2024 was a great year for traveling and consequently for eating. I started the year in NYC and went to Miami, New Orleans, the UK (London & Liverpool), France (Paris & Loire Valley), Brazil (São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Corumbau, Trancoso), and Japan (Tokyo). Most of the trips weren’t planned and kind of happened last minute - something my “hate strict routine” self loves. A downside to it though was not being able to [truly] plan my food itinerary ahead of time or being able to book all the restaurants I wanted. Nonetheless, a lot of good food and drinks were had.
Grouping by country, these were my memorable bites/sips of 2024:
USA
Cheesesteak with Cooper sharp and long hots at Angelo’s Pizzeria (Philly). By far the best cheesesteak I’ve ever had. They make their own bread, which is crusty without being too hard to eat (almost baguette-like). Skip the long hots if you can’t do spicy, but they do add a beautiful touch to it.
Slice of Burrata pizza at L’Industrie (NYC). This is a top 3 slice in NYC for me.
Tuna melt on white bread at S&P Lunch (NYC). An absolute favorite of mine - I love tuna melts and this one is simple, classic, and absolutely delicious. Fun tidbit: I sat next to Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband (Brad Falchuk) once.
Crawfish boil at Porgy’s (New Orleans). They do their own little twist on the seasoning with a Viet-Cajun blend, delicious. Porgy’s is also a seafood market and you order everything at the counter, so while you’re at it, I recommend grabbing some oysters too.
Shrimp po-boy at Frady’s (New Orleans). I can best describe Frady’s as an old-school NYC bodega, but in New Orleans. It’s cash only and you order at the counter. Best po-boy I’ve ever had, not dry, not over seasoned or over mayoed. Just perfect.
Crab Fried Rice at Thai Diner (NYC). The crab fried rice has been one of my all-time favorite dishes since Uncle Boons (RIP). I was so happy when the group opened Thai Diner and decided to add UB’s rice to the menu. The little sauce on the side (spicy seafood nam prik) is the difference maker, so make sure to add it to every bite.
The Worth It bagel sandwich at Utopia Bagels (NYC). Your choice of bagel (I’m a plain bagel girly myself) with nova, CC, tomato, red onion & capers. IMO, best bagel in NYC right now.
Fried skate wing with cucumber, garlic yogurt and cilantro at Four Horsemen (NYC).
Steamed branzino curry custard (Hor Mok) at Sukh (NYC). When I had my first bite I was blown away. It’s an explosion of flavors all at once, without being overpowering. You can taste all the components and appreciate the dish as a whole. The rest of the menu was not as exciting but I would go back for this dish.
Best Bites USA 2024
England
Cornish lamb biryani and Aubergine (eggplant) bharta at Pahli Hill (London). London is known for having delicious Indian food and this restaurant might just be above the rest. I have had my fair share of Indian food and the entire meal here was phenomenal. It’s not your typical Indian, so don’t come if you are looking for Chicken Tikka Masala or Lamb Rogan Josh, but rather a mix of regional Indian cuisine.
Strozzapreti brown crab cacio & pepe at Manteca (London). Super creamy, a lot of umami coming from the crab meat (head) and the cheese. A very delicious take on traditional cacio and pepe. All the pastas at Manteca are delicious and cooked perfectly, I recommend getting a few to share. It’s overall a great restaurant, you really can’t go wrong here.


France
Steak Frites at Le Relais de L’Entrecote in Saint Germain (Paris). This is one of my favorites in Paris, always. An absolute classic and consistent restaurant. I always get my meat bleu (quick sear) or saignant (rare). What sets them apart from the other copycats in town (and abroad) is the sauce. It’s bright, rich, umamiy and creamy - a fantastic pairing with the meat and great for soaking up some fries.
Lobster ravioli in saffron butter with chili & peanut at Le Servan (Paris). Le Servan is a French-Asian restaurant that does the flavor combination really well. I hate the word “fusion”, especially if thinking about all the badly executed 2000s fusion restaurants, but Le Servan combines French food and techniques with Asian flavors in a way in which one would hope every so-called fusion restaurant would. The menu is seasonal and changes pretty much daily.
Fourme D’Ambert (blue cheese) from La Petite Vache de Louis at the Bastille Street Market (Paris). The market is located along the Boulevard Richard Lenoir between Amelot and Saint-Sabin streets and it’s open Tuesdays & Sundays. You can get Fourme D’Ambert in a lot of cheesemongers, but this is the place where I first tried it and loved it! It’s a cow’s milk blue cheese, pretty mild and pretty salty. I was recently told that this cheese is the perfect blue cheese for those who don’t actually like blue cheese (aka me). Perfect pairing: a bottle of Reserve Personnelle, Chateau Gaudrelle (Chenin Blanc, 2018, 125 g/L of residual sugar).
Steak Au Poivre at Bistrot Paul Bert (Paris). A classic and perfect representation of what a Steak Au Poivre should be. Please do not order it past ‘à point’ (medium rare). My recommendation: ‘Saignant’ (rare). They also have a fantastic wine list.
Best Bites France 2024
Brazil
Coxinha at Veloso Bar (São Paulo). Coxinha is a Brazilian fried croquette, filled with chicken and a creamy cheese (catupiry). Some places make it without the cheese, don’t make the mistake of ordering that. Always get it with catupiry. If any Brazilian tells you otherwise, they are wrong. [pictured]
Shrimp Pastel at Arpoador Z1 (Salvador). Pastel is a fried Brazilian empanada, if you will. You can get it in different places and in an array of flavors, the most common being cheese. Arpoador Z1 is a bar in the middle of a square with plastic chairs and tables, so don’t go for the aesthetics, but the shrimp pastel with caipirinha (lime and chacaça) is a great combo not to be missed.
Seafood rice stew (Arroz de Marisco) at Bistro do Portuga (Corumbau).
Seafood stew croquette (Croquete de Moqueca) at As Menina (Corumbau). Yes, another fried item on my list. It was fried to perfection and seasoned beautifully. Do not skip it if you are ever in this remote little piece of paradise on the northeastern coast of Brazil. [pictured]
Best Bites Brazil 2024
Japan
Otoro and Eel nigiri at Daiwa Sushi (Tokyo). This was my first meal in Tokyo. I checked in the hotel and went for an omakase breakfast at 7am. The restaurant is in Tokyo’s fish market and opens at 6am (and people start lining up well before that). You get the selection of the day, whatever the chef wants to prepare. All the pieces were fantastic - both shari (the rice) and fish - but the otoro (fatty tuna) and eel hold a special place in my heart.
Amaebi nigiri (sweet shrimp) at Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera (Tokyo). Technically a conveyor belt sushi (you order what you want and it comes through the conveyor belt) although the chef was just handing us the dishes directly. All the pieces were very good, but the star for me this time was the sweet shrimp nigiri: tiny shrimp brushed with soy sauce atop rice.
Salmon belly onigiri at Onigiri Marutoyo (Tokyo) - I cannot recommend it enough. The best non-sushi bite I had in Japan. The stand is by the entrance of the Tsukiji market. They don’t speak English, but you can point to what you want (the onigiris are displayed). The onigiri was still warm, and so buttery and delicious. Sometimes onigiri can eat a bit dry and scream for some soy sauce, but not this one. Cash only. It was about $1.75.
Tsukemen Ramen (dipping noodles) at Rokurinsha (Tokyo). Like all good food places in Tokyo, this one had a line as well. It’s located inside Tokyo Station and is supposedly one of David Chang’s favorite ramen spots in town. The noodles are cold, thicker and chewier than traditional ramen noodles and are meant to be dipped in a very rich warm broth. Delicious.
Best Bites Japan 2024
[If you’re looking for Tokyo recs, I will eventually do a full guide to Tokyo & which spots to hit]
Best Sips:
Bottle of Jacques Selosse “Initial” Brut Champagne at Torrisi (NYC) - I had it at Torrisi, but there are a few other restaurants in NYC (and around]) that carry Selosse. The first time I had Selosse was at Eleven Madison Park about 10 years ago. I was blown away by how unique and delicious the champagne was (“Substance”, made from a single vineyard and “uses a solera system, similar to what is used to make sherry, in which successive vintages, back to 1987, are blended”, Eric Asimov, NYT) and was very excited to start the year drinking a bottle of Selosse. It is a very expensive bottle, so unfortunately not something I would drink on the regular but certainly something to remember. And on that note, I would recommend drinking champagne from smaller producers instead of the big maisons - nothing wrong with them, on the contrary, but you miss an opportunity to really appreciate the different nuances and terroir.
Proper Martini with Grey Goose and a twist at Cote (Miami, but also NYC). THE best vodka martini ever (yes, better than Dante’s): vodka to vermouth ratio (8:1), stirred, practically frozen glass. Impossible to have just one, but make sure you don’t really have anything important do to afterward! And if you are not quite the martini drinker, order a glass of May Georges Crémant de Loire Brut. On a side note, I love going to Cote. Service is always great and food is fantastic (Butcher’s Feast for the win, with an extra order of their scallion salad).
Adobada Bam Bam at Superbueno (NYC). It’s their slushy drink made with mezcal, pineapple adobada falernum, lemon and pineapple salt. I’m not a slushy gal normally, but it is so good! Refreshing, not sweet (I hate sweet cocktails) and the mezcal gives it a nice smokyness/depth.
Bianco Sbagliato at Bar Pisellino (NYC). I love myself a Negroni Sbagliato, but sometimes I find the Campari a bit overpowering - I don’t think prosecco holds its own too well against the bitterness of the Campari, so this white negroni sbagliato (white vermouth, bitter bianco and prosecco) really hits the spot.
Caju Amigo at Bar São Cristovão (São Paulo). A cocktail typical from São Paulo, it’s made out of lime juice, cashew apple juice [cashew apple is the fruit from which the cashew nut comes from], cashew apple compote, and cachaça. You can also order it with vodka, but trust me, cachaça is better. This is actually a fairly sweet cocktail, so I guess I am going against my preferences, but it did make the 2024 list, so there’s something to be said about it.
Cold brew Momo’s Ethiopian Geisha Village Natural at Koffee Mameya (Tokyo). I like my coffee black and hot (pour over), but this was the best sip of coffee I had all year. Maybe it was because I waited in line for 20 minutes before getting my coffee, maybe it was because it was very hot and muggy that day in Tokyo, but this coffee really hit the spot. I went back another day and got the same coffee but as a pour over and it wasn’t nearly as good. Koffee Mameya has their own way of making cold brew and whatever that is they know their shit.
Other notable mentions: Bara Chirashi for lunch at Wokuni (NYC), Loomi Babka Bun (lemon curd) and Apricot and Fennel sourdough from Librae Bakery (NYC), Bag O’ Greens (snap peas, asparagus, green beans, lemon thyme salt, zingy aioli) at Rocco’s Sports Bar (NYC) -I know, random thing to get and recommend at a sport’s bar, but they are crunchy, citrusy and delicious; and while we’re in a sports bar, if you’re not a beer drinker like me, get the Aval cider, not sweet and definitely crispy-, Carne Asada burrito at Son Del North (NYC), Chocolate Mousse at Chez Janou (Paris), Foie Gras at Au Sauvignon (Paris).
Now let’s see what 2025 holds.
- Paloma