Top 10 Dishes of 2010

I like lists, especially when I get to look back on the nice things I ate. In no particular order, here are my top ten dishes that I ate in 2010 - some of them from restaurants, some of them my recipes.

Beef Rendang - so rich, so tasty.


Stuffed artichoke at The Magdalen Arms, Oxford - I kept meaning to recreate this but never got round to it, so it is now but a happy memory.

1.2kg bone-in ribeye at Hawksmoor, that I demolished in under 20 minutes as part of a bet. It still stands as the best steak I've had yet. It was bigger than my head.


Scallops with horseradish snow and kohlrabi, at The Ledbury. Pure joy.

Cheese souffle in double cream at Le Gavroche - unbelievably light and unbelievably decadent. Eating it was a happy memory.

I wailed when I found out that osso bucco was no longer on the menu at Polpetto, but its replacement, beef cheeks with polenta was a more than adequate substitute. How do they get their polenta so creamy? I love it.

Salted caramel butter. Holy shit, that was one sexy ice cream.

Cold udon with miso and walnut hot broth at Koya. I get weekly cravings for this and it's a favourite lunch spot.

Perhaps the most recent addition in that I ate it last night, but the Veal Holstein at Bob Bob Ricard truly is outstanding. The deeply savoury 'secret sauce' bursts out from underneath the breaded veal, lubricating the truffled mash.

The pork and century egg congee, from Hong Kong City, a few doors down from my flat. The pork is always gorgeously tender, and it's a life-saver having it so near; many a time I've staggered over in my pyjamas poorly concealed by an overcoat to get my restorative takeaway congee that soothes and nourishes.


So, they were my favourite dishes of 2010. And what about the worst?

That accolade can only go to Cantina Laredo's vomit-inducing chicken mole. Five months later and I am still traumatised.