Thanks for the sense memories

2009’s roster of memorable dishes

November 25, 2009|Devra First, Globe Staff

It’s Thanksgiving, time to reflect on the things for which we are grateful: family and friends, good fortune, and - of course - good food. Here are some of the dishes I was most thankful for in 2009. (All things must pass, even the delicious: Call before you head out if your heart is set on a certain selection.)

Steak frites at Beacon Hill Bistro I love this bistro’s bistro for its duality: Both innovative and traditional fare excel here, and I can’t decide which side of chef Jason Bond’s cooking I prefer. His steak frites was just about perfect, from the first whiff as the plate approached to the last slender, golden McDonaldian fry. (For those who must have a chewy cut, abstain. This was a tender strip steak, topped with herb butter.) I could just as easily choose a different dish: a vegetable herb broth with raviolini that was served in the spring. It sounds spare, but the broth was round and lush, the pasta stuffed with bracing green nettles and light ricotta. It couldn’t have been more different from the steak frites, but it was every bit as wonderful. 25 Charles St., Boston. 617-723-7575. www.beaconhillhotel.com.

Gnocchi at Bina Osteria Chef Brian Konefal’s stint at Bina was all too short. When he left the kitchen, I mourned for his gnocchi, tiny, tender, nearly as fluffy as snow. To make them that light, staffers bundled up and headed for the walk-in freezer; the cold kept the texture consistent. The gnocchi were served with Meyer lemon confit, clams, lobster, delicate rings of calamari, and chorizo. I’m not sure whether I miss them or Konefal’s carbonara more. Fresh pasta topped with a slow-cooked hen egg, pecorino sauce, and house-made pancetta, it was rich, golden, and dreamy. 581 Washington St., Boston. 617-956-0888. www.binaboston.com.

Smelts at Craigie on Main I’m pretty sure the folks in the Craigie kitchen can do anything they set their minds to, no matter how technically complicated. Yet one of the dishes I enjoyed most at the restaurant was one of the simplest. During Maine smelt season (nearly upon us again), chef Tony Maws took the tiny fish, fried them up, and served them with squid ink anchoiade. They were fresh and sweet, aquatic candy. 853 Main St., Cambridge. 617-497-5511. www.craigieonmain.com.

Miang kum at Dok Bua Thai Kitchen I can always count on a really good Thai restaurant to surprise my palate. Dok Bua, one I often recommend, did that with an appetizer called miang kum. This little bite featured a wild array of tastes and textures wrapped together in a spinach leaf: dried shrimp, peanuts, coconut, chili, bits of lime rind, and more. It was a flavor explosion. (You can find a good version nearby at Khao Sarn.) 411 Harvard St., Brookline. 617-232-2955. www.dokbua-thai.com.