Best of 2025

Seems like 2025 was pretty pathetic as far as terrific food is concerned. We ate some tasty things, but few truly outstanding dishes--I guess because we've become old and boring and tend to eat at the same handful of restaurants all the time. It's possible we ate something fabulous that I didn't photograph, but if I don't remember, it couldn't have been all that great, huh?

le breakfast sandwich at Dominique Ansel Workshop in NYC

I normally just get a sweet pastry for breakfast when I make my usual trip to Dominique Ansel Workshop, but this January I tried Le Breakfast Sandwich: a fluffy French omelet filled with Boursin cheese tucked into a crisp croissant. Why can't we have these in Baltimore? 

wings at Turntable Chicken Jazz in NYC

I had wings at Turntable Chicken Jazz on 33rd Street in NY twice in 2025, once in January, once in June, both times with my friend Daisy. Also, both times after dinner. We got half soy-garlic, half hot & spicy, but I think we both prefer the soy-garlic version. Both flavors are super crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of flavor. 

homemade shrimp and grits

 For Mardi Gras last year, I made shrimp and grits with mushrooms and tomatoes. Mr Minx thought it was restaurant quality. I had to agree. 

fries, pozole, and torta at Birria Love

Birria Love--where just about everything has a pile of birria on it or in it--became one of our go-to restaurants in 2025. We like ordering a lot, eating some of it, and enjoying the leftovers for a few days.

croque madame at Petit Louis

My friend Maxine and I try to have lunch together every other month or so. We normally save a trip to Petit Louis for December, because it always feels extra-festive to sit near the fireplace in their crowded dining room. We didn't make it there in December of 2024 for one reason or another, so we squeezed in a trip in early 2025. I had a croque madame for possibly the first time in my life (that I recall) and really enjoyed it. (The fries came with; they don't skimp on the portions there.)

homemade shrimp and white beans with artichoke and lemon

I must have cooked shrimp a lot in 2025. I just realized that all three images of home cooking that I included in this roundup involve shrimp. One of my personal favorite dishes was this shrimp and white bean dish to which I added a bunch of leftover stuff from the fridge, including artichoke hearts, onion jam, lemon, and fresh basil. It was a delightful combination, if I do say so myself.

wings at Mother's North

The wings at Mother's North are always perfectly cooked, with very tender meat and nicely crisped skin. I don't always order the best sauce combo (I seem to remember this one as being a little too sweet), but I can't fault the wings themselves.

pork belly skewers at The Duchess

We found ourselves visiting to the newest of Tony Foreman's restaurants, The Duchess, several times in 2025. Most things we tried were excellent, but my favorite thing is the pork belly skewers. Fatty, juicy, luscious, lightly sauced. So good. 

mul-naengmyeon at Noona Noodles, NYC

Mul-naengmyeon, a not particularly photogenic dish featuring chewy noodles in an icy-cold, slightly sweet broth, was the perfect thing to eat on a stinky-hot New York summer day. It's weird. It's delicious. I want to try to make it at home next summer.

homemade wedge salad with sautéed shrimp

See? More shrimp. I made a couple of wedge salads last summer, with lots of bacon and a homemade bleu cheese dressing. This one involved warm, garlicky shrimp and some chopped tomato. Nothing beats a good wedge.

foie gras at The Milton Inn

Mr Minx and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in 2025. We originally had planned to go to Charleston, but since The Milton Inn had adopted the same tasting menu-style pricing, and we knew we liked their food, we jumped from Cindy's to her ex-husband's restaurant instead. (Plus, I still can't forgive the disaster of a "wilted spinach salad" and over-reduced sauces that were literally like glue the first time we ate ate at Charleston.) Plus, they had sautéed foie on the menu, which I haven't eaten in too long. And it was perfection.

pistachio bun at Sacré Sucré

Not only did we celebrate 25 years of marriage, but also I turned 60 in 2025. And because: 1) I didn't want a homemade cake; and 2) most bakeries in Baltimore are closed on Monday, I had this pistachio bun instead. Thanks to Sacré Sucré for bucking the trend and opening at least part of the day. I dare say this bun was better than almost any cake I could have gotten anywhere, anyway.

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Posted on Minxeats.com.