"My Favourites" of 2016

As I have done for the past few years now, instead of calling my end-of-year compilation list for 2016 a 
"Best of", I am calling this "My Favourites" once again. ("Best of" lists were so 2000's, anyway.) However, I am keeping with the "Top Ten" format-idea, and the easiest way to rank these was just to go back through all my 'blog-entries from 2016 and see which ones had the highest Glen Bacon Scale Rating (and in the case of identical GBS ratings, I am simply listing them chronologistically). Simples! Nu?

(And, yes, I am well-aware that there is still another full week left in 2016. However, I already have planned where I will be eating breakfast on Boxing Day [and highly doubt that it will rate over a 7.0 on the GBS] and unless I have some kinda stellar-type breakfast on Saturday ~ New Year's Eve Day ~ there really shouldn't be the need to modify this list in any way, anyway.)


1) Quelle surprise! For the fifth year running (or walking... or just plain ol' standing), the top honours go to le Pain Perdu extraordinaire at Baker Street Bistro (see last 'blog-entry from Dimanche, Septembre 25ième ~ et aussi Dimanche, Janvier 10ième). As I have stated many, many, many, many, many times now, not only is this 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) (and not really much of a surprise with "My Second Favourite" either) Zucchini Cakes at Dottie's True blue café (see last 'blog-entry from Tuesday, June 12th and also from Saturday, January 9th). These truly are an inspired "invenzione". I always like to explain this to people that these are simply Eggs Benedict in una versione italiana (o Uova di Benedetto, Tony).

3) Apple Pan Dore at Mama♥s on Washington Square (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, May 29th). Additionally, I am calling this my "Best 'New' French Toast Find of 2016" ~ even though it has already been available there for many years already. (Don't worry, the superfluocity with the use of "already" was really a premeditated redundancy really.)

4) Frittata of the Decade/Century at Just For You bakery & cafe (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, June 5th). 

5) Stella Hash Browns at Breakfast at Tiffany's 
(see 'blog-entry from Sunday, June 26th). 

6) Greek Frittata at Home Plate (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, February 21st). 

7) makena (maui) at pomelo ~ REFRESHINGLY GLOBAL 
(see 'blog entry from Saturday, August 6th). While this dish was small in stature, it was LARGE in flavour; therefore, I am naming this as "co-Best French Toast Dish of 2016... not named Baker Street Bistro Pain Perdu - a brunch favorite! or Apple Pan Dore 
at Mama♥s on Washington Square".

8) Signature French Toast at Dolce Amore (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, November 27th). This was another great dish from this "sweet" little place. As with #7 above, I am naming this as "co-Best French Toast Dish of 2016... not named Baker Street Bistro Pain Perdu - 
a brunch favorite! or Apple Pan Dore at Mama♥s 
on Washington Square". (Interestingly enough, a different dish from Dolce Amore placed at #8 for 2015, too.)

9a) Savory Galette at Marla Bakery (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, May 1st). There was also the extra-added bonus of an extremely tasty breakfastary dessert of Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake. 

9b) Polenta and Sunny Up Eggs at Eats (see 'blog-entry from Saturday, October 1st). 

9c) polenta gorgonzola at Caffé/Caffè/Café DeLucchi (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, October 23rd). This also makes the "Top Ten" list due to the extra special side dish of artichoke hash.

(Okay, so it's actually a "Top Eleven" format, Mr. Tufnel.)


2016 Specific Categories (& Honourable Mentions kinda stuff)

"My Favourite" New Potatoey Side-dish Find ~ homefries at Honey Honey ~ Cafe & Crepery 
(see 'blog-entry from Saturday, March 19th). 
GBS Rating: 7.4 
(Of course, it goes without saying [but I am saying it here again all the same, anyway] that the Excellent! Roasted Home Potatoes at Eats ~ in all their garlicky glory ~ are still "My Favourite" Potatoey Side Dish. GBS Rating: 7.5) 

"My Favourite" Olde Potatoey Side-dish Not Named Excellent! Roasted Home Potatoes at Eats ~ hashbrowns with habanero-infused pickled onions at Taylor Street Coffee Shop (see 'blog-entry from Saturday, June 18th). 
GBS Rating: 7.5

"My Favourite" Huevos Rancheros Dish ~ 
Golo Ranchero at Cafe Golo ~ Boutique Cafe 
(see 'blog-entry from Sunday, January 17th). 
GBS Rating: 7.2 
(Honourable Mention: Huevos Rancheros at 
STRAW ~ Carnival Fare; mainly for their muy sabrosa salsa ranchera [see 'blog-entry from Saturday, October 29th]. 
GBS Rating: 7.0)

"My Favourite" Take On Boring Ol' Eggs Benedict Not Named Zucchini Cakes at Dottie's True blue café ~ Œufs Baker Street Bistro at Baker Street Bistro (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, April 10th). 
GBS Rating: 7.2

"My Favourite" Breakfast Burrito ~ 
Breakfast Burrito at the Grind Cafe (see 'blog-entry from Saturday, May 14th). Seeing as I only had breakfast burritos twice this year, it was a 50-50 shot, anyway. 
GBS Rating: 6.5

"My Favourite" Crêpe ~ 
Puttanesca Crêpe at higher grounds coffeehouse (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, December 18th). Like the "Burrito" entry above, I had only a few crêpes this year from which to choose, too. 
GBS Rating: 6.9

"My Favourite" New Absotively, Posilutely, Totally Disgusting (read: Excellent!) Original Coffee Drink ~ 
Crème Brulee Latte at Rise & Grind (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, October 16th). What kinda demented, diabolical genius would ever come up with the awesomeness of a "Crème Brûlée" Latte?!
GBS Rating: 7.3

"My Favourite" Pickled Appetizer of the Nosh Variety ~ Pickle Plate at Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen ~ 24th Street Deli (see 'blog-entry from Saturday, June 11th). Possibly the best pickled persimmons that I have ever had... well, technically, they were also the first-ever pickled persimmons that I have ever had (even if they weren't actually persimmons). 
GBS Rating: 7.4

"My Favourite" Baked-Goods Item of the Danish Variety ~ 
Mango-Coconut Danish at Grain D'or (see 'blog-entry from Sunday, January 31st). Mango, coconut, AND rosemary?! Oh, yeah! 
GBS Rating: 7.4

"My Favourite" Bready/Toasty Side ~ 
(World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!) at 
the Bistro Restaurant at Cliff House (this is an exact duplicate of 2015's and 2014's choices and, like #1 and #2 above, should really be no surprise; as long as they keep making 'em, I will keep eating 'em; see most recent last 'blog-entry from Sunday, August 14th). 
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; 
Apple Pan Dore at Mama♥s on Washington Square ~ 7.5;
Frittata of the Decade/Century at Just For You 
bakery & cafe ~ 7.5;
Stella Hash Browns at Breakfast at Tiffany's ~ 7.5;
Greek Frittata at Home Plate ~ 7.4;
makena (maui) at pomelo ~ REFRESHINGLY GLOBAL ~ 7.4;
Signature French Toast at Dolce Amore ~ 7.4;
Savory Galette at Marla Bakery ~ 7.3
(and separately rated Cardamom Spiced Coffee Cake ~ 7.6);
Polenta and Sunny Up Eggs at Eats ~ 7.3;
polenta gorgonzola at Caffé/Caffè/Café DeLucchi 
~ 7.3
(and separately rated artichoke hash ~ 7.5)