I had a blast doing the Top 10 Noms of 2009 last year and referenced it many times throughout this past year.  2010 was a fantastic year in so many ways.  I mean come on… I was on TV for my baking!  I feel very accomplished after this year, in part due to how much I have grown this blog.  I also lost a lot of weight without sacrificing my love for food thanks to Weight Watchers.  Granted, I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit these last few months, but hopefully the new year will bring me luck in jumping back on.  It is a pleasure to have this little outlet outside of my “real job” to contribute to.  So without further ado, here are the top 10 Noms of 2010:

10. The Popover Cafe is a surprise to the top 10.  My sister had been raving about it, and I recently found out it’s a favorite of my cousin’s, but how good could a little cafe be?  Turns out… great.  It was just excellent comfort food with damn good popovers.  And I LOVE popovers.  Head to the Upper West Side for this gem of a brunch place.

9. When Mike’s family took us to La Masseria in Times Square after a Broadway show, we weren’t expecting much.  We live in the neighborhood and egotistically assumed that if we hadn’t heard rave reviews, it couldn’t be a TOP NOM.  Boy were we wrong!  The food was simply excellent.  Elegantly plated, fresh ingredients, and excellent preparation.  A contender to my usual Theater District Italian favorite, Becco.

8. We had the pleasure of dining at Ilili during Restaurant Week (it’s 2nd post in the Restaurant Week Wrap Up).  While most restaurants participate in Restaurant Week in a half-assed way, Ilili did an amazing job of letting us sample most of the menu and we found some INCREDIBLE dishes.  I have been back a few times since and can’t wait to go back again.

7. Lori and I took ourselves to Ma Peche for our birthdays.  You all know how much I LOVE David Chang, but I had heard mixed reviews about his newest establishment in midtown. The whole meal was really different and delicious, but this gets a top nom for those incredible crunchy noodles that I still dream about every day.

6. Ippudo is probably the restaurant I tell the most people about.  The ramen is just so spectacular that I can’t get enough of it.  I’m not a huge broth person, but I even slurp up every last drop of broth after eating the delicious noodles at Ippudo.  It’s SOOO good.  This place may have single-handedly ruined my diet… well… except for the Maine vacation(s).

5. The #5 spot goes to the full adventure of Nomming through Maine (Portland Day 1, Portland Day 2,Acadia/Bar Harbor Part 1, Acadia/Bar Harbor Part 2, The Coach Stop Inn B&B, Moody’s Diner & Young’s Lobster Pound, and Midcoat Maine).  The top Noms on this vacation were definitely the lobster at Beal’s Lobster Pier, our delicious meal at Primo in Rockland, and especially our FANTASTIC meal at Fore Street in Portland.  If you were wondering why Portland was named “America’s Foodiest Small Town” by Bon App in 2009, go to Fore Street.

4. I’m thrilled that Lincoln Ristorante got enough buzz that I decided to take a chance and schedule a reservation for 2 weeks after it opened for Mike’s birthday.  The food is sensational, but the ambience just sets it far above and beyond most places.  It’s a very special place, and if you want a special meal, go to Lincoln immediately.  And get the gnocchi side.

3. Another Nom that happened at the end of 2009 but didn’t make it onto the blog until 2010 was Bottega in Napa Valley. It did make it onto last year’s top 10, but it’s worth repeating.  Mike and I have the propensity to be celebrity chef sluts, but boy were we glad that we were when we opted for Michael Chiarello’s hot spot.  From first bite to last, this place was one of my all-time favorites.  It’s a meal I will always remember.

2. My birthday dinner at Le Bernardin was one of the best meals I have ever had.  Every detail was attended to and the service was impeccable.  The food was sensational with wine pairings that put this place off the charts.  I was so impressed with all the depth of flavors in these dishes.  Another very special place that really makes you feel like your are fortunate to dine there.

1. My love for David Chang was furthered by our opportunity to finally dine at Momofuku Ko.  To dine at Ko, you need to catch one of the handful of reservations that come up online about a week in advance.  It’s not an easy task (though much easier now than it used to be) and I was even more thrilled to learn that they were now accommodating allergies, so I wouldn’t be wasting my time and (large amount of) money by not being able to eat most of the food.  This restaurant is why chef tasting menus exist.  We had no idea what was coming next, but we got to watch it all unfold in front of us at the little intimate restaurant where the chefs prepare everything within 5 feet of your seat. If you have the opportunity to go, don’t miss it.

Honorable Mentions go to:

• Uncle Jack’s on Valentine’s Day for having dependably great steak
• Zuni Cafe for inspiring us to make the famous chicken at home on many occasions.  (This special chicken will actually be served tomorrow at the annual Chrismukah Family Celebration.)
• LA Times Food Festival for allowing us the opportunity to finally try The Nom Nom Truck
• Nanoosh for having one of my new favorite lunches, their Garden Salad, which keeps me coming back
• 5 Napkin Burger for having burger eggs benedict for brunch
• Father’s Office which is Mike’s choice for “Best Burger of 2010” (I’d have to agree with him)

What a year it has been!  Happy New Years Nomming everyone and here is to more wonderful Noms in 2011!

Tags: bar harbor, best of, best restaurants 2010, bottega, david chang, father's office, five napkin burger, ilili, ippudo, la masseria, latimes food festival, le benardin, lincoln ristorante, ma peche, maine, momofuku ko, nanoosh, popover cafe, portland, restaurant reviews, restaurants, top restaurants NYC, uncle jack's, zuni cafe