This never-ending road means finding amazing food in unexpected places along the way. Here are some of my favorites from a very fun and rewarding year.
Like a seasoned snowbird, I return to this sunny spot in the Coachella Valley every winter. During the darkest days of last winter, a friend took me to an amazing pop-up called White Leaf and it was just amazing. A husband and my wife’s team race tirelessly to take the classics south of the border to the next level. Well done, and I can’t wait to try Birria Ramen now that I’m back “home”.
This year, I went to my very first Jazz Fest and it exceeded my sky high expectations. In between days of soaking up the exceptional music and people watching and wolfing down soft shell crab po’boys, there were many fine meals around the city. Jazz brunch at Miss River was extraordinary and lunching at Pêche after a corny-yet-cool swamp tour reminded me why I love this city so much. It’s not just the perfectly cooked fish, but the packed dining room filling the space with congenial conversation. My absolute top meal this May visit was at Gabrielle, where chef Greg Sonnier is an absolute wizard of saucing. I’m still having sweet dreams about that stunning duck confit cassoulet with a fried oyster on top! Miss y’all, be back soon.
Finally got into Willie Mae’s in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles this month and it was straight-up wow-worthy. This outpost of the legendary restaurant in New Orleans has been open for a little more than a year, an achievement that deserves to be celebrated with a golden, crispy drumstick. I’ll raise that fried bird in the honor of the late founder of the original place in New Orleans, the late Willie Mae Seaton and her great granddaughter, Kerry Seaton-Stewart. Sure, there are a million places doing fried chicken these days, but there’s nothing like this place, promise. Loved all the sides, too, especially the slow-simmered greens.
The bison tamale from Devil’s Kitchen in Grand Junction, Colorado, was a reimagining of this age-old dish.
When we found ourselves in our old stomping grounds of Grand Junction, looking to get a repair done on the Thor Gemini we call home, my significant other and I made the best of that detour by checking into the lovely Hotel Maverick and feasting at the rooftop restaurant. Truly appreciated the gracious service and the imaginative menu, which included a bison tamale that looked and tasted as if it could pass for a fancy French preparation. We followed that up with a trip to Aspen to dine at the lovely Mawa’s Kitchen and then Telluride for a beautiful bowl of ramen at a historic Floradora Saloon, a local’s fave that’s best known for its satisfying bar fare. The fall swing through colorful Colorado was a huge success. (Even though we weren’t able to get the rig fixed until we hit New Mexico.)
One of the highlights of a brief detour to the 901 is a fabulous dinner at Cocozza in the captivating community of Harbor Town. This cozy dining room is a tribute to owner Deni Carr Reilly’s New Jersey roots.
The rigatoni with vodka and tomato cream are perfect, but it’s the ultra-juicy red meat meatballs that landed with aplomb, right on the list of things you must try. Patrick Reilly, Deni’s chef/owner/husband, rightly credits Newman Farm, a Berkshire red meat manufacturer from Myrtle, Missouri, with whom he has worked for years.
Best meatballs on the planet? Clearly, I’ve got a whole lot more meatballs to try before making that kind of declaration, but the bar is set very high.
Josh Ratza of Setsunai Noodle Shop on Lopez Island, the chef featured at a July 2023 meal. . . [ ] Exceptional on the grounds of the charming Flint Beach Ohana Farm. The family’s multi-course meal included lamb from this farm and the aromas of the Sea Salish.
A beautiful summer evening on a stunning coastline provided the ultimate setting for this world-famous dinner series. Star chef Josh Ratza of Setsunai Noodle Bar and his family-style, multi-course menu have the best compatibility for this exceptional experience. an evening accompanied through wine pairings decided by experts through The Orcas Project. Tickets for those dinners sell out quickly, so here’s the first facts on how to attend one of those must-attend events.
While we spent two months volunteering to host the camp at Spencer Spit State Park, we had plenty of time to catch the ferry to the neighboring San Juan Islands. An evening at the historic Outlook Inn in Orcas, the best form of flashback, with dinner at the New Leaf Cafe that brings home the charm of an elegant old meat and potato concoction. fact. (It’s not done well, of course; half-cooked is the way to go. )A perfectly grilled New York accompanied by the Worcestshire sauce created by chef Andrew Martin. THEN. Dammit. Not bad.
Mole Comida flan in Sedona, Arizona, is topped with prickly pear sauce, dulce de leche. . . [ ] Stuffed churro on the side.
I’m not very attached to the final dish, often too complete when it comes to serving dessert. But our waiter at Mole Comida in Sedona insisted that even after devouring the tasting menu created by chef Roberto Madrid, we shouldn’t leave without looking. the prickly pear flan with a churro filled with dulce de leche on the side. Pure happiness and very grateful to have followed the recommendation of this sensible waiter.