I’m going to start the presentation of my 2012 Food & Wine Festival Top 25 with a quick look at the dishes that finished in 26th, 27th, and 28th place. Huh? 26th to 28th? What’s up with that?  I told you I’m a F&W junkie, and as hard as I tried to stick with just the 25 plates I planned on eating as I prepped my pre-festival list, I succumbed to temptation. So, finishing in 28th place was:

#28 – Taste of Scandinavia (Scandinavia)

Pre-Festival: UNRANKED

Change: N/A

This one got mixed reviews.  Proving why it wasn’t on my pre-festival list, I think I would have been much better off spending my money on a generous helping of Norway’s School Bread.  On the other hand, my wife loved it.  I found the shrimp to be tasty, and, to my surprise, the herring wasn’t terrible.  I had never had herring before.  I have had smoked salmon before, however, and I didn’t like the taste of this serving at all.  Needless to say, the Taste of Scandinavia won’t make my 2013 Pre-Festival Top 25.  Or, Top 105.

#27 – Kefta Pocket (Morocco)

Pre-Festival: #23

Change:  -4

Clearly, pre-festival, I wasn’t expecting much, but this was very dry.  I had been dying to try the Tangierine Cafe, but I have to be honest, this turned me off to that notion.  My wife didn’t like it either, making this one a total loser.  Sorry, Morocco.

#26 – Chicken Drumstick (Caribbean)

Pre-Festival: UNRANKED

Change: N/A

We slipped this one in on Day #2 of our quest.  My wife wanted to try it.  It left me asking, “How can you screw up a chicken leg”?  The best part of it, to be truthful, was the mango chutney.  We found the chicken leg to be fatty and the jerk seasoning to be bland and tasteless.  Not on next year’s list.

Please … feel free to comment.  Did you like these dishes?  Where did we go wrong?  Or, did we?