2015 was a busy year for the 2foodtrippers as we mixed food travel with our busy work schedules.
Big changes are about to happen, but more on that later. First, though, we want to focus on our top 10 list of culinary experiences for the year.
Top 10 List 2015
1. Plate Of The Year – Sashimi At Raku In Las Vegas

We had so many great plates in 2015, including the ten we enjoyed during our anniversary dinner at Raku in Las Vegas.
Raku’s sashimi stands out in our memory as the most perfect plate of the year – an elegant array of melt-in-your-mouth raw fish. This is the finest, freshest sushi you will ever eat in a desert – or near the sea for that matter.
2. Best Breakfast – Russ & Daughters Cafe In New York City

Our first but not last meal at Russ & Daughters Cafe reminded us of why we love New York City so much – the vibe, the service and most of all the food.
Meal highlights were the Gaspe Nova sliced so thin you can see through it and the Super Heebster Special with its blend of lightly popping wasabi caviar over creamy salmon and whitefish salads.
3. Best Neapolitan Pizza – Brigantessa In Philadelphia

Our love affair with Neapolitan pizza started in Naples last year.
When we’re in Philadelphia, we are lucky to have several solid pizzerias to keep us going. Our favorite local pizzas are at Brigantessa. Chef Joe Ciccala’s salute to Southern Italy in South Philly features supple pies with the finest local and imported ingredients.
Update
Bringantessa has permanently closed.
4. Most Colorful Plate – Roca Moo In Barcelona

The food in Barcelona is exciting and colorful, much like the city’s architecture.
Delicate Mediterranean Cod at Barcelona’s Roca Moo was served with no less than five emulsions, making it memorable for both its vivid colors and provocative flavors.
Update
Roca Moo has permanently closed.
5. Most Surprising Meal – Milktooth In Indianapolis

We never thought of Indianapolis as having a progressive food scene, which is why we were pleasantly surprised to find an array of sophisticated food served at the funky yet laid-back Milktooth in Indy’s Fletcher Place neighborhood. The prime eating spot at Milktooth is the bar, where eight stools face a long, open kitchen with a bird’s-eye view of the chefs at work.
Though the grilled cheese may be the most popular dish, other dishes shine like the sweet corn pancake topped with fried bologna, hard-boiled egg, yuzo kosho and seared foie. Indianapolis. Who knew?
6. Best Outdoor Dining – Bacchanal In New Orleans

Our long walk along desolate streets to the very end of NOLA’s Bywater led us to Bacchanal, a unique dining experience featuring live music in the open bayou air.
Simple plates like whole grilled fish are served to diners while they enjoy traditional jazz in a romantic backyard space. As an added bonus, Bacchanal is a BYO with a cute wine store on the premises.
7. Best Salad – Seafood Palace In Lake Charles

Salads are seldom memorable. This is not the case with the shrimp salad at Seafood Palace.
Loaded with fresh Louisiana grilled shrimp, this salad stands out as one of our best plates of the year, with or without lettuce. The well-seasoned shrimp on this salad is so fresh that it tastes like the juicy crustaceans were just plucked from the nearby Gulf of Mexico
8. Best Bowl Of Soup – Chicken Pho At Stock In Philadelphia

We have a thing for soup, and one of our favorite bowls is the pho at Fishtown’s Stock. This soup features lots of fresh herbs, deeply flavored broth and surprisingly moist slices of free-range Lancaster chicken.
9. Best Beverage – Coffee Everywhere

Our love affair with coffee started when we were dating and has continued into 2015. It’s the beverage that we seek whether we’re at home or traveling around the world.
We are so lucky to live in the golden age of coffee. The quality and availability of the product couldn’t be better, especially when baristas have the skill of fine artists.
10. Most Exciting Meal – Dirty French In New York City

Say what you want, but New York City is still a behemoth when it comes to innovative cuisine.
Our meal at Dirty French, a bistro in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, excited us on all levels starting with its stylish atmosphere and ending with its breathtaking international nod (and wink?) at Gallic cuisine.
Even the bread service featuring warm, soft flatbread and fromage blanc with rosemary was a knock-out.
Big News For 2016
2015 was a great year, but we’re ramping things up for an epic adventure that will take us around the United States, Europe, Asia and beyond. We even have a special hashtag for the coming year:
#tastetheworld2016
We’re excited to see where the road takes us, and we will document the journey right here with loads of photos and stories.
Stay tuned and stay hungry!
Hungry For More?
Read more about our call to travel the world.

About The Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
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Original Publication Date: December 31, 2015
Maggie
Monday 29th of February 2016
Omg, these all look amazing!!! Especially Neopolitan pizza looks soo delicious. Wish I'd try this soon..
Dean
Saturday 27th of February 2016
Beautiful images of some amazing food. I am always jealous of the choices you have in the USA.
IamVagabond
Friday 26th of February 2016
Wow such lovely pics ... my mouth has been watering non stop :)
shivansh
Friday 29th of January 2016
IM hungry!
Corinne
Sunday 24th of January 2016
All of those #`1s look amazing! I can't wait to see what you get to eat in 2016.