Wu’s Wonton King
165 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
wuswontonking.com
(212) 477-1111
It was my first meal of 2018. Had I had it a week earlier, it would have placed well into my Top 25 Restaurant Meals of the Year. Instead, this celebratory family feast for eleven, built around a whole suckling pig and a large, live, king crab, is the pacesetter for my 2018 list. Continue reading
I apologize. I have been quite remiss when it has come to this blog. While 2017 was a great year for me from a dining perspective, it was also a very, very busy one. It was the first full year for the travel business (it started the year as Travel With Doc) that I have with my friend and business partner, Charles Grabitzky, I undertook a major commitment as Vice President of The Board of Directors of a great non-profit in Saratoga Springs, NY, The Pitney Meadows Community Farm, and was in charge of a major summer fund-raiser, The Fire Feast on the Farm, which turned out to be a rousing success that featured an all-star line-up of chefs and bartenders. In addition, my main workplace was going through a number of transitions, that also kept me quite occupied and sucked up any of the remaining spare time that I might have had. There is only so much time in a day and something had to give. Instagram was much more expedient, though less satisfying. It had to suffice, despite the plethora of incredible dining experiences that I experienced. I apologize to the majority of the restaurants listed below and others for not having fully reciprocated the incredible love and artistry that was directed towards myself and my dining partners, and I also apologize to you, my readers (if I have any left), for not having provided the detailed coverage that you have come to expect, and (I hope) enjoy. My life will be much different in 2018 as I will be only a part-time Anesthesiologist in order to devote more time to Rascal + Thorn, the travel/dining business that Charles and I have committed to. Continue reading
Lau Richter at the entrance –
Noma Mexico
Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
www.noma.dk
What makes a food belong to a particular culture? Is it the location? The product? The people? The time? All of the above? None of the above? Some of the above? It’s a complicated question that seems to have relevance in today’s multi-cultural world. Certainly within the United States, the concept of cultural appropriation or sometimes mis-appropriation has been oft discussed, especially (within my personal circles) in the context of food. The typical situation for this discussion is when people of one cultural background adopt and use the cultural heritage of another. There are those, such as Rick Bayless, Andy Ricker, David Thompsen and Ivan Orkin, who fall in love with a culture different than the one they grew up with and go all in, ending up with very successful restaurants representing their adopted cultures either within the country of origin or outside of it. These culinary appropriators have successfully adapted the cuisines of their adopted cultures, and without “dumbing it down” have extended the reach of those traditional cuisines and cultures in general to new audiences, who then become emboldened to go beyond them and explore those cultures more deeply. People like the examples I mentioned, who do what they do well, are typically respected and embraced by the original cultures. For example, the reception for Rick Bayless at the Mesamerica Congress attended mostly by Mexican chefs and culinarians in Mexico City several years back, was that of a hero. Ivan Orkin is legend for having broken into and been successful amongst the Japanese with his Ivan Ramen shop in the heart of Tokyo. I could go on. Continue reading
It is becoming more and more difficult in today’s homogeneous world to find places that remain unique, especially when it comes to food. This seems to be especially true in the United States. The influence of globalization is huge, but a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it allows for a greater dissemination of ideas around the world, but on the other it breeds a certain degree of conformity that has a tendency to blend disparate entities into one, ending in a bland sameness from place to place and a lack of identity. Within the United States there are few cities that have retained their truly unique character as much as New Orleans, Louisiana. Ironically, much of that unique character derives from a variety of global influences that have, over the last 400 years or so, been shaped by the local landscape, climate and culture into something special and unlike anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, in recent decades some of that New Orleans uniqueness has begun to erode, as it too has been influenced by more national cultural entities as well as a proliferation of corporate and chain restaurants and businesses, just like practically everywhere else in the country. Still, the underlying character of the city has managed not only to persist, but to thrive. Its history, culinary and otherwise, is readily apparent, but the city enjoys a renewed vigor, as it continues to recover from the catastrophic damages of Hurricane Katrina over decade ago. Continue reading
I haven’t been posting much of late, because I’ve been busy with a super-secret project that I haven’t been able to share until right now! It’s actually happening and I’m excited to announce that Travel with Doc Culinary Insights Tours has partnered with the Foodie TV Channel to film our trips and air them as the trip is finishing with a follow-up for the fall-out! We are currently completing our New Orleans adventures and the show’s editors have been hard at work crafting something that will be entertaining and educational. Watch tonight! Check your local listings.
I have never previously ranked or put together a list of my top beverage experiences before, but then I can’t recall ever having as full and exciting a year of cocktails, spirits and wine as I had in 2016! This mirrored and in some cases overlapped my top dining experiences of 2016 with the beverage experiences being major contributors to those final rankings. Unlike my restaurant listings, these rankings are not limited to restaurants. Bar, winery and distillery visits also played major roles, affording extra-special experiences and tastings. The final rankings here were influenced by food only in so far as the food may have affected the enjoyment of the beverages. For example a great wine pairing is the result of synergy between wine and food and can’t be truly had without both being stellar independently and especially together. I enjoyed many a great pairing of food and wine in 2016, but for this list, only the most exceptional pairings were included. Other restaurant inclusions occurred due to the quality of individual wines, which had not necessarily been specifically paired for the meals. In most of those cases, the wines were special bottles that had been brought to the restaurant by me or others just for the occasion.
Abigail Gullo’s Mildred Pierce at Rascal & Thorn via Kara Newman’s Shake, Stir, Sip.
Not included on this list, despite the fun I have playing with cocktails myself are the cocktails I make at Rascal & Thorn, my wannabe private club/home bar (#rascalandthorn on Instgram). That said, I would like to acknowledge a few products that were new to me in 2016 that I really hd fun with. While I really enjoy playing and creating my own riffs and cocktails, I have really got into Shake, Stir, Sip by my friend, Kara Newman. It is a very approachable and useful book of cocktail recipes based on equal proportions. The recipes are excellent and I highly recommend the book for anyone with more than a passing interest in making cocktails. My favorite cocktail from the book, previously unknown to me is the Mildred Pierce, a refreshing citrus and mezcal delight originally created by New Orleans bartendress Abigail Gullo. Three new-to-me spirits that brought my bar extra pizzazz in 2016 included Giffard Pamplemousse Liqueur (see the Mildred Pierce), Plantation Pineapple Rum and Ancho Verde, all of which offered fresh flavors for cocktail creation. Continue reading
This list is to highlight the very best dishes of my dining year based upon the the craft of cooking and the quality and presentation of the central component or traditional preparation. As with the Creative Restaurant Dishes list, I will not list more than one dish on this list from a given restaurant, though a restaurant can be on both lists. In addition, though the same base ingredient may be listed, I will not repeat a particular way of doing it more than once. That said, this is a list of dishes that excelled for their craft and product not just for 2016, but as truly remarkable examples that I had the pleasure of sampling. They were dishes that I didn’t just enjoy. They were dishes that asserted themselves and made me take note of their superior quality. One big difference between the dishes here vs the other “Best Dish” list that I posted is that the dishes on that list were entirely new to me, even though there may be a sense of familiarity about them, such as the Pulpo a La Brasa at Bodega 1900. I have certainly had grilled octopus before and Canary Islands potatoes, but the texture of this octopus was so remarkably different (and better) than any other that I’ve had, as to deem it unique enough for that list rather than this. These dishes are either classics, minor variations on classics or absolutely primary product driven and represent not just the best examples of these types of dishes that I’d had during 2016, but dishes that performed at an iconic level. Continue reading
Chef Quique Dacosta
I enjoyed so many wonderful, creative dishes in 206. There were numerous examples of dishes that harnessed impressive creative drives, often in the same meal. The dishes here were not just imaginative. They were also beautifully presented and above all, deliciously unique, at least to my experience, even if they utilized specific cultural influences as their base. I limited my choices for this compilation to no more than one dish from any given meal. These dishes are representative of cooking as art, but without giving up anything in terms of ultimate deliciousness. That remains, for me, the ultimate barometer of a successful dish. The artistry is utilized for elevation. Continue reading
The year 2016 was a strange one on so many levels. In many ways it was a year that was very sad and even depressing with the deaths of so many notable people, especially, it seems, of musicians and iconic athletes. Then there was the US election, which, I found disgusting and depressing throughout the year and even more so at the end of it. There were some personal bright spots, however, that involved family as well as travel and food. It is the latter two areas that are addressed by this list. Fortunately, unlike the list of notable deaths and the sense of political disgust, these and other restaurants provided a lot of positive balance in my life, so much so, that I consider it the deepest single year of dining that I’ve ever experienced. I only list 25 meals, though any of the next 45 or so restaurant meals not listed would have, in more typical years, been well within my Top 25. All of my Top 25 would have, in most years, been easy Top 10 candidates. I traveled a lot this year (for me) with two big trips to Spain, one to London and several around the USA including NYC, Chicago, Miami, DC as well as points in between. I ate extremely well everywhere, but as usual, especially so in Spain. The quality of the food in Spain never fails to impress me and that is brightly reflected below. I find that the food, people and restaurants there tend to really resonate with me, even more so the deeper I delve into its culinary culture.
Stones of Manchego
This list is not scientific. It is a gestalt bourne from a variety of factors. First, and foremost, the food was exceptional. Whether focused on only a few dishes or many, the consistency and quality of all of the dishes eaten at a given meal are the single biggest factor in selecting a restaurant for this list. The quality of service, especially its genuineness is another major factor and so is the setting, including the level of sound and the ability to communicate with my dining partners. Perhaps, the biggest factor, though, is me. That is to say, the mindset I bring, the hunger I carry, the health issues I bear and the company I keep all contribute to how much I enjoy a given meal. When I bring negatives to a meal and they are overcome by the meal, the meal impresses me that much more and leaves a more lasting impression. Ironically, my number one restaurant meal of the year came on a day that I woke up with a huge pit in my stomach not knowing if I would even be able to eat a single thing, let alone enjoy it. The restaurant visit proved to be a tonic, that allowed me, for a brief time, at least, to put the feelings of that day aside – no easy feat.
The highlighted restaurant names in front of my comments lead either to a blog post or Flick’r album with details and additional photos from the meals referenced. Continue reading
For 2016 I limited my Wish List to the United States and hit 5 out 10, a pretty good ratio with great results. I’m bummed that I missed Matt Lightner’s latest project, Ninebark, in Napa, California, as it closed at the end of the summer. Instead, I will have to look forward to his next endeavor wherever and whenever that comes to fruition. He’s too good of a chef to be out of the game for long, and I suspect that this next venture will be sensational! That was the case for John and Karen Shields, who took their time after leaving the legendary Town House several years ago. Resurfacing in Chicago, my meal at Smyth was absolutely worth the wait.
For 2017 I am resuming an international approach. Japan and Australia remain as long-desired destinations with plenty of restaurants, but for now, at least, they also remain out of my likely reach for 2017 and so will remain out of this list. Since I devoted last to the United States, I’m leaving this list for Europe and the Americas. Here then are the restaurants that I most want to try for the first time!
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