Friday, December 31, 2010

"so this is it then?"

the best food of 2010 
the song: "Rill Rill" Sleigh Bells

As you may or may not know, I keep a meticulous record of what I eat. For example, I can tell you that the last meal I ate in 2009 was an open faced spinach and mushroom grilled cheese and sweet potato fries with Dogfish Head Red & White. I've been keeping this list for more than a year, recording every dinner no matter how embarrassing. This is not some crazy calorie counting thing. I do it to remind myself how lucky I am. 

I've spent some time looking back at the past year of food and have come to the simple conclusion that I eat really really well. In the spirit of end of the year lists (do you love 'best of' lists like I do?) I am sharing some of my favorite meals of 2010. 

First of all, things I cooked! I do that a lot, you know. These aren't in any particular order...how do you compare chili and cookies?...but if I had to list a top recipe, it would be homemade vegetable broth. It is the reason I included 2 soups on this list.

Top Ten Recipes of 2010


*I haven't written about these! But it doesn't mean I love them any less. 

Now, meals I didn't cook. We eat out quite a bit but honestly it takes a lot for a restaurant meal to impress me. Don't get me wrong...I love eating out. I'd eat Alamo burgers and pizzas 5 nights a week with a smile on my face. But when a meal makes me think "wow...how did they do this?" it carves out a special little spot in my brain and earns a place on this list.

Top 5 Restaurant Meals of 2010

5. Pizza from Fireside Pies. Woah, woah. I'm starting this off with a (very small) chain restaurant? A DFW chain restaurant? Yes, my friends, it's true. For my step dad's birthday, we visited the newly opened Fireside Pies in Fort Worth. My socks were knocked off. Fresh herbs sit in glasses of water on the counter of the open kitchen that is the center of the restaurant. Our waiter enthusiastically informed us about 2 different types of cheeses I'd never tasted before. Also, they have handmade buttered noodles.

4. Bean & Cheese Breakfast Taco from Mi Madres. Sure, I could do this one myself. But Mi Madres does simple and delicious so well. It is important to understand this meal always includes at least one basket of salty, greasy chips with peppery salsa and three to four cups of coffee. Being so close to this place is one of the many benefits to east Austin livin'. Promises of this meal have gotten me out of bed when little else would. Plus, it costs somewhere around $3.

3. Bagel and Lox from Russ and Daughters. Is it cheating to include New York food? These lox were life changing. I say that without a hint of exaggeration. It raised my standards. It made me think $10 for a bagel was a bargain.

2. Red Snapper from Olivia. Oooooh-livia. I love this place so much. The building is beautiful, the food is exceptional, and the service is awesome. Olivia is the least surprising thing on my list, because last year it was listed as one of the best places to eat in America. I concur.

1. Beet Fries from East Side King. I list this as my number one for several reasons. First, everytime this is my dinner it means I have had an excellent time drinking beer at The Liberty with my friends. I love this bar. I love my friends that love this bar. And I love that my go-to late night drunky pants food is beet fries with kewpie mayo from a food trailer. Self, you have arrived.

Happy New Year from the bottom of my well-fed little heart! May 2011 bring even more deliciousness and happy times.

Cheers!

~eeg

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