Who says top chefs are obsessed with only their own creations? Starting with seasoned kitchen wizard Michael Schlow (who brought us the erstwhile Radius and Via Matta, among others), we asked for a favorite dish currently being served by another chef, and repeated the process from there.
MICHAEL SCHLOW
“Bar Mezzana’s salmon crudo with green chile salsa verde, by chef Colin Lynch. The salmon is pristine and expertly sliced, and the salsa verde is herbaceous, a little spicy and the perfect complement to the rich fish. The combination results in a dish that is exciting and refreshing. I order it every time I’m lucky enough eat there.”
COLIN LYNCH, BAR MEZZANA
“At Chickadee, chef John daSilva makes a smoked sea trout dip with salt and vinegar rye chips, horseradish and dill. It's a dish I first had at Spoke when John was cheffing there. Calling it a dip does not do it justice. This is more like a beautifully composed first course, and it surprises you in a lot of ways. First, it's not a whipped paste. It’s a few pieces of perfectly cooked smoked trout covered in a kind of sabayon with some paper-thin rye crisps to place the delicate pieces on.” 360 Harrison Ave., 617.530.1770, barmezzana.com
JOHN DASILVA, CHICKADEE
“The omakase at Cafe Sushi is my go-to. Chef Seizi Imura there works hard at sourcing the best seafood and produce for his thoughtfully curated tasting menu. I’m a big fan of the classics such as the hiramasa crudo with aged balsamic, basil and grape tomato, or the seared saba with shuto, shoga, cilantro and lime. The best part of the omakase at Cafe Sushi are the creations that change with the seasons. Chef Seizi is at his best when he’s tinkering in the lab, highlighting the unconventional and flexing his creative muscles.” 21 Drydock Ave., 617.531.5591, chickadeerestaurant.com
SEIZI IMURA, CAFE SUSHI
“Steak tartare from chef Andrew Brady at Field & Vine in Somerville. As I rarely eat raw fish outside of the restaurant, I am a huge fan of raw beef and I enjoy theirs. It is perfectly seasoned and the crunchy elements really make it sing. It’s not trying too hard but is interesting and simply delicious.” 1105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617.492.0434, cafesushicambridge.com
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ANDREW BRADY, FIELD AND VINE
“Cafe du Pays has a shredded carrot salad with smoked onion and currants from Daniel Amighi. It has great texture and loads of depth using only a few ingredients, which is something really hard to do.” 9 Sanborn Court, Somerville, 617.718.2333, fieldandvinesomerville.com
DANIEL AMIGHI, CAFE DU PAYS
“Brian Gianpoalo’s bagna cauda at Giulia. I love Frank’s food, and this is one of my favorite things he makes—especially the seasonal vegetables in the dish.” 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave., Cambridge, 617.314.7297, cafedupays.com
Photography by: MICHAEL SCHLOW PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHLOW; COLIN LYNCH PHOTO BY REAGAN BYRNE; JOHN DASILVA PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICKADEE; OMAKASE PHOTO COURTESY OF CAFE SUSHI; STEAK TARTARE PHOTO COURTESY OF FIELD & VINE; CAFE DU PAYS PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MCINTOSH
