Tastes of 2007 I Can’t Wait to Taste Again       

Bun's haunting sweetbread and beef pho.                                             Photo: Steven Richter

        If you’re a certified foodie, you won’t be surprised how often sea urchin reigned in many of my year’s best dishes.  But even I’m worried that I’m a hopeless fool for macaroni ’n’ cheese.  Were so many that good? Extra crispy at The Smith. Crusty, lush but not over-cheesed at Shorty’s .32. I even liked Dave’s black truffle mac’n’cheese with fontina and brandy, of all things, at Crave on 42nd. Or is macaroni like pizza and sex, great when it’s wonderful and still pretty good when it’s not?  I hope you’ll still trust me.

Alto: Puree of wild mushroom soup in cream with truffled crostini.

Seafood risotto with uni on an egg at Anthos. Photo: Steven Richter.

Anthos: Greek risotto with lobster, crab and sea urchin. Raw Maine shrimp in tomato consommé with crumbled feta and spicy basil.

Bar Blanc: Slow roasted rabbit and sweet bread salad.

Bar Boulud: The heart-stirring, possible heart-stopping, but you-only-live-once charcuterie buffet

BLTMarket: Raw and confit big eye tuna in tonnato sauce with avocado and fresh heart of palm.

Bun/Soho: Pho with steak chunks, sweetbread and anise touched beef broth.

Chinatown Brasserie: All the dim sum. Sofu tofu with lobster, shrimp and scallops.

Daisy May’s BBQ:  Barbecued rack of lamb.

Devi: Tandoori prawns wth pomegranate, cardamom and citrus juices.

Devin Tavern:  It was just a garnish but I cannot forget the buttery truffled chicken sandwich half.

Esca's razor clam cruda. Photo: Steven Richter

Esca:  Nantucket Bay scallops cruda. Slivered raw razor clams in lemon with mint and hot pepper.

Fiamma: Dover sole filet with red pepper dice, olives, lemon zest and lemon segments.

Grayz: The house-baked pretzel with weisswurst. Truffled lentil soup.

A mess of meat at Hill Country.                        Photo: Steven Richter

Hill Country Barbeque Market: Smoked prime rib on brown butcher paper and  primitive but oddly satisfying macaroni and cheese.

Insieme: Baby beef tartare with porcini mushrooms and lemon and buttery croutons.

Jean Georges: Santa Barbara sea urchin on black bread with jalapeño and yuzo.

Le Bernardin: Silken escolar poached in olive oil with sea beans, crisped potatoes and red wine béarnaise.

Mai House: Garlicky shrimp and white yam soup with crispy leeks.

Momofuko Ssam Bar: Santa Barbara uni with black tapioca balls, whipped tofu and scallion.

Old Homestead: The 9 oz. Prime Burger with peppered slab bacon.                                                                                                                                  

Summer's peekytoe crab. Photo: Steven Richter

Park Avenue Summer:  Peekytoe crab with avocado in spicy tomato gazpacho gelee.

Perry Street: Rice cracker crusted tuna siracha with citrus.

Primehouse NY: Truffle Asiago fries.

Sfoglia: Astonishingly fat and flavorful wild mussels with tomato, garlic salami and fennel seed in an aromatic bath.  The house-baked bread.

Shelly’s Tradizionale: Pacheri with baby clams and tuna bottarga.

Smith’s: Steamed egg on creamy Anson Mills polenta and forgiveable gorgonzola foam.

Toaloche: Braised brisket tacos with tomatillo sauce and horseradish.

Crustiest macaroni at The Smith.                    Photo: Steven Richter

The Smith: Ethereal gnocchi glazed under the broiler. Given the crowds, such perfection may have been a fluke but I’m betting the monster chocolate chip cookies will always be irresistible.