Ten dishes that genuinely had me speechless, an extremely rare feat – considering how dramatic I am about my food. From the GTA to Delhi to Lisbon to Rome (and, obviously, my own kitchen too), these are the bites that exceeded all expectations this year. 

Bukhara (Delhi) – Dal Bukhara  

Velvety, smoky, creamy, impossible to replicate anywhere

Bukhara (Delhi) – Lamb Raan

A slow-cooked masterpiece, textbook definition of “falls off the bone” 

Yum Yum Cha (Delhi) – Chicken & Chili Oil Dimsum

A little kick in the mouth never hurts anyone, it’s addictive, I swear 

Café Renée (Toronto) – Ravioles Du Dauphiné

Delicate, melts in your mouth, life-changing

Grazie (Vaughan) – Basta Pasta

Considering the pasta is green, you honestly can’t go wrong here

PAI (Toronto) – Chef Nuit’s Pad Thai 

Best decision I made on a random weeknight

Papa Giuseppies (Mississauga) – Spicy Vodka Rigatoni

So comforting, not overrated whatsoever

Pastéis de Belém (Lisbon) – Pastel de Nata

Flaky, warm, custard perfection, I get the hype 

Unknown Name (Rome) – Cheesy Gnocchi

Walked in at lunch, walked out with my life changed

My own kitchen (Home) – Caramelized Onion Penne

Because if I don’t hype myself up, who will? My proudest bite of the year