2015 Year in Review: The Best Dishes We Ate this Year
Bear in mind that this list is very subjective and by no means comprehensive. That being said, there were some truly wonderful dishes that stick out it my mind when recalling the hundreds of meals consumed in 2015. Yep, hundreds. Don't pull that face – you did, too! On to it ...
Egg en cocotte, Cours et Pavillons (pictured above)
Imagine this as pretty much the world's most decadent breakfast. Part of a set menu we enjoy at semi-private hutong fine dining space Cours et Pavillons, this between-courses morsel featured silky scrambled eggs, topped with a lightly savory cloud of chantilly cream, a piece of uni (sea urchin), and a tiny scoop of oscietra caviar.
Deep-fried calzone, Bottega
We know you probably love calzone. Well how about deep-fried calzone? This is one of the many new inventions the great minds in the kitchen at Bottega came up with this year. Thanks to Bottega's high moisture dough becomes bubbly and crisp (and with a slight hint of youtiao flavor, just sayin'), while the inside reveals a delicious molten combination of cheese, tomato, and salami. Particularly good with a pint of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.
Carbonara udon noodles, Goemon
Sometimes only the trashiest dishes will do and despite its occasional reputation for simple sashimi and refined kaiseki dining, Japanese food has some great choices when it comes to stuffing yourself with fat and/or carbs. Take, for example, the carbonara udon noodles at Goemon, a cute Japanese joint just off of Nanluogu Xiang. These are creamy, buttery, bacon-y goodness for your soul – somehow the thick, almost resistant udon noodles are an even better match for carbonara sauce than the usual Italian pasta (note: Goemon's yakiudon is pictured above, as I was too greedy and ate all the carbonara).
Causa de Salmon Tartar, Buena Onda
We mourn the loss of Peruvian pop-up Buena Onda, but unfortunately that's the way pop-ups go. Their fresh salmon tartar, given an Asian twist with a hint of sesame oil, accompanied many a pitcher of pisco sours over the summer. Those lucky enough to still be in Beijing on December 18 can catch them one last time when they will be taking over The Bookworm for a special Christmas fiesta.
DIY black fin tuna tartare, Okra
We love Japanese food in any form (as other entries on this list will attest), but we especially love restaurants such as Vin Vie and Okra that are constantly experimenting with the genre. See, for example, Okra's DIY tuna tartare, which features finely minced, seasoned black fin tuna, which you can then adust to your own personal taste with lemon salt, fresh wasabi, grated ginger, and pickled okra, before wrapping it in sheets of nori. A fun dish for sharing, too.
Basically anything from Awfully Chocolate
2015 was the year that Singaporean franchise Awfully Chocolate came back into our lives and boy are our waistlines and wallets paying for it. Standing in front of the counters at one of their stores (Indigo Mall, Sanlitun Taikoo Li, and Chaoyang Joy City) the hardest part is choosing what to order – we suggest "everything". If you have to choose, we swear by the salted butterscotch brownies, the flourless chocolate cake, and the chocolate tiramisu.
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Email: robynnetindall@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: Robynne Tindall, Uni
