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.
The Hot Five is a weekly feature created by the Heavy Table and supported by Shepherd Song Farm.
Short Rib Ragu with Ricotta Agnolotti at The Draft Horse
The crew at the Draft Horse has a bit of an unfair advantage: access to two top-flight purveyors, Lone Grazer and Red Table Meat, under the same roof at the Food Building. Monday night, Mike Phillips jumped into the kitchen for a Chef Camp multicourse dinner and things really got out of hand. The resulting meal was as we’d hoped, and at the top of the heap was the second course: profoundly rich and tender short ribs — lightly seasoned so that the quality of the meat could speak for itself — and creamy, mellow, ricotta-stuffed pasta.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Lamb Chops with Garlic
This isn’t precisely breaking news, but the scent of lamb chops and split cloves of garlic in olive oil may be the most beautiful aroma known to humanity. Finished with a pan sauce of lemon juice, parsley, and a pinch of hot pepper flakes, it’s nothing fancy, but it also may be pretty much the best thing on earth.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Meat and Pickle Plate at Mucci’s Italian
Not since the Mike Phillips glory days at the Craftsman have we enjoyed a charcuterie plate as much as the one served at the newly opened Mucci’s. The deviled eggs were creamy and flavorful, the mortadella lovely, the pate creamy and bold, and the pickles perfectly done — we could’ve eaten a fistful of the pickled peppers, in particular. The small feast depicted above goes for $8, meaning that it’s a solid value on top of being objectively tasty.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | Submitted by James Norton]
Lift Bridge Brewery Root Beer at Black Sheep Pizza (Nicollet Avenue)
We’ve been digging the beer at Lift Bridge before the Heavy Table even existed (7+ years ago, if you can believe that), but this is the first non-alcoholic thing we’ve tried from the brewery — and it rocks. Most root beer is characterless sugar water. Lift Bridge root beer skillfully walks the line, bringing ample sweetness but also a profound herbal anise kick that helps it dance on the palate.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Curried Lone Grazer Ricotta with Poorboy Caramel Sauce at the North Coast Nosh
We love cheese, and we love culinary risk-taking. So how could we not dig freshly made curried ricotta topped with a drizzle of artisan caramel sauce? The sweet-savory thing sounds crazy, but it absolutely worked — the sweet creaminess of the ricotta helped make the transition to the gently browned sugar flavor of the caramel topping, and the curry added depth and interest. This would be a monstrously fun party starter.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #5 | Submitted by James Norton]
Just a note: I really look forward to this every week, but frankly am a bit disappointed when two of the 5 features are from one-off events and aren’t available to seek out and try. Thanks for letting me comment!