Favorite Dishes So Far This Year

[MobyP]

What dishes have you had this year that stand out? Which are the most memorable? And they don't have to be from a restaurant.

(In no particular order)

Salt and pepper quail - Yuatcha

Snail porridge - Fat Duck

Sweetbreads in hay - Fat Duck

Morels cooked in foie gras fat - home.

Broad bean/pecorino ravioli - home.

Braised pig's cheek - home.

Roast pork belly - Ebury

Hmm - it's been slow this year for restaurants - I'd better get moving.

[circeplum]

mutton pudding at rhodes twenty four.

gooooood...

x

[Scott]

Clearly Moby's house is THE place to be, does anyone know the booking policy or if they turn tables. how far in advance should I call? what if I tell them it's my birthday, and my unborn child's dieing wish to eat there? What I threaten to clockage the entrance for 7 days dressed as spiderman?

anyways,

Best dishes:

Oxtail soup - square

Pea broth/Ravioi - Daniel Boulod at le Manoir

Plat du Rhubarb - Patrick O'connell at le Manoir

Potato Gnocchi - Latium

Fish Soup - Racine

mash potato & pea sandwiches - home; hey it's a fetish what can I say

there must be more, I've checked the bank statement, I've eaten out way more than this. will update.

S

[howardlong]

Roast pork belly - Ebury

I've been to the Ebury quite a few times now, but only to the Brasserie downstairs. I've not been upstairs yet, which is where I'm assuming you had the pork belly: the opportunity simply hasn't arisen.

Sadly since March or April they haven't been taking reservations in the Brasserie, so turning up 'on spec' is the only option. To be honest this makes me far less likely to go.

Food menu in the Brasserie is a little limited for my liking, although the oysters are always great - hang on until last orders and they come around with the left overs for free. My only disappointment from the menu there was been the anti pasto plate which tatsed OK but it wasn't going to satisfy anyone's appetite. The olives and bread starters are very tasty.

Even downstairs in the Brasserie they have a fairly good wine list and they'll bring the more extensive wine list from upstairs if you ask them. It's very nice for a long sit down mulling over things among friends, although depressingly sometimes they can try to move you on towards the bar if they're busy, and you've outstayed your welcome. Although I have no proof of this, I've found you can 'buy' your seat if you appear to be spending enough. If you drink Champagne or white wine there, always ask for an ice bucket with water and ice, and be prepared to give it twenty minutes in the bucket before trying it.

To their credit, waiting staff work very hard there, but somehow I just feel they could do with one or two more folks on duty on busy nights. I just read some of the London Eating comments on the Ebury which seem to discredit my findings, although I'm wondering just what they expect from what is really an upmarket boozer (at least downstairs). Ho hum.

Cheers, Howard

[MobyP]

Howard - it's the same kitchen upstairs and down. But downstairs the tables are made for people under 5ft 7inches.

Scott - you'd be welcome anytime.

and that pea raviolo Boulud was very nice indeed.

[Hallie]

Broad Bean, asparagus and spinach salad with lemon dressing - Rivington Grill (so good, so healthy)

chocolate fudge cake with rose water and white chocolate frosting - my house (so good, so unhealthy)

prawn and cod ravioli - Da Fiori, Venice

Tagine of scallops and saffron - La Mattelote, Bolougne

black bean, pumpkin and smoked chicken casserole - my house

warm figs, ricotta and honey - my house (again)

buckwheat crepes with smoked pork loin and cider sauce - La Galette

Unfortunately, no matter how good the dish I have a frighteningly short-term memory for these things. After 2 - 3 months time, my brain efficiently archives the experience under the categories of 'very memorable' and 'avoid in future'. Aside from those dishes mentioned, I recall three very lovely meals this year: the Orrery, the Sir Charles Napier, and at our local Italian eatery, Artigiano. Hopefully more to come if the impending flat-buying experience doesn't totally empty our coffers.

[Gareth]

My favourite for this year (past 365 days...) have been:

- Calves Sweetbreads at Gordon Ramsay

- Percebes at Fino

- Spare Ribs (from Sichuan cookbook) at home

- Mutton Pudding at Gary Rhodes

- Oysters with Leeks and Lime zest at Domaine des Hauts de Loire

- Affagato at Loco

- Loin of Pork at St John

- Elvers in vinegarette with pimento pepper – pinchos at a bar in San Sebastian

- A little pot of melted mexican chocolate that went with my churros in a restaurant in Jackson Hole

- Spicy sausage sauce at home

However, if I can wind back the clock a further ten days, then at Amboisie in Paris there was a Chocolate Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream that was the only time in my entire life I have tasted a dish that was absolutely perfect in every regard. Heart-achingly good. Completely unimprovable.

[circeplum]

However, if I can wind back the clock a further ten days, then at Amboisie in Paris there was a Chocolate Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream that was the only time in my entire life I have tasted a dish that was absolutely perfect in every regard. Heart-achingly good. Completely unimprovable.

you've just reminded me of another favourite: the chocolate tart with orange ice cream at the sportsman in whitstable/seasalter.

awesome. sophisticated. perfect. and astonishing in these surroundings.

x

[Conor]

I'm afraid I'm just like Hallie, a short term memory problem which is not caused by the frequency of my dining out, but more the frequency at which I order wine when dining out.

However, one dish does stand out. It was at Zuma, a restaurant not right at the top of its game but close enough with a good atmosphere to make up it's shortcomings. Seabass sashimi with truffle oil and salmon roe. Made truly great by the quality of the fish.

Oh, another "dish" is the charcuterie trolley at Almeida, admittedly not one dish but many different, but it only takes one line on the menu! Various terrines, parfaits, pates and meats, none perfect but given the amount of choice, close to a perfect starter.

[MobyP]

A glass of beer, and a bowl of pork stew at Pinoxto bar, first thing in the morning in the Bocqueria (sp?) market in Barcelona. Lovely.

[Bapi]

Again in no particular order

Roast Squab and parsley risotto- Merchant House ( simple and perfect)

Oxtail and Pork Belly Faggots- Cotswold House Hotel- Hicks( real comfort food)

Roasted Challandais Duck with spiced pineapple - Waterside Inn (Delicious, moist and perfectly pink)

Crispy Pork belly, Confit of white Asparagus, Calamari in maple syrup, demi tasse of white asparagus and maple syrup soup- Hibiscus (Glorious)

Pork Vindaaloo- Parsee ( The real Mcoy)

Basildog's Rack of lamb and his squid with coriander dish - (which incidentally, beat the pants off a squid starter at the Stein's Seafood restaurant a few days earlier)

[Suzi Edwards]

i can't think of much great stuff i've had in the uk this year as i have been detoxing a lot and i've spent a lot of time out of the country so my list is a bit us centric. sorry!

shrimp tempura with meyer lemon and vanilla, trio, chicago

sweetbreads in hay, fat duck, bray

bass steamed tableside, moto, chicago

streetside pani puri, kartiks, bangalore

tarte tatin a la moby, chez moby, london

halibut and smoked mash, wd50, new york

sweetbreads a la plancha, casa mono, new york

the beignet with the pre dessert, the square, london

[Hallie]

I'm afraid I'm just like Hallie, a short term memory problem which is not caused by the frequency of my dining out, but more the frequency at which I order wine when dining out.

Yes, I'm afraid that this is my problem too.

[Romaney O'Malley]

scallops and iberico ham at home (oldie but such a goodie)

neil perry's version of strawberries and cream at Rockpool in Sydney

spiced chicken livers and cold beer at home on new year's eve

tart l'anglaise with asparagus and a poached quail egg at chez bruce the sunday before last

roasted scampi with tea and scampi oil at Tetsuya (and the trout confit - actually everything)

rack of lamb at the anchor and hope - it was perfect

am feeling very hungry now...

[spanky]

Well, if we're elasticating the remit and talking the past 365 days, I'd have to say the porcini and ricotta tart on a chickpea veloute I had at the Buca di Sant'Antonio in Lucca. More recently, a plate of braised ox shin at Rogue Restaurant here in Ra Burra. Oh, and some amazing burgers my better half rustled up one Friday night. Don't ask me what was in them--I don't know. To paraphrase Isaac Hayes, if eating them was wrong, I don't want to be right.

Cheers,

Spanks