The Best Thing I Ever Ate (recently)

Have you seen “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” on Food Network?  Definitely one of my favorite shows.  I think it’s interesting to hear famous chefs and foodies discuss their favorite meals.  Each episode focuses on one type or category of food, like comfort food or chocolate.

This edition is “The Best Thing I Ever Ate – Fish Dish” edition on Live & Love To Eat.  Simply because I am obsessed with food and couldn’t possibly compare my favorite Mexican meal to the best cake I’ve ever tasted. 

As I mentioned last week, we celebrated my parents’ 32 year anniversary (and I baked those chocolate meringue cookies).  Their favorite local restaurant is Bistro19, an incredible spot that uses local ingredients and changes their menu seasonally.  The manager, B, makes you feel incredibly welcome as soon as you walk in the door, and even remembers us by name.  With my father owning restaurants I can really appreciate the warm and friendly atmosphere that she brings to the restaurant.  The service is nearly impeccable, attentive but not overbearing.  It’s one of my family’s first choices for when we’re celebrating something – we went there both when I finished my Masters program and when I passed the RD exam last summer.

One of the items that never leaves the menu is their signature Chilean Sea Bass.  Now I know that it’s not the most eco-friendly choice, but with eggs and dairy being my primary protein sources, I enjoy a good piece of fish once in a while.  I’ve never had sea bass anywhere else, and after having it here I don’t think I would want to – it just couldn’t get any more perfect than this dish.  On the menu its description includes “horseradish crust, rice wine marinade, oriental vinegrette, macadamia basmati, napa slaw”.  Each component comes together magnificently… the texture of the fish is like nothing I’ve had before.  It is almost egg-like, smooth and flakey at the same time.  Really, I can’t say enough about the savory flavor and complimentary rice & slaw.  It’s just the best entree’ I’ve ever had.

Some of my other favorites from Bistro19 include their hummus sampler, crab grilled cheese, grilled vegetable stack, and pear & roasted beet salad.  They also feature different soups, which I tried last week – described as a roasted zucchini and eggplant soup, with a tomato broth base.  It was incredibly flavorful, with the perfect balance of spice and fresh vegetable flavor.  I’m usually not impressed with broth based soups, but this was delicious.

In the fall they featured a black and white bean soup, which they served side by side in the same dish – the best soup I’ve ever had.  I hope they bring that back again in the fall!

 On to more recent eats – I’ve mastered Katie’s genius voluminous oat technique.  Since I make overnight oats anyway, I decided to try her precooking method.  Check out the amount of oats I get out of just 1/3 cup dry quick oats:

Recently I’ve been sticking with a cinnamon bun flavored oatmeal – with sugar free maple syrup, raisins, cinnamon, a pinch of nutritional yeast, and 1/2 tsp of chia seeds.  I cook the oats with water but add 1/4 cup soymilk to make them extra creamy over night.

I wake up around 5:45 and leave for work about 7:15, and used to eat breakfast at 6:45 – which made me hungry for a snack by 10 AM.  Recently I’ve been packing my oats and waiting to eat them at work, which keeps me more full before lunch time.  Sorry for the miserable lighting, that’s the office for ya!

I get to enjoy a much larger portion than I simply soaked them overnight.  And I’m all about getting to eat more for fewer calories!

Thank you for the sweet comments on the photo yesterday.  Here’s another one that I love (showin’ the bling):

 

 

I’m so so so glad we picked this photographer – he’s incredibly talented, reasonably priced, and fun to work with.

What’s the best thing YOU’VE eaten recently?  Do you have a favorite local restaurant?

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