“Best of” 2014 – Meals, Savories, Sweets

Learning to love my new city, while making new friends in both the industry as well as at the table, 2014 turned out to be one of my most memorable years to date and from the Kings raising a second Stanley Cup during my best meal of the year to the unexpected excellence of a kitchen counter out in Anthem the year saw me once again travel to Europe while also exploring both American coasts as well as spots as far north as Wisconsin and as southerly as South Beach, the sum total of over four hundred restaurants, bakeries, taverns, coffee shops, bars, and more comprising the “Best Of” below.

Best Meals:

1 ) Saison

2 ) The Fat Duck

3 ) Barley Swine

4 ) Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester

5 ) Publican Quality Meats

6 ) Rosewood Mansion at Turtle Creek

7 ) Pollen Street Social

8 ) Carnevino

9 ) Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs

10 ) David Clawson Restaurant

Five Runner Ups: Trois Mec, Brindille, Yonaka, Lucia, BOKA

Five More Vegas Musts: Le Cirque, Hearthstone , Rose. Rabbit. Lie., Aquaknox, Twist

Best Savories:

1 ) Lucia – Cocoa Tagliatelle with Braised Duck and Foie Gras

2 ) The Ledbury – Breast and Confit Leg of Pigeon

3 ) 1826 – Perigord and Burgundy Truffle Risotto

4 ) Saison – Sea Cucumber Duo

5 ) Petit Trois – Chicken Leg

6 ) Rustic Canyon – Squid Ink Chiatarra with Salt Cod Alfredo

7 ) Hey!…You Gonna Eat or What? – Shiner Monte Cristo

8 ) Gymkhana – Kid Goat Methi Keema

9 ) Quince – Tortelli alla Cecilia Chiang

10 ) Barley Swine – Red Snapper, Strawberry, Black Truffle

Five Runner Ups: Forequarter – Caramelized Carrot Cavatelli, Lucali – Plain Pie, Le Cirque Rabbit, FT33 Coppa di Testa and Snail Tortelloni, Pollen Street Social Pine Smoked Quail Brunch

Five More Vegas Musts: Carnevino 240-Day Dry Aged Riserva Porterhouse, Vila Algarve Bacalao “A Brass,” Rose. Rabbit. Lie. Chicken, Hearthstone Suckling Pig, Aquaknox Fish Soup.

Best Sweets:

1 ) Heritage Tavern – Caramel Profiteroles

2 ) Nico Osteria – Nico Torte

3 ) Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – Assiette de l’Aubergine

4 ) The Crown at Bray – Bread and Butter Pudding

5 ) Rose. Rabbit. Lie. – Chocolate Terrarium

6 ) The Church Key – Brioche Donuts

7 ) The Tasting Kitchen – Panier de Patisseries

8 ) David Clawson Restaurant – Fruit Sticky Apricot Love

9 ) Dinner by Heston Blumenthal – Sussex Pond Pudding

10 ) Yonaka – Kanmi-O

Five Runner Ups: Orsa & Winston Cannoli, Eating House Capn’ Crunch Pancakes, Knead Butter Pecan Croissant, Baker & Banker Blueberry Bread Pudding.

Five More Vegas Musts: German Bread Bakery Bee Sting Cake, Palio Dulce de Leche Croissant, Rincon de Buenos Aires Milhojas, Citizen Red Velvet Pancakes, Ku Noodle Taiwanese Shaved Ice

Happy 2014, and thanks to those who made it better by their friendship and food.