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Grazing around this past week, I stumbled upon a couple of rubberneck-worthy dishes: things I had to order just to check them out because they sounded odd, creative, experimental, or weird. Here’s the list of standouts, for better and worse.
5. Gyros Pizza at Slice Pizzeria of Fort Lauderdale.
No breakfast and a late-afternoon hour led me to Slice downtown, a
humble mom-and-pop shop that smells like pizza’s been cooking there for
decades. As I walked in the door, out of the oven came a gyro pie, layered with feta, gyro, and a smattering of onions with optional tzatziki. Rather than waiting for something
standard, I went with it. The owners were so charming that I wanted to love
it. Yet it’s up there with ranch dressing as a pizza
condiment: just wrong.
4. Budweiser Ice Cream from Riverside Market.
A novelty that’s not terribly strange, this homemade concoction pairs
salty and sweet with a hint of lowbrow brew. I like the flavor, though
the texture is less creamy than I’d hope.
3. Fried Smelt “Fish & Chips” at Phuc Yea!
A light tempura on whole fish served with lotus root chips, cilantro, jalapeño aioli, and fish sauce was a winning dish at this Miami pop-up. It’s certainly an acquired taste. My tablemate steered clear. “You’re eating the eyeballs?” she asked.
2. Oyster Skewer at PL8.
Chef Brandon Whitestone had told me about this one among the skewer
options at this Himmarshee remake. I’d paused when I heard it, since the
texture of oyster doesn’t seem to lend itself to dinner on a stick. And
sure enough, the delicate bivalve isn’t quite right,
paired with apple and bacon. Perhaps fried would do, but that would likely obscure
the flavor.
1. Cabbage Casserole at Longboards.
I had ordered what I thought was a side of cabbage at Longboards in
West Palm only to find that this dish had been mac and cheese’d into a
layered casserole — a trend I’m not impressed with since I don’t share
the belief that everything is better with cheese. I know it’s a crowd
pleaser, but when you’re hoping for a vegetable and get clubbed with
calories instead, so much for healthy.
Come across any whacked out dishes — either delicious or disasters — in your dining adventures? Tell us in the comments.
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