Bites I Devoured in 2022 That Were As Pleasurable As Sex
From North Carolina to Croatia...
I backtracked through 28k photos and hundreds of random love notes and things I’d scribbled about certain bites in my phone’s notes. If a stranger got ahold of them they’d probably describe me as…chaotic, passionate, and hungry. Could this be my new shortened bio?
In lieu of all the “best” lists you’ve combed through, here’s a new way to look at things: a few outstanding bites in 2022 that I’d toss up against in a tie with great sex. Yes, there was a lot of that this summer too. I’m no food critic but if you find yourself in any of these spots, 10/10 recommend popping by.
I blacked out when I had a bite of chef Isaac Bancaco’s take on Cacio e Pepe at Pacific'o on the Beach (Maui, Hawaii) with miso, black pepper, parmesan and a farm fresh egg. Oh. My. God. Sop up the leftovers with the incredible Hawaiian brioche and enjoy the insane oceanfront view.
A scoop of fresh basil + a scoop of ricotta and fig gelato from Gelateria Della Palma (Rome, Italy) accompanied by a walk by the Pantheon with Agata, a savage, ravenous Frenchie who lives in Rome.
Snoopy’s (Raleigh, North Carolina) hot dogs—with my niece and mom. Hot dogs are reminiscent of my childhood. Mustard, onions, chili. That’s it.
Felix Meana of Curate turned me onto Hermanos Vinagre (Madrid, Spain) and it’s now a must-stop each time I visit for the anchovy butter toast alone. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a sliver of butter and a juicy anchovy atop a cripsy piece of toast. There’s a version at La Bodega in Asheville if you’re curious.
Cinco Jotas acorn-fed jamón ibérico at the Cinco Jotas tasting room in Huelva, Spain. With a glass of sherry. The end.
My friend Richard Gruica (who FYI puts on these awesome Croatian food trips and tours with top chefs) and who so graciously took the time to show me firsthand why Croatia is a paradise, shared a hidden gem with me: Braenović restaurant (Potomje, Croatia). Richard’s favorite, the squid ink risotto, left everyone in silence—not to mention the Dingač family wines. We had to jump into the sea afterwards to battle a food coma and it was simply perfect.
Autour du Yangtse (Paris, France). Because Xiao Long Bao for solo Sunday supper abroad is unmatched. And the owners are part of the joy as they’re upfront making dumplings from scratch nonstop.
Once you go Casa Dani (Madrid, Spain) you can never go back: Spanish omelet edition. Texturally exquisite, moist, palate-pleasing, perfectly salted, simplistic beauty made of eggs, potatoes, and maybe onions (a big debate, Casa Dani does both).
Amelibia (Laguardia, Spain) for the roasted suckling pig. On a bed of sour apples. One of Melanie from Bodegas Bhilar’s favorite spots and I can see why. I’d been craving pulled pork and this would turn pitmaster heads back in the South.
The vibrant, purple taro donut from Kanemitsu (Molokai, Hawaii). I’m not a sweets-loving person and but it hits all the right buttons of sweet and savory in one bite.
The flaky, moist hake kokotxas (cheek) at Ganbara’s tiny downstairs restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain, where I fell in love with an entire restaurant group family that kept me busy with way too many noteworthy eating recs . El Tamboril is their newer pintxos spot that I frequented.
Caffè Leccese at Portici 1983 (Diso, Italy) with Caroline and Lindsey. It’s the epitome of Puglian summer. Think iced coffee-meets-affogato, plus almond syrup. By the end of the week I’d met Alexa, who fell in love (and now married to) Salvatore, a generational owner of the spot, and, well, new friendships budded and countless caffè Lecceses were consumed.
Obviously, La Ancha familia’s tarta de queso at The Omar (Madrid, Spain). I already dedicated an entire post to it here and also think about it daily. Writing about this for a magazine with a recipe so expect some cheesiness in 2023!
Can’t go to St. Louis without an entire order of Gerard Craft’s Dia's Cheese Bread at Cinder House. (Brazilian cheese bread), a recipe inspired by his Brazilian nanny who cooked often for him as a child. Shared most recently with new gf, Angela!).
You know how I feel about Chez Alain Miam Maim’s sandwich in Paris, France. So popular now he got a new brick and mortar across from Marché des Enfants Rouges and yes, still so satisfying that I waited an hour for it.
As a true Southerner, I’ve always been obsessed with deviled eggs and Pantobaguette (Paris, France) took it to the next level with fermented ajitsuke eggs tricked out with trout roe, wasabi roe, sea beans, Mayo, and furikake.
When chef Aitor Arregui of Elkano (Getaria, Spain) rolled up to Bodegas Bhilar (in Rioja Alavesa, Spain) during harvest lunch with his team (and his parrilla) and cooked his famous turbot, I nearly lost my sh*t. I’ve tried to get a reservation here for years. To sit outside with David Sampedro and Melanie Hickman, chef Aitor, and the harvest team—with 360 vineyard views mountains sitting pretty in the backdrop—still feels like a dream.
Sacré Burger (Reims, France) was one of the only spots open during dewy August in Champagne so it was on heavy rotation and their smash burger was a dream—plus the multi-page list of grower Champagne.
If someone doesn’t let me write an 800-word essay on why chef Simone Zanoni’s tomato tart with Cacio e Pepe ice cream at Le George (Paris, France) is one of the greatest gifts you could give your palate….then I give up.
Casa Don Alfonso (Saint Louis, Missouri) is like a portal to the Sorrento Coast, where its sister spot, Don Alfonso 1890, sits pretty with two, well-deserved Michelin stars. Lucky me as the OG spot is temporarily closed for the season so Folco Romano (the guest manager) and chef Nicola Pignatelli were in town in the kitchen for a few weeks. Chef Nicola from Italy and chef Kristian Babilonia from STL did a special tasting of way too many succulent pasta dishes and then some for myself, Angela + Ellie (hiiii ladies!) but I can’t stop fantasizing about the gnocchetti with broccolini, broccoli cream, and scamorza cheese. The hospitality from this group (including Isaias and Juan Pablo!) is next level and I can’t wait to visit their spots in Italy.
A chef introduced me to Cancoillotte in Reims, France. This has been sexualized and I can’t stop thinking about this…..cheese… Spoiler alert: not gonna find it in the states.
I flew to Naples en route to Croatia solely for Pizzeria Concettina ai Tre Santi (Naples, Italy). A pizza bouncer guarded the door, and once inside, I can fully state it was one of the most incredible food memories of my life. Their Margherita pizza could charm the pants off of someone with one bite. (Ciro and his team are incredible).
Caroline took me to one of her favorite spots, Ristorante le Mani in Pasta (Rome, Italy), and I quickly put it to the top of my list of places I constantly dream of. It’s known for its seafood (the sea bass carpaccio, OMG!) but the truffle pasta is out of this world.
Vivian Howard’s tomato pie from Viv’s Fridge, in which I drove RT to Kinston from Raleigh without AC in my car on a hot, swampy summer day. 10/10 would do it again as it was that good. New locations sprouting all over the Carolinas!
Chef Pierra Mesa’s traditional cassoulet from Comte Roger (Carcassonne, France). Even though it was hot AF and I was dying from a hangover, it still wooed me.
One of the best dates I had last summer took me to Juanxto (San Sebastian, Spain) to try the Spanish tortilla bocadillo, washed down with a steamy make-out session in the streets of Old Town. I went back two days later and enjoyed another at Zurriola Beach.
My ensaladilla Rusa (Spanish potato salad) with a creamy layer of mayo icing on top…..! Recipe coming soon….why aren’t we making this all the time in the South?
Square pizza at Oakwood Pizza Box (Raleigh, NC) and wine/life chats with Anthony are a favorite in-between travels routine.
Stacey’s cumin lamb noodles. I am hoping she will share the recipe in one of her forthcoming newsletters…It’s like a sophisticated, perfectly spiced, not-hamburger helper.
WHAT I’M CURRENTLY BITCHEN ABOUT:
A PRODUCT: Puglia, in the Deep South of Italy, is home to some of the country’s most prized olive oil—and my friend Caroline Corvaglia is one of the beautiful owners of Della Pace, a beautiful line of 100% extra virgin olive oils from sunny Salento. If you watched Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy Puglia episode you’re aware there’s a horrible bacteria putting Puglia’s olive production at risk so this oil is even more special. The 2021 harvest is out so scoop up a bottle of Ettore (named after Caroline’s son, the star of one of my most exciting features of 2023!) and Agata (the savage Frenchie).
A NOTE: “Keep going, peace happens.” ~as told by a French lover; summer 2022.
See you in 2023!
-Jenn
Yessss. This is perfection.
wow! everything here sounds incredible! loving your newsletter