Conclusion

Victory is mine! There were lots of hurdles, but I finally completed Time Out’s 2009 Tastes You’ve Gotta Try list. And it was quite an adventure.

When I tell people about my journey, they always want to know what I think of the list. Is it accurate? Are these the 100 best of the year? Are all the dishes amazing? And the answer is no. But many of them are.

Some of the items were transcendent with delicious flavors and textures (Ricotta Gnocchi at Union Square Cafe). Some are just well-prepared and simple (like the Shio Tama at Ramen Setagaya). Others I think represent a special worthwhile restaurant (the items at Txikito) more than the actual dishes. Many of them are just uniquely spicy which some people may think noteworthy in and of itself (Mary’s Place Cocktail at Cabrito). And some were so ordinary that I have no idea how they found their way on the list in the first place (Turkey Hero and Arnold Palmer at Douglaston Deli). To see my ranking of each dish, click here.

But in conclusion, it’s a good list. There were definitely more good eats than bad. And the entire thing was an adventure. Traveling from borough to borough, strategizing to get the seasonal items first, praying that none of the restaurants shut down before I get to them. As of this writing, I believe only four of these restaurants closed this year (R.I.P., The Brooklyn Star, Allen & Delancey, Bussaco, and Xie Xie). But I got to them before they shuttered.

I also realize how difficult it is to come up with 100 great dishes in one year. Fortunately, Time Out has a staff of writers who contribute. I’m one man. But since I have a few months before the year is up and I start Time Out’s 2010 list (which was released last week), I figured in all fairness, I should come up with my own list.

Now, of course, I don’t have the resources to discover all the great possibilities out there like professional food writers do. I can’t go out to eat all day long every day – exploring all five boroughs. So you’ll notice a slight lack of diversity in my list. Many of these items come from the Time Out list. Others I discovered at the restaurants I’ve worked at. You’ll notice a lot of pizza, pastrami, and ice cream on the list (maybe you’ve heard of my blog). And since I’ve been giving food cart tours for the last few months, many of these are from those vendors. But these are truly the best things I personally have eaten within New York City in 2010. Maybe one of you will start a blog of your own and try to taste all 100 of mine. Good luck!