After doing this for awhile, you have your days where you wonder what it’s all for. Looking back at my cadre of food photographs from the past several years, it can become difficult to stomach the idea that I digested all of that. But then something comes along to widen your eyes, and make you thankful you’ve got a tongue studded with ten thousand tastebuds. Case in point: uni. Can only be decribed as: foie gras of the sea. A tip: skip the egg yolk. While I’m a proponent of an egg atop of anything from pasta to a steak, uni should be enjoyed as is. Also, don’t be a sissy-- take it all at once, in a single bite. The one on the far left was prepared by my adept sushi man for my girlie mouth. My three male companions (I'm lucky that way) got the big guys. Ask for it by name at Nami or your favorite raw fish purveyor.



Another refreshing turn of events: Asian-style brunch. Vietnamese superstar Ngon Bistro as well as Japanese pub Moto-I are now open for the hangover’s favorite meal of the day. This fragrant Thousand Hills corned beef hash was like your grandpa’s breakfast fell into a bowl of pho, and it worked.



This omlette over rice from Moto-I was one of the most memorable breakfast dishes I’ve had—altogether satisfying in its simple completion. Two of the world’s most perfect foods, in one nutritious human-sized bowl. A little fatty pork doesn’t hurt, either.  Read more about this, and more winning brunch dishes in the January issue of Metro.



This little plate of fries almost didn’t make the cut, but then it got me to thinking about how sometimes when something just tastes good, it is good. I had received a charming press release from the owner of Sauced Spirits and Soundbar. In it, I read how the place is a culmination of dreams to keep grandma’s downhome Italian cuisine alive, as well as to be surrounded by music every day. I wanted to like this thing. Amongst a groaning table of food, most of which was frankly not very delicious, these Parmesan fries were almost ethereal in their goodness. They didn’t taste particularly hand cut, and the cheese almost certainly wasn’t Reggiano. Still, they didn’t last five minutes on the table, and I get a little kick out of how they got the better of three know-it-all foodies.

And because my stomach sometimes gets the better of me and the camera doesn’t always emerge before the whole dish has somehow disappeared, 14 good moments from the year, minus the visual assist, in no particular order:

The simplest roast beef sandwich with horseradish mayo and summer tomato, at Lucia’s To Go

Café Maude’s wood grilled hamburger with house cut fries and cheese fondue

Any breakfast sandwich at Common Roots Café

My birthday dinner at Heidi’s, in which the petite filet of beef tenderloin, potato mille feuille, mushroom roasted garlic and beef tongue sauce, amongst other things, had me nearly lying down in the banquette, drunk with pleasure

Croque Madame, Vincent

Caesar salad, Rinata, still the best to be had in town

Baba Ghanoush, Saffron (tell them you want it Mecca’s way)

Fried Chicken, Favor Café

Gosa Gosa plate, The Blue Nile

Steamed Mussels from Duplex: white wine, ginger, tomato, cilantro, Thai chili paste, scallions and butter

Any Udon soup from Moto-i

Achiote poached Alaskan halibut, green curry and apple couscous, celery root bisque, yellow curry oil, Crispin Cider Dinner, The Happy Gnome

Anything on the Raw Bar, Sea Change

Bittersweet chocolate cookies, Rustica

Next time: Top picks from the decade.

Other news:

Sameh Wadi, chef/ owner of Saffron has gone up against Morimoto on Iron Chef America. The episode airs on January 24, 2010.

The second installment of the Bradstreet/ Studio Bricolage Mixology course takes place on Saturday, January 30th.