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.
Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl With Spicy Mayo at The Cove
The newly opened Cove in Dinkytown may lack the subtle touch of other Japanese or Japanese-inflected spots like Kado No Mise, Kyatchi, or Pinku, but there’s a certain satisfying earthiness to the chaotic, gloppy riot of flavors and textures that define the restaurant’s poke bowl. Guests can choose salmon or tuna and a house dressing or a spicy mayo; we chose the latter of each option and enjoyed the resulting dish, which brought together heat, creaminess, earthiness, citric brightness, and more.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Sour Cream-Raisin Pie at the Cedarwood Restaurant in Onamia
After a long day trip to the Iron Range, my 94-year-old father and I needed some supper and stopped at the Cedarwood Restaurant in Onamia. The counter had a whiteboard with a lengthy list of pies, and I pointed out one in particular to Dad: sour cream-raisin pie. Neither of us has had a piece of sour cream-raisin pie in more than four years, since my mother died; she was a stellar pie maker, and sour cream-raisin was her specialty. Dad had to think about it for a few moments, but agreed that maybe it was OK to try it. When the slice arrived, I let him go first. He took a bite, frowning, then said: “That’s pretty good. Not as good as your mother’s, of course, but pretty good.” He took another bite. “You know, that’s really good. I just don’t think there’s anything more elegant than sour cream-raisin pie.” I tried a bite and had to agree: The joy of sour cream-raisin pie is in its tangy-sweet creamy filling, which Cedarwood provided in near perfection. Poking at the crust, I posited the idea that not only was it homemade, it might have involved lard. Dad poked at the crust too, marveling at its flakiness: “Just like your mother used to make.” It was a great way to transition out of the sour-cream-raisin-pie-less stage of mourning.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Amy Rea]
Muffaletta Sandwich at The Original on 42nd
The Muffaletta sandwich at the newly opened The Original on 42nd was described by owner Andy Lilja as the shop’s most popular. After having it, that’s no surprise: It’s all about the balance, with rich and tender meat, a yielding roll, plus nice crunch, acid, and heat from the giardiniera.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | Submitted by James Norton]
‘You Can Rum But You Can’t Hide’ Slushie at Hola Arepa
Sitting at Hola Arepa’s open-air bar last Saturday night drinking a fruity, sweet rum slushie ($9) as the heat index dipped back into the 90s, I was in the Caribbean for an hour or so. It was pure escapism, and it was beautiful.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Ted Held]
Plain Bagel with Scallion Cream Cheese at Rise Bagel Company
Speaking personally, I judge a bagel shop not by its most complex or audacious offerings, but by its simplest ones. By that account, the newly opened Rise Bagel Company in the North Loop is a rousing success. Its plain bagel has a lovely dense interior and chewy-but-not-leathery exterior, and it’s a terrific vehicle for a variety of respectfully tricked out cream cheeses like the savory scallion number that we savored.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]