10 Favorite Dishes of 2010!

I have been looking at a lot of food blogs posting about their top meals of the year and since I have eaten so many good things in 2010, I feel inclined to share some of my most memorable dishes and where you can find them.

In no particular Order....

1. The Pabellon Arepa with lots of green sauce @ Mil Jugos in Santa Ana, California

To most of you who do not know what an Arepa is; an Arepa is a bun made with cornmeal stuffed with types of meat and cheese. The Pabellon arepa is filled with shredded beef marinated in garlic and other spices, topped with black beans and cotija cheese. The condiment that takes it over the top is the green sauce that is in a bottle on the table. I would classify it as a mix between a salsa verde and guacamole. A truly phenomenal dish.

2. The Margherita Pizza @ Tony's Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco, California

The 2007 Naples Grand Champion and Certified Pizza Master Tony Gemignani only makes 73 of his Award Winning Margherita Pizza's Daily. I went to Tony's on a Friday night hoping that there would be at least one pizza left for me and luckily there was. When the pizza came to the table, I knew it was something special. The sweet and tangy sauce and buffalo mozzarella were the perfect pair when combined with the light and flakey crust. The crust on the pizza was the true star showing absolutely no grease and maintaining a unified crisp throughout. For a traditional neapolitan pizza, it doesn't get much better than Tony's.

3. Foie Gras Cheesecake @ Haven Gastropub, Orange, California

I know what your thinking. "Who puts fattened duck liver and cheesecake together?" I know it may sound crazy, but this dessert was beyond delicious. The Fatiness of the liver mixed with the cheese made this dish very rich, but also very satisfying. Since the cake itself was so heavy, the accompaniment of the apricot preserves really balanced out the dish nicely. The addition of the graham cracker crust on the bottom gave this dish a perfect crunch and a dish that was simply Mind blowing.

4. The Apple Fritter @ Ronald's, Las Vegas, Nevada

I have had a lot of Apple Fritters, but this one stands out above the rest. Ronald's Donuts is quickly becoming a staple in the Las Vegas area for having amazing VEGAN donuts. That's right I just said VEGAN donuts. It may sound weird, but Ronald's donuts are some of the best I've had anywhere and my favorite donut at Ronald's is undoubtedly the Apple Fritter. This gigantic fritter must weigh in at least one pound of deep fried goodness. What makes this donut so special is the chunks of apples and large amount of cinnamon throughout each bite. I have had the World Famous Apple Fritter at BOB's in San Francisco, and I can honestly say that Ronald takes the cake, well Donut.........

5. The #3 with Jalapeno Bacon @ 25 Degrees, Huntington Beach, California

Without a doubt one of my favorite burgers I ate in 2010. It was very hard for me to pick a clear favorite burger without taking some other great one's I've had into consideration (Ie: Haven Burger at Haven Gastropub, Squeeze burger at Squeeze Inn and PB &J burger at Slaters 50/50) Even though those burgers are amazing in their own right, I feel that my favorite burger of 2010 is the #3 at 25 degrees. The burger starts off with a 2/3 pound angus beef patty cooked to a perfect medium rare accompanied by Jalapeno smoked bacon, mezzo secco jack cheese, avocado, green chillies and a chipotle aoili topped by a giant buttery brioche bun. When all those elements are combined, the burger creates an explosion of flavors that is unlike any burger I've had to date.

6. The Butterscotch Budino @ Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles, California

This dish came as a total surprise to me and when I had it, my mind was literally blown. Budino translates to Pudding in English and it's safe to say that this is the best pudding I've ever had. The pudding consists of a silky smooth butterscotch pudding layered with caramel and creme fraiche. The pudding is topped with a sea salt to enhance the flavor of the caramel and provide a contrast of salty and sweet. The pudding literally melts in your mouth and the when all the flavors are combined, it's amazing. Even though I am not a huge butterscotch fan, this is one of the best dessert's I've ever had.

7. The Country Porkchop @ NOPA, San Francisco, California

Nopa in San Francisco is one of the most popular New American restaurants in the city. All of their food is great, but the dish that really sticks with me is the Country Pork Chop. The Pork Chop is brined overnight and is cooked to a perfect medium, possessing a slightly pink center. The 24 hour brine helps the meat become very tender and extra juicy. The first bite of the chop, the flavor was almost overwhelming; almost too flavorful. But bite after bite, it tasted better and better and I couldn't get enough of it. The chop literally tasted like a gigantic piece of tender bacon which is definitely not a bad thing. I often have pork chops, but I don't know if I will ever have one as good as Nopa's.

8. Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding @ Tartine Bakery, San Francisco, California

Tartine Bakery was voted one of the top 5 bakeries in the United States. The bakery has a wide array of world class pastries, desserts and rustic breads. I have had many amazing things at Tartine including chocolate croissants, banana cream pies and cinnamon buns, but the chocolate banana brioche bread pudding is easily one of the best things I've ever eaten. The pudding consists of shredded brioche bread, chocolate chunks and caramelized bananas that all combine to create something magical. Unlike most watery bread puddings, Tartine's is much thicker and denser which makes it extremely rich and filling. Thank the lord I don't live anywhere near Tartine, or else I would be eating this dish every day.

9. Fennel Sausage Pizza @ Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles, California

I was sort of skeptical my first time I went to Pizzeria Mozza because the place was so hyped up, I just knew I would be disappointed. When I left Pizzeria Mozza for the first time, the place didn't just live up to the hype, but it blew any other pizza place out of the water. I have had a few pies at Mozza, but the one I keep coming back to is the Fennel Sausage Pizza. This pizza combines a Perfect crust with sweet onions and an amazing Fennel Sausage. What makes the sausage so good is that it is ground in house everyday and is spread liberally throughout the pizza in large chunks. The sausage is so rich and flavorful, by the time your done with this pizza, you won't want to eat for awhile. The main reason why Mozza's pizzas are so good is their magical crust. The crust is extra crispy, but maintains the density similar to a croissant. Unlike Tony's traditional crust, Mozza's crust is salty and tastes phenomenal all by itself. This pizza has changed my views on how unique and special a pizza can be.

10. The Manage-A-Trois @ Ike's Place, San Francisco, California

There is no way I could have a list about my favorite dishes of the year without mentioning Ike's. Now hidden within a lounge in the Castro District, Ike's place is famous for serving up legendary sandwiches packed with flavor. Although I have had a few sandwiches at Ike's and have loved them all, the Manage-A-Trois is so unique and better than any other sandwich I have ever had. The sandwich consists of halal shredded chicken breast, real honey, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, pepperjack cheese, swiss cheese and smoked gouda cheese with all necessary veggies and Ike's special "Dirty" sauce squeezed between the amazing Dutch Crunch bread. It is hard to explain this how good this sandwich really is because there is just so much going on. The combination of the sweet honey, tangy barbecue sauce and cheeses makes this sandwich truly remarkable.

Another year has gone by, exploring different cities and sampling the best food they have to offer. Although this list consists of only ten dishes, there are so many more that have made an impression on me. Some runner ups include; Seared Foie Gras at the Montage, Lamb Burger at Haven Gastropub, Braised Oxtail at Lola Gaspar, Cookies and Cream Cookie at Anthony's Cookies, Grasshopper Pie at Mitchells, Maple Bacon Donut at Dynamo Donuts, Sweet Potato Tamale at Mesa Grill, Lamb Shank at Aziza, Vampire Dip at Slaters 50/50, Carnitas and Al Pastor at Taqueria Tapatia #2.

My hunt for amazing food will continue and I promise that 2011 will be an even better year of amazing dishes from around the world.