after dinner sneeze

t says:  Sometimes, some restaurants just give us dishes that haunt our every moment of hunger.  These are the dishes that that every other dish gets compared to – these are the dishes we try not to order every single time we go – or maybe they were a weekly special that we wished would never have left.  Even as I read them now, I have a twinkle in my eye.  Gawd they were so good …

g:  Boeuf and Arctic Char in Buerre Rouge Sauce* at Bibou, Warm Shrimp Salad at Parc; any fish crudo at Fond; Goat Bolognese at Vetri; Vichyssoise at Garces Trading Co (before they messed it up); Eggs Cochon* at Cochon (before they closed); Carrot Soup* at Sbraga; Buttery Little Gnocchi and Scallops* at Talula’s Garden; any Strawberry Jelly Filled Doughnuts

t:  Veal Breast and Sweetbread Terrine*and the Short Ribs at Fond; Pig’s Foot, Pork Belly, and Escargots at Bibou (before they went tasting-menu-only); Any Gnocchi Dish, Lamb with Kale*, S’mores* at Talula’s Garden; Elvis French Toast* at Cochon (before they closed); Pork Shoulder and Kimchi* at Serpico; Cherry Pop-Tarts

a:  Veal Breast and Sweetbread Terrine* at Fond;  Vichyssoise at Garces Trading Co (before they messed it up); French Lentils [under the Pig’s Foot] at Bibou (before they went tasting-menu-only); Cauliflower at Zahav; Anything with Sausage at Cochon; Fish Soup at Han; any Foie Gras at Fond; Raw Fluke Crudo at Serpico; Spaghettios

v:  French Lentils [underneath the Pig’s Foot] at Bibou; Butter Chicken at Ekta (or kp’s); ramen

*Dish was a nightly “special” or has since been removed from the menu.

While those dishes were great, they are more akin to crushes, which can change on a whim; meanwhile there are certain restaurants which perform time and time again.  These are the restaurants “we’d take home to mom”.  We’ve never had a bad meal at these places and often use them as the ruler by which to measure every other restaurant.  Is it fair to every other restaurant out there? Probably not.  But when push comes to shove, these are often the first restaurants to come out of our mouths.

Now, we tried to compose this list as democratically as possible, however, because I’m one of the only 3 people that have a password to this blog (and g’s often too busy “working” to bother with blog editing, and a’s “too cool” to jump on the blog for day-to-day management), it’s safe to say that some of these choices are a little skewed towards my own preferences.  Sorry guys – my house, my rules!  But know that at the very least, not one of us would ever turn down a meal at any of these places.

Clicking on the name of the restaurant will forward you to the appropriate restaurant category page where you can find all of the posts on our blog relating to that restaurant as well as a link to that restaurant’s website.

UP TO DATE: as of 12/2015

FOR DINNER:
-Best if “Mo’ Money” is your middle name:  Vetri**
-Best if “No Money” is your middle name: Han Dynasty
-Best All-Around Meal: Talula’s Garden
-Best French BYO: Bibou
-Best “American” BYO: no longer exists :’-(
-Best Italian BYO (pasta): Mercato
-Best Italian BYO (other-than-pasta): Modo Mio
-Best BYO that the press seems to have forgotten about: Fond
-Best restaurant with a hip, bar-like atmosphere: Barbuzzo
-Best bar with a chill, restaurant-like atmosphere: Franklin Mortgage and Investment Co.
-Best non-Spanish tapas: Zahav
-Best Spanish tapas: too close to call Amada vs. Jamonera …
-Best burger: Supper
-Best pizza: Zavino
-Best fish (cooked): Little Fish {also BYO}
-Best fish (raw): Zama
-Best meal “closer” (cheese, dessert): Talula’s Garden
–Best Restaurant Week Deals (… especially for lunch!):  Amada*, Zahav**

FOR BRUNCH:
-Best Saturday brunch: Tria Fitler Square
-Best weekday brunch: Honey’s Sit-n-Eat
-Best place to brunch while laughing at other brunch-goers stuck waiting in line at Sabrina’s: Monsu

*Best bet to impress a food-enthusiast swayed by television personalities
**Best bet to impress a foodie looking for chefs with national acclaim