I love food and I love travel and I am excited to share the best things that I ate in 2019. This year it was especially hard to select the most exceptional things that I ate.
The Best Things I Ate in 2019
The Chocolate Cake at Landeau Chocolate in Lisbon
This rich chocolate cake tastes almost like a chocolate truffle. It’s super moist, as if chocolate cake was dunked in melted chocolate. If you are in Lisbon, seek out this dessert.
Schiacciata del Boss at All’antico Vinaio in Florence
This sandwich shop is so massively popular that there are three locations next to one another. In the afternoon there isn’t a line, it’s more of a mob blocking off the street trying to get a sandwich (get there early). Not only are the sandwiches delicious, they are only 5 Euros making it one of the most affordable meals in Florence. The bread is freshly baked and they use the best of the best ingredients. My sandwich came with prosciutto, pecorino tuscano, and truffle cream.
Iced Vietnamese Coffee
I drank so much iced Vietnamese coffee when I was biking along the Mekong River Delta. My guide and I would make at least one stop at a coffee shop during our ride, and sometimes the coffee was so good I ordered a second. I love how cold, refreshing, smooth, and sweet this coffee is.
New Mexican Food
I loved the food in Santa Fe so much that it would be impossible to chose just one meal. We feasted on huevos rancheros, chile relleno, pupusas, and frito pie, most of which came topped with chile sauce.
Lunch at Tenuta Chiudendone
This wasn’t just a meal, it was a full experience. Tenuta Chiudendone is a villa in Tuscany that offers cooking classes. The owners grow their own food and produce their own olive oil and wine. Together everyone made a Tuscan feast, it was one of the best days of my 101 day trip.
Pho in Vietnam
This hearty soup, that the locals pronounce almost like the word “fur”, is made with broth, meat (in this case beef), and lots of noodles. It was 90 degrees that day, but the soup was so good that I couldn’t stop eating it. We were at a tiny cafe in a very small village that I don’t even know the name of – but if you go to Vietnam, trying pho is a must.
A Lemon Granita in Capri
It got hot when I was in Capri and a lemon granita served out of a lemon the size of a coconut was the perfect way to cool off. There are carts selling this treat all over the island.
The Cacio e Pepe at The Hub in Macomer, Sardinia
This classic pasta dish was prepared with complete perfection. I tried to replicate it at home, but it just wasn’t the same. Some say cacio e pepe is overrated, they are wrong.
The Pad Seuw with Wagyu Beef at Chinchin in Melbourne
Several people recommended dining at Chinchin when I was in Melbourne and this meal was exceptional. The house-made cylindrical noodles and tender wagyu beef in a savory sauce was a meal I will never forget.
The Eggs Benedict at L’Assiette in Auckland
It would be impossible to count the number of eggs benedicts that I have consumed in my lifetime, but trust me, the number would be HIGH. One of the best eggs benedicts that I had in my life was at a small French cafe in Auckland. It came on fresh sourdough on a bed of spinach and topped with the perfect amount of hollandaise. Another upgrade – it came with crisp bacon instead of Canadian bacon. I loved this meal so much that I had it two mornings in a row.
Stonyridge Shiraz with local New Zealand Cheese
New Zealand excels and producing wine and cheese and this was a perfect combination. The fact that this winery is located on Waiheke Island, one of my favorite places on earth, deserves a mention.
What were the best things that you ate in 2019? I would love to hear about it in the comments!