Taiwanese fried chicken (Photo: Amanda Fung)
Cover Taiwanese fried chicken (Photo: Amanda Fung)

From Taiwanese street snack to local chicken rice, the Tatler team reveals their favourite meals of the year and where they ate them

This year has been nothing less than eventful and delicious for the Tatler team. As travel restrictions eased and new restaurants were discovered, we had an extremely yummy year broadening our palates and experiencing more of what the food world has to offer. 

To commemorate the year of great eats and dining experiences, the Tatler team divulges our favourite dishes and meals of the year. Below, you'll find tales of home-cooked meals, street finds in Taiwan, heartwarming dinners in South Korea, and one of the best chicken rice meals in Kuala Lumpur, and how they became the meal of the year for members of the team.

See also: Hennessy’s Nausicaa Charrier on what impresses her about Malaysia’s cocktail scene

Giouvetsi

Tatler Asia
Giouvetsi (Photo: Zue Wei Leong)
Above Giouvetsi (Photo: Zue Wei Leong)

"I tried Giouvetsi, a Greek beef stew with orzo pasta, for the first time during a quick stop in Mykonos. I fell in love with this hearty, soul-warming dish made with love in a traditional clay pot or güvec and topped with melt-in-your-mouth beef chunks and generous amounts of cheese.

It became my go-to order for the rest of my trip around Greece. As a side note, it is also the best hangover cure after a night out."

–Zue Wei Leong, digital writer

Sausage rolls

"The best meal I've had this year has to be one of the many that I've cooked for my family during the weekends. Not because they're anything special—I've definitely had much better meals while exploring our local dining scene—but just because I always find making a meal for my parents so incredibly rewarding. 

Having said that, my Dad claims my pork, sage and caramelised onion sausage rolls are the best he's ever had. Of course, he's incredibly biased."

–Katelyn Tan, senior writer, Tatler Dining

See also: 6 bakeries for your fluffy focaccia fix

Restaurant au Jardin's Off Menu KL 2022 charred kailan

Tatler Asia
The vegetarian dish was a crowd favourite at Off Menu KL 2022 (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)
Above The vegetarian dish was a crowd favourite at Off Menu KL 2022 (Photo: Imran Sulaiman)

"My favourite dish for the year was the mind-blowing kailan dish from our Off Menu event, by chef Su Kim Hock from Restaurant au Jardin. I would have never been able to imagine that such a simple local vegetable can be made to taste that good. So it’s the best dish for 2022 simply because of the surprise factor and flavours present."

–Aaron Pereira, deputy editor

Gyoza

Tatler Asia
Lynette's homemade gyoza (Photo: Lynette Ow)
Above Lynette's homemade gyoza (Photo: Lynette Ow)

"My kids and I learnt how to make gyozas on a trip to Osaka many years ago and now every year, we find an opportunity to make them. Every year, this is the best meal I would have had. It’s laborious work that requires some dexterity: a lot of fine chopping and folding involved. Of course, we get very competitive with the dumpling shapes and just before it’s time to eat, we would have each crowned ourselves the Gyoza Artist Of All Time."

Lynette Ow, editor-in-chief

See also: 5 places you can indulge in Japanese katsu

Taiwanese street food

"On our annual mother-daughter trip this November, my mum and I took a trip to Taiwan to visit Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Tainan, where I had my best meals of the year. My ultimate favourites were the Taiwanese sausages that a sweet old lady was selling from her cart on a street corner.

They had the perfect bite and texture and I couldn't get enough. Not too greasy and fresh off the grill, the sausages are made with small intestines and other 'spare parts' that made the sausage just so divine. I ended up ordering four for myself."

–Amanda Fung, writer, Tatler Dining

Jokbal and bossam

Tatler Asia
The jokbal and bossam (Photo: Lainey Loh)
Above The jokbal and bossam in Seoul (Photo: Lainey Loh)

"This will be a hard one to choose but I'll go with the jokbal and bossam I had at 연남족발1987 (Yeonnam Jokbal 1987) when I was in Seoul.

Jokbal is pig's trotters braised in a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine while bossam is thinly sliced pork belly boiled in a flavourful brine until tender, served with warm bean sprout soup, various banchan (side dishes), ssamjang (fermented bean paste and pepper), and crisp greens (to wrap). Perfect for a late-night dinner in 2°C weather.

Of course, it goes without saying that the dish goes superbly well with beer or soju. My choice of poison? Soju!"

Lainey Loh, digital director

See also: 8 ways to use kimchi in your dishes

The Regent Chinese Cuisine's Hainanese Chicken Rice

Tatler Asia
The Regent Chinese Cuisine's Hainanese chicken rice (Photo: The Regent Chinese Cuisine)
Above The Regent Chinese Cuisine's Hainanese chicken rice (Photo: The Regent Chinese Cuisine)

"Looking back at 2022, my favourite dish has to be the chicken rice from The Regent Chinese Cuisine restaurant. I first encountered it during Tatler’s In The Mood For Food event and subsequently took my family to the restaurant.

Needless to say, it was a big hit with my kids. We were blown away by how juicy and tender the chicken was. In addition, the rice is fragrant and flavourful. Complementing the dish was the special chilli sauce with its unique and intense spiciness that elevates the dish."

–Chong Jinn Xiung, editor, Gen.T

Chinese white radish soup

Tatler Asia
Chinese white radish soup (Photo: steamykitchen.com)
Above Chinese white radish soup (Photo: steamykitchen.com)

"This is a tough one. All the best dishes I’ve eaten this year are my mom’s cooking, bar none. But if I had to choose, it’d be her version of the Chinese white radish soup—warm, peppery and nourishing, this soup is great for cold, rainy weather. It’s perfect with rice, and it’s really easy to make!

All you need to do is slice your daikon or Chinese white radish into one-inch-thick slices, cube them or halve them, then add your chicken in, season to taste, and voila."

Koyyi Chin, print writer

NOW READ

How to make a stunning charcuterie board at home

Toast the festivities with these expensive alcohol labels

Not your usual Christmas: 4 Chinese-inspired recipes to try this festive season

Topics