ALL ABOUT FOOD: Top 10 tummy pleasers

We know you have been dying for yet another top 10 list because you probably haven’t seen one for at least a week. Intrepid journalists that we are, we don’t want to buck the trend and disappoint you, so here are our picks of the best dishes found in area restaurants for 2008:

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1. Crab Zone: The crabbiest of crab cakes made from lots of sweet lump crabmeat with a smattering of bread crumbs, moistened with a little mayonnaise, butter and mustard, dotted with chopped fresh parsley and baked with love. The generous-sized cake is served with mango salsa and honey mustard dipping sauce. Hush was a very close second. This is a real New Orleans style crab cake with lots of heat. The ample portion was one large golden-crusted patty with a rich, tongue tingling blend of tastes. It came with an especially good remoulade sauce with lots of garlic and tart lemony flavor. Although the very delicious crab cake didn’t really need any sauce, it was even better with it. Location: 217 Broadway; call: (949) 376-7035.

2. Salt Creek Grille: Their excellent Ahi tuna stack. Buttery tuna is combined with avocado and cucumber in a perky wasabi, ginger soy sauce. The flavors and textures give your tongue a roller coaster ride from crunchy to smooth, from pungent to salty and back again. Location: 32802 S. Coast Hwy., Monarch Beach; (949) 661-7799.

3. Pacific Whey Cafe: A generous portion of chicken pot pie was served without a top. Although we have sometimes seen it served without a bottom, this was a new take. The “pot” was made of flaky pastry and the hot chicken, veggies and sauce were poured into it, thus eliminating a second baking to re-heat the pie. The result is vegetables that are still crunchy, chicken that is not overcooked and sauce that isn’t thick or gelatinous. In fact, the sauce was quite delicious, maybe the best of its kind “” creamy but not fatty, with a light lemon flavor, while the chicken was moist and very fresh tasting. The peas, carrots, cabbage and broccoli all retained their individual flavor and texture. Location: Crystal Cove Promenade; call (949) 715-2200.

4. Sorrento Grille: Seared halibut. The fish was served in a fabulous citrus vanilla lobster jus. Without using a lot of butter or any cream, Chef Ryan achieved a surprising level of richness with the unexpected but satisfying addition of vanilla to take over where the butter left off. It was impeccably paired with the moist delicate fish. Bits of lobster and tender leeks, gnocchi and sugar snap peas brought the dish to a mouthwatering conclusion. Location: 370 Glenneyre St.; call (949) 494-8686.

5. Bluefin: Black cod in sweet miso sauce. As our waitress was bringing it to the table, the sight of it, even from three feet away, had our mouths watering. The quiveringly fresh cod was cooked to exactly the right moment, leaving it moist and succulent. Its glistening flesh had the texture of silky custard and the deep buttery flavor was balanced by hints of sweetness from the miso glaze. Every bite was bliss. It seemed that some of every vegetable in the garden had a place beside it on the plate, each cooked to toothsome tenderness. Location: Crystal Cove Promenade; call (949) 715-7373.

6. Coyote Grill: Charbroiled squash. The charbroiled squash, an appetizer that we’ve never seen on a menu before, may not be something you would think to order. But think again “” this combination of grilled eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red onions, tomatoes and scallions was quite delicious. Somebody in the kitchen has a way with vegetables. Delicately brushed with oil and lightly seasoned, each was cooked exactly right, with just a hint of crunchiness. Of course, it would also make a fine side dish for sharing. Location: 31621 S. Coast Hwy.; call, (949) 499-4033.

7. Sage-on-the Coast: Wild mushroom risotto. This accompaniment to their barramundi, with a drizzle of Pinot Noir sauce, a bit of spinach and earthy mushrooms, was intensely flavored yet balanced, perhaps the best risotto in recent memory. The buttery red wine sauce added a perfect finishing fillip. Location: Crystal Cove Promenade; call (949) 715-7243.

8. Red Mango: Original flavor frozen yogurt. The “Original” tastes somewhat like lemony vanilla. The texture is quite creamy, although not as smooth as frozen custard and there are only 90 calories in 4 ounces. It has sweetness but just the right amount. (Actually this is not just a matter of taste. Fifteen grams of sugar, the amount in a half-cup serving, is the amount that the body can process in one hour.) The taste is unique and becomes positively addictive around the second bite. Location: Crystal Cove Promenade; call (949) 376-4186.

9. Claes: Sticky toffee date pudding: If you’ve never tried this lush, butterscotch indulgence, you’ve missed out on one of the great old-fashioned homey desserts. It is not a pudding as we use the term. It is more like a very moist bran muffin in texture that has had buttery brown sugar syrup poured into it for flavor. It was served with a splash of raspberry puree “” truly irresistible. Located inside the Hotel Laguna, 425 S. Coast Hwy.; call (949) 494-1151.

10. Bayside: Quail and foie gras, from our Gallivanting Gourmet travels. Not only was the quail and foie gras delicious, the presentation was beautiful. Painting the plate was a dark drizzle of spicy sweet gastrique in a griddle pattern. Resting on top was a towerlet, beginning with a scallion pancake, then shitake mushrooms, next the butterflied quail, then flanked by the foie gras and crowned with a sprig of rosemary. To complete the picture, each corner was decorated with tiny bits of chopped red tomato and green onion. The blending of the flavors made a compelling combination that left us punch drunk with pleasure. The moist tender meat of the crispy quail was set off by the rich, unctuous foie gras while the chewy shitakes added earthy accents and finally, the scallion pancake provided a sponge for the delectable juices. Location: 900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach; call (949) 721-1222.

We’d like to finish this annual recap with our 2008 Recession Buster Best Deal: Lucca in Quail Hill: pre-fixe dinner for two for $41.50. Location: 6507 Quail Hill Parkway; call (949) 725-1773.

We wish you a happy and delicious New Year.

ELLE HARROW and TERRY MARKOWITZ owned A La Carte for 20 years. They can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected]