The 10 Best Dining Experiences of 2023

One of the joys of travelling again is being able to experience so much good food. Of course, that also means treading through some mediocre (and some just awful) stuff as well. Of all of 2023, these I believe represent the 10 best dining experiences of my 2023.

Now before you start asking questions, this is obviously very subjective. And this represents the entire dining experience, not just one or a few particular dishes. I will have a “10 Best Dishes” list as the next post, so save your appetite for that as well!

As always, click on the photos for a larger version. And read the original reviews by clicking the title.

I hope you enjoy this little trip back through 2023!

1. Nuta (Warszawa, Polska, 7 October)

It’s been years since I’ve been back to Warsaw, and what I missed greatly is tasting the wonderful creations of my dear friend Chef Andrea Camastra. Since my last visit he shuttered his Michelin-starred Senses and opened Nuta, which has quickly earned a Michelin star as well. I predict it will become a 3-star restaurant sooner than later. The last time I made this prediction was many years ago about a certain Maaemo in Oslo, and you can see what happened there. Just look at some of these dishes, the intensity of flavours, coming to the edge of overwhelming you but never stepping over the ledge, shows what magic his kitchen can create. Absolutely groundbreaking stuff, and these photos or words can’t describe these flavours. You really need to experience for yourself.

2. Off Alley (Seattle, Washington, 1 December)

This turned out to be one of the biggest and best surprises of the year, a wonderful night of excellent service and amazing food in a converted alley. Reminds me a little of the legendary eel restaurant Kabuto in Tokyo, but a little more forgiving for the knees! Every dish was stunning, from the black cod to duck, from the grilled foie to the foie ice cream. However, the tripe and dungeness crab is easily a candidate for dish of the year. So good, it may force me to look at using Seattle as a springboard to any West Coast/Pacific travels in the future!

3. Pulejo (Roma, Italia, 29 March)

This is the dinner where I had a “terzo” – asking for a second helping of the amazing capitone. But overall this Michelin-starred restaurant is one of the best, from service to food. I usually avoid Michelin places in Italy, but Pulejo is truly a gem. Each of the dishes were spectacular, from the cuttlefish to the tortelli. But goodness that eel, it’s beyond memorable. Truly worth its star in an age where Michelin has become degraded, with some of the best and friendliest service in the continent.

4. Nasime (Alexandria, Virginia, 23 November)

One thing I miss most about Japan is being able to have a kaiseki dinner at a counter. Nasime is about as good as it gets without the $1500 tickets to Tokyo. Amazing quality and cooking, and a vibe that remains as authentic as it gets without it being stale or static. Chef Shimomura’s cooking is always fantastic and boundary pushing, without losing the overall characteristic of an excellent kaiseki experience. From the foie miso grilled lamb to the yuba-wrapped Chilean sea bass, each dish was stunningly good as usual. And likely the most affordable kaiseki in North America, not to mention one of the very best. So good to be back…

5. Piatto Romano (Roma, Italia, 29 March)

This lunch inspired me to revive this blog. On my first trip to Europe since 2019, it not just helped to revive this blog, but this Piatto Romano experience was so quintessentially Lazio it made me love food and travel again. The beef heart was amazing, and eating the pasta made me tear up. Something very special about this lunch that really kicked me out of the 3-year deluge I’ve been in. Probably the first time I smiled so carefree since 2019 whilst sipping on that grappa…

6. Cocoro (Chicago, Illinois, 10 May)

Cocoro has become my hideaway, especially after a long day at the office. This is my comfort food, just feasting on Japanese delicacies, from the addictive shishamo to some excellent nigiri (their hotate is always fantastic), and the always spectacular saba sashimi. But with so much on the menu, as well as my favourite shochu (Tantakatan, made from red shiso leaves), it’s no wonder it’s become a perennial favourite of mine. But it was this first visit that made me fall in love with this place, one that I now have a “usual” table.

7. Kiln (London, England, 12 October)

Kiln has been a staple for me in London, and it has never disappointed (unlike most other London eateries). Love the vibe and music, sitting at my “usual” corner seat in front of the turntable, enjoying amazing dishes. This time the culled yaw was exceptional, as well as the always-good sausage. Throw in a scrumptious bavette, rich monkfish swimming in ankimo curry, and delicious cockles, this lunch became a 2.5hr epic. Absolutely best place to eat in a London that has ebbed and flowed for years.

8. Bayan Ko (Chicago, Illinois, 17 August)

Getting to Bayan Ko involved an unpleasant post-work ride on the disgusting Red Line and perpetually delayed and overcrowded Brown Line, but it’s worth it. My first visit on this stormy summer day was the best of them all, as sadly my most recent visit showed a noticeable decline in quality of food. But this particular visit was just breathtaking, from the scrumptious sisig nigiri to the lamb belly, not to mention the palabok and the duck. Let’s hope 2024 brings this quality back when they shift formats to a tasting menu!

9. Leichi (Santa Clara, California, 2 September)

I think left coasters have so many great choices when it comes to authentic Asian cuisine they don’t truly appreciate it. For me, finding a place like Leichi during my domestic travels – with some extremely authentic izakaya items that I’ve not had since Japan – is truly a treasure. From the chicken cartilage to fermented squid innards, it was truly a night when for a tiny second felt like I was back in Tokyo, or even Hakodate… Makes me miss Japan plenty, but this was about as close as it gets to being back.

10. Aji (Chicago, Illinois, 25 October)

Many of my long-time followers will be surprised with this one. Although I generally don’t like overly-creative omakase sushi experiences, being an edomae traditionalist, I have really grown to like what Aji does. They don’t overdo it, respecting the fish – which so many places don’t do properly (including a place in St Louis I choose not to name again). But of all my 2023 visits, this October one turned out to be spectacular, not just for some excellent pieces like the kampachi, aji, and the fabulous toro-uni hand roll, but also for the unexpected appearance of my favourite fish, nodoguro – which I’ve not had since I was in Japan many years ago.

It was very hard to put this list together, as there were many runners up that made the second half of this list very hard to compile. Some will be represented in the next (“10 Best Dishes”) list, when certain dishes just transformed a dining experience.

What were your 10 best dining experiences of 2023?