MICHELIN Guide Inspectors' ate their way from coast to coast (and Canada) this year, with five new destinations: Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Toronto, and Vancouver. While most people might not be able to recall yesterday's breakfast, our intrepid Inspectors dined across 1,593 restaurants and these were their most memorable dishes.
New York
Aska - Chef Fredrik Berselius
"The seared New York state venison—crowned by a plump sunchoke-studded morel mushroom and sauced with a slick reduction of venison bones infused with toasted hay—was truly memorable."
Aska's seared New York state venison with morel © Sasipak Rungrojthanakul/Aska
Washington, D.C.
minibar - Chef Sarah Ravitz
"The "Frozen Salad" was part palate cleanser, part salad course, and featured cucumber in the forms of compressed cubes and shaved ice ribbons composed with black sesame and yuzu. It was an absolutely clever delight."
minibar's "Frozen Salad" © Goran Kosanovic/minibar
Chicago
Smyth - Chefs Karen Urie Shields and John B. Shields
"Accompanying a plate of lamb saddle slow roasted over a wood fire was a morsel of braised lamb and treacle cake, akin to a sticky toffee pudding, served warm with a tisane of lamb consommé with black currant and Japanese whisky. Truly one of the most creative items enjoyed this year."
Smyth's lamb treacle cake © Kinship/Smyth
San Francisco
Quince - Chef Michael Tusk
"The agnolotti verdi were exquisitely crafted silken pasta bundles with a delicate smoked squab filling, served with a redolent truffle butter sauce and morsels of tender, lightly charred sunchoke."
Quince’s agnolottini verdi © Quince
Central Coast, CA
The Restaurant at JUSTIN - Chef Rachel Haggstrom
"The "Citrus & Fromage Blanc" dessert: a subtle and bright composition of orange blossom foam with tea-infused fromage blanc mousse over a round of delicate cake. Providing the final flourish (and flavor) are tarragon-marinated tangerine segments and an elegant honeycomb-shaped citrus-sugar work of art."
Restaurant at JUSTIN's "The Citrus & Fromage Blanc" © Restaurant at JUSTIN
Los Angeles
Camphor - Chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George
"The steak au poivre was a beautifully seared cut of excellent quality beef, dressed in a pool of lushly textured sauce. So classic, so delightful."
Camphor's steak au poivre © Josh Telles/Camphor
Miami
The Surf Club Restaurant - Chef Michael DeCicco
"Thomas Keller’s wonderful take on the classic Lobster Thermidor featured lobster tail and morels sitting on flaky puff pastry finished in a superb sauce Américaine."
The Surf Club Restaurant's Maine lobster thermidor © Deborah Jones/The Surf Club Restaurant
Toronto
Sushi Masaki Saito - Chef Masaki Saito
"Part of Chef Saito's phenomenal omakase was a course of chutoro slices set in a rich egg yolk sauce and finished with brilliantly fragrant white truffles and wasabi. It was an intoxicating combination of flavors."Vancouver
Masayoshi - Chef Masayoshi Baba
"Part of the wonderful omakase was a course of gelatinous junsai buds suspended in a cool tomato dashi gel along with the crunch of diced mountain yam, creamy sea urchin, and sweet crab. It was delightfully refreshing on a warm, early summer evening."Hero image: Masayoshi's junsai with sea urchin and crab
© Masayoshi
