Top 15 Meals of All Time - 2021
I was inspired by my friend Kyle’s post to reflect on my years of dining experiences and create a list of the best meals I’ve had (so far). Being able to look back on my meals of the past is one of the main reasons I take photos and blog. Naturally most of this list comes from my experiences with high-end Michelin starred meals, but I am happy to see a few more casual or unique meals in the mix as well. This list is a culmination of my travels and dining experiences so far, encompassing roughly 70 Michelin stars, dozens of James Beard Award winners, and over 5,000 plates photographed.
So without further adieu, here are my current, as of May 2021, top 15 meals of all time (Asterisks represent # of Michelin stars at the time of dining if applicable, e.g. *** = 3 stars):
15. Jungsik ** - Seoul, South Korea
Most of my exposure to Korean cuisine is either BBQ, noodles, or soups. High end or elevated Korean cuisine is just hard to come by here in Hawaii (and the states in general), which is why I was excited to check out a few Michelin-rated spots while we were in Seoul. While the Michelin guide is somewhat controversial in South Korea - even from my direct experience perhaps a bit too generous in dolling out stars - I found Jungsik to be appropriately rated. From the first course (the snacks pictured above) I could tell that the flavors here were much more pronounced and refined. While most of the food we had in South Korea was rather lackluster, if I were to ever be in Seoul again I’d happily revisit Jungsik.
14. Maido - Lima, Peru
One of our more adventurous trips was our first visit to the South American continent. Rich in both historic and cultural experiences, Peru afforded me the opportunity to experience an entirely different set of flavors and ingredients. While some of what we had in Peru was completely different, there were more familiar meals in the myriad of Peruvian fusion restaurants we visited. One of the most notable fusion cuisines in Peru is the merging of Peruvian and Japanese food, which is commonly referred to as Nikkei cuisine. Maido, a Nikkei restaurant that made its way to 7th on the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list for 2019, was our last meal of the trip and one of my favorites. Japanese techniques and umami merged with Peruvian ingredients (I am a big fan of Peruvian uni) made for a memorable and delicious meal.
13. Yakiniku Jambo Hanare - Tokyo, Japan
I’ve been lucky to have a lot of Japanese wagyu beef, but my most memorable experience with this premium ingredient was during my 2019 trip to Japan. I went to Yakiniku Jambo Hanare on the recommendation of a chef/friend of mine and can’t wait to go back. Not only does this place deftly handle A5 Kuroge wagyu beef, but actually makes the price pretty reasonable (as much as you could expect for beef of this level). There are a few items that you need to order ahead of time such as the chateaubriand and the wagyu rice pictured above. I am very much looking forward to my return to Japan and the meal I’m sure to have here when I do.
12. Sushi Sho - Honolulu, Hawaii
I often get asked where I’ve had the best sushi and, much to the surprise of many, it’s not a restaurant in Japan (although I’ve been to a few Michelin starred sushi places there). Sushi Sho right here in Honolulu is my favorite omakase experience to date. Everything about a meal here, from the ambiance to the food, reminds me of Japan. Chef Nakazawa demonstrates his skill by transforming both imported and local ingredients to a Michelin-level experience. In particular I always think about the ankimo with pickled watermelon, which is by far the best ankimo I’ve ever had.
11. Providence - Los Angeles, California
Providence currently holds, and held previously to my visit, a 2-star Michelin rating. However, during my meal there the Michelin guide was not actively rating in Los Angeles. Although the guide may have taken a break from including Providence, the food continued its excellence. Based on my meal here the restaurant was worthy of its 2-star rating. Every dish was well executed. This meal is also memorable because it was the first time I had ever tasted true A5 grade Miyazaki wagyu beef (pictured above).
https://providencela.com
10. MIL - Sacred Valley, Peru
Chef Virgilio Martinez’ signature restaurant, Central in Lima, is not on my list (even though we ate there) simply because I didn’t get to finish the entire tasting menu. We unfortunately got very sick the day before and, try as we did, we couldn’t make it through the last third of dinner at Central. While that was a major disappointment, earlier in the trip we had lunch at Chef Martinez’ other restaurant, MIL, overlooking the Moray ruins. While not strictly one of the 10 best meals in terms of pure flavor, MIL breaks its way into my top 10 due to the uniqueness of the experience. Every ingredient used here comes from the Andean mountains, sourced from 10,000 feet in elevation and up. Even the salt, which is typically harvested closer to sea level, comes from the Maras salt mines a few miles away in the mountains. MIL not only exposed me to dozens of ingredients I may never have again, but did so to a level worthy of at least one Michelin star (if the Michelin guide rated Peru).
9. Vintage Cave - Honolulu, Hawaii
I had a couple of meals here while Chef Kajioka was at the helm. The exclusive restaurant was singularly unique in Hawaii for both its architecture and tasting menu (thankfully since 2013 more restaurants have started doing similarly formatted tasting menus). For this list I am specifically recalling my visit in October of 2013 which included several incredible dishes. The entire experience of dining at Vintage Cave - from the Picasso paintings on the wall to the Michelin level food (at the time) - makes it a worthy entry in my top 15 meals to date.
8. Ryugin *** - Tokyo, Japan
This restaurant is an institution in high end modern kaiseki. Ryugin was on my bucket list for years before I had a chance to make it there and get a reservation. The food has an immense level of restraint and respect for the seasonal ingredients all the while being completely delicious. The flatware and bowls are all special as well, many of them being antiques. This leads to the one negative aspect of Ryugin for me, which is their photography policy. No large cameras are allowed and cell phones can only be used at an angle that keeps them from being positioned over the table and plates. Despite the restriction on photography, there is no doubt that the food here is some of the best you can have in Tokyo.
7. Senia - Honolulu, Hawaii
I’ve eaten at Senia a lot - 33 times in the main dining room and a handful of private dinners upstairs in the past few years. It’s been my favorite restaurant here in Hawaii since we moved back in 2016. While there are several outstanding meals I’ve had here, one in particular stands out and makes it on to this list. I had a private dinner with a custom menu back in December of 2018. This was my favorite meal of all my visits to Senia so far and one that stands up to and above most Michelin tasting menus I’ve had so far. The deliciousness of the food along with their creativeness (such as the fish wellington pictured above) made for a memorable meal.
6. Willow’s Inn - Lummi Island, Washington
The only meal that I’ve driven out of my way to have involved a 2.5 journey from Seattle to the secluded Lummi Island near the Canadian border. The beautiful drive up the Washington coastline (with a pitstop at Taylor Shellfish farm) was the perfect lead-in to a meal on Lummi Island. The closest dinner I’ve had to what I’d call a “minimalist tasting menu”, many of the best courses were very simple with just a few ingredients. Fire grilled shiitake mushrooms and the smoked salmon above were standouts for me. The entire experience - the drive, dinner, and staying at the inn overnight - makes this one of the more memorable eating adventures I’ve had to date.
https://www.willows-inn.com
5. Kikunoi Honten *** - Kyoto, Japan
One of the oldest restaurants still operating in Kyoto, Kikunoi Honten is one of the most notable restaurants featuring Japanese kaiseki cuisine. All of the tables here are in private rooms. The intimate setting and Japanese attention to service makes you feel like a VIP. Despite its 3-star Michelin rating, the restaurant feels very relaxed and comfortable. The menu changes often in keeping with the seasonal ingredient focus of kaiseki. The attention to detail in this experience was impressive.
https://kikunoi.jp/kikunoiweb.en/top
4. Per Se *** - New York City, New York
On our way back from Iceland we stopped for a few days in New York City. I’ve never been to The French Laundry in Napa, so I was excited to try Chef Thomas Keller’s Per Se overlooking Columbus Circle. The service I experienced here is among the best of any restaurant I’ve ever dined in. The food was incredible and I finally got to try the famous Oyster & Pearls dish (pictured above). On this same trip we also visited Eleven Madison Park, another 3-star Michelin restaurant. While delicious in its own right, I find myself having many more fond memories of dinner at Per Se.
3. Saison *** - San Francisco, California
My most expensive meal to date was also at one of the restaurants highest on my bucket list. Saison was a memorable experience not only for the quality of its food, but for the successful use of two of its core thematic elements - vegetables and fire. Every dish we had was touched by the ever burning fire in the kitchen in some way. Despite the challenges that come with cooking with a live wood burning fire, a decidedly inconsistent heat source, every dish was perfectly executed and balanced. Some of the best vegetable-centric or vegetarian dishes I’ve ever had came from this meal.
2. Ishikawa *** - Tokyo, Japan
Kaiseki cuisine makes its third appearance on this list with the small, unassuming restaurant that is Ishikawa. Just two small private rooms and a counter that seats about eight people provide the stage for what I can only describe as an absolute masterclass in Japanese kaiseki cuisine. Unlike Ryugin, which I would categorize as “modern” kaiseki, Ishikawa stays truer to the minimalistic and seasonal soul of kaiseki. The courses were, on first glance, very simply prepared. But hidden beneath and among that simple facade is a clean, unadulterated deliciousness that I have rarely ever found. Add to the amazing food the easy going and warm disposition of Chef Ishikawa himself (who we were seated in front of at the counter), and you have a dining experience I won’t soon forget.
http://kagurazaka-ishikawa.co.jp
1. Alinea *** - Chicago, Illinois
My top pick and the best meal I’ve had to date combines an incredibly delicious, creative, and fun menu with the nostalgia and significance of my first ever Michelin Star experience. I was only able to experience Alinea in its heyday due to the tireless efforts of a fellow food blogger who would make over 500 phone calls to get through to the reservation line. On the day of dinner I was flying in to Chicago and my flight was delayed due to a snow storm, resulting in a mad scramble for me to make it to the city with just a couple of hours to spare. My experience at Alinea, even a decade later, is still one of the most creative and fun eating experiences I’ve ever had. Alinea exposed me to so many new possibilities with food and will be a meal that I remember fondly for decades to come.
