This was an exceptionally good food year for me and these were some of the best things I ate in 2015
January
Kal Dosa, Tanjore by Angie, Colaba
Basil-Chilli Ice cream with Jackfruit, EAST, Sahara Star, Mumbai
Blue Cheese Naan, Indian Accent, New Delhi
February
Chilled Seafood Bhel with Kairi Date Chutney and Sev, The Bombay Canteen, Mumbai
Bedouin Biryani, Byblos, Mumbai
March
Beatbox kitchen, is a food truck in Melbourne, run by Raph Rashid. This is one of the best burgers I’ve eaten: a medium-rare patty, pickle, cheese in a potato flour bun
Scones with Clotted Cream and Raspberry Jam, Heronswood Garden Cafe, Melbourne
Slow-cooked Victorian Pork Belly, Brown Apple Puree, Apple Pearls, Pickled Pears and Chervil, Jack Rabbit restaurant, Bellarine
Crumb-fried Pork on Red Cabbage with Wasabi-flavoured Apple Puree, Hive Kitchen and Bar, Melbourne
I’d love getting up for breakfast in Germany and making myself a plate of assorted German sausages and hams
Blood Sausage, Liver Sausage, Braised Pork Belly and Pork Tongue with Savoury Mashed Potatoes and Slaw, Leipzig
April
May
You could taste the flavours of lemongrass, chillis and kaffir lime without having to keep fishing out the aromatics in the Tom Yum Kai at India Jones
The sour-sweet, crunchy som tam salad in the Grand Platter, India Jones, is mouth-wateringly refreshing
Grouper with celery and spring onion, Grand Platter, India Jones, Mumbai
Gyokairui Sarada, Citrus, The Leela, Mumbai
The crispness of the tempura soft-shell crab, the crunch of the tonkatsu batter crumb coating, the sweetness of the crab meat melded together beautifully in this Spider Roll at Saizen, Colaba
June
Roasted popcorn soup, dill and lemon vinaigrette, chaat masala, Nachiket Shetye pop-up, Le 15 Studio
Baby Lobster Potstickers with Mango and Lychee Salsa, Nachiket Shetye pop-up, Le 15 Studio
July
August
Porcini and Champignon Puree with Fresh Black Truffle Shavings, Rostini Bread and Parmesan Shavings, Le Cirque Signature, Mumbai
Ravioli Stuffed with Ricotta, Parmesan and Fresh Black Truffle on a Cream, Parmesan and Walnut Sauce Garnished with Fresh Black Truffle and Onion Chips, Le Cirque Signature, Mumbai
Non-veg Thali, 6 Ballygunge, Kolkata
Panchphoron-flavoured Parshe with Smoked Green Chilli Sauce, Bohemia, Kolkata
Tiramisu, The Corner Courtyard, Kolkata
Beguni at Iti Mishra’s home
Plastic (raw papaya sliced so thin that it resembles pieces of plastic) chutney at Iti Mishra’s home
Pabda in Mustard Sauce at Iti Mishra’s home
September
Steamed Beef Meatball, One Dimsum, Hong Kong
Steamed Chicken Feet with Chilli, One Dimsum, Hong Kong
Beef tripe with Ginger and Scallions, One Dimsum, Hong Kong
Blueberry Macarons by Pierre Herme, Tosca Lounge and Bar, Hong Kong
Broccoli with Sea Weed and Shredded Conpoy (Dried Scallop), Yung Kee, Hong Kong
Shredded Jellyfish Flavoured with Chillies and Sesame Oil, Yung Kee, Hong Kong
Braised Sea Cucumber with Goose Feet and Web in Oyster Sauce, Yung Kee, Hong Kong
Barbecued Pork with Cheese Noodles at a Dai Pai Dong, Hong Kong
Black and white Fungus Salad, Crystal Jade, Hong Kong
Drunken Pig Knuckle, Crystal Jade, Hong Kong
Crispy Eel, Crystal Jade, Hong Kong
Spring Rolls, Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
Steamed Dumplings Chiu Chow Style Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
Har Gow (steamed prawn dumplings), Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
Steamed Spare Ribs with Back Bean Sauce, Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
Baked Bun with Barbecue Pork, Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
Mixed Seafood Soup, Rainbow Restaurant, Lamma Island, Hong Kong
Steamed Prawns with Garlic Sauce, Rainbow Restaurant, Lamma Island
Fried bamboo clams with black bean and chilli sauce. The clams have a more colourful local name – penis clams, Rainbow restaurant, Lamma Island
Fried squilla topped with salt pepper fried rice vermicelli noodles. Squilla is also known as the mantis shrimp, Rainbow restaurant, Lamma Island, Hong Kong
Fried Bread Cheung Fan, Hong Kong
Congee with Pig’s Blood and Minced Beef, Hong Kong
October
Edamame and Chickpea Sliders in Lotus Flour Buns, Pa Pa Ya, Mumbai
Purity of Earth Tian, Asian Kitchen Studio, ITC Maurya, New Delhi
Baked Sea Bass with Yuzu Miso Tian, Asian Kitchen Studio, ITC Maurya, New Delhi
Gouda Souffle with Paprika Sauce, India Room, ITC Grand Bharat
Pani Puri Sorbet, Papacream, Mumbai
November
Mutton Paya, Cafe Irani Chaii, Mumbai
Samosas with smoked mince at The Bohri Kitchen, Mumbai
December
Kewa Datshi Soup
Polpette di Melanzane con Purea di Ceci (eggplant fritters with mashed chickpea sauce and topped with borlotti beans), Romanos, JW Sahar, Mumbai
Rossogolla White Mousse, Cafe Haqq Se, Mumbai
Chilli Bean and Wasabi Prawn, Pan Asian, ITC Grand Maratha, Mumbai
Crispy Sea Bass in Sweet and Sour Sauce, ITC Grand Maratha, Mumbai
Chicken Stew, Dakshin Coastal, ITC Grand Maratha, Mumbai
Rasam, Dakshin Coastal, ITC GRand Maratha, Mumbai
Antoine Lewis aka The Curly-Haired Cook 