The Benedict 2.0 at Tilia.

​We started this list with one of the most humble breakfast foods and we're ending it with one of the most refined: the corn bread waffles Benedict at the new Tilia in Linden Hills.

Chef Steven Brown and crew bring a fresh take to this iconic dish by serving the eggs on a just-barely-sweet waffle base. The grid-shaped structure soaks up the zippy hollandaise sauce like the holes do in a spongy English muffin, while the cornmeal in the batter adds a bit of grit for textural intrigue.

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Curry, Vietnamese-style, at Gangchen.

​Gangchen restaurant, at 18th and Nicollet, is an unexpected, but useful hybrid, combining pan-Asian fare with a surprisingly hoppin' bar scene--the place stays open 'till 2 a.m. every night!

Gangchen is billed as a Tibetan restaurant, but there aren't many menu items--except the hearty steamed momo--to represent that corner of the earth. Instead, the list includes mostly Chinese, Thai, and fusion favorites, such as cranberry curry.

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New Prague's finest dairy

​There are so many things to love about Cedar Summit Farm's Grade A Cream -- the charming returnable one pint bottles, its MOSA organic designation and its local roots to name a few. But honestly, they have us at the cap of cream, which we like to call butterfat. The thick plug makes us nostalgic for the days of dairy delivery and milkmen, but more importantly, it lets us know that this is the real deal and will make our tea, sauces and homemade ice cream the absolute best they can be.

Huzzah for local cream we can be proud of!

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Is that a whole blackberry?

​Emily and Taylor Harris's Cake Eater has become a neighborhood hang, serving breakfast and pastries in their charming day-glo orange trimmed building. The cupcakes are still important, but have lost their primacy in the wake of Sheela Namakkal's departure for Chicago. While this may sound sad, it has given way to the rise of the baked treats at the Seward shop -- namely the blackberry pie bar, which makes for an ideal afternoon pick-me-up. An addictive layering of custard, fruit and what they call "faker pastry," it speaks to the fact that spring is on its way (we hope).

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A plate of Kowloon Bay in Stadium Village.

​It's hard to contain one's excitement for summer foods as winter finally, reluctantly gives way to spring. We want fried catfish po'boys, State Fair corn dogs, and above all to grill, baby, grill! But while it's snowing in April, it's easy to forget what it's like to fire up a blazing hot Weber in the thick, humid hell of August.

Dishes like the stir fried sole with vegetables at Hong Kong Noodle were made for the dog days of summer. It's light, flavorful and fresh, with no need to add to the heat of the day by firing up a stove at home.

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Spicy meatballs of love...

​The simple joy of a gently spiced meat sandwich filled with hummus should not be overlooked, especially when you can survey its beautiful contents through the deli glass before they meet their enrobing pita. Add to that a cheery person who assembles your lunch with a kind of graceful efficiency and all you're left to do is find a window seat looking out upon Stinson Avenue.

Meet the kafta meatball sandwich -- creamy chickpea spread and a ground beef patty full of love. What could make lunch better?

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Lu Lippold

​People who worship eggplant can't understand people who despise eggplant, and vice versa. It's like theists and atheists: each side inevitably asks of the other, "Why are you such a moron?" It's probably hopeless to persuade your opponents of their wrongheadedness, but if ever there were a dish to convert an eggplant-hater to the church of St. Purple of Melanzane (as we acolytes call it), it's the Spicy Eggplant at Black Sea Turkish Restaurant.

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Extra virgin...honey?

​Move over EVOO, it's time for EVH to get the attention it deserves.

Raw, or extra virgin honey, like this jar from Wolf Farms in western Wisconsin, is not heated or filtered--the unprocessed stuff may contain cappings wax, bits of propolis and pollen--and along with it all sorts of good enzymes, amino acids, phytochemicals, pollen and other nutrients.

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We'd rather have a biscuit in the oven than a bun!

​When it comes to biscuits, the Americans have the English beat: ours have a rich, flaky, buttery crumb while theirs offer just a plain, hard crunch--dunking 'em in tea is practically a necessity. Like the bagel, the English muffin, or other sliced-bread alternatives, American biscuits do good things when split in half and turned into sandwiches.

So a good biscuit sandwich is founded on a good biscuit, which is paradoxically rich and light, just like the ones at Sun Street Breads, the new Kingfield bakery owned by longtime Turtle Bread alum, Solveg Tofte.

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The lure of the puerco

​Some dishes are precious, requiring a dedicated diner to make deep forays into their wallet, the world of impossible-to-get reservations, and hoity-toity food circles. La Loma's puerco tamale is just the opposite, which is part of the reason we consider it like an old friend--always available when you need a little gastronomical comfort, joy, and cheering up.

It's glowing orange hue, spicy red sauce, and umami-rich pork filling warm your heart and stomach at first bite.


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