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The San Francisco Bay Area houses a seemingly bottomless well of culinary greatness. Impeccable ingredients, seasonal sourcing and international flair all contribute to the area’s success. I made three trips to San Francisco in 2015 and spent quality time in Oakland along the way. Learn about my 2015 Top 10 San Francisco Bay Area dishes in order of preference.

5. B. On the Go Arlette

Belinda Leong’s sandwich shop operates on the corner opposite B. Patisserie. The space features floral black and white tiles, reclaimed wood, bright yellow rotisserie, and a steel counter loaded house baked breads and pastries. B. Patisserie is famous for their kouign-amann. According to B. on the Go’s manager, Candace, the Arlette was “a way of getting our kouign amann over here without getting our kouign amann over here.” The Arlette ($3) is based on a classic French recipe, normally with puff pastry, but in this case starring kouign amann dough. This huge flat caramelized cookie with crispy edges and cinnamon flavor was in the works for three months and was well worth the wait.

4. Monsieur Benjamin Quail a la Chasseur

Benu chef Corey Lee went more casual in 2014 with this French brasserie in Hayes Valley. The space features an industrial feel, with glass and steel, dropdown bulbs and a fashionable fox logo. Entrees included Quail a la Chasseur ($32) beautiful stuffing and presentation, with a juicy bird and the “hunter’s sauce” served in a metal gravy boat, crafted with mushrooms and vin jaune, white wine from France’s Jura region, and plated on a supple cabbage bed.

3. Ming Kee Roast Pork Jowl

There isn’t a better option for Hong Kong style roast meats in San Francisco. The Ming Kee space in Westwood Park is simple, with a white awning sporting a chicken, seven tables, a stainless steel counter, glistening meat hanging from hooks, and the steady hum of meat cleavers hacking through bone on cutting boards. A red handwritten menu features many different cuts from animals that walk and fly, perhaps none better than pork jowl. The counterman pulled twin slabs of rosy meat from a hook and sliced to order. The results had melting fat rims and pink meat in the middle with good bite. Be sure to order a side of steamed white rice, with heat that helps melt the pork fat while helping to tame the richness.

2. Frances Atlantic Scallops

Chef Melissa Perello may have shifted her focus to sister restaurant Octavia, but she left her kitchen keys in the more than capable hands of Michaela Rahorst. My family scored a table at Frances on Christmas Eve and enjoyed the experience from wire to wire in the tiny Castro dining room, which has white walls accented with branches and a wraparound bar that faces the street. Chef Rahorst prepared a four-course, $90 prix fixe menu just for the holiday, and my favorite dish involved sweet, beautifully seared Atlantic Scallops plated with roasted King oyster mushrooms, smoky grilled treviso, and earthy sunchokes.

1. The Progress Half Moon Bay Spot Prawn

In California, my favorite limited edition seafood is undoubtedly the spot prawn. These large shrimp with firm, sweet flesh sport white spots on the sides of their heads and make for delectable eating, whether they’re grilled, steamed, sauteed, or served as sashimi. Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski recently featured Half Moon Bay spot prawns on the menu at The Progress, their family-style sequel to State Bird Provisions the former home of San Francisco’s Progress Theater. If you sit at the bar, like I did, Half Moon Bay Spot Prawn qualifies as a Commandable ($10) and is grilled over almond wood and served on a bed of spinach drenched in savory roe curry. The dish was so impressive that as soon as one prawn hit the table, I immediately ordered a second prawn.