I may not have traveled to too many places this year, but I sure as hell ate a lot. There were a lot of heavy hitters this year, and I'm always grateful that friends and family are there to share the bounty with me. Here are highlights of some of the restaurants I hit up there past year:
Momofuku Ssam Blue Hill at Stone Barn Cookshop L20 Pazzia Aziza
Fuki Sushi Dynasty The Jade The Spotted Pig dbBistro Moderne Santa Ramen
Spruce Ad Hoc Hog Island Oyster Company Commis SGD Tofu House GreensIno Sushi Alinea Out the Door Home Spruce Morimoto Chow Matsugen Le Bernadin
Fuki Sushi Dynasty The Jade The Spotted Pig dbBistro Moderne Santa Ramen
Spruce Ad Hoc Hog Island Oyster Company Commis SGD Tofu House GreensIno Sushi Alinea Out the Door Home Spruce Morimoto Chow Matsugen Le Bernadin
Cafe Boulud Tipsy Parson Kaygetsu A16 Barbuto La Mar Ubuntu
Most elaborate meal - That would be, of course, Alinea. Did I mention it took 4 hours?
Best food with a view - Outstanding in the Field's meal at Half Moon Bay by Aziza chef Mourad Lahlou. Where else would your dinner be interrupted because the tide soaked a few guests and one woman "fell" in the water with her purse?
Best meal for watching food porn - Grab a seat at the Chef's Counter at Commis. You will never see tweezers the same way again.
Most overused protein - Pork belly
And there you have it. Coming in 2010...Momofuku Ko (gotta get my act together), Momofuku chicken dinner, Manresa, Quince redux, modern, and maybe it's time to hit up Daniel?
And here are some other food-related fun facts
Most consumed beverage - Quad soy lattes. Ack.
Longest meal - 4-hour dinner at Alinea. It started at 10 and wrapped up around 2 in the morning. Damn, I get tired just thinking about it.
Best in-flight meal - (no winner) - For the second year in a row, there have been no winners in this formerly-favourite category of mine. Domestic carriers suck.
Most consumed beverage - Quad soy lattes. Ack.
Longest meal - 4-hour dinner at Alinea. It started at 10 and wrapped up around 2 in the morning. Damn, I get tired just thinking about it.
Best in-flight meal - (no winner) - For the second year in a row, there have been no winners in this formerly-favourite category of mine. Domestic carriers suck.
Best dish - (3-way tie) "Deconstructed" pork belly at The Spotted Pig; Kobe Steak with "A1 steak sauce" powder at Alinea; "Off-menu" sea urchin pasta with caviar at Le Bernadin.
Best meal, period. - Blue Hill at Stone Barn. Nevermind that there was no menu. Nevermind that you order wine before you know what the heck you're going to eat. Flawless execution and fresher-than-fresh product makes the meal the best one I had all year.
Best meal, period. - Blue Hill at Stone Barn. Nevermind that there was no menu. Nevermind that you order wine before you know what the heck you're going to eat. Flawless execution and fresher-than-fresh product makes the meal the best one I had all year.
Best "I'm surprised I'm full" meal - Dinner at Ubuntu, where everything was vegetarian. I still dream about their gnocchi "carbonara". Fake bacon never tasted so good.
Most elaborate meal - That would be, of course, Alinea. Did I mention it took 4 hours?Best food with a view - Outstanding in the Field's meal at Half Moon Bay by Aziza chef Mourad Lahlou. Where else would your dinner be interrupted because the tide soaked a few guests and one woman "fell" in the water with her purse?
Best meal for watching food porn - Grab a seat at the Chef's Counter at Commis. You will never see tweezers the same way again.
Most overwhelming dining experience - My first-ever American Thanksgiving meal. Y'all are hardcore. There were 7 pies at the dinner I went to, which only had 14 guests.
Coolest fan-girl moment - meeting David Chang with George at work :)
Most overused protein - Pork belly
Most underrated protein - Tripe
Next protein to become overexposed in 2010: Beef cheek
And there you have it. Coming in 2010...Momofuku Ko (gotta get my act together), Momofuku chicken dinner, Manresa, Quince redux, modern, and maybe it's time to hit up Daniel?
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