"My Favourites" of 2015

Once again this year, instead of calling my end-of-year compilation list for 2015 a "Best of" (which is just my opinion, anyway... even if I am 100% correct), I am calling this "My Favourites" (which is still my opinion, but no one can say that they aren't my favourites... well, they can, but they'd be 100% wrong).

Keeping with the "Top Ten" format of the past few years, the easiest way to rank these was just to go back through all my 'blog-entries from 2015 and see which ones had the highest Glen Bacon Scale Rating. Simples!


1) As strange as it may seem for someone that normally prefers "savoury" over "sweet" dishes for breakfast, for the fourth year in a row, the top honours go to le Pain Perdu at Baker Street Bistro (see last 'blog-entry from April 19th ~ et aussi January 3rd). As I have stated many, many, many, many times in the past, this is not only one of the best versions of French toast in all of San Francisco, it may also be one of the best in the entire U.S. of A., mais bien sûr.

2) Zucchini Cakes at Dottie's True blue café (see 'blog-entry from January 4th). These really are a great "invention". I always like to explain this to people as simply Eggs Benedict in una versione italiana (o Uova di Benedetto).

3) Farro & Beet Hash at the Fat Lady (see 'blog-entry from May 24th). Additionally, I am claiming the Fat Lady as "My Favourite" New Find of 2015.

4) breakfast vegetarian griddle cake at Buttermilk ~ Southern Kitchen (see 'blog-entry from August 9th). While this ain't yo' mama's standardized IHOP® kinda sweet pancake, I will have to claim it as "My Favourite" Pancake Dish of 2015, mainly because it had a high GBS Rating (and also because it was the only pancake dish in the Top Ten this year).

5) potato scramble (with grilled asparagus, roasted Brussel[sic] sprouts, carrots, and Havarti cheese, and eggs added) at Ella's (see 'blog-entry from April 12th). Asparagus AND Brussels (which is the correct spelling, Mademoiselle Audrey Kathleen Ruston) sprouts?! Oh, yeah! That is why it is rated so high.

6) Oeufs Baker Street Bistro at Baker Street Bistro (see 'blog-entry from September 5th). Where do they come up with these complicated names for all these dishes?! Coincidentally enough, this great take on Eggs Benedict was also ranked #6 for 2014.

7) new mexican homestyle frittata at green chile kitchen (see 'blog entry from January 25th). I am not sure if this dish is meant to be named as if it comes from Santa Fe or Albuquerque (or Tucumcari, even), or if it is because it is una nueva cocina de México; either way, it was very tasty.

8) Caramel Sea Salt Waffle at Dolce Amore (see 'blog-entry from December 19th). This was another great dish from this "sweet" little place.

9) Artichoke-Spinach Scramble at Cafe Golo (see 'blog-entry from January 18th). Not only did this included a couple of my favourite (or "My Favourite") green vegetables in it, it also had a good amount of sun-dried tomatoes. The extra added bonus of having a choice of their country potatoes (which include standard potatoes and sweet potatoes) as a side dish and their most excellent pastries/baked goods really make the difference.

10) Mumbai (Benediction) at LaLe (see 'blog-entry from February 1st). Another very interesting take on Eggs Benedict ~ and for those keeping count here, that makes three out of the Top Ten being some kind of Eggs Benedict dish this year (2014's list had four different versions of the eggy "lost bread" thing, too). Can you say "beets/mushroom/lentils-patty" (in place of any of Mr. Thomas'[1] plain ol' boring faux-crumpets)?


2015 Specific Categories (& Honourable Mentions)

"My Favourite" New Potatoey Side Dish Find ~ homefries at Cafe Mason (see last 'blog-entry from June 27th); these are definitely good enough to be considered a main dish even, just lay an egg or two on top of them (that is, if you happen to be a chicken). GBS Rating: 7.4. (Of course, it goes without saying that the Excellent! Roasted Home Potatoes at Eats are still "My Favourite" Potatoey Side Dish; GBS Rating: 7.5.) 

"My Favourite" Breakfastary Potato Main Dish Not Named "potato scramble (with grilled asparagus, roasted Brussel[sic] sprouts, carrots, and Havarti cheese, and eggs added)" ~ Temple O' Spuds (with) Lay an egg on top! at Boogaloos (see 'blog-entry from February 8th) and also gypzy hashish at homeskillet (see 'blog-entry from November 29th). GBS Rating: (both) 7.1.

"My Favourite" Homemade (Restaurant-made, whatever) Hot Sauce ~ Habanero Sauce at Boogaloos (also see 'blog-entry from February 8th). GBS Rating: 7.2.

"My Favourite" Mexican-ish Breakfastary Dish Not Named "new mexican homestyle frittata" ~ Chile Relleno at the Little Chihuahua (see 'blog-entry from June 28th). GBS Rating: 7.1.

"My Favourite" Breakfast Burrito of 2015 ~ Veggie Breakfast Burrito at japonica (see 'blog-entry from November 28th). In all honesty, I think that this was the only Breakfast Burrito that I had all year, so it made for an easy choice. Additionally, this little coffeehouse is also a gift shop with many great gift ideas (I should know, I spent about $200.00 there this year for Christmas). GBS Rating: Veggie Breakfast Burrito ~ 6.6; Cool Gift Ideas ~ 8.5.

"My Favourite" Breakfast Pizza of 2015 ~ Mushroom Spinach Pizza at Caffé DeLucchi (or Café DeLucchi or Caffè DeLucchi; take your pick) (see 'blog-entry from March 8th). Again, I think that this was the only Breakfast Pizza that I had all year, but it was still pretty good, anyway. GBS Rating: 6.5.

"My Favourite" New Coffee Find of 2015 ~ Snowbird Coffee (as featured at ★ The ★ Richfield; see 'blog-entry from October 17th). They normally offer three different blends/roasts of Coffee to be made as pour-over Coffee.  I tried Southpaw (a delicious blend of an heirloom Burundi and Yirgaceffe ~ mandarin, rhubarb, honey sweetness) with my breakfast at 
★ The ★ Richfield and I purchased a 12 oz bag of Zatarra (a special blend of 3 Africans [ sic ] Coffees ~ apricots, maple syrup, roasted hazelnut) to make for myself at home. I have also been back for a cuppa or two and have tried Myanmar Pyin Oo Lwin (a very earthy and herbal Coffee from the Shan State ~ toffee, orange, brown sugar). GBS Rating: Myanmar Pyin Oo Lwin ~ 7.5; Southpaw ~ 7.3; Zatarra ~ 7.2.

http://snowbirdcoffee.com/

"My Favourite" Bready/Toasty Side ~ (World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!) at the Bistro Restaurant at Cliff House (this is an exact duplicate of 2014's choice and should be no surprise; as long as they keep making 'em, I will keep eating 'em; see last 'blog-entry from September 27th). GBS Rating: 8.2.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating: 
Pain Perdu at Baker Street Bistro ~ 8.2; 
Zucchini Cakes at Dottie's True blue café ~ 7.6; 
Farro & Beet Hash at the Fat Lady ~ 7.5;
breakfast vegetarian griddle cake at Buttermilk ~ Southern Kitchen ~ 7.4;
potato scramble (with grilled asparagus, roasted Brussel[sic] sprouts, carrots, and Havarti cheese, and eggs added) at Ella's ~ 7.3;
Oeufs Baker Street Bistro at Baker Street Bistro ~ 7.2;
new mexican homestyle frittata at green chile kitchen ~ 7.2;
Caramel Sea Salt Waffle at Dolce Amore ~ 7.2;
Artichoke-Spinach Scramble at Cafe Golo ~ 7.1;
Mumbai (Benediction) at LaLe ~ 7.1

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1. Was anyone else aware that this 'merican version of an English muffin is now owned by the Mexican mega-corporation Bimbo? Think about this for a minute: American... English muffins... owned by a Mexican bakery company.

And they always told me that "Military Intelligence" was an oxymoron.