It’s a difficult task, but someone has to visit local restaurants and try pizza, sandwiches, sushi and more for the Dish column in each issue of Chapel Hill Magazine. Here, Laura Zolman Kirk and Jessica Stringer take a look back at their favorites from 2016.
“My favorite small plate for the neighborhood gathering place Northside District was the Maduro, sweet plantains garnished with cilantro and mint that stood out on a menu dominated by savory bites.” – Jessica
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“At mealtime on the fishing boats, Italian fishermen cooked the catch of the day in salty Mediterranean water, and thus a classic dish was born. Acqua Pazza – or “crazy water” in Italian – is so beloved that chef Seth Kingsbury nearly named his Southern Village restaurant after it. Instead he settled on Pazzo! and made the dish a staple at his nearly 14-year-old restaurant.” – Jessica
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“I’m not putting pepperoni on a pizza, and you can quote me on that, because it’s charcuterie,” chef Colin Bedford of Roost Beer Garden tells me when he stops to check how my pizza turned out. (It was perfectly crisp and chewy.) Instead he tops the pies at Roost with duck confit, crispy capers or truffle sour cream.” – Jessica
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“Kay Huneycutt, whose dad managed Akai Hana, pointed me to the Lobster Lover, a lobster-crab mix with tempura crunchies; the flavors emboldened me to try a second dish, the Monkfish Liver Salad, served as a pâté. The presentation was artful, and the crunch and chill of the cucumber balanced the soft pâté.” – Jessica
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“With names like Van Damme (topped with Brussels sprout slaw, it’s a nod to Muscles from Brussels) and Justin Timbermelt, the sandwiches at Bona Fide Sandwich Co. make it clear that Dean James, partner Matt Fox and team are having fun.” – Jessica
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“Try the foraged mushroom tartine – an open sandwich with roasted mushrooms, truffle cheese and caramelized onion puree – with a carrot farro salad and a cold one at Breakaway Cafe, a restaurant owned by Andy Pignatora dedicated to the cycling culture in Briar Chapel.” – Laura
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“Silverspot Cinema in University Place is rethinking the entire experience, from their cushy leather seats you can reserve in advance to a changing cocktail menu that reflects the current showings. Their restaurant Trilogy features offerings like the BLT Lobster Roll. Made with tarragon mayo, lobster from the Bay of Fundy, it come topped with thick cut N.C. bacon.” – Jessica
