The Best Dishes We Ate In 2011

During the course of 2011 we've all had the opportunity to eat great food. But, with each of us eating an average of three meals a day, totaling a whopping 1,095 meals a year, it can be a daunting task to distinguish which dishes stood apart from the pack.

Click here for The Best Dishes We Ate in 2011 Slideshow. 

For fellow professional eaters, or casual food enthusiasts, pinpointing the dish (or dishes, for those lucky souls with just too many to choose from) that sent their taste buds into a state of transcendent bliss is equivalent to asking a music industry pro to list their favorite song of the year. Tough, but fun. 

Those in the food business know that when you meet someone new, one of the first questions they'll most certainly ask is, "What's the best thing you've eaten lately?" in some form or another. This question is a stumper for most, since as was stated earlier, there are simply way too many choices to choose in a split second. So with a bit more time to sort through our year in meals, here are the absolute best dishes we ate in 2011.

The items that made this year's best dishes list run the gamut from a hot dog from Shake Shack (with cheese sauce and sport peppers) to uni risotto with white truffles from BARMASA in Las Vegas. Seafood dominated the picks, with toro sushi from Sushi Gen, the lobster roll from Pearl Oyster Bar, and The John Dory's oyster pan roast all making the cut.

Plus, to kick off the new year stomach-first, our editorial team also chose the dishes they're most looking forward to devouring in 2012. 

We've shared our picks, now we'd love to hear from you. Drop us an email or leave a comment below with the best dishes you had this year (and those you're still dying to try).