11/28/13

Happy Thanksgiving! Coincidentally, today marks the fourth year anniversary of this blog. This past year was filled with far less travels but still lots of great eats. I’ve stayed within the U.S. this year and, as a result, this year’s list isn’t nearly as worldly as last year’s (in which each of the top 5 were outside of the country).

Thinking back on a year of meals that was very LA-centric, it seemed to be a year of many pop-ups and collaborative dinners. I appreciate the fact that there are so many opportunities to try food from up-and-coming chefs and well-known ones from outside the city. In fact, I was lucky enough to attend meals in LA from 4 of NorCal’s most notable chefs/restaurants this year (Chris Kostow/Meadowood, Douglas Keane/Cyrus, Tim Hollingsworth/The French Laundry, David Kinch/Manresa). I missed out on the ones with Daniel Boulud and David Chang (and others I’m sure), but it’s exciting to see so many coming to LA to eat, see and cook.

Here, now, my five most memorable meals of the past year:

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Please excuse me for a brief intermission from the usual food/restaurant posts, I’d like to share some exciting news:

I know that pictures of food are one of the most critical aspects of just about any food blog. In an age where everyone is constantly short on time, a picture of a dish instantly conveys so much more emotion than a few lines of text (not to discount the text, which is an integral part of a food blog too). Many of the pictures I upload to this blog are initially shared on my Instagram feed, and I know there are tons of people in LA that love to share their food pursuits just like me. Thus, I’m honored to be nominated as a finalist for one of this year’s LA Weekly Web Awards in the category of “Best Food Instagrammer.” Coincidentally, this nomination follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner and friend Pinoy Panda aka LIMER35, who was actually the one that convinced me to start an Instagram account in the first place.

If you’ve liked the pictures you’ve seen here, please help me by taking a minute to vote. Literally – voting takes under a minute and ends Friday, July 19th. Best Food Instagrammer is category #23, and you can even vote for just one category…as many times as you’d like.

Links below:
My Instagram
LA Weekly Web Awards Poll

Thank you for your continued support!

-Darin

11/28/12

Today marks the third year anniversary of this blog. Who knew it would last this long? Honestly, I had no expectations when I started this so I can’t say I did. Each year has brought something new and different, chronicling where I’ve been and much of what I’ve eaten.

As with all of my other anniversary posts, I’ll recount here the top 5 meals of the last 366 days.

This past third year brought about an unexpected international flavor, having spent almost two of the past twelve months abroad. This included short stays in India and England, with the most significant (6 weeks) being in Japan. This was definitely the highlight for me – I love Japanese food. The opportunity to pig out on bowls of udon, soba, and ramen, plates of  curry rice, tonkatsu, tempura, yakitori, and multiple sushi, kaiseki and French meals (adding up to a cumulative 32 Michelin stars) was something I’ll never forget. Not surprisingly, my stay in Japan is well-reflected in this list.

5. Joel Robuchon (Tokyo, Japan) – 11/18/12

Foie Gras with Parmesan Risotto

This was the best Western meal I had in Japan and perhaps the best service I’d seen in Tokyo (and therefore, ever). The lunch was highlighted by perfect execution from a meltingly rich foie gras atop risotto to a really nicely textured amadai (tilefish), cooked with its scales on. The bread cart, just like at the Las Vegas outpost, never ceases to amaze me.

4. Umi (Tokyo, Japan) – 10/29/12

Toro

I had a number of sushi meals in Tokyo but this one stood apart in its variety (of course, quality too). Trying 30-or-so different cuts of fish was by far the most of any single meal and it was amazing to be able to sample so much (most from the chef’s native region Hokkaido). Getting to dine here with a native Japanese speaker was a huge plus, too.

3. Sushi Yoshitake (Tokyo, Japan) – 11/12/12

Kohada

The best all-around sushi I had in Japan and probably the best sushi meal I’ve ever had. The sashimi to start off with was exquisite, highlighted by tender abalone in its own liver sauce, monkfish liver with yuzu, and a smoked bonito. The sushi courses that followed maintained the high notes, yielding one of my best meals in Japan.

2. RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan) – 10/20/12

Premium Sea Urchin from Hokkaido in Lace Wrapping Deep Fried Rare with Edamame Beans Paste

This was an excellent meal from start to finish. Chef Yamamoto presented a modern kaiseki menu highlighting the ingredients (and seasons) of Japan with flawless execution. Highlights for me included an awesome fried uni, excellent unagi and surprisingly the best soba I had during my stay. I still think about the crispy, juicy unagi; I’ve never had anything quite like it.

1. The Fat Duck (Bray, UK) – 5/25/12

MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY (c.1850) Mock Turtle Soup, Pocket Watch

This wasn’t a clear-cut decision, but there was something about the whimsical, playful nature of this meal that set it apart. There was a sense of anticipation and excitement that came with each dish, keeping us all on the edge of our seats for hours. Combined with the fact that the ‘entertainment’ value of the dishes did not outshine the flavors, this was a wildly successful meal…and a whole lot of fun.

I’d like to extend a big THANK YOU to those whom I’ve had the pleasure of dining with, and to all who have stopped by this blog in the past year (especially multiple times)!

Honorable mention (in chronological order):
Commonwealth (San Francisco, CA) – 11/26/11 Another previous year’s meal showed up on last year’s list and I had another great meal here. For me, it’s a ‘must’ on any extended dining visit to San Francisco.
The French Laundry (Yountville, CA) – 11/27/11 Celebrating my grandmother and aunt’s birthday in one of my favorite restaurants in California is a sure-fire way to make this list.
Saison (San Francisco, CA) – 12/17/11 Truly an excellent meal and one of the best I’ve ever had in San Francisco.
5×5 Chefs Collaborative @ Melisse (Santa Monica, CA) – 4/29/12 The lone entrant from LA was the best of the 5×5 dinners I attended. The all-star cast put together a very strong meal.
Pierre Gagnaire (Tokyo, Japan) – 11/11/12 Honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect at Gagnaire’s Tokyo outpost, but I was surprised (in a good way) and thoroughly satisfied with the creativity balanced with flavor.

Previous Anniversary Posts:
First Anniversary | Second Anniversary