Photo: Bon Appétit.
BY ANDREW KNOWLTON, JULIA KRAMER, AND BELLE CUSHING
Our search for the nation's best restaurants revealed far more than the Hot 10--like croissants gone wild and a tropical wallpaper boom. Here's a look at the coolest, tastiest trends we uncovered in 2015.
1. Where's the Beet?
Vegetables are no stranger to the spotlight these days. The latest MVP? The humble beet, which can do anything that pork, chicken, or beef can do. See: the Whole Roasted Beet at Cockscomb in San Francisco; the Beet Tartare at 492 in Charleston, SC; and the Beet Bourguignon at Rebelle in NYC.
2. Rope 'Em In
The obvious way to anchor a nautical theme? Knotted boating line, used to decorate dining spaces (and, yes, to occasionally wrap too-hot-to-lean-on radiator pipes) at seafood-heavy spots like Lupulo in NYC and Sink | Swim in Chicago.
3. Supermarket Sweep
Are we in a restaurant or a Costco aisle? Here's how chefs are making magic with some of the world's least sexy ingredients:
Button mushrooms at Aldine in Philadelphia, thinly sliced raw, sheltering beef medallions / Old Bay at Fred's Meat & Bread in Atlanta, dusting killer fries / Boursin at Helm in Philadelphia, stepping in for goat cheese in a salad with beets and peppers / Ranch Dressing at L.A.'s Madcapra. Their "Ranchy" Labneh Dip acts as homemade Hidden Valley
Get the Recipe:"Ranchy" Labneh Dip
4. The Best Seat in the House
After years of stiff benches and backless chairs, the booth is back. We're sitting pretty in the sleek green mammoths designed by Roman and Williams at NYC's Upland (above), minimalist white oak ones at Jon & Vinny's in L.A., and turquoise vinyl nooks at The Americano in Charleston, SC.
5. The Plate of the Year
Move over, muted hand-thrown ceramics. Tweezer-free food like the wood-fired pizza at Marta and coastal seafood at Santina calls for homey, hand-painted dishes with blues and sunset colors that recall some countryside dreamscape where the fish is fresh, the plating imperfect, and the dinner deliciously carefree. Clockwise, from left: Santina's Solimene platter; Marta's Anfora Puebla plate; Santina's Solimene Red Pig dinner plate. See bellezzahome.com and tabletopstyle.com for styles.
6. Did You Hear About the Snail...
...that was tired of being slow? He bought a sports car and painted an S on the door. When he sped by, all the folks would say, "Look at that S car go!" We tell that joke every time we see snails on a menu--which means we're getting really sick of it. At Damn the Weather in Seattle, the mollusks dot risotto. At Le Fat in Atlanta, they arrive swimming in Sriracha butter. And then there's the classic French version at Petit Trois in L.A., with lots of garlic, parsley butter, and bread for dipping. They're no joke.
7. Where There's Smoke...There's Dinner
We're pretty sure chefs this year were in on a big game of "Can You Smoke It?" Here's a look at some of the more surprising smoked items on menus: Ikura roe at Crane and Turtle in Washington, D.C. / Whipped cream at Rebelle in NYC / Lardo at Cadet in Santa Monica, CA / Olives at Damn the Weather in Seattle / Curds at Gardner in Austin / Corn at Loco Taqueria in Boston / Collard Greens at The Grey in Savannah / Butter at Heyday in Minneapolis / Mashed Potatoes at Semilla in NYC
8. Signs You're in a New-School Brewery
You won't find bar nuts and Bud at the country's latest crop of breweries. We're upgrading to pickled eggs with kimchi and offbeat brewing styles at spots like Small Brewpub in Dallas, Threes Brewing in NYC, and Batch Brewing Company in Detroit.
9. We're All Ears
What do chefs have in common with your dog? They love a good pig's ear. Thankfully chefs are churning out snacks far more delicious than Fido's treat. You could say we're up to our ears in them. (Sorry!)
Crispy Pig Ears at Gold Cash Gold in Detroit / Pig Ear Salad at Loyal Nine in Cambridge, MA / Shaved Romanesco and Pig Fries at The Progress in San Francisco / Pig Ear Tostada at Table No. 10 in San Diego
10. Waiter, There's a van Gogh with My Soup
With all the MoMA-worthy art hanging on restaurant walls right now, you might wonder if you're eating in a museum. Nowhere is that truer than at Atlas (above) in Atlanta, home to original works by Francis Bacon, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh (no biggie).
More from Bon Appetit:
All 30 Recipes from the Hot 10 Best New Restaurants 2015
The Easy Weeknight Recipes Top Chefs Actually Make at Home
The Commandments of Going Out to Restaurants With Kids
Hummus Is the 2015 Dish of the Year
The Best New Cocktail Bars in the Country
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