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.
Seafood Chowder at Corner Table
This was an eye-catching dish that warmed and comforted on a chilly evening while offering enough brightness to keep us interested. The clams, resting on a dollop of brandade, were fresh and meaty. The brandade, a puree of potatoes and whitefish (although traditionally made with cod), was rich and nutty. The house-made oyster crackers were crunchy, tender, and light. Bits of crisp celery offered a contrast to the creamy broth and confit potato slices. And to top it all, the sparkling smoked roe provided explosions of briny depth.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Jane Rosemarin]
Duck a la Presse at Meritage
As we wrote in our story about Meritage’s (extremely) special duck dish, Duck a la Presse isn’t just an entree, it’s an entire complicated, beautiful, and somewhat brutal process that plays out tableside, from duck deconstruction to squeezing to sauce-making. The end product is worth the fuss and expense. It’s one of the richest and most delicious duck dishes we’ve tried.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted from a story by James Norton]
Breakfast Bowl at Coalition
Coalition in Edina now occupies the old Pearson’s Family Restaurant space. Their hearty breakfasts are a far cry from the former classic diner fare. Try the satisfying Breakfast Bowl, made with farro, spinach, avocado, bacon, dried cherries, and creme fraiche. Though it sounds, in part, like health food, it’s flavorful and filling.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Paige Latham Didora]
Fried Bologna Sandwich at Bull’s Horn
The Fried Bologna Sandwich at the newly opened Bull’s Horn boasts meat that was smoked in house, a deviled egg schmear, a lot of lettuce, pickles, and spicy mustard. Hand to God, the first thing we thought of when we bit into it, with all its fatty, earthy meatiness, was that we were eating a decent corned beef sandwich.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted from an upcoming review by James Norton]
Chocolate Zucchini Bread at Corner Table
Karyn Tomlinson, the new chef de cuisine at Corner Table has taken an eat-your-vegetables kids’ snack and transformed it into something stupendous. She infuses her chocolate-zucchini bread with custard and tops it with a rich caramel sauce to yield a moist cake that tastes like a chewy brownie, but with a lighter crumb. The bread is served warm with a slab of creme fraiche ice cream on the side. Contrasts in flavor, texture, and temperature keep this dessert in exquisite balance.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Jane Rosemarin]