I always thought that posts on other blogs that included a list of where that blogger wanted to go eat were a bit cheesy. But given the number of reviews I have to write for the survey these days, and given how it is easier to write them after visiting a restaurant, I found myself compiling such a list over the weekend. Of course I'm so busy with the survey that it didn't take long for me to realize that it's a simple way to update the site, and by listing the names of lots of different restaurants, a good way to attract additional hits to your site. So forgive me if I get a little cheesy here but, here is a list of the 100 places I would like to eat at in 2008.
I'm sure some of you ware going to be surprised by some of the choices. Especially places that serve traditional French cuisine which anyone who reads this site knows, often makes me feel like I am drowning in a sea of veal demi-glace. So I feel it is important to explain myself. I like to think of myself as a dining martyr. Someone who will take consume gallons of gooey, over-reduced and over-salted stocks in order to take one for the team so to speak. But also, there is some benefit to sampling styles of cuisine that have become passe which is to understand what it was that made a chef important at the height of their culinary powers. And on occasion I come across a chef who has lightened his cuisine and is turning out some top-notch food. Witness my review of L'Auberge D'Ill below.
So without further delay, here is my list of 100 Restaurants I Would Like to Eat at in 2008. Of course if you happen to have been at any of the restaurants on this list, click the link at the bottom of the page and rate them for the survey.
| Adour - New York City |
| Allen & Delancey - New York City |
| Amador - Langen, GR |
| L' Amphitryon - Lorient, FR |
| Arnolfo - Colle Val d' Elsa, IT |
| Au Pied de Cochon - Montreal |
| August - New Orleans |
| Bacchanalia - Atlanta |
| Back Bay Grill - Portland |
| La Bastide de Capelongue - Bonnieux, FR |
| Bernard Loiseau - Saulieu, FR |
| Bistrot d'Eygalières - Eygalieres, FR |
| Blackberry Farm - Walland, TN |
| Blackbird - Chicago |
| Botafumeiro - Barcelona |
| Botín Restaurante - Madrid |
| Cafe Annie - Houston |
| Canlis - Seattle |
| Carlos' - Highland Park, IL |
| Carré des Feuillants - Paris |
| Charleston - Baltimore |
| Château Cordeillan Bages - Bordeaux |
| Cibrèo - Florence, IT |
| Le Cinq - Paris |
| City Grocery - 0xford, MS |
| Le Clos des Sens - Annecy. FR |
| Club Chasse et Pêche - Montreal |
| Coi - San Francisco |
| La Côte St-Jacques - Joigny, FR |
| Craigie Street Bistrot - Cambridge, MS |
| Da Fiore - Venice, IT |
| Dal Pescatore - Canneto sull'Oglio, IT |
| De Karmeliet - Brugges, BE |
| De Librije - Zwolle, NE |
| Dieter Mueller - Schloss Lerbach, GR |
| Dining Room, The - Pasadena |
| Eigensinn Farm - Singhampton, CA |
| El Calima - Marbella, SP |
| Eve - Alexandria, VA |
| Enoteca PinchiorrI - Florence, IT |
| Everest - Chicago |
| Fiamma Osteria - New York City |
| Frasca Food and Wine - Boulder, CO |
| Galatoire's - New Orleans |
| Gambero Rosso - San Vicenzo, IT |
| Graham Elliot - Chicago |
| Guggenheim Bilbao - Bilbao, SP |
| Guy Savoy - Las Vegas |
| Hatfield's - Los Angeles |
| Highlands Bar & Grill - Birmingham, AL |
| Hugo's - Portland, ME |
| Inn at Little Washington - Washington, VA |
| Le Jardin des Remparts - Beaune, FR |
| Joe Beef - Montreal |
| Joël - Atlanta |
| Joel Robuchon at The Mansion - Las Vegas |
| L2O - Chicago |
| La Rosetta - Rome |
| Lai Wah Heen - Toronto |
| Lameloise - Chagny, FR |
| Le Champignon Sauvage - Cheltenham, U.K. |
| Le Pont de Brent - Montreaux, SW |
| Lucques - Los Angeles |
| Madonnina del Pescatore - Senigalia, IT |
| Marc Veyrat, La Maison de - Annecy, FR |
| Marinus - Carmel, CA |
| Mélisse - Los Angeles |
| Michael's Genuine Cuisine - Miami |
| Michy's - Miami |
| Noma - Copenhagen |
| O Ya - Boston |
| Olivier Roellinger - Cancale, FR |
| Ortolan - Los Angeles |
| Osteria La Francescana - Modena, IT |
| Palena - Washington D.C. |
| Patrick Guilbaud - Dublin |
| Paul Bocuse - Lyon |
| Perbelini - Isola Rizza, IT |
| Le Petit Nice - Marseille, FR |
| Pic - Valence, FR |
| Primo - Rockland, ME |
| Quince - San Francisco |
| Régis et Jacques Marcon - St. Bonnet, FR |
| Restaurant Heinz Winkler - Aschau, GR |
| Sa Qua Na - Honfleur, FR |
| Schwa - Chicago |
| Schwarzwaldstube - Baiersbronn, GR |
| Sona - Los Angeles |
| Sooke Harbour House - Sooke, CA |
| Splendido - Toronto |
| Spring - Chicago |
| Texture - London |
| Toqué - Montreal |
| Torre del Saracino - Massa Lubrense, IT |
| La Tupina - Bordeaux |
| Ubuntu - Napa, CA |
| Vau - Berlin |
| Vendôme - Cologne, GR |
| Villa Crespi - Lake Orta, IT |
| Zalacain - Madrid |
Opinionated About Dining Survey

Hope you can make it to Regis Marcon. It's a bit out of the way, but 'il vaut le voyage'.
You might also consider Il Desco in Verona if you havent been already. I liked it better than Da Fiore (which is great also). I dined at both of them last month.
Posted by: Dave S | June 24, 2008 at 01:05 PM
You'll be travelling a lot! The only one of these I've been to is Canlis, but I really enjoyed it.
Posted by: Margo | June 24, 2008 at 04:16 PM
While in Senigallia for Madonnina del Pescatore, do not miss Uliassi. I cannot recommend that restaurant highly enough.
And for lighter meals, you might consider Aniko and Clandestino Susci Bar, the former in Senigallia and the latter in a nearby town, both run by Chef Cedroni of Madonnina.
Overall, quite an eclectic list you've put together. I like it, and I'd go on about some of the other places on it, but that's what the survey is for!
Posted by: Aaron | June 25, 2008 at 03:47 AM
If you ever come over to England again you should go to Le Champignon Sauvage becuse it really is a top class restaurant and David Everitt Mathias is a truly great chef, and his place should have 3 Michelin stars instead of the 2 it currently has, P.S i would eat at Le Champignon Sauvage over Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road any day of the week IMO
Posted by: Paul | June 29, 2008 at 03:05 PM
How about Corton??? Paul Liebrandt's new place in Tribeca?
That is definitely on the top of my list.
Posted by: Dave | June 30, 2008 at 02:01 PM
Not open yet. But I am sure I will go as soon as it does open. Liebrandt is one of my favorite chefs.
Posted by: Steve Plotnicki | June 30, 2008 at 05:38 PM
Have you been to Hungry Cat in Hollywood, CA? Very tasty food, always with seasonal ingredients.
Posted by: toadberry | July 05, 2008 at 02:02 PM
why these 100 restaurants?... ??
Posted by: La Tache 78 | July 23, 2008 at 01:35 AM
Did you not read the my post on how I went about compiling the list?
Posted by: Steve Plotnicki | July 23, 2008 at 07:41 AM
Encuentro que no sois derecho. Lo invito a discutir.
http://www.b4rporn.com/
thumper
Posted by: jensen | August 21, 2011 at 02:01 PM