Top 10 Dishes of the Decade *

10. Green Curry with Tofu at Lily Thai in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
I love green curry, and this is my favorite.

9. Fresh guacamole, plantains, black beans and flour tortillas at Dos Caminos in Midtown
Not necessarily a 'dish', but i believe this is a perfect combination of components for a taco. I used to work at Dos Caminos. A reward for a 'job well done' was any dish on the menu. I always chose this.

8. Pancakes with strawberry butter at Le Barricou in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This is more like dessert than breakfast. Two thick cake-like pancakes with plenty of strawberry butter, real maple syrup and fresh fruit. Possibly the best pancakes I have ever had.

7. Watermelon Salad at Back Forty in the East Village
A seasonal salad with tomato, feta and dill. It is so simple, but the combination is oh so amazing.

6. Burger at DuMont in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Tasty burger always cooked exactly to your order with cheese, yummy bun, pickles, dijon mustard and ketchup (heaped on thick tomato slice and bibb lettuce). It is totally falling apart when two thirds done. Just confirming there was plenty of juicy happiness.

5. Bhuna with lamb at Brick Lane in the East Village
Sweet, spicy and fresh curry with lamb meatballs.

4. Duck with sherry reduction, Restaurante Kirkilla in Enea, Zarautz, Spain
In a little mom and pop restaurant in Basque Country, 'mom' served me a fillet of duck perfectly cooked set over a plentiful drizzle of sherry reduction served with magical fresh baked rolls crispy outside doughy inside, useful to wipe up every bit of sauce.

3. Carrot Risotto Dirt Candy in the East Village (pictured above)
Okay, so I work here, but this is no brown nose to my boss, Amanda Cohen (chef and owner), I believe this is a frickin' fantastic dish. Creamy sweet carrot risotto, savory carrot ribbons (fried bits of goodness), carrot dumplings, a little parmesan, and thyme (can't do without). Unfortunately this dish lives on the island of retired dishes. I heart Dirt Candy!**

2. Patacones/Tostones Maracuchos at El Cocotero in Chelsea
Crispy green plantain crostini with black beans, sweet plantains, salty cheese and flank steak. The dreamiest sandwich ever - in close competition with a banana, fluff, peanut butter and M&M sandwich from the Peanut Butter Shop in the Quincy Market in Boston I had when I was ten.

1. North African Paella at Black Betty (Closed - R.I.P) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Couscous with mussels, chicken, salmon and merguez in an amazing spicy Moroccan red sauce (I have never had anything like it, and sadly I won't ever again).

Two honorable mentions:
1. Fiorentina Pizza at Pizza Express in London
Spinach, grana padano, free range egg, garlic oil and olives
2. Salmon Cakes at Wagamama in London
Super yummy with sweet sauce and heaping salad

*eaten in restaurants more like the last three years than decade, due to my bad memory and the fact I spent most of the first half of the decade in London and the suburbs of Southern California.
**two other awesome dishes from Dirt Candy that nearly made the list, Mixed Green Salad with avocado, almonds, grilled cheese croutons and grapefruit pops, and Golden Beet Pappardelle with goat cheese yogurt sauce, beet pesto, beet honey, and a rainbow of roasted beets.