The Five Best Meals of 2010

Reflecting on the many delicious experiences we've had this year, I have a hard time choosing just five meals as being "the best." But there are a few that stick out - not only for the food, but for the company and the experience as well.

So here they are, in no particular order:

1. Anniversary brunch with Topher at Bistro 110 in Chicago - I wouldn't have guessed that the most romantic meal of the weekend would've been brunch, but it was
2. Birthday dinner for Heather and Ally at Tautog's in Virginia Beach - a fun night out with good friends
3. Dinner at A Chef's Kitchen in Williamsburg with our friends Randy & Kim - like watching a Food Network show live
4. Birthday dinner for Anne at Union Square Cafe in Manhattan - the bacon ice cream & squash bread pudding was to die for!
5. Dinner at Stove in Portsmouth with Randy & Kim and Mike & Jane - so much fun that Topher requested to go back for his birthday in December

(Honorable mention: my birthday dinner at Sushi Aka in Suffolk.)

As I wrote earlier this year, the quality of a meal depends a lot on who I share it with. Eating a gourmet meal alone can be a forgettable experience; sharing a meal with friends and loved ones can elevate the memory of that meal to something really special.

Here's to more delicious meals with good friends in 2011!