2012: Meals of the Year-Part 1

Le Bec-Fin Dining Room, Closing Night, March 2012

Le Bec Fin Kitchen, Opening Night, June 2012

As we come to the end of another year, we look back at our favorite meals of 2012.  From standby classics to exciting new favorites, we were lucky enough to experience some of the city and country’s top restaurants in the past year.  Be it a hot dog stand or the whitest tablecloth in town, the lowest common denominator of a great night out is always the same.  Here are our favorite meals of 2012:

Favorite Bites 215

If only we were always guaranteed the crispy edges

It’s natural for a fully composed dish to come to mind when recalling to your favorite things to eat. On a smaller level, sometimes it’s that one addictive bite that has you coming back for more.  Like the four corner brownies in a batch or the buttery surface layer of popcorn, the following bites, bits, and morsels are our favorite things to savor in the city.

Cheu Noodle Bar: Beyond the Broth

    We were lucky enough to score two seats to the latest Pop-Up installment of Cheu Noodle Bar.  While the noodles were perfectly chewy, the soundtrack eclectically diverse, and the handlebar mustaches waxed just right, the overall impression of Cheu Noodle Bar deserves attention beyond the broth as one of the most significant restaurant “openings” this year.

Sawatdee: ValenThai’s Day

     I’ve been lucky enough to have the greatest woman/dining companion in my life for the past 10 months.  We’ve shared some wonderful meals from Philly to New York to Omaha to Chicago: Massimo Bottura, Momofuku, Torrisi’s Italian Specialties, Bibou, The Grey Plume, The Flatiron , Publican , and Aviary just off the top of my head. So when it comes time to celebrate our first Valentine’s Day, where do we go? Neighborhood Thai. Natch.