Fried scallops are a popular dish in the Northeast, but they’re not normally pounded flat like a schnitzel or Milanese, but Nate Garyantes does that at Nanas in Durham, N.C., and he says the result is a more scallop-y flavor, further enhanced by garnishing the fried sea scallops with poached bay scallops.
Scallops are seared at Spain Wine Bar in Ocean City, Md., where executive chef Abdramane Traore Bouthia serves them over a green risotto.
On the other side of Maryland, in Baltimore, Hector Romero, executive chef of Alma Cocina Latina, bones and fries whole branzino in a Venezuelan-inspired breading and serves it with a basically Thai sauce, demonstrating how harmoniously the flavors of tropical countries on opposite sides of the planet go together.
Beef tartare, usually a French dish, although not exclusively by any means, gets an upgrade by chef Barry Honan of Lotus Noodle Bar in St. Augustin, Fla., with the use of super-premium Miyazaki A5 wagyu beef, enhanced with Japanese and Korean flavors.
And in Miami, at Doya, beverage director Anthony Medina makes a drink inspired by the Italian city of Modena.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]