Last week, we brought you the best restaurants and bars from the 2016 James Beard Awards. Now let’s take a look at the restaurants led by this year’s award-winning chefs — from the perspective of customers who’ve actually been to visit.
Did somebody mention a road trip? No? Well, they should have, because this incredible list will take you all the way from Seattle to New York City. Make those reservations, gas up the car, and get ready to have one epic summer adventure.
And before you cringe about prices, remember this: Eating food at this level isn’t about sustenance, it’s entertainment — like seeing a concert or a ballet — and should be thought of that way when the check comes.
Best Chef, Great Lakes: Curtis Duffy, Grace, Chicago
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEaKn7pp2a_/
With just 197 reviews, Grace, a Modern American restaurant that Yelp classifies as $$$$ (read: pricy) averages in at 4 1/2 stars. Which, as far as Yelp is concerned, is near perfect. Just take a look at this rave review from Heather T.:
There are some food memories you know as you are making them, will stick with you for the rest of your life. And that happened with Grace…
The waiter brought us complimentary champagne after remarking we must have had a stressful day with our flight. Excellent communication between the staff. Check. My husband and his cousin opted for the fauna menu while I went with the flora menu.
Our first tasting of the incredible talent of Curtis Duffy and his team was the amuse bouche. A trio of flavors to get our palate warmed up, we were practically giddy about what was to come next. This is one of the reasons I love tasting menus, the surprise of what you are going to see and taste. All three of us did the wine pairing which was perfect and enhanced each dish. The synchronicity of the staff with placing our plates, filling our wine and discreetly clearing away was perfection. A notable flavor was the herbed butter. It was hard not to want to eat this with a spoon which I surreptitiously did. Not that that was by any means the highlight of our experience but I tend to not eat butter plain with a spoon.
On another non food note, the dining room was elegant and understated. We enjoyed being able to have a conversation at normal volume without overhearing other tables seated near us. Well done.
From the start of our experience before we ever stepped foot in the restaurant to the end when we were being helped on with our jackets, this is the customer service every restaurant should strive for. It was not an inexpensive evening but that’s ok, because all three of us felt the magic of the evening along with the experience of being treated so well.
Of course, like all restaurants, Grace has its detractors. Kateryna G. wasn’t a fan of the food, as she details in her two-star review:
The Food: Grace is probably my biggest disappointment as far as the Chicago foodie scene goes. Let me preface by saying that we went as a part of the Chase Sapphire deal, so I find it reasonable to have fewer courses, but in no way I expect lower quality from a 3 star Michelin restaurant.
1. Osetra Caviar -1/5. A surprisingly flavorless dish. The caviar was good quality, but the brandade had no flavor whatsoever, its mushy texture wasn’t particularly pleasant either. The lemon palate cleanser on the foil was the highlight.
2. Butternut Squash – 5/5. This was probably my favorite dish, not being a fan of squash I loved it. It was basically a slaw with a mint undertone to it, which was nice and refreshing.
3. Hamachi – 2/5. Perhaps Chef Duffy needs to visit the neighboring Momotaro to learn how to properly prepare yellowtail so it doesn’t taste fishy. It was also a little overdone for my taste too. The beans and the carrot were enjoyable, but the orange foam was unpalatable, so I had to scrape it off.
4.Pig tail – 1/5. Another flavorless dish with the sides adding nothing to the flavor or complexity of the main ingredient.
5. Short rib -3/5. Short rib was very good, it had a perfect texture, but once again all the other ingredients seems to be only used for the visual stimulation as they added nothing to the flavor. The jelly spheres tasted odd, if anything.
6. Desserts – 1/5. Fire your pastry chef. Once I had a dessert at Intro of a lemon-thyme sorbet in chamomile soda; I dream of it to this day. On the other hand, the desserts at Grace were easily on the list of the most forgettable I’ve had. It looked beautiful, but all the ingredients didn’t tie together.
7. Breads – 2/5. We had 3 courses of bread, of which only one was good.The first potato thyme bread was very good, the pretzel was incredibly salty and the last coconut muffin was just bizarre and reminded me too much of a bran muffin (does anyone like those?).
8. Wine Pairings – 3.5/5. The whites were spot on and very enjoyable, however the reds were completely off the mark. The last dessert wine was so unbearably sweet, I couldn’t get rid of the aftertaste even after I brushed my teeth at home.
The Service: While the pace of the meal was impeccable, the servers spent little time to explain the dishes or the wines.
Overall: 2/5. Overall, the meal left me unsatisfied. The taste was sacrificed for the visual presentation, and there was no story to it as many ingredients didn’t pair well together; there was no logical flow from one dish to the next. I would not visit again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEY2EpiR7Oa/
Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic: Aaron Silverman, Rose’s Luxury, Washington, D.C.
Rose’s Luxury is another Yelp superstar. With 1,041 reviews, the New American restaurant comes in at an average of 4 1/2 stars. Rob C. recently visited Rose’s Luxury and loved everything about the experience:
Very few highly reviewed restaurants are worth the hype. Simply put: Rose’s Luxury is worth it and more…
Most of these reviews have all the details — so I’ll keep this a little simpler.
The service was impeccable — more in the sense that our server really made us feel like we were eating at her own home — so warm and friendly (Jolene? Jolyn?). All the food runners were extremely knowledgeable about the menu and both our server and the runners all explained exactly what we were eating and how to eat it.
The food — complex, delicious and perfectly made. It’s really hard to describe how good the food is here. All the dishes combine unique, creative flavors perfectly and both complex and seemingly simple dishes were all phenomenal. Not to miss: pork sausage lychee salad, all the pastas, brisket, and the coconut ice cream.
There’s good reason why Rose’s Luxury is on every single best of list in DC and even in the country. It’s worth the wait and hype hands down. We surely will be back.
But Geetee R., who left a review the very next day, had an opposite opinion, even of the not-to-miss lychee salad:
Not worth it. Too much hype and it left me a little disappointed. My wife got here at 4:30pm on Friday and waited till 5:45pm. They told her to come back around 8:30pm and we’d have a table no later than 9:30pm. We arrived right at 8:30pm and were seated by 8:50pm.
The bread/butter was fantastic. The lychee salad was meh. The goat confit was the best thing we ate all night, very unique. The beef brisket was okay. The service was good, when our server was there. But he would be gone for LONG stretches and we just had to wait too long for every little thing. They “gifted” us the lychee salad, which was a plus.
If you could walk right in and be seated like a normal place, I’d give it a 4. Considering all the hoopla you have to go through for this place, I’m giving it a 3. Overall, the food was good, but didn’t blow my mind. Overall service was ok. I doubt I’d go through the trouble to come back.
Best Chef, Midwest: Paul Berglund, The Bachelor Farmer, Minneapolis
The Bachelor Farmer is a Scandinavian/Modern American restaurant, which sounds super exciting and totally worth visiting. Especially now that Berglund has won his medal. On Yelp, Bachelor Farmer has a four-star average out of 377 reviews, with its fair share of those who heart it 4-ever, and those who think it’s way overrated. Polly S. falls into the former category:
Loved, loved, loved the Bachelor Farmer.
I was charmed by the farm to table general mood. They put their own hip twist to it: a wine by the glass purchase board, a little notebook to write notes to your server, even a little take home ginger snap treat!
The highlight was definitely the food which was amazing, tasty, unique and well prepared. Seasoning was spot on. Portion sizes left something to be desired but it could just as easily be because it was so good I wanted much more. High praise all around for my linguine scallop entree special to my husband’s walleye and sister-in-law’s duck confit.
They are known for their toast appetizer/charcuterie board. It was different, but in my opinion overpriced at $18 for the vegetarian friendly one we requested. It’s cool, but it’s still just toast and veggies.
All in all, a nice special occasion spot with guaranteed great food.
But one review down is Vanessa Y., who did not find Sarah Jessica Parker’s opinion of it to be accurate:
Had high expectations for this place after Sarah Jessica Parker raved about it on her Instagram page while in town. I have to say, although the food wasn’t bad, it wasn’t memorable and our server was a bore. He really didn’t have any passion or knowledge on the food and we weren’t impressed. When asked what appetizers he recommends, he replied, “Well, some bread is always good.” Bread? Of all things listed, it was disappointing to hear he thought the bread was the best tasting appetizer.
Would probably try again though as the location and ambiance was good. Also, food and drinks came out in a timely manner.
Best Chef, New York City: Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto
https://www.instagram.com/p/BE4bcAWB6Nt/
Something-slash-Modern American is a huge thing right now, and Barbuto follows that mold. The Italian/Modern American restaurant has 611 reviews on Yelp, with a four-star average. Apparently the chicken is what people come for. Or, like reviewer Stephanie L., the fact that it was featured in The Other Woman:
This place is lovely! I actually first saw this restaurant in the movie, The Other Women. After finding out it was in NYC, I wanted to go try. I went during August so I was able to sit outside. It was nice and warm, and there was an overhead so the sun wasn’t beating down on your face.
I got the avocado toast and the chicken. The toast was satisfying. I think the bread was a bit crunchier than I would like it to be, but it also gave it a nice texture. Plus, I love avocado so I’m not going to complain. BUT THE CHICKEN. I think the Pollo Al Forno was the highlight of my day. It wasn’t overcooked. In fact, it was perfectly juicy. The best part was the skin. It was crispy, but not burnt, and the spices and herbs used to make the chicken flavored the entire dish. It’s a MUST get!
Emma B., though, finds Barbuto to be hit-or-miss — but has admittedly visited multiple times:
I’ve dined at Barbuto a number of times, and it’s been hit or miss, with variance I would not expect of a restaurant of this esteem and price range. One day, my meal will be superb, the next, bizarrely over-salted or overcooked. Nonetheless, the good meals I have had have been exceptionally good, and I somehow find myself back again and again.
The menu changes seasonally, so don’t get too attached to any one dish. Constants that are also excellent bets are the roasted chicken (with a side of roasted potatoes – this is a must!) and their brick-oven pizzas. Barbuto also stands out with its seafood offerings, variety of bruschettas, and housemade pastas. Their chocolate budino (chocolate pudding of the richest, most voluptuous sort, in a cup with homemade whipped cream) is so overwhelmingly spectacular it’s impossible to finish…
Tips for the newbie:
If it’s winter, sit near the kitchen to be warmer.
Some ridiculously good focaccia is hidden on the menu. You can only get it with the cheese plate. Order the cheese plate.
Unless you are a salt fiend, ask them to go easy on the salt if you order a pizza. Most of the time the cheese is salty enough (with cheeses like pecorino and taleggio favored), and the added dusting of the crust is overkill.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BE1jFGLPf3p/
Best Chef, Northeast: Zak Pelaccio, Fish & Game, Hudson, New York
Fish & Game is classified only as New American, which — what’s the difference between that and Modern American? Someone, please tell us. In any case, while we don’t doubt the James Beard judges for one second, it’s a bit of a hit-or-miss spot on Yelp, coming in with just a three-star average of its 97 reviews.
Matthew N., for example, loved his Thanksgiving dinner there:
Went for thanksgiving. Amazing meal, excellent service. Thought the restaurant was very well designed and the staff trained and knowledgable.
Food was 5 stars. Each course had excellent appeal and we left very satisfied.
Service was 5 stars. Entire service was relaxed, not rushed and very attentive.
Price was too high but we knew what to expect going in so was no surprise.
We followed the meal with a few drinks at backbar, owned by the same people, and would also highly recommend. Went to backbar again for snacks and drinks yesterday.
But Michael B. had entirely different things to say about his meal there:
Yup. I get it now.
Sifted through a lot of these reviews. Didn’t know what to expect. Everything makes sense.
When the $14 bread basket is the most memorable part of your meal, there’s an issue.
We did the set menu with a $25 truffle supplement. But before that, we had to wait 20 minutes for our table to be ready…
Service was meh. Nothing overly attentive or felt like you were being taken care of. Waited about 6 minutes for someone to even acknowledge that we were sitting there. Oh and don’t bother telling them still or sparkling. They’ll just keep switching it up throughout the meal.
Let’s begin with the most pretentious, silliest wine list I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. One bottle at $54 to make you feel like an cheap asshole. And then everything else (mind you not that many choices) are from $100 to $700. Come on. If you offer only about 40 or so wines…have some in the 70 or 80 range.
Or offer more wines by the glass that aren’t $21 to $50. A glass.
Food was ok. For a $450 bill for 2 though, I expect all around perfection. A couple courses were throw always, nothing unique or memorable. Honestly and seriously, the melted cheese course and the bread were the best.
A course that was just a scoop of chocolate ice cream and nothing else wasn’t a course. It was Breyers. At least tell us that the chocolate was made by Himalayan virgins during a full moon.
Honestly, the place isn’t worth this much typing. Pretty restaurant. Meh service. Food that should’ve been cocky for this level of douchbaggery but just fell flat and the most ridiculous wine list anywhere in the world…
No wonder even the locals tell you not to go to Fish and Game.
Best Chef, Northwest: Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins, Seattle
First of all, The Whale Wins is a priceless name. If you’re wondering what exactly to expect, it’s not seafood — Yelp lists it as New American/Tapas/Small Plates/French. So there you go.
With 378 Yelp reviews averaging in at 3 1/2 stars, it’s got its fair number of devotees, including Dorothy W., who stumbled on the restaurant, and hasn’t stopped visiting since:
This place was an absolute treasure of an accidental find… Though prices aren’t the at the cheap eats level where you could eat here everyday (unless you make a ton of expendable money), I still try to come once every month or so.
This place has excellent service, cute decor, and great food. My favorites have been the carrot salad and the sardine toast. They have a steak option for two that I’ve been saving for a special occasion but I’ve seen it and it makes my mouth water every time. Flavors of the food are on the delicate side but portions are generous. If you go through the cookbook (same title as the restaurant), you’ll get a sense of the chef’s style.
I also recommend going between 4-6pm for happy hour – $1 off double asterisked items, drinks and small plates mostly. My friend commented that their cocktails are the best he’s had in Seattle so far so it’s worth checking out once. And if you’re a bread lover, I’d buy a loaf to bring home ($7). It’s not like any loaf. It’s artisanally made, with a nice crispy crust and a very moist crumb. If you’ve had Bread from Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, they are comparable.
But Julie L. was less than impressed, once she got past the cute nature of The Whale Wins:
First impression: Aww, cute.
Second impression: Wait, I’m confused.What I was confused about was their concept. I finally decided on “elevated farm-to-table that’s not exactly all local.” But squeezing a restaurant into a concept may not do it justice, so moving on…
Food takes its time getting out, so there’s lots of time to dig into your date’s head. If you’re not prepared for that, you’re in for pretty long and awkward stretches of time. My boyfriend and I enjoyed guessing what stage in the relationship couples were at. :)
The food itself: Since we only stopped for light food, I don’t claim to know jack squat about their fare. The few small dishes we did get weren’t terribly memorable in flavor, but I do remember how clean, wholesome, and fresh everything was. I also appreciated the creativity I saw on the menu, and it was also very apparent that each dish was made with the utmost care.
Service was on point and friendly, even a bit polished. Gratuity is included in the bill, which I never feel great about, but the service justified it enough.
Conclusion: The food was good, but not what would keep me coming back, and it’s spendy especially if you’re going to have a full course meal for two. What redeems it is the service and more notably the ambience that sets a slow pace for a quality date night. However, some of the seating is a little cramped and may impede on a good conversation.
I would give The Whale Wins 4 or 5 stars if the food could catch up with the ambience.
Best Chef, South: Justin Devillier, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans
https://www.instagram.com/p/BE0EWzpxGhM/
New Orleans is home to one of the best food scenes in the nation — and places like La Petite Grocery are to thank for that new reputation. The French/Breakfast & Brunch/Southern restaurant has a four-star Yelp average with 351 reviews to its name. And oh, those reviews! Many, like Eric F., had only positive things to say about La Petite Grocery:
To start, the blue crab beignets were outstanding with the impeccable fry job and gooey interior loaded with the shellfish. For mains, the turtle bolognese and gulf shrimp & grits both crushed it. I loved the rich, hearty flavors of the bolognese while the grits in the latter were cooked exquisitely well to showcase the delicate texture of each grain.
At the end, the house made ice cream was phenomenal. While I can’t remember the exact flavors, they were certainly more unique like those offered at Ici in Berkeley and had that perfectly creamy consistency neither too rich or icy.
And for wines, don’t be afraid to try a couple to find the right one as the selection of wines by the glass was curated very well and our picks paired nicely with all the food.
A fantastic dining experience through and through and one that I couldn’t recommend more.
But P G. had a different experience (that’s slightly difficult to get through/trust for all its misspellings and typos):
Every dish should have a different flavor, instead they mostly blended together. The food was that of a secondary chef, not the person that demands the protocol of Chef on Saturday night. The special $38 flounder was so overly salted my guests tongue hut the next day. The crab appetizer was all cheese without a hint of texture nor crab. Fried green tomatoes had no taste. Brussel sprouts good. Shrimp and grits bland. Alligator bollenese too spicy to taste but pasta good
At the beginning of the dinner the waiter put an appetizer on our Table which we thought the The chef was sending to our table. Just as we are reaching for it the waiter came back and said it was meant for someone else. So unprofessional I would’ve left it table. Prices were way to high for the food you receive
Best Chef, Southeast: Tandy Wilson, City House, Nashville
This Italian restaurant has 423 reviews on Yelp with a four-star average, and is doing pretty well for itself. Positive reviews like Georgiana H.’s certainly help City House’s reputation along:
Hats off to a restaurant that has found a way to marry the tastes of Italian food mixed with some southern flair. City House is tucked away in a section of Nashville called Germantown that appears to be coming in to its own. We had a group of six that came to dine with a member in our party running about 15 minutes behind. The hostess was really kind about holding our table for us until everyone arrived.
My friend and I arrived about a half hour before everyone else got there and we ordered drinks at the bar and an appetizer. I got the Bandit and together we shared the octopus with bbq sauce and celery. The octopus was tasty and all the flavors worked well together. The Bandit drink had grapefruit and ginger ale which made it an easy choice for me to love. The bartender was incredibly attentive and quick.
Once out of table Lola, our server, was funny and set the scene up for an excellent evening. She suggested that I tried the Grits “Al Forno,” which is a grit cake that had melted ricotta cheese on top and sat on tomato sauce with greens mixed in. Holy stars it was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever loved something in my tummy so much as this meal. I would have never thought to add tomato to grits, but I’m sooo glad they did it.
City House is an amazing dining experience. Definitely a place to tell everyone about!
Of course, there are also those like William W., who gave the restaurant a middling review — definitely fair, given that he ends with the positives of City House:
Problem #1: I spent a lot of money and walked away hungry.
Problem #2: The half chicken takes 30 minutes to cook and is surprisingly average!
Problem #3: The Almond Ricotta Pound Cake was good, but not great.
Problem #4: The caramel gelato sounded amazing, but was definitely NOT one of the top 5 gelatos I’ve had in Nashville.
Problem #5: HUNDREDS of alcoholic choices but very few food options.
(However, having parents in the restaurant industry I’ve always known that a lengthy menu is a warning sign of frozen dishes, not fresh dishes. No establishment can have that many fresh food options handy at all times; e.g., the disgusting Cheesecake Factory menu; so I do actually respect a short menu).BUT WAIT, there were some GREAT aspects of this unique dining experience described as an Italian restaurant that uses Southern ingredients. Quite clever!
#1: There is an appetizer called Goetta, a German sausage comprised of ground pork, pin-head oats, and spices. City House’s version of this dish is OUTSTANDING, exploding with flavor and perfectly cooked!!!
#2: The belly ham pizza is sensational, just as good as advertised!
#3: One of the most unassuming dishes on the menu… Cookie Plate. It doesn’t really catch your eye, but your server can tell you that you’ll get 10 cookies (five different flavors, two of each) that can even be coupled with an order of gelato to make ice cream sandwiches. And let me tell you, every cookie was amazing! But the oatmeal raisin cookie was one of the BEST DARN THINGS I’ve ever eaten in Nashville!!!!! I wish they were bigger. I would seriously order a plate of 10 of those!!! Absolutely masterful cookies!!!I really want to come back to City House and try the octopus and the catfish. But with so many options in this town and a 3-star rating on my first visit, there are just so many other great places where I can spend $70 for two. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back.
Best Chef, Southwest: Justin Yu, Oxheart, Houston
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEksZG8DXch/
This New American restaurant in Houston is doing quite nicely for itself on Yelp, where it has a four-star average out of 229 reviews. Don’t come expecting meat, though. As Chris O. explains in his five-star review, Oxheart’s name is an inside joke at the veggie-heavy restaurant:
Oxheart is the most rewarding dining experience available in Houston. The name, as explained to me by a server wearing a custom leather apron, is a lighthearted joke. Though it may sound like an exotic kind of meat, it’s actually a type of carrot. Oxheart probably doesn’t care if its patrons come expecting meat and are served carrots. The way Oxheart treats, prepares, and serves carrots are so satisfying; who could complain?
Head chef Justin Yu is known for his work with vegetables. My two friends and I ordered the Garden Menu, Oxheart’s vegetarian tasting. Each Oxheart tasting offers six courses with five beverage pairings for $120 before tip and tax.
Each course offered something new. What restaurant slow roasts carrots like this? Where else can I enjoy a mung bean crepe? That cucumber looks frosted, so where are these Scoville heat units coming from?
But each course was also dearly familiar. The flavors were new, but the experience was nostalgic.
The first course, the crystal dumplings, were so delicate. They were different, but familiar. The dumpling’s broth reminded me of my grandfather, who passed away years ago. The tiny dumpling wrapping reminded me of my grandmother. I’ll never forget the way they rolled their own dumpling wrappers and created broths from the previous day’s leftovers.
The fourth course, the porridge, reminded me of the porridge my mom makes for breakfast. But made with Texas grains and winter citrus, the porridge was also a true departure from what I was familiar with. Again, I experienced new flavors, but was reminded of the past.
I would read Pete Wells’s New York Times review of Oxheart for a serious dive into what makes Oxheart so special. From the tattoo parlor next door, to the exposed brick that make up every wall, to the dozens of maneki-nekos hiding in plain sight, to the tip jar for the kitchen staff’s vinyl fund, it’s clear that Oxheart’s atmosphere is in a class of its own. By the time I sliced through the sweet potato dessert, I already knew: I was looking forward to visiting again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD6tjWSkYFk/
Ralph S. didn’t find the food at Oxheart to be all that outstanding, though, comparing it to a popular fable:
I swear to Christ this place is like a real life version of the Emperor’s New Clothes. I just ate here last night and I just don’t get it! Granted there were good things about the restaurant:
1. Service was impeccable
2. Ambiance was great
3. Presentation was beautiful
4. Wine/beer paired perfectly to each courseBut the food was NOT great. It just wasn’t…Here is my rundown:
Crystal dumplings – Small tasteless, unfulfilling (beautiful presentation)
Mung bean pancake – Absolutely delicious
Tilefish – Served at room temperature and tasteless (beautiful presentation)
Porridge – Reminded me of eating a lukewarm cream of wheat mixed with fruit
Bread – Just ok
Guinea Hen – The flavors did not work here. Tasted like a confusing dry chicken peanut sandwich
Dessert – I can’t remember exactly what this was (sweet potatoes and a moose of some sort) but it was by far the best course
So 2 out of 7 courses were really good. The rest of the meal left me confused and hungry. Immediate buyer’s remorse. If you are not into “artistic food” and want to leave the restaurant hungry, don’t eat here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEwJuU_H4j9/
Best Chef, West: Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Animal, Los Angeles
https://www.instagram.com/p/BE2nILClymo/
However the two chefs awarded the James Beard medal for Best Chef in the West decide to split said award (half the year at one house, half at the other? right down the middle?) is up to them. What we do know is that Animal has a healthy four-star average on Yelp, with 2,767 reviews. Joseph J. gave a short and sweet review, awarding the restaurant five stars in spite of a few sketch technicalities (and some types):
One of my favorite restaurants in LA. They serve small plates (tapas) and I’ve tried most of their dishes and all of them are amazing!!
They have a couple of foie gras dishes but my all time favorite is thier pork belly sliders…so simple but so perfect!
They also have a good selection of wine for the wone drinkers out there.
This place is just hard to fond because they dont have a sign outside the restaurant, parking can be a pain too. Still giving it 5 stars just for the food and experience!
Joseph A., on the other hand, didn’t feel like anything in particular stood out to him when he visited:
The menu here is definitely not for vegetarians, nor vegans as the restaurant name entails. Our party ordered the following:
Spicy beef tendon chip, charred onion pho dip – Remind me of pork rinds. Just okay.
Marrow bone, chimichurri, caramelized onions – Just okay also. Had better versions of marrow at other restaurants.
Crispy Brussel sprouts, pancetta vinaigrette, soft egg, parmesan – Anything with bacon or pancetta is good. So, yes it’s good.
Pig ear, red chili, lime, market egg – Didn’t care for this dish. Pig ear deep fried is just okay and mixed with everything else in this dish doesn’t appeal to me.
Foie gras loco moco, quail egg, spam, hamburger – Good version of the Hawaiian dish. Spam and foie gras is definitely a great combo.
Blasamic pork ribs, green bean, potato, pistou – Great flavor ribs. Meat off the bone.
Boner burger – Bone marrow with short rib patty, jack cheese, onions, poblano – Pretty good.
Talk about a heart attack burger.
Bone-in ribeye, bone marrow butter potato aligot – Good steak. Honestly couldn’t taste the marrow in the butter. Nothing special in my opinion.For desserts, we had the infamous bacon chocolate crunch bar with vanilla bean ice cream. Pretty good dessert. Unique as it was when it first came out a few years ago. Wouldn’t come here just for this dessert though. We also tried the tres leches with dulce de leche. A bit disappointing. thought the cake was a bit dry.
Overall, service was okay. The food was good but nothing that really stood out. Worth a try if you’re into trying unique dishes…
Outstanding Baker: Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston
Flour Bakery + Cafe is one of those James Beard winners that is actually practical to think about visiting — after all, how much can a sticky bun really cost? The cafe is doing great on Yelp, averaging 4 1/2 stars with 739 reviews. Julia E. had only nice things to say about the bakery:
Joanne Chang is a boss and these pastries are DOPE. Came here because my mom has been making coconut macaroons with the Flour Bakery recipe since the cookbook came out and I had to try the original. They are just as good as advertised, and the chocolate chip is also amazing. We also got the reduced sugar oatmeal cookie (way better than it sounds) and the coconut cake, which was super light but not spongy like an angel food cake. The crumb was more substantial, and totally delicious.
It’s a good thing I don’t live anywhere near one of these or I’d be eight bajillion pounds.
Christine D., though, found that it didn’t meet her expectations. Poor lady just wanted a bagel:
Came here on a Saturday morning look for breakfast
I live in seaport and was craving a bacon egg and cheese
After 15 minutes of circling meters and not finding anywhere to park I just risked my luck and parked illegally at a resident spot (thankfully I didn’t get a ticket because it wouldn’t have been worth it)
They don’t have bagels here .. What?
So I got bacon and egg on focaccia bread. The egg looked liked a strange yellow square that had been refrigerated for a week and then microwaved.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEolcjXRP4O/
Outstanding Chef: Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles
If folks like January Jones and Demi Moore post selfies at a restaurant, it’s bound to be good, right? Here’s hoping. On Yelp, Lucques has a four-star average, with 921 reviews. Dean C. had a whole lot to say about what he deemed his favorite restaurant of all time:
There’s definitely a certain style to the food here. Most of the dishes feature multiple textures, almost always including something crunchy with the soft, and often balancing the savory with subtle bitterness. Also, I find that few dishes here have heavy or creamy sauces, but the majority leverage various flavored oils to supply that taste that only a liquid could provide. Each dish, especially the main courses, are very complex with many different ingredients, all varied visually and in taste characteristics. To me this is the hallmark of true cooking genius–to combine vastly different elements of seemingly completely different tastes into one coherent and mouth watering creation.
Some notes of my last meal…
1. Bohemian Sour $14: Really great sweet cocktail. Perfect amounts of sweet and sour, with plenty of fruity flavors balanced with good alcoholic complexity. The presentation is pretty plain though. 8/10.
2. Five Card Cash $14: Saffron in a cocktail?–hell yeah. This one definitely delivers for the serious cocktail connoisseur. Tons of different flavor notes here. Just taste after lingering taste. Quite amazing. Not a girly drink. Again, the presentation is extremely plain, but the taste is just so great I didn’t care. 10/10
3. Bread & Olives (complimentary): They have great bread. Moist and fresh, and the crust is absolutely perfect. And the olives are great too. Probably made in-house. 8/10.
4. Warm Squid Salad (with arugula, chorizo, persimmons and sourdough breadcrumbs) $21: …Lots of exotic fresh vegetables here, with lots of pretty reds and purples. The squid is absolutely perfectly cooked, very soft and not chewy at all. The whole thing is masterful… 10/10
5. Heirloom Tomato Salad Mechouia (with charred vegetables, harissa and fried pita) $18: Oddly, this one was the heavier of the two salads we had. It still had fresh vegetables, but there’s quite a bit of sauteed onions and marinated tomatoes, so it felt less garden fresh. Also, there’s more abundant and thicker oil, as well as a big spoonful of cream on top. Quite unusual for Lucques. 8/10.
6. Grilled Market Fish, Salmon (with heirloom tomatoes, torn croutons, black olive chimichurri and opal basil) $32: …Plenty of crunch from the croutons, lots of flavor from the oils and chimichurri, and much more. And of course, the fish was absolutely perfectly medium rare. 8/10.
7. Niman Ranch Hanger Steak (with swiss chard, bread pudding and roasted tomato soffrito) $35: Amazing. As a whole plate, I’ve never had a better steak dish. Digging below the steak is where I found the source of the magic–that bread pudding is something else. Soft and a strangely resilient texture–just melted in my mouth. And there was some kind of cracker or something, lending the crunch texture. Just so much going on under and around the steak…. and the steak!… 10/10
8. Tawny, 30 year, Dow’s Port $20: Disappointing. Not as rich or as complex as I’d expect for an older port. 5/10
9. Tenerelli Peach Pie (with respberry jam and vanilla ice cream) $12: If Lucques has a weakness it would be dessert. I’ve had one of the best I’ve ever had here, but also some so-so’s. This was one of the so-so’s. I wish it had more peaches for one. 5/10.
To me, Lucques exemplifies greatness as a restaurant. It really has everything.
Oh, and ask to eat in the patio–it’s beautiful.
For my favorite restaurant, ever: 5/5
#american
But Jake W. found Lucques to be mediocre. Or, in his own words:
Really, really mediocre. A couple of friends and I dined here for our Valentine’s Day dinner and were disappointed. We split three appetizers — ricotta dumplings, a squid salad, and a forgettable last option — and found all three to be small and uninspired. The squid was way too chewy and the dumplings were flavorless.
Our entrees were served in the same vein. I had a short rib that was alright, but my friends were very unhappy with what they ordered. Desserts, as you can assume, were also bland and overpriced.
Also, why doesn’t the manager bother to ask how the food is? No one checked in on us to see how our experience was.
Don’t bother eating here. Take your business to any of the other fine dining establishments down the street.
Outstanding Pastry Chef: Dahlia Narvaez, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEz358_Qo0y/
Osteria Mozza is a place for pasta lovers. And mozzarella lovers. And, well — just about anyone who loves food. With 2,060 reviews on Yelp, the Italian restaurant/wine bar averages four stars. Many of the reviews center around the house-made pasta, but we say you should also give the dessert a try — that’s what Narvaez won the award for, after all.
Here’s one example of a five-star review, from Jennifer N.:
If you want to impress someone with really excellent Italian food, this is where you should take them. The menu prices are very high, but the quality of ingredients they used is also high quality grade. The ambiance is elegant and classy with lots of dark color wood frame work. It’s not a big restaurant so expect a tight space with tables and chairs and bar area…
Osteria Mozza can prepare a simple Italian dish with delicious and succulent flavors. Don’t skip out on pasta, the two that we tried was really the best Italian pasta I’ve ever had. My favorite of the night was the Porcini Rib Eye Steak, Orrechiette Pasta, and the Tagilate Oxtail ragu pasta. All 3 entrees deserved a well 5 stars! Almost every dish was a deliciously well prepared for a high end Italian cuisine.
(3 stars) Burrata & Grilled Asparagus $17- Grilled asparagus with Burrata cheese.
(4 stars) Burrata de Puglia $26- Burrata cheese comes with bread
(5 stars) Tagliate pasta $24- with Oxtail ragu. A rich tomato base sauce with lots of oxtail. The flavor is so simple but yet rich and flavorful.
(5 stars) Orrechiette Pasta $24 – With fennel sausage and Swiss chard. The sausage and the pasta were very tasty. The pasta was different for me and much more filling than average pasta.
(4 stars) Pork Shank- $36- comes with fennels and mustard frills. The pork shank was very tender. It was a nice big portion and marinated in its sauce but I find the sauce too salty.
(5 stars) Porcini- (Market Price) $102 – Rubbed Rib Eye Bistecca. Definitely a recommended sharable dish. This 24oz rib eye steak was so succulent with flavor and the outside of the steak grilled char to perfection. The mean was so tender and the bone just falls off on the steak.
Striped Bass $36- grilled sea bass. I didn’t get to taste this dish but looked so good.
Fried Potatoes $10- Average home style potatoes
Roasted Cauliflower $14- with red onion, lemon and mint yogurt.
But Clara L. found her food to be both over-salted and bland:
very disappointed!
not sure why it took me this long
but finally checked out the third leg of the “corner of melrose and highland” batali trinity:
pizzeria mozza, chi spacca & osteria mozza
the spicy bucatini and the sausage & swiss chard orecchiette
the orecchiette was better than the bucatini
the crispy breadcrumbs added a nice touch of texture to the savory pasta
the pasta was also cooked perfectly
but like a lot of other reviewers mentioned
it was really (like really) salty
the spicy bucatini was more spicy than salty
but it was very boring and fell flat
we didn’t even opt to try other items on the menu
via veneto in santa monica still reigns supreme in my book
Rising Star Chef of the Year: Daniela Soto-Innes, Cosme, NYC
Cosme is a four-$$$$ Mexican restaurant that currently has a 3 1/2-star average, out of 324 reviews. (Maybe Trump would like dining there…it’s expensive, and he loves Hispanics, after all.) But given that Soto-Innes is a rising star, she has room to grow, and star averages to gain.
As such, the reviews for Cosme are fairly mixed. Some, like Leslie H., love the place:
Don’t usually love Mexican but this was fine dining with unique takes on traditional food and it was AMAZING. The restaurant itself is very pretty – modern, dimly lit, and trendy.
My boyfriend and I started out with the Cobia al pastor, the octopus, the burrata and the guacamole. The cobia was unreal. It was a type of white fish that I had never experienced before. The others were good as well. Then we shared the NY Strip Tacos which were delicious. I hate when steak is too chewy and this was not the case. For dessert, we shared this unreal corn husk meringue which you must get. It was so unusual and it was tragic when the dessert was over.
This is a solid restaurant in flatiron and I can’t wait to come back!
But others have harsher words for the restaurant:
Atmosphere: kinda lounge-y which was not what I expected. The music was fun but the mood lighting and couch seating were heavy-handed.
Service: we had a reservation and had to wait about 20 minutes, which seems like the norm according to other reviews. The service throughout dinner was really attentive and well-timed. Also informative, but a little brusque.
Food: It was good but not great. We got the legendary duck carnitas, but I was more in love with the tortillas. The raw fish was excellent quality but the plating and accompaniments were dull. The tlayuda was tasty, but confusing and messy. The corn husk meringue was every bit as incredible as the reviews say. I wish that I could have it again, but I won’t be back.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BE81_IkhR3S/
