Best Meals of 2003

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:41 pm

I ate well this year - lots of interesting things in interesting places. I had yak in Denver, Burritos in Barbados, weird breaded lamb in Barcelona, marinated steak tips in the White Mountains, a Portuguese meat festival at the Iberian Peninsula in Newark. All honorable mention - here are the top five.

1. Chile Relleno at my 40th B-day dinner at Garduno's in Las Vegas. Sort of a chain place, but the margaritas, guacamole and relleno were all really really good - best Mexican food I've had outside of Tucson or El Paso. (and now that I think of it. there as a tremendous Mexican place on the Riverwalk in San Antonio). Let's just say, best Mexican food I've eaten this year.
2. Ribs at Corky's in Memphis. This was a business lunch (wearing a suit) where I ate with my hands and had sauce all over my face and fingers.
3. Blackened Grouper Sandwich at Mugs & Jugs in Clearwater. Seated once again right in front of the Karaoke stage, margaritas in mugs, white trash teenage girls - but man was it a good fucking sandwich.
4. Lamb on a stick Oriental - The Athens, Manchester, NH. We go there once a year with my parents, the place looks a little ratty, but the Greeks can't be topped when it comes to cooking lamb and though my wife thinks it's overkill, they serve both potatoes and rice with the lamb Oriental.
5. Pearl hot dogs with Coleman's mustard, prepared with love on my four burner gas grill - all summer. I guess I was pretty insufferable at times pushing these on my friends, but not one of them was able to deny it was the best hot dog they had ever eaten. http://www.pearlmeat.com/

2 really memorable bad meals -

1. Corn Dog at Tropicana Park in St. Petersburg - not crisp, not hot. I love corn dogs and this was the worst I've ever eaten. If you ever find yourself at the Trop, head toward the Outback concession (but I can't really vouch for that)
2. Fried Clams at the Red Wing in Walpole, MA - famous fried clam joint is well past its prime. I got a mouth full of sand served by a waitress in need of a shower. I only allow myself to eat the deep fried stuff once or twice a year and I really look forward to it. Next time I want fried clams I'm trucking up to Kittery to Bob's Clam Hut.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:26 pm

Wow, these New-Years-best-of lists are getting a little out of control aren't they??

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 12:07 am

BWAP (i love saying that and i just don't get to enough so i'm not passing this by) BWAP--you were all over hell, but that Field ain't no Park which may be why your breaded wienie was cold. and though the joint is empty, the outback line is always long. and call before you go back to tampa bay lookin for spicy fish cause mugs and jugs is like the 9th best blackened grouper sandwich in the area. BWAP BWAP BWAP.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:28 am

Oily,

These year end lists are always controversial and I knew the Mugs & Jugs pick would raise some eyebrows. However, it was the only grouper sandwich I had last year and I remember it just hit the spot - I've been to Mugs & Jugs twice and it's just a head shaking funny place. You're right, the Trop ain't no park. I managed to get out to Bush Stadium again this summer, and that is a ballpark and even a more enjoyable experience than my hometown Fenway. I'll try to contact you before I go down to the Bay area again - but in case I forget - who has the best grouper sandwich in Tampa Bay?

Goody2Shoes · Post by **Goody2Shoes** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 9:24 am

I'd like to have BWAP's frequent-flier miles.

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 10:53 am

1. Mixed Grill at the Queens Head public house in Dogmersfield. Found this place this year and the food and atmosphere are great, the only drawbacks being that the bar getting rather cramped whilst you are waiting for a table and the 'menu' is written on chalkboards on the walls which means that you have to wander aound to see all that's on offer (the menu is extensive). The meal I have chosen above consisted of a reeally big lamb chop, a chicken breast, a nice piece of steak, a gammon steak, a beautiful thin slice of liver (veal), and a large fat tasty sausage. My partner, who is vegetarian, was drooling. Been here about 4 or 5 times this year and so could fill my top 5 up, but will stick to one meal from each venue.
2. Steak Tournados on spinach and potato pattie at The Fox public house in Upper Wargrave. One of our favourite eating places changed ownership this year and for a while dipped in class, but we gave it another go recently and were won back. The steak melted in the mouth.
3. Chicken Chez Rose Marie at a restaurant in St Clares Wales. Have visited this place for the past few years whilst holidaying in Wales and always thoroughly enjoy it. The chicken was stuffed with cheese and ham, mmm.
4. Meal at the Wellington Hotel near Basingstoke. The meal was good although I can't remember exactly what I had (I know partner had scallops which she hasn't stopped going on about), but the reason this is here is because it was my 40th birthday treat. Partner arranged to dump child and had booked us into this hotel with 4 poster bed and en suite jacuzzi. Other things during the night were more memorable so it's no wonder I forgot what I ate!
5. Mum's christmas dinner. Always puts on a good spread, and her home made Christmas Pud is worth waiting all year for. She says that she isn't up to catering for everyone any more (she is 70 in March and they are talking about getting a smaller place) so this may have been the last time the family sat down together like this, although I still have a few months to convince her otherwise.

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 11:06 am

I had a great ruby at the Sardar last night. That's about it. The day before I was wistfully staring at the two large sausages in my boy's mixed grill.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 12:35 pm

1. Anniversary dinner at the Greenbrier. We had our rehearsal dinner here 20 something years ago. It’s kind of gone up and down, way way down, so we quit going, but gave it one last shot for year 21. Stuffed flounder. Stuffed potatoes. Stuffed me.
2. Fried grouper sandwich at Pegleg Pete’s, Pensacola Beach, FLA. Annual tradition. We always end up eating outside, where it’s shady, but its like 95 degrees and 300% humidity. And they have like 40 beers on tap, so you can get exotically drunk while you’re waiting.
3. BBQ I made for dinner when my folks were visiting. I brought home an ECB (El Cheapo Brinkman smoker) that my dad gave up on. This is probably the only food I cook that’s worth bragging about. A nice little pork roast. My secret ingredients. Heaven on a bun.
4. Kentucky Fried Chicken at the picnic with board members. I love KFC potatoes and gravy anyway, but OS and Spooks added a certain ambience. Well worth the nerve storm I suffered beforehand.
5. the hamburger I had at Carver’s Apple Barn restaurant last Friday. I was starved. Had to take #2 son to Walmart so he could get a light for his Video Now player and hehadtohaveitthatday!!! So we spent an hour fruitlessly looking for it, another hour getting other crap, and finally, finally finally we got to eat. I try to remember that what's annoying as hell in a child is usually a valuable adult trait. Pestering becomes persistent determination somewhere after he's moved away from home.

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 12:49 pm

SLL -

Business Tour 2004 kicks off late next week, coincidently enough, with a trip to Basingstoke. I'll be staying in Nately Scures on Thursday night. Any restaurants to recommend in that area? I'll have a car, but I really want to have a couple of beers and I'm nervous enough about this being my first time driving on the left side of the road. I also have Friday night in London - anyone care to recommend a favorite spot there?

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:13 pm

Never sure exactly where Nately Scures is, but the above mentioned Queens Head is not too far (although prob too far to walk (get a cab)). Also not far would be a Spanish run English restaurant called The Stilton Dish, which is on the A30 between Hook and Hartley Wintney. Where are you staying? And which part of London are you staying in? (it's a big place)

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:26 pm

It looks like Nately Scures is on the outskirts of Hook. I'm taking a cab to the Queenshead then - a number one pick from a board member to start off the new year!

I'm actually staying at the Heathrow Hilton so I can easily catch my flight back here Saturday morning. But I figure I've got from about 3 pm on Friday till whenever to buy cds and drink real ale and grab dinner someplace. (I'm dropping the car back at the airport and taking the tube into town.)

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 2:13 pm

Boy With A Problem wrote:Oily,

These year end lists are always controversial and I knew the Mugs & Jugs pick would raise some eyebrows. However, it was the only grouper sandwich I had last year and I remember it just hit the spot - I've been to Mugs & Jugs twice and it's just a head shaking funny place. You're right, the Trop ain't no park. I managed to get out to Bush Stadium again this summer, and that is a ballpark and even a more enjoyable experience than my hometown Fenway. I'll try to contact you before I go down to the Bay area again - but in case I forget - who has the best grouper sandwich in Tampa Bay?

go to the beach. "guppy's on the beach" on indian rocks beach would probably be the first place i'd tell you to go. or to a little dump called "keegan's seafood grill" right up gulf blvd from guppy's. you can always go to one of the 3 "frenchy's" on clearwater beach, preferably frenchy's original cafe, for the cajun grouper burger. i knew frenchy when he was still runnin dope and that restaurant had holes in the wall. for a little more upscale, there is a chain down there and moving north that has popped up called "bonefish" in both clearwater and st pete a couple of guys out of outback that wanted to slow down and keep it small, they told me 2 years ago, and max out at a half dozen restaurants have opened. now i see they are linked with outback and opening them monthly, but you can get sea bass or grouper there with a lime tomato garlic sauce or the grouper piccata with lemon caper butter sauce that is yummy. you can always go out to end of st pete pier to the coulumbia and sit up in the air for a dandy view and good food spicy if you like.

now back to the more important issue of baseball (clunk, clunk--readers dropping off). busch is ok. they have done enough to it to differentiate it from the other bowls--philly, atlanta, pitt, cinn--and folks around here still like it, but i guess we are going to tear it down and build something fantastic. and in this baseball town, it will probably get done right at least, as opposed to the trop. now if you want character and enjoy relaxing at minor league parks at all, drop into grayson stadium in savannah if you are ever there. al lang in st pete is still good for spring training, but unfortunately jack russell stadium in clearwater is done. drillers stadium in tulsa is pretty cool and for newer ones, where the tourists play in asheville or the bats in louisville--and that is AAA ball--or smokies park in knoxville where moody occasionally goes for a nap, are all fun.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 11:11 am

I`m still dreaming about that amazing hotdog I had from Nathans , Coney Island, NY in July....

Post by **BlueChair** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 2:58 pm

I'm not sure how specific these are, but considering the amount of traveling I did in 2003, I should be able to do this.

In no particular order:

1. Irish Breakfast at at a Bed & Breakfast at Achille Island in Ireland. Not exactly the healthiest of breakfasts, it included fried eggs, bacon, sausages, toast, tea, juice, etc. It was awesome.

2. Dinner at Il Pozzo in Sorrento, Italy. I had a lot of pizza in Italy (it's the cheapest), and that's what I got at this place. It had a cream sauce base instead of a tomato sauce base, and worked surprisingly well. The house white wine we had with dinner was also really something. And it was cheap!

3. To pick one Indian restaurant is a bit of a challenge, cause the Indian Food in England was so good. I think the best we had was in London, not to far from the Stansted airport in the Harlow area. It was called Raj Lodge, and it was awesome. I had the Chicken Madras.

4. Duff's Famous Buffalo Wings back home in Toronto. These are the best wings you can get in town. I make a point of visiting this place often, sometimes once a month. I'm due.

I'll add more later and after I think some more

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:21 pm

Had a really amazing Ahi Tuna Salad at a chain restaraunt called Rockfish. I think they flash seared the tuna, so it was blackened on the outside and pretty rare in the middle. Not too rare, though. Mmmmm. It's weird, but I'm really starting to like fish.

LessThanZero · Post by **LessThanZero** » Sun Jan 04, 2004 3:38 pm

Damon's Sweet and Saucy Wings.