{"id":6554,"date":"2019-01-08T12:31:14","date_gmt":"2019-01-08T20:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/?p=6554"},"modified":"2019-01-08T12:31:14","modified_gmt":"2019-01-08T20:31:14","slug":"top-tastes-of-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/08\/top-tastes-of-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Tastes of 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recap of some of my favorite tastes and experiments in 2018. Check out my last taste recaps in 2016<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a02014<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Top Mind-blowing and changing taste: Vegan Sushi<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the biggest surprises I had was some incredible vegan sushi<\/strong>. I\u2019m familiar with vegan cuisine and the rules and ideals behind it, and haven\u2019t actively shunned nor sought it out. But this completely blew my mind and I\u2019ll remember as one of my top tastes of the year.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in Montreal, I suggest checking out Sushi Momo<\/a> and get the largest sushi boat you can make room for, so you really get a variety of textures, flavors, and smells.<\/p>\n

\"Vegan<\/p>\n

Top taste almost worth the Hype: Torchy\u2019s Tacos<\/b><\/p>\n

A return work trip in Austin meant I was able to try Torchy\u2019s Tacos<\/a> this time around, and while I really appreciated the freshness of the ingredients and variety on their menu, I think I made a few mistakes – going \u201ctrashy\u201d when the taco had plenty of flavors already, and in general just ending up with too many flavors in a single bite. I\u2019d like to go back and make sure I get some of the classic combos and keep it simple. But yes please, queso!<\/p>\n

\"Torchy's<\/p>\n

Top combination I can\u2019t forget: Horchata Iced Coffee<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always loved horchata, an cinnamon-rice milk drink from Mexico, and try to order it when I see it on the menu, especially if it looks homemade. That\u2019s why I had to get this Horchata Iced Coffee and it didn\u2019t disappoint. I don\u2019t drink many sweet coffee drinks but this was a great combo for a change.<\/p>\n

\"Torchy's<\/p>\n

Top auto-order-if-I-see-it-on-a-menu: Poutine<\/b><\/p>\n

I had poutine a few times last year (see my Detroit post<\/a>) but I\u2019m just putting the love out there: I love things piled on top of french fries! Classic poutine is wonderful, and creative iterations of it are even better. My favorite versions use tater tots, yum.<\/p>\n

\"Poutine<\/p>\n

\"Poutine<\/p>\n

Top shared meals: Moms in Tech lunches<\/b><\/p>\n

You might have missed, but I\u2019m a Mom now<\/a>. No shame here, but I\u2019ve spent a lot of time in 2018 helping grow the Moms in Tech online community as an admin, and we were able to schedule pretty regular lunch meet ups around the Bay Area. There\u2019s some pretty incredible food and it was great to try things with good company! Some notable dishes seemed to be entirely chili peppers, and I always enjoy dim sum.<\/p>\n

\"Dim<\/p>\n

\"Chili<\/span><\/p>\n

Top way to take advantage of a snow day in Austin: Terry Black\u2019s Barbecue<\/b><\/p>\n

It snowed. In Austin. While we were there for work, and we decided to brave the weather and get out to get a great BBQ meal at Terry Black’s<\/a>. Luckily for us, almost no one else had the same idea, and this very popular restaurant was almost deserted, making it a very relaxing and enjoyable meal aside from the delicious food! I know a lot of food is worth waiting for, but I\u2019m just not that interested in spending a lot of time in lines now.<\/p>\n

The sausage and brisket were on point, and so were the sides. I tried the Big Red drink for novelty, but next time I\u2019d skip.<\/p>\n

\"BBQ<\/p>\n

Best long-awaited taste: Kin Khao <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Pim Techamuanvivit was food blogging in the early days of blogging; if you\u2019ve been reading for a while you might recognize her name from her Chez Pim blog and when I participated in and helped host her Menu for Hope<\/a> fundraiser for several years. She now has two Michelin-starred restaurants in San Francisco and in Thailand, and I\u2019ve been wanting to try her SF spot, Kin Khao<\/a>, for some time. <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the things I enjoyed the most but didn\u2019t expect to was the Black Rice Pudding dessert. I am not a huge fan of rice pudding in general but the array of textures and tastes you could add to make it your own were delicious. I was slightly underwhelmed by the Khao Man Gai \u201cchicken fat rice,\u201d most likely because it is a delicate dish and the flavors didn\u2019t dance on my palate the way the rest of her flavors did. Overall, recommend checking it out and love the casual vibe for a workday lunch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kin<\/p>\n

Top Underwhelming Taste: Thai Rolled Ice Cream<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

One of the Thai rolled ice cream places opened up and I was able to go when there wasn\u2019t a line (see my comment above about waiting\u2026). The complete customization and freshness of the ice cream is compelling but also takes quite a lot of labor to produce. And the taste? Pretty ok, not amazing. But I have pretty high standards when it comes to ice cream and gelato<\/a> – I throw it away if it’s not good :) <\/span><\/p>\n

I think the taste of the ice cream pales compared to the novelty of its creation. There may be some places which have exceptional flavors but so far folks seem to agree with my assessment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"Thai<\/p>\n

Top Add-on to Boba: Puff Cream <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to my friend Linda, I consumed more boba drinks in 2018 than ever. And one of my favorite indulgences was the addition of \u201cpuff cream\u201d which didn\u2019t initially make sense to me but it\u2019s really the cream \/ custard you put inside cream puffs, in your drink. I don’t love cream puffs, but it turns out I love puff cream! It made each drink impossibly rich, and delicious! Found at Happy Lemon<\/a>, but I’m sure elsewhere as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Boba<\/p>\n

Top Way to Feed a Lot of People: Breakfast Bar<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Once you start adding kids into the mix, eating out with a large group becomes less appealing, more chaotic, and of course expensive. Enter the breakfast bar! Instead of brunch out this year we decided to do an omelette bar and all the various toppings you\u2019d want. We ended up doing a large batch of scrambled eggs and piled our toppings on top and I can\u2019t wait to do it again next year (or before then). A great way to please and feed a crowd. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Breakfast<\/p>\n

Top Way to Spend Time in a Gas Station Parking Lot: Tacos<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to my lovely friend Sheri<\/a> I did a lot of taco seeking in the Bay Area in 2018, and met up with her and Michelle from Nom Nom Paleo<\/a> for great parking lot tacos and pupusas. I can\u2019t wait to eat more in 2019. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Parking<\/p>\n

Top Long-awaited Vegan Restaurant: Gracias Madre<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Another place I\u2019ve wanted to try for some time in San Francisco; I was able to make Gracias Madre<\/a> happen when two good friends from Italy came to visit and one, a vegetarian, was craving Mexican food! Win-win. These totopos<\/em> (similar to, but not to be confused with, chilaquiles<\/em>) were so, so, so good.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Totopos,<\/p>\n

Top Dish Recreation I\u2019m Still Unsure About but it Was Delicious: Deconstructed Green Bean Casserole…Pasta<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Read that title again. Yes. I found some green bean pasta (literally: green beans and water – the brand I found was Bellabondonza but there are several out there) and was making a creamy mushroom sauce for it when I realized all that was missing was some fried onions and voila: it was really green bean casserole (a favorite dish) in disguise! It was pretty delicious, but I wasn\u2019t able to get a photo to do it justice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Green<\/p>\n

\n

Top Replacement for S\u2019mores: S\u2019mores Taco from Rocco\u2019s Ice Cream Tacos<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

This didn\u2019t actually have any ice cream in it, but it\u2019s something they sell only once a week and I couldn\u2019t resist getting one because s’mores are a weakness of mine. A giant marshmallow, hand-toasted with a flame thrower, put gently into a waffle \u201ctaco,\u201d and I had them dip it in both peanut butter and dark chocolate to cover. So good. I have been limiting myself – perhaps once a year will be enough. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"S'mores<\/p>\n

Top Way to Create a \u201cHealthy\u201d Pizza: Summer Squash Grilled Pizza<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I ate this pizza so many times at home in summer 2018. It was super easy to throw together since we had a lot of squash in the garden, and I often kept ready-made pizza dough just in case! The pizza grilled in about 10-12 minutes so it was quick and didn\u2019t heat up the whole house; perfect for the summer. So good with just drizzled olive oil, some pesto, and parmesan. And if you could find some burrata or nice mozzarella to put on after grilling? Even better. It will be returning this year for sure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_E6758.JPG\"<\/p>\n

\n

Top Way to Feed a Crowd, Part 3: Aperitivo<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

I was in charge of the welcome meal at my best friend\u2019s bridalette<\/em> (bachelorette + bridal shower…it’s a thing now) and aperitivo was the perfect way to satisfy a crowd. Luckily I had a few special deliveries from some friends visiting from Italy so I had even more ingredients on hand than usual. <\/span>Here\u2019s how to host an Italian aperitivo at home<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_7339.JPG\"<\/span><\/p>\n

What were your favorite tastes in 2018? Anything you’d try? Avoid?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A recap of some of my favorite tastes and experiments in 2018. Check out my last taste recaps in 2016\u00a0and\u00a02014. Top Mind-blowing and changing taste: Vegan Sushi One of the biggest surprises I had was some incredible vegan sushi. I\u2019m familiar with vegan cuisine and the rules and ideals behind it, and haven\u2019t actively shunned…<\/p>\n

Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[100],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6554","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-discovering-food","8":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_6067-2.jpg?fit=2624%2C2624&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4uB1-1HI","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5341,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/04\/what-im-craving-delicious-links-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":6554,"position":0},"title":"What I’m Craving + Delicious Links","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"September 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Delicious links & What I'm Craving is back!\u00a0In this moment, I'm really craving Asian food. Thai, sushi, and Vietnamese are all cuisines which still aren't super-popular in Italy (sushi is becoming more so). If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen the delicious sushiritto (literally, a sushi burrito)\u00a0I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Favorites"","block_context":{"text":"Favorites","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/favorites\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_9050.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_9050.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_9050.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_9050.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/IMG_9050.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5549,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/06\/my-top-tastes-of-2014\/","url_meta":{"origin":6554,"position":1},"title":"My Top Tastes of 2014","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"January 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"2014 was\u00a0a pretty delicious year.\u00a0It was a year in which I\u00a0did a lot of cooking, but meals were made without an eye on photography nor\u00a0natural light, and often remained unchronicled so I cut\u00a0myself some slack and my site took a bit of a backseat.\u00a0I shared a few of my food\u00a0highlights\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Discovering Food"","block_context":{"text":"Discovering Food","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/discovering-food\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/WarsawCakes_MsAdventuresinItaly.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/WarsawCakes_MsAdventuresinItaly.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/WarsawCakes_MsAdventuresinItaly.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/WarsawCakes_MsAdventuresinItaly.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/WarsawCakes_MsAdventuresinItaly.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5065,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/09\/20-moments-from-japan\/","url_meta":{"origin":6554,"position":2},"title":"20 Moments from Japan","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"October 9, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Last month I was lucky enough to head to Japan for work, to speak at a WordPress conference in Tokyo. Though it was my first time in Tokyo, it wasn't my first trip to Japan. Almost 20 years ago, I headed to Japan with my high school choir (yep! I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Discovering Food"","block_context":{"text":"Discovering Food","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/discovering-food\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A spectacular sunrise in Tokyo, Japan, by Sara Rosso at Ms. Adventures in Italy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_3871.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_3871.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_3871.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_3871.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/IMG_3871.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":527,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2008\/04\/19\/quinoa-and-salted-ricotta-for-livestrong-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":6554,"position":3},"title":"Quinoa and Salted Ricotta for LiveStrong Day","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"April 19, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Update: Barbara has extended the deadline to participate until April 27th! I don't normally post on a Saturday, but this is no ordinary Saturday. In a few minutes, I'll be leaving on a fast train (not a jet plane) to go to Florence, where some 30-odd expats will be getting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Event"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Event","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/blog-event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Quinoa and Salted Ricotta for LiveStrong with a Taste of Yellow","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2255\/2423969715_b5577ea775.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6252,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2017\/01\/04\/top-tastes-food-finds-in-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":6554,"position":4},"title":"Top Tastes & Food Finds in 2016","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"January 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Oh, so many to pick. 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I take it for granted that everyone has a favorite type of cake. 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