What is the most amazing meal you've ever had?

[Sparkle]

taking off from the ickiest food thread...


What is the most amazing meal/food you've ever had?


I grew up a very "picky eater" due in no small part to having a "dining table dictator" for a father, it was only as an adult (and through my travels) that I expanded my palate.

I've been blessed to have had many incredible fine dining experiences but...

My most amazing meal was at a tiny tucked away restaurant in Venice, Italy - Osteria Vivaldi in 2003. My friend, a native Venetian, was a friend of the chef. The chef insisted we not order off the menu but sent course after course of his freshest dishes to our table.

Carpaccio - several types of the freshest fish caught a few hours before, sliced paper thin, accompanied by a complimentary herb or fruit with a squeeze of lemon and local olive oil...sea bass and peaches, tuna and capers etc...

Baby Venetian Shrimp over fresh polenta

Fresh pasta, with black (cuttlefish) ink, tomatoes and parsley

The most decadent and perfect tiramisu I've ever had...

With copious Italian wine pairings & aperitifs along the way.

Everything was incredibly fresh, caught/grown and made right there.
I feel spoiled, for life, for having had this meal!

[Greyson]

The most amazing meal I ever had was just last night. I attended a Seder dinner with my girlfriend. I am not Jewish and I enjoyed the delicious home cooked kosher food and even more so, the diversity of people that shared the meal, their thoughts, the ritual, the community that I was a part of for that moment in time.

[Apocalipstic]

Casino ViÑa del Mar, Chile 2005

Dinner with Arturo Sandoval and his band and my buddy Danny, we had just produced their show for a corporate client.

Fresh salmon sushi and sashimi with fresh Hass avocados. BLISS.

An evening to remember!

Danny died in 2009, I am so blessed to have shared that trip and evening with him!

[Blade]

hmmmm I really don't know about this one. I love food, and usually think the present meal is the most amazing. I guess it sort of depends on what you are hungry for as to how amazing a meal is.

I thought my breakfast last Saturday was the best breakfast I'd ever had.

Sweet has cooked some amazing meals, I cook some amazing meals

Then there are Grandma's meals ok now I'm drooling....

The family reunion meals are usually to die for.

I just don't know will have to give this one some thought

[justpjhere]

tuna carpaccio
fresh black pepper fettucine with a black truffle and toasted shallot cream sauce
green peppercorn souffle crusted rack of lamb
grilled baby beets
arugula tossed with a simple white wine olive oil dressing and shaved parmesean cheese
tiramisu
expresso

it was at a now closed restaurant on the jersey shore a few years ago. the chef was a good friend and amazing in her craft...:wine:

[JAGG]

Good question. It's hard to answer. I'm lucky to have had many many good meals in my life. Of course I am grateful for them all. I think I have to say my twin's wife's stepmom, is a gourmet cook, invited us over for dinner, and she made beef wellington with asparagus wrapped in bacan, and a bunch of fancy foods with sauces I can't pronounce, and some kind of dessert with strawberries and whipped creme. Had to be the best meal I ever ate.

[Gemme]

Reno, 1999

I was the guest of my brand new in-laws. They gave us an all expense paid honeymoon at the El Dorado as a wedding gift. One of the restaurants there was absolutely divine. There was a buffet (which I love...I am a TOTAL buffet kind of girl) but I remember that I ordered my meat off of the menu and it. was. heavenly. The absolutely most tender and thick filet mignon, peppercorn crusted and topped with a decadent cream sauce. Oh. My. Gawd.

*drool*

There were tons of delicious sides and desserts, but it's that one steak that I think of when I think of my best meal ever.

[Gráinne]

Two candidates: 1) Whatever it was I ate my first meal after returning from China, and 2) A heavenly steak dinner at a little restaurant in New Orleans. All future steaks are measured by that one.

[Oneida]

Two candidates: 1) Whatever it was I ate my first meal after returning from China, and 2) A heavenly steak dinner at a little restaurant in New Orleans. All future steaks are measured by that one.

You are making me very nervous about my upcoming trip to China!!

[Corkey]

The first meal I had as a married man, steak and lobster.

[Kätzchen]

A male friend of mine, who used to live in the Greensprings area - down near Ashland, Oregon - invited me out for supper one hot August night to star gaze and taste a decadent meal he was making for us. His private property was gorgeous (gazebo, springs nearby, tons of pine trees, deer, owls, cicadas), but he lives in France now.

Anyway, everything was natural (organic)- his food preference identification is Vegan...

We had a roasted vegetable medley, made and dressed in olive oil and sea salt and various herbs he grew in his gardens: beets, parsnips, carrots, baby red potatoes, kale, walnuts, and anise. When the vegetables were tender from roasting, he added crumbled feta and baby spinach leaves to the mixture and served it with freshly baked homemade bread. We had a special wine from France (where he is from) with the meal, too. Can't remember the vintner's name or anything, but the meal was out of this world. I had no idea what marvelous cooking skills he had, but I was aware of his expertise in herbs. He was a fabulous gardner, well versed in many subjects and conversation, excellent food and star gazing with wine made for a wonderful, relaxing evening.

[DapperButch]

Grotto's Pizza.

[adorable]

Nick and I recently went to a great restaurant where we had seafood quesadillas. OMG! They were wonderful. Cheese, scallops, crab, shrimp, lobster.......they were so good that I actually want to make some.

I also have a fondness for both breakfast & feta pizza.

[bigbutchmistie]

One of my bosses kids brought me a plate of spaghetti with meatballs and salad. What made it so great is that even tho I don't want kids for myself I still think they are awesome and she is
8 LEARNING lol how to cook for her daddy.

[AtLast]

Probably everything my maternal Grandfather cooked. All throughout my childhood, we had Sunday "supper" with him and my Grandmother. He was a fantastic cook and she grew evereything in the garden he used to prepare meals.

Frankly, I haven't had an "excellent" meal at a resturant, even well known ones in SF, for a good long time. The quality of resturant food has declined... a lot!! Yes, have had some that were "good."

[Gráinne]

You are making me very nervous about my upcoming trip to China!!

Aw, don't be! I was teaching there for eight weeks, and all I ate was vegetables and rice. Healthy as anything but it got pretty old :)

[Luckydwg07]

If I visited my Mom :), she would make me sauerbraten & spetzel with ginger gravy & red cabbage & apple fritters for my birthday had to let her know in advance so she had time to soak the meat.
cutting back on animal food stuff but enjoyed it everytime ..sorry Gerty the cow :(

[Ebon]

Ramen is amazing....

[scootebaby]

Ramen is amazing....


i prefer the chicken flavor myself

[Gemme]

Ramen is amazing....

:blink:

Someone may be eating a lot of it in the near future...

[Venus007]

I love good food and have had a lot of amazing meals, the one that immediately leaps to mind, 1989-90ish at a restaurant near Port Huron, MI called the River Crab (the restaurant later went on to become a chain but this was before that happened) My friends and I had been out on a boat all day and were starving and slightly sun burned. We docked at the restaurant and everything from the wine to dessert was AMAZING. First there was this hard Italian crusty bread with cracked pepper and the most flavorful olive oil I have ever experienced, then a nice fresh caprese salad, following that I had grilled swordfish with some sort of lovely grilled root veggies and for dessert this fall down amazing tiramisu with excellent espresso with a lemon twist and sugar.
It sounds so plain but it was all just perfectly done with an excellent match and contrast of flavor, texture, and color.

[DomnNC]

The most amazing meal I've ever had was on our 5th wedding anniversary. I had been out of town on business for 2 weeks. Our anniversary was on a Friday and that's the day I drove the 5 1/2 hours back home. Upon arrival my wife greeted me at the door in her robe (minds out of the gutter, chuckles). I had already made dinner reservations, she had no clue where we were going. She handed me my robe, asked me to get a shower and I'd find a surprise in the bedroom. I showered, went in the bedroom, she had gone out while I was gone and bought me a dark blue Armani suit, new dress shirt and tie. I got dressed and went in the livingroom to wait on her. This was one of the rare times I didn't watch her get ready as she had the door shut in the back bath where she dressed. She came down the hall, man, I fell in love all over again. We left for the restaurant, I think I ran off the side of the road a couple times cuz I couldn't stop looking at her. She was absolutely stunning in this long skirt that was slit way up high on the thigh with a matching jacket/blouse type thing.
I know we had steak because of where I made the reservations, lol, this quiet intimate steak restaurant with just the right dim lighting. The food was not what made it the most amazing meal ever. It was the look in my wife's eyes as we spoke. It was the coy flirting nature of her's. It was the sound of her voice. It was the energy that flowed between us. What made it amazing was quite simply, her. I shall never forget that night as long as I live. I can close my eyes and still see her in that outfit and feel that energy.

And yea, when we got home, it was on!!

[QueenofSmirks]

Daniel in NYC. It was amazing - food, service, atmosphere - all wonderful. I need to make plans to go back there soon!

[Mitmo01]

the most amazing meal of my life has and will always be a teriyaki plate lunch from L&L Drive Inn in Kailua on Oahu. The plate lunch in hawaii cannot be beat and im forever dreaming about it.....I think i ate so many growing up that i didnt think twice and now that i havent been to hawaii in over 10 years i dream and miss the food, and the people and the paradise....

[Miss Scarlett]

my Mom's home cooking (and real coffee) when i came home after being out of the US for over a year...i don't even remember what it was....i just know it was heavenly!

[Daktari]

I've had many memorable meals but the first (nekkid) floor picnic with the girl will always stand out. Colston Basset stilton and Currabridge unoaked chardonnay is a match made in heaven, put that with home-made soda bread, farm shop butter, comte cheese, olives, anchovies (skinned by my own personal anchovy skinner), artichoke hearts and jamon Iberico. Smashing!

[princessbelle]

Truthfully it was a hotdog.

When the boys were little we went camping a lot. Usually we started out on Friday after work, packing, loading, grocery shopping, hitching, pulling, driving and finally reaching a spot somewhere up in the Smokey Mountains where the rest of my family had already gathered.

One particular Friday night, we made camp and it was really late, we were all exhausted and my mom and dad's camp next to us was lit up with those little ice cream lights and we walked over there after getting everything set up. She had made hotdogs for us. That hotdog was the BEST meal i've ever had. I'll never forget it. I almost passed out it was so good. I'm assuming i was just starving from running all day.

Me and my mom still kid each other to this day if we go out to a fancy place to eat...."wow that was good, but wasn't as good as that hotdog".

Nothing will ever compare....

[rockybcn]

A male friend of mine, who used to live in the Greensprings area - down near Ashland, Oregon - invited me out for supper one hot August night to star gaze and taste a decadent meal he was making for us. His private property was gorgeous (gazebo, springs nearby, tons of pine trees, deer, owls, cicadas), but he lives in France now.

Anyway, everything was natural (organic)- his food preference identification is Vegan...

We had a roasted vegetable medley, made and dressed in olive oil and sea salt and various herbs he grew in his gardens: beets, parsnips, carrots, baby red potatoes, kale, walnuts, and anise. When the vegetables were tender from roasting, he added crumbled feta and baby spinach leaves to the mixture and served it with freshly baked homemade bread. We had a special wine from France (where he is from) with the meal, too. Can't remember the vintner's name or anything, but the meal was out of this world. I had no idea what marvelous cooking skills he had, but I was aware of his expertise in herbs. He was a fabulous gardner, well versed in many subjects and conversation, excellent food and star gazing with wine made for a wonderful, relaxing evening.

Sometimes the simplest of meals are the most memorable. The ambience,and great conversation mixed with the pleasures of the palate.....ahhhhhhhhhhh,doesnt get any better!!! Except for the bottle(s) of good wine...lol

[Words]

Another hotdog story here.

As some aready know, Blue and I flew to Seattle from the site whose name shall not be spoketh New Orleans bash in 1994 from where we drove up to Vancouver to get married. It was an exciting but oh so nerve wracking time for B/both of U/us - not only had W/we been physically together for the very first time just a few days previously, but all the wedding arrangements had been made by e-mail and phone and with neither of U/us being Canadian, W/we were B/both pretty convinced that somewhere along the line, W/we had got it all wrong and getting married - I mean, really married - in Canada wasn't going to be quite as easy as it seemed to be.

Anyway, W/we were getting married the next day and had to be in Vancouver by 4 pm in order to apply for the marriage license. W/we thought W/we'd have plenty of time but finding the office took a little longer than expected and W/we arrived there with only ten or so minutes to spare. Walking into the office, W/we were B/both still convinced that someone was about to shatter O/our dream by telling U/us sorry, it just can't be done. W/we were wrong. A few minutes later out W/we walked and, well, that was it ... so beautifully, wonderfully, easy (THANK YOU CANADA!)

It was then that I had the best meal ever (now that the nerves had settled, I was ravenously hungry, as was Blue) - a huge, cheap old hotdog bought from a convenience store, smothered in ketchup and other stuff that I normally wouldn't touch with a barge pole - sitting with Blue on the edge of the open trunk of O/our van. It tasted divine and though I don't even particularly like hotdogs, right then, at that moment, I felt like the luckiest woman in the world.

So yeah...hotdogs rawk:)

Words

[Andrew, Jr.]

The most amazing meal out: Tavern on the Green in NYC

[MsTinkerbelly]

My Kasey doesn't cook often, but when she does...OMG

The best thing I have EVER tasted was her Beef Stroganoff.

[Chancie]

I think I am a good cook, but not a great cook, not like some of the chefs here, like Grant and June'y, and there are many others.

But, I love to cook for people, for Pete, my nieces and nephews, my friends.

My most memorable meals have been in my home. Last December, I made Thai food for 15 people. Pete and I had just met, and she was there with delicious wine that was perfect for the meal. My oldest best friends were there with their kids and their in laws, and we ate the most delicious soup and rice and short ribs and fish. I had been planning and preparing that meal for two weeks, which I really enjoy, and even the little girls managed to find some little morsel to tempt them. There wasn't anything I would change about that meal except that I wish Pete's mother was there and magically interested in eating Thai food.

:wine:

[wolfbittenpoet]

I think my favorite meal was one of olives, dried salami, some kind of beautiful soft goat cheese, and a liter of wine. Sitting in the shade of a bridge in Paris next to the Seine. It was decadently simple.

[Kätzchen]

Sometimes the simplest of meals are the most memorable. The ambience,and great conversation mixed with the pleasures of the palate.....ahhhhhhhhhhh,doesnt get any better!!! Except for the bottle(s) of good wine...lol

He was indeed simple, yet complicated mix of wonderfulness.
You, rocky, are simply a wonderful friend to me:
Thanks for the reminder of what 'simpatico' truly can mean!

~D

ps/ thanks Sparkle for the opportunity to share about
meaningful experiences! :rrose:

[Dude]

4 years ago , my best friend took me out for my birthday,
to one of those throw the peanut shell's on the floor places.
She had to coach me into the throwing because I'm a neat eater.
We had steak stuffed with blue cheese, baked potatoe's with fresh chives,
very tasty salads, deep fried cheesecake and coffee for dessert.

She died in her sleep 4 weeks later.
She was busy with her grandson's , I was busy with work and shit.
It was the last time I saw her.
moral of the story. make time, for the people who matter.

.

[Kätzchen]

I love to pretend that I am Ms. Santa, no matter the time of year, and recently I surprised the heck out of my Secret Santa's , from this past Christmas. lol.

I had my favorite chef make a batch of Lasagna for my Secret Santa's and I have to say that that Lasagna was just the best Lasagna I have had, in quite some time.

Lasagna, dark green salad with a specially made salad dressing and fresh bread from the oven, dressed with a creamy, garlic butter. *yum*

[Rockinonahigh]

Anytime my Grand mother cooked,it was old world Italian always fresh and home grown no matter what it was.I guess one of my favorite things was an Italian salsa she made,it had black olives,green olives,chopped tomatoes,two difren't kinds of onions,garlic and herbs then seasoned to perfection.It can be eaten with about any kind of chip but for me chunks of hot crunchy Italian bread.Then when I really want to fancy it up I have a fondue pot I melt some five blend Italian cheese in then spoon it over it all.They don't call me chubby for nothing..he trip is was worth it.