20. PICADITAS DE JAIBA at HECHO EN DUMBO

Hecho en Dumbo has nothing to do with a lovable little elephant, but in fact refers to the neighborhood where this Mexican gastropub was first created. They’ve since moved to the East Village, but their philosophy of refined, seasonal Mexican food in a drink-happy setting remains. We sat at the Chef’s Table and had a pretty memorable meal.

We started with these picaditas de jaiba, which are little corncakes of flavor. On top of the firm buttery patties, sits a delicious salad of fresh jumbo lump Dungeness crab meat tossed with a gently biting jalapeño oil and topped with ripe avocados. A squeeze of lime brings out the brightness and lightness. These small bites are too easy to gobble up regardless of the neighborhood. Price: $8

19. PASTRAMI RUSS at RUSS & DAUGHTERS

You know I’m a big fan of the pastrami sandwich. I’ve spent months searching for the best version of the deli staple. That meaty, smoky goodness is a heart attack that’s more than worth it. But wait a minute, a pastrami sandwich minus the meat? Why would anybody do that?

If you’ve ever been to Russ & Daughters in the Lower East Side, you’ll understand. This is a classy old-time shop that specializes not in smoked meat, but rather smoked fish. If you want the hard stuff, you’ll have to go next door to Katz’s. But they make a pastrami sandwich here that rivals the classic version. You get to pick your bagel of choice for the Pastrami Russ, but trust me when I say you need to order it on pumpernickel. Not only will you get the approval of all the guys behind the counter, but these are the flavor combinations that make the most sense. With a generous schmear of mustard, crisp sauerkraut, and the freshest smoked salmon you’ll ever taste, you won’t miss the actual meat for a minute. And you may live a little longer. Price: $10.45

18. CHIMBORI JALWA at TAMARIND TRIBECA

Crab cakes tend to be the same everywhere you go. Aside from the bread crumb to crab meat ratio, most versions are pan fried, served with citrus and an aioli of sorts. The chimbori jalwa appetizer at fancy Indian restaurant Tamarind Tribeca was unlike any crab cake experience I’ve had before.

The colorful tower of meat was loaded with plenty of sweet lump crab meat and tinged with some Indian spices, ginger, and garlic. It had a restrained hint of curry with lots of balanced sweet (tamarind) and spicy (chile) flavors. Served on a bright spiced tomato sauce with scattered scallions and corn kernels, it was complex and delicious. And made for my new favorite crab cake in the city (just beating out Del Frisco’s baked version from last year’s list). Price: $15

17. PIKE QUENELLES at MILLESIME

Millesime really is a little gem: a hidden, French brasserie that can work as a relaxing cafe or a fine dining seafood restaurant. It’s located above the bar in the Carlton Hotel and it will transport you to Paris. And not just because of the ambiance, but because of the expertly prepared seafood and classic dishes. Take the pike quenelles, which are made in the style of Jean-Louis Dumonet. I don’t know much about this old French chef, but I do know he made some amazing quenelles.

You don’t see quenelles too often in New York, especially not like these. The delicate little dumplings are absolutely delectable, so soft and tender in a rich tomato lobster butter sauce that begged to be sopped up. Reminiscent of an airy seafood sausage, they fell apart like a buttery soft matzo ball of the sea. Très bien! Price: $14

16. TOSTA MATRIMONIO at TERTULIA

The new Spanish tapas hotspot Tertulia is more than just a bar for celebrity watching. It’s one of the best restaurants of the year. Truly any of the dishes I tried could have made my Top 100. The fried eggplant was spectacular, as was the sliced acorn-fed Iberico ham, and I haven’t even mentioned the tender as sin ribeye. But the one dish that blew everything out of the water were the little anchovies that inconspicously lay on heavenly toast points.

They’re referred to as both “tosta matrimonio” and “black and white anchovies.” The two meaty fish (the black are cured and the white are pickled) are simply halved and arranged on a toast-bed of sweet roasted tomatoes, creamy tangy sheep’s milk cheese, and a generous drizzle of aged balasamic. The dish is a perfect example of balance and brightness with the sweet cheese and tomato pairing perfectly with the salty, acidic anchovies. And amazingly, the delicate dish don’t even taste fishy. Maybe that’s why so many celebrities come here. Price: $9

NUMBER 50: BELGIAN MADNESS at WAFELS & DINGES

I bring people to the Wafels & Dinges truck almost every day on one of the Food Cart Tours. Their amazing liege waffles topped with nutty, rich speculoos spread is a perfect way to end the food crawl. That particular spread made my Top 100 last year (and look for another version of it further up on this list). But I assure you, Wafels & Dinges are not just a one trick pony.

In addition to the waffles, they make stellar hot cocoa, pulled pork, and this year they introduced ice cream! The flavors rotate from time to time and are created by former Jean Georges pastry chef Benoit Gerin. The first time I tasted what they call the Belgian Madness, I think I went a little mad myself. Mad because I couldn’t eat the entire tub. This beer is made with Hoegaarden beer, honey, and just a touch of lemon. The beer flavor immediately comes through, but doesn’t stick around long enough for it to be bitter or boozy. The honey and lemon mellow it out to make this a refreshing and well-balanced creamy delight. Price: $3

NUMBER 49: PEACH BERET YOGURT from WHITE COW DAIRY

In New York, there are so many artisanal food goods available at any number of food-centric stores. I very rarely buy these, not because I don’t want to support local small businesses (I do, I do) but because I don’t keep many groceries in my apartment. I can’t remember the last time I went shopping to purchase anything other than an item I needed for cooking.

But something about the packaging or the ingredients of White Cow Dairy’s yogurts made me want to buy a jar. It was an impulse buy at Murray’s Cheese in the West Village and I’m thrilled I decided to support this Buffalo-based dairy operation. Deciding which flavor was a tough decision, but the Peach Beret was intriguing. The ingredients sound are all over the place: peaches, cranberries, maple sugar, lemon, ginger, and spices. Do those flavors go together? I assure you they do and this creamy, chunky fresh tasting yogurt is some of the best I’ve ever had. You can bet the next time I’m in Murray’s, I’ll be stocking up. And coming from me, that says a lot. 

NUMBER 48: CHEESE CURDS at BEECHER’S HANDMADE CHEESE

I’m so sorry Beecher’s. Aside from some drinks and a few lunches, I have yet to actually purchase anything from the new cheese palace near Union Square. Beecher’s came to us via Seattle’s Pike Place Market earlier this year and they brought with them their Flagship cheeses, their world famous mac and cheese, a new wacky grilled cheese martini, and their fresh curds. And the most amazing thing about all this is that you can get free samples of any of them every day right in the store (except for that martini, of course).

If you’re here at the right time, you can watch the cheese being made and read about the curds. These squeaky bites of soured cheese are salty, creamy, and just a bit sweet. Beecher’s is smart to offer free samples because it’s pretty difficult to eat just one. I’ve thought about buying these suckers on a few occasions and will soon cave in, but I know how addicting they are and decided for my own best interest to resist. You, however, should buy a package immediately. Price: $5.75/$9

NUMBER 47: FROZEN YOGURT at CULTURE YOGURT

The frozen yogurt phenomenon took this city by storm a few years ago and has left sad, generic dairy chains like 16 Handles and Red Mango in its wake. The dairy dish got a much needed boost this year with the opening of Culture in Park Slope. When I first read about this place, I thought, “Oh no, not another pathetic fro yo wannabe.” But I was wrong, oh so wrong.

When I finally worked up the courage to head to Park Slope to give this a try, I kicked myself for waiting this long. The yogurt is made in house (take that, Pinkberry!) without any antibiotics and is sold both fresh and frozen. The flavors vary from day to day and everything I tried tastes like the flavor’s supposed to with a clean, smooth, slightly tart backing. If you really want to taste what they do best, order one of their speciality sundaes (like strawberry balsamic, key lime pie, or Vermont maple). Culture came at just the right time and saved the day for frozen yogurt! Price: Varies

NUMBER 46: STILL WARM FRESH MOZZARELLA at ABC KITCHEN

ABC Kitchen is a restaurant focused on local, seasonal vegetables, but they also do a fine job on pizzas, pastas, and desserts. And now we can add making their own mozzarella to that list. 

The circular mound of cheese comes out looking like Greek saganaki (without the flames of course), floating in quality olive oil, seasoned generously with salt and pepper, and wearing a lemon garnish. It’s soft and chewy with a rich, sweet milky flavor. I was a little upset I had to share this creamy sensation with the rest of the people at my table, but that was the deal. The cheese is expertly made in house and served “still warm,” which sounds as if it just came out of the cow. It doesn’t get more local than that! Price: $14

I know! Let’s start a gourmet coffee business but instead of a storefront or a truck, let’s do it from bicycles. What an awesomely wacky idea! It sounds gimmicky, sure, but it’s environmentally sound and it doesn’t get more mobile than a bicycle that can quickly weave in and out of traffic.

This was the business model of Kickstand Coffee. They set up last year throughout Williamsburg and at the Hester Street Fair in the Lower East Side. And unlike some of the gourmet food trucks out there with shelter from the storms, Kickstand really was reliant on the elements. So once the Hester Street Fair shut down for the winter, the guys at Kickstand hiberanted and practically disappeared.

I did exchange an email with them telling them about my Time Out journey and they offered to meet me somewhere in Brooklyn for a tasting. Even though that’s amazing customer service, our schedules didn’t work out and before we knew it, there was lots of snow on the ground and Kickstand vowed to return when the weather warmed up. That was 2010.

Fast forward to summer 2011 and Hester Street Fair announced their new vendor lineup and Kickstand was nowhere to be found. And there was no word from them on their website or Twitter. Had the business collapsed? Did the guys move to warmer climates? Did one of their bicycles get stolen?

I was getting really worried that we wouldn’t be able to taste the pourover coffee that Time Out raved about. And then I saw a few Tweets and I realized there was a reason for all that silence. Kickstand had a new business model. They’re now distributing cold brewed iced coffee concentrate. And I could pick it up at one of my two favorite foodie hangouts, The Brooklyn Kitchen (which occupies the same space as The Meat Hook) and Murray’s Cheese Shop.

It’s not exactly the same product as what Time Out had mentioned, but it’s still fancy schmancy coffee. And the bicycles are still around – they use them now for home delivery (if you live within a certain area, of course). They’re using roasted beans from local favorite Cafe Grumpy that will rotate regularly. We got the El Limonar from Guatemala. Then they’re cold brewing it and turning it into a concentrate. Once you buy a bottle, you can make your own delicious iced coffee by adding just some water, ice, and drinking.

I’ve been partial to cold brewed iced coffee lately because it usually has a richer, more chocolatey flavor with very little acidity. And this one didn’t disappoint. It was slightly sweet and nutty with a wonderful fruity finish. It was on the expensive side with a bottle costing between $11.99 – $15.99 (depending on which borough you buy it in) and really only lasting us about 4 cups. But it was delicious, refreshing, and perked me right up. In fact, I was practically bouncing around the room when I got down to the coffee stained ice cubes.

I’m relieved Kickstand has returned. And not just because this would have been a list item that got away, but because if anybody could make me addicted to coffee it’s these guys with their delicious thirst quenching concoction. On second thought, maybe I’m not so glad. I don’t really need a full-blown addiction.

Would Kickstand’s Pourover Coffee make my Top 100 of the year? This iced coffee concentrate probably would since I’m craving it right now and it’s very late at night. 8 out of 10 and it’s a good thing I don’t have any more because I need to go to bed.

Nobody told me I’d have to cook on this Time Out adventure. I thought it was all about eating. That’s why I signed up. And while I think I probably have talent as a cook, I have no technique and very little experience. So I don’t want the fate of one of the 100 dishes to rest on my lack of culinary skills.

The Meat Hook is an awesome little butcher and provisions shops in Williamsburg. The meat counter is very exciting, with plenty of animal parts, beautiful red beef cuts, and a rotating array of artisanal sausages. The Banh Mi sausage is not something they always have in stock, so I had called a handful of times in the past before I got an affirmation that they were selling it.

There it was – the sausage that was supposed to fool you into thinking you were eating a Vietnamese sandwich. I asked the counter guy how he recommended preparing it and I got a bit of an elitist attitude back. But I gleaned enough instructions to decide I would cook it in a pan with some oil at low temperature.

When I got home and pulled out all my pots and pans, I attempted to do just that. But here my experiment went awry because I couldn’t quite figure out when the sausage was fully cooked. I didn’t want to eat raw pork and I also didn’t want to cut it open and ruin the beautiful presentation. See, here is where my lack of technique really shows through.

I eventually got it nicely crisp and browned on the outside, but it was still soft and fleshy to the touch. I think it was fully cooked, but each bite was rather unpleasant with soft mushy fat. I may have to do this one over.

Regardless, I wouldn’t think that my ineptness at pan frying would have ruined the flavor. And I didn’t care for the flavor. It didn’t taste much like a banh mi sandwich except for maybe some cilantro flavor. Otherwise, it had a rather unctuous pork flavor. Where was the crunch from the carrots? The spice from the jalapeños? The bite from the pickles?

Is it really possible that I didn’t cook it long enough (or too long) and I killed all the flavor? I think I may have to start calling The Meat Hook to see when it’s back in their meat window. I just might have to practice on a few other sausages before then.

Would The Meat Hook’s Banh Mi Sausage make my Top 100 of the year? Maybe if they cooked it it would, but with my lack of confidence in the kitchen, I turned this delicious sounding concoction into a 5 out of 10. Or maybe I’m just using myself as an excuse.

Who would ever think to order a radish salad at a place call Radish? I’d probably order the meat loaf or the curry chicken. I kid, of course. In fact, it almost seems like if you come to a place called Radish you have no choice but to order the radish salad.

And I had no choice since it was on Time Out’s list. I’ve walked by this spot very often, since I give tours on Brooklyn’s beer history down the street at the Brooklyn Brewery. But this was the first time I stepped inside and was a little surprised that it was not in fact a restaurant, but rather a homey, modest gourmet food take-out spot. Much like Whole Food’s salad bar area, but much less corporate.

The owner was very friendly and offered us a taste of anything from their prepared food section. I joked earlier about meat loaf and curry chicken, but they do offer a few hot food items (including shepherd’s pie and chicken stew) in addition to their cold salads, sandwiches, and soups.

We took home a helping of their chicken tenders, a brussels sprout dish, and the namesake radish salad. As we were paying, we were also tempted by a delicious homemade ginger ale that was spicy and refreshing without being too sweet. And for no good reason (although maybe because she knew I was a blogger), the owner threw in a free chocolate chip cookie.

When I got home, I was amazed to see the gorgeous presentation – even from a paper container. The radishes (which included watermelon, daikon, and breakfast radishes) were colorful and bold. There were also slices of red onions, mangoes, and cilantro leaves throughout. And the sesame oil dressing left beautiful black seed garnishes throughout.

The salad was crunchy, cooling, and of the utmost freshness. And I liked the bite from the onion and cilantro, but I felt like it was missing a few things in the flavor department. The mangoes didn’t give much brightness and the peppers used were rather bland or just took on the flavor of the sesame oil. Maybe sesame is too strong of a flavor because it overwhelmed everything else. I wanted some heat or acidity and didn’t get much. Or perhaps some more salt would have helped bring out the flavors.

The rest of the dishes we had were all fresh and well-composed. I especially liked the brussels sprouts, which were shredded into an interesting texture and dotted with crunchy walnuts and tart pomegranate seeds. And I enjoyed the crunch and freshness of the radishes at Radish. I just wish the rest of the components complemented the leading vegetables rather than overwhelmed them.

Would Radish’s Radish Salad make my Top 100 of the Year? I liked the the crunchy, fresh textures, but felt like it was missing a little something when it came to depth of flavors. 6 out of 10.

25. LONG ISLAND CORN from ELLINIKI AGORA

24. KALE CHIPS from NEW YORK NATURALS

Ninth Avenue International Foods sells all sorts of groceries but when it comes to prepared food (all stored in a little refrigerator by the register), it’s mainly Greek or Mediterranean here. Hummus, tzatziki, spinach pie, and Greek yogurt.

And it’s that Greek yogurt that TONY wrote about and the stuff I came for. We ordered almost a pound (it was only $6 a pound) to go and I decided to enjoy it at breakfast with some fresh berries.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with a pound of this stuff. It’s incredibly rich and thick. The yogurt has a very subtle sweetness and a strong tangy tartness.  When mixed with berries, it was a bit reminiscent of sour cream and the sweetness of the berries brought the white stuff to life.

I think some granola would also be nice for texture and I may try that later in the week. This sheep’s milk, live-cultured yogurt will last me a little while. It’s so rich and thick that I can only eat a little at a time. Maybe if I invited over all my European friends to help out. And my Middle Eastern friends. And my Asian friends. You get the point.

Would Ninth Avenue International Foods’ Greek Yogurt make my Top 100 of the year? It’s a bit too thick for my tastes but I can see how this can be a great jumping off point for a hearty breakfast or a rich topping. Nonetheless, it only gets a 6 out of 10 in my book.

I shouldn’t have feared too much because when I arrived there was a freezer full of these patties.  I must have stuck out like a sore thumb because both the employee and another customer recommended the chicken patties to me and told me I need to cook them frozen.  Two patties were wrapped together and since they were so inexpensive ($5 for a pound), I bought two packages (that’s four 1/2-lb. patties).

My next concern (I’m just full of concerns) was would these frozen patties make it all the way back (it was an hour train ride) to Astoria?  Again, I feared for nothing because I got home and they were still frozen.

The employee there (Michael?) said I should grill or broil them.  I decided to broil them for dinner since it would be less clean up.  These patties were humongous and wouldn’t quite fit on the burger buns I had bought.  But they were really good and didn’t even need the ketchup and mustard I instinctively added.

Since I had extra patties, a few days later I tried the grilling option.  The grilling worked out slightly better – the meat retained more juiciness and tasted more like an actual burger.  The broiling method was also successful, but it was slightly drier.

Michael told me that these were practically fat free except for a little bit of American cheese that he adds to the patty (cheeseless versions are also available).  He also adds onions, green and red peppers, and some seasonings.  There was a slight fajita flavor to the burger.  It was delicious.  Incredibly juicy and flavorful.  And on the very large side.  It’s too bad Flatbush is so far away because these would be a perfect fat free easy to prepare lunch for those days I’m home and baffled by Astoria’s lunch scene.

Would Michael’s Prime Meats’ Chicken Burger  make my Top 100 of the year?  If it wasn’t so far, I would stock up on these patties regularly.  The healthy and delicious take on a cheeseburger earns a solid 8 out of 10.

I hate to make these connections, but kishke means guts.  And that’s basically what you stuff meat into when it comes to making a sausage.  But I think it’s important to call food what it is, you know?

And I appreciate that the Polish call the thing what it is.  A kishke is a sausage stuffed with meat and some sort of grain.  In the case of the potato kishke on my list, it’s a combo of pork and potato.

I ventured in the snow to get this list item from Driggs Meat Market, which is a little Polish deli/butcher shop in Greenpoint.  I immediately asked for the potato kishke and the owner was impressed and surprised.  He seemed excited that this All-American bearded man was buying one of his favorite Polish sausages.  And he was pretty confident I would love it and be back soon.

Well, he was half right.  I did love it.  And I would definitely go back soon, but Greenpoint is not an area I find myself in too often.  So it might be a while before I return.

I bought the huge link and brought it home.  It was only $4.50 a pound and this was enough for at least three meals.  It didn’t look like the most appetizing sausage.  It was long and thick and looked almost like a sea creature.  Or a tiny pair of stuffed ladies’ stockings.  Don’t ask, just look at the picture.

But when I cut into, the presentation no longer mattered.  This was a really unique and hearty sausage.  The main flavor was potato – it almost tasted mashed.  There was just a hint of pork which added texture and smokiness.  The sausage had lots of pop and was incredibly juicy.   I brought mustard to the table just in case (I love mustard with sausages) but this sausage needed nothing.

It was an interesting mild sausage with lots of hearty, warming flavors.  It warmed the kishkes, which is a lot better than being kicked there, believe me.

Would Driggs Meat Market’s Potato Kishke make my Top 100 of the year?  Even though the looks left a bit to be desires, the sausage was delicious and different giving it an 8 out of 10.

Now just to set the record straight, I did go to Mast Brothers a few weeks earlier and they had a great selection, but were sold out of their popular Almond and Sea-Salt Chocolate Bar. Maybe a lot of people were working their way through this list.

This is another item I took home with me and enjoyed later. The chocolate was dark and complex and the olive oil roasted almonds were nicely slivered throughout. I’m not a huge almond fan, but these were cut in such a way that they just really added some texture. The salt was subtle enough to not overpower the chocolate.

It was a fancy chocolate bar with good rich flavors, but not something I’d go out of my way to get again. I’ve had better chocolate in the city. And it wasn’t quite worth the 9 bucks – for a chocolate bar!?! It was only $7 at the Mast Brothers store, but the two dollars extra was a small price to pay to conveniently check off one more list item.

Would Mast Brothers’ Almond and Sea-Salt Chocolate make my Top 100 of the year? While I love interesting chocolate bars, this one didn’t blow my mind and was not worth the hefty price tag. But how can any decent chocolate get much lower than a 7 out of 10?