Sirichai
Come for the Chicken Rice and stay for the Khao Soi, Northern Thailand's signature dish. The red and yellow curry is Burmese inspired. Handfuls of bright yellow egg noodles are scooped into bowls and topped with a braised chicken leg, ladles of fragrant, oil-slicked broth, a handful of fried noodles and a drizzle of coconut cream. Add a little chilli to it with fish sauce, onions and other Thai herbs that come as condiments to the dish for an amazing meal. At Sirichai, the Chicken Rice and the Khao Soi are served with the most delectable poached chicken imaginable. There are two other well-known versions of Khao Soi in Chiang Mai. The version served at the original Lamduon Fahrm (celebrated by Serious Eats) is quite sweet. The superior version at Khun Yai, championed by Bangkok FoodieHub expert Mark Wiens, is a spicier, tastier version.

Rutt's Hut
Housed in a Tudor-style building with a bar, a restaurant and a fast-food area, this cash-only, no-frills institution has been serving deep-fried hot dogs since 1928. “Rippers” are beef and pork hot dogs deep-fried New Jersey-style until the skin cracks and splits while the inside remains soft and lovely. An "in and outer” resembles a traditional hot dog, while the cremator is black and crunchy all the way through. Rutt’s spicy-sweet relish is a dense yellow condiment made from onions, finely chopped carrots, onions, cabbage and mustard, and is really special. Just ask for “Twins, all the way,” meaning a pair of rippers with mustard and relish.

La Meissounière
Sausage intestines, snails and bone marrow are all on offer at this back-street treasure. Yes, you can get steak frites at this unpretentious restaurant serving perfectly executed French cuisine. But if you are in the south of France, you must try these delicious classics. The coarse-grained sausage made with pork, pepper, wine, onions and seasonings is with served with a robust mustard sauce.

Bar Virgile
Bar Virgile is owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of certified sommelier Aubrey Zinaich-Howell and CIA graduate Scott Howell. Bar Virgile sources many of its ingredients locally and menus change regularly, based on what ingredients are in season. It’s the perfect place for a casual meal and a sophisticated bar upscale experience with perfect lighting and friendly professional service. I have enjoyed their charcuterie plate and, most recently, a nicely presented and delicious flat iron steak with shiitake mushrooms.

Carson Kitchen
When Carson Kitchen opened in June 2014, it begat a food revolution in downtown Las Vegas the likes of which Sin City had never seen. Since then, a dozen more worthwhile eateries have opened in its wake, but it remains the culinary leader to this day, and a tough table to score any day of the week. Even with the passing of founder Kerry Simon, the cooking remains as innovative and drop-your-fork-tasty as it did when the rock-and-roll chef was overseeing things. We know Kerry would approve of this turducken pot pie – a playful take on the ultimate stuffed bird -- that mixes three kinds of fowl (turkey, chicken, duck) and bathes them in an old-fashioned cream sauce that would make Betty Crocker proud. Top it all off with buttermilk biscuit crumble and you have the ultimate in comfort food, in a casual setting that belies just how serious this place is about its cooking.

Michael Mina
Michael Mina –both the man and the restaurant – have been a fixture in Las Vegas since 1998. Firmly anchoring a corner of the Bellagio Conservatory, this Tony Chi-designed room is as sleek and chic as the day it opened. Even better, the food is as elegant and timeless as ever. Everyone raves about the lobster pot pie, tuna tartare and caviar parfait, and truth be told, you won’t find better versions anywhere in the country, but it’s in the seasonal items where Executive Chef Ben Jenkins really gets to strut his stuff. This deceptively simple little beauty combines the freshest of Spring peas with gorgeous radishes and piquant boquerones, all of it atop a pea-remoulade sauce that tastes like green-goddess dressing with a higher education. It’s almost too pretty to eat and definitely too delicious to share. Between the room, the food, the spot-on service, and the impressive wine program, MM is that rarest of restaurants: one that keeps getting better and better.

Marcelino Pan y Vino
It is hard to stand out with breakfast tacos, but at this East Austin taquería, they do it twice. First, the egg and bacon taco has a deep rich filling of crispy, caramelized bacon. And second, the egg and sausage taco is made with local sausages from the nearby town of Elgin. Make sure you specify the Elgin sausage taco. The tortillas are handmade in front of you and the salsa sauces are very good. Tacos are $1.85 each.

Salt + Smoke
St. Louis barbeque normally leads with pork. Here is an exception: The brisket sandwich at Salt + Smoke is superb. This isn’t your run-of- the-mill ‘que joint. The sides are thoughtful (a cheddar-bacon popover?), and there are craft beers and a cocktail menu. The beef is as tender as butter, and the sandwich wears a smear of mayonnaise flavored with burnt ends. For crunch and panache, they toss on a handful of tobacco onions, thin shreds that are deep-fried. There are lots of other good options from the smoker: chicken wings, trout and smoked tomatoes on a sandwich and a cheddar-jalapeno bologna (an American take on mortadella sausage) sandwich with chow-chow relish (a tart, chopped vegetable mix) are all notable. Of course, there are the traditional barbecue meats, like pork and chicken. Plus falafel so the vegetarians aren’t left out of the fun. Like many barbeque spots, they close when they run out of food. But here, that tends to be fairly late in the evening.

Lantern
Brother-sister team Andrea and Brendan Reusing opened Lantern in 2002 to fuse Asian flavors with North Carolina ingredients sourced mainly from local farms and fisheries. Their hip storefront was quickly named one of "America's Top 50 Restaurants" and "best farm-to-table restaurants" by Gourmet Magazine, as one of "America's 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences" by Food & Wine and as "Restaurant of the Year" in 2009 by The News & Observer. Chef-owner Andrea Reusing also won the 2011 James Beard award for Best Chef: Southeast. Appetizers range from cabbage and black mushroom dumplings to crispy salt-and-pepper shrimp with fried jalapeños, coriander and sea salt. Main courses may showcase roasted Moulard duck with white sweet potatoes, pickled apple and shallots, or lemon grass-grilled pork chops with jasmine rice, chili-lime sauce and a green papaya salad. Her signature dish, tea-and-spice-smoked chicken served with shrimp fried rice, is available all year. For dessert, guests recommend the persimmon pudding with candied kumquats, cream and local pecans or roasted banana ice cream topped with caramel sauce and North Carolina peanut brittle.

The Greenhouse Tavern
Greenhouse Tavern, a two-floor restaurant outfit with reclaimed wood paneling, concrete bar tops filled with recycled glass and a rooftop greenhouse and patio, is run by Chef Jonathan Sawyer. A James Beard Award nominee, Sawyer is a supporter of the Slow Foods Movement and the man who made Greenhouse Tavern the first certified green restaurant in Ohio. A locavore’s dream, Sawyer’s meaty creations include whole roasted pig head and foie gras steamed clams with red onion brulee. But the menu appeals to vegans as well with plates such as a cassoulet with tofu, hominy and white beans. The 5-course tasting menu is a steal of a deal at $58.