The two types of foie gras I had in NH F NRT-ORD. One was slightly gelatinous, the other had an orange/passion fruit undertone.

I had an excellent dinner (business) at the Restaurant at the Getty Center in Los Angeles - I don't remember the specifics (I used to be very good at that but nowadays I can't remember what I had for lunch), but I do remember raving about it when I got home and got a lot of dirty looks from my wife.

Cheers,
Pogopossum

I'm off to a good start here in 2013 with a fine late lunch at the RL Restaurant in Chicago:

- Hot Toddy as a cocktail, great on a cold day
- Lobster bisque
- Lobster Club with fries
- Coffee

Best lunch I've had in a while ^

2013 off to a good start with a return to Momofuku Ko. Again my best meal of the year so far.

Best meal in London so far was at a repeat visit to Hedone, which was perhaps my best meal last year.

I must suddenly be getting old

Any meal I get to have alone with my wife. (as much as I love my kiddos, it is nice to have a quiet meal once in awhile)

My lunch at Geranium in Copenhagen is something I still remember very well.

For 2012, I'm spoiled for choice, but the best and memorable meals of the year were at:

Piazza Duomo, Alba - 1st visit and during White Truffle Festival

L'Atelier Jo�l Robuchon, St. Germain, Paris - 2nd visit was terrific

Les Cocottes by Christian Constant, Paris - 1st visit was so good, went back for dinner again the following night

Salumeria Roscioli, Rome - Yummm!

Le Comptoir de Marronniers, Lyon - 3rd visit and definitely a favorite.

For 2013, so far I've enjoyed Les 110 de Taillevent, Paris. I'm looking forward to Morimoto, NYC later this month.

I love this restaurant! ^

Just got back this week from Paris and had a lovely dinner at Frenchie! Sweetbreads - yummmmmmmm!

Cyprus in Charleston, SC. And 1789 in DC.

A particular recent stand out meal for me was dinner at Le Cirque. I had the opportunity to dine at there during a recent trip to LAS. This New York City fine dining outpost is located in the Bellagio Hotel and Resort, and is one of the cornerstones of the hotel�s dining experiences. My expectations for the restaurant were quite high, but both the floor staff and kitchen fully delivered with an amazing meal and a very memorable evening.

My recommendation is to definitely go with the Le Cirque d�gustation menu rather than ordering a la carte, and certainly do opt for the lovely wine pairings. You will not be disappointed. Unlike some tasting menus, you will have an element of control in the selection of your dishes while still experiencing the full range of what the chef and his staff can create. The exemplary service from the wait staff and sommelier at Le Cirque is professional and attentive without feeling at all intrusive.



Although I ordered the snow crab as my starter, I was surprised when the waiter brought a lovely amuse bouche of uni with lemon grass gel�e and a fennel puree. It was sublime, as was my actual starter of snow crab with turnip, apple, avocado and pomegranate.



Saut�ed foie gras with pear confit � and a salty caramel sauce � did not disappoint. It was delicate and well balanced. My only complaint is that I could easily have eaten three portions. But with a tasting menu one must be patient and pace ones self.



Although I'm from Alaska, I do like to see how chefs handle our seafood bounty. Alaskan black cod with citrus, shellfish and coconut nage was perfectly cooked and received my vote of confidence. There was a pleasant touch of acidity that perfectly counterbalanced the richness of the fish.



Less successful was the suckling pig tasting with purple potato and a truffle vinaigrette. The bit of pork loin was succulent but other porcine portions of the dish were sadly dry and over-cooked. In hindsight I wished I�d ordered the Kobe beef tenderloin enjoyed by a gent at the next table � it looked delicious, and his murmurs of approval spoke volumes.

Dinner finished with a sweet-savory pre-dessert, a dessert of fluffy chocolate souffl� and assorted petit fours, and the evening wrapped up with a lovely gift box of truffles. This was a meal that I did not want to ever see end.

Is dining at Le Cirque it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely, emphatically yes. Don�t ask questions � just do it.



(Apologies for the poor quality photos ... they were taken on the spur of the moment with my Samsung GSIII)

Nothing too fancy, but a dinner at Basta Pasta in Chelsea. Great appetizers and a fantastic tobiko pasta.

Does the Vegas offshoot offer the signature "stove" dessert too?

Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas
Redd in Napa
Quay in Sydney
Eddie V's La Jolla
Norman's at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando, FL
Vij's Vancouver, BC

Nominees so far for 2013....

Les 110 de Taillevent in Paris - enjoyed in January and in March

Les Cocottes by Christian Constant, Paris - a favorite. I was hoping to try Violon d'Ingres the other week but it's closed for renovations.

Cantinetta Antinori in Z�rich - another one of my favorites and currently the frontrunner for 2013. Terrific risotto with black truffles, venison medallions with green pepper sauce and sp�tzli paried with Tignanello and topped off with seriously decadent panna cotta.

Luini, Milan - not really a meal, but on the list simply because the panzerotti are delicious and a best snack.

Ciocolatti Italiani, Milan & Gallipoli - also not really a meal, on the list as best gelato this year. (However, not as good as Vivoli in Florence.)

Looking forward to Eleven Madison Park, NYC later this month.

Disappointments of the Year:

Morimoto, NYC

10 months in, not much has changed. I sound like such a fanboy. Momofuku Ko is still the best, whilst Momofuku Ssam's Duck Rotisserie Lunch is at number two.

http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/...ew-review.html

Last year I visited over twenty Michelin star restaurants (perhaps overkill). This year I've only done three so far, the two good ones being repeats of last year.