January: The best things I ate last month
Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class food + beverage services
My first meal of this "New Year" was kicked off in London. Technically, I was returning to the US on January 1st but, still, I woke up in the UK. So that counts!
Save for that one time in 9th grade when my friend and I flew "First Class" with her father to Orlando, I have never experienced anything fancier than "Economy Plus." So, as you can only imagine, I had no idea what I was in for when I snagged a last-minute upgrade to Virgin Atlantic's "Upper Class" cabin...
Pre-wheel's up, I enjoyed a delicious full-service English breakfast at Virgin Atlantic's The Clubhouse at London Heathrow:
English breakfast at Heathrow's Virgin Atlantic lounge: Toast, a poached egg, baked beans, grilled tomato half, bacon, and sausage
And once onboard, lunch went a little something like this:
Gnocchi to start...
For my entree, I chose the Indian meal: Yellow curry with paneer, saag with mushrooms and corn, basmati rice.
And for dessert, the Sticky Toffee Cake...
After taking a 2-hour nap on my fabulous "lie flat" bed, I was pleasantly awakened by the clinking sounds from the mugs and saucers during afternoon English tea service. And you know I wasn't about to go back to sleep and miss out!
English tea, assorted finger sandwiches and sweet bites, jam and clotted creamCall me a yokel, but I was very impressed with the food and beverage services that I enjoyed in Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class cabins and lounges. Well done, Mr. Branson! Well done!
Capo's Rigatoni with Truffle Meat Sauce
OMFG. This was, without a doubt, one of the best pasta dishes I've eaten. Ever. From those toothsome, perfectly al-dente rigatoni noodles, to that rich and creamy tomato gravy specked with salty pork nibs, this pasta makes Capo "destination worthy" in and of itself.
The only thing not sexy about this dish? Its $26 price tag. Le sigh...
Dinner at Pago
Despite Utah's liquor laws, I really enjoyed my quick jaunt to Salt Lake City. The scenery was gorgeous (snow-capped mountains), the locals were incredibly friendly and helpful, and the food was fantastic.
On our last night in town, we dined at local favorite, Pago. While everything we ordered was delicious, I particularly enjoyed:
Braised pork shoulder cake Served atop a bed of sauteed and fried Brussels sprouts were two deep-fried cakes/patties filled with tender braised pork shoulder. Think along the lines of a crab cake.
Pago Burger Locally-raised beef, cooked to a perfect medium-rare, was topped with thick-cut bacon, Gouda, pickled onion, and black garlic aioli. Truffle frites served as an accompaniment.
Mexican combination plate, Gilbert's El Indio
Rice, beans, a cheese enchilada, and the most perfect shredded-beef taco. Gilbert's kills it.
Spicy ahi poke (via the poke/ceviche bar), Bristol Farms
As if a raw bar featuring ceviche and ahi poke wasn't awesome enough, Bristol Farms offers all of the accoutrement to make your own chirashi bowl: White AND brown sushi rice, seaweed salad, chunks of fresh mango, soy sauce, etc.
Almond croissant, Belwood Bakery
"Lake Tahoe" sandwich (with a pork link instead of chicken), LINK
Looking back on my trip to Berlin, I realized that, not once did I indulge in Germany's most famous edible: Sausage! Having made up for my international faux-pas last Friday night, I would be willing to bet that LINK's "Lake Tahoe" sandwich could easily hold its own against any Deutschland rival.
Since I'm not a big poultry fan, I subbed the chicken link with pork (...good Jewish girl that I am). Enveloped within a freshly-baked roll, the juicy wiener was topped with applewood-smoked bacon, crispy onion rings, and a ridiculously delicious apricot mustard.
Photo courtesy of LINK...
Homemade horchata finished with a shot of Stumptown's cold brew (coffee), Guisados
My winning Super Bowl submission: Dump Cake(a.k.a. Cherry + Pineapple Cobbler)
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Until we eat again,
Lindsay, The Lunch Belle