Favorite Meal Ever

So since my lovely husband took me out to one of the best places to eat in the SW I of course had to put it in my top list of favorite places I have eaten.

Now I love a good down home meal, but will admit to also loving froo-froo food.

The best and freshest ingredients blended in new and innovative ways and served in a lovely environment with exemplary service.

My favorite meal ever was at the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta, Ga.  It was a special black truffle menu and we went whole hog and got the wine pairings with it. It was full on French inspired and we had a waiter and the sommelier helping.  I don't know when if ever I will get to eat like that again, but wow.

Close by and much cheaper in price were the now defunct Chez Nous in Plymouth run by local chef Jacques Marchal and a meal we had in the village of Evershot  at the Acorn Inn http://www.acorn-inn.co.uk/. 

Well it's been a very long time since I had true 'froo-froo food' -- but I ate at this place once or twice...

http://www.hyattkc.com/pcdc/

The lobster bisque was to die for, as was the 'Ultra Chocolatta dessert bar':

"For guests who appreciate chocolate, the Peppercorn Duck Club offers the Ultra Chocolatta dessert bar, a selection of rich chocolate desserts prepared by the pastry chef. The Ultra Chocolatta Bar is offered complimentary for lunch and dinner with the purchase of an entree."

(Think chocolate buffet 'cause that's what it is!)

The Dom (Perignon) wasn't bad either.

I don't think I could even pick one. I come from a family that loves "frou frou" (I like that!) food, so we went out for meals like that a couple of times a week. And every night, when on holiday.

One of my favourites, however, would be sitting on the rocks overlooking the sea in Pt. Judith (Rhode Island) eating greasy clamcakes out of a brown paper bag, accompanied by ice cold bottles of beer.

I went to a restaurant in Invermere, British Columbia last summer.  It is in a little house, very unassuming.  But the food is AMAZING!! 

http://www.invermere.com/strands/

I ate a venison dish that literally melted in my mouth.  I took one bite, and decided I didn't need to have another because I had reached nirvana.  i ate the whole thing, of course, and gave everyone around the table a taste so I could see their reactions (which were the same as mine).  I've never had a culinery experience like that before..

Last year for our anniversary my wife and I flew into Bilbao and visited the Guggenheim.Then we made our way San Sebastian in the Basque region. We ate at two of the greatest places ever. Five Michellin stars between them. We ate dinner at Arzak  http://www.relaischateaux.com/arzak

Then had Sunday lunch over looking the sea at Arkelare

http://www.relaischateaux.com/akelare

The food was some of the best we have eaten. Anyone looking for a gourmet weekend away I highly recommend San Sebastian.

I went to a restaurant in Invermere, British Columbia last summer.  It is in a little house, very unassuming.  But the food is AMAZING!! 

http://www.invermere.com/strands/

I ate a venison dish that literally melted in my mouth.  I took one bite, and decided I didn't need to have another because I had reached nirvana.  i ate the whole thing, of course, and gave everyone around the table a taste so I could see their reactions (which were the same as mine).  I've never had a culinery experience like that before..

Ah yes.... the food orgasm...

 

I do have a favourite non frou frou meal and that is Doumar's in Norfolk, VA  http://www.doumars.com/

Ah yes.... the food orgasm...

That's exactly what it was!!

My husband and I went to Williamsburg, VA for our honeymoon and I had the most incredible open-faced roast beef sandwich, served on a slice of garlic toast and topped with crisp fried onions and homemade cheddar cheese sauce.  I don't even remember the restaurant, but it had just opened that weekend.  Oh...now I'm making myself hungry!

here's a few of mine:

tiny little pub called mcgann's out in doolin, on the west coast of ireland. i just walked in & ordered their veg dish of the day without knowing what it would be, and it was perfect. it was years ago, but i've never since had such perfectly roasted potatoes.

eastern tandoori indian restaurant in galway city. shahi veg korma so good i cried.

the tea room in the clarence hotel, dublin. asked to have the chef prepare a veg meal, as there wasn't one on the set menu. was fantastically delighted with the gorgeous baby vegetable & pasta concoction i received. and the dessert--mango sorbet with a whipped vanilla yoghurt topping--oy vey.

elephant & castle, temple bar, dublin. they make the world's sexiest dessert. it's a shame it has to be eaten in public whilst fully clothed. it's a yoghurt frou-frou: fresh plain yoghurt topped with all sorts of beautiful, uber-fresh fruits--apples, pears, raspberries, red currants, blackberries, etc. the entire dish is then drizzled with copious amounts of honey & toasted hazelnuts.

i'm sensing a trend here...sure am glad we booked the honeymoon in ireland 

it's a shame it has to be eaten in public whilst fully clothed.

I love it!!!

the most incredible open-faced roast beef sandwich, served on a slice of garlic toast and topped with crisp fried onions and homemade cheddar cheese sauce. 

I dont like frou-frou food, so that type of thing really appeals to me!

The details are sketchy about my best meal ever... dont remember the name of the dish, or the name of the restaurant:  it was  a Malaysian restaurant, which is now closed down,  in Elephant & Castle, South London.   The dish was some sort of spicy chicken dish, but i have never tasted such succulent, tender, melt-in-the-mouth tender chicken as this...still dont know how they did it!  The sauce had whole dried red chillis in it, and was very spicy, but not painful.  But the most memorable bit:  the garlic.   My plate must have had at least 10 cloves of garlic in it... sliced, and each tiny slice of garlic clove was toasted to a slightly crunchy/chewy golden brown.

10 years later, we still talk about that dish, which we only able to enjoy a total of 3 times before the restaurant closed down.   Shame. 

OK, this isn't my favourite meal, but is my favourite dish served at a restaurant:

It's from 10 Steak & Sushi, a funky sushi and steakhouse in Providence, RI ... every hour on the hour, bubbles come up from behind the bar; your waiter gives you 3D glasses to look at the pictures in the dessert menu; etc. Very funky. But, at the same time, very expensive and sophisticated.

Anyway, the dish I love there is Death-by-Butter Mashed Potatoes. OMG. To die for (almost literally, I'm afraid). I've been there in groups of three or four, and we've still not been able to finish them! It's a volcanic looking mound of mashed potatoes (more smashed than mashed, really), dripping in pools of butter. Then there's grated cheese on top, and the whole thing is broiled and bubbling and heavenly.

I've given this a lot of thought.  But I have had so many amazing meals I don't know how to choose.

One of the best meals I've ever had was at Del Frisco's in NY.  I had the most amazing fillet mingnon.  It was black and blue, so almost totally rare.  It was like butter, melt in your mouth.  We took Rich there and he being the beef lover proclaimed it was the best he's ever had (That says a lot, since meat is his only food love really)  Anyway if you are ever in NY you must go, here is the website:
http://www.delfriscos.com/newyork/
It's right across from Radio City Music Hall.


Get a few sides, especially the onion rings and creamed spinach.

tiny little pub called mcgann's out in doolin, on the west coast of ireland. i just walked in & ordered their veg dish of the day without knowing what it would be, and it was perfect. it was years ago, but i've never since had such perfectly roasted potatoes.

The best mushroom soup I've ever had was in a pub in Doolin.

The best mushroom soup I've ever had was in a pub in Doolin.

i want to kick out all the tourists and take over doolin