2017 had awesome moments and very delicious treats.  As someone that is eating my way through Pittsburgh (and elsewhere) I had to reflect on the best flavors 2017 brought with it. I tried and hated brussel sprouts for the first time and I absolutely devoured lots of churros this year.

Emilianos‘ Churro Inception

Every time I’m in a restaurant where there’s churros on the menu, I make it my mission to try one. I saw Emilianos churros on the menu and figured they’d pair well with a margarita. This wasn’t just any churro though, this was churro inception!  Every time I took a bite there was more churro! It was a pleasant and well welcomed surprise and makes me feel like every day is my birthday. This churro was definitely underrated on the menu. It wasn’t what I was expecting in all the right ways. If you’re having a bad day or a good day this meal will make everything stop while you’re enjoying it.

Tom’s Urban’s Pickle Fried Chicken

Yes it sounds crazy, I’m well aware! But after trying brussel sprouts for the first time I needed a huge pick me up. I love pickles! Like I have a jar in my fridge at all times. I also happen to like fried Chicken as in me and Chic Fil A is on a first name basis. When I saw Tom’s Urban had pickled fried chicken on the menu I was all “two of my favorite things. This has to be amazing.” It wasn’t anything short of a rave for my taste buds.

Alla Familgia’s Burnt Almond Torte Tiramisu

Samsung led me here! Shout out to them for loving my foodie photos so much that in exchange for an awesome photo of some flowers from my S8 they gave me a gift card to Alla Famiglia. First and foremost no one leaves this place hungry and entrees are nice but just go for the dessert. Don’t even lead up to it! This burnt almond torte tiramisu was sweet, salty, decadent, and I will most definitely be venturing over to this side of town just for this.

Six Penn Kitchen’s White Chocolate Pistachio Mousse Bomb

A recent Yelp event led me to this delight. At first sight I was all “I have to take a photo but I really want to eat this in one bite.” The combo of salty and sweet is an unforgettable surprise party for your taste buds. I have no idea what the chef at Six Penn was thinking of when they made this but hats off to the chef.

Plaza Azteca’s French Fry Chicken Enchiladas

One day in Robinson I stumbled upon this place after searching for “Mexican food near me.” I had never heard of Plaza Azteca before that trip and man I have been missing out. When I sat down at the table and ordered a chicken enchilada I didn’t expect it to be topped with French Fries. Forget the margaritas (that was delicious down to every last sip) or the fact that they have a fresh guacamole bar, let’s just talk about that these guys know they’re in Pittsburgh and the french fries are the perfect touch.

LeMont Pittsburgh’s Butternut Pumpkin Ravioli

LeMont has a breathtaking view of the city and while I was there I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stare out the window or eat but each was definitely as satisfying. As someone that doesn’t eat red meat every now and then I indulge in a vegetarian dish as I get tired of eating the same proteins. This pumpkin ravioli was the perfect blend of savory and sweet buried under layers of cheese and added pecans were a nice crunch. I’ve tasted just about pumpkin flavored everything but never ravioli. As someone who has a sweet tooth this felt like dinner and dessert and they didn’t skimp on the portion size. I had enough ravioli to brag about and share. This is no longer on the menu as it was on LeMont’s seasonal fall menu but the classic pecan ball on their winter menu sounds like the right adventure.

Istanbul Sofra’s Piyaz

Istanbul Sofra managed to layer flavor upon flavor in such a small dish. I found myself able to eat an entree sized appetizer here and I regret nothing. The menu said this dish was beans, tomatoes, onions, and Turkish spices. I’m not sure what spices that includes but every single one of them plays a delicate part in the balance of flavor.

Alberta’s Margherita Pizza

Brick oven pizza that has the right amounts of everything. They used to bring their oven to Braddock’s Brew Gentleman every Friday and every Friday I’d show up with my order ready. It’s easy to say I’ll just have a few slices and before you know it the whole box is gone. This pizza is so good that I’ve considered following them in real life to see where they’ve gone.

*Bonus: Yokoso’s Polamalu

Yokoso means welcome and I have no idea how I welcomed myself to picking this sushi roll. The roll named after the football player is packed with flavor. It’s shrimp tempura, cucumber, shrimp and tuna. It’s the right flavor in every bite. It has crunch, freshness, and spice upon spice. I’m glad I didn’t go for my regular shrimp tempura roll. Why be basic when you can have a Polamalu roll?

No one remembers the meals they didn’t fall in love with. I can’t wait to see what I treat my taste buds to in 2018. What was your favorite bite of 2017?