sazy rock's top 10 tastes of 2015

The tuna auction in Tokyo, Japan.

I have spent most of 2015 traveling to eat in Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), and in 20 states in the United States. In fact, after this post goes live, I will be off to Israel and Jordan. Although a few bites have been disappointing, for the most part, it has been a very delicious year (and I suspect will continue to be delicious during the remaining two weeks of 2015).

A memorable lobster dish from Azurmendi in Bilbao, Spain from 2014.
Yes, I still think fondly of this dish to this day.

I've been fortunate to eat an array of food from so many different parts of the world - some I have written about (click on the name and city of the restaurant to get the link to the post) and some I have not. Although I could easily list more than the 10 below, I had to force myself to be disciplined. My list could also change tomorrow. 

That being said, I'd love to share with you the best things that have made my belly happy this year so far. Perhaps, it will also make your belly happy in the near future.

1.     Tonkatsu from Butagumi in Tokyo, Japan - I adore pork. And pork is Butagumi's specialty with different kinds of breed, region and levels of fattiness. When deep fried, it's even better. The tonkatsu dishes we tried were crunchy, rich and juicy. Below is a slo-mo version of Mr. Sazy Rock pouring the tonkatsu sauce.

2.     Eel from Moon in Tallinn, Estonia - Although the last time I ate this dish was in February 2015, I could still practically taste the sweetness of the eel as I bit into its soft, tender meat. 

Stewed Eel from Moon in Tallinn, Estonia.

3.     Foie Gras Panna Cotta, Seared Scallops and Asparagus Soup from The Sanctuary in Paradise Valley, Arizona - Chef Beau MacMillan might be one of the sweetest, nicest guy around, and those are great qualities. Another great quality? He cooks so well. While visiting The Sanctuary for work, Chef BeauMac cooked this amazing dish that was simply divine. The scallops were perfectly seared, the asparagus soup was rich and creamy, and the foie gras, while rich, was surprisingly light.  

Foie Gras Panacotta with Seared Scallops and Asparagus Soup
from The Sanctuary in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

4.     Kobe from Rokudan in Kobe, Japan - This simply prepared dish did not really need much other than salt and pepper. The meat was so well-marbled that it had to be cooked about a foot or so away from the fire. This was a memorable, rich and indulgent dish.

Kobe from Rokudan in Kobe, Japan.

5.     Balachaung from Mya Kan Thar in Yangon, Myanmar - This side dish made no apologies. It was fiery, pungent, crunchy and full of flavor.

Balachaung from Mya Kan Thar in Yangon, Myanmar.

6.     Twice Cooked Egg from Chartreuse in Detroit, Michigan - This dish's texture - crunchy outside and soft inside - made the perfectly cooked egg even better.

Twice cooked egg.

7.     Halloumi from The Loft in Edmonds, Washington - This salty grilled cheese was perfectly paired with peppery arugula, and sweet beets and poached strawberries. 

Halloumi from The Loft in Edmonds, Washington.

8.     Panzerroti from Luini Panzerroti in Milan, Italy - Chewy, hot dough with melted cheese (and other stuffing). What more could one ask for? One could eat this over and over again, which, incidentally, I did while in Milan.

Panzerroti from Luini Panzerroti in Milan, Italy.

9.     Pork Curry from Pwint Mar Lar in Bagan, Myanmar - A post on this dish will be up shortly but, as a preview, this dish was smoky and rich.

Pork Curry from Pwint Mar Lar in Bagain, Myanmar.

10.   Fugu from Usukifugu Yamadaya in Tokyo, Japan - This was a memorable taste primarily because, in light of the reputation of the pufferfish, I did not die while eating it.

Fugu Sashimi from Usukifugu Yamadaya in Tokyo, Japan.

What are your top tastes of 2015?