The American Heritage Dictionary defines decadent as “marked by or providing unrestrained gratification; self-indulgent.”

This brings to mind Roman feasts, with men lounging in togas, gnawing on a whole roasted leg of lamb, washing it down with huge goblets of wine and finishing it off with scantily clad women feeding them fresh fruit for dessert. This would be hard to recreate in any modern restaurant, and yet we regularly throw around the word decadent when describing food. So, I felt I needed a new definition for decadent that will work in modern times.

There are several factors involved that make me consider a dish truly decadent. The first is preparing to perfection an ingredient that is considered truly special or rare. The second is using a fruit or vegetable at the peak of its season, when you can taste its true essence. And finally, it is eating something that is just so well crafted that it puts that uncontrollable silly grin of satisfaction on my face.

Here are the decadent dishes that stood out for me in 2006.

Japanese Kobe beef New York strip Steak at Alexander’s Steakhouse
10330 N. Wolfe Rd. (at Hwy. 280), 408-446-2222, www.alexanderssteakhouse.com
With a $200 price tag and as my ninth course of the Kobe beef tasting menu, my expectations were set a little bit high. But, I can’t even begin to describe the sensations my mouth was experiencing upon my first bite. I don’t even remember chewing; I was swishing it in my mouth as if I were savoring a vintage wine. This was a once in a lifetime experience and I am glad I had it.

Honeymoon at Sushi on North Beach
745 Columbus Ave. (at Filbert), 415-788-8050, www.northbeachsushi.com
This continues to be one of my favorite dishes every year. A Kumamoto oyster topped with uni, a quail egg, tobiko, and a splash of ponzu sauce creates an ideal balance between texture and flavor. And if you believe in such things, all of those ingredients are considered aphrodisiacs.

Bowl of cherries at Luella
1896 Hyde St. (at Green), 415-674-434, www.luellasf.com
I would almost have to consider myself a regular at Luella. I don’t quite get a rousing cheer of “BILL!” when I enter, but most of the staff will drop by and say hello whenever I dine there. This also means they know about my disappointment every time dessert comes. This is not because the desserts are not spectacular, but being allergic to dairy products means I get left out when my companions are oohing and aahing over Chris Wong’s wonderful creations. But, there was this one night this last summer when Chef Ben DeVries remembered my allergy and surprised me with a bowl of the most perfect plump, ripe Bing cherries on ice. The gesture, flavor, and presentation will make this dessert stand out in my mind for a long time to come.

Chilled Maine crab salad at Mas’s
648 Bust St. (at Stockton), 415-989-7154, www.masasrestaturant.com
As a San Francisco native, I often have to defend our local Dungeness crab against the slurs of transplanted East Coasters. But, even I jumped on the bandwagon after eating this salad of fresh peekytoe crab, Satsuma tangerines, and medjool dates. The sweetness of the Maine crab was the ideal complement to the accompanying fruit.

Stuffed lamb heart at A16
2355 Chestnut St. (at Divisadero), 415-771-2216, www.a16sf.com
I sat down for dinner and chef Nate Appleman stopped by our table to say hello and must have sensed I was a kindred spirit. He casually mentioned that he had a special dish he had just created: poached, stuffed lamb hearts. Yet, as he said it, he gave me an almost imperceptible nod, which meant, “You should try this.” Being an adventurous eater, I said, “Bring it on” and upon my first bite of this rich, tender meat, I was grinning like a schoolboy with his first crush.

My appreciation for this dish also stems from my belief that we show more respect for the animal if we use all its parts, even the nasty bits.

Seared foie gras for dessert at Restaurant Gary Danko
800 Northpoint St. (at Hyde), 415-749-2060, www.garydanko.com
The last time I dined at Restaurant Gary Danko, everyone at my table was ordering a dessert course but me. I had perused the choices, but found my dairy allergy prohibited me from choosing one; again to be sitting idle as the dessert course arrived. Then inspiration struck and I called the server back to the table and declared, “I’d like to have the foie gras as my dessert course.” The server replied, “Good, man,” as if I were joining a new secret society.

The seared foie gras is always served with a seasonal fruit and usually paired with a sauterne or other dessert wine. It is a pairing of richness and sweetness that is the basis for most desserts, and I found it to be an amazing way to end the meal.