The Best Dishes I’ve Ever Eaten

Singaporean-Style Signature Slaw from Lee in Toronto. Plated on a grey ceramic plate and piled high with fried components of tarot root, vermicelli, & shallots. Pickled red onion & ginger. Julienned vegetables like daikon, jicama, green onion, cucumber, carrots & tomato. Edible flowers, toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, daikon sprouts, fennel, purple basil, & coriander herbs.
Photo: Lee Restaurant Facebook
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First, let’s define the parameters for the Best Dishes I’ve Ever Eaten. That meal you can’t stop thinking about, dreaming about & wanting more!

The dish you’d travel the country just to have another bite. I’m talking mouthwatering memories you tell friends, family and anyone who’ll listen to you reminisce!

Check back often as I update this living list when I come across a plate I have to share! Dishes are sorted first by city, and then by restaurant in alphabetical order.

Hopefully you get a chance to try one of these memorable bites on your culinary adventures!

Denver

In Denver, CO a restaurant called ChoLon serves French Onion Soup Dumplings that are filled with sweet onion, melty gruyere cheese and deliciously rich French onion broth. They are served piping hot in a small steamer basket and are one of the best dishes I've ever eaten.

ChoLon: French Onion Soup Dumplings

ChoLon’s heavenly fusion soup dumplings are filled with sweet onion, melty gruyere cheese & deliciously rich French onion broth. They are served piping hot in a small steamer basket.

Pop one of these savory bites in your mouth, and you’ll be in foodie bliss! With four in a basket, the only question you’ll be asking yourself after you eat these is, should I order more?

ChoLon Downtown Denver
1555 Blake Street	
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 353-5223
cholon.com/downtown

ChoLon Stapleton Neighborhood
10195 East 29th Drive
Denver, CO 80238
(720) 550-6934
cholon.com/stapleton
A restaurant in Denver, CO called Chow Morso Osteria serves a delightful bowl of rich Spaghetti alla Carbonara that is one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. A hot golden farm fresh egg over top spaghetti noodles, big chunks of shaved parmigiana cheese, crisp rosy bits of pancetta, and precisely seasoned ground black pepper.
Photo: Chow Morso Osteria Facebook

Chow Morso Osteria: Carbonara

An Italian eatery that serves a delightful bowl of rich spaghetti alla carbonara! The joy I receive from cracking the hot golden farm fresh egg over the top of the noodles, melting the big chunks of shaved parmigiana cheese. Crisp rosy bits of pancetta. Everything precisely seasoned with ground black pepper. Chow Morso carbonara is perfection. Italian comfort food that warms my soul.

Chow Morso Osteria
1500 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202
(720) 639-4089
chowmorso.com
A living list of the Best Dishes I've Ever Eaten. In Denver, CO there is a Mexican restaurant called La Loma that serves the best bowl of chips, chunky and spicy red salsa, and housemade guacamole from La Loma Mexican restaurant in Denver, CO
Photo: La Loma Restaurant Facebook

La Loma: House Salsa, Chile Rellenos & Green Chile

House Salsa

La Loma’s chips & salsa maybe complementary, but I warn you they are addictive! The ideal ratio of chunky & spicy you want in a salsa. I always order a pint togo!

A living list of the Best Dishes I've Ever Eaten. In Denver, CO their is a restaurant called La Loma that serves the best Chile Rellenos I've ever had! Two big crispy chile rellenos, mexican rice, refried beans, and side of green chile with thick chunks of shredded pork.

Chile Rellenos & Green Chile

The handmade chile rellenos at La Loma are to die for! Stuffed with a generous portion of cheese & roasted green Anaheim chiles. Fried to perfection. Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside & smothered in their famous green chile.

A living list of the Best Dishes I've Ever Eaten. La Loma Mexican Restaurant in Denver, Co serves the best green chile I've ever had! Their famous award winning chile is green in color with a thick gravy consistence and big chunks of shredded pork. It's served with house made flour tortillas.
Photo: La Loma Restaurant Facebook

Partly what makes their chile rellenos so damn delicious is their award winning green chile! La Loma has been repeatedly named one of The Best Green Chile Spots in Denver.

A grandma’s secret family recipe that has been made for decades. It’s green in color with a thick gravy consistence & big chunks of shredded pork.

You can’t go wrong with their green chile smothered on any dish, but I have not found better chile rellenos anywhere!

La Loma
1801 Broadway
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 433-8300
lalomamexican.com
The stunning architecture of Sierra Restaurant in Lonetree, CO
Photo: Sierra Restaurant Facebook

Tasty Tips: If you can’t get to La Loma, their Crispy Chile Rellenos are also found on the menu at sister concept Sierra’s. You know their good when they’re on another restaurants menu! Plus the architecture & sunset views alone make Sierra worth a visit!

The Cauliflower Creme Brulee at Le Roux in Denver, CO is among one of the Best Dishes I've Ever Eaten! The exquisite ridiculously smooth Cauliflower Creme Brulee is capped off with golden raisins, pine nuts & crunchy capers.
Photo: Le Roux Facebook

Le Roux: Cauliflower Creme Brulee & Wagyu Beef Tartare

Cauliflower Creme Brulee

Le Roux’s cauliflower crème brûlée flips the standard sweet dish into a savory star. Beautifully plated with golden raisins, fried pine nuts, crunchy capers & roasted cauliflower florets. A delicate caramelized sweet sugar crust waits to be shattered, exposing an exquisite flawless cauliflower custard below.

Yes, that’s cauliflower you taste. The smooth mouthfeel is mind blowing! Literally while eating this dish you’ll be thinking, how did they achieve this texture? The cauliflower crème brûlée at Le Roux is one of the most unique dishes I’ve ever experienced. I want to eat all my veggies this way!

The creative tableside presentation of the Wagyu Beef Tartare makes it one of the Best Dishes I've Ever Eaten! The dish is delivered tableside enveloped in a smoked cloak filled case that is lifted to reveal a wagyu beef tartare made with smoked eggs, gufrette potatoes and caviar.
Photo: Le Roux Facebook

Wagyu Beef Tartare

You cannot dine at Le Roux without experiencing the head turning wagyu beef tartare. The signature dish is dramatically presented in a glass dome enveloped in smoke unveiled theatrically tableside.

Revealing a tartare masterpiece infused with hickory smoke aromatics sitting on a bed of gribiche, and topped with crème fraiche, chopped fresh chives & caviar. Accompanied by crisp gaufrette potatoes elegantly arranged. Dinner and a show.

Le Roux
1510 16th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(720) 845-1673
lerouxdenver.com

Tasty Tips: Le Roux is one of the most romantic restaurants in Denver. Perfect for celebrating a special occasion! Other standout dishes not to be missed are the Onion-Crusted Short Rib & Paris Brest for dessert, which 5280 Magazine named “Top of the Town Best Dessert” in 2019.

The OG taco sushi from TAG Restaurant has a crunchy fried wonton shell that is packed with sushi rice and fresh cubes of charred ahi tuna. The taco is finished with a topping of li-hing mango salsa and set on a bed of green guacamole. The best sushi tacos I've ever had!
Photo: TAG Restaurant Facebook

TAG Restaurant: The OG Taco Sushi

These tasty sushi tacos are a fusion of Asian, Hawaiian, & Latin inspired elements. They start with a crunchy fried wonton shell. Then are packed with sushi rice & fresh cubes of charred ahi tuna. Finished with a topping of li-hing mango salsa & set on a bed of guacamole. You get the best of many worlds melded into one delicious bite.

Although TAG Restaurant is big on social passable dishes, no sharing when indulging in these flavorful tapas. Get your own order & thank me later!

Tag Restaurant
1441 Larimer Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 996-9985
tag-restaurant.com

New Orleans

The stuffed chicken wings at Emeril's NOLA restaurant in the French Quarter is one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. The Vietnamese style chicken wings are skillfully deboned. Then the filling is made combining ground pork, chopped shrimp, mushrooms, onions, cilantro, celery & fish sauce. Next the wings are stuffed with the mixture. Lastly they are baked, fried and served with a killer garlicky hoisin chili dipping sauce!
Photo: NOLA Restaurant Facebook

Emeril’s NOLA Restaurant: Mama Hay’s Stuffed Chicken Wings

Mama Hay’s Stuffed Chicken Wings is an acclaimed dish that has been on NOLA’s menu since the restaurants opening in 1992. Featured on Southern Living’s List for “Best Chicken Wings in the South.”

First, the Vietnamese style chicken wings are skillfully deboned. Then the filling is made combining ground pork, chopped shrimp, mushrooms, onions, cilantro, celery & fish sauce. Next, the wings are stuffed with the mixture. Lastly they are baked, fried, and served with a killer garlicky hoisin chili dipping sauce!

If you’ve never had a stuffed chicken wing before, the best way to describe these fancy plump stuffed wings is amazing layers of crispy, juicy, tender, satisfying chicken goodness meets rich, savory, complex, aromatic dumpling filling! In other words heaven.

If you can’t make it to NOLA to try these delectable wings, you can make them at home with this recipe.

Emeril's NOLA
534 St. Louis Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-6652
emerilsrestaurants.com/nola

Portland

Six crispy, tender Departure lollipop wings sitting on top of butter lettuce served on a rectangular white appetizer plate.
Photo: Departure Portland Facebook

Departure: Departure Wings & Coconut Sticky Rice

Departure Wings

Departure Wings are some of the most tender wings I’ve ever had! The man responsible for these little gems is Top Chef alum, Gregory Gourdet.

A lot of technique goes into this simple dish to make it so delish! They filet a chicken wing & then retie it around the bone with a technique called lollipoping. Next, they fry the chicken in a tapioca & cornstarch batter for a crisp crunch on the outside. Lastly, they drizzle the sweet chili glaze on top. All the components just work so well together!

Crispy on the outside with tender delectable chicken on the inside. Then drizzled with a sweet chili glaze. These wings will blown your mind!

Departure Restaurant Coconut Sticky Rice is beautifully presented with bright purple rice, passion fruit curd, yellow mango, and hibiscus and is one of the best dishes I've ever eaten.
Photo: Departure Portland Facebook

Departure’s Coconut Sticky Rice dessert was actually featured on Food Porn with Michael Chernow. After watching that show I knew I had to try this colorful dessert for myself!

The Coconut Sticky Rice has really unique flavors with beautiful presentation using bright purple rice! Passion fruit curd & hibiscus combine for a sweet and complex flavor and a hearty, satisfying texture. A nice combination to play with. It was so good I could eat it for breakfast! Perfect light ending to a meal.

Departure
525 SW Morrison Street
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 802-5370
departureportland.com

Tasty Tips: Don’t miss the exquisite rooftop dining at Departure that Thrillist deemed one of “The 23 Best Rooftop Bars in America.”

Toronto

Singaporean-Style Signature Slaw from Lee in Toronto is one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. Plated on a grey ceramic plate and piled high with fried components of tarot root, vermicelli, & shallots. Pickled red onion & ginger. Julienned vegetables like daikon, jicama, green onion, cucumber, carrots & tomato. Edible flowers, toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, daikon sprouts, fennel, purple basil, & coriander herbs.
Photo: Lee Restaurant Facebook

Lee: Singaporean-Style Signature Slaw

I’d travel to Toronto for just another bite of Canadian celebrity Chef Susur Lee’s famous Singapore Slaw at his flagship restaurant Lee on King street.

Tossed tableside, the signature dish is more a salad with pageantry then just slaw. Nineteen distinct ingredients make up this vibrant plate. Giving you different tastes in every delicious bite!

Elements in the Singapore Slaw include: fried components of tarot root, vermicelli, & shallots. Pickled red onion & ginger. Julienned vegetables like daikon, jicama, green onion, cucumber, carrots & tomato. Edible flowers, toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, daikon sprouts, fennel, purple basil, & coriander herbs.

Taking the slaw over the top is the delectable house Japanese salted plum dressing! Creating a crunchy super fresh tasting masterpiece. An art & food fusion worth traveling to another country.

If you can’t make it to Toronto to try Susur Lee’s Singapore Slaw you can make it at home with this recipe.

Lee
601 King Street West
Toronto, ON M5V1M5, Canada
(416) 504-7867
leerestaurant.com

Tasty Tips: The Singapore Slaw is so popular they are now serving it at Kid Lee in the First Canadian Place building. A grab & go food court concept opened by Susur Lee and his two sons Kai & Levi. Although dining at Lee is fabulous, Kid Lee is a more casual approachable option on the wallet while still getting to enjoy this exquisite dish!

Drop us a comment about the Best Dish You’ve Ever Eaten or tag us on Instagram or Facebook @FoodandCocktailScene. I’d love to hear about your favorite eats!

 

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