Murgh makhani, or “butter chicken”. It’s an Indian curry dish that was straight up stolen from the gods.

Every time I go to an Indian restaurant I haven’t been to before, that’s the dish I order to judge whether that restaurant is worth revisiting.

When it’s done just right, mouthgasm guaranteed.

The thing that sticks out in my mind right now is the steamed pizza buns (pizzaman) from 7-11 in Japan. That feels somewhat embarrassing to say because it’s just a convenience store snack… but I miss them constantly.

One specific brand of salmon from my local supermarket that I never found again.

Pizza Napolitana

I know it sounds posh but it really isn’t, I had a real french chef cook a Duck Confit with asparagus and one other thing that makes this the best ever: yellow cassava (Arracacia) puree. This shit, arracacia, is a root (kind of like cassava or potato) impossible to find. I think you can only get it in south america but it’s soooooo good. You know when you mix 2 things and it’s just magic? That’s arracacia and aspargus. I ate the same dish 3 days in a row and almost cry when I had to come back. Still dream with it

That one homemade pizza I made once.

Like I don’t even think I proofed the boules, but it was like chewy and crispy, with the perfect black peaks coming out of the oven.

I made chicken soup one time and the broth turned crystal clear. I’ve never been able to recreate it and I’m upset I didn’t write it down.

Lasagna, hands down. It does something special to me.

Fried rice at a greasy spoon diner chain restaurant in the Osaka area.

Probably the equivalent of someone saying the best food they’ve ever had was a Moons Over My Hammy, but it is what it is 🤷

Freshly caught trout. All I did was fry it in butter or something but man… fish caught minutes ago is on a higher plane.

Also lasagna sans carne.

I ordered a Japanese Poke Bowl once. It was rather pricey but holy fuck it was good. I don’t remember the exact ingredients, but I think it was sushi rice, mushrooms, dried shallots, salmon, fermented quail eggs,… Don’t remember the veggies but man the combination of flavors and textures was just chef’s kiss

I am having trouble identifying one as best. But made gumbo one year for Christmas that can only be described as perfect. My foodie lawyer brother in law said best he had ever eaten, and our family is mostly from New Orleans so all of us have had good gumbo. That meal, with gumbo, red beans & rice, is up there.

Restaurants-wise, there was a Peruvian place a chef opened a couple of towns south of us, and everything he cooked was ridiculously delicious, out of this world. We went there like ten years ago, and still talk about it. Even the house made salad dressing was one of the best tasting foods I’ve eaten. It closed, we can’t find the chef. We had salad, a chicken dish, tuna, and bananas foster.

Watermelon Sugar

Avocado toast on sourdough with a crispy fried egg on top.