100 Favorite Dishes, No. 34: Surfers On Acid At Local Oak
To prepare for this fall's Best of Dallas® 2014 issue, we're counting down (in no particular order) our 100 Favorite Dishes. If there's a dish you think we need to try, leave it in the comments, or email me.
Spam was never meant to be so delicious.
One of the most exhilarating experiences you can have with food is to be truly surprised by something. Sometimes it's a fine dining experience, like when I was eating at Michel Richard's restaurant in Washington D.C. and what looked like a perfectly cooked hard boiled egg that had been surgically cleaved in half turned out to be porcelain white, egg-shaped mozzarella filled with yellow tomato for a yolk. Take that Caprese salad.
Other times I'm presented something I'm sure I'll hate, like the Texas Surfers at Local Oak, only to end up wiping the plate (or basket) clean. It's a little difficult for me to get excited when a bartender tells me about an amazing bar snack that features Spam, but there I was, looking at an empty basket and wishing I'd been served four sliders instead of three.
The soft Hawaiian rolls are toasted in butter before they receive a modest slice of lightly seared Spam. A red cabbage slaw adds creaminess and body, and pineapple minced with chiles for a little sweet and a little heat provide balance and contrast.
I could never refer to Spam as a sexy ingredient, but it does have a certain allure through its meaty, salty flavors. When a slice is seared and imparted with a brown, crunchy crust it only becomes more attractive. Dress it up like these guys do and suddenly you've got three small sandwiches that can disappear before you can get a few fingers into your beer.
No. 100: Pastrami Egg Rolls at Blind Butcher
No. 99: Chicken-fried Steak at Tom's Burgers and Grill
No. 98: Pasta with Uni Butter at Nonna
No. 97: Camarón en Agua Chile at La Palapas
No. 96: The Wings at Lakewood Landing
No. 94: Chicken Kebab at Afrah
No. 93: Trompo Tacos at Bachman Lake
No. 92: Fish and Chips at 20 Feet
No. 91: Canelés at Village Baking Co.
No. 90: Banh Mi from La Me
No. 88: The Burgers at Off-Site Kitchen
No. 87: The White Album at Spoon
No. 86: Ramen at Tei An
No. 85: Tacos at Revolver Taco
No. 84: Stuffed Chicken Wings at Sakhuu
No. 83: Korean Fried Chicken at Bonchon
No. 82: Grilled Branzino at Tei Tei Robata
No. 81: The Toddfather at Cattleack Barbecue
No. 80: The Biryanis at Chennai
No. 79: Shish Tawook at Qariah
No. 78: Arepes at Zaguan
No. 77: Goat Momo at Everest Restaurant
No. 76: Steak Tartar at Gemma
No. 75: Escabeche at Joyce and Gigi's
No. 74: Spicy Fish in Oil at Royal Sichuan
No. 73: Pupusas at La Pasadita
No. 72: The Kathi Roll at Simply Dosa
No. 71: The Chicken Wings at Teppo
No. 70: Cheesesteak at Truck Yard
No. 69: Chicken and Waffles at Jonathon's
No. 68: Birria Tacos at Los Torres Taqueria
No. 67: Bulgogi Cheesesteak at Say Kimchi
No. 66: Suadero Tacos at La Banqueta
No. 65: Brian Luscher's Post Oak Red Hot
No. 64: Banana Flower Salad at Mot Hai Ba
No. 63: Cinco Leches Cake At Mesero Miguel
No. 62: Cabrito a la Parilla at El Ranchito
No. 61: Reuben at Kuby's
No. 60: Plain Cheese Pizza Cooked Extra Crispy at Zoli's
No. 59: Enmoladas at Mesa
No. 58: Pig's Head at CBD Provisions
No. 57: Rib "Sandwich" at Baby Back Shak
No. 56: Beef Noodle Soup at Monkey King
No. 55: The Nachos at Spiral Diner
No. 54: Elotes, Everywhere
No. 53: The Popeye At Green Grocer
No. 52: The Cuban at International Bakery
No. 51: Rush Patisserie's Croissant
No. 50: Kitfo From Sheba's Ethiopian Kitchen
No. 49: Beer at Craft and Growler
No. 48: Pastor Tacos at El Rincon
No. 47: Banh Mi From Nammi
No. 46: Beef Fajitas From Mariano's
No. 45: Italian Combo from Carbone's
No. 44: The Brisket at Pecan Lodge
No. 43: Chicken-Fried Steak at Ellen's Southern Kitchen
No. 42: Carnitas Tacos at Taqueria Y Carneseria Guanajuato
No. 41: Lamb Burger at LARK
No. 40: Regina Margherita At Cane Rosso
No. 39: Barbacoa At Barbacoa Estilo Hidalgo
No. 38: The Peace 'Stachio at Hypnotic Donuts
No. 37: Nasi Lemak at Kampong
No. 36: A Rotisserie Chicken Taco at Velvet Taco
No. 35: The Burger At Boulevardier
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