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.
Beef Ribs at Black Market Stp
It’s hard not to smile when eating Black Market’s gargantuan, smoky, tender Beef Ribs (aka Flintstone meatsicles) with a side of rich, ever-so-sweet beans and pork shoulder. Though they look intimidating, the beef ribs are irresistible: Rendered fat melds with rich layers of meat under a candied, crackly outer shell. The combination of textures and flavors makes this not just one of the tastiest treats in town, but also one of the most interesting.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted from a review by Joshua Page]
Harvest Pumpkin Soup at Meritage
We feasted on roast leg of beef, a terrific ham-and-apple salad, and legions of glorious starchy sides at Meritage’s 10-year celebration this week, and one of the standouts of the meal was a perennial favorite of the restaurant and its customers: the Harvest Pumpkin Soup. Typically served in a bowl, this dish came adorned with candied pecans and spiced crème fraîche, and it arrived in a pumpkin, befitting the special occasion.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
$1 Burger at the Fremont
Normally $7.95, on Mondays the Fremont Burger is just $1 (with, it must be noted, a drink purchase). A ⅓-pound beef, turkey, or veggie patty served with lettuce, onion, tomato, Fremont sauce, and your choice of cheese: This is our idea of a worthy deal. Plus, each burger is served with a healthy portion of Kettle chips, and you can add another ⅓-pound patty to your burger for just $1. This may not be the juiciest burger you’ve ever consumed, but it certainly gives its dollar-menu competitors a run for their money.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Ruthie Young]
Pork and Beans at Black Market Stp
Black Market Stp takes the concept of “pork and beans” to new heights, and then some. Chef Robert Lorch-Benysek’s flavors great northern and pinto beans with molasses and the drippings from slowly-cooked brisket (he places pans of the beans under the beef to catch the juices). And for good measure, he mixes an entire pork shoulder into each pan. Paired with ribs, brisket, or additional pork shoulder, it’s the perfect dish for the cold months ahead.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Joshua Page as a supplement to his review.]
Fried Catfish at A & J Fish and Chicken
File this one under “we didn’t see it coming.” One of our best bites from our most recent crawl down East Lake Street hails from the utterly unassuming A & J Fish and Chicken, which, as it turns out, does some of the best fried fish we’ve tried in the city. The catfish at A & J has the perfect level of crispy cornmeal crunch to the exterior, a moist and tender fish on the interior, and a classic presentation. “Catfish served with two slices of white bread in styrofoam the way nature intended,” as M.C. Cronin wrote in a recent Instagram post. Look for this in our next installment of the East Lake Checklist on Thursday.
[Last week on the Hot Five: #1 | Submitted by James Norton, with an Instagram post by M.C. Cronin]