Restaurant Experts Sum Up 2014 in One Word

As is the tradition at Eater, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types, and bloggers. This year, we asked the group eight questions running the gamut from meal of the year to top restaurant newcomers. Their answers will appear throughout the week. Responses are related in no particular order; all are cut, pasted, and (mostly) unedited herein. Readers, please do add your survey answers in the comments.

Q: Describe 2014 in one word.

Mister Meatball, writer:
Predictable.

Rachel Forrest, Seacoast Online:
GastroDiner (alt. GastroPub but that's slightly different and from a few years ago).

John Golden, The Golden Dish:
Eclectic.

Rob Schatz, Eating Portland Alive:
Food trucks. Okay, two words but I said them really fast!

Emily Burnham, Bangor Daily News:
Expansion.

Joe Ricchio, Maine Magazine:
Surprising.

Kate McCarty, The Blueberry Files:
Full.

Kathleen Pierce, Bangor Daily News:
Gluten-free.

Susan Axelrod, Maine Today:
Beer.

Michael Cain and Meredith Perdue, Map and Menu:
Technically two words: Small plates.