Author: Flavor & The Menu Staff

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff Looking for a flavor-forward dish that answered the need for a gluten-free, dairy-free, healthy menu option, Executive Chef Melissa Mangold landed on the Belton Asian Rice Bowl. “It’s a perfect balance of spicy, sweet and salty with a hint of acidity,” she says. Visually inviting, this feel-good build starts with a base of Taiwanese long-grain rice. She adds edamame, kung pao Brussels sprouts, Asian pear, homemade caramelized kimchi of purple daikon and napa cabbage and triangles of wasabi pea-crusted tofu. “We decided to caramelize the kimchi to bring out the flavors and...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff The Negroni Bianco has been showing up on forward-thinking cocktail menus, playing up the botanical side of the classic Negroni. The version served at Babbalucci introduces fresh notes of cucumber bitters and lemon, toning down the bitter edge of the classic cocktail. “The drink was inspired by the bitter and sweet taste given by mixing Campari with vermouth,” says Enzo Cangemi, the restaurant’s beverage consultant. He uses herbal liquor made with gentian as well as a fragrant Cinzano Bianco, mixed with gin-infused juniper berries. Cangemi explains that mixing botanical-based spirits has a...

Snapper & Shrimp Curry: with seasonal vegetables and basmati rice.

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff When Agustin Mejia, Clyde Frazier’s Pastry Chef, decided to replace the Ricotta Donuts with churros, there was trouble. “The restaurant regulars rose up and demanded their return. They now occupy a permanent place on our dessert menu,” says Bridgeen Hale Rice, General Manager. Why the fuss? “The secret to these irresistible little doughnuts is the ricotta cheese, which creates a springy, airy texture,” she says. “They melt in your mouth, and they’re just sweet enough, without being overpowering.” The fluffy, warm pastries are rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with chocolate and...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff America’s collective hankering for burgers isn’t going anywhere, but something new has crept in: a desire for a leaner, feel-good burger experience. At Graffiti, the house burger answers that demand, combining mushrooms—portobello, trumpet and button—into the patty blend. “The flavor experience is complex but balanced, with umami from the meat, tomatoes and mushroom, while getting a good kick from the various spices and fresh chiles,” says Jehangir Mehta, Chef/Owner. “We typically describe it as a kebab burger, given that it is infused with herbs, vegetables and spices found in traditional kebabs.” The...