The Cat Picks Awards for the year 2023 is both a hard and easy task. Having traveled across two continents and visited more than ten cities, I dined in at least 40 different restaurants. Although narrowing them down was difficult, choosing the winners was easy – once a place stands out, everything becomes clear.
Unlike the Awards for 2022, this year’s (2023) winners are all in the United States. Undoubtedly, those in New York really satisfied us, but to our surprise, Raleigh also has some excellent spots that should not be underrated! Let’s dive in!
Olio e Più wins The Golden Cat 2023! This is so far the best Italian place we’ve found in the United States, and it’s unavoidable whenever we’re in the city. No matter if it’s the complimentary sides like the Italian bread with olives and olive oil or the starters and mains, they are wonderful.
Olio e Più changes its menu periodically, but I always crave their mushroom and octopus starters. The possibly grilled mushrooms with herbs create so much flavor, which I’ve rarely had elsewhere. The bolognese, veal, and cheeses were perfect, but there is one dish anyone should order – the Carbonara, known to be the best in the whole city.
Flavor-wise, it’s on the same level as the Italian food we had in Europe, and I’m glad proper Italian cuisine was brought across the ocean to New York.
The Silver Cat 2023 goes to Rosewater Kitchen & Bar in Raleigh, North Carolina! This was a true surprise – we randomly walked into this restaurant and found a jewel! Their experimental modern American food stole my heart and stomach from the first bite.
I declare their mashed potatoes are different and richly flavored, making them the best I’ve had anywhere. They have a genius way of preparing brussels sprouts by cooking them with sliced Italian cheese, cherries, and basil – how marvelous! I usually order the roasted chicken as my main course and again, I’m stunned by its aroma and taste. Who knew a chicken dish could be so extraordinary?
Very recently, I tried their black rice and thought I was in heaven. It’s prepared with a harmonious mix of ingredients including various mushrooms, cream, shallots, and celery.
For The Bronze Cat 2023, let’s move back to New York and award it to Jing Fong, a Cantonese restaurant. I believe it’s the best dim sum place we’ve been to so far outside of China.
Walking into Jing Fong immediately transported me to Hong Kong, with people chatting in Cantonese and waitresses pushing steaming dim sum carts around the restaurant. Not only does the environment feel like Hong Kong, but the food quality is confirmed by my husband, who has lived there before. The shrimp dumplings, siu mai, and spring rolls are as good as from other top spots, however, what makes Jing Fong stand out is its char siu puffs and char siu bao. These are classic dishes, but the char siu (barbecued pork) can easily be made too salty or too sweet – but here it’s perfect! The taro buns are another highlight that I had never tried before. Apart from typical dim sum items, they offer an endless array of Cantonese dishes made to order! I’m even planning to stay there all day to eat my way through their menu.
Special mentions:
Although I don’t award more than one restaurant per medal category, there are “hidden gems” that also deserve applause. Little Thai Restaurant in Seattle offers authentic and delicious Thai food. The Satay, Chicken Curry, and coconut desserts were so impressive that we visited more than five times in two weeks. Another worthy mention is Saigon Deli, where we also ate multiple times. “This small (tiny, really) place is a true gem and landmark in Seattle’s U District. I have been going here every time I visit for more than 10 years now, and I am always delighted by the delicious food and friendly family owners,” my husband remarked. It’s heartwarming to see the owner’s family together, making wonderful dishes.
The Cat Picks Awards for the year 2023 is both a hard and easy task. Having traveled across two continents and visited more than ten cities, I dined in at least 40 different restaurants. Although narrowing them down was difficult, choosing the winners was easy – once a place stands out, everything becomes clear.
Unlike the Awards for 2022, this year’s (2023) winners are all in the United States. Undoubtedly, those in New York really satisfied us, but to our surprise, Raleigh also has some excellent spots that should not be underrated! Let’s dive in!
Olio e Più wins The Golden Cat 2023! This is so far the best Italian place we’ve found in the United States, and it’s unavoidable whenever we’re in the city. No matter if it’s the complimentary sides like the Italian bread with olives and olive oil or the starters and mains, they are wonderful.
Olio e Più changes its menu periodically, but I always crave their mushroom and octopus starters. The possibly grilled mushrooms with herbs create so much flavor, which I’ve rarely had elsewhere. The bolognese, veal, and cheeses were perfect, but there is one dish anyone should order – the Carbonara, known to be the best in the whole city.
Flavor-wise, it’s on the same level as the Italian food we had in Europe, and I’m glad proper Italian cuisine was brought across the ocean to New York.
The Silver Cat 2023 goes to Rosewater Kitchen & Bar in Raleigh, North Carolina! This was a true surprise – we randomly walked into this restaurant and found a jewel! Their experimental modern American food stole my heart and stomach from the first bite.
I declare their mashed potatoes are different and richly flavored, making them the best I’ve had anywhere. They have a genius way of preparing brussels sprouts by cooking them with sliced Italian cheese, cherries, and basil – how marvelous! I usually order the roasted chicken as my main course and again, I’m stunned by its aroma and taste. Who knew a chicken dish could be so extraordinary?
Very recently, I tried their black rice and thought I was in heaven. It’s prepared with a harmonious mix of ingredients including various mushrooms, cream, shallots, and celery.
For The Bronze Cat 2023, let’s move back to New York and award it to Jing Fong, a Cantonese restaurant. I believe it’s the best dim sum place we’ve been to so far outside of China.
Walking into Jing Fong immediately transported me to Hong Kong, with people chatting in Cantonese and waitresses pushing steaming dim sum carts around the restaurant. Not only does the environment feel like Hong Kong, but the food quality is confirmed by my husband, who has lived there before. The shrimp dumplings, siu mai, and spring rolls are as good as from other top spots, however, what makes Jing Fong stand out is its char siu puffs and char siu bao. These are classic dishes, but the char siu (barbecued pork) can easily be made too salty or too sweet – but here it’s perfect! The taro buns are another highlight that I had never tried before. Apart from typical dim sum items, they offer an endless array of Cantonese dishes made to order! I’m even planning to stay there all day to eat my way through their menu.
Special mentions:
Although I don’t award more than one restaurant per medal category, there are “hidden gems” that also deserve applause. Little Thai Restaurant in Seattle offers authentic and delicious Thai food. The Satay, Chicken Curry, and coconut desserts were so impressive that we visited more than five times in two weeks.
Another worthy mention is Saigon Deli, where we also ate multiple times. “This small (tiny, really) place is a true gem and landmark in Seattle’s U District. I have been going here every time I visit for more than 10 years now, and I am always delighted by the delicious food and friendly family owners,” my husband remarked. It’s heartwarming to see the owner’s family together, making wonderful dishes.
Cat trophies designed by SK, based on 2D SVG that was in turn adapted from work by Solar Icons (licensed under Attribution CC BY).