14 Best Bites of 2014

At the end of 2013, I did a roundup of amazing meals I had that year and of course being the food lover I always love rehashing a good meal. This year, to change it up a bit, I’ve put together a list of best bites – moments in a meal that blew me away or if the whole meal was awesome, I included the whole thing (really I just couldn’t think of 14 complete meals that were amazing).

They include highlights from my travels last year as well as explorations in my hometown of Vancouver. So without further ado, here are my 14 best bites from the year 2014 in chronological order:

My First Michelin Star Experience – Onyx, Budapest, Hungary

2014 turned out to have two Michelin star experiences for me. One significantly better than the other. The meal at Onyx was decadent and luxurious. For much of it I felt so out of place, but by the end I was so stuffed and impressed with the whole experience. My favourite dish was the one above – a play on breakfast with an egg and bacon.

Lobster Eggs Benedict – Joe Fortes, Vancouver, Canada

I love a good eggs benedict. I usually get one when I’m out for brunch much to my waistline’s disapproval. This one was amazing with the addition of the lobster. So good.

Caesars – Score on Davie, Vancouver, Canada

Caesars are Canada’s answer to the Bloody Mary, and varies only through the use of Clamato instead of tomato juice. Vancouver went through a crazy Caesars phase in 2014 especially with the creation of the “Checkmate” Caesar at Score on Davie which is a full meal in itself. The drink comes with roasted chicken, Score burger, pulled pork sriracha glazed slider, onion rings, chicken wings, a pulled pork mac and cheese hotdog and a brownie. While I didn’t order one of those, I had their tamer “Luongo” Caesar which was still impressive with chorizo, bocconcini cheese, pepperencini, pepperoni, and onion rings.

Cream Puff – Beta 5 Chocolate, Vancouver, Canada

Normally I’m not a massive sweets person and cream puffs are definitely low on my dessert radar, but these ones from Beta 5 Chocolate was amazing. First off, it was huge, but it wasn’t heavy. I picked the salted caramel and it was a great balance of sweet and savory. It’s expensive, but every so often, one of these is a great treat.

Tasting Plate – Salt Tasting Room, Vancouver, Canada

I really love this place and such an awesome discovery at home. The concept is unique: build your own tapas plate from a selection of meats and cheeses and pick condiments to go with them.

Doughnuts – Honey Doughnuts, Vancouver, Canada

So good I had to have it twice in 2014 – once at the beginning of the summer and again at the end. Any more and it would be gluttonous. Located in Deep Cove, it’s a drives away from central Vancouver, Honey’s is like no other doughnut. Lightly sweet, cakey and dense, it’s the perfect way to end a day enjoying Vancouver’s beauty.

Breakfast at Bijou Cafe – Portland, USA

We weren’t supposed to eat here. If luck was on our side we would have had brunch at Screen Door or Tasty and Sons, except both had a massive line out the door. This place was recommended to us on a chance encounter with a biker from the night before who was after a cigarette from one of my travel companions. Sometimes the best things are unplanned. This breakfast was so good.

Elk Burger – Deschutes Bakery, Portland, USA

Everyone tells you that Portland is such a foodie city with amazing food around every corner. With that comes long lines and wait times which isn’t fun when you’re starving. This was our last meal in Oregon and definitely one of the best of the whole trip. This was the first time I had elk and really enjoyed it. The pretzel and cheese I shared as an appy was amazing too.

See more great food options in Portland.

Trying Uni For the First Time – Sushi By Yuji, Vancouver, Canada

There are very few things that I wouldn’t eat or at least try. Sashimi and sushi in general are one of my favourite foods in the world, but I had never tried uni, aka sea urchin. In this hidden, middle of no where sushi shop, which came highly recommended from a friend, I tried it for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised. The texture is a little strange, but I’d definitely eat it again.

Birthday Dinner – Vancouver, Canada

Every year I like to do something a little different for my birthday. In 2013, I hosted a murder mystery dinner party with a private chef. In 2014, I decided to go on a food crawl. It was so much fun! Appetizers at a Thai place, mains at a Japanese izakaya restaurant and then dessert at a bubble tea place. The original plan was to hit up a bar, but at the time sugar sounded so much better than beer. I loved it! I discovered some new places and definitely want to replicate this kind of meal in the future.

Beef Brisket Rice Noodles – Kau Kee, Hong Kong

I love beef brisket and I love rice noodles. Together they’re magical. This is comfort food at its best for me. This place is legendary in Hong Kong and was definitely worth squishing myself at a table for a bowl.

BBQ Pork Buns – Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong

My second Michelin star restaurant was a much less glamorous affair. While I’ll write about the whole experience soon, I will say that the BBQ Pork Buns were pretty amazing. Definitely worth making a trip to the restaurant.

Pork Knuckle – Vancouver Christmas Market, Vancouver, Canada

I love pork hock especially when it’s slow cooked like how the Germans do it. I had pork knuckle for the first time in a famous shop in Dusseldorf and was completely blown away of how tender and delicious it was. Anytime I have a delicious pork knuckle, like this one at the Vancouver Christmas Market, it brings me back to that afternoon in Dusseldorf.

New Years Eve Dinner – Wildebeest, Vancouver, Canada

Generally for new years eve I like to hang out in my PJs, watch the ball drop on the east coast and then head to bed. At most, I’ll go hang out at someone’s house for the countdown. I’m not a big fan of the huge parties, expensive drinks and craziness that comes with ushering in the new year. This year, I decided to do something different and went out for a fancy four course meal at a local restaurant. We rang in the new year with a glass of champagne and a bunch of randoms in a restaurant. Cheers for new experiences!

What was the best thing you ate in 2014?

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