Our Top 10 Eats of 2010

The Schoolhouse at Cannondale: Mushroom Truffle Soup Chef LaBant's Mushroom soup with truffle oil achieved maximum sounds of audible appreciation at a recent meal. His French culinary know how is evident in all of his sauces as well as this wonderfully decadent starter. 

The Boathouse:  Lobster Salad I'm embarrassed to admit how many of Chef Holzwarth's Lobster Salads I have consumed in 2010. A composed salad with the absolute freshest market vegetables, avocado and heirloom shell beans pedestaled on large chunks of succulent lobster meat. It's good stuff. 

leFarm:  Local Beets & Oregon Lentils, Pecans, Aged Ricotta with La Quercia Ham A celebration of fresh ingredients, tastes and textures, this dish sits in perfect harmony. Earthy, sweet, rich and savory, this is a dish often craved. 

Chao Chi: Foie Gras Beignet Now shuttered, this amuse bouche is stamped into my memory from a long meal enjoyed there. The buttery softness of the foie gras paired with a light and doughy shell was finished with a blackberry jam drizzle. Bravo Prasad. 

Bereket Turkish Restaurant: Manti This hole in the wall in Bridgeport (soon with a new larger location) serves a Turkish classic "Manti," tiny folded triangles of dough filled with ground meat and onion, floating atop a bed of yoghurt, meat drippings and spices. As close to Istanbul as it gets in FC. 

Stepney Kitchen: Summer Steak The perfect summer steak with slices of sirloin cooked medium rare and served over a bed of light-as-air ricotta gnocchi, a slick of pesto, lightly dressed greens and heirloom tomatoes, with shards of blue crab perched atop. This dish signals, no, screams summer.

Napa & Company:  Wagyu Burger Arik's rich Wagyu Burger sits like royalty on a crispy brioche bun with sweet red onion jam, sharp aged Gouda, black pepper mayo, and really solid rosemary fries. Even given the unique marbling in Wagyu beef, you'd swear this burger was bathed in fat, it's so good. 

Match: Carpetbaggers Matt Storch's take on the fried oyster is an exercise is glorious excess. Semolina crusted & fried oysters are served in their shells with truffle cream, beef tartare, and truffle aioli. OMG. 

Flanders Fish Market: Lobster Roll Served warm and simply at Flanders Fish Market, the lobster roll is served with a bit of butter and scallions on a toasted hot dog roll. This is the meal that officially kicks off the summer.

Tappo: White Broccoli Rabe Pizza Pairing a Negroni and a slice at Tappo is the answer to the ultimate winter comfort food.