2011 Retrospective (Jan-July)

For me, January is a time of retrospection... I'm original like that.

In this time of clearing inboxes, I figured I'd also look through my pictures from 2011 and see if I could scrounge up a food blog article. Turns out I had quite a few things to work with...

Here follows some of the most memorable meals (not made by me or Jane) of the first half of 2011. Warning: these entries will be the opposite of haikus.

Best meal at West Side Market (Cleveland, OH): Steve's Gyros

This meal carries a lot of significance as it was pretty much a day before Jane and I started dating in January. We were shopping for ingredients to make David Chang's famous Bo Saam, which is one of my go-to recipes to impress people. I'll post that sometime.

We stopped by Steve's Gyros, which is mostly famous for cheap, bountiful gyros. It was featured on Man vs Food. Here's some tips:

Tip 1)Go early... Lines form fast and can get pretty long. When ordering, speak courteously and tip. They give you extra meat for that. And you should do it anyway.

Tip 2)Even the regular sized gyros are enormous... If feeding two, just go for 1 regular sized gyros with extra meat and an extra pita. It's a lot cheaper and there'll be an excess of delicious, crispy yet moist gyros goodness.

Tip 3)There's a semi-secret way to get to this balcony area overlooking the market that's the perfect place to eat your lunch. Just look up at the end of the market, find it, then ask someone how to get up there.

West Side Market is Cleveland's historical market located in Ohio City that's been running since 1840. Situated in a beautiful, spacious, train station-like space, it contains a wide variety of stalls selling every variety of meat, vegetable and cheese.

West Side Market-specific note: Stick to the main building with the meats, cheeses, breads, etc. The produce building is separate, filled with overly aggressive sellers and from my experience, the produce isn't very local or fresh.

Best of Columbus, OH: Schmidt's Sausage Haus und Restaurant

2011 was the year of American travels. From a quick survey, I visited 12 major US cities, mainly as a tourist. The fact that this was pulled off during 2nd/3rd year of medical school, I think, is pretty cool. No question one of the best parts of dating someone like my tastybutton is having a constant and willing travel companion.

Anyway, in Columbus, the most memorable meal was at Schmidt's Sausage Haus. A historical German restaurant, they're famous for their Autobaun buffet, featuring their homemade sausages (including their signature, decidedly non-Teutonically named, Bahama Mamas). You will get a sausage overdose.

Best of Cincinnati, OH: Take the Cake

Cincinnati will always have a special place in my heart, as it's the city where Jane and I welcomed the year 2011 as just friends. As the clock hit midnight, I made a move, infuriating her. We started dating 3 weeks later. Isn't that romantic?

Take the Cake is a very cute independent bakery that serves one of the best brunches I've ever had. The menu changes every day, based on what's fresh that day. That eggs benedict with smashed peas, heritage ham and fresh-baked biscuit was very memorable.

Best of Seattle, WA: Gourmet Dog Japon

Summer was wedding season, which also gives a perfect excuse to get some traveling done. Turned out I had a wedding in Seattle, and another in Maui within a week of one other. To my old college buddy Jon and I, this meant one thing: Road trips.

One interesting fact about Seattle: They're obsessed with teriyaki. It's everywhere.

Take this Japanese fusion hot dog, served at a stand located in a parking lot near Pike Place Market. The hot dog was glazed in teriyaki, grilled, then placed in a sesame bun. The toppings of kewpie mayo, nori strips, scallions, carrots, grilled onions and scallions worked surprisingly well. I always think it's really exciting to see authentic fusion in action, especially on the streets. After all, such iconic dishes as pho are the result of this kind of clash of cultures.

Portland, OR - Pok Pok

Next stop on our road trip was Portland, probably my favorite city in the United States. Its wide variety of authentic ethnic food, emphasis on farm-to-table fare, omnipresent food trucks, and largest breweries-per-capita in the world status makes Portland a town after my own heart.

Here we eat at the award winning Pok Pok, an ode to Thai street food that is as honest and flavorful as anything I've eaten in Thailand. Definitely try the Fish Sauce Wings, which are delicious as they are sticky.

As a wonderful symbol of Portland's overall attitude on culinary pretention, the chef's James Beard award is proudly displayed... in the mens' restroom.

Maui, Hawaii: Paia Fish Market

Spoiler alert: This was the best meal of 2011. Located at the start of the famous and gorgeous Hana Highway, Paia Fish Market has a fish burger that still haunts me in my dreams. Simply seeing the picture gives me flashbacks, and I begin to salivate. This fish is perfectly grilled, giving it a tantalizing moistness with no fishiness. The Cajun seasoning somehow doesn't mask the taste of the fish, yet exerts a beautiful heat. Bun, toppings, mayo, a spritz of lemon and a refreshing pint of beer go along perfectly with the main event. If you are in Maui, just do it. Go to this place, get the Cajun Mahi Burger. You can thank me later.

-JK