20 Best Dishes of 2014

After an entire week of feasting and partying, we decided to lay low on New Year's Eve and enjoy a little bit of quietness. Sitting comfortably on my sofa, I started thinking about our gastronomic adventures in 2014 and what a great year it was. 

With images of wonderful dishes flooding into my head, I finally decided to do my own top 20 list for 2014 just to recap some of my favorite dishes on the year. Here it is, my top 20 dishes of 2014:

(1) L'Osier, Tokyo - Scampi with passion fruit and mango reduction

L'Osier, a stalwart in Tokyo's fine dining scene since 1973, re-opened in 2014 and although former executive chef Bruno Menard did not make his long anticipated return, new executive chef and Pierre Gagnaire alumni Olivier Chaignon did more than enough to warrant its 2-star status.

Meet our perfectly cooked scampi with passion fruit and mango reduction that was served with an eggplant, vegetable jelly and zucchini tower. This was not only a great dish; it was a stunning piece of art.



(2) L'Astrance, Paris - millefeuille of foie gras, green apple and mushrooms

Chef-owner Pascal Barbot is a perfectionist who wants to get every single dish right. This is precisely why he's only taking 100 diners every week to make sure that the quality meets his exceptionally high standard.

We were lucky enough to be two of those diners in early October to experience his signature dish, millefeuille of foie gras, green apple and mushrooms and much more. That is the place to be for a great culinary pilgrimage in Paris.



(3) Toshi Yoroizuka Dessert Bar, Tokyo - Mont Blanc

Tucked away at a quiet corner in Tokyo Midtown, Toshi Yoroizuka's Dessert bar was supposed to be a place for us to kill an hour of our spare time before our teppanyaki dinner but it turned out to be so much more. 

At the 12-seat counter, we got the front row seats to a live performance where our pastry chef put together this mont blanc for us layer after layer. It was a stunning display of skill and a wonderful treat to my sweet tooth.



(4) Quest by Que, Hong Kong - Hamachi sashimi with cherry tomato jelly, sea grapes, salmon roes, basil seeds

Chef Que makes his return to Hong Kong with a bang with his Vietnamese inspired menu that features this hamachi sashimi; perfectly complemented with a ultra tangy cherry tomato jelly, some sea grapes, salmon roes, basil seeds and finished with a yuzukosho sauce.



(5) Vasco, Hong Kong - Red Palamos prawns on a seabed and sea urchin with crustacean mayonnaise

There has been no shortage of new Spanish restaurants in Hong Kong this year but Vasco stood out as the best of the bunch. Behind Chef Paolo Casagrande and his avant-garde cuisine, Vasco became an instant hit at the restored PMQ and this red Palamos prawn was just one of the many highlights in their surprise menu.



(6) Ristorante Reale, Castel di Sangro - Half-cooked scampi with spinach and almond cream

Think of this as a sushi (Certainly looks like one at first glance), then the scampi would be your sashimi, the spinach would be your rice and the almond cream would be your wasabi. Buckle up, sit back and enjoy the ride.  



(7) Quintessence, Tokyo - Roasted Japanese Pork with burdock sauce

Chef Shuzo Kishida's talent was on full display with this slow roasted Japanese pork in a special burdock sauce. The pork belly was roasted, cooled, roasted again, cooled and the sequence was repeated some 20-30 times. The result was a super tender, moist, flavorful and seductive piece of roasted pork that simply blew us away.


 
(8) Il Pagliaccio, Rome - Crab meat with salsify ice-cream, apple and mint
Crab, salsify, ice-cream, apple and mint are never meant to be together but in Chef Anthony Genovese's cuisine, anything is possible. Like most of Chef Genovese's offerings, this dish has a tantalizing mix of interesting textures and flavors that proves to be exciting and unforgettable.  

(9) Restaurant NUR, Hong Kong - Smoked wagyu cheek with black garlic and kai-lan
Chef Nurdin Topham's "nourishing cuisine" took the city by storm in 2014. Although not as beautifully plated as some of his other dishes, NUR's smoked wagyu cheek is as perfect as it gets after being slow-cooked for 48 hours.

Tender, juicy and absolutely mouthwatering.



(10) L'Astrance, Paris - Jasmine-infused eggnog
Another one of Chef Pascal Barbot's ingenious creations. Jasmine-infused eggnog was served in egg shells providing a lovely floral fragrance. A perfect ending to a perfectly prepared dinner.

(11) Jaan, Singapore - 55’ Rosemary smoked organic egg

Chef Julien Royer's rise to Singapore's culinary elite was no surprise to anyone familiar with his cutting-edge artisanal cuisine. There are quite a number of interesting items in the chef's seasonal menu but none more exquisite than his signature 55' rosemary smoked organic egg. The smoky flavors and smooth texture on top of the visually stunning effects makes this dish a must-try at Jaan.



(12) Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Hong Kong - Slow roasted Dingley Dell pork belly served with spiced apple puree and apple relish

I was at Bread Street Kitchen & Bar for two straight nights during its soft opening week to sample some of the foul-mouthed chef's lovely dishes and this slow roasted Dingley Dell pork belly really stood out as the best dish on both nights.



(13) Mott 32, Hong Kong - Kurobuta pork dumplings (siu mai) with soft quail egg and black truffle

Mott 32 took away a bunch of awards in 2014 with its interior design but it was some of their dim sums that were winning our heart. If you have no concerns over your cholesterol level, check out their Kurobuta pork dumplings (siu mai) with soft quail egg and black truffle. The best siu mai you'll ever have in Hong Kong.



(14) Tsui Hang Village - Crispy minced carp cakes and deep fried bread topped with milk custard

While everyone is obsessed with Tsui Hang Village's signature honey glazed barbeque pork, I have something totally different in mind - their crispy minced carp cakes and crispy bread topped with milk custard.

Crispy on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside. That was always a treat.



(15) Épure, Hong Kong - Maine lobster with poached rhubarb, fennel salad and basil purée

2014 has been a great year for new restaurants in Hong Kong and Épure ranks right up there as one of my favorites. I still remember this poached Maine lobster with rhubarb, fennel salad and basil purée from Chef Nicolas Boutin. Simple and unpretentious!



(16) Angelina, Hong Kong - Hot Chocolate

2014 would be remembered as the year when Angelina finally landed in Hong Kong. While their food menu is still a work in progress, their hot chocolate is second to none.



(17) Le Meurice, Paris - Steamed vegetable pot 

A Chinese hotpot at a 3-star Michelin restaurant in Paris? Not so fast. Meet our steamed vegetable pot brought to us by Chef Christophe Saintagne using the freshest local vegetables and some of the most precious sea salts in the world.



(18) Ristorante Alla Rampa, Rome - "Lift me up"

Ristorante Alla Rampa's signature "Lift me up" has dazzled us when we first laid eyes on them in 2007. It was great to get re-acquainted with it on our January trip to Italy. Still one of the best dessert we ever had.



(19) Jumbo Seafood Gallery, Singapore - Chili Crab
Some said a trip to Singapore is not complete without trying Jumbo Seafood Gallery's chili crab. The chilli sauce was the key - thick, spicy and a little sweet.



(20) Pastéis de Belém, Lisbon - Pastel de nata
Touted as the best egg tart in Lisbon, Pastéis de Belém's pastel de nata certainly did not disappoint. This was the first time I tried putting cinnamon powder on my egg tarts and the result was simply divine.





Where to find them?