akin to a very efficient rolodex, i mentally flipped through the good eats of twentyfifteen quickly in search for the #bestof2015 of which i have bookmarked along my food adventures of the previous year. 

i sighed out almost audibly before opening up my notebook to physically browse through the many food photos i've tasted. pausing at a few potential candidates, my lips curved into a smile as i remember the emotions it evoked when i had my first bite. it was then that i just knew they were the ones.

i picked up a piece of post-it and penned on top of the piece of colored square.

// the olive cake by copper european restaurant.


if it was an art piece, i'd call it "willfully arranged mess".

dollops of lemon cream custard with the twist of small spoonfuls of passion fruit became the base for  the lightly sweetened olive cake mini wedges & rustically torn pieces of bread divided and contrasted the vast dark textured canvas. hidden within the crevices were roughly choped black olives to surprise unsuspecting diners with its briny fruitiness with edible flowers strewn almost haphazardly but purposefully for color.


uncertain how i should start on the dessert, i've taken the approach of getting small bites and was pleasantly surprised how every component tickled the different taste buds. it was briny, but then sweet to be followed by a lovely assault of tartness while i was also savoring the different textures.

the element of unexpected deliciousness and unique flavor profile that worked so beautifully made it a very memorable dessert. just lovely.


// the croissant by rubberduck.


probably the closest to a perfect execution of the iconic classic french 'pain' (bread), rubberduck bakes the best croissants i've ever had thus far. small crisp crumbs flaked off the golden layers of crispy shell as i tore into the chewy, soft and lightness of the buttery bread. the mild salty - sweet flavors dueled in a fair fight to shine in the light rich flavor of butter had me dreaming for more.


// the jjajangmyeon by chung gung restaurant.


chung gung's version of this beloved korean chinese rendition of black bean noodles was what jjajangmyeon dreams are made of. a lip-smacking black bean sauce where the sweetness whispers in the thickened sauce that clung lovingly onto the perfectly cooked noodles as i bite into the noodles. 'inhaling' the noodles with gusto, slick velvety texture coated with a savory, umami flavor with the fleeting sweetness of the lightly cooked diced onions. it is comfort food with the familiar chinese flavors that i love to eat but with a korean twist.

// the braised pork trotters by sabx2 wanton noodles.


the pork trotters at sabx2 wanton noodles in bangkok must be how beautifully braised with much love and care taste like. fall-off-the-bone moist meat, drinking up the flavorful soy based gravy that boasted of umami with a light sweetness to be surprised further by the gelatinous fat that melted in the mouth without the heavy guilt. lip smacking on the first bite with the richness of the fat coating my lips, i quickly gobbled up the rest of the plate with enthusiasm, laden with very little to almost no guilt. #soworththecalories.


yes, a definite must have during my next visit to the colorful capital of thailand.



// the tsukemen by ramen bankara.


dipping in the chilled chewy noodles in the warm and massively flavorful broth of familiar spices in the predominantly soy sauce umami tp warm the signature ramen ever so slightly to retain the bite and texture.

the tsukemen was very close to making onto the big player's list but some of the elements in the ramen were amiss, bumping it down to take the top spot of the bib gourmand instead.

// the salted caramel ice cream by fatbaby ice cream.


the pairing of sweet and salty embodied in a creamy cold delight with splitting the two just at the right spot.

// the latte by cerise coffee roasters.


a minimalist cafe in bangkok. a not-so-minimalist latte.
the memorable roasted flavor that punctuates the sentence of mild tart undertones followed by the hint of brief bitterness to be rounded by the natural sweetness of the creamy milk. a lovely roller coaster of flavors in each mouthful.

there you have it. twentyfifteen had some hits, several averages and many misses. but it has been quite a lovely ride. here's to another 365 days in twentysixteen for a hopeful foodie anticipating new combinations of flavors on a plate. i just can't wait! :)

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and option. experiences and taste buds may wary for others.

i scrolled through my photos and smiled at the highlights of twentyfifteen. 

many, many gastronomical discoveries - some good, mostly okay and a few bad (thankfully!).

many tried new recipes and kitchen adventures.

a few firsts. 

some memorable and awesome travelogues.

string of photos share these happy thoughts the best:

of learning family traditions & keeping the family recipes alive 

of my first coveted treasure from dominique ansel bakery 

of meeting 1600 pandas

of exploring chiang mai's wats filled with rich histories

of learning cooking techniques for authentic northern thai cuisines

of enduring (& loving) my first zip lining through the forest

of my first khantoke dinner in chiang mai

of learning how to take a step back and just breathe deeply (& bask in the sunrise)

of completing my first 5km

of my first stay-cation for some little time off just for myself

of sipping my first cold brew coffee

of my first nobu meal experience

of discovering delicious cornflakes s'mores cookies

of my first ever trip to the middle east

of watching the colorful traffic of bangkok cities for the first time

of appreciating bangkok's finest cuppas with the loveliest friend 

aka coffee connoisseur ;)

of my first joel robuchon meal at l'atelier de joel robuchon in bangkok

of savoring the amazing views of beautiful raw lombok

of playing in the clear waters and watching the blue skies at gili trawangan

twentyfifteen holds many wonderful memories and i'm grateful for the experiences and the special  moments. twentysixteen is the renewal of my resolutions that i missed of previous year but looking forward to many more yummylicious possibilities. 

in fact, i already have some exciting plans in store! :)

thank you for being part of my twentyfifteen and hope that you'll stick around to share my moments in twentysixteen, loves. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY THE AWESOMENESS OF 2016 BE WITH YOU! :)

xoxo. 

p.s. top eats of twentyfifteen follows soon :)