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Hangin' with the gang at Maido
Scallionpancake Travels:
In addition to our top five restaurants of 2017, we decided to spice things up and rate our top five dishes of 2017. Sometimes, we really love a particular dish at a certain restaurant, or something smaller at a casual place that is worthy of the title of "best dish," when "best restaurant" doesn't quite make the cut. Without further ado, here are our top five dishes of 2017!
Jason
1. Wasabi Langoustine
Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany
This, to me, is the most perfect dish in the world. It's the best thing I've ever eaten, hands down. Enough said.
2. Z-Man Sandwich
Joe's Kansas City BBQ, Kansas City, KS
The Z-man was a revelation--one BBQ sandwich to rule them all.
3. Confit Suckling Pig
Astrid & Gaston, Lima, Peru
This was the outstanding dish of Peru to me. The suckling pig mixed with dark Peruvian chocolate in a peanut broth just combined perfectly together. I would have never thought that the rich chocolate would have gone together with the suckling pig, but it did, and it was great.
4. Sportskage
La Glace, Copenhagen, Denmark
The single dessert I think about the most from this last year is the sportskage from La Glace in Copenhagen. This is the oldest and most famous bakery in Copenhagen, and their signature cake dates back to 1891 when it was first made for the debut of the play, Sports Man. It consists of crushed nougat, whipped cream, a macaroon bottom, and caramelized choux pastry. It had the consistency of a cream pie, but with almost a health bar taste with the nougat. So good!
5. Mac & Cheese with Crispy Chicken Skin
Haberdish, Charlotte, NC
The Mac & Cheese at Haberdish is cheesy perfection. The key to this dish is the hot sauce that adds a slight kick to the chicken skin. I could eat it every day!
Yvonne
1. Mussel Dessert
Maido, Lima, Peru
Although Maido didn't make either of our best restaurant lists, we both really loved so many of the dishes there. This dessert had local Peruvian elements, like granadilla, mandarin sorbet, and lucuma ice cream. Also, you can't go wrong with an edible bowl made out of sugar!
2. Doner kebab
Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap, Berlin, Germany
I would gladly wait another hour in line to eat this perfect sandwich again. The meat was juicy and well-seasoned, and the vegetables were fresher than you could ever imagine from a food cart. This kebab was certainly a part of what made our culinary adventures in Berlin special!
3. Tomato soup and rolls
Indio Feliz, Aguas Calientes, Peru
Jason wants to kill me for this choice, but after a seven hour hike through the Andes to Machu Picchu, this tomato soup brought me back to life. I loved the little town of Aguas Calientes, which is completely devoted to tourists visiting Machu Picchu--it felt like a mining town in the American west, only Peruvian style. Also, maybe, just maybe, I picked it partly because it gets under his skin. Shhhh, don't tell.
4. Ribs
Joe's Kansas City BBQ, Kansas City, KS
I am usually more of a pulled pork kind gal, but these ribs were everything to me. The flavor was 10/10, and I loved the atmosphere in the gas station at the original Joe's location.
5. Hummus
Mamoun's, New York, New York
I love when Jason takes me to NYC and shows me all of his old college haunts, like the tiny, counter-seating only Mamoun's location he took me to last March. I wish we had a quick & cheap Lebanese spot like this in Charlotte. Their hummus was tangy, fresh, and had the perfect texture.