Ok, so I ate everything on the 7×7 Magazine 2012 list of “100 Things to Eat in SF Before You Die”…now what? Well, I thought I would take a minute to share a little bit about what I gained from the whole experience…other than an extra pound or two.

Overall, I would have to say I’m soooo glad I decided to embark on this journey. It helped that just about everything I ate was pretty awesome…not every single thing…but just about everything. But aside from the eats, I also had the chance to meet so many wonderful people and explore some new neighborhoods along the way. It did get a little stressful at times squeezing it all into one year…and maybe sometimes I just wanted to eat a Chipotle burrito and call it a night…but ultimately it was exciting to have a goal for the year, and I’m proud that I stuck it through to the end.

So I’m sure the most important thing you’re all dying to know is…what were my favorites, right? Here are my TOP 10…they’re not necessarily presented in any order, other than the Pork Belly Bun from the Chairman Bao Bun Food Truck, which was my very favorite #1 pick of all the eats! Here are the rest…

1.   Pork belly bun at Chairman Bao Bun’s Food Truck
2.   Morning bun at Tartine Bakery
3.   Clam chowder at Anchor Oyster Bar
4.   Dry fried chicken wings at San Tung
5.   A slice of cheese at Arinell Pizza
6.   Soup dumplings at Kingdom of Dumpling
7.   Langos at Bar Tartine
8.   Porchetta sandwich at Roli Roti
9.   Pho ga at Turtle Tower
10. Fried chicken sandwich at Marlowe

And, of course, the second question everyone wants to know…what didn’t I like. Let me just say, there was nothing on the list that I hated. I have so much respect for owners of and hard workers at every place I visited. Everything is on the list for a reason, and just because my palate didn’t love it, doesn’t mean yours won’t. And it’s not that I necessarily hate these things, it’s just that maybe there’s something a bit more delectable that could take its place…?

1. Korean tacos at Namu’s Ferry Building Farmer’s Market stand.
2. Ginger snaps at Miette
3. Coconut buns from King’s Bakery
4. Curry lahksa soup at Betelnut
5. Pickled eggs at Comstock Saloon

One of my favorite parts of the whole experience, though, was that when we would go to a restaurant to try a specific dish a dish, we would end up trying and loving a bunch of other stuff on the menu. There were a handful of these restaurants that I had never been to before, but, after such memorable meals, they are now in my “favorites” rotation, and here they are…

Bar Tartine
Banker & Baker
Flour & Water
Leopold’s

And now the ten million dollar question is…will I be taking on this challenge again next year? Well, considering that much of the list stays the same year after year, with only about a third of the names rotating in or out…well, I’m pretty sure it will be too hard to resist…also, considering my sever case of #FOMO, I’m thinking there’s a pretty good chance it’s a yes.

So there we go! If you have any questions about any of the places I visited, please feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to share my thoughts and help with any menu selections.

Ann is our crafty member, who puts together the cutest favors for us every year! This year we were treated to a set of sparkly polishes, perfect for any holiday event.  (PS…how perfect is her handwriting? She definitely doesn’t need to rely on my trick for gift tags).

After dinner, we feasted on my peppermint ice cream tarts and had a moderately heated ornament exchange. How cute is my little owl ornament below? It was stolen from me, but I managed to snag it back!  Hah!
We also make a collective donation to a charity every year,

• 20 chocolate graham crackers
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream
• chocolate syrup 
• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 candy cane, smashed 
• fresh mints leaves for garnish (optional)
• 12 paper cups