Reminiscing: 2008 in food

And I thought 2007 couldn't be topped...but alas, 2008 turned out to be one of the most phenomenal culinary adventures of all time, including not one, but two 3-Michelin star restaurants (and correspondingly, two of the most expensive meals I've ever paid for). To make up for all the caloric intake, I did pick up a Wii Fit to try to work it all off...not sure it's working yet. Anyway, let's get to the list (in no particular order):

Matsuhisa Joel Robouchon at the Mansion A16 Le Pigeon SPQR Hominy Grill The Farm Espetus Farmicia Cav Park Avenue Summer Ted's Bakery Clary's Salumi Buddakan (Philadelphia) Digestif Cha-Bella Restaurant Zoe Aziza Per Se New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro Memphis Minnie's South Stumptown Coffee COCO500 Momofuku Ssam Voodoo Doughnuts Giovanni's Shrimp Truck Bon Chon Lady & Sons Beverly Soon Tofu Park Fora Elizabeth on 37th Lu's Kitchen the girl & the fig Quince Alan Wong's The Herb Box Giordano's

Wow. And that's just some of the more memorable / travel-related places!

Most disappointing canceled food product - Starbucks almond syrup. It's gone, along with my favourite drink of all time -- iced tall almond soy latte. :( They tell me that it'll be back this Februrary with a "limited edition" drink, but still, the damage has been done.

Longest lines for a local favourite - (tied 3-way) Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon, Giovanni's Shrimp Truck on Oahu, and sandwiches at Salumi (yes, Mario Batali's family's place) in Seattle, Washington.

Most random location for a gourmet meal - that would be, without a doubt, New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro in Talent, Oregon. Located near the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, this place is literally in the middle of nowhere, with some of the best locally-sourced ingredients and gourmet cuisine.

Best celebrity chef encounter - Chef Joel Robouchon, at his restaurant Joel Robouchon at the Mansion at MGM in Vegas. Apparently, Chef has "just arrived from Tokyo" and took the time to chitchat and pose for a picture with us. Awesome.

Most random celebrity 'encounter' - That would be Miss Lindsay Lohan herself at Matsuhisa in LA, not too long after she was "cleaned up". She *did* spend a lot of time in the bathroom...suspicious.

Best decor - (tied) the downtown location of Stumptown Coffee in Portland, and Joel Robouchon at the Mansion. The former was a great example of industrial chic, and the latter was the most luscious "living room" I've ever been in, complete with beautifully upholstered banquettes and dark purple floral arrangements throughout.

Most elaborate meal - (tied) 16 courses at Joel Robouchon vs. 10 (?) at Per Se. There were four courses just dedicated to truffle alone at JR. Two of the best restaurants in the country (and in the world), two of the best meals of my life.

Weirdest thing I ate that I really liked - the bacon maple bar from Voodoo Doughnuts. Basically a maple-glazed long john-shaped doughnut with a piece of bacon on top. Awesome. Addictive.

Best eating trip - the Pacific Northwest road trip in July takes the cake. Some of the best the Pacific Northwest has to offer including Le Pigeon, The Farm, New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro and much much more.

Best dessert - this is somewhat unexpected, but I'm going to have to go with the buttermilk pie at Hominy Grill in Charleston, NC. It's not fancy, and it's not fussy, but it was damn good.

Best meal for under a dollar - Turkish pide (flatbread with meat and potatoes inside) from a random store in Istanbul for 1 lira...that's like 60 cents.

Favourite place where I ate repeatedly on the same trip - The Herb Box at DC Ranch in Scottsdale. Awesome sandwiches and salads, and the desserts aren't half bad either. Mmmm cheesecake lollipops...

Coolest "perk" in a meal - the tour of the Per Se kitchen and private dining room after our dinner. Did you know that they have a room dedicated (and climate-controlled) just to making chocolate?! And that the entire French Laundry (dining room and kitchen) can fit into just the kitchen at Per Se?

Favourite protein of the year - pork belly. Hands down.

What culinary adventures does 2009 bring? Not sure yet, but a few places I have my eye on: Alinea (Chicago) , Sukiyabashi Jiro (Tokyo), Momofuku Ko (NYC) and many many more...