Best guacamole: Taco Party Grand Junction, Colorado. Chunked avocado, multiple radishes, tiny peppers, salt, some things I have never seen before along with something seasonal which over the weekend it was fresh Palisade peach bits. I am not kidding. You have to try it.
First thing that came to mind was the best pizza I’ve ever had - Ramp pesto and lamb sausage pizza at Cotogna in SF. I love pizza, make it once a week and have been to a lot of what others consider to be the best pizza places in the world and that pizza at Cotogna stands above them all.
Rugalach - my mother’s house.
Potato knishes with home stretched dough you could read through - my mother’s house.
Pickled tongue in raisin sauce - my mother’s house.
“Corned” stuffed breast of veal - my mother’s house.
We don’t know each other: but you are awesome. My mother could not cook to save her life. But the gefilte fish my wife made from absolute scratch to bring joy to my dad when he was passing away, or the kneidlach, or the kugel (and continues to make for our family) those are the best of class dishes that need no class. We have them all to this day because she was inspired by bringing life to my father who needed life. I always look for that authentic life in a restaurant, and there are MANY around the globe that meet the lovely test. Thank goodness for that as well.
Funny…I had the best fish taco I’ve ever tasted at Veracruz All Natural in Austin, TX. Afterwards I said that all other fish tacos should be embarrassed. Would love to try the Solbar version.
Best lamb: Borago, Santiago, Chile (Lamb “A la inverse”)
Best duck: Maude, Los Angeles, CA (duck confit from the Sonoma menu) (honorable mention to the duck at Borago)
Best burger: Petit Trios, Los Angeles, CA
Best Banana Cream Pie: Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, Los Vegas, Nevada