I never published this. Back at the beginning of 2015.
2014 now stands as the year in which I did the most prodigious amount of traveling in my entire lifetime. Traveling on business took me to Richmond, San Jose, New York City, and Toronto. Traveling for pleasure landed me in Toledo, Columbus, Tampa and Dallas.
Along the way, I was forced into the unenviable position of exploring new gastronomic horizons. What follows is a summation of the most memorable food-related experiences I had in 2014. Listed by location in alphabetical order, of course. Because, why not?
Ben Wheeler, TX
Razor Burger @ The Forge (cheese-stuffed jalapeños, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion on a toasted, buttered bun)
– Columbus, OH
– Sauerkraut Balls & Mac’n’Cheese @ Hey Hey Bar & Grill
– Pork Bratwurst, Smoked Bahama Mama, Garlic Knockwurst, German Potato Salad @ Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus
– The Village Addiction @ Brown Bag Deli (smoked turkey, havarti, cranberry mayonnaise, served on grilled sour dough)
– Sriracha Slaw Dog @ Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace (Sriracha slaw (coleslaw with a touch of sun-ripened chile garlic sauce), mustard, & fresh onion)
– Sunfish Tacos @ The Sycamore (arbol chili rub, sazon yogurt sauce, mizzuna sprouts)
– Beer @ 16-Bit Bar + Arcade
– New York City, NY
– Cortado @ Café Grumpy in Manhattan
– Wurst and beer @ The Standard Biergarten in The Standard Hotel High Line, Meat Packing District, Manhattan
– The Famous Original Pizza @ Roberta’s in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn (tomato, mozzarella, Caciocavallo, oregano, chili)
– Cortado & Shakshuka @ Iris Cafe in Brooklyn (roasted tomato, tahini, toast, sesame seeds, poached egg)
– Richmond, VA
– Burger @ Pasture (special sauce, house dill pickles, lettuce, onion, American cheese, fries)
– Bavarian Pretzels, Garlic-Herb Mussels, Fish and Chips @ Capital Ale House (Pale ale battered cod fried crisp and served with fries, brown ale Tarter sauce and cilantro lime slaw)
– Top Sirloin @ Comfort
– Chicken Tenders, Catfish, Candied Yams, Peach Cobbler @ Mama J’s
San Diego, CA
- Lobster mac & cheese burger @ Churchill’s Pub & Grille (1/2lb Kobe beef patty on a beer battered lobster mac and cheese bun topped with truffle cheese and heirloom tomato)
- Ceviche flight and Chronic Roll @ Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub (crab, spicy tuna and avocado wrapped in rice and nori, deep fried and finished off with spicy aioli and sweet and spicy citrus sauce)
- Triple Stuffed Popper and Sizzling Fried Shark @ Churchill’s Pub & Grille (Anaheim chili stuffed with diced jalapeño, habañero, serrano peppers, and pepper jack cheese. Then beer battered, fried and topped with chipotle mole. — Mako shark filet rubbed in Caribbean green seasoning then breaded and fried. Served on a ciabatta bun and topped with scotch bonnet slaw, red onion, heirloom tomato, and pepper sauce.)
- 50 Alarm Burger @ Slater’s 50/50 (carne asada fire beef, ghost pepper jack cheese, bacon habanero spread, fresh jalapeño, beer battered habanero poppers, brioche
- (waiver required; gloves provided))
- El Fútbol Taco @ Tacos Perla (Smoked Albacore, green chile, pippin, jack cheese & red onion)
- Shack Burger @ Carnitas Snack Shack (lettuce/ tomato/ bacon jam/ white cheddar/ shack aioli)
- San Diego Restaurant Week @ Puesto La Jolla (Lobster taco [Black beans, crispy onions, avocado, crema de cilantro, jalapeño pico], Rajas Veg taco [Crispy melted cheese, rajas mix (chile poblano, sweet corn, oyster mushrooms), avocado, tomatillo fresca], Zucchini & Cactus Veg taco [Crispy melted cheese, calabasitas (zucchini, corn, tomato), cactus, avocado, cilantro-tomatillo], Pork Chilaquiles, Calabasitas [Fresh zucchini, corn, tomato, queso, crema], ice cream cookie dessert)
- Battered Fish Tacos @ Oscar’s Mexican Seafood (served with Cabbage – Onion – Tomato – Cilantro)
- Bomb Burrito @ Karina’s Taco Shop (carne asada, shredded cheese, guacamole, taquitos, sour cream)
- Ribeye Steak @ The Steakhouse at Jalapeño Grill & Cantina (Ribeye flavored with Signature House Seasoning and grilled over a Mesquite flame, fresh bread, Mexican caesar salad, Jalapeño Cheddar Mashed Redskins)
Salad @ The Farmer’s Union in San Jose, CA (Little Gems, Avocado Green Goddess, Candy Bacon, Ricotta Salata, Pickled Onion)
San Jose, CA
- Burger @ The Farmer’s Union (Farmers Union Grass Fed Burger, Brioche Bun, White Cheddar, Pickles, All the Fixins)
- Salad @ The Farmer’s Union (Little Gems, Avocado Green Goddess, Candy Bacon, Ricotta Salata, Pickled Onion)
- Shiitake Jack @ Konjoe Burger Bar in San Pedro Square Market (beef, lettuce, pickled jalapenos, shiitake mushrooms, jack cheese, r.g.s.t aioli)
- Sausage & Kale Stuffed Pork Tenderlion @ SP2 Communal Bar + Restaurant (Parmesan Polenta, Baby Carrots and Chasseur Sauce)
Tampa, FL
- Florida Pompano @ Ulële (Pan-seared pompano fillet, sundried tomato shallot cream, fried carrot ribbons)
- Burrito Prenado Pescado (Grouper) with Guacamole @ Taco Bus (X-large flour tortilla stuffed with your choice of filling, Mexican rice, refried beans, taco veggies and cheese)
Toronto, ON
- Cowboy Ribeye and Lobster Tail at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Mississauga, ON
Joel Manahan 