Chef

Ian Moroney

"Natto is a sticky mass of fermented soy beans with earthy, funky flavors that are almost cheese-like. Definitely not for everyone, but there's a bit of Japanese history in each bite, and nobody schools you better than Zama."

"Foie gras is one of my favorite things to eat, so stuffing it inside a pig's foot elevates it to something even better than I could have imagined!"

"Not as pungent as duck and not as rich as pork, the rabbit is cured, cooked in pork fat, shredded, and then reacquainted with the fat. The pear cuts through the richness just right. So good!"

"Served over congee, this braised pork belly is rich in porky flavor with undertones of dashi and soy. The intense flavor covers the plain congee, a delicious pairing! It's my favorite pork belly dish of all time."

"Sang Kee's are the best shrimp dumplings I've found outside of San Francisco. Ask for them with chili oil and vinegar; I like to dunk the dumplings in a mixture of the two."

"The stuffed grape leaves at this South Philly Vietnamese restaurant hit on every cylinder. They're charred on the outside, but succulent inside, with a beef filling spiked with fish sauce."