US Open chefs, Lebanese wine, and khachapuri variations

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, talk about how tennis players aren’t the only stars at the US Open, which kicked off on Monday. There’s a lot of star power off the courts, with more than 20 top New York City restaurants and chefs offering their specialties over the next two weeks.

Pat got a preview of the menu items before the tournament started, tasting Coqodaq’s Golden Nugget topped with caviar, Morimoto’s sushi, David Burke’s coconut shrimp, and the Honey Deuce signature cocktail—a mix of vodka, raspberry liqueur and lemonade topped with honeydew melon balls.

Bret continued to explore his neighborhood, discovering a treasure trove of khachapuri. The cheese-filled breads originated in the country of Georgia and usually are made with an egg on top. Makes for a portable and interesting breakfast. But Bret tried a variation at a small restaurant called Georgian Star that eliminated the egg. The salty cheese filling, much like feta, was simply baked into the center of the crusty bread.

He was also intrigued by a mulberry sauce for sale, which he intends to try someday when he can figure out how to use it.

Pat attended an event that highlighted Lebanese wines from Chateau Ksara in the country’s Bekaa Valley. The whites were light and slightly fruity and the reds were rich and tannic. The tasting took place at the Market 57 food hall in New York City, where Middle Eastern food shop, Sahadi, now has a stall. Sahadi prepared a spread of dips, flatbreads and savory pastries to enjoy with the wines. Although Lebanese wines are not widely available, they are sold at Sahadi’s wine shop in Brooklyn.

Bret also had a chance to try the Notorious B.E.E.F. at Hawksmoor, a steakhouse and cocktail bar. The burger closely resembled a Big Mac, or how Bret imagines a Big Mac should taste. Hawksmoor’s version was layered with two dry-aged smashed beef patties, Velveeta cheese, lettuce, pickles, onion and special sauce on a sesame seed bun. It’s served with fries and a ginger-whiskey cocktail in a frosted mug for $45, but a steakhouse does have better ambiance and service than McDonald’s, perhaps justifying the price.

The podcast guest this week is JJ Johnson, a well-known TV chef, James Beard award-winning cookbook author and founder of Fieldtrip, a fast casual bowl concept that reflects the chef’s Afro-Caribbean roots.

Johnson worked as a fine-dining chef before opening Fieldtrip, which now has four locations, including the newest at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. Johnson started Fieldtrip to bring healthier, affordable restaurant food to his Harlem community. He sources top quality ingredients, including rice from farmers in North Carolina, to curate his rice bowls, which also include fresh vegetables and proteins for a complete meal. All the sauces are made from scratch to give the bowls unique flavor profiles.

Listen as chef and restaurateur Johnson describes his vision for Fieldtrip, his cooking adventures at Martha’s Vineyard and his plans for the future.