Top 9 Things I Ate in 2022
Top 9 things I ate in 2022! Continuing my 4th annual tradition of sharing my top 9 favorite bites of the year. Super grateful for the all opportunities to travel and try some amazing food! These are just a few of my highlights. Also leave a comment and let me know what was the best thing you ate this year!
Japanese Hot Pot
Houston, TX | shabusquared.com

Shabu Squared is a gourmet shabu-shabu (Japanese hot pot) restaurant in Houston. They have high quality meats like a5 wagyu and then 7 different broths to choose from. My favorite broth is the tonkotsu. The truffle ponzu, sukiyaki egg for dipping, and fish balls with roe are also musts for me. They also have these crazy spicy hot drops that you can add to spice things up. It’s a great spot for an elevated hot pot experience!
RELATED: Top 9 Things I Ate in 2021
Nori Taco
Las Vegas, NV | wakudajapanese.com

This was the single most decadent bite of the year. It is a crispy nori “taco shell” that then has toro, uni, and also caviar on top. Find this at Wakuda in Las Vegas, restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Tetsuya Wakuda.
Pan-Fried Sheng Jian Bao
Cypress, TX | ducknbao.com

This was my first time trying sheng jian baos and I subsequently fell in love. It is fluffy like a baozi but juicy on the inside like a soup dumpling. The bottoms are also pan-fried and crispy! This one from Duck n Bao had a beef filling.
Eel + Bone Marrow Nigiri
Cedar Creek, TX | sushibyscratchrestaurants.com

Sushi by Scratch Montecito earned a Michelin star and then also expanded into 5 cities across the US. The intimate 10-seat, 17-course omakase is an experience to remember with the eel and bone marrow nigiri being a unanimous favorite.
Boba Milk Tea Soufflé Pancakes
Austin, TX | smdessert.com

I am convinced soufflé pancakes are the best kind of pancakes. This dessert shop from Houston opened its second location in Austin. Their soufflé pancakes are fluffy, jiggly, and it also has fun toppings like boba!
RELATED: Top 9 Things I Ate in 2020
Handmade Beef Noodle Soup
Austin, TX | juliesnoodle.com

Nothing beats handmade noodles, the texture is dreamy! Julie’s Noodles is a mom and pop Chinese restaurant that specializes in handmade beef noodle soup and soup dumplings. My favorites are #1, 15, 22a, and 27!
Sinigang Wings
Austin, TX | filnviet.com

Fil N’ Viet is a Filipino Vietnamese fusion food truck serving up some of the best chicken wings I have tried and truly unique! The chicken is super crispy yet juicy and then they toss it in an addictive tamarind spice mix. The wings come with an equally addictive garlic ranch!
Smoky Garlic Hummus
Austin, TX | abarestaurants.com

The best item at Aba is the smoky garlic hummus. It’s garnished with chickpeas, aleppo and urfa peppers, and preserved lemon. Creamy and full of flavor! They also have one of the best patios, the vibes are always 10/10.
Blackened Mahi + Curry
Turks & Caicos | cocobistro.tc

Coco Bistro is the hardest reservation to get in Turks and Caicos but the Blackened Mahi is worth it. It’s served with a Thai red curry, fried sweet plantains, mango chutney, broccoli, crispy sweet potato straws, and also rice. An amazing combo of flavors and textures!