresh, local ingredients to showcase the Tuscan flavors with both creativity and flair.

London’s Michelin-Rated Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester

Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
Image: alainducasse-dorchester.com

Larry Soldinger is a respected business consultant and accountant with more than two decades of experience leading L J Soldinger Associates. Larry Soldinger has a passion for fine dining and traveling and enjoys seeking out Michelin-rated restaurants in Europe. Boasting more than a dozen restaurants that have received Michelin stars, London is a fertile ground for the gastronomically inclined.

Two noted London establishments have achieved a perfect three-star rating: Gordon Ramsey’s flagship location and Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester. The latter restaurant features a restrained, traditional approach to fine dining. French favorites, from truffled chicken quenelles to foie gras, dominate the menu. A nod is made to British cuisine through menu items featuring premium local ingredients such as Denbighshire pork and Dorset crab.

A perennial favorite is the Cookpot, a trademarked pastry-enclosed casserole that features the season’s freshest ingredients. In the winter months, these might be apple, butternut squash, and Montgomery cheddar. In the summer comté cheese and greens such as asparagus predominate.

Two Michelin Star-Rated Restaurants to Try in Europe

A managing partner at LJ Soldinger Associates, Larry Soldinger has dedicated more than two decades to leading the full-service certified public accounting firm. In his spare time, Larry Soldinger enjoys traveling to dine at Michelin-rated restaurants throughout Europe.

While in Europe, USA Today suggests visiting Pic-Valence and La Pergola, restaurants holding the prestige of a Michelin star-rating. Run by Anne Sophie Pic, one of the few Michelin-rated female chefs worldwide, Pic-Valence’s rich history spans more than 125 years. The establishment has achieved three stars during each generation of ownership. Patrons indulge in country fare elevated with gourmet ingredients, like pigeon and frog legs, with timeless recipes including its famous sea bass with caviar dish.

La Pergola also maintains a three-star rating by Michelin. Located in the Rome Cavalieri Hotel, the restaurant offers customers a picturesque view of the city while they dine on dishes created by international award-winning Chef Heinz Beck. The menu consists of seasonal produce paired with unique ingredients, such as Iberian suckling pig. The restaurant also houses in excess of 53,000 bottles of wine, with some dating as far back as 1888.

Golfing the Red and White Courses at the Twin Orchard Country Club

An accounting professional, Larry Soldinger has established a successful career in Illinois. Outside of work, Larry Soldinger enjoys golfing at the Twin Orchard Country Club, where he maintains membership.

The Twin Orchard Country Club, located in Long Grove, features two 18-hole golf courses. The Red Course is a par-74 green with a newly designed hole 4 190 yards from the championship tee. With a 15 handicap and par three for both men and women, it is the toughest hole of the entire course and challenges golfers with bunkers and a lake.

The White Course, also a par 74, is home to the oldest bur oak tree in Lake County and has a creek running through the greens. The course begins with a blind second shot requiring golfers to keep their balls below the hole for a chance to achieve a par five of better. Golfers should also expect to bring a big drive to hole 4 and a three-wood to hole 10 to sink a ball.