From several travels to new places, celebrations of nuptials, the rediscovery of my love of reading and many exciting food experiences, 2025 was an adventure-filled year. Here are the (food) highlights of twenty twenty-five:
Best of 2025
Best Meal: On the honeymoon in Honolulu, the tasting menu at natuRe Waikiki was stellar. The filet was incredible and was packed with so many local, delicious flavors and was indescribably tender.
Best Bite: The timing of our trip to Portugal lined up just after the release of the World's 50 Best Restaurants list so we dined at no. 42 on the list, Lisbon's Belcanto restaurant. The most delicious bite was from the first course in their tasting menu: a spherical appetizer that had such incredible flavors that was made with cabbage and adorned in edible gold.
Best Food Adventure: The twelve course tasting menu at Belcanto in Lisbon was quite a journey for a 2.5 hour lunch. Each dish came with an illustrated card, which added to the visual storytelling of the meal. There were theatrics, stunning flavors as well as equally stunning visuals and even humor with a napkin sleeve given to us with our dessert (so we could wipe our mouths on our sleeves just as the chef had done in his childhood).
Best New Baked Recipe: Pistachio-stuffed chocolate crinkle cookies were my favorite new cookie baked this year. Second favorite dessert of the year: pistachio halva rice krispies that are so high maintenance but oh-so-delicious.
Best New Go-To Meal: The husband has been using his sous vide machine to slowly cook a variety of meats for dinner throughout the year. Our favorites have been pre-marinated chicken breasts, pork tenderloin and roasted turkey breast (the latter two from Aldi are really delicious). Maybe I'll learn how to use his sous vide but until then, I'll happily let him cook dinner for me.
Best New Restaurant (Kansas City): The new Lebanese restaurant Nours has truly become my favorite restaurant in KC. Every item on their menu is so delicious and there are items I have never tried before that become new favorites like Samke Harre (branzino in a tahini sauce) and Laban Emmo (braised lamb in a yogurt sauce).
Best Cupcake: The berry chantilly cupcake from Whole Foods was the perfect small portion size of the famous Whole Foods berry chantilly cake.
Other 2025 highlights include a daily card game obsession, a healing afternoon at ten thousand waves in santa fe, carefree sunrise beachside vacation yoga, my first playoff cubs games in october and our wedding.
2025 By the Numbers:
17 blog posts
20 books read (the most in decades!)
6 trips taken
3 chocolate chip cookies baked
2 cupcake bakeries visited
Post a Comment