At the end of the year it is natural to look back at our accomplishments, our joys and our failures. As a devout foodie my mind goes to the best dishes of 2009, or what might I put together as my best meal.
My favorite dish was a special at Mari Luna Latin, it was skate wing topped with crabmeat in a citrus beurre blanc sauce. They also offer one of my favorite appetizers, their crab claw appetizer in a garlic sauce which is 10 claws plus lump crab with toast points to sop up the yummy garlic sauce.
Best chicken out: Blue Hill Tavern sous vide 1/2 chicken really impressed me – moist, cooked evenly and flavorful.
I call 2009 my year of the scallops – perfectly crusted on the outside and just barely cooked on the inside and the best of the year were B & O Brasserie and Sotto Sopra* Chef Bill Crouse's scallops with corn and fingerling potatoes.
Amazing pastas is Pizzazz Tuscan’s artichoke pasta and clams and again I mention, Sotto Sopra’s lighter than air spinach ravioli.
Dessert, the one that blew me away was the Root Beer Float at The Oceanaire Seafood Room with the accompanying root beer schnapps.
Best table conversation: Dinner with Wolf Blitzer and Allan Gerson at Joan Nathan’s home. We covered everything from Nelson Mandela to the White House’s bees.
Please share your 2009 dining favorites – I’m sure everyone would enjoy reading them.
* Disclosure – Sotto Sopra is a client of mine but I could not steer you to a dish just because they are a client. The scallops and the spinach ravioli are too die for whether I work for them or not.
Comments
Ummmmmmmmm....I love scallops and those you mention sound delicious....also I think I could make a meal out of the cab apps with garlic sauce! The spinach ravioli sound like something I would love also.... Would any of them share the recipes?
Sorry, meant CRAB apps
LOL
My 2009 "Meal To Die For" was the 21 course tasting menu at the chef's table at Volt Restaurant. Inventive, finely crafted food that was a joy to eat and fun to look at. Also fun being in the kitchen, and seeing plates being garnished and assembled.
I love the food and wine pairing at The Wine Market in Locust Point. For just $29, you get five delicious courses that you choose from their online menu, and they hand select a wine for each course and give you a small pour. You can add a sixth and seventh course for an additional $6 each if you feel it's necessary, but five courses is plenty of food. But the choices are outstanding, and the quality of food is unbelievably good at that price. My favorites:
Seared monkfish with spinach, black sesame falafel panisse and parmesan consomme
Lobster bowl - chilled udon noodles, asian vegetables,
avocado, cilantro, soy-citrus vinaigrette
Of course I can't tell you which wines get paired with these dishes, because they change it up every time you go, for a truly unique dining experience.
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