Top Ten Favorite Restaurants of 2012

In the spirit of reflection, here is a list of my top 10 foodie favorites of 2012: Restaurant Edition.

There are few things I love more than going out for a delicious meal. One of my goals (err, resolutions?) is to cook more and try new recipes. However, there is something to be said for perfectly paired courses, prepared by chefs who are truly excellent, have access to the finest ingredients and a beautiful wine list. No dirty dishes, distractions of home or stress of over cooking. Luckily my husband (Sean) shares my love of food and dining out. We constantly discuss new restaurants, read reviews and plan trips around dinner reservations. I joke that our honeymoon was basically one big foodie fest. For that reason, all ten restaurants on this list could easily pay homage to France. For the purpose of accurately remembering 2012 and not just a two week span, I tried to expand my horizons, not be biased by my Francophile ways, and remember that there is more to a great meal than cheese and fresh bread. Actually, I take that back. Cheese and fresh bread make an excellent meal.

WP24, Los Angeles, Feb. 2012
Located on the twenty-fourth floor of the Ritz Carlton in downtown LA is Wolfgang Puck’s modern take on Chinese flavors. I have mixed feelings about Wolfgang Puck, revolving mainly around him being a sell out, but the man basically invented “Asian fusion” fine dining. And I can’t help but love every flavorful bite. I took Sean here for his birthday, and it is one of his favorite meals of the past year as well. It is a modified tasting menu, you select either three or four courses, and then choose which items you want from any category. If you want four noodle dishes, that's fine, two meat dishes and two desserts, etc. While Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant "Spago" is synonymous with LA fine dining (and people watching), I find WP24 to be much more exciting. The views are spectacular and the food is truly exceptional. 

NY Times

Artisan, Paso Robles, CA, Feb 2012
Paso Robles is one of our favorite Central California wine tasting towns. It has an old Wild West feel, a quaint town square and 250 wineries.  This was our second time eating at Artisan, and it sealed the number one spot for our favorite restaurant in Paso. It’s elevated American fair, with a focus on seasonal, locally grown ingredients. They have an excellent paella on the menu with fresh scallops, shrimp, mussels, chorizo and saffron. It is the perfect meal after a full day of wine tasting. Unsurprisingly they have a great wine list.

American Farm to Table Website

Sushi Samba, Las Vegas, June 2012

I’m not really a “Vegas” person, and I was taught to generally avoid chain restaurants (support independent chefs). However, dinner at Sushi Samba was one of my favorite nights of the year. It was my bachelorette party. I was surrounded by some of my best friends. And the food. Holy smokes, was it good. Sushi is my last meal on earth food. And I tend to really like fusion type restaurants, I’m big on flavor. Who knew Latin and Sushi was such a great combo? Since we were a big group, the server simply asked how much we wanted to spend per person, and we didn’t have to make a single decision. They customized each dish so that everyone had a piece. No trying to split or cut items or fighting over the last roll. It was all a surprise and every single bite was delicious. Of course the amazing company and conversation only added to the experience, I will definitely be returning.

Amaya, London, UK, August 2012

When I travel I like to enjoy meals I could not get at home. LA has a ton of great restaurants, but our Indian food is really lacking. Amaya is unlike any Indian restaurant I have ever experienced. Not only do they have a Michelin star, but the majority of their food is grilled. They utilize the three core Indian grilling methods; tandoor, sigri, tawa (just referenced their website for that tidbit). The dishes are simple, highly seasoned and are meant to be dipped in one of four sauces. The plates were small and meant for sharing, sort of like Indian tapas.  While the menu is very “meat heavy” my absolute favorite dish was the eggplant.

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Veranda, Menerbes, France, September 2012

We spent a week in the Luberon region of Provence for part of our honeymoon. It was one of the best weeks of my life. I can’t wait to return, and someday make the region “our place” for annual family vacations. The food, the wine, the lifestyle. I love that you can explore one of the many picturesque hilltop towns, find yourself in an unexpected rain shower, and run in to a little restaurant for one of the best meals of your life. This happened at Veranda. We showed up early (due to the rain), and received the best seat in the house with a view of the entire valley. Vineyards and walled cities as far as the eye can see. The food was phenomenal; I couldn't help but take pictures.

 La Table de Pablo, Villars, France, September 2012

A fun twist on classic French food with a hint of molecular gastronomy, located in the middle laverndar fields and vineyards. Sitting on the patio under the stars eating foie gras is my idea of heaven. After our hotel was unable to get through on the phone to make us a reservation, we decided to take a leisurely drive over and chance it for lunch. Upon arrival it was closed. However we tried calling from the car (after getting out and yelling “Pablo” in to the gates), and someone answered and took our reservation for dinner. It was worth making the long drive twice in one day.

Ze Kitchen Galerie, Paris, September 2012

After a week of eating French food, it’s fun to mix it up a bit in Paris.  There are a ton of incredible, traditional French restaurants in Paris that have been around forever. This a new(ish) seafood restaurant with an Asian flair. The menu is exceptionally creative and the service was impeccable yet young and friendly.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, September 2012

The last, and dare I say best, dinner of the trip, and perhaps the year, was enjoyed at the appropriately named restaurant, Dinner. Every foodie worth their salt knows about Heston Blumenthal. He is kind of a big deal. Dinner gained a Michelin star within a year of opening, and was listed as number 9 on the list of World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The “meat fruit” chicken liver mousse that looks like an orange is something I will never forget. The menu is a journey through British history, with dishes ranging from the 14^th to 19^th century. I made the reservation months in advance, and still was only able to get a 9:30 slot on a Tuesday. In the end it was for the best because it was the perfect ending to our honeymoon.
They also make ice cream table side by "trolley" using a hand crank, liquid nitrogen and custard. Mind blown.

Dahlia Lounge, Seattle, November 2012

Sean spent the week in Seattle on business and I flew up to join him for a weekend of fun and food. I had heard great things about all of Tom Douglas’ restaurants, so we opted for the original favorite, Dahlia Lounge, to get the quintessential Seattle experience. It totally lived up to the hype! It was Northwest Cuisine (fresh seafood) with a bit of a Moroccan/ sometimes Asian feel. The oxtail ravioli and roasted five spice duck were my favorite.

Mastro’s Steakhouse, Los Angeles (Beverly Hills), December 31, 2012
I’m not sure if this was really a top 10, but I wanted to include another LA favorite. It was my last meal of 2012 and an amazing one at that. We rang in the new year with good friends and amazing food. I’m not a huge steak person, but I love all the side dishes. We were completely decadent and ordered both the King Crab black truffle gnocchi (which blew my mind) and the lobster mashed potatoes, wedge salad, steaks, and topped it all off with Mastro’s famous warm butter cake with vanilla ice cream.  It was a decadent meal, but a very appropriate farewell for a truly fantastic year. 

Upon completion I've realized 10 isn't nearly enough. I've left out so many of my favorite LA restaurants! So that will be a list for another day... Top 10 LA restaurants to follow!

Have a great weekend! And please share some your favorite meals of 2012. Can you tell I like to talk about food?