Belly-up to the table for the finest fare around the world
 | |||
 | | | |
This summer, USA TODAY launched the "Down-home Dining" project, which has taken me to nearly 70 classic pizza joints, ice cream parlors, barbecue and fish shacks, cafes, buffets, hot dog and hamburger stands and pancake houses. I'm ecstatic to report that there is an abundance of dirt-cheap, high-quality humble fare out there that reflects the quirks and traditions of each region.
 | 25 TOP DISHES | | | |
| ||||
|
In the midst of that research, I also visited half a dozen fine-dining restaurants where chefs with a cerebral bent are practicing avant-garde cooking. n And along the way were trips to Italy and Asia, where both the high-end fare and street foods were nothing short of astonishing; to pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans, where the hedonistic spirit is as potent as ever; and nights on the town at home in New York.
Out of that mix emerged memorable experiences I'm happy to distill into my annual awards for the meals and dishes of the year.
Top down-home dining spot: Loveless Motel & Café, Nashville
A group of local investors saved this 1951 landmark from extinction in 2003 and has breathed new life into a menu that features Southern classics such as fried chicken, country ham, hefty breakfasts and perhaps the country's finest biscuits and fruit preserves. (Related story: Biscuits rise to Olympian heights in Tennessee)
Runner-up: Marguerite's, Westport, Mass.
Top casual lunch spot: Shake Shack, New York
Renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer re-created the take-away eatery of his childhood dreams in the heart of Manhattan two years ago, and New York foodies have proved willing to stand in lengthy lines for outstanding burgers, Chicago-style hot dogs, frozen custard and thoughtfully chosen wines by the glass.
Runner-up: Arnold's Country Kitchen, Nashville
Top breakfast spot: Otis Café, Otis Junction, Ore.
The kitchen in this super-cozy roadside diner southwest of Portland makes nearly all of the dishes from scratch, including four types of bread, softball-size cinnamon rolls, a half-dozen varieties of pie and the famous German potatoes (onion-laced hash browns that are fried, then baked, then topped with white cheddar cheese). (Related story: Big taste resides in a little corner of Oregon)
Runner-up: Pancake Pantry, Nashville
 | |
| Wendy Lyn Whitehurst | |
| Exotic eats: Vietnam's Cho Binh Tay Market gets wins the top spot for foreign meal of the year. | |
|
Meal of the year — foreign: Cho Binh Tay Market, Ho Chi Minh City
The stalls in this bustling Chinese market are bulging with hundreds of exotic foodstuffs, and many of those wind up in the vast array of dishes served at the simple lunch counters in the rear. We squatted on stools, pointed to about eight or nine dishes and ate our fill of such standouts as duck rolls, pork meatballs, pea shoots and mushroom in chicken broth, and several types of unusual fish (and fish parts).
Other notable meals: La Griglia, Argegno, Italy; Ristorante Le Torri, Castiglione Falleto, Italy; Erawan Tea Room, Bangkok; Luck Yu Tea House, Hong Kong
Meals of the year — domestic: Alinea, Chicago, and MiniBar, Washington, D.C.
Of the six restaurants I visited for coverage of experimental dining, these two stood out. The approaches of Alinea's Grant Achatz and MiniBar's Jose Andres are worlds apart, yet both chefs offered food that was challenging, whimsical, stylish and usually (but not always) exceptionally tasty. (Related items: In search of extreme cuisine | Interactive graphic)
Other notable meals: Zuni Café, San Francisco; Daniel, New York; Casa Mono, New York; Nobu 57, New York; all of the meals at a dozen restaurants in New Orleans
No comments:
Post a Comment