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Dubai can seem as if the phrase "money is no object" was conjured with it in mind. Opulence is everywhere, and restaurants are no exception. Menus can be a study in decadence, and prices can verge on the ridiculous. But in this city of contrasts, you can also eat quite well for non-outrageous prices.

In the Bur Dubai neighborhood, near the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai, Special Ostadi is a rare veteran in a sea of new faces: the Iranian favorite has been open since 1978, serving its famed yogurt-marinated lamb kabobs. On the other end of the spectrum visit Ewaan, where you can enjoy a pricey but good Middle Eastern buffet while craning your neck to gawk at the world's tallest building.

For drinks, stick with hotel bars or head to the local outpost of Frankie's, where the unique Flaming Lamborghini is sure to impress your friends. Alternatively, for a respite from the din of constant construction, seek out XVA Gallery in old Bastakiya, whose inner courtyard houses a quiet cafe.

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is coming up in February, which means you'd better hurry up and book your hotel and choose your events, as some of the most popular ones have already sold out. I'm personally most excited about the sushi and wine pairing, hosted by Master Sommelier Alpana Singh and featuring sushi by Chef Thomas Buckley of Nobu Miami, as well as the sherry and cheese pairing on Sunday.

The Oscars coincide with the festival this year, and the Food Network's Chef Bobby Flay will be co-hosting an Oscar Night viewing party with "Law & Order: SVU" star Stephanie March, replete with red carpet, champagne and celebrity guests from both the culinary and film worlds. As for the hotel, the Westin Colonnade, Coral Gables is close by, and an excellent place to relax and reflect on your food and wine experiences.

Are you headed to DC for the Inauguration? If so, I hope you've got your ticket to a ball by now. (Some more tickets to the All American Ball at the Westin City Center were just made available). If not, there's always a celebratory dinner. Many of the most desirable restaurants have booked up already, but there are still a few tables available at the recently opened, Alain Ducasse helmed Adour in the St. Regis if you hurry.

Hip wine-centric restaurant Proof has a whole day's worth of options for you: during the inauguration you can enjoy an all-you-can-eat-and-drink champagne buffet brunch for $75; later in the evening there will be a $120 Inaugural dinner, followed by a separate $250 champagne ball featuring music by . PS 7's is offering a four-course prix fixe of "Illinois regional cuisine" (hopefully, not deep dish pizza) in honor of President-elect Obama. Meanwhile, Nage is fêting VP-elect Biden with a Delaware-inspired brunch — "Southern Delaware Style Chicken in a Blanket" and "Northern Delaware Scrapple and Tater Tot Hash With Fried Eggs" will be served as a Biden impersonator visits with tables.

Wherever you go, be sure to raise a glass to the city council: bars will be able to serve booze until 4am instead of 2 (but not 5 as previously announced) and food can be served all night.

[Image: Washingtonian]

Kuala Lumpur, like nearby Singapore, revolves around two things: eating and shopping. The two pastimes are quite often intertwined, with hawker stands lining the sidewalks of popular shopping districts and immense food courts in the many malls and shopping districts. While it's perfectly easy to find Western-style food in "KL," you really shouldn't pass up the opportunity to try the local cuisine, which brings together Chinese, Indian and Malay, often in novel and delicious combinations.

Nearby the Westin Kuala Lumpur, visit one of the many markets, such as Imbi Market, where stall after stall offers freshly prepared specialties from around 7am until early afternoon. Get an iced coffee ("kopi peng") and look for the stalls with the longest lines — that's a sign of quality. Taste one of my favorites, beef rendang or roti chanai, or try something you've probably never even seen before.

Speaking of coffee, be sure to visit a "kopitiam," or coffee shop. More like a neighborhood hangout than a take-out Starbucks, you'll find Malay-style coffee, snacks and friendly locals eager to pass along recommendations for a great restaurant.

The newly opened W Hong Kong is creating buzz not only for its snazzy architecture, including a stunning mural overlooking the rooftop pool, but also for its restaurants, Fire and Kitchen. Fire serves up innovative fusion cuisine in a chic setting, while the Kitchen offers diners a pan-Asian comfort food menu, but with interesting touches: food is served buffet style in a working kitchen, and there's a communal table for singles dining alone.

Moving beyond the hotel, SEVVA has been garnering a lot of attention as the latest project of HK socialite/restaurateur Bonnie Gokson. It boasts a 360° view of the skyline, and is about as chic as it gets. The food and service may be hit-or-miss, though: Time Out Hong Kong's review was sour, yet it still received runner-up in for their 2008 best new bar.

Another option isThe Pawn, it's more relaxed, but still a place to see and be seen. A four-story gastropub and lounge in an 1888 building formerly occupied by a pawn shop, you can get a taste of the old Colonial days with steak and kidney pie and a pint of Guinness -- or step up to the rooftop garden, which has its own bar and unique ambiance.

If you're having trouble deciding what to eat while at Le Méridien Montparnasse in Paris — or where to eat, for that matter, considering the cornucopia of restaurants dotting the city — here are a couple helpful resources for you:

Writer Clotilde Dusoulier has risen to fame for her wonderful food blog, Chocolate & Zucchini. In addition to a cookbook, she has written a guide to "edible adventures in Paris," which should serve as an excellent companion on your own escapades. Use it to find out which farmers markets are open on which days, where to have a nice glass of wine in the 10ème Arrondissement (Le Verre Volé perhaps) and which shops have the finest delectables.

If you can afford it, you might wish to book an Edible Paris culinary tour put together specially for you by Rosa Jackson, a cookbook author and cooking instructor. Just tell her what you're interested in and she'll come up with a custom itinerary replete with maps and not-to-miss recommendations.

Cookbook author (notice a trend?) David Lebovitz not only has some restaurant recommendations for you, but also tips on what to expect when dining out in the City of Lights. You might also check out his blog for nuggets of knowledge like where to get a decent cup of coffee in Paris.

This time of year, you need some serious motivation to go outside in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Maybe that's why there are such fun places to eat and drink around the twin cities. Take Pop! and its sister restaurant, Pop!! (yes, two exclamation points), where the walls are pop-art inspired, the atmosphere is vivacious and the food is small plates designed for sharing.

Start the day at Jay's Cafe in St. Paul, where brunch is a local favorite. brunch is good at The Craftsman, too, but people visit the restaurant's beautiful arts & crafts room more for often for its dinner menu focusing on locally sourced ingredients.

Even the recently reopened W - The Foshay has some stimulation for you: head up to the 27th floor for a drink at Prohibition and enjoy an incredible view from the city.

San Diego is so close to Mexico, you can practically surf there, so it's no surprise that the city boasts some incredible Mexican restaurants. If it's tacos you're craving, you have your option of a simple taqueria or something a little fancier, like Limonz Rostizado, where a high-tech roaster oven and a cavalcade of toppings and salsas allow you to mix and match to your heart's content. (For fish tacos, the Rubio's chain is considered tops, although you won't be let down by Wahoo's either.)

The creative vegetarian options help Pokéz stand out from your stereotypical burritos and chimichangas place — although it has those, too. For hip and modern Mexican to match the W San Diego, visit nearby Candelas, a sumptuous space serving contemporary dishes, or Calaco Grill, a "taco lounge" also near the hotel that makes its own tortillas fresh to order — and a pretty good sangria, too.

Bali's famed Mozaic finally has some competition for best restaurant now that the St. Regis Bali Resort has opened. VisitKayuputi, the stunning new fine dining seafood spot in the resort. Under careful supervision of Chef Oscar Perez, Kayuputi produces decadent dishes from locally caught seafood as well as Japanese Kobe and Australian Wagyu beef, Sturia and Prunier caviar, and seasonal oysters specially flown in. Guests have a choice of eating in the elegant dining room or in a beachside cabana.

If you want even more intimate dining, the resort will happily arrange for a personal chef to cook barbecue in your room — paired with wines hand-picked by the St. Regis' sommelier. On the other hand, if you'd prefer some company, the King Cole Bar is a good spot to enjoy a signature Bloody Mary and friendly conversation. Exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from one of 2008's best new hotels.

The historic River Market district of Kansas City is lovely, even now as the cold of winter sets in. It's a food lover's playground, thanks in no small part to the recently refurbished The City Market, one of the oldest and largest public farmer's markets in the Midwest. Plus, it's not too far from the Westin Crown Center.

One of the best-loved restaurants in River Market is Le Fou Frog, which serves a combination of classic French bistrot fare — coq au vin, (Kansas City strip) steak au poivre — along with unexpected dishes such as sweet and savory-spiced kangaroo loin.

For something even more exotic, pay a visit to the Blue Nile Cafe for hearty Ethiopian food, including some of the city's best vegetarian dining. On the other hand, if you're desperate to get some classic Kansas City-style barbeque ribs, Winslow's is your place. (They've got smoked turkey, beef and pulled pork, too.)