My best meals of 2008

Looking back at our eating out excursions this year (which were far and few due to me quitting my job), I think this list represents some of the best meals I had this past year — both high-end and cheap eats. In my opinion, these foods were DELICIOUS!!!

This list is in chronological order… starting with the beginning of the year and ending most recently:

1. Fried Halloumi Cheese with Medjool dates, cashews and Ouzo — Avila in the Theater District
2. Paison’s Mess — Comella’s in West Roxbury
3. House Smoked Cod Cake with celery root remoulade — 51 Lincoln in Newton
4. Miso Marinated Roast Salmon with baby bok choy and sushi rice — 51 Lincoln in Newton
5. Coho Salmon on a Sugar Cane Skewer with a watercress and cherry tomato vinaigrette — Banq in the South End
6. Grilled Cod, dusted with morels and served with Pommery banana flower relish and lotus root Provencal in a green tea-miso beurre blank — Banq in the South End
7. Pan Seared Sea Scallops with a smoked tomato butter and warm spinach salad — cooked at home, recipe from February 2005 Gourmet
8. Grilled Portobello Mushroom with prosciutto and fontina cheese on a bed of warm arugula salad with a reduced balsamic vinegar dressing — DaVinci in the South End
9. Wok Charred Udon Noodles with baby bok choy and oysters sauce — Myer’s + Chang in the South End
10. Black Cod with Sweet Miso Sauce — Oishii in the South End
11. Toro Truffle Maki (white truffle, spicy mayo, cucumber and shrimp tempura) and Rock Shrimp Explosion Maki (tempura rock shrimp, brown rice chips and Ting’s wasabi-flavored lemon sauce) — Oishii in the South End
12. Glazed King Salmon served with pickled vegetables — Boston Public in the Back Bay (CLOSED — and it’s too bad, their bread basket was amazing too!)
13. Falafel, Hummus and Tabbouleh Wrap — Samia’s in West Roxbury
14. Kobe Beef Carpaccio with arugula, shaved Parmesan and a truffle vinaigrette — Sage in the South End (per The Husband… I did not personally try this)
15. Chilled Yellow Tomato Soup with smoked yogurt and EVOO — Clink in Beacon Hill
16. Seared Sea Scallops with English pea puree, leeks and a truffle nage — Clink in Beacon Hill
17. Beehive Frites with fried sage and sea salt — The Beehive in the South End
18. Sweet White Corn Soup with a base of white corn, almond milk, shallots and celery and garnished with jicama, avocado, cayenne, cilantro and dehydrated eggplant — Grezzo in the North End (entirely raw restaurant)
19. Line-caught Gloucester Halibut with Verrill Farm beets, orange supremes and a chervil vinaigrette — Persephone in South Boston
20. Lobster Roll — The Net Result on Martha’s Vineyard
21. Sweet and Sour Halibut Cheek with seared greens and dressed with an Asian XO sauce — Tremont 647 in the South End
22. Bucatini with Mussels, Clams and Heirloom Tomatoes in a corn and lobster cream sauce — Tremont 647 in the South End
23. Sticky Buns — Flour Cafe and Bakery in the South End
24. Sweet Potato Ravioli with toasted hazelnuts, sage and goat cheese in a light cream sauce — West on Centre in West Roxbury