DOS HERMANOS: GO EVERYWHERE, EAT EVERYTHING

2009 has been an interesting year. Although, new openings in London have been, on the whole, pretty underwhelming, that does not mean that DH have not eaten well. Instead, we have revisited old favourites and spent more time on the road, both in the UK and abroad as we search for great food.

Personal highlights include a trip to Extremadura to visit a producer of Jamon Iberico de Bellota, a very brief stay in Firenze, during which I was introduced to the Lampredotto, a sandwich made from the fourth stomach of the cow and, of course, the trip around the UK for my upcoming book EATING FOR BRITAIN.

On top of which, we have hosted four very well received DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS evenings at Vinoteca, Brindisa, The Bull & Last and Bentley's and have more venues planned for 2010.

Journeys to the US have added some more good eating, not just in Los Angeles but also as I travelled around on the tour to promote EAT MY GLOBE, which took me to New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Kansas City and Santa Cruz. I have a lot more travels in the US to come. Watch this space

Here then, in no particular order are some of my top tastes of 2009. Of course, if I was to do the list tomorrow, it would probably be entirely different. But, I hope at the very least it makes some of you rather hungry and keen to seek out the very best food you can find in 2010.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone.

ROAST GROUSE AT RULES RESTAURANT (London, England)

ROAST BEEF AND YORKSHIRE PUDDING PREPARED BY ANDREW PORTER AT THE PAVILLION HOTEL (York, England)

RAMEN AT DAIKOKUYA IN LITTLE TOKYO (Los Angeles, USA)

RABBIT PIE PREPARED BY STEWART BLACKMAN OF THE COUNTRY BUMPKIN (Hertfordshire, England)

A BREAKFAST OF SPOTTED DICK AND CREAM AT THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING (Alnwick, England)

SCOTTISH OATCAKES FRESH OFF THE GRIDDLE AT THE ADAMSON BAKERY (Pittenweem, Scotland)

THE "HOLLYWOOD" CUT OF BABY BACK RIBS AT THE AMERICAN ROYAL (Kansas City, USA)

DOUBLE CHILLI CHEESEBURGER FROM MARTY'S (Los Angeles, USA)

HOT WELSH CAKES AT MADDOX BAKERY (The Gower, Wales)

ROAST GOOSE PREPARED BY MY DEAR FRIEND LIZ HASKELL (Los Angeles, USA)

TAYLORS YORKSHIRE TEA & A VANILLA SLICE IN THE STAFF DINING ROOM OF BETTY'S CRAFT BAKERY (Harrogate, England)

THE FULL IRISH BREAKFAST AT THE GEORGIAN HOUSE (Comber, Northern Ireland)

AFTERNOON TEA AT BROWN'S HOTEL (London, England)

"LONDON CURE" SMOKED SALMON AT H FORMAN & SON (London, England)

LAMPREDOTTO SANDWICH MADE FROM THE FOURTH STOMACH OF THE COW (Firenze, Italy)

THE "KING'S LIVER" EATEN WITHIN TWO HOURS OF THE DEER BEING SHOT BY MIKE ROBINSON OF THE POT KILN (Yattendon, England)

ROAST PORK SANDWICH WITH SHARP PROVOLONE FROM JOHN'S ROAST PORK (Philadelphia, USA)

JAMON IBERICO DE BELLOTA CARVED BY THE FARMER (Extremadura, Spain)

ROAST BONE MARROW WITH CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS AND QUAIL EGG AT THE KITCHIN (Edinburgh, Scotland)

A SUPERB FISH PIE SERVED AT A DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS MEAL AT BENTLEYS (London, England)

THE BEST HAMBURGER IN LONDON AT HAWKSMOOR (London, England)

ROAST HAND OF PORK SERVED AT A DINE WITH DOS HERMANOS MEAL AT THE BULL & LAST (London, England)

SOME OF THE BEST FISH & CHIPS I HAVE EATEN THIS YEAR AT THE GREAT BRITISH EATERY (Birmingham, England)

VENISON PIE AT LA BECASSE (Ludlow, England)

THE FATHER'S OFFICE BURGER (Culver City, USA)

FAGGOTS WRAPPED IN BACON MADE MY SUPERB BUTCHER, N.R. JAMES (Raglan, Wales)

SMOKED BACK BACON AT DENHAY FARM (Dorset, England)

CURRY MUTTON DINNER AT RUSSELL'S ( Birmingham, England)

CRAB STEW KOREAN STYLE AT ON DAL (Los Angeles, USA)

FRESH CLOTTED CREAM AT THE RODDAS FACTORY (Cornwall, England)

KOREAN BBQ "SLIDERS" FROM THE KOGI TACO TRUCK (Los Angeles, USA)

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA MADE FOR ME BY ITS CREATOR ALI ASIF ASLAM (Glasgow, Scotland)

CAWL (Saundersfoot, Wales)

BEEF COBBLER MADE FOR ME BY NICOLA, THE WIFE OF IAN "MRS KING'S PORK PIES" HARTLAND TO MAKE UP FOR BEING ASKED TO JUDGE THE "SAVOURY VEGETARIAN PIE" SECTION AT THE GREAT BRITISH PIE COMPETITION (Melton Mowbray, England)