Heavy Table Hot Five: March 27-April 2

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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.

Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

1-new - one“Lebanese Night” at Basha Mediterranean Wood Grill
We never got the actual name of our dessert, but the owner of Basha Mediterranean Grill told us that it translates to “Lebanese Night.” It’s a sort of Middle Eastern trifle, sweet bread soaked in cream and herbally-infused syrup, sprinkled with pistachios. The texture was divinely creamy, the flavor surprisingly light and fresh, kissed with rosewater. Something about the sweetness and syrup gave the dish a pecan pie-like sense of indulgence — it’s one of the most intriguing and delicious things we’ve eaten this year.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton in advance of our Central Avenue Checklist]

Tricia Cornell / Heavy Table
Tricia Cornell / Heavy Table

2-new - twoSour Cream with Fresh Walnut Preserves Ice Cream from Froz Broz
Sorry to be a tease, but this particular Hot Five (Cold Five?) item you can’t have. Sour Cream with Fresh Walnut Preserves is the latest pint churned out by the FrozBroz ice cream savants for their weekly Facebook giveaway (lucky me). Most Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons you can stop by City Food Studio in South Minneapolis to see what’s in the freezer. (Ritz Cracker? Chicory Belgian waffle?) For now, however, you’ll have to wait until April 11. The Broz are taking a few weeks off for one partner’s paternity leave.

[Debuting on the Hot Five | Contributed by Tricia Cornell]

Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table

3-new - threePho from Kings Wine Bar
The newly offered pho at Kings Wine Bar is light and sweet, deeply infused with star anise, and more homemade in character than the pho at many of the well-known shops up Nicollet Avenue. The nearly fat-free broth was poured over a tangle of rice noodles and arrived already garnished with basil, bean sprouts, and peppers. The brisket was sliced impossibly thin and served still cooking in the steaming broth.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | Reviewed by Ted Held]

Paige Latham / Heavy Table
Paige Latham / Heavy Table

4-new fourGuacamole from La Fresca
This dish has a bottom layer of roasted tomatillo plus a meaty texture and more substance than just about any dip out there. Blue corn chips are served with it, and they stand up well to the chunky avocado. It is perfectly seasoned and pairs well with a house sangria.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Paige Latham]

Amy Rea / Heavy Table
Amy Rea / Heavy Table

5-new -fiveOyster Mushroom, Smoked Mozzarella, Rosemary, and Garlic Pizza from Black Sheep Pizza Eat Street
The chewy mushrooms on this Black Sheep pizza — the kitchen’s very generous with them — and tons of garlic gave me all the good food feels.

[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Amy Rea]