Another great year for dining out draws to a close. But before the bōnenkai (forget-the-year parties) erase the 2015 hard drives for good, let's take another look at some of the highlights of the past 12 months.

Noma Japan

Without question, the most memorable meal of 2015 was one of the very first. Noma Japan's groundbreaking residency at the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo opened in early January to great anticipation and excitement. Chef Rene Redzepi set numerous precedents, not just by bringing his entire team (60-plus people, including children) over from Denmark for a month, but also by creating a new menu from scratch.