100 BEST ’14: Top Ten (Numbers 10-6)

Looking back on 2014, I present the most memorable and greatest dishes of my year.

In years past, I’ve done a full two month countdown of all 100 of my favorite dishes. This year, I decided to just focus on and give praise to the ten most memorable dishes of the year. I’ll still put out a complete 100 Best list, but for now, I’m going to cut right to the chase. So here are the ten best dishes I consumed in 2014.

NUMBER 10: SCRAMBLED EGGS at GATO

SADLY, GATO IS NOW CLOSED.

You might think anybody can scramble some eggs, but celebrity chef Bobby Flay shows us how it’s really done. This year, he proved he was more than just a pretty face with his hit Spanish restaurant Gato. The food is actually quite good and the most impressive is a seemingly simple plate of fluffy breakfast food. The eggs are tossed with butter, creme fraiche, and goat cheese and drizzled with chives and hot sauce. They seduce you atop some grilled toast smeared with tomato confit oil and spicy almond romesco sauce. I’ll admit these are a far cry from what ends up on my homecooked breakfast plate. Price: $14

NUMBER 9: THICK-CUT SMOKED BACON at KEENS STEAKHOUSE

I just wrote about this dish last week, but I’m sure it will never leave my memory. This classic steakhouse cooks up a legendary and memorable mutton chop, but nothing is as good as their thickly sliced pork belly fat. It has a perfect layer of both caramelized fat and flavorful meat that is blessed with a lick of sweetness and a subtle smokiness. This is one to eat with a knife and fork. It’s like a giant and juicy bacon steak. Price: $14

NUMBER 8: CARROTS WELLINGTON at NARCISSA

SADLY, NARCISSA IS NOW CLOSED.

Vegetables have been front and center this year and nobody has used them better than Chef John Fraser at Narcissa. The hip restaurant turns out exceptional vegetable dishes that are disguised as meat. Case in point: there is no beef in this wellington. A golden buttery puff pastry hugs glazed and roasted carrots in addition to a sprinkling of a surprisingly umami-laden espresso and walnut crumble. It’s decadent and tender ensuring that the phrase “Where’s the Beef?” never comes to mind. Price: $24

NUMBER 7: CHEESECAKE at EILEEN’S SPECIAL CHEESECAKE

The cheesecake debate in New York continues. Rich, concrete-like NY-style cheesecake or creamy, fluffy Italian-style cheesecake. I know where I stand – right in the center with Eileen’s. At this old-school Soho joint, Eileen Avezzano bakes cheesecakes in all sorts of traditional and interesting (like chocolate bourbon) flavors, but you get a true sense of her brilliance in the plain version. With a smattering of graham crackers around the edges, the center effortlessly walks that difficult line between sweet and tangy, rich and light, delicious and more delicious. Price: Full Cakes range between $12.50-$40/Mini-Tarts are $3.50

NUMBER 6: FALAFEL SANDWICH at MURRAY’S FALAFEL 

SADLY, MURRAY’S FALAFEL IS NOW CLOSED.

I never would have guessed that my favorite falafel in NYC would belong to a tiny, modest little place in Stuyvesant Town that nobody seems to have heard of. Murray’s Falafel has the best falafel I’ve tasted in the city The greaseless, crunchy orbs give way to a light, tender interior that has all the flavors of herbs and chickpeas you want from this Middle Eastern specialty. Pita bread is loaded with one crunch bomb after another, while tahini and a bright, spicy green hot sauce bring the sandwich to life. I urge you to check this place out right now. It’s a true undiscovered gem. Price: $6.95