The Best Thing You Ever Ate?

[sojourner]

Inspired by the tv show on Cooking Network, I thought we could do our own take on this. To set some ground rules and to keep the thread from becoming just a series of lists:

1. Limit yourself to one entry per post and allow someone else to post before you add another entry.
2. Try to include as much detail as you can. The who, where, and how of the food item. Is it from a favorite restaurant? Something you had once and yearn to have again? Something you make yourself?

To start off, I'll go with the Spicy Shrimp I had about 20 years ago.

I was working a contract job that had taken me to New Jersey. One night, me and the other contractors drove into Newark to the Portuguese restaurant. Great Seafood! I had a 3 pound lobster as my main dish, whihc of course was great. But what really sticks in my memory was the appetizer. They took these beautiful large shrimp, peeled them, then sauteed them in a spicy garlic olive oil. To this day I have never been able to replicate these shrimp or find another outlet serving them. It's the only reason I would want to go back to visit Newark.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Grilled octopus, a couple years ago at an outdoor restaurant in Greece. Corinth, if I remember correctly.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

July 9, 2014. Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH.

I sidle up to the SKYLINE CHILI counter and decide to try one of their chili cheese dogs. Then I go to my seat to eat.

Not two minutes later I'm back: "I'd like 3 more, please..."

 

[Kirby]

When I was in college at Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colorado, there was this great hippy sandwich shop not far from campus called Avogadro's Number.
It had been there since the 1960's, and the first weekend of my freshman year (1986), my roommate's older brother introduced us to this place. It had macramé booth dividers, and the walls were painted with trees and plants.

I had a lot of things there, but the best was the Cremation sandwich - a vegetarian with cream cheese, fresh avocado, lettuce, onions, sprouts, and black olives on a French roll. I am far from a vegetarian, but this is such a good combination of flavors, it can't be beat.

I had that sandwich so many times over the years, and on the rare occasion that I'm back in town I'll stop by and pick one or two up. My wife and kids have all been there, and we've tried to recreate it at home, but it's never quite the same.

The restaurant hasn't changed much at all in the 30 years since I started going there. They did buy the bar next door, and opened the wall between them. The original restaurant had a tiny stage in one corner, but now that they a big stage in the bar and have live music, but the restaurant itself is pretty much the same.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Filet mignon, The Emporium, South Bend, IN, first time was on a date in 1989, though I returned at least a couple of times over the years and ordered it again.

 

[RandyS]

I don't recall the best thing I ever ate, but on Feb. 15, 2008, I had my first ever Chick Fill A sandwich. It was by far the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. For the next seven years they got my business pretty regularly. I don't get them as much anymore and miss them lot.

 

[Amaris]

July 9, 2014. Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH.

I sidle up to the SKYLINE CHILI counter and decide to try one of their chili cheese dogs. Then I go to my seat to eat.

Not two minutes later I'm back: "I'd like 3 more, please..."

Mmm, now you're talking. Skyline makes some of the best cheese coneys, hands down!


As for myself, the best thing I ever ate? My tacos. I can sit and eat 10 in a single sitting, if I don't watch myself. They taste so, SO good.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

Ages ago I had excellent Sushi in a small restaurant in northwestern LA. Unfortunately I can't recall the precise species of fish but I think it was a halibut or a turbot. The flesh literally melted on the tongue and had an almost creamy and slightly hazelnutty flavour. Absolutely delicious (which is very likely the reason why these species are heavily endangered). I've never since eaten such excellent fish.

 

[Timby]

Filet mignon

medium well

 

[thestrangequark]

Samosa soup at a hole-in-the-wall in Mumbai.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Grilled octopus, a couple years ago at an outdoor restaurant in Greece.

Was this song playing on the radio at the time?

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[Balok's Decoy]

Morel mushrooms cooked in butter, garlic, and thyme. Whenever I can have it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Make sure you have enough of it though. You have to...

(puts on sunglasses)

...bide your thyme.

YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

 

[1001001]

Filet mignon, The Emporium, South Bend, IN, first time was on a date in 1989, though I returned at least a couple of times over the years and ordered it again. Probably ordered it medium well, that's my default setting.

You're doing it wrong.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

At the rooftop restaurant of The Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo, I had a bone in veal ribeye, perfectly medium rare (as steak should be).

 

[The Old Mixer]

You're doing it wrong.

You know, I'm not entirely sure, it's been awhile. I've removed the controversial detail.

 

[MANT!]

Best thing I ever consumed..
Hmm... perhaps it was that Ice Cold Miller High Life after 6 months deployment to Morocco back in the 80s...
(we were given a "beer ration" but had no refrigeration available for our beers..
we just dug pits and buried them to get them to 56F )

Or that perfect "T Bone" steak soon after in celebration..no sauce, just a little salt to give it flavor..

 

[DimesDan]

As of right now, the French toast I just made for breakfast.

 

[1001001]

I've really wracked my brain on this one. So hard to make a single choice.

My first trip to an Indian restaurant, where I discovered Lamb Tikka Masala?



A Lion King Roll?



The other thing that comes to mind, like others have mentioned, is a Filet Mignon I had at Rao's in Las Vegas (Caesar's Palace). Cooked Medium Rare, as is proper. If it wasn't such a fancy place, I would have licked the plate. Best steak I ever had, easily.

 

[USS Triumphant]

The very best thing I ate has to be the lettuce leaf wrapped teriyaki steak strips that they served at a restaurant called Marco Polo's in Rockford, Il, back in 1984. Just the right combination of sweet and savory, and the tender steak combined with a rich texture from the soybeans from the obviously freshly made sauce and a nice crunch from the lettuce...

Sadly, I've never been able to reproduce this, and I'm not sure when Marco Polo's shut down, but it appears to have been sometime before the creation of the World Wide Web, with almost no evidence on the 'net that it existed at all.

As for myself, the best thing I ever ate? My tacos. I can sit and eat 10 in a single sitting, if I don't watch myself. They taste so, SO good.

I have the same "problem". What seasoning do you use? I use Old El Paso regular taco seasoning, and I cook the hamburger til hell wouldn't have it and drain the grease as thoroughly as possible before adding the seasoning.

You're doing it wrong.

I quite agree. Should have been ordered WELL DONE, with nice crisp charred edges - and I'd have asked for some teriyaki sauce to dip it in.

FIGHT ME, steak snob.