Top Five Restaurants of 2019

Roca Nation

It’s hard to believe, but this is our fifth year blogging. This year, of all the years, was exceptionally hard to pick our top five restaurants since we went to so many amazing places. But this is why we’re paid the big bucks - to make the hard choices. Which of them made our ultimate list for 2019? Read on to find out!

Jason

Clear Bread

1. ENIGMA

Barcelona, Spain

As I look back on the year, the most fun night of high end meals was at Enigma. The setting of the restaurant, the movement through different rooms, and the overall elevation of the food makes it my best restaurant of the year.

A play on a steak frites, with main dish being vegetable steak with a side of beef.

2. Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Tarrytown, NY

Blue Hill is the first high end restaurant we’ve been where each table got a different menu. The amount of skill and coordination it takes to pull this off is incredible. We wish we could have dined at a time other than 10:30pm, but alas you take what you can get.

Crab on crab on crab

3. Noma

Copenhagen, Denmark

We now make an annual trip to Copenhagen to visit Noma because we like Copenhagen and we like giving our money to Rene Redzepi. We thought the vegetable season in 2018 was better than the seafood season, but it was still an amazing meal and experience.

Look at this presentation!

4. AlINEA

Chicago, IL

I freaking loved everything about Alinea. It was two hours. Every course had a purpose. Everything on the table had a purpose. The balloon tasted better than expected. It was the rare top level restaurant that left you wanting more, and that’s the feeling I want when I leave a fine dining restaurant.

Duck taco

5. QUINTONIL

Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico was even better than expected for us, and Quintonil was the highlight of our trip. Each course was emaculate, and really showcased the abudence and magic of Mexican cooking. You could see Chef Jorge Vallejo’s influence from Noma and Pujol to create a menu unique his own.

I got to play St. Andrews this year, which was the ultimate highlight

Yvonne

HIT THE LINKS

TEE OFF

1. SCHWA

Chicago, IL

I know that Jason is going to be floored by my #1 pick, but I will not deny my love for Schwa. I had zero expectations going in, and Alinea was ostensibly the main event of the weekend, but this was the first restaurant other than Noma where I found every single dish over-the-top delicious.

Even the drinks were fun

2. ENIGMA

Barcelona, Spain

There isn’t a restaurant in the world like Enigma (well, that I know of). It’s hard for me to pick a standout dish from our meal, but the overall experience and interactive elements make this place so special.

This is pre-dinner, and already two hours past his bedtime

3. Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Tarrytown, NY

I hate that I always forget about Blue Hill since we were so tired from our 10:30 p.m. reservation. The whole thing feels like a fever dream, but when I reflect on the experience, it was truly exceptional in every way. That chocolate sourdough bread (and squash pie, pictured)!

Fresh to death even right after a flight overseas

4. El Celler De Can Roca

Girona, Spain

While you didn’t move around like at Enigma, El Celler de can Roca was so whimsical and creative. The desserts we had here were truly unforgettable, and I loved seeing my dad experience his first Michelin star restaurant.

Our family now includes chefs

5. Kitchen Table

London, UK

This was a hard pick for me as Alinea nearly edged it out, but I think the creativity and flavor – plus the awesome setting – make Kitchen Table the winner of my fifth spot. Some of our dining companions soured this one for me since they weren’t into the experience, but it really was incredible. And how often do you get face time with the chef like that?!

Honorable Mention: Anomaly

Charlotte, NC

Chef Sam Hart’s Anomaly pop-up was really something amazing, and it felt even more special since we attended his very first one. The energy was palpable and the food was top notch, especially considering everything was produced in a home kitchen. We can’t wait to see more at his first ticketed pop-up next week!

I hope 2020 has this many fun animals in it

Top Five Restaurants of 2018

Oh…Hi….Massimo Bottura.

What a year! It’s hard to believe this is our fourth year of blogging and our fourth annual best restaurant list. This year was extra special, as we spent a month eating heavily in our favorite city in the world, Copenhagen. Not only that, we went to Noma, Eleven Madison Park, and Osteria Francescana this year. Which of them made our ultimate list for 2018? Read on to find out!

Jason

Celeraic shawarma

1. noma

Copenhagen, Denmark

I’m not going to speak for Yvonne, but to me, Noma is so far above any other restaurant we’ve ever been to, it’s almost disrespectful to have them on a list. If you’re on the fence, trust us: Noma is worth a trip around the world, especially during vegetable season.

Magical fish

2. Bardo popup with Chef Jake Bickelhaupt

Charlotte, NC

Bardo is the best restaurant in Charlotte. Hands down. Chef Mike Knoll of Bardo worked with Chef Jacob Bickelhaupt in Chicago. Bickelhaupt had a two Michelin Star restaurant in Chicago, 42 Grams, which shut down because of a domestic violence incident with his ex-wife. He is holding pop-up dinners around the country, and he held a one day pop-up in Charlotte where he and Chef Knoll served a 12-course tasting menu that was incredible.

Honey ice cream with a bee pollen magic shell

3. Atelier crenn

San Francisco, CA

Atelier Crenn is chronically underrated by the Top 50 Best Restaurants list, but not by Scallionpancake. Of all of our out-of-town high-end dining experiences, this was second only to Noma for 2018. And this dessert? The best. Coconut and pineapple custard with a chocolate outside that is made to look like a coconut.

I am a happy man at EMP

4. Eleven Madison Park

New York, NY

Eleven Madison Park was very contentious in the Scallionpancake household. It didn’t live up to our expectations, but it was still, in my opinion, a spectacular evening. The best dish was the duck, but the rest of the courses were also excellent. The only part I found truly lacking were the dessert courses.

Finnish blueberry vodka

5. Restaurant Kuu

Helsinki, Finland

This meal at Kuu was one of those that stands out when taking into account the perspective of the time and place. Here, I had reindeer for the first time with a glass of Finnish blueberry vodka. To me, this meal encapsulated our weekend in Helsinki perfectly.

Back on my college stomping grounds, NYU’s Florence campus

Yvonne

I am only truly happy in Noma’s hygge room

It’s NOMA, bish

1. Noma

Copenhagen, Denmark

This isn’t even a fair fight. Noma was not just a restaurant for me, it was a major life event. As we’ve mentioned often on the blog and podcast, I often go into experiences with little to no expectations in order to avoid disappointment, and Noma was no exception. I really wasn’t prepared for how much Noma’s atmosphere, service, food, and creativity would blow me away. From being greeted at the door by René Redzepi to the celeriac shawarma, to the hygge room, I am not sure if any other dining experience will ever live up to Noma.

Maybe not dressed properly for Atelier Crenn

2. Atelier Crenn

San Francisco, CA

Everyone knows how I feel about Dominique Crenn and Atelier Crenn, and Jason and I cried tears of joy for her when she finally achieved her third Michelin Star earlier this month. Atelier Crenn’s tasting menu with the accompanying poetic flare was so thoughtful, and every single flavor and texture just made my heart sing. Something about her food really speaks to my soul and my tastebuds, particularly her desserts. So many similar restaurants dial in the dessert options, but Crenn didn’t make them an afterthought.

I don’t even usually like chicken, hand to god

3. Amass

Copenhagen, Denmark

I know that this choice will shock and intrigue Jason (no--we don’t talk about our picks together at all. We don’t want any undue influence on one another). We ate a much larger meal at Amass last year, but somehow it didn’t leave the same impression as the small, non-tasting meal we had at Amass this summer. I had been dreaming of their fermented potato bread since the last time we had it, and it remains one of my favorite things of life. Imagine the best sourdough you’ve ever eaten, but even tangier and doughier. This visit, we dined at the bar, sipped on the best Aperol Spritz I’ve ever tasted, and just had the loveliest time. If you are visiting Copenhagen, I recommend ordering sitting at the bar and ordering a la carte over the tasting menu for sure. You do have to sit at the bar or counter for this option, though, and seats are first come, first served. The atmosphere is second to none, also. Amass is housed in a giant warehouse overlooking the water, and the giant murals are majorly fun and change regularly.

You eat this salad WITH YOUR HANDS. I know there’s a fork there. That’s irrelevant.

4. Al’s Place

San Francisco, CA

We went to Al’s Place with our friends (and friends of the blog and pod) Sharon and Andrew when we visited San Francisco in May. Everything about our evening was magical, from the company to the salad you eat with your hands. I loved the emphasis of fresh vegetables with zero compromise on flavor. Also, these radishes with butter made one of the prettiest plates I’d ever seen. From the brine-pickled french fries to the warm brownie sundae, I was in heaven for the entirety of this meal.

PICKLED FRIED ONION RINGS omg

5. Majordomo

Los Angeles, CA

David Chang is the god of umami, and I love everything I’ve eaten at all of his restaurants, and all of his dishes are highly memorable for me. Majordomo was up there with Ko as far as the all around experience, and the bing bread and pickled onion rings with French onion dip skyrocketed Majordomo into my top five late in the year. We also met two fabulous ladies out on a girls’ night, and sitting next to them and getting to know them just made the evening that much more enjoyable. Chang is masterful at creating fine dining experiences that are the polar opposite of stuffy, and I always feel free and giddy while eating at his restaurants. I am not surprised we met new friends at Majordomo, because that’s just the vibe that Chang has cultivated in this space.

Honorable Mention: Bardo

Charlotte, NC

Bardo is our favorite restaurant in Charlotte, and every experience there transports us and makes us feel that we’ve left home for a bit. Beyond the inventive and delicious food and drink, Jason Whiteside, Mike Noll, and Amanda Britton have made us feel like a part of their family, and now each visit is even more special than the last. Bardo makes Jason feel happy and relaxed, and since he works so hard and is always so busy, I am so appreciative that we have a food oasis in Bardo that is transformative for my husband during a hectic workweek.

WHATTA YEAR. Bye, 2018.

Top Five Restaurants of 2017

Listen to this post in audio format on our awesome blossom podcast! 

Incan af

What a year! Scallionpancake traveled three continents in 2017, and during our travels we visited some of the best restaurants in the world. Like years past, both of us have come up with our top five restaurants for 2017. SPOILER ALERT: Next week we will publish our top five dishes of 2017. Stay tuned!

Jason

1. Noma Under the Bridge

Copenhagen, Denmark

The most magical food night of the year for me. The atmosphere combined with the excellent food made for an unforgettable experience. My favorite dish was the "make your own" shrimp tacos. Noma also had a delicious almond cake with lime zest that was out of this world.

2. Momofuku Ko

New York, NY

I've said it before, and i'll say it again, I love David Chang. Ko is his signature restaurant, and it did not disappoint. I had been to Ko at their old location about five years ago, so I was excited to to see what had changed at their new location. Ko is meat-focused fine dining, and I like that. They're most famous for their duck, which they age in-house every week.

3. Franchesetta 58

Modena, Italy

This fall, I took a trip to Italy with my friends Vishnu and Ravi for a ten year reunion of our time studying abroad in Florence. We took a special trip to Modena to go to Franchesetta 58, Massimo Baturo's sister restaurant to his famous Osteria Francescana. It was outstanding and served some of the best Italian inspired dishes I've ever had. My favorite dish was the pumpkin covered in Parmesan sauce with bacon. The sweetness of the pumpkin with the salty, strong flavors of the Parmesan combined with the fattiness of the bacon to make the perfect dish.

4. Joe's Kansas City BBQ

Kansas City, KS

Joe's BBQ in Kansas City has a lot of hype, but it lives up to it and then some. The best sandwich of the year goes to the Z-Man: smoked brisket, smoked provolone, two onion rings, and famous Joe's BBQ sauce on a bun. It doesn't get better than this. We enjoyed our meal so much that we went back the next day and ordered two--one for right then and there and one for the plane ride home.

5. Here's Looking at You

Los Angeles, CA

We went to LA in January, and the standout restaurant of the trip was Here's Looking at You. The vibe from the beginning was just plain cool--we felt like we were in a place where cool things happened and where cool people hung out. Oh, by the way, the food was really good, too. The standouts for me were this fried whole fish and the bar pie.

Keepin' it classy in Lima

Yvonne

,

1. Noma Under the Bridge

Copenhagen, Denmark

I couldn't agree more with Jason--the vibe at Noma Under the Bridge was just magical. It was our first night in my favorite city on earth. The temperature was crisp and the sun was setting along the harbor when we settled into the long dining room table with about 75 new friends from all over the world. The night started with champagne and ended with almond cakes in an antique tin, and that's really all anyone could ask for out of a vacation dinner. 

2. Central

Lima, Peru

Jason and I are still sorting out our feelings on Central (more on that on our podcast), but I do know that I absolutely loved the flavors of so many of the dishes we tried, particularly the dessert made with meringue clay and algae, and the potatoes with an alpaca dipping sauce. Central is the restaurant I would most like to experience again, if only to have more time to figure out exactly which obscure plant we were eating. The creativity on the Elevations menu is incomparable, and going on a culinary journey through the ecosystem home to the most diverse climate on earth was a once in a lifetime experience. 

3. Momofuku Ko

New York, New York

Ko was just a downright fun dining experience; I have never had the pleasure of viewing the kitchen directly from my seat in a fine dining restaurant, and I loved every minute of it. We got to chat with the chefs and it was pure entertainment to watch them work throughout our meal. We saw them prepare the duck from the moment we sat down--it went through step after step of marinating and braising, and then finally we got to try it. Super exciting. Another highlight? The bouncy Japanese cheesecake with shaved truffles. I die. 

4. Geranium

Copenhagen, Denmark

Everything at Geranium was a cut above, from the decor, to the service, to the food. I mean, wheeling out a cart of potted herbs to prepare a hot tea? It was all just next level. The dishes were inventive, like the dill stones and the razor clam dish, and everything had incredible flavor that captured the vegetation-heavy feel of modern classic Danish cuisine. One of my favorite moments here was the final dessert course that included so many little bites of goodness. Also, getting to meet the chef when he was in the back room preparing new recipes was pretty darn cool, too. 

5. Baest

Copenhagen, Denmark

As you heard on the podcast, Jason is rather rude about my choice of Baest, but gosh darn it, I'm sticking to it. Pizza is a simple meal that ranges from good to omgsogood, and that's what I enjoy about it. With five or six top notch ingredients, a well-made pizza can compete with more complex dishes any day of the week. Also, the cured meats and in-house made mozzarella with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt basically took me to another planet. Oh, and the dessert! Milk gelato with olive oil? I was in hygge heaven while dining at Baest.