The Best Thing I Ever Ate

I rarely watch any TV on my 13" monitor from the late 1990's (I call it the baby dino), but there's an excellent new program on the Food Network entitled, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate!" According to Food Network's on-line episode guide, the show highlights, "...the country's most amazing meals, eats, and treats as told by the pros who spend their lives obsessing over food...featuring some of your favorite Food Network stars, offering a taste of the things you must try before you die."

It got me thinking. If I were to write a list of the absolute BEST things I've ever eaten in my life (which, I haven't done), what would it look like? What and where would my choices be? I've certainly eaten many a memorable meal, but I've only kept track of these few culinary standouts in the back of my mind. Which is a shame really, because the whereabouts of excellent cuisine should be shared, and the chefs/restaurants who prepared it should be recognized for making it so darn tasty.

So, how exactly does one categorize the best food one has ever eaten? I suppose it can either be a single specific piece of nosh (ie: the best burger or cupcake or egg salad), type of food (ie: Indian, American, Japanese), or a favorite meal, which would include an overall everything-was-tasty-on-my-plate combination. I'm also a big believer in the influence of ambiance. One can certainly consume a delicious 5-course meal, but if the environment doesn't vibe well, it can detract from the overall enjoyment of the food in front of you.

To keep matters simple, I'm going to be as specific as possible. When it comes to the best things I've ever eaten, it's a single piece of food, little treat, or dish that floats into my mind surrounded by detailed memories of its exquisite taste, company, and atmosphere of where it was enjoyed. While many of my favorite foods have not been consumed in restaurants, I will only be sharing those that were - so you can hopefully come across them someday in your travels and let me know your thoughts about them!

The Best _____ I Ever Ate:

Pizza:

Luzzo's

211 1st Avenue

New York, NY 10003

I stumbled upon this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with E about year ago in NYC's East Village. I had walked by it a dozen times because it was near my old apartment, noted it was Italian, and we trekked in there one night for pizza. It's definitely a good sign when you walk in the front door of a restaurant and there are photographs of Martha Stewart posing with the Chefs and NYTimes and WSJ reviews framed all over the wall. The secret to Luzzo's delicious pizza is how it's baked: in authentic coal and wood-burning ovens. This makes the crust thin, but not too thin, and crispy in all the right places. The pizza also picks up a slighty smokey/rustic flavor which really makes it out-of-this-world. I HIGHLY recommend the Arugola Pizza, featuring fresh crushed tomato sauce, fresh slices of mozzarrella, prosciutto, shaved parmesan, arugola, and basil leaves. Delicious. The best anywhere, but their takeout can't beat eating it in the restaurant.

Slice of Chocolate Cake:

Cucina Toscana

307 West Pierpont Avenue

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Hands down, the best dessert I've ever had the pleasure of consuming in my entire life. Yep, out of all of them (and trust me - there are A LOT!). Perfect in it's simplicity, this slice of chocolate cake is unrivaled heaven on a plate. I literally remember feeling myself melt into each bite. The cake itself is chocolate, impeccably infused with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and bourbon vanilla. A silky chocolate mouse is layered between the four cake layers, and the final outer frosting is a creamy, shiny chocolate ganache. In fact, on my way out the door after a fantastic dining experience, I gave the owner (who was greeting guests) a hug. I thanked him and his team for featuring such a culinary masterpiece and, in essence, making my life complete in terms of eating the best piece of chocolate cake imaginable. It has yet to be surpassed.

California Sushi Roll

Ruby Foo's

Times Square

1626 Broadway at 49th Street

New York, NY 10019

Sushi has recently grown on me over the past couple of years, and while I typically stick to the vegetarian rolls, this one in particular featured fresh King Crab leg meat and (of course) avocado. Though Ruby Foo's is located in the heart of Manhattan in Times Square and consequently, is insanely touristy, they can really roll out (no pun intended) some exquisite food. This roll wasn't fishy at all, (like some California rolls can unfortunately be), and don't even think about any of their sushi featuring imitation-type meat. They are sushi rolls rolled to perfection and they're mighty tasty at that!

Indian Food:

Rasika

633 D Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20004

E introduced me to this restaurant which positively blew me away the first - and second - times we dined there. The interior is very modern; sophisticated, yet decorated with a bohemian sense of style. I especially love the tiled floor and chandeliers. The food is exquisitely seasoned - we're talking about a restaurant whose Chef was nominated "Best Chef - Mid Atlantic" in 2009 by the James Beard Foundation Awards. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but you must MUST try the Palak Chaat (crispy fried spinach drizzled with sweet yogurt, tamarind, and date chutney) as an appetizer. The Chicken Biryani is also a favorite dish of mine; it has a kick of heat, but comes served in its own little copper pot, with homemade naan baked over the top like a pot-pie. The entire dining experience is flawless from start to finish, including the service. And the menu? It features a wide enough variety that there are seemingly always new things to try.

Gelato Ice Cream Cone - Flavor: Dulce de Leche

Ciao Bella Cafe

One Ferry Building

San Francisco, CA 94104

It was a hot Spring day in San Francisco and I was doing some sight-seeing which included a walk in and around the famous Ferry Building and sea lion photo-opp. I then spontaneously decided it was time for some gelato! Mind you, this was before my no-dairy days, but OH WOW, this flavor really hit the spot. Ciao Bella uses all natural ingredients in their gelato and sorbet, and they feature an incredible assortment of concoctions to choose from. Though they now nationally distribute pints to grocery stores, ordering it al-fresco at a "scoop" shop makes it taste soooo much better. Do seek one out for sweet, creamy, refreshing indulgence at its best.

Crossaint (chocolate, plain, and almond)

Bouchon Bakery Yountville

6528 Washington Street

Yountville, CA 94599

A few days after visiting downtown San Francisco, it was time to hit up Napa Valley! After a long while driving, my fellow travelers and I came across the tiny town of Yountville. It was very cute, very clean, and very walkable. We were hungry too (no surprise there), so we stopped by this bakery for a snack. Come to find out, after researching what Bouchon was and why they had just produced the best croissants I had ever eaten in my entire life, that they are renowned for their treats, and have two other bakeries established in New York City's Columbus Circle and in Vegas. The flagship though, which is in Yountville, really gives you the authentic experience. It was originally opened to provide the pastries and breads for their adjacent bistro. Inspired by the boulangeries of Paris, Bouchon does a fantastic job of bringing a little bit of the "cafe life" to the places that surround them.

Mug of Hot Chocolate

Troll Hallen Restaurant Lounge - Stein Eriksen Lodge

7700 Freeway Park Drive

Park City, UT 84060

It could have been the fact I was skiing all day in knee-deep powder at Deer Valley and desperately needed a break to defrost. My thighs were burning. I was tired and cold. My Father and I walked into this gorgeous lodge, pried off our ski boots, donned some slippers provided by the lodge (nice touch there), and snuggled into our seats for a steaming mug of hot chocolate...piping hot, made with real, melted, gourmet sipping chocolate and fresh whipped cream. It was so good I promptly had two in a row. Nothing better before tackeling another afternoon of epic pow.

Calamari Salad

Asia de Cuba

237 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10016

Like I mentioned earlier, I rarely, RARELY order fish, shellfish, or squid for that matter when dining out, but this salad was an exception. Dining here for NYC's restaurant week (but a constant item on their menu), this salad features crispy calamari with chayote, hearts of palm, banana, cashews, chicory and radicchio, tossed with a light sesame orange dressing. At $25.00 it's pricey, but this is a "Cheesecake Factory sized portion", plenty for 3 people to share. And wow. Go for it.

...there are so many more delicious things I'm leaving out, but I fail to recall the restaurants from which they were ordered and eaten; especially the international meals. I'll need to dig a little deeper into the depths of my mind and do some research! This being said, be sure to check back, as I will be adding new "best things" to this post as I remember the old and come across the new. Totally a blogging faux pas, but I'd rather share the goodness in an easy-to-access, single-post manner. Yum, yum!