I absolutely love the show Best Thing I Ever Ate on Food Network. I literally have compiled a list on my phone of the places they've suggested so if I'm ever out and about in those cities, I know where to go and what to try. Then tonight, it hit me - I should include my own favorites on my fabulous food blog! So I'll start off with the last three episodes I remember watching -The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Obsession
What am I obsessed with? What food makes me wake up in the middle of the night with sudden cravings? What makes me turn into a puddle of drool at the mere mention of it? Simple: french fries. I am a sucker for french fries. I could eat them for a meal all on their own. I could have ordered a $100 steak and leave some behind, but there would not be a single fry left sitting on that plate. When I've eaten a huge meal and I'm completely stuffed, I find myself still picking at the fries on my
plate, or sometimes my dinner-mates. And where have I had the best fries ever? Michael Chiarello's Bottega in Napa, CA.We ordered a side of fries, expecting to get a tiny plate. Oh no, Mr. Chiarello doesn't do what you expect. We were presented with this mountainous pile of amazingly delicious parmigiano truffle fries. I cannot explain how incredible the mix of nutty parmigiano reggiano, sea salt, garlic, and truffle oil is with a perfectly fried potato spear. If I had the means, I would fly up to Napa on a regular basis just to have those fries - they're that good.
The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Burgers
Like any good American, I love a good burger. But I've also semi-burned myself out on them from years of crappy fast-food versions. So it's wonderful to find a burger that not only is a good meaty burger patty, but is topped with such surprisingly delicious items, it's criminal. And what makes this burger even better? it's a secret item - it's not listed on the menu! I'm talking about the "Prime" burger at Firefly in Studio City, CA. Aside from this being a ridiculously cool place with a great atmosphere (it looks like an old library in the front bar area), great drinks, and a four-sided fireplace, they have this amazing burger hidd
en away there too! The burger is gigantor, and it's topped with avocado, bleu cheese, grilled onions, arugula, bacon, brioche, with a side of very skinny fries. Now after explaining my love for the pomme frite, it may be hard for you to imagine anything that could distract me from those
delicious french fries, but this burger actually can do that. The patty was incredibly juicy and a perfect medium rare, and the mix of sweet, sour, and tart of the toppings was the perfect compliment. It's amazing.
The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Breakfast
Anyone who knows me knows that after a good night with adult beverages I must take a trip to none other than Corona, CA's "finest" breakfast establishment: the Silver Dollar Pancake House. This place has been in Corona forever - it has been open since the 1950s! They are only open till 4pm, and I can guarantee there's will be a wait if you go on a wee
kend morning. There's an unspoken set of rules that go along with visiting the Silver Dollar Pancake House - if no one is there to write down your name, it's acceptable to write it down in the notebook yourself; patrons should scoot down the vinyl bench as their name gets closer to the top of the list; it's perfectly acceptable to ogle the food of the patrons sitting at the counter; stay out of the waitresses way - they don't slow down! The decor is horrendous - Early American Hodge-Podge - but perfectly suited for the diner. I brought my best friend there recently, and forgot to tell him about the portion sizes - the food comes in only one size: gimongous! He got a stack of pancakes and an egg breakfast - more than any human (even an athletic guy like him) could possibly eat. Me, I stick to the breakfast burritos. I get them with bacon, which is always perfectly crispy and juuuuust salty enough. They serve them with a side of hash browns, but I prefer to unwrap my burrito and spoon a heap of them right inside. It's the perfect cure for the morning after a late night!
