1. Best Discovery While in Mexico City: Chile en Nogada
I was in luck. This wonderful dish was in season. I was told it is very labor intensive and not easy to get right. After waiting patiently, I cut through the pool of creamy, nutty walnut sauce to find a delightful mix of meats, spices and oh, was that a pomegranate popping in my mouth? The combination of the meat filling, crunchy chile poblano, the creamy yet not at all heavy walnut sauce with the tangy and slightly sweet seeds just left me speechless. So I sipped some more of my tamarind Margarita made with mezcal to wash it all down. This was the culinary highlight of my Mexico trip along with my cooking class in Oaxaca.
2. Best New Hidden Gem: Forn Al Hara
I had the opportunity to explore Anaheim for a few days and who knew it could be so fascinating and diverse? I found the most interesting Lebanese bakery at the heart of Little Arabia that served amazing flat breads with piping hot fresh mint tea. The neatly arranged savory pastries in perfect little triangles (or squares or half-moons) were filled with meat, pine nuts and all the spices on your cupboard (or maybe not). I wish it weren't as far from me as it is but it's good to know that Anaheim isn't one big tourist trap.
3. Best New Cuisine Find in SGV: SinBala
I didn't know much about Taiwanese food but I was ecstatic to learn more upon stepping into this tiny, cramped restaurant where the spread included pork belly cubes with tofu, bamboo shoots and rice topped with fresh cilantro; the best shrimp and pork dumplings in broth I've had in a long time; home-made sausages and crispy fried chicken. I think Taiwanese food and I will get along just fine.
4. Best Pie: Rhubarb Pie from Marcie's Pies
I'm not a big pie or sweets person but I was so glad I picked up a rhubarb pie at the Ojai Farmers' Market when I visited last summer because this pie was OFF THE CHARTS. It was from Jimenez Family Farms and the good news is that you can get it at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market! Needless to say, I had like three pieces and my work colleagues pretty much wolfed it down in a matter of minutes. The crust was crunchy and yet could hold its own with the filling and moisture. The filling was gooey, not too sweet and just plain amazing. I had never had rhubarb pie and I'm hooked. Maybe that saying should change: As American as...
5. Best Old School Koreatown Joint: Young Kyung
Who doesn't love a good, greasy, slippery bowl of jjajangmyun, that quintessential Korean Chinese classic? Not all jjajangmyuns are created equal, however, so beware. Far too many establishments claiming to serve this dish rely on corn syrup and pieces of pork fat to flavor the sauce. Young Kyung is a spot you may have seen in Korean period dramas circa 1960s where the decor is non-existent and time has stalled. But thankfully, the black bean sauce noodles remain as solid as when it opened decades ago. The best accompaniment: deep fried morsels of pork smothered in a sweet and sour sauce with some sliced cucumbers, carrots and scallions. Tangsooyuk time baby!
6. Best Surprisingly Good: Au Lac
2012 was full of surprises. As a meat fiend, I never thought I'd like anything remotely associated with the raw food movement. Au Lac serves raw to semi-raw and it was inspiring to see how the chef works with these ingredients to deliver flavorful food with a ton of different textures. The curry rice above was one of my favorite dishes alongside the rolls that featured coconut meat and other goodies, just not rice. It does serve sprouted rice though that isn't really cooked but is still soft enough to be edible. Expect a lot of avocados, fresh vegetables and soy. Upside: you feel great after eating here. Downside: you feel hungry soon after you walk out.
7. Best Burger: Wayfare Tavern in SF
I'm not saying I like this one better than Houston's. It's just that I discovered this one in 2012 and wanted to share it. Still, let it be known that I haven't yet found a burger to beat Houston's in LA. In SF, however, this burger by celebrity chef Tyler Florence had all the components right: meaty and flavorful patty cooked medium rare and charred on the edges; fresh and warm brioche bun that was soft but substantial enough to hold up to the patty and the works; house-made pickles and oozy cheese. I shared this image despite its blurriness for you burger lovers out there for whom it's all about this angle. Bonus that the fries were also excellent and fresh out of the oil, just the way I like them. That is one thing Houston's needs to work on -- get rid of those pesky shoe string fries and get thee some decent, normal, crispy and fantastic fries!
8. Best Spreadables on Bread: Waterloo & City
I have extolled the virtues of this chicken liver mousse over and over again and I can't help but say it again: it's the best chicken liver mousse I've had in years. And that bread made it all the more irresistible. I'm talking chicken liver mousse lined with butter. It doesn't get any better than this. Just don't forget to sip your glass of full bodied red wine in between bites.
9. Best Presentation: Whole Oxtail at Bestia
I have always loved oxtail but had never seen it served whole (ie., not cut up in two-inch pieces). So it was with awe and amazement that our table welcomed this massive art on a plate when the whole oxtail arrived, slow cooked and dotted with a ton of cute little baby root vegetables. Great entrance. I like my braised oxtail better in flavor but this got points for the wow factor. This is a hot spot that I'd like to return to but perhaps once the dust settles a bit so the wait won't be as long.
10. Best Breakfast and Strongest Coffee: Homegirl Cafe
Corn tostada with beans, green and red salsas, crema, grilled plantains, scrambled eggs topped with chorizo. Say no more. Start off with a super strong Cafe Organico Soy Latte that kept me wired all day and into the evening. Then dive into this pool of goodness. I love the breakfasts here so much that this non-morning person likes to schedule early business breakfasts here just to stuff myself silly (side note: the chilaquiles weren't as good). There's nothing that's not stellar about this dish. Not only did the coffee last me the entire day but the meal also kept me full until evening time. That's the power of this true desayuno para campeones.
11. Best New Neighborhood Joint: Laurel Hardware
I loved the concept of this hardware store-turned-restaurant that had kept a lot of the hardware store decor and facade. I was concerned it'd be too trendy and scene-y but thankfully I was able to avoid this by going for brunch. I really liked the interior that is a huge space with different kinds of seating areas including communal tables with bar stools, lounge space with couches, booths and finally regular chairs and tables facing the all-glass front side of the space. The food is all comfort food and very well executed. The fried chicken biscuit sandwich with a sunny side up was on the decadent side for early morning but why the heck not? The chicken was moist and crispy, which is what matters and the egg made everything better, as always. Runner up: Food & Lab.
12. Best Kid In a Candy Store Feeling: 85 Degree Bakery
Why? Because there isn't a red bean roll, squid-ink bread and a donut filled with taro that this bakery in Irvine doesn't carry. How I wish it came to LA or South Bay at least. There is always a line and with good reason. Sky's the limit at this Taipei import (another reason to love Taiwanese food) where you could walk out with a dozen varieties of bread and spend less than $20. On second thought, it may be a good thing it's not too close because I may overdose on carbs.
13. Best Marriage of Junk Food and Comfort Food: Attic in Long Beach
Bacon Mac-n-Cheese meets spicy Cheetos. Neither plays hard to get. A happy marriage is born. Not exactly your everyday breakfast but it's worth a trip to South Bay. The converted house is homey, airy and bright. It's a great brunch or lunch spot for a lazy weekend afternoon. Once you get over the 'I can't believe I'm eating this' feeling, it's all good. Just make sure you don't make it your daily dose of protein.
There you have it. I'm not going to try to predict what big trends will hit in 2013, but one gut feeling I do have is that interest in Korean food will continue to grow and the mainstream will slowly but surely embrace it. It's impossible not to! Ok, that was my biased prediction. Happy 2013, everyone!
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