Katsu – Dani Francuz Rose

It’s officially November, which means we’re situated about halfway between the two Thanksgivings, and I think that calls for another food-related post! About this time last year, I wrote about some of our most memorable meals, which was fun and nostalgic, but this year, I wanted a challenge. For this month’s post, Tucker and I debated long and hard to come up with a list of the top ten best things we’ve ever eaten (in no particular order).

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It was NOT. We struggled with remembering, with choosing, and ultimately with agreeing on a mere ten dishes out of the thousands of meals we’ve enjoyed over the years. But the hardest part, by far, was realizing it’ll be years and years before we can taste all these things again! Ugh! Oh well, let’s all make ourselves hungry, starting with…

Chongqing noodles from pretty much any noodle shop in Chongqing, China

I am borderline obsessed with noodles. I eat them several times a week in one form or another, so of course, a noodle dish had to be on this list. Surprisingly, I didn’t have too much trouble in choosing my absolute favorite noodles I’ve ever had. Probably because I had them every day for about a week while visiting Western China. What makes them so special? If I had to guess, I’d say it’s a few thousand years of practice. But it might also just be the perfect combination of thick noodles, spicy sauce, and crunchy toppings.

La Sauvagine Fondant from St Hubert in Gatineau, Québec

A somewhat surprising and recent addition to our list is an appetizer we ordered on a whim just last month. We were at one of our favorite restaurants here in Canada and happened to see a melted cheese dish that looked intriguing. Well, not only was it intriguing, it was absolutely addictive! We actually went back and had it again the very next week, which if you know Tucker, you know how big a deal that is. La Sauvagine, the main component, is a soft cheese from Québec to which they add dried cranberries, bacon, pumpkin seeds, green onions, and maple syrup all melted together in a skillet and served with grilled ciabatta. Oh mon dieu!

Sonoran specialties from Mochomos in Aguascalientes, México

Next up is really more of the entire menu than one specific dish, but if we had to choose just one, we could and it would still be on this list. Mochomos is a Sonoran-style restaurant with several branches in North and Central Mexico. Their concept is “Requeza Sonorense” or Sonoran Wealth, which means they highlight the best ingredients from the region in a simple but elegant way. The cortes, or cuts of meat, are the biggest draw, and they are done to perfection, but the sweet and spicy sesame panela is the dish we found ourselves going back for.

Zupy i kotlety from Gospoda Koko in Kraków, Poland

This was one dish we had a little trouble naming, but it stood out so clearly in our minds that we had to put it on the list. Tucked away on one of the many side streets of Kraków’s Old Town, there’s a rustic-looking restaurant (think hay and chickens) that’s still using handwritten menus, and they make the most delicious, homey Polish dishes that we’ve ever had outside of a Polish home. Both times we were there we shared a bowl of rosół (chicken noodle soup) and a plate of meat, sauce, and potatoes, which we’re still trying to recreate at home…to no avail, of course.

Brisket on weck sandwich from Fat Bob’s Smokehouse in Buffalo, New York

Beef on weck is a Buffalo staple made up of thinly sliced roast beef served on a kummelweck bread roll topped with salt and caraway seeds, and it’s really good! But when a place takes an already delicious traditional dish like that and adds slow-cooked brisket to the mix, well clearly, they make our list of best things we’ve ever eaten! In fact, we’re planning on driving quite a bit out of our way just to get this sandwich the next time we have to go south. And if you’re ever there, don’t forget the extra jus and horseradish! So good!

Cuban plates from Old’s Havana in Miami, Florida

Cuban food, in general, is one of our favorites, so we have it fairly often (definitely every time we’re in Florida), and when thinking of the best plate of Cuban cuisine we’ve ever had, Old’s Havana is what comes to mind! It’s there that we had our favorite vaca frita, which is the most incredible mezcla of shredded and fried flank steak topped with sauteed onions and lime, and, of course, everything there is served with the equally delicious Cuban trifecta: rice, beans, and plantains. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that the atmosphere of a place can totally affect how much we enjoy it, and Old’s is truly such a fun place that even if you didn’t like the food, you’d still love the experience!

Katsu from Katsukura in Kyoto, Japan

Japan takes their food seriously, and it definitely shows in their restaurant scene. Just like in Japanese architecture, there seems to be a focus on subtlety and presentation, which we absolutely fell in love with at Katsukura. The first thing we did upon sitting down at this gorgeous restaurant was grind a variety of sesame seeds by hand to make our own individualized dipping sauces. That freshness and attention to detail was also evident in each and every bite of our katsu (a panko-encrusted fried pork cutlet served with shredded cabbage). My mouth is literally watering as I write this…

Khao soi (made by Tucker) at Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Next up is a dish made by Tucker with the help of Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School. For this one, we procured our own ingredients at a local market and followed along as a master Thai chef showed us how it’s done, and by the end of the class, we had one of our favorite dishes in the world made exactly how we like it. Khao soi is a coconut curry-based soup usually made with egg noodles (both boiled and fried), chicken, chilis, and lime. It is an incredibly unique and delicious dish that Tucker, to this day, has never been able to turn down.

Fugazetta from Lunático in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Another somewhat surprising addition to our list is fugazetta. This seemingly simple dish is an Argentine specialty made up of two pizza crusts stuffed with cheese and topped with caramelized onions. I know what you’re thinking, “How can that be special enough to make it onto our top-ten-of-all-time list?” Well, I don’t know what to tell you other than it’s absolutely delicious. The ratio of bread, cheese, and onion is sheer perfection, and the fact that it’s usually made in a woodfire oven, gives it an amazing charred quality as well. ¡Absolutamente delicioso!

Shopska salad from Restaurant Skopski Merak in Skopje, North Macedonia

And last but not least, my beloved shopska salad. I feel like I talk about this salad quite a bit, and I make a North American version of it just about every month, but the original just can’t be beat. The shopska salad originates from Southeastern Europe. We first had it in North Macedonia, and as soon as we did, we were hooked. It’s a mix of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and sirene cheese (which is kind of like feta) dressed with sunflower oil, vinegar, and salt. It’s incredibly refreshing and is often served with a shot of fruit brandy, so really how could you go wrong?

And that’s it! Our official list of the top ten best things we’ve ever eaten as of November 2024! I really should start keeping a list of all future contenders, so this won’t be quite so hard next time. But honestly, who knows when that’ll be, so until then, bon appétit!

65236266_10219876348007410_8640123801704595456_n — Ready to eat!

Japan was absolutely amazing! This summer, we spent over three weeks there, traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, up to Hokkaido (Otaru, Kutchan, and Sapporo), and back down to Tokyo and Fuji – shout out to the JR Rail Pass for all that travel! During our trip, there were so many interesting tidbits that I wanted to share, but I think what I most want everyone to know about Japan is how incredibly unique and delicious the food is! As a non-seafood eater, my expectations going in were a little low. Prior to our trip, when I thought about Japanese food, I thought of things like sushi, tempura-fried shrimp, and wriggling octopus tentacles…so I was a little afraid that I’d be spending the three weeks eating chicken teriyaki while everyone else sampled the bounty from the sea. However, after only a few days, I began to realize that the Japanese cuisine in my mind was seriously off the mark. Here are some of the abundant, delicious, not-so-seafood-in-your-face meals we enjoyed on our latest trip:

66271034_10219993577538075_7184087707486781440_n — Omurice

Omurice – As you might have guessed, omurice is a combination of the words “omelet” and “rice”, and that’s exactly what this dish consists of. Fried rice wrapped in a fluffy omelet covered in sauce. What’s not to love about that?! The original version is covered in ketchup, but in many restaurants, they’ll have demi-glace or cream sauce instead – the ultimate comfort food.

Katsu – Pork katsu is a Japanese dish I had heard of but didn’t really try until moving to China (where it became one of my favorites at a nearby Japanese chain). In Japan though, it was easily ten times better! Crispy breaded and fried pork cutlet served with rice and a crisp cabbage salad – so good! Plus, of course, Tucker loved all the dipping sauce options. In addition to the traditional katsu dishes, we also loved the katsu sandwiches that often came in the ekiben (boxed meals sold on the go). These were great for train rides and baseball games, and although they look quite simple, the sauce is so delicious!

Katsu

Ball game treats

66420800_10220036629254341_455494389980987392_n — Okonomiyaki

All that Yaki – Yaki means “grilled” in Japanese, and there are a lot of variations beyond the teppanyaki that we know in the States. Okonomiyaki, yakiniku, and yakitori were probably my three favorites (although the takoyaki “grilled octopus” might have been the most popular). Okonomiyaki roughly translates to something like “everything you like grilled”. Basically, you choose all your favorite ingredients and fry them up in a thick pancake/hashbrown thing on a griddle that’s set into the table in front of you. Think Waffle House meets Hibachi – truly a one of a kind combination! Yakiniku is more like what I always call Korean BBQ. Lots of meats and veggies all grilled to perfection right at your table! Yakitori (or grilled skewers), on the other hand, don’t require any table-side cooking. Typically the skewers are ordered in sets and come covered in the most delicious sauces. Chicken is the most popular yakitori, but we also had beef, quail eggs, okra, mushrooms, etc.

Yakiniku

Grill your own

Yakitori

Gyudon – Gyudon means “beef bowl” in Japanese, and while it is incredibly simple, it might be my favorite thing I ate while in Japan. A pile of beef and onions simmered in soy sauce, mirin, and dashi sitting atop a mound of sticky white rice served with fresh cabbage: as a lover of plain, simple foods, I was in heaven! I stumbled into this dish when we first ate at Yoshinoya, a Japanese fast food chain, after which I subsequently ordered it three times at various restaurants and eateries!

65562402_10219950657305096_65712999628800_n — Gyudon with rice and miso

Karaage – Karaage is a Japanese-style fried chicken that pretty much blew my mind. Unlike the fried chicken I know, which really only comes in two flavors: spicy and regular, karaage has a plethora of options. Some of my favorites included soy sauce, ginger, and spicy garlic. And the absolute best part? No bones! A popular spot to enjoy karaage is at a local izakaya, or Japanese pub. Cheap beer paired with fried chicken, always a great combination!

Karaage to-go!

Izakaya beers and cheers!

Curry – Tucker and I love curry. Thai curries, Indian curries, homemade curries: we eat them fairly often, but we had definitely never had Japanese curry before. It’s usually dark brown and served with either chicken or pork katsu, and although it looks similar to other curries, it’s really quite a bit different. Japanese curry is much sweeter and thicker than the typical renditions, and aside from the katsu addition, it also occasionally comes with a hard boiled egg.

65880138_10219968805798797_4649990778746044416_n — Ramen and kimchi

Ramen – Ah, my favorite type of men…ramen! Before our trip, this is one of the dishes Tucker and I were most excited about. We really love ramen in all its forms abroad, so surely in Japan it would be amazing! Well, I’m happy to say that it absolutely was! All the bowls we had were massive, and the broth was literally worth slurping out of the bowl. I was surprised with how many variations of ramen there are though, from a more traditional soy sauce base to the sweet corn miso broth famous in Sapporo – they were all delicious!

Sushi – Of course I can’t write about eating in Japan without mentioning sushi. Surprisingly, even as someone who doesn’t enjoy eating anything from the water, eating sushi in Japan was a highlight for me. We went to one of the sushi conveyor belt restaurants, which are always fun, and we blindly let Tucker do the ordering – the insane number of possibilities of ingredients, preparations, pairings, etc. was really quite impressive. Ultimately, the food was beautiful, and with enough wasabi, I tasted nothing seafood-y. Haha!

Sushi Master

Eel and tuna with avocado

Beef sushi (for me)

Bento – Train food is always a guilty pleasure of mine. In Poland, we got little ham sandwiches, in China, instant noodles, and in Japan: bento boxes. Bento boxes are pre-packaged meals, that are typically quite beautiful as well as delicious! Each little compartment in the box has a different dish, which also gives a lot of variety even when cooped up on a train/plane all day. We paired our bentos with some bīru (beer), and had a wonderful train ride along the coast of Hokkaido.

65964404_10219968809518890_6778885542000984064_n — Train food perfection

66071469_10219977302851218_9029728372548173824_n — Famous cheesecake

Otaru Cheesecake – Sometimes you run into a “famous” dish or cuisine on accident, and that’s what happened to us with the cheesecake in Otaru. We stayed in the small port city of Otaru towards the beginning of our trip, and as we were walking around the city, there were signs everywhere for a local cheesecake. Of course, we tried it, and were blown away by how good it was! We never associated Japan with cheesecake before, but it was clear that other tourists did because we then saw this brand of cheesecake for sale all over Tokyo, in the airport, as gift-wrapped souvenirs, etc. I like to think it was much better at the source though.