Fancying 2012 as the best year of my life thus far it was perhaps a fair assumption that things couldn’t get any better in 2013, though little did I know just how lousy it would be as a miserable workplace, inhospitable city, and NHL lockout all conspired to make almost every part of those twelve months unbearable…the “almost” almost entirely defined by those moments spent away from Phoenix, false medical claims, and the sheer lack of moral character infesting my daily life. Happily now away from all that, though with a mortgage still languishing in a slow market, and finding many positives in my life including a new job, new people, and a city worth exploring both on the strip and off it is here that I look back on the better parts of the year that was – and look forward to 2014.
All things being equal, aside from failing to exit the United States for the first time in a number of years, 2013 featured a lot of travel and new places both North, South, East, and West – as always Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York played prominent roles while Portland and the Low Country/Southeast proved every bit as wonderful as rumored not only in regards to the food, but also to the people involved. Always one to travel at the least convenient of times it was also in Boston and Washington DC that I found some great meals and excellent hockey, though the Marathon bombing and Government shutdown most certainly were not part of my original plans, and rounding out the rest some truly unexpected experiences were found on brief side trips to San Diego and Orange County, as well as my new home.
1) Saison
2) Playground 2.0
3) McCrady’s
4) Atera
5) TBL13 Georges at the Cove
6) Rogue 24
7) Twist by Pierre Gagnaire
8 ) Hearth
9) Grace
10) Ox
11) Carnevino
12) The Admiral
13) Coi
14) Restaurant Eugene
15) Mott Street
Savory
1) Grilled Duck Heart, Husk Cherries, Fermented Corn, Whole Corn, Marigold (McCrady’s Charleston)
2) Nepitilla Octopus Mapo with Garden Peas, Smoked Potato, Okra, Crumble of dried Spicy Herbs, Szechuan Peppercorn, Soy Milk Custard (AQ San Francisco)
3) Fried Chicken – Thai Chili, Vinegar, Sesame (Momofuku Ma Peche New York)
4) Muscovy Duck Aiguillettes with Green Pepper, Casis Bigarade Sauce, Braised Daikon Turnips, Marguerite Potato, Huckleberries (Twist by Pierre Gagnaire Las Vegas)
5) Carrot, Porcini, Maitake, Bloomsdale Spinach (Alma Los Angeles)
6) Poached Chestnut – Perigord truffle, roasted almond milk, RED SORREL (Grace Chicago)
7) Roasted Squab, Burgundy Cold, Fresh Peanuts, Oxalis (Atera NYC)
8 ) Soft Egg – Morels, Shallot, Confit, Potato (TBL 3 San Diego)
9) Charcoal Grilled Japanese A10 Wagyu – Red Walnut Stuffed Morels, Pommes Puree, Sacramento Delta Green Asparaguse, Stout Jus (The French Laundry Yountville)
10) Fried Pork Chop (Martha Lou’s Kitchen Charleston)
11) Hangtown Fry – Scrambled Eggs, Pickled Mushroom, Oysters, Noodle Pancake, Hoisin, Bacon (Mott St Chicago)
12) Munster-Brie “Soufflé” – Almond Crumble and Heirloom Carrot Consommé (The Modern New York)
13) Sweetbreads – Baked Juusto Cheese, Caramelized Peach, Honey-Sesame Gastrique, Smoked Almond (The Admiral Asheville)
14) Sonoma Duck Breast – Lacinato Kale, Fennel Agrodolce, Roasted Fig, Spiced Duck Jus (Frances San Francisco)
15) Garden – Vegetables and Fruits en Cocotte (The Elm Brooklyn)
Sweet
1) Thick Cut French Toast, Maple Syrup, Pear Butter (Ned Ludd Portland)
2) White Truffle Souffle – Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Caramelzed Pears, White Truffle Simple Syrup (Twist by Pierre Gagnaire Las Vegas)
3) Brioche Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce (Le Ka Los Angeles)
4) Sticky Toffee Pudding – Sweet Pudding Cake, Brown Sugar Toffee, Brown Butter Ice Cream (Gordon Ramsay Steak Las Vegas)
5) Butter Pecan Croissant (Knead Patisserie San Francisco)
6) Coast Toast a la Mode with Gelato Vera Caramel (Brockton Villa La Jolla)
7) Walnut – Parsley Root and Raisin (Gwynnett Street Brooklyn)
8 ) Toasted chocolate bread, vanilla ricotta, honey, almonds (Craftsman and Wolves San Francisco)
9) Almond Croissant (Karen Donatelli Bakery Asheville)
10) Blueberry Fritter (Tonalli’s Portland)
11) Chess Pie – Pecans, Maple Cherries, Whipped Cream (M.Wells Dinette Long Island City)
12) Kouign Amann (Crumble and Flake Seattle)
13) Sicilian pistachio pudding and torta with bing cherry and pistachio rosemary gelato (SPQR San Francisco)
14) Valrhona bittersweet chocolate budino tart with salted caramel, cacao crust, olive oil, and sea salt (Bestia Los Angeles)
15) Bombolini – Candy Cap Donuts, Green Strawberry Compote, Douglas Fir Crema, Warm Summer Berries (Perbacco San Francisco)
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