Eat Like a Lady

13. Smashed Potatoes from Vinegar Hill House (Previously Reviewed)

With sour cream and scallions in the mix, this tastes like a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips with a perfect mashed potato texture. When I think about wanting mashed potatoes, I think of Vinegar Hill House’s.

12. Smashed Bagel from Bagel Smashery in Hoboken, NJ

This place is one of those tiny little gems and they make the best bagel sandwiches around. So what is a smashed bagel? Well they take whatever bagel sandwich you choose off their extensive menu and they smash it under a hot press, which makes the sandwich easy to eat and very hot. I always get bacon, egg, and muenster cheese on a pumpernickel or everything bagel smashed. Having had the Bagel Smash, no bacon, egg and cheese can live up!

11. Memphis Style Pulled Pork Sandwich with Scallion Hushpuppies from The Blues BBQ & Grill in Roanoke, VA

This is the best pulled pork sandwich I’ve had all year and it’s no surprise that I got it in the South. It had an out of this world barbecue flavor and those hushpuppies were the best of their kind. Since I went there over the Summer, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get back ever since.

10. Filet Mignon from Freemans (Previously Reviewed)

This is hands down THE dish you order at Freemans. It was cooked perfectly medium rare and melted in your mouth like butter – seriously the texture was just out of this world. If I could have figured out a way to wrap myself in this steak I would have.  I think that sums that one up.

9. Meatball Smash from Meatball Shop

You can pick any 2 balls you want with a choice of sauce (I got the spicy pork in the spicy meat sauce) smashed on a toasted brioche bun with mozzarella cheese. This also comes with a really tasty small side salad. This sandwich is the perfect size and is just packed with flavor. I love this place. I loved this sandwich. I’m still thinking about how good it was.

8. Ricotta Ravioli from Rubirosa (Previously Reviewed)

These are small ricotta raviolis with butternut squash, brown butter, sage and a balsamic drizzle. This was heaven in my mouth. The perfect balance of salty and sweet, I just couldn’t get enough.

7. Chocolate Soufflé from Westville

This is served hot. It is a moist chocolate cake with a creamy, rich chocolate center and is served with a scoop of ice cream right in the middle. When you crack this open the cold ice cream mixes with the oozing hot chocolate to make for one of my favorite desserts around.

6. Steak Quesadilla from Charritos in Hoboken, NJ

While everything is good at this amazing, tiny Mexican restaurant, they make THE BEST steak quesadilla. It is packed with tons of oozing cheese and flavored steak. Top it with some sour cream and guacamole and you have a perfect Mexican bite.

5. Everything at Aldea ­– Most specifically the grits and Hangar Steak Dish – (Previously Reviewed)

Their grits are some of the best grits I think I’ve ever had, and that’s a large statement coming from a girl who’s eaten her share of authentic Southern cuisine. If I could swim in a vat of these grits, I would. They had the perfect texture and butter flavoring. I just couldn’t eat enough

As for the hangar steak, I’ve mentioned in earlier posts my hesitance to order hanger steak, but sometimes you just have to go with your gut. With a Goan-Portuguese eggplant curry and sweet corn and bean succotash, this dish was calling my name, and boy am I glad that I went with it. While this is hands down the best hanger steak I’ve ever had, I’d even be willing to say this might be one of the best steaks I’ve ever eaten. Period. As far as I’m concerned steak is only good when cooked perfectly medium rare with no additional “fanfare” – I don’t want goat cheese, butter, mushrooms, onions, steak sauce… just give me the steak! And Mendes presents a truly simple and perfect piece of meat. The corn and bean succotash had great flavor and the eggplant curry was like nothing I’ve ever eaten before. I particularly liked mixing the eggplant with the succotash and eating it with the steak at the same time. Overall this is a fantastic dish I intend to revisit again.

4. Burrata Pizza from Kesté (Previously Reviewed)

Every time I come to Kesté there is a special that usually involves Burrata, an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream giving it an unusual, soft texture. A little bit pricier than the other pizzas, it’s worth it, because I guarantee it’s one of the best pizzas you’ll ever put in your mouth. This specific one pictured came with their amazing prosciutto, basil and tomatoes. You just can’t beat the flavor experience, and when I say it’s an experience I mean it. If you’re a fan of cheese and/or white pizzas, this is the best of its kind!

3. Lechon from YerbaBuena LES (Previously Reviewed)

This is a suckling pig over a yucca puree in a habanero mojo de ajo (some amazing sauce) – think Latin pulled pork over a sweet puree for contrast in flavor and texture. The best part was the piece of pork belly on top that just melted in your mouth. This dish is not to be missed!

2. Bulgogi Slider from Danji

This is topped with a spicy pickled cucumber and scallion salsa and served on a soft, delicious bun. I found myself moaning while I ate it. That should be description enough.

1. Grilled Bacon Skewer from Landhaus at Smorgasburg (Previously Reviewed)

So simple and yet so fucking delicious! Yes, an expletive is required for describing how awesome this piece of bacon is. Cooked in maple syrup and pimenton, this is the thickest, juiciest, most flavorful slab of bacon I’ve ever eaten. The fat just melted in your mouth. And let’s be honest, bacon plain and simple is always going to be the best bite making this #1 on my best bites of 2011.