My Ten Most Memorable Bites of 2007 (Outside New York): What Are Yours?

Posted by Ed Levine, December 27, 2007 at 7:45 AM

It's always hard to pick my favorite bites of the year, but I find if I close my eyes and start imagining how much pleasure I derived from any one plate of food, I can usually come up with a pretty good list. So here it is:

Pata negra ham at the Boqueria in Barcelona: Every morning while Vicky and Will slept in I would hit the Boqueria for my first ham fix of the day. The black-hoofed ham is pure nutty, porky pleasure. And, yes, it's even expensive in Barcelona, but it's worth every last discretionary euro you have to spend on food.

Spicy salami pizza and butterscotch budino at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles: Great pizza and the finest butterscotch pudding in the land (it's the fleur de sel that puts it over the top). 'Nuff said. What more could you ask for? I know that's two bites, technically speaking, but I wouldn't have one without the other.

The lamb sandwich at Pane Bianco in Phoenix: As if Chris Bianco's transcendently delicious pizza wasn't reason enough to go to Phoenix. Chris roasts baby lamb in his wood-burning oven and puts the oh-so-tender and flavorful results in a roll that came out of the same oven moments before. How could a sandwich be better than this.

The roast beef po'boy at the Parkway Bakery in New Orleans: This sandwich is the essence of po'boy greatness. Tender roast beef, just crisp enough roll, and a river of brown beef gravy. There is no imitator.

The goat at Vetri in Philadelphia: Marc Vetri spit-roasts goat in the alleyway in back of his eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia. The exterior gets ultra-crisp, and the meat stays moist and oh-so-delicious. What are you waiting for? Get thee to Philadelphia.

Fried chicken at Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in Memphis: I stopped at Gus's on my way out of Memphis one glorious morning in October and had a quarter chicken that convinced me once more that there is no fried chicken in the land as good as Gus's. This chicken has got a burnished brown, lacquered crust that I've never been able to find anywhere else.

Boudin balls at Cochon in New Orleans: Donald Link makes incomparable boudin sausage and then lightly batters and fries it. The result is three or four perfect bites of food per ball. You may be tempted to eat it in one fell swoop, but that would be a mistake. Prolong your pleasure.

Ice cream at the Bent Spoon in Princeton, New Jersey: I had never heard a word about the ice cream at the Bent Spoon until I came across it at the tail end of an outdoor event in a freezing rain. This is ice cream good enough to forget any inclement weather. In fact, this is four season ice cream, just creamy enough, intensely flavored, and perfectly balanced. Start with the ricotta ice cream and go from there.

Sausage at the Southside Market in Elgin, Texas: Every year I vow to not eat more than one of these super-juicy, smoked to perfection tube steaks (or "Hot Guts" as old-time Texas barbecue aficionados call them) at the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party imported from Elgin, Texas, and every year I just cannot resist. Thanks to the miracle of the internet, FedEx, and a federally inspected plant, anyone anywhere (in the continental United States, at least) can now enjoy this sausage.

The bread pudding at Tartine in San Francisco: They're not particularly friendly at Tartine (at least not in my experience), but the ultra-rich and satisfying bread pudding will fill your tummy with plenty of warmth. This is the ultimate San Francisco breakfast. Just don't go on the weekends unless you enjoy waiting a long time to sit down.

16 Comments (1)

Tags: 2007

16 Comments:

My tomatillo veggie chili with various peppers at peak season, fresh corn off the cob, and fresh plump cranberry beans. Just had some last night that I took out of the freezer. So many flavors. A tongue fiesta. I had forgotten how wonderful it was since I had so much when it was fresh.

The salad rolls with peanut sauce my daughter made in her cooking class for kids. Delightful.

A kuri squash pizza on an organic cornmeal crust with gorgonzola and candied walnuts. DEVINE!

The roll up sandwiches I've been making lately on sun-dried tomato or brown rice tortillas with a dill and garlic fromage, hummus, and then cucumber spears, red pepper slices, spinach, pecans or walnuts, a sprinkle of salt and topped with some really, really good home made blue cheese dressing.

Tomayo sandwiches. Yummy vine ripe brandywine beefsteak tomatoes sliced thick on toasted organic white bread baked at my store and topped with salt and lots of dried (I know but it was perfect) crumbled basil eaten open-faced.

Red dal topped with over easy fried eggs.

Lebanese summer squash stew with a thick tomato base on brown basmati rice.

A chickpea pocket pita sandwich with brick-oven roasted delicata squash slices, wheat berries and greens mixed and topped with tahini and red chili sauce.

Baked eggs. Lots of different ways (all involving garlic) such as with some boiled potatoes later fried crispy, or in a tomato-zucchini stew, but the best probably is the eggs baked in heavy cream and butter with tons of chopped garlic, some rosemary, salt, white pepper and then topped with asiago.

Cut up watermelon with finely diced onion in lime juice with a sprinkle of salt and a touch of cayenne.

Honorable mentions... spinach salad with sliced strawberries, salt, pepper, shredded parmesan in balsamic; Luna and Larry's coconut cream ice cream, mint strata; pumpkin hummus; pumpkin coconut curry soup; pepper-salted green beans; greens in some East Indian red sauce I wish I could figure out (was in a buffet to go and I didn't know I was going to love it so and haven't seen it since).

Sieseye at 9:38AM on 12/27/07

If you ever make it back to the Memphis area and want more Gus's, you should try to make it out to Mason, TN. It's about 30-40 minutes away, and is the home of the original Gus's. Not that the downtown location in Memphis is anything to turn your nose up at, but there's something about eating good fried chicken with nothing in sight except a federal prison that really makes you appreciate how good the chicken is.

dbrackst at 10:46AM on 12/27/07

Wow, Ed, great list. You are one well-traveled serious eater!

I concur with the Parkway Bakery judgment. They craft the platonic ideal of the roast beef po'boy.

I'll just mention one bite that really stands out. À Côté Restaurant, Oakland, CA: freshly wood-fired flatbread with local figs, gorgonzola, and thyme-studded sausage; accompanied by a strong Mc Chouffe Ale. It was the kind of bite that reminds one of life's immense potential for pleasure.

MarkO at 10:50AM on 12/27/07

As one obsessed with the Parkway bakery, let me share the only way to make that roast beef meal better: go with someone you love, and order 2 po boys, the roast beef and the shrimp. That way, you don't have to choose. Half a shrimp (dressed, with lots of pickles) is the perfect appetizer before the roast beef!

faegood at 12:12PM on 12/27/07

It's not that the folks at Tartine are not particularly friendly -- it's San Francisco (food) service in general. I about fall out of my chair when I have friendly, efficient service in the City without shelling out the cash for Boulevard.

furlinedteacup at 12:32PM on 12/27/07

Duck Confit at Front Street, Portland, Me.

bessfour at 4:22PM on 12/27/07

Cavatelli con fagioli e cozze at la Maddonina in Ostuni, Puglia. Food doesn't get much better than this simple dish in its hometown. It ought to be embroidered onto the Italian flag.

Judith in Umbria at 6:50AM on 12/28/07

Unfortunately, we didn't travel much this year, only making it to TN, NorCal, and, of course, the previously disqualified New York City. So, I'll have to list the old favorites that always give me comfort or a cheap thrill... so, in no particular order:

1. John Q's own Scotch quail eggs at his Ramos House Cafe in San Juan Capistrano, CA -- the funkiest, funnest, gourmet-quality eatery disguised as a dive... and John Q is a hoot.. if you're ever in So Calif, it's a must try: http://www.ramoshouse.com/
2. Basil-cured salmon [gravlax] at Ramos House
3. John's new twist on chilaquiles at Ramos House (yes, you're seeing a trend... this is one of my very favorite places on Earth)
4. Chilean sea bass steamed Hong Kong style at Wildfish Seafood Grille in Newport Beach, CA, where you can get the freshest fish, beautifully presented, perfectly prepared at an astonishingly fair price: http://www.eddiev.com/menu/wf_menu.pdf
5. Cinnamon apple bread pudding at Wildfish
6. Cheeseburger at Houston's in Irvine, CA -- very pedestrian, perhaps, but this burger never fails to please... it's easily the best classic burger anywhere... and I must satisfy my intense cravings on a regular basis! (Hello, my name is LoCo and I'm a burgerholic...)
7. Every single bite of every dish my in-laws cook for me when I'm in Tennessee... well, except maybe Dad's special "German chocolate cake" which contains so many "special" add-ins that it no longer has anything to do with German choc cake... I'm pretty sure it contains all the sugar any human needs for an entire lifetime... in just one bite!
8. The enormous, crisp, shredded beef taquitos with amazing guacamole at El Tepeyac in Boyle Heights, CA -- this one food takes me back to my childhood like no other, and I must make the long, boring trek to East LA to eat them a minimum of twice each year.
9. Chile verde at El Tepeyac, ideally in a Hollenbeck burrito, enjoyed with some ice cold beer from under old Manuel's counter, which he offers as a complimentary gift to "friends" since he has no liquor license.
10. Clam chowder at Gulfstream in Newport Beach

LoCo at 11:52AM on 12/28/07

Top ten meals of 2007

The tasting menu at Cibreo, Florence
The deconstructed Ribolita still haunts me.

The Gelato (Fresh Cream and the Candied Fruit) at Grom in Florence

The number 13 La Cazuela (Bowl of hot cheese and chopped tomatoes) at Superica, Santa Barbara

Bistecca Fiorentina on the grill at my chef friend’s house in Panicale, Italy

The Funghi Misti Pizza at Mozza

A bowl of fresh ricotta covered in honey at Osteria Aquachetta Montepulciano, Italy

with a close tie for the squash and pecorino Fresca dish at Ostera Aquachetta in Montepulciano

The Chocolate Croissant at Tartin, SF

The Salt Cod breakfast dish at the Hungry Cat, Hollywood

A handpicked cheese selection including air-dried Fici Figs by Chester at Joan’s on Third

Foodwoolf at 2:11PM on 12/28/07

The infamous "hotcake" at Big Ed's City Market Restaurant in Raleigh NC.
The biscuits there are heaven.

Ribs from Johnny Boys Ribs in LaPlata MD Some of the best I have ever had. http://www.johnnyboysribs.com/

The Linguine Pescatore at Trattoria Alberto in West Chester PA. The sauce was so good like cippino with lots of tender seafood and all the right herbs and spices. http://www.trattorialberto.com/

Some good crabs from Woody's Crab House in Northeast MD
http://www.woodyscrabhouse.com

A hot, right out of the oven buttery croissant from Metropolitan Bakery in philly. These folks have talent. I can still smell it if I close my eyes.
http://metropolitanbakery.com/

Gelato from Caffe Gelato in Newark DE. A whole restaurant built around fabulous Gelato. They have wine themed dinners too. http://www.caffegelato.net/

Piping hot philly soft pretzels from Federal Pretzel Baking Co
Philadelphia with the good horseradish mustard.

The incredible art of pastry from Miel Patisserie 17th St Philly. The vanilla macarons are so good it is a religious experience.

Always a pleasure to get a cannoli from Termini's bakery in Philly
http://www.termini.com/ consistantly the best place to get a cannoli ever since I can recall, the art of italian pastry continues.

A hot meal on a cold day at Foster's Market Durham NC, incredible soup and just lovely food http://www.fostersmarket.com/ Sara Foster is the Alice Waters of the East Coast

JerzeeTomato at 7:47PM on 12/28/07

my ten would be something like this-

claudio from la taverna in perugia's chicken with white truffles which he made at birdland in nyc during umbria jazz week.

anything from the palace kitchen in seattle.

lunch with paul frank of gemstone vineyard at tre vigne.

higgins in portland.

del posto....appetizers of doom.

salumi-the gnocchi and the salumi

the chaiparrinia's (sp?) in santos in brasil.

piatti due in harlem. the octapus! yum!

mario's spinach lasagna from the orange cookbook that i made for christmas. my mom's still talking about it! thanks MB.

vaneps at 6:41PM on 12/29/07

The gelato at Caffe Gelato Newark DE.
The ribs at Johnny Boys Ribs La Plata MD
The macarons at Miel Patisserie Philly
Bread from Metropolitan Bakery Philly
The hotcake at Big Ed's City Market Restaurant Raleigh NC the bisquits are fabulous too
Anything at Foster's Market Restaurant Chapel Hill NC Sara Foster is amazing.
Cue at Wilbur's BBQ Goldsboro NC
Crabs at Woody's Crab House Northeast MD
Hot pretzels from Federal Pretzel Philly
and finally the yearly pilgrimage to Geno's steaks in Philly for a American Wit and cheese fries.

JerzeeTomato at 10:00PM on 12/29/07

I need to add a #11 to my list... last night we ate at Wildfish. I had the Hong Kong steamed sea bass, as I often do, but I also finally got around to trying their truffled macaroni and cheese. Wow. All I can say is...

Oh.

MY.

GOD!

LoCo at 12:33PM on 01/01/08

The French Toast at North Pond in Chicago. Bruce Sherman's restaurant offers incredible brunch dishes, great way to end the year.

As for Geno's steaks - after Joey Vento's "This is America, please order In English." sign, I am never going there again (besides, Geno's simply cannot compete with John's Roast Pork or Tony Luke's). Yeah, Joey, this is America, and no one has to patronize a joint owned by a stupid bigot!