All 36 Recipes from the Hot 10 Best New Restaurants 2016
From Lord Stanley's homage to vegetables in San Francisco to the incredible pintxos at Morcilla in Pittsburgh, these dishes represent the best in America. Even if you can't jet around the country to get a table, you can still get taste right in your own kitchen.
Peden & Munk1/36Crab with Romaine, Dill Sauce, and Sunflower Seeds
Sprouting and frying the sunflower seeds completely transforms their flavor. But just using salted, roasted sunflower seeds would also work fine. This recipe is from Staplehouse, America's Best New Restaurant 2016.
Peden & Munk2/36Chicken Liver Mousse with Burnt Honey Gelée
This has become a Staplehouse all-star. We simplified it a bit, setting it in jars rather than the buttery pastry crust it’s served in at the restaurant. Don’t worry: We didn’t mess with the shamelessly high ratio of butter and cream to liver.
Peden & Munk3/36Roasted Cauliflower with Sesame and Bonito
Great chefs, like those at Staplehouse, take great pride in turning humble vegetables into world-class dishes. Which is something you ought to remind yourself of while simmering sesame seeds for 2 hours to make a sauce for this cauliflower.
Peden & Munk4/36Farro with Roasted Mushrooms
At Staplehouse, they use Anson Mills’ farro piccolo for this dish. Unpearled farro, though, will be very similar, and if you see grains labeled einkorn, use that.
Alex Lau5/36Pork, Vegetable, and Tamarind Stew
The finished stew should be decidedly sour, tamarind’s calling card, but you’re in control of how puckery things get. You can sub other vegetables or simplify the array, but be very careful not to overcook them. This recipe is from Bad Saint, #2 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Alex Lau6/36Coconut-Vegetable Slaw
An addictive slaw from Bad Saint with sweetness from the fresh coconut and sneaky, creeping heat from the chiles. Be warned!
Alex Lau7/36Yellow Chicken Adobo
Though widely accepted as the national dish of the Philippines, no two adobos are the same. This one from Bad Saint calls for an unapologetic amount of turmeric, which has a somewhat bitter, definitely earthy flavor, and those deep, dark notes are backed up by charred coconut.
Shredded Sweet Potato and Carrot Fritters8/36Shredded Sweet Potato and Carrot Fritters (Ukoy)
Frying ukoy the Bad Saint way is a very active process—the fritter will blow apart in the oil before you tease it back together. Use a tall pot with plenty of extra room since the oil will bubble vigorously when the mix hits it.
Alex Lau9/36Black Rice Bilo-Bilo
A Filipino comfort food that’s traditionally made with chewy rice dumplings. The one served at Bad Saint, made with black rice, has an amazing color, addictively chewy texture, and earthy flavor to balances the sweetness.
Gentyl & Hyers10/36Grilled King Trumpet Mushrooms with Almond Dip
This creamy almond dip would be a terrific and unexpected pairing with any vegetable crudité. This recipe is from Lord Stanley, #3 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Gentl & Hyers11/36White Sweet Potato Crisps with Ricotta and Scallion
This ingenious Lord Stanley way to prepare sweet potatoes will make you take back every bad word you ever said about them.
Keirnan Monaghan & Theo Vamvounakis12/36Goat Cheese Croquettes with Spiced Membrillo
What’s membrillo? It’s quince paste, which chef Justin Severino amps up with a bit of heat. We’ll be spreading it inside bread for grilled cheese from now on. This recipe is from Morcilla, #4 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Keirnan Monaghan & Theo Vamvounakis13/36Marinated Manchego with Orange Preserve
Set this up on Sunday and have tapas at home when you get back from work, all week long, courtesy of Morcilla.
Keirnan Monaghan & Theo Vamvounakis14/36Jamón-Wrapped Spanish Tortilla with Piquillo Relish
In this recipe from Morcilla, use prosciutto if Serrano is unavailable, and make sure the relish is nice and acidic to stand up to the richness of the ham and eggs.
15/36Toast with Tomato Jam, Boquerones, and Lemon Oil
Even so-so tomatoes will become sweet and deliciously concentrated after this treatment from Morcilla.
Keirnan Monaghan & Theo Vamvounakis16/36Spanish Chorizo with Dates, Cabrales, and Vanilla Oil
The aromatic sweetness of the vanilla complements the sharp blue cheese and smoky-spicy sausage in this recipe from Morcilla, and, since we doubt you’re curing your own chorizo, it’s the single handmade element on this tapas plate.
Keirnan Monaghan & Theo Vamvounakis17/36Red Sangria with Herbs and Citrus
Just because this is an infused mixture of wine, brandy, and orange liqueur doesn’t mean you can just throw anything in there and expect it to taste good. Use spirits you’d be happy to sip on their own, like they do at Morcilla.
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott18/36Double-Baked Buttery Shortbread Cookies
The biscotti of shortbread: Cooking these impossibly tender cookies twice encourages the flour and butter to take on a toasty, nutty flavor. This recipe is from Baroo, #5 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott19/36Kimchi Fried Rice
Full disclosure: We streamlined and simplified this recipe so that it could be makeable by a home cook. At Baroo, virtually every element on the plate is a product of painstaking labor and time; to taste the original, get thee to Los Angeles.
Elizabeth Cecil20/36Strozzapreti Carbonara with Radishes
You can finish this carbonara with other seasonal vegetables, such as shredded brussels sprouts or Napa cabbage. This recipe is from Oberlin, #7 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Elizabeth Cecil21/36Kohlrabi Caesar Salad
This is made with house-pickled herring at Oberlin, but smoked trout is equally delicious as an anchovy alt. If you can’t get kohlrabi, try this same scenario on romaine.
Elizabeth Cecil22/36Roasted Beets with Fennel and Bonito Dressing
Granted, this is a bit of work for a salad, but that’s how to transform vegetables into brag-worthy ingredients like at Oberlin. To simplify, you could char the beets and greens in a dry cast-iron skillet.
Elizabeth Cecil23/36Crispy Gnocchi with Littleneck Clams
Don’t be tempted to disturb the gnocchi when browning—Oberlin's hands-off approach is key to letting them develop a deep brown color on one side.
Elizabeth Cecil24/36Cavatelli with Pork Ragù and Spicy Breadcrumbs
Adding fresh puréed tomato at the end of Oberlin's long-simmered pork ragù lends this bowl of deliciousness acidic brightness along with depth. Unbeatable.
Ted Cavanaugh25/36Beef Tartare with Smoked Cheddar
Topping this modern tartare with groats adds an earthy note, but they’re mostly there for texture. A coarse toasted breadcrumb can be subbed. This recipe is from Wildair, #8 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Fabian Von Hauske26/36Persimmon and Prosciutto Salad with Mozzarella
Persimmons stand in for ripe tomato in this caprese-ish salad from Wildair, and if you haven’t had them before, they’re worth trying. Before you buy, things to know: The squat fuyu persimmon lacks the tannins that define their pointy-bottomed counterpart, the hachiya variety. While fuyus can be eaten when slightly underripe (they’ll be crunchy), the hachiya needs to be dead ripe or else it will be insufferably bitter.
Ted Cavanaugh27/36Spiced Pork Rillette
If you don’t have a stand mixer, shred the cooked meat with two forks and then mix it vigorously with a wooden spoon to combine with the other ingredients for this recipe from Wildair.
Wes Frazer28/36Hushpuppies
The pieces of butter in the batter melt as the hushpuppies fry, making them extra moist and luscious. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, #9 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Wes Frazer29/36Tartar Sauce
To answer your question, yes, homemade is way better. This sauce pairs perfectly with Buxton Hall's Hushpuppies.
Wes Frazer30/36Grits Aligot
Like cheesy grits. Really, really, really, really cheesy grits, courtesy of Buxton Hall.
Wes Frazer31/36Smoky Tangy Greens and Beans
Cook the collards in this Buxton Hall recipe until they completely surrender themselves to the rich, spicy, lip-smacking braising liquid.
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Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy32/36Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The egg-enriched buttermilk mixture makes for an especially crunchy and craggy coating for Buxton Hall-style fried chicken.
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Wes Frazer33/36White Barbecue Sauce
There are many different styles of barbecue and more than one kind of barbecue sauce. This one served at Buxton Hall originated in Alabama, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll dip your fried chicken in it.
Franck Bohbot34/36Duck Breast à l’Orange
Pekin ducks, also known as crescent or Long Island ducklings, have small breasts. If using magret, which are larger, cook a minute or two longer per side. This recipe is from N7, #10 of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Photo by Franck Bohbot35/36Pork Katsu with Beet Purée
At N7, they use boneless pork shoulder, which is especially flavorful and juicy thanks to its marbling; feel free to buy a hunk and cut it crosswise into steaks if you wish.
Franck Bohbot36/36Seared Scallops with Chive Oil
Chive oil like they use at N7 would also be good on other protein, like grilled steak or whole fish, such as red snapper. Throw in a sliced jalapeño or serrano for a little heat.
