Top Meals In 2010 - A Quick Look Back

It looks like quite a few bloggers are reliving some of their best eats in 2010, and while I have done the same back in 2009, I'm going to take a real concise approach this year. Let's look back at my top 5 meals of 2010.

*Note: It's sad that only 1 of the meal actually made it on my blog thus far

5) 七十二牛肉麵 aka 72 Beef Noodle Soup (or NRM for short) - Taipei, Taiwan

In all reality, any of the NRM I've tried and consumed over the years here in the United States are forgettable, if we're comparing to the bowls of noodles I tried on my recent trip back to Taiwan. The beef broth are cooked for 72 hours (thus, the name 72 NRM) creating a rich, white, an almost milky color to the NRM broth. It's simply wonderful bowl of beef noodle soup. It was so good, I had to get back for a second helping the day before my flight back to Los Angeles.

七十二牛肉麵
72 Beef Noodle Soup
台北市大安區建國南路一段188號‎
Taipei City, Da An District, Jin Guo S. Rd, 1st Section #188

4) Per Se - NYC

The famous blue doors. Wait, are we in the countryside of Napa Valley? No, instead we're on the 4th floor of the Time Warner Center, home of 3 Michelin Star restaurants Masa and Per Se. While the scenery may not be as majestic as the famous French Laundry in the Napa Valley, the food on the other hand was truly amazing. While I was able to secure two separate tasting menus that night (one of the standard tasting, while the other was an winter offal selection), each dish tasted amazing. While the room and service was slightly stuffy for my tastes, the meal was truly a spectacular 3 Michelin Star affair.

10 Columbus Circle
New York, NY 10023

3) Le Bernardin - NYC

Ah, the legendary Le Bernardin headed by the famous Silver Fox himself, Chef Eric Ripert. My final meal of my NYC trip in 2010 and it finished off with a bang. Memorable would be an understatement. Every dish was presented with care, thought, and cooked to perfection. I don't think I've tasted better seafood than dishes that came out of the kitchen of Le Bernardin that night. Truly, it deserves all the acclamation it has received over the years.

155 West 51st Street
New York, NY 10020

2) Eleven Madison Park - NYC

Wow, a place I actually blogged about this past year. And did I really just put Eleven Madison Park ahead of Per Se and Le Bernardin? The answer to that is YES! While I don't need to go into detail about the food since my views are already on the blogged post, the meal was fun and memorable. Though not casual, the attire was slightly less formal, creating a non-stuffy environment. The servers were friendly and most importantly, the food was amazing. Chef Daniel Humm and team has created a new menu concept late into 2010 and I'm looking forward to trying it for myself in February of 2011. From what I've seen and heard, I shouldn't be disappointed.

11 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010

1) Alinea - Chicago

This is the post I really want to blog about, but yet I've been procrastinating on. The meal of the year for me without a doubt was my meal at Alinea, during my trip to Chicago this past July. The 26 course tasting menu offered all kinds of surprises, tricks, and most importantly delicious concoctions along the way. The only thing I could say about Chef Grant Achatz is that he's a genius. The trip itself was planned solely for Alinea and the meal was truly beyond my expectations. While the food scene in Chicago is extraordinary, Alinea is truly the pinnacle of a fine meal. I can't wait to get back to Chicago and eat at Alinea and Achatz's other two restaurant concepts!

1723 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614

There you have it, a brief look back at my favorite meals of 2010. While I do plan on blogging these places more thoroughly, it was good to look back at some of those fine meals. I don't know what places would make the list in 2011, but I'm ready for them!