Heavy Table Hot Five: Dec. 16-22

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Each Friday, this list will track five of the best things Heavy Table’s writers, editors, and photographers have recently bitten or sipped. Have a suggestion for the Hot Five? Email editor@heavytable.com.

shepherd-song-banner-ad-horiz-3The Hot Five is a weekly feature created by the Heavy Table and supported by Shepherd Song Farm.

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James Norton / Heavy Table
James Norton / Heavy Table

1-new - oneLone Grazer Ricotta Cheesecake at Draft Horse
We’ve had a lot of cheesecake, including numerous pieces wolfed down during a two-year stint living in New York City. This particular slice, though, is one for the ages: light and creamy, perfectly (but not over-) sweet, and surrounded by beautiful little pools of rosemary Beez Kneez honey taken from rooftop hives perched atop the Food Building. Our whole meal at Draft Horse was memorable, but this dish took the cake.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]

Lucy Hawthorne / Heavy Table
Lucy Hawthorne / Heavy Table

2-new - twoBibim Grain Salad at Young Joni
A cold take on the classic Korean bibimbap rice bowl, this salad is anchored by farro and Job’s tears, a barleylike grain native to Southeast Asia. Piled atop is a color gradient of pickled veggies that shows off some neat knife work, a sweet and spicy gochujang vinaigrette, and a soft egg that’s garnished with delicate threads of saffron. Pierce the egg and get the oozing yolk involved, and you have a stunningly great salad in front of you: toothsome grains, crisp veggies, the soft egg — brilliant.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted from a review by Peter Sieve]

Ruthie Young / Heavy Table
Ruthie Young / Heavy Table

3-new - threeKalimocho from Dumpling
We wouldn’t have guessed Dumpling would be quite so busy on a Wednesday evening nearly a month after opening, but our 20 minute promised wait time slowly turned into 30, then 40 minutes. Luckily, we were bellied up to the back waiting-area bar, where we had plenty of time to enjoy the Kalimocho, a cocktail composed of red wine, Coke, coconut cream, and a red Twizzler twist. It’s an unexpected combo that had the feel of a tiki bar item revamped by hipsters — it was full-flavored from the wine, a tad sweet from the Coke, and creamy from the coconut cream. At first sip, we didn’t know what to think, but soon, a robust, refreshing, and slightly tropical experience grew on our palates, and we were swept away by the whimsical combination of ingredients we never would have thought to mix. Plus, who can say no to a Twizzler twist?
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Ruthie Young]

Amy Rea / Heavy Table
Amy Rea / Heavy Table

4-new fourSpinach Jook from Miss Kim’s
Spinach Jook from Miss Kim’s in Ann Arbor, Mich. is a classic Korean porridge with sauteed-until-melted spinach with an egg cracked on top and cooked by the hot porridge. Mild (but with good flavor), hearty, and comforting.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #4 | Submitted by Amy Rea from an Ann Arbor travelogue]

WACSO / Heavy Table
WACSO / Heavy Table

5-new -fiveChicken and Beef Pho at iPho by Saigon
It’s cold, and it’s going to get colder. Food from the hot zones — including, and maybe primarily, pho — is the only sane response. The pho at iPho on University Avenue is among the best in town. It’s full-flavored but light on the palate, warm and elegant, a whisper of summer amid the snow and ice. We had this dish a few days ago, and it made us feel a lot better about the weather situation. This weekend, it goes from being a good idea to being imperative.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]