Favorite Foods

This week in my friend Sheri and I's breakdown of our favorite things (the Great Favorite Things Experiment of 2008?), we're tackling favorite foods. Even though this may in fact be the single strangest thing I've done on here (and I've written about some ridiculous things), I had to side with Sheri when she suggested this idea because I really, really love food. Seriously, it's a passion.

I really like eating.

Anyways, here is Sheri's breakdown, as she for once actually beat me to the punch in posting this. I of course am late because I was off eating food in fact, so here we go. On with the list!


1. Mahi Mahi from Loco Grinz

Best served with: One scoop of Mac Salad, one scoop of white rice, one scoop of corn, along with a nice glass of water.

This is one of my biggest food obsessions. My friends Erik, Brian, and I actually frequented this Moscow, Idaho restaurant so often in college that we received a free meal from them as a graduation present. They were so persistent in making sure I received mine, they called my parents in Alaska to get my cell number to let me know I had to come in and get my meal.

The Mahi Mahi has to be deep fried with a panko batter covering, and when paired with the previously mentioned sides it is my favorite meal ever. I amazingly enough miss this meal as much as I do anything else from my previous home.

2. Burrito from Benny's Food Wagon

Best served with: Rice, refried beans, and lettuce, along with a cold Pepsi.

This is the restaurant I've been eating at for the longest time, as (like I always say) my mom visited this place many times when I was in the womb. So you could say I'm one of their most dedicated customers.

This is simplicity at its finest, as it is just a plate with deep fried burritos, spanish rice, and refried beans, but it combines to be such a delight I can't go more than a month without eating there. It's just one of the most delicious and easy meals you can get in Anchorage.

3. Filet Mignon from Club Paris

Best served with: An Alaskan IPA.

This steak is ridiculous. It's one of the tallest steaks you'll find around, and it is always cooked to perfection. It's 14 oz. of sheer delight, and this is coming from someone who used to hate steaks.

Club Paris is one of the most frequent winners of "Best Steak" in Anchorage, and this single steak is the reason why. You cannot get better than this, and this is coming from someone who has tried steak in many, many different places.


4. Tuna Melt

Best served with/components made with: Wheat bread with tuna (duh), provolone cheese, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, mayo, and half an avocado, with blue corn tortilla chips and a glass of milk.

This is one food that I like making more myself than getting anywhere else. Because really, who knows what I like more than me? And I have to admit, I kind of rule at making these, and I never get tired of them as they are healthy and absolutely delicious.

Special thanks to Katie for getting me ridiculously obsessed with them in college, I've now had slightly over 1,000 of these since I first tried yours and I can't thank you enough for that initial sampling. Every one is better than the last.

5. Brownies

Best served with: The world's tallest glass of milk.

This is the one and only appearance of a dessert on here, and in the shocking upset it's brownies over any variety of cookies. I love cookies more, but there are just too many varieties to choose from.

However, brownies are pure chocolatey goodness, and when combined with a nice glass of milk they really are about as good as it gets when it comes to dessert - especially when fresh out of the oven. Damn. Now I want brownies!

6. Sushi

Best served with: OMG (specific appetizer), miso soup, edemame, and soy/wasabi combo.

This is a recent addition, but a constant obsession (although a few months ago I got burned out pretty bad). In particular, I love the I Luv Sushi roll at Anchorage's I Luv Sushi, but I also love standard sashimi - in particular I'm a huge fan of Unagi (eel) and amaebi (sweet shrimp).

Really, I'll eat anything I get my hands on when it comes to sushi, and I feel particularly blessed because Anchorage strangely has a ridiculous amount of good sushi places. It's not exactly any time food, but when it's sushi time, it's about as delicious as you can get.

7. White Pizza at Moose's Tooth/Bear Tooth

Best served with: A pitcher of IPA and a movie.

The picture to the left is not a good representation, but this pizza that features three types of cheese, sun dried tomatoes, garlic oil, and artichoke hearts is my favorite pizza I've ever had. It's so hard not to get it every time - so I do (even though Moose's Tooth has a ridiculous amount of great pizzas).

It's amazing that it is a favorite because it is a vegetarian pizza, but the stomach wants what the stomach wants. I can't get enough of it, so I rarely ever say no to my cravings. For those that visit Alaska, Moose's Tooth is a must stop. It's as good as you can get for pizza.

8. Mashed Potatoes made by my Mom

Best served with: Baked chicken, corn, stuffing, gravy, and a glass of milk.

It's hard to choose a favorite portion of this meal (as it is by far my favorite home cooked meal), but the mashed potatoes have to be my favorite - especially when combined into the incredibly childish but thoroughly delicious mash where you combine it with the corn and stuffing into a mega mix of pure flavor.

Seriously, don't knock it until you try it. It's glorious, and I'm sad for anyone who hasn't had it...which is pretty much everyone.

9. Pad Thai

Best served with/made with: Chicken and tofu, bean sprouts, crused peanuts, pad thai noodles, lime juice, cilantro, egg, with a glass of milk/water.

This is the sweet and sour chicken of Thai food, the one sure shot that every one will like, so I probably should have been more edgy and chosen some sort of curry or something. But I don't care. I love Pad Thai! It's so damn good.

The picture is of a recent batch that I prepared myself (which was tasty beyond words) but in particular I like it from Thai Orchid in Anchorage, so long as you do not request them to bring the heat. I always make the mistake of doing that, and it drowns out the flavor and takes it down a notch. Still good, just distractingly hot.

10. Biscuits and Gravy made by my Aunt Marlene

Best served with: More biscuits and gravy, plus milk.

When I was little my Aunt Marlene made this for me, and begrudingly I tried it. It did not look good at all, and I'm sure I was a little heathen about it but I eventually got around to it.

And it was heaven in my mouth.

Since then, it's been one of my most consistently loved foods and one of my favorite breakfast treats. A couple years back I visited my Aunt and she made some more for me, and it was every bit as good as the first time. This is as good as breakfast gets!

Honorable mentions: Of course with any list, there are a few that just missed, and I had to mention them as they are delicious, just slightly less so than the rest on the list.

Apple Bananas: I swear to god these exist, and I've only had them once in my life when I was little in Hawaii, but they've stuck with me my whole life - best fruit ever.

Lucky Wishbone jumbo cheeseburger: Actually my favorite restaurant, but it's went a bit downhill since I stopped gorging myself every time I went. The first restaurant I ever bought a shirt at, and its all thanks to this burger.

Sticks (aka Kashi Go Lean cereal): When I first had this cereal, I openly wondered what the heck I was eating. Enter nearly two years later of daily bowls, I'm about as addicted to this as Jared Leto was to heroin in Requiem for a Dream. Bizarre, but freakishly tasty.

L'Aroma Bakery poppy seed muffin: So bad for me. So delicious. Always paired with a 12 oz. White Chocolate Mocha to maximize the flavor potential.