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.
Jerk Lamb with Coconut Milk Beans and Rice and Banana-Guava Ketchup at Chef Camp
Chef Camp was a veritable avalanche of delicious food, from duck-egg-bedecked brunch pizzas to beef femur marrow on fire-grilled toast, but one of the bites that really stuck with us was a Jamaican-inspired twist on lamb from Shepherd Song. Bay leaves and allspice infused serious earthy flavor into fire-grilled lamb that was then served with coconut-milk beans and rice with sweet, hot banana-guava ketchup for additional flavor.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
The Old Fashioned Shrub at Wesley Andrews
The Old Fashioned Shrub on Wesley Andrews’ seasonal menu is a complex, surprising drink. Iced coffee is combined with a balsamic shrub then given a sturdy piece of orange peel, some bitters, and a bit of demerara sugar to offset all the strong tangs. On the first sip, the balsamic flavor is powerful, but give the drink some time to settle — eventually the orange peel begins to assert itself too. By the time you’re done, you might just be swirling the watery dregs, looking for the last bit of any of the flavors in your cup.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Amy Rea]
The Kingfield Gobbler at Sun Street Breads
If you enjoy leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches, you’ll likely dig the Kingfield Gobbler. There’s really not much too it — just a mound of super juicy pulled turkey, mayo, and veg on a wheat bun. It’s simple comfort food at its best. Pro-tip: Order a side of barbecue sauce to add a little zip.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | Submitted by Joshua Page]
Jalapeño Cheese Sausages from Clancey’s
Though the spice level of these upscale brats rises barely above a tingle, the chunks of diced green jalapeño add a fresh taste while the cheese brings an indulgent richness to an already rich affair. The casings have a good, crisp snap without any toughness.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted from a review by Ted Held]
Ming’s Wings at Dumpling
The friendly ghost of the venerable Chinese-American hole-in-the-wall Ming’s haunts the location’s new incarnation: the hip and modern Dumpling. You can order Ming’s-style wings wet or dry. We went dry and founded these spice-rubbed little darlings to be crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and mild but full flavored. These wings are soft-spoken, but they’re addictive.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
I question why you include something that people can never get in you weekly wrap up. Chef Camp is over and that dish probably will never been available again.
We generally err on the side of including items that readers can purchase locally, but we do sometimes feature things we’ve tasted from our travels, one-off events, etc. – Hot Five isn’t purely a buyers’ guide, it’s more of a journal of our staff’s experience. Thanks for the comment / question.