First, the excuses. I know... we haven’t published a post on the blog for a while. We have been extremely busy, but I hope you have kept up to date with our food adventures on our Instagram. We hope to be able to publish reviews more regularly in 2019!
Now, let’s dig into today’s post. 2018 has been an amazing year for us in terms of food: we ate at incredible restaurants in the UK, Italy, France, Japan, China, USA and have explored new cuisines and styles. These are 10 dishes that have impressed us the most in 2018, not in order of preference: it is hard to pick just 10, let us know if you agree with this list or if you would have included other dishes you have seen on our Instagram feed.
L’effervescence (Tokyo, Japan) - A Fixed Point
It is hard to describe how good this dish is. It is as simple as it looks: a turnip, cooked sous-vide for six hours at low temperature, finished in the pan and topped with a parsley sauce. Chef Namae-san keeps this dish on L'Effervescence's menu throughout the year: the texture and flavour of the turnip change depending on the season. Quintessentially Japanese, incredible and pure taste.
Mirazur (Menton, France) - Orange in Flower
Hands down the best dessert we have ever tried. At Mirazur, desserts are just another thing, and Orange in Flower is the purest incarnation of Mauro Colagreco’s philosophy. Almond merengue, clementine sorbet, whole almonds, saffron from Sospel. Can’t wait to have this again next year!
Nakasei Uchimise (Tokyo, Japan) - Sirloin steak
Wagyu beef at its best is a completely new experience to someone who is used to 'regular' beef. At Nakasei Uchimise, you can choose your cut of A5 wagyu beef from their butcher’s counter (the restaurant is a butcher during the day and a restaurant at night), which then gets perfectly cooked and served with wasabi and mustard on the side. The juiciness and texture are just incredible, unbelievable.
The Clove Club (London, UK) - Sardine Sashimi
The Clove Club is our favourite restaurant in the UK, and this was our favourite dish from our first visit. Simple, yet outstanding. Sardine can be a dull fish, but this took sardine to a whole other level: unseen flavour and texture for a sardine sashimi slice.
Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy) - Salad 21...31...41...51
There is a whole culinary “new wave” of fancy salads out there. Some of these we enjoyed a lot (notably at L’Effervescence and Den), but this salad at Piazza Duomo beats them all. There are more than 80 vegetables grown in chef Enrico Crippa’s garden in this dish, which are arranged vertically in a way that forces you to eat them in the order the chef wants you to. And you eat with a tong, of course. Astonishing aromas and textures - a unique dish.
Ellory (London, UK) - Shin Lasagne
We are Italian, and trust me, it is extremely hard for us to say that one of the best lasagne we've ever had was prepared in the heart of east London. But here we are saying it. We visited Ellory for the first time on their last day of service, and we were blown away. This was an outstanding dish, packed with taste and with unique texture. And that shin ragu... mind-blowing and indulgent.
Il Ristorante Luca Fantin (Tokyo, Japan) - Ricotta e Pere
Fabrizio Fiorani at Il Ristorante takes what is a traditional Neapolitan dessert and brings it to the next level. First, it looks beautiful. Then, it tastes amazing: five layers of different textures and flavours, the creamiest ricotta cream to bring it all together, the best Japanese pears. Worth the trip to Tokyo!
The Coach (Marlow, UK) - Burger
There is not much to say about The Coach's burger. It is the King of all burgers, you will not find a better one. Even the pickle, which we are not usually fans of, was outstanding.
Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy) - Babà mediterraneo
This top 10 list could be made of dishes we ate at Osteria Francescana alone. We chose this dessert among all their other classics and seasonal dishes because it was the most surprising. A reinterpretation of the traditional babà, infused with tomato juice, topped with tomatoes and oregano. Try to believe, one of the best desserts ever!
Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia (Milan, Italy) - Elicoidali Gerardo Di Nola with Pecorino di Carlopoli, Sarawak Black Pepper, Celery and Sardinian Dried Mullet Roe
Pasta is a religion in Italy, we eat it every day at least once a day. At Il Luogo, they take pasta very seriously and treat it with respect. This was an utterly simple dish: perfectly cooked creamy pasta with intense and pure flavours. If you want to know how good pasta can be, go to Il Luogo!
For 2019, we have already planned some incredible visits (Faviken, The Sportsman, etc), so stay tuned and follow us on Instagram for the pictures.
Thanks, and happy New Year!