Its a New Year and we are just back from having a whale of a time - wedding anniversary, Christmas, Anoushka's Birthday, New Year - these last 10 days have been a constant party session. Its been close to 3 years since I started blogging about the restos we have visited and I thought since this is the season of recapping on all the good and not so good, why not relive some of the great meals/dishes that this blog has seen. Am taking you through a very personal love list of yummy in my tummy. 

The Piquant Tomato and Chicken Risotto at Bangalore Bistro. This was one of the first restaurants that found its way onto the blog. And even today we love the place to bits. We have eaten everything on the menu and are now at the stage of having the food customized for us. Love the way they look after kids here and how they adjust meals, portion and taste to suit them. It is located plonk in the middle of a busy street but is sooo cut off from the noise. It remains the number one of my list, though the remaining entries are in no particular order. 

The Paan Ice-cream at The Higher Taste (Iskcon Temple), where a complete paan is ground into the ice cream mix. Now if you want to convert someone to vegetarianism, treat them at this place. It is one place that truly treats its vegetables with respect. Dishes from all over South India at prepared in the Satvic style and I am amazed at how wonderful they can be made to taste. Their Nellikai Charu - Gooseberry soup and their Elaneer Karaisal - a gravy made of the soft white insides of a coconut are brilliant. And no matter how much you eat here - you will not walk about feeling heavy on the tummy.

From the Satvic table to the haven for meat lovers - The Mandi at Ta'am was a recent discovery. A complete meal - this has veggies and rice, cooked with a hunk of mutton in a large vessel to the point of the meat dropping off the bone. Served with Mandi soup and a coriander chutney with slivers of onions in the tempering, this is one meal where you will have to put on your eating pants and something that will have you dreaming off through the night. Their Khichdi and Kheema is another combo that we love here. 

The Pigs in a Blanket at Plan B. This was one of the first pubs we visited after Anoushka was born. Of course, we went in the afternoon on a weekday making it easier to handle her. But I loved their take on sandwiches and my favorite then was the Pigs in a Blanket. Its been quite a while since we visited but I follow their innovations and their food based competitions. And they even served emu recently if I am not wrong. 

The Kyoto Meal at Edo. Though this was a meal on invite, I have heard from others that the quality and consistency is no different on any other night. This was one meal that opened our eyes to more of Japanese cuisine than we really knew, despite being lovers of the fare. I am reading "Sushi & Beyond" by Micheal Booth right now and there are places which make me question the complete authenticity of the Kyoto meal served to us. But then we have to keep in mind that for some things to be commercially viable as well, they have to be tweaked a bit and I think Edo has done that brilliantly. 

The Baby Fish in Putanesca Sauce at the Rogue Elephant. This is one restaurant that we have followed since its tiny outlet near Ulsoor lake. From there they came to Basavangudi near our home and then on to the more lavish Rogue Elephant Bistro at Koramangala. But what has remained constant is the quality of food and the love that Sheila Appa and Anand put into the outlets is great. Must tries are their Bangers and Mash, the Carrot cake and their Mughlai Chicken curry with Herb rice.

The Kebab-e-Koobideh at Sufi - This was one restaurant that I was very iffy about. Placed on top of Empire in Koramangala I just wasn't too sure about how it would go. But when we finally did go there, I just couldn't get enough of the decor and the seating and the food. The meats are treated well and do excellent time in marination. The softness alone stands testimony to it. Their dessert Ranginek is also something to be tried. 

The Texas Cheese Fries at Chili's - Loved this place for being an alcohol based family style outlet. While we sipped on cocktails, junior was given coloring paraphernalia to keep herself entertained. The starters, which you see up here were the size of main courses and work great for when you are in a group. Since we were just three when we visited, we just couldn't get all the way to main courses. But still loved everything about the place. 

Moo's your daddy at Cafe Thulp - one of the first places to show us how much more there can be to a burger. It of course does have competition now with the likes of the Whammy at Peppa Zzing. But all hail goes to one of the front runners in the creation of delicious burger abnormalities. 

The Naga Chili Chutney at the Naga Kitchen - our first introduction to northeastern cuisine was the food festivals held by the Ants Cafe. The Naga Kitchen in Kamanahalli was one of the first N.Eastern restaurants we visited and the Naga Chili Chutney was an instant hit. Of course, you feel like the sun has risen in your mouth, but if you can get over the smell of Akhuni, appreciate smoked meats and cross into uncharted territory of hell-like heat on your tongue, you will love North eastern food. And.. there is a lot more to it than spice if you take the trouble to explore. 

The Korean Spread at Soo Ra Sang - Its sad that the owner had to shift base to Wind Tunnel Road from Koramangala. Despite overlooking the Old Airport runway, the only thing you get to see take off now are military planes. But the food is great - The Kimbob and the Je Yuk Bokkum (a spicy pork gravy and sticky rice) are standards. There was this one time when we were lucky to be served a pork in kimchi that was actually cooked for the owner's family. 

I know zip about Vietnamese food and still am at pretty much at the starting line. But what I loved about the Che served at the Phobidden Fruit was the combination of beans, peas, jelly and cold coconut milk to make a dessert. Definitely will take getting used to but was interesting. The Pho and the avocado shake were well appreciated too. 

The Chicken Ghee Roast at Suggi had me licking my fingers. It came after a long drive and a long wait to be served, but was well worth it. The ghee used is enough to give you a coronary just by looking at it, but coming from the area of this dish's birth, such indulgences are allowed. 

And finally on this list is the Kashmiri naan at Cafe Canada - Its place here is not because it blew us away by its brilliance but because even today - almost two years after tasting it, I cannot forget its audacity at just being served - This naan came with a generous slathering of mixed fruit jam, slices of marsh melon, orange and stray piece of chickoo and was meant to be eaten with a gravy!!!