The best dishes of 2017
It’s a year to embrace diversity on the plate, from the green peppercorn-laced fish at Chengdu Gourmet, to the Persian love cake at Butterwood Bake Consortium. Here are the year’s most memorable dishes from the Post-Gazette’s food staff:
Crispy whole chicken with fried garlic at Vivo Kitchen
“Today in the industry, people are adding more and more to the foods. I’m taking the opposite path,” says chef owner Sam DiBattista. “I use whatever I have. This way, I keep the produce fresh, and my customers taste the vegetables and meats for what they are.”
Crispy whole chicken with fried garlic ($19) showcases an amazing interplay of textures. The small whole bird, which is first roasted and then flash-fried, is shatteringly crisp on the outside and succulently moist inside. It’s crowned with a small mound of crunchy fried garlic and sits on a bed of carrot-quinoa salad. Neither get in the way of the chicken, yet both are brilliant co-conspirators. 432 Beaver St., Sewickley
— Arthi Subramaniam
Brisket at Pork & Beans
I spent a large chunk of the summer surveying the barbecue scene here and while a number of places stand tall for overall experience, the singular dish I can’t get out of my mind is the absolutely perfect brisket at Pork & Beans ($16). It’s a blend of meat and fat with a salt rub: It’s so tender that it nearly disintegrates in the mouth, yet retains an excellent bark that crackles with taste. The house sauces are excellent, but you don’t really need them on a piece of meat this good. 136 Sixth St., Downtown
— Dan Gigler