The weather gods have not been kind to the Hudson Valley this summer. Waterways flooded, roofs ripped off, trees downed, crops flattened. Radar maps splashed with streaks of red like tomato sauce stains on an apron. Some people might be tempted to quit; then again, what is it they say about farmers being the ultimate optimists? It requires a certain resilience to grow what is meaningful to a place, let alone create a prize-winning whisky that is finally about to receive a designation of origin from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Tax and Trade Bureau. It’s the kind of game-changer that might give the old guard of the brown spirits world restless nights.

On sunnier days while driving down certain winding stretches of New York State’s Taconic Parkway, the Berkshires heave into view to the east, and then a few miles farther down the road, the Catskills appear across the Hudson, where the westerly peaks turn purple in the low light of dusk. This almost absurdly romantic backdrop enraptured mid-19^th-century landscape painters like Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church, and spawned an art movement known as the Hudson River School.

Since childhood, the vista has always caught my breath. The temperate valley between these two old mountain ranges certainly catches rain clouds. The region has a long history of agriculture, dating back to early Dutch settlements in the 1660s, with first crops like wheat and rye, hops and barley, grapes and apples. An obvious byproduct was booze: applejack, hard cider, brown spirits, beer. A wealthy brewer founded the college I attended in Poughkeepsie—on Founder’s Day every year, it was customary for the president of Vassar to chug a pitcher of beer, although I hear the practice has since gone out of vogue. (Shall we say the legal drinking age was lower back then?) More recently, with the passage of state liquor laws that incentivized microbrewers and distillers to launch projects here, the Hudson Valley has seen a new boom in production of small batch beverages.

“Our whiskies and beers taste like here,” said Dennis Nesel, owner of Hudson Valley Malt, based in Germantown. A retired financial adviser with a grizzled goatee, he now favors overalls and wields an old-fashioned malt rake. “We call it re-localization. There was a time when the grains were grown here and shipped downriver by sloop, but after Prohibition all that stuff moved West, so we’re bringing it back, trying to make the supply chain grown here, harvested here, distilled here.”

That aspiration has shaped a three-way collaboration. The others include a third-generation farmer, as well as one of the newest distilleries in a pocket valley near the Massachusetts border, where the family behind Tenmile Distillery is gambling on a rising demand for American single-malt whisky. Note: no “e.” We’re not talking bourbon or rye, but closer in spirit to uisge beatha, Scotland’s original water of life.

A few weeks before the valley was swamped with torrential rains, I climbed into a utility truck with farmer Ken Migliorelli to look at one of his fields planted with winter Scala barley. “We’re about a week away from harvesting,” he said, as we parked along the rural road near his crop outside the town of Tivoli. It’s a pretty grass, with a spiky seed head on a long stem that turns from emerald green to platinum blonde as it dries in the sun. Migliorelli took to farming when he was a teenager, and eventually expanded his family’s vegetable business, adding a fruit orchard, farm stands, and weekly market stalls, including Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan. He still grows the same variety of broccoli rabe his grandparents brought over when they emigrated from the Lazio region of Italy in the 1930s. Citing the new demand for spirit grains, the 63-year-old farmer has almost 350 acres of barley and another 50 acres of rye in cultivation, despite the challenges he faces growing these crops in the Hudson Valley.

“In 2021, that was a rough July,” he said. “It just started raining and wouldn’t stop. I lost the barley that we were combining because it pre-germinated out in the field. I could only sell it for animal feed.”

The vagaries of weather are a standard risk for any farmer; however, this spring a half-acre barn went up in a blaze, and Migliorelli lost 15 tons of barley, hay, tomato stakes, and a lot of equipment. His neighbors and loyal customers launched a fundraiser to help rebuild. He gazed out at his waves of grain, undaunted. For him, it’s one crop out of dozens during a year that starts with tender greens and crescendos with apple picking season.

When harvested, Migiolrelli’s grain heads to the malt house, less than ten miles away, for the next step in the process. “It’s a pretty tight circle from here to Dennis, and then down to Tenmile,” he said.

On a good day at Hudson Valley Malt, Nesel and his wife Jeanette Spaeth load 6,000 pounds of malted barley, rye, or wheat into a kiln. By hand. That’s the last step after the raw grain has been steeped and raked in a thin layer on a smooth concrete floor to germinate and develop the sugars that will convert to alcohol. “Floor malting is a craft and an art,” he said. “We do it old school, the way it was done in the 1850s. It’s definitely not glory work.”

Nesel and Spaeth both grew up in the Hudson Valley. After retiring from corporate life, they decided to convert their horse barn instead of downsizing. In 2015, they recognized that area distillers needed a local malting operation. (They have a hopyard as well.) “It would be too easy to go south, but we’re not snowbirds,” he said. “I was looking for a way for our farm to be more sustainable.”

The turnoff for Tenmile Distillery is a shunpike called Sinpatch. An apparent allusion to the area’s checkered past, it leads to the repurposed barn complex with a tasting room and a dining patio next to a parked vintage Airstream that belongs to Westerly Canteen, a restaurant popup serving a seasonal snack menu sourced from Hudson Valley producers. While in residence, chefs Molly Levine and Alex Kaindl celebrate summer with floral infusions, delicate crudos, and heirloom vegetables. In addition, chef Eliza Glaister of Little Egg favors wild game for her popups and occasional private tasting dinners.

When the couple delivers a load of malt, Tenmile’s master distiller Shane Fraser takes over. He walked me into the darkened cask warehouse where his single malt rests in French oak barrels that once held sherry, bourbon, and California pinot noir. (Tenmile founder John Dyson, who formerly served as New York State’s agricultural commissioner, also owns Williams Selyem Winery in Healdsburg.) Born in Aberdeen, Fraser learned his trade at several marquee distilleries, including Royal Lochnagar and Oban, before taking on the lead role at Wolfburn, a startup in the far north. Almost no one who achieves the elevated title of master distiller leaves the job security of his peat-and-heather homeland, but Tenmile presented Fraser with a challenge almost unheard of back in Scotland: creating a new brand of single malt. His first batch of fresh New Make—what we call moonshine or white dog—was barreled in January 2020. He also experimented with unorthodox cask woods, including smaller Italian cherry and chestnut barrels typically used for aging balsamic vinegars, because regulations remain fluid in the States for now. Fraser patted one on a rack. “That’s the thing with the new designation,” he said. “You have to be careful to make sure that it will be defined as American single malt. Because when those rules come out, you can’t use cherry.”

Currently, single malt producers in the States number fewer than 100, which means it’s still an exclusive club, but not the stuffy kind full of tufted leather chairs and cigar smoke. Establishing a formal standard of identity, and having that recognized at the federal level, will give distilleries here a better chance to compete against the global establishment. Single malt no longer means it has to taste like a burned-over bog.

Fraser pointed out another 140 acres of Ken Migliorelli’s ripening spring barley planted beyond a formal apple orchard and beehives. Then we entered the whitewashed brick dairy, where copper stills imported from Scotland have been installed behind a glass curtain wall in the converted great room. The bar, at the opposite end, has a full cocktail program designed around the distillery’s gin, vodka, and whisky.

Fraser and I sat down in the wood-paneled tasting room, and he poured a cask strength dram of Little Rest, Tenmile’s first edition bottling, into my tumbler.

We lifted glasses to our noses.

“I get tropical fruits coming through,” he said. “Some chocolate notes, and once it sits awhile on the tongue, there’s a bit of spice, almost like cinnamon. Every time you go back to it, you smell something different, because it’s so young and still got a bit of life to it. Some of the older whiskies, when you smell them, it’s like, well, whisky.”

I took a sip.

The Little Rest was released this April, after three years and a day in barrels, the minimum to be officially characterized as whisky. Comparably light in style, more like a subtle Speyside than a peaty Islay.

“You can see what a little rest does,” said Fraser.

He told me that someone else compared the flavor to a green Jolly Rancher, and sure enough, it did have a perky apple note. 

Rain or shine, it tasted like home.

Recipe

Paper Plane

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Clover Club Cocktail

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Tuna Crudo with Chamomile Oil, Cucumber Salad, and Pea Shoots

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Braised Rabbit with Pan-Fried Radishes and Creamy Polenta

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The post Our New Favorite Single Malt Whisky Comes From … New York? appeared first on Saveur.

When you think of Seattle, you might imagine seafood shacks and life-changing fish and chips. And while we have those, the city’s laid-back restaurant scene is better defined by the freedom it gives chefs. Take Dungeness crab, the super-tender crustacean caught off the coast, which might get curried and folded into scones, or tossed with mint and crispy fried onions in pappardelle.

This genre-bending and boundary-busting makes Seattle an unpretentious food town that harbors surprises at every turn and prioritizes flavor and function over formality. My list of essential local restaurants tells the story of a city in constant flux—and invites you to join in. Whether you wind up tucking into Lebanese tacos at an art bar or sharing an order of Ethiopian-spiced green beans at a Halal butcher shop, use this roadmap to plan your culinary adventures. Along the way, you’ll get a true taste of Seattle’s diverse communities.

Ahadu

1508 NE 117th St.
(206) 440-3399

Samuel Ephrem and Menbere Medhane’s Ethiopian restaurant evolved from a butcher shop when customers started asking if the duo could cook Halal beef. It wasn’t long before the ribeye was destined for kitfo (raw chopped beef with spiced butter) and the bone marrow for a stew called kikel. They still bring in fresh local meat and break it down themselves. But the expert butchery can’t explain why their (vegetarian) green beans—heady with caramelized red onion and floral coriander—are such a sleeper hit.

Mike’s Noodle House

418 Maynard Ave St.
(206) 389-7099

The food and decór at this cash-only Chinatown-International District standby are as straightforward as its name implies. The chatter of elderly couples, the clatter of families serving up soup, and the slurps of solo diners fill the room better than any wall art could. Mike’s light, flavorful broth and needle-thin egg noodles draw lines out the door on weekends. The soup comes in almost 30 varieties, from standard wonton to house-made fish balls with beef brisket. And there are nearly as many styles of dry noodle and congee.

Wedgwood Broiler

8230 35th Ave NE.
(206) 523-1115

Stepping into the Wedgwood Broiler is like journeying back to the ‘60s, when this steakhouse opened—and the old-school booths and sassy waitresses still charm customers like they did back in the day. But my favorite part of the retro set-up comes in how they carry on the prudent custom of turning the beef trimmings into fresh burger patties and French dip sandwiches. Either pairs nicely with an equally old-fashioned martini in the wood-paneled lounge, or with a milkshake in one of the dining room’s many booths.

Situ Tacos at Jupiter Bar

2126 2nd Ave Suite A.

When the pandemic forced drummer Lupe Flores to cancel her shows, she found a new way to entertain audiences: by making them tacos like the ones her Lebanese Mexican grandmother cooked for her as a kid. Fastened shut with toothpicks, the crisp-fried tacos come filled with brown-butter beef, garlic mashed potatoes, or harissa cauliflower and cilantro chickpeas. Place your order at the stand in front of the quirky, sprawling art bar, then head over to the arcade consoles to knock out a game of pinball or Street Fighter II while you wait for your food.

Toshi’s Teriyaki Grill

16212 Bothell Everett Hwy.
(425) 225-6420

In 1976, Toshi Kasahara opened a tiny shop near Seattle Center selling his spin on the teriyaki of his childhood in Japan. Filling Styrofoam containers with piles of steamed rice and shiny, crackly-crusted chicken year after year, Kasahara honed and defined Seattle-style teriyaki. When Seattle teriyaki took off, so did Toshi, expanding and franchising until he completely burned out. Now, he’s back to his roots, with a single spot which harks back to the original: small and simple enough that he can run it himself, serving only teriyaki—no extras or ceremony.

T55 Pâtisserie

18223 Bothell Way NE.

Muhammad Fairoz Rashed shapes his pains au chocolat like flowers, dotting each petal of feather-light croissant with semi-sweet chocolate, which ups the ratio of chocolate to pastry. The same attention to detail and innovation fuels the savory specialties, such as the curry crab scones or black truffle goat cheese focaccia served in T55’s sleek, minimalist space.

Local Tide

401 N 36th St UNIT 103.
(206) 420-4685

This casual spot specializes in fun and funky seafood lunches. The bounty of the Pacific Northwest’s chilly and pristine waters shines through in dishes inspired by Seattle’s favorite foods, like the bánh mì filled with ground rockfish and pork patties. Subtle surprises also tweak familiar flavors in the house clam chowder, enriched with clam fat, the “BLT,” which swaps in crispy salmon skin for bacon, and Local Tide’s own “Filet-o-Fish” starring Dover sole.

Billiard Hoang

3220 S Hudson St.
(206) 723-2054

When this Vietnamese pool hall sprung up off Martin Luther King Jr. Way in 1986, Seattle barely knew its bánh mì from its bún thịt nướng. But today, locals line up at Billiard Hoang for both those dishes, plus soups and rice and noodle bowls. The latter come topped with tender short ribs or puffy fried tofu, which pair well with either Vietnamese coffee or beer, no matter the time of day.

Mashiko

4725 California Ave SW.
(206) 935-4339

Seattle has an outstanding sushi scene, but Mashiko stands out for being the first established sushi restaurant in the country committed to serving only sustainable seafood. Those limitations elevated the skills and resourcefulness of the chefs, who have created a thrilling menu centered on offbeat species like spot prawns, geoduck, and herring.

Mezzanotte

1210 South Bailey St.
(206) 466-6032

After flirting with fame on Bravo’s Top Chef, dabbling in Middle Eastern cuisine at Mamnoon, and briefly trying on taco cheffery at a brewery, Jason Stratton has settled back into his sweet spot: high-end, Northwest-inflected Italian cooking. In the casual low-slung brick dining room in Georgetown, expect seasonal gems such as tender asparagus cloaked in bagna cauda sauce, burrata draped over sweet grated carrots, and Dungeness crab pappardelle. Other menu stalwarts include Stratton’s signature tajarin al coltello, hand-cut noodles in rich sage butter sauce.

Salima Specialties

11805 Renton Ave S Suite C.
(206) 906-9331

When Salima’s Restaurant closed in 2009, the region’s significant Cham population lost its community gathering point—and Salima Mohamath’s bold peanut sauce. For those unfamiliar, the cuisine of these Indigenous people of Southeast Asia is a blend of local and Islamic cuisines. At the new Salima Specialties, which opened in 2022, expect Malaysian-style satay, rich lamb curry, and Vietnamese sandwiches with housemade Halal chicken “ham”—plus that killer peanut sauce.

Midnite Ramen

Seattle, WA
(425) 524-1604

Elmer Komagata made his name cooking in LA’s fine-dining restaurants in the 1980s, then spent decades running hotel kitchens in Mexico. But he always dreamed of something smaller, like the tiny ramen cart he and his wife now park outside Seattle breweries a few nights a week. The concept is modeled after yatai, the evening mobile food stands he remembers from growing up in Japan. His balanced broth is a testament to decades spent cooking and studying French, Chinese, Mexican, and Japanese cuisines; it combines Chinese preserved vegetables and ground chicken breast. The noodles are specially made for Midnite and parboiled to his specifications, so they cook in 15 seconds. That keeps the lines outside the cart for the limited number of bowls each night moving just a little bit faster.

The post Where to Eat in Seattle Right Now appeared first on Saveur.

SAVEUR is an independently owned media company specializing in international foodways. Our readers include passionate home cooks, culinary pros, and enthusiasts eager to “Eat The World.”

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Editor-in-Chief/CEO Kat Craddock
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Rise & Dine is a column by SAVEUR Senior Editor Megan Zhang, an aspiring early riser who seeks to explore the culture of mornings and rituals of breakfast around the world.

As our car wound along the coastline, I glanced at the time. It wasn’t nine in the morning yet, but the sandstone bluffs surrounding the beach at La Jolla Cove were already packed with beachgoers and birdwatchers. Sea lions sunbathed in the sand, while snorkelers bobbed in the ocean.

Growing up in Northern California, I’d been to San Diego many times. La Jolla, a community known for its golden beaches and protected marine life, always seemed to exhibit picturesque suburban life. I wondered aloud to our Uber driver, David, if mine was merely an outsider’s oversimplified perception. He told us he’d grown up in the area and raised his daughters here: “Everybody knew everybody. We didn’t knock on the door—we just walked in the house.” As we drove on, he pointed out his childhood friends’ homes. “Everything closes early at night though,” he added. “Everyone’s an early bird.”

What La Jolla may lack in nightlife, though, it makes up for in vast breakfast options. As if on cue, David dropped us off at the end of a line stretching down the sidewalk outside a local bakery. Early-to-rise La Jollans, it appeared, are zealous about their first meal.

A wait is the norm at Wayfarer Bread, a bake shop founded by Crystal White, an alumna of San Francisco’s famed Tartine. The small bakery churns out baguettes, English muffins, cinnamon buns, sweet and savory scones, and seasonally inspired croissants——black sesame and passionfruit in late summer, plum and hazelnut for autumn, and housemade marmalade and pistachio during winter. “Everyone likes to get up, seize the day here. Surf, swim, bike, run,” White told me. After relocating to San Diego to open her business, the habits of her fellow townspeople, coupled with the demands of running a daytime cafe, quickly turned her into a morning person, too.

Gripping our Americanos and a box of pastries, my boyfriend and I headed in the general direction of the ocean, until we spotted a secluded bench at the end of a cul-de-sac overlooking the water. A group of guys in flip-flops and board shorts strolled past. “That pistachio croissant is so good,” one of them said, nodding approvingly as I took a bite and brushed crumbs from my chin.

A couple blocks away, Dodo Bird Donuts opened recently as the daytime complement to the splashy new restaurant Paradisaea, in part to meet the local breakfast demand. Like Dodo Bird’s dinner-focused sister spot, the locally-owned café nods to the area’s coastal ingredients and Mexican influence. Energizing sips like sea-salt-infused mochas and lattes featuring cajeta (Mexican caramel) made with goat’s milk promise a well-fueled morning hike or dip in the ocean. A rotating donut line-up from Paradisaea’s chef Mark Welker, who previously helmed pastry at Eleven Madison Park in New York, features flavors like horchata, starring a cinnamon-scented cream filling; maple, topped with a coffee cake crumble; and matcha, with a tea-scented glaze. In the mood for something savory, I zeroed in on the breakfast sandwich roster and chose a Cubano-inspired number: rosemary-infused prosciutto, gruyere, dijonaise, bread-and-butter pickles, and eggs from a local purveyor. Washing it down with a matcha latte, I remembered that everything tastes better—and becomes breakfast-appropriate—with an egg on it.

After two morning meals, we needed a stroll, and traced the coastline back toward La Jolla Cove. I knew we were getting close when I could make out the distant sound of a lifeguard and his megaphone warning beachgoers to avoid approaching the sea lions. By the time the marine mammals were in view, we’d worked up an appetite for one more breakfast.

Brockton Villa Restaurant opened its doors in the ‘90s, after the family behind the local company Pannikin Coffee and Tea renovated the beachfront bungalow into an eatery. Megan Heine, daughter of the Pannikin family, fell in love with the storied architecture and ocean-facing hillside, and took over the restaurant in 1994—exactly a century after the property was built. Today, a menu item served since day one remains the restaurant’s most popular: Heine’s famously soft and custard-like French toast, the inimitable (and trademarked) Coast Toast. “We grill the bread first, brown it, and then we put it in the oven to order, so it poofs up like a soufflé,” said Heine, explaining how the kitchen achieves the remarkably pillowy texture.

As we ate our toast on the balcony and watched the beachgoers below, I caught snippets of conversation between patrons and waitstaff. “How was your daughter’s school year?” “The new sitter is great, thanks for asking.” Later, I told Heine how our Uber driver had enthusiastically given us an impromptu tour of the area to showcase its small-town-within-a-big-city character. “Was he wearing a bow tie?” she asked, and I nodded. “Yeah, I know him,” Heine said with a laugh. Serendipitous? Maybe—or just what one would expect in La Jolla.

Though many of the community’s longtime families have stuck around, she told us, the everyone-knows-everyone vibe is evolving. “I have seen decades of change,” said Heine, who also owns Beaumont’s, a dinner spot in La Jolla, with her husband. “The downtown La Jolla that I knew growing up was all locally owned single stores—everything from children’s clothing stores, to the drugstore.” Over time, as San Diego’s economy, population, and real estate costs grew, some of the locally owned businesses that once dotted the main thoroughfares of Prospect Street and Girard Avenue closed up shop, and chains like Banana Republic moved in. However, many of these big-name stores wound up closing, too. “The cost of the rent, and maybe the seasonality of the town—they weren’t able to survive like they do in a mall setting,” Heine speculated.

Yet, amid the ebb and flow of growth and change, many longtime family-owned eateries never left. The third-generation breakfast haunt Harry’s Coffee Shop, dating back to 1960, bills itself as “La Jolla’s oldest diner,” dishing up morning classics like oatmeal pancakes and carne asada breakfast burritos. The Cottage, established in 1992, continues to draw weekend crowds with coastal California brunch fare: crispy crab cakes sandwiched between sourdough, shrimp omelets with poblano peppers, and Mexican-inspired eggs Benedict topped with chorizo and cotija cheese.

Today, though the downtown area is still home to some chain stores, Heine said she feels as though the neighborhood is gradually returning to its former character. “It seems like it’s going back to a bit more unique stores and smaller businesses,” she noted, listing off some of her favorites. “Wayfarer is fantastic. Crystal, the woman who owns it, does a really great job.” When I admitted that I’d visited earlier for my first of three breakfasts that day, Heine’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you were already there? Yeah, I love that pistachio croissant! I walk there from my house to get it.”

After a lifetime in La Jolla, Heine said she can’t imagine living anywhere else. I don’t blame her—Brockton Villa’s balcony boasts one of the neighborhood’s nicest views, overlooking La Jolla Cove with an exceptional front-row seat to nightly sunsets. “We joke that it’s sort of like the Nature Channel. You can just watch everything right here,” she said.

It’s hard not to dream idyllic suburban dreams in a place like this. During another weekend getaway to San Diego back in 2020, we drove to La Jolla to watch the sunset. Half of the city, it seemed, had done the same. After finally hunting down a parking spot, we navigated on foot through socially distanced picnic blankets and sat down in an unoccupied patch of grass. As the red sun inched toward the ocean, the crowd’s chatter fell to a hush. Finally, the star creeped its way below the horizon, leaving a flare of iridescent clouds, fuchsia and lavender, streaked across the sky.

San Diego surely has awe-inspiring sunsets, but they’re matched by an equally arresting phenomenon on the flip side. Back before Wayfarer had a brick-and-mortar location, White would frequently spend the whole night baking, then bring the pastries to pop-up locations as the sun was coming up. One spot was by the beach, so she’d take a break there and watch the sunrise on Ocean Beach Pier. “I remember one sunrise was so gorgeous that everyone in the water started cheering and clapping,” said White, recalling how amazed she felt that this was her home. “It was breathtaking.”

Recipe

Custardy French Toast

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The post The Coastal Village That Runs on Breakfast appeared first on Saveur.

Bangkok smells like exhaust mixed with noodle stalls, the gasoline-tinged smoke of tuk-tuks mingling with simmering meat, dried spices, and herbs. Even if it’s not exactly your thing, the Thai capital’s signature scent is pretty much impossible to avoid. It’s also indicative of Bangkok’s relentless energy—and its obsession with food. 

Yet the city isn’t only grilled meats and stir-fried noodles. Although street food gets all the press, there are countless ways to eat in this sprawling metropolis of 10 million people. Today, air-conditioned malls have as much pull as street stalls. And for an increasing number of Thais, fancy restaurants or reservations-only supperclubs are now attainable indulgences, not remote fantasies. 

Since moving to Bangkok 1999, I’ve watched the city blossom into an ever more vibrant—and trendy—food town. Many of my favorite haunts are decades-old standbys, while others are newcomers that only a plugged-in local would know about. If you follow my recommendations, you’ll leave the city with a good sense of the local food scene—yes, there’s a must-stop street stall in the mix, but there’s also a restaurant housed in a 19th-century home and a chichi fine dining spot offering sophisticated wine pairings.

Kuaytiaw Khua Kai Suan Mali

260 Soi Thewi Worayat 
+66 82 056 6999

This hard-to-locate stall down a back alleyway specializes in a single dish: kuaytiaw khua kai, a salty, smoky tangle of wide rice noodles wok-fried with chicken, preserved squid, and egg. The ingredients are nothing out of the ordinary, but the fact that the dish is fried in lard over coals lends it a luxurious richness. The plastic stools, the wok smoke, and the sweat pouring down your forehead is bucket list Bangkok.

Aksorn

1266 Thanon Charoen Krung
+66 2 116 8662

With the city’s residents earning more money and wealthy foreigners piling in, fine dining is having a moment in Bangkok. Yet Aksorn, despite its price point, manages to feel homey, thanks to food served family style in delicate, floral-themed crockery. Australian chef David Thompson has dusted off old Thai cookbooks and unearthed recipes that haven’t seen the light of day in decades. With dishes more subtle in flavor and heat than most you’ll find in Bangkok—think Chinese ash gourd steamed with salted fish and pork, or a relish of santol and cashew nuts—the restaurant will make you question everything you thought you knew about Thai food. 

Khun Yah Cuisine

89/2 Thanon Tri Mit
+66 2 222 0912

Khun Yah Cuisine, hiding in the compound of a Buddhist temple, is one of a dwindling number of old-school Bangkok-style curry stalls remaining in the city. The format is straightforward: Curries, stir-fries, soups, and Thai-style dips are made in advance and displayed in stainless steel bowls and trays. Your job is to point to the one that looks the tastiest—their pleasantly mild green curry, perhaps, or the “one plate” special—so the vendor knows what to ladle over a plate of rice before thrusting it your way. 

Som Tam Jay So

Soi Phiphat 2
+66 85 999 4225

Bangkok experienced a population boom in the 1980s and ‘90s as tens of thousands of rural northeasterners flocked to the city to work as laborers. Over the subsequent decades, stalls and restaurants specializing in that region’s unabashedly spicy, often grilled dishes have become integral to the Bangkok repertoire. Jay So, a chaotic shack at the edge of Bangkok’s financial district, is typical of the genre. Obligatory here is som tam, a tart, spicy, and funky salad of green papaya strips bruised in a mortar with chiles, lime juice and fish sauce. They also make fantastic grilled chicken wings and a memorably smoky herb-stuffed catfish.

Khao Tom 100 Pi

547 Thanon Phlap Phla Chai
+66 2 223 9592

In many ways, Bangkok is a Chinese city, a fact often reflected in its cuisine. One of the most beloved Chinese-style restaurant types is khaao tom kui, with kitchens consisting of a couple of wok burners and a bunch of trays piled high with meat, seafood, and vegetables. At this popular establishment, point to whatever looks good—some clams, maybe, or a clutch of Chinese kale—and a cook will fry it up to order alongside a bowl of soupy rice. As its name suggests, the Chinatown restaurant has supposedly been around for a century, and generations of locals know, seemingly instinctively, to order the savory minced pork stir-fried with Chinese olive, or the spicy, tart dried fish salad.

Bangkok Bold Kitchen

Basement, Central Embassy, 1031 Thanon Phloen Chit
+66 91 424 4292

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Bangkok residents bemoan the city’s “Singaporization,” but that doesn’t make malls any less a part of the city’s cultural—and culinary—landscape. Head to just about any food court, and you can find a cheap, tasty meal, but at Bangkok Bold Kitchen, the food tastes straight out of a rural home. Try the crab and pumpkin stir-fry, given a fragrant boost by the addition of lemon basil, and be sure to sample the rich, lon, or central Thai-style soupy dip, that brings together coconut milk and salted duck egg.

Ban Wannakovit

64 Thanon Tanao
+66 81 922 6611

You may not get the chance to eat in a Thai home, but a meal at Ban Wannakovit is the next best thing. Not only does it occupy a renovated 19th-century Ratanakosin Style home, but it also grants access to old-timey dishes seldom found on restaurant menus, such as rice tossed with shrimp paste and garnished with green mango, thin strips of omelet, and pork braised in palm sugar. I often spring for the thin, round rice noodles drizzled with coconut milk and topped with fish dumplings, fresh chile, and slices of pineapple.

Yen Ta Fo J.C.

Soi Phiphat 2
+66 97 263 5456

You can’t leave Bangkok without slurping down some noodles, and the city’s most beloved bowl is yen ta fo. It consists of rice noodles, crunchy greens, and a variety of pork, shrimp and fished-based dumplings, all bobbing in a broth tinged red from the fermented tofu. The dish exemplifies the slightly sweet, overtly Chinese, seafood-loving palate of the city. Yen Ta Fo J.C. serves a terrific rendition—just beware of the owner, Bangkok’s de facto Soup Nazi, who’s known for complicated seating and ordering rules only clear to him.

Samrub Samrub Thai

39/11 Soi Yommarat
+66 99 651 7292

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I don’t entirely understand how Thai Chef Prin Polsuk manages to run a restaurant, as he appears to spend most of his time combing Thailand’s countryside for dishes and ingredients. The ever-changing menu at Samrub Samrub Thai reflects this relentless curiosity, and past themes have featured the sugary, meat-forward dishes of Thailand’s Muslim deep south, and the little-known cuisine of the communities living along the banks of the Mekong River. Unfolding in a small, intimate space, the result is an experience in which Prin is less chef and more culinary tour guide, escorting diners on a journey through Thailand’s fascinating gastronomic landscape.

Haawm

290 Soi 25, Thanon On Nut
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Chefs and food writers alike can’t stop singing the praises of Haawm, “a speakeasy with reservations,” in the words of one friend (even if supperclub is the proper term). The raucous, informal meals take place in chef Dylan Eitharong’s suburban Bangkok shophouse, where dishes such as Pattani-style white curry with beef and pickled grilled green chiles draw on both influences from every corner of Thailand and a certain American playfulness informed by the chef’s background. This borderless approach is propelling Bangkok’s food scene to its next stop, wherever that may be.

The post 10 Must-Try Restaurants in Bangkok appeared first on Saveur.

SAVEUR aims to broaden readers’ perspectives on food through rigorous, lively, and culturally sensitive journalism. Our favorite stories don’t just report or explain—they have a thesis and move conversations forward. Additionally, they often:

• Unearth and champion off-the-beaten-path recipes and food traditions with a strong sense of place.
• Center historically marginalized communities with care and reverence—and without exoticization.
• Spotlight everyday cooks and neighborhood chefs doing extraordinary things.
• Offer a fresh, thought-provoking point of view that takes non-food topics into account including art, politics, fashion, and literature. 

For us, food is the lens through which a larger story is told—not the story itself.

The right candidate for any role at SAVEUR will be well-versed in the topics we cover, and have a passion for where the worlds of food, culture, and travel intersect.

As of July 2023, we have two open positions: editorial intern and culinary intern.

Additionally, SAVEUR always welcomes pitches from writers. Please take a look at our pitching guidelines for details.

The post Career Opportunities appeared first on Saveur.

Miami’s dining scene never skips a beat with its ever-expanding selection of restaurants influenced by cuisines from around the globe. Here you can dine on late-night sushi to the sound of world-renowned DJs, taste the flavors of the French Riviera, or dine above the city skyline in a nature sanctuary. There’s something for every palate, particularly during Miami Spice Months, when area restaurants open their doors for diners to enjoy special prix fixe menus at brunch and lunch ($30/$35) and dinner ($45/$60). Here are some of our favorite spots to #eattheworld while experiencing the many flavors of Miami.

Bâoli

In true Miami fashion, Bâoli is known for both stunning fresh fish and late-night parties. Start off light with gorgeous plates of crudo, maki, and crispy rice with tuna, then tuck into globally inflected dishes like whole-roasted branzino, edamame hummus, tom yum-glazed octopus, and ribeye with wasabi chimichurri. Cocktails incorporate flavors like yuzu, basil, black walnut, and lemongrass—perfect for sipping from happy hour to late-late night.

Brasserie Laurel

From the team whose Michelin-starred restaurant Ariete has captivated Miami’s dining scene, Brasserie Laurel offers French-inspired Miami cuisine in an upscale setting. Classic French preparations take on new life, like squid bourguignon served with duchess potatoes and preserved lemon gremolata or caviar-topped venison tartare. Laurel’s tranquil, brasserie-style setting is the perfect place for brunch or dinner followed by absinthe service and a Black Forest eclair. 

Joliet Miami

Experience the Cajun flavors of the Gulf on the Atlantic at Joliet, where seafood of all kinds is on full display. Seafood towers brimming with oysters, shrimp, crab, and local fish crudo are a must, as is the rich, buttery New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. Choose between lush patio seating beneath twinkling lights, or grab a table in the airy dining room and soak in all of the breezy, beachy vibes South Florida has to offer. 

Giselle Miami 

High above the bustle of downtown Miami, Giselle is an eclectic mix of cuisines and experiences, starting with a ride to the top in a private elevator. After that, it’s full steam ahead, whether dining on flaming lobster thermidor or Japanese A5 wagyu. The restaurant spans the rooftop with seating indoors and out, and a retractable roof that gives diners a view of the night sky. Cocktails complete the otherworldly experience, like the Head Over Heels, a combination of vodka and sparkling rosé that serves three people and comes in an enormous glass high-heeled shoe. 

LPM

Coastal vibes straight from the French Riviera are on offer in downtown Miami, where LPM—formerly La Petite Maison—is serving light, Mediterranean-influenced fare. Salad Nicoise, ratatouille with feta, and whole sea bream baked with Provencal herbs evoke the sun-drenched flavors of Southern France, accompanied by an extensive list of rosés from some of the region’s best producers. And for fans of La Belle Epoque, it’s paradise draped in linen and surrounded by marble, with bossa nova tunes playing softly in the background.

MILA

Fusing the flavors of Japan with the Mediterranean is the central theme of MILA, where chef Michaël Michaelidis’ menu is served izakaya-style. Plates like a whole grilled Dover sole with yuzu kosho butter or wagyu carpaccio with salted seaweed and onion jam are meant to be shared at tables overlooking the city. Designed with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi in mind, MILA’s lush foliage and natural wood interior makes for an experience that’s at once serene and filled with Miami energy. 

Sérêvène

Head to Miami Beach for Sérêvène’s contemporary flavors and classic art deco setting. The menu includes French favorites infused with the conviviality of izakaya fare—think ora king salmon with sesame noodles and a soy beurre noisette, or half a suckling pig served tableside with Hawaiian soft rolls.

Rum Room

The melting pot of cultures in Miami is on display at the Rum Room, a Miami Beach newcomer drawing locals and tourists alike. It’s in a century-old historic building on a canal, offering all of the classic charm of Miami Beach, but away from the crowds. As the name implies, there is a hefty selection of rums and rum cocktails to enjoy alongside a menu of Latin-influenced favorites. Start with croquetas, maduro bread, empanadas, and jerk chicken pressed sandwiches, then follow it up with an order of upside-down pineapple rum cake for the full experience. 

Sexy Fish

Miami’s outpost of London’s famously over-the-top celeb hangout is just as stunning as the original, notable both for its aquatic interior and its menu of luxurious Asian-influenced seafood dishes. During Miami Spice Months, diners will choose from dishes like grilled lobster with sancho butter, matcha waffles and crispy chicken, stone crab bao buns and grilled seabass with green nam, served in a setting that evokes the opulence of King Neptune’s castle. 

Smith & Webster

What happens when a Miami food blogger and a retired NFL player open a restaurant? In the case of Smith & Webster, the result is a Miami-Dade hotspot highlighting African American cuisine and sharing the classics that represent the owners’ backgrounds. Snow crab legs drenched in citrus garlic butter, braised oxtail lasagna, and fried chicken with mac and cheese, greens, and a biscuit are all on the menu for dinner, while brunch delivers grits topped with fried lobster tail or crispy lemon catfish.

Bagatelle

The kindred spirits of South Florida and the Côte d’Azur meet at Bagatelle, located within the luxurious confines of the Ritz-Carlton South Beach. Seafood and caviar by the ounce are staples of this menu, which features opulent dishes like Mediterranean sea bass with fennel and Florida citrus as well as truffle-topped puffed piccia bread. Bagatelle’s chic dining room and richly appointed bar are prime people watching spots, while the restaurant’s extensive wine list is stocked with many of the finest French producers.

The post Dine Your Way Through Greater Miami and Miami Beach appeared first on Saveur.

SAVEUR aims to broaden readers’ perspectives on food through rigorous, lively, and culturally sensitive journalism. Our favorite stories don’t just report or explain—they have a thesis and move conversations forward. Additionally, they often:

• Unearth and celebrate off-the-beaten-path recipes and food traditions with a strong sense of place.
• Center historically marginalized communities with care and reverence—and without exoticization.
• Spotlight everyday cooks and neighborhood chefs doing extraordinary things.
• Offer a fresh, thought-provoking point of view that takes non-food topics into account including art, politics, fashion, and literature.

For us, food is the lens through which a larger story is told—not the story itself.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative culinary intern to join our team. The right candidate will be well-versed in topics covered by SAVEUR, and have a passion for where the worlds of food, culture, and travel intersect. Are you comfortable working nimbly, efficiently, and neatly in a professional kitchen? Are you eager to learn about a range of international ingredients and cuisines? Do you have collaborative, problem-solving work ethic, a keen attention to detail, and a deep love for food media? Then we want to hear from you!

Details

Reports to: Senior Culinary Producer

Location: New York City

Hours: Up to 24 hours per week

Duration: Flexible (based on need and availability) 

Hourly Wage: $15/hr.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in test kitchen and photo studio operations and maintenance, including but not limited to:
  • Maintain and calibrate culinary equipment.
  • Research and source ingredients for recipe testing and photo content production.
  • Test recipes in accordance with SAVEUR house protocol. 
  • Maintain a clean and orderly workspace for recipe testing and photo shoots.
  • Assist stylists, photographers, and other staffers at photo and video shoots.
  • Provide support to Senior Culinary Producer and Senior Photography Editor in a variety of day-to-day tasks.

Qualifications:

• Ability to work in-person in Brooklyn, New York City
• Studies, work experience, or certification in a food-related field such as culinary arts, food studies or hospitality.
• Strong cooking, writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and proactive.
• Team player eager to learn and passionate about food and cooking.

Benefits:

• Hone culinary knowledge, test kitchen skills, and media savvy under the wing of experienced food media professionals.
• Gain hands-on experience in recipe testing, photo shoots, video shoots, and/or event planning, as well as other tasks and projects related to content creation and the development of the SAVEUR brand.
• Receive patient, thoughtful feedback on your work by some of the best in the biz.
• Opportunity to have your byline on published content.

To Apply: 

Please submit your résumé and a cover letter to internships@saveur.com.

SAVEUR is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

The post <strong>Job Overview: Culinary Intern</strong> appeared first on Saveur.

SAVEUR aims to broaden readers’ perspectives on food through rigorous, lively, and culturally sensitive journalism. Our favorite stories don’t just report or explain—they have a thesis and move conversations forward. Additionally, they often:

• Unearth and celebrate off-the-beaten-path recipes and food traditions with a strong sense of place.
• Center historically marginalized communities with care and reverence—and without exoticization.
• Spotlight everyday cooks and neighborhood chefs doing extraordinary things.
• Offer a fresh, thought-provoking point of view that takes non-food topics into account including art, politics, fashion, and literature.

For us, food is the lens through which a larger story is told—not the story itself.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative editorial intern to join our team. The right candidate will be well-versed in topics covered by SAVEUR, and have a passion for where the worlds of food, culture, and travel intersect. Do you have a keen editorial eye and a knack for interesting story ideas? Thrive on variety, and love telling interesting stories? We want to hear from you!

Details

Reports To: Senior Editors

Location: New York City, or remote

Hours: Up to 24 per week

Duration: Flexible (based on need and availability) 

Hourly Wage: $15

Responsibilities:

• Provide support to Senior Editors in a variety of day-to-day tasks for stories related to travel, culture, news, commerce, and more.  
• Research and write stories with the goal of being published on the SAVEUR website.
• Conduct interviews with chefs, food historians, restaurateurs, and other experts as needed.
• Brainstorm and pitch story ideas and participate in editorial pitch meetings.
• Light editing of articles and other copy as needed.
• Assist stylists, photographers, and other staffers at photoshoots.
• Work with the Photo Editor to coordinate art for stories and social media.
• Miscellaneous other tasks and errands.

Qualifications:

• Studies, work experience, or certification in a food-related field such as journalism, culinary arts, or hospitality.
• Strong writing, editing, and communication skills.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and proactive.
• Team player eager to learn and passionate about food and cooking.

Benefits:

We are committed to providing our interns with opportunities for growth and development, and we believe in fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, inclusion, and collaboration. As an editorial intern, you will:

• Hone your writing skills, culinary knowledge, and media savvy under the wing of food media professionals.
• Gain hands-on experience in photo shoots, story research, and/or event planning, as well as other tasks and projects related to content creation and the development of the SAVEUR brand.
• Receive patient, thoughtful feedback on your work by some of the best in the business.
• Have the opportunity for bylines on published content.

To Apply: 

Please submit your résumé and a cover letter to internships@saveur.com. 

SAVEUR is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

The post <strong>Job Overview: Editorial Intern</strong> appeared first on Saveur.

I first encountered “savory cake” as most French people do: at an apéro dînatoire, a boozy buffet-style dinner of room-temperature offerings. On the table were a number of unfamiliar dishes—I recall a cold rice salad studded with bright pink surimi and dainty plastic verrines of layered vegetable purées—but one was a revelation: a loaf cake filled with black olives, shredded deli ham, and hunks of barnyardy goat cheese. They told me it was cake salé (“savory cake”), and with one bite, I was hooked on its tender, olive oil-scented crumb. 

When you hear the French 101 word “gâteau,” you probably envision architectural pâtisserie marvels, but le cake is far humbler. The sweet versions are domed loaves that are often glazed with lemon or marbled with chocolate, while the savory iterations are filled with meats and cheeses, perfect for lunches and picnics. 

In the 16 years I’ve lived in France, I’ve encountered many such casual cakes, but while quiches have become a Starbucks mainstay and savory tarts like pissaladière have starred on Food Network, le cake salé is nowhere to be found Stateside. 

I’m not the only one who’s noticed a dearth of this delight. “I don’t get it,” says author and French pastry eminence Dorie Greenspan, who has included a savory cake recipe in nearly every cookbook she’s published in the last decade. “It’s easy to make. It keeps well. And once you have the basic recipe, you can add whatever you find in your refrigerator or pantry.”

Indeed, le cake salé is a testament to what Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Gâteau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes, considers a characteristic frugality in French home cooking. It isn’t so much about the cake itself as it is about the add-ins: sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese in Provence, perhaps, or Reblochon cheese and lardons in Savoie. (Or, more pragmatically, chopped-up leftover roast chicken, or cubes of those past-their-prime cheeses kicking around the fridge.)

But cake salé wasn’t always an anything-goes blank culinary canvas, according to French baker and cookbook author Sophie Dudemaine. When she discovered the dish in a magazine in 1998, there was only one type French people were making, filled with olives and ham. 

Dudemaine saw huge potential in cake salé, but she didn’t dig that recipe, which turned out a dry, one-note brick. So she got to work, first reducing the flour, which made the cake less dense. Then she swapped the butter out for sunflower oil, which resulted in a moister crumb. Finally, she turned to the fillings, where she really let her imagination run wild, developing versions filled with melty raclette cheese and bacon or seasonal creations with chanterelle mushrooms and asparagus. Bonus: She could fit far more loaf tins in her oven than pie pans, which led her to abandon the idea of selling savory tarts at the local market in favor of the rectangular cakes.

A decade later, Dudemaine had enough loaf cake recipes to fill a cookbook. Les Cakes de Sophie, published in 2000, sold over a million copies. The media dubbed her the French Martha Stewart, and suddenly savory cakes were omnipresent on French tables. Twenty years later, they still are: The 2022 edition features 100 recipes, most of which are new (think cake salé with rabbit in mustard sauce, a nostalgic French favorite revisited in a new format).

Most French cooks don’t know the debt they owe to Dudemaine. And yet, despite the unabating cake salé craze back in the Mother Country, the dish has hardly leapt its borders. This cake-shaped hole Stateside may have less to do with the dish itself and more to do with when it’s traditionally served. In France, wedges of savory cake are a mainstay of the aperitif, the course of pre-dinner drinks and nibbles so sacrosanct it’s protected by UNESCO. Americans love their cocktail hour, but there’s simply no U.S. equivalent to the French apéro. 

Beyond divergent mealtime traditions, cake salé has a visibility problem. Unlike their sweet counterparts, savory cakes are glaringly absent from French bakeries and restaurants both in France and abroad. “I’ve never seen a savory cake outside the home,” says Crapanzano. That means even the most adamant visiting Francophile would struggle to catch a glimpse of the dish, let alone taste it.

“Unless you’re close enough with a French person to be a frequent houseguest,” she says, “these are things that you would never know about.” French dinner invitations tend to be hard-won, following weeks or months of meeting in bars, cafés, and restaurants—and even then, it would likely take several such meals before you could be served what’s essentially upgraded leftovers.

But there’s hope for the savory cake seekers among us, whether a trip to France is in the cards or not. Recipes by Greenspan and Crapanzano abound; some are filled with Roquefort and walnuts, while others toss in chorizo and crumbled goat cheese. 

Back in France, there are signs that cake salé is finally beginning to fly the nest. Recently I glimpsed shrink-wrapped tomato-feta cakes in the apéro aisle of my local Monoprix, and two savory cakes have popped up on the menu at the Marcounet, a floating bar on the Seine. 

Paris even has a new bakery, CakePart, that’s dedicated to “les cakes” both savory and sweet. The owners, Sarah Zerbib and Margaux Sodoyer, say the business is an homage to their childhood love of cake: the vanilla-scented ones Zerbib’s mother made for four o’clock goûter, or the chocolate ones Sodoyer’s mom brought to weekend meals with extended family. 

Each day, in addition to these sweeter offerings, CakePart bakes off a handful of cakes salés, whose ingredients vary seasonally: In winter, butternut squash may dot the batter; in summer, tomato and eggplant peek through the crust. “We see it as a ‘fast good’ meal—one with healthful ingredients, but where you don’t necessarily have to go sit in a restaurant for hours to eat,” says Sodoyer.

Americans may never fully embrace the French apéro, but savory cake is a gateway to its palpable joie de vivre, whether you serve the dish for lunch or brunch (which Greenspan recommends) or take it on the go. Crapanzano rightly points out that savory cakes keep longer and hold up better than most sandwiches, making them perfect for hikes and picnics.

Regardless of the occasion, you’ll want to keep a few tips and tricks in mind when making cake salé. Crapanzano says full-fat buttermilk is your best bet for achieving a moist crumb. A tablespoon or two of extra olive oil ensures the cake remains moist even when  the add-ins are on the drier and less fatty side. Filling-wise, three cups is a good amount to add to the batter to ensure each bite marries rich, eggy dough with pleasing pockets of texture. 

“I say, open your fridge. Now that you have the base, add whatever you like,” says Dudemaine. Greenspan agrees: “It’s the kind of thing where if you make it and love it, it can become yours.”

Recipe

Cake d’Alsace (Bacon, Guyère, and Caramelized Onion Loaf)

Get the recipe >

The post Is This Humble Dish France’s Best-Kept Culinary Secret? appeared first on Saveur.