ALL ABOUT FOOD: Another year all eaten up

Another year has whizzed by, seen through our food-colored glasses. Laguna has witnessed the opening of the long-awaited Sapphire, the demise of Robilios, the reincarnation of Woody’s into El Ranchito, and the sad departure of the Boom. La Sirena has gone green, bravely presaging what we hope will become a trend.

We have also seen the opening of Sapphire Pantry, with its fabulous cheese selection, and Oliver’s with its panoply of balsamic vinegars and olive oils; as well as the reopening of the Laguna Food Gallery with an assortment of fine gourmet items. That old chestnut, Baskin-Robbins, has been replaced by Tutto Amore, the second gelataria in Laguna. Could this be the start of yet another trend?

What most assuredly has become the No. 1 trend throughout the United States is the ascension of the small plate. We’ve seen it in Laguna at K’ya, Sage and Hush, to name a few.

So, as we reflect on the year that has passed, we have been trying to pick the outstanding food moments for our top 10 list. Who decided that 10 is the ideal number for a “best of” list anyway? Why not 13? Why not 22? We refuse to collude with this deccanumeralism. Being journalists of independent mind, we have decided to conclude this 12-month interval with a top 17 list. Why? Because we can!

What did we really, really like? In no particular order:

? The bread at French 75

An artisanal bread with rye flour from Jacques Bakery in Costa Mesa, thick crusted with a chewy tangy interior.

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The cheese at Sapphire Pantry

Two special favorites are the American Parmesan, which is not fully aged and has a sweet nutty flavor, and the organic raw milk 5 spoke creamery Red Vine Colby, an incredibly smooth, creamy semi-soft cheese with a light but cheddary taste and a spectacular lingering mouth feel.

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The Asian cole slaw at La Cabana

Crunchy red and white cabbage punctuated with cilantro in a Thai style dressing, a perfect balance of sharp and sweet.

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The scallops wasabi at The Cliff

Each small raw scallop is served with a touch of soy sauce, presented on the half shell and draped with seaweed salad, a sliver of pickled ginger and a dab of wasabi cream. A squeeze of lemon on top of this little bit of heaven provides the last element in a savory blend of salty, sour, spicy and creamy flavors.

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The burger at Sapphire

Juicy and succulent with good beefy flavor on a great bun topped with excellent white cheddar, micro greens and pickled onions.

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Vegetable curry at Mozambique

Chock full of carrots, celery, celeriac, peppers, eggplant, potatoes, apples, garbanzo beans and dried dates in a curry sauce layered with distinctive flavors and just a hint of fire. The three accompaniments are Mozambique Spice Company chutney that can be added for heat, sweet apricot chutney and a chopped tomato, coconut, banana garnish.

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The foie gras at The Studio

The velvety texture and sublime richness is enough to make you swoon. It’s served on a buttery, crisp biscuit with a lovely complement of peachy goodness: a lightly cooked, warm, fresh peach and some tangy slivers of dried peach. The lily is gilded with a glass of sweet Tokay wine.

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The fresh fish from Sam at the Laguna Farmers’ Market

Still, it is simply the highest quality and freshest fish at the best price anywhere around.

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The black cod at San Shi Go

Its distinct yet delicate flavor and velvety texture are irresistible. One can choose either a mushroom teriyaki preparation or one in a buttery miso sauce. The fish is perfectly cooked, moist and delectable, and served with a generous portion of toothsome julienne sautéed mixed vegetables. Best of all, it is a fabulous bargain “” half the price of other restaurants.

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The marinara sauce at Ocean Avenue Brewery and Partners Bistro, a tie

The former is fabulous: fresh, chunky and spicy. The latter is absolutely wonderful, full of character, with a nice balance between sweet and acid, plus lots of lovely garlic.

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The scallops at The Loft

Two large impeccably browned moist scallops, topped with a stalk of braised celery and foamed with almond milk are taken to another level by the camomile-infused cherries. The perfumy sweet and piquant cherries perfectly complement the buttery scallops.

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The mussels at French 75

They are tender, sweet and succulent. The sauce is the star and has just the right touch of cream, which gives it a consistency that allows the sauce, abundant with minced shallots, to cling to each and every mussel.

The small plates at K’ya

Monday nights, locals enjoy a 25% discount on their bill, if they know to ask. The extensive small plate menu lists 28 items ranging in price from $3 to $18 with 18 offerings at $9 or less. Portion sizes vary and some are more filling than others, but you can certainly put together a fun and inexpensive meal with a veritable smorgasbord of tastes.

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Tiburtini olive oil

At the Laguna Food Gallery, this buttery oil is the best we’ve tasted in a long time. It is made by two architects from Los Angeles who own an olive grove in Italy.

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Oliver’s 18-year-old balsamic vinegar

This intensely sweet and deeply flavored aged vinegar is intended to be drizzled on food for a wonderful finishing touch. Buy it now while it’s still at an introductory price.

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Claes’ veal chop

Tender and moist with meaty flavor, this grilled chop tastes like good veal used to taste, one of the best ever.

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Cannoli for dessert at Rumari

Cannoli shells are often rock hard or overly soft from sitting in a refrigerated case for hours.

This one is incredibly light and crispy and the ricotta filling, which is whipped for 30 minutes and hung in cheesecloth to drain off excess liquid, is very lightly sweetened and meltingly smooth.

We want to thank all of our readers who have responded to our columns with interest, comments, questions and yes, compliments.

We wish you all a Happy New Year.

ELLE HARROW and TERRY MARKOWITZ owned A La Carte for 20 years. They can be reached for comments or questions at themarkos755@yahoo.com