Mark's 2008 Year in Food!

What better way to introduce a new blog than to start with my annual year in food. So I now present to you, my 2008, Year in Food! This year welcomed in some great newcomers and seemed to be an above average year food wise. Factor in that in November my wife who had been a vegetarian for 16 years had a change in heart and decided we should eat lots of Arbys! Here are the stats:
I ate out 268 times this year. Several of those were during work and personal travel but I believe that is a modern-era low number. Not included were catered events (Saris Gala, work functions) and exclusively coffee stops (McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, Barriques.) I did include pizza delivery and pick-up. Here are the top 5:
Taco Bell: 24
McDonalds: 17
Papa Johns: 11
Abuelos: 10
Chilis: 10

Restaurant of the year: This was an easy decision. Bandit Burrito in the suburbs of Des Moines is the single best place I ate this year. They make the world’s best burrito hands down. Best tortillas, cheese, rice, shredded beef and sour cream (w/ chipotle spices) in the game. Add in double the topping choices of Qdoba or Chipotle and you have the world’s best burrito. Honorable mention: Empire Burger, Breckenridge, CO; Mother Bear’s, Bloomington, IN; Burger Bar, Las Vegas, NV.

(Bandit Burrito!)

(Top 5 burger- Empire Burger)

(Mother Bear's Pizza- World's Best!)

Disappointment of the year: Tia Rosa, Mesa, AZ. Despite being hyped by no less than 4 people (Kyle, Tracy, Mom & Dad) Tia Rosa wasn’t very good at all. The flavors were bland, the portions and prices seemed ok but even their chips and salsa weren’t very good. Of course I got the whole “you must not know what real Mexican is” but to that I say…if this is real Mexican give me something else. Plus I could’ve lost my In’N Out virginity instead. Other disappointments include: Bucatini Trattoria which replaces the local Macaroni Grill with high prices, small portions and bad food and Five Guys burgers (very average) and they use something called extra-heavy mayo, gross. Fatburger is overrated for sure!

(Tia Rosa- Lots of smiles...before I eat)

Comeback of the year:
Sonic- After writing it off last year, they come up with the Java Chiller which is one of the best items on the menu and my favorite coffee drink (even more than the McDonalds Mocha.) They have the best breakfast in the game and while much of their food is overrated they have some decent lunch-time items.
Goat of the year:
Abuelos- Taking the worlds best nachos and changing the format was ok. I could cope. Then they added the world’s worst cheese sauce to totally ruin them. While I think they are available without cheese sauce and I’ll try that next time, it’s just not the same anymore. (Tim Horton’s is definitely second, they do everything worse than Dunkin Donuts and will need to evolve coffee-wise to stay relevant.)

(Dunkin Donuts is always the choice when it comes to donuts!)

2008’s best cities for food: Janesville, WI; Bloomington, IN, Las Vegas, NV.

(Bloomington, IN- home of the Copper Cup!)

Notes:
-I ate at the Fudd twice this year…but once was in an airport, for breakfast!
-Subway’s $5 footlongs make that a viable option. They had pricing issues for the past 10 years but they are back on track and helping get other sub places on track.
-I wish we had a local Taco Del Mar. Great burritos and great pricing. I’d trade Chipotle for it.
-Thank god for expense accounts. $22 kobe cheeseburger at the Burger Bar in Las Vegas was one of the top 3 burgers I’ve ever had.
-Madison needs some good ol’ sit down chain mexican food. And not Pedros. A Chevy’s would totally rule.
-Potbelly cookies are the world’s best. I can’t even complain that they are now $1.09 instead of $.99.
-I tried the best burger in Cleveland (Heck’s Café) and in Phoenix (Delux) and both were ok. The best burger in Madison (Dotty’s) blows both away. You can pass on the Plaza burger.

(Delux Burger- Really good, just not great)

(The Plaza Burger)
-If anyone offers you real swiss cheese fondue…pass. We shared it 4 ways and while 2 people claimed to like it, we still had leftovers.
-I ate at Portilos this year. I think everyone should try an Italian beef and cake shake. My life feels more complete.
-Raisin’ Canes is underrated. Not sure what to think but I know I’d eat there a few times a year if we had one locally.

(My only Waffle House this year- Phoenix, AZ)

(Empire Burger- World's Best Nachos, sorry Abuelos)

Check out the archives. 2007 2006

Thanks for reading. Please post comments and feedback and tell me where I am right and wrong and offer any rankings you have.