2019 was a good year for eating. Like Richard Gere once said – “Food is the only beautiful thing that truly nourishes”
Here are my favorite food things in 2019
Austin Foods – Kemuri Tatsu-Ya / Uchi
This year I went to the BBQ mecca that is Franklin’s BBQ, but frankly – Kemuri Tatsu-Ya is my favorite place in Austin. The combination of using mixing Japanese ingredients and technique with Texas BBQ and technique is just something so purely unique and out of this world you just have to shake your head. The BBQ smoked fish collar and the ramen tsukemen where the dipping broth is made from some concentrated brisket bbq stock are just so good.
Uchi was another great experience – Omakase Japanese dinner that is traditional in service sense but also not that traditional in that food plays around with some of the ingredients that are clearly influenced by people living in a south Texas city that is close to the Mexican border. A great meal.
Oyster + Foie Gras + Uni, Morimoto, Las Vegas
It doesn’t take a genius to put three things super rich and high on umami together on a single plate – or does it? I have never thought about combining these three things before and yet, here we are, in Las Vegas and I’m eating this delicous thing (picture at top) that I don’t even know how to process mentally.
Peking Duck
Just leaving this here, because I enjoy eating Peking Duck always.
Kudu, Crocodile, Wildebeest, Blesbock, Uganda
Not often you get to eat all the animals featured in a Planet Earth episode, but for me this dinner was great for several reasons.
1. This was our only real stop in a city on my Africa Safari tour, and previously we had been eating a lot of lodge food, or make shift dinners.
2. It was nearing the end of our adventure so me and my tour mates decided to splurge (I guess you can call it that) and book the best restaurant in Kampala
3. The food was delicious
4. There were no bugs despite sitting outside because there war bats the size of little cats flying everywhere eating them all.
So overall, you have great food with great memories, and that’s the formula for success
Jerk King (Anything, anytime), Toronto
Jerk King is amazing, you can literally get two meals for like 12 bucks because they give you so much food. I love Jerk King, and I go there frequently. Mostly after midnight.
The Free bread at Aloette, Toronto
I didn’t even know the tasty bread at Aloette was free until after my second visit. I love that bread. Go eat it.
Everything – De Librije
Located in a tiny town just outside Amsterdam, De Librije was a gastronomic experience that I quite enjoyed. The presentation was amazing, and each dish was so unique and great.
Congee Queen – Congee Queen is like the life line for Chinese people living in Toronto. It’s consistently good and very cheap.
Oyster, Nerua Guggenheim – Bilbao
This oyster was the best oyster I’ve ever had. It was not even raw, slightly cooked but just tasted amazing.
I could go on and on, but those were some of my favorites! What were yours
