Restaurants to Try in 2012 and My Favorite Restaurants of 2011

I have decided to post this list as a means of forcing myself to do my best to eat at all of the following restaurants in 2012 (and to remind myself of some of the excellent meals I had in 2011).  Some of these restaurants have been on my list of restaurants to try for years and I think it is do or die time.  I have had enough of restaurants lingering on my list of places to try for years and years - this year I am going to be proactive about it.  Most of last year's list is going to be repeated here because the only restaurant I made it to was Graffit (which is now known as Gastroarte).  How sad is that?  I am hereby making a resolution to (try) to knock off approximately one restaurant a month, until I get through all of the restaurants listed here.  I say try because we all know how my personal life goes - one minute I have one and the next second I am working nonstop, which makes trying new restaurants a little hard.  But I am bound and determined to try!

My restaurants to try for 2012 are:

1. ABC Kitchen
2. Red Rooster
3. Brooklyn Fare (this might be a wish list item because it is almost impossible to get reservations, but I am putting it on here anyway)
4. Locanda Verde
5. The Dutch
6. Tertulia
7. Torrisi Italian Specialities
8. Fatty Cue
9. Empellon
10. Boulud Sud

Runners Up:  John Dory Oyster Bar, Eleven Madison Park, Zabb Elee, Sripraphai and Ayada Thai.

More after the jump!


My favorite restaurants of 2011 were:

1. What Happens When
2. Cocoron
3. Fette Sau
4. Totto Ramen
5. Kin Shop
6. Barbuto
7. Tacombi at Fonda Nolita
8. Sushi of Gari 46
9. Nom Wah Tea Parlor
10. Eataly's La Pizza & La Pasta

Runners Up:  Danji, Gazala's