Restaurants to Try for 2014 and My Favorite Restaurants of 2013

My restaurants that I am dying to try in 2013 (in no particular order, except that restaurants that have been on the list since last year are at the top) are:

1. Brooklyn Fare (still dying to go - maybe one day) 
2. Parm and Carbone (we made it to Torrisi Italian Specialties and it was amazing) 
3. Empellon Cocina
4. Pok Pok NY (we really enjoyed Pok Pok Phat Thai) 
5. Roberta's and Blanca
6. Fung Tu (I love Nom Wah so why wouldn't I love this upscale version?)
7. Alder (I have made and canceled reservations at Alder 3-4 times now but I am determined to go by the end of February) 
8. Mission Cantina (Alex went but I didn't get to go) 
9. Pearl & Ash
10. Estela 

Runners Up:  M. Wells Dinette, Sripraphai, Perla, Charlie Bird, Toro, Betony, Sushi Nazakawa, The Cecil, Contra

More after the jump!

My favorite restaurants that I tried for the first time in 2013 (again, in no particular order) were:

1. Franklin Barbeque 
2. Biang
3. Torrisi Italian Specialties (their fresh mozzarella and beefsteak tomato "pie" were two of the best bites I have had in a long time)
4. Boulud Sud
5. Uncle Boons (fabulously spicy and unique)
6. RedFarm (while the meals we had there were very good, I'm so excited that it is finally open on the UWS that it made this list even if the food isn't quite as delicious as the food we had at some of the other restaurants on the list) 
7. Volta (I recognize that I am cheating slightly by including restaurants from Belgium and Paris on this list, but I tried to limit it to my favorite restaurant from each country)
8. Spring
9. Acme (all of their food was good, but their Beer & Bread Porridge dessert was amazing)
10. Star Noodle

Runners Up:  Khe-Yo (we liked their crunchy coconut rice and duck tongue salad), ABC Cocina (their mezcal cured salmon, cucumber-yogurt relish and golden potato flakes was one of my favorite bites all year), Mighty Quinns BBQ (great sides to go with really delicious barbeque beef)