Author: Flavor & The Menu Staff

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff Mini is big right now, and the bite-sized Mini Wagyu Burgers at upscale Joseph Decuis satisfy the demand for smaller portions with huge flavor. “First off, if anyone here calls these ‘sliders,’ they’re fired,” says Adam House, Executive Chef. “These are itty-bitty cheeseburgers packed with layers of flavor, and our customers can’t get enough of them.” The mini burgers start with gougères—fresh-baked traditional French pastry dough spiked with Parmesan cheese. The patties are made from Wagyu beef, raised on Joseph Decuis’ farm as part of the restaurant’s farm-to-fork philosophy. Little scoops of...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff Firehouse Subs Cherry Lime-Aid is sold internationally, but its roots date back to Jacksonville, Fla., where the beverage came to be. Back in 1994, Firehouse Subs’ co-founders and brothers, Chris and Robin Sorensen, debuted their recipe: black cherry mash, simple syrup and non-carbonated water served over ice with fresh-squeezed limes. The drink is refreshing—very sweet, but well balanced with the tartness from the lime juice. “As we created the menu for Firehouse Subs, there was no question we would offer Cherry Lime-Aid,” says Chris Sorensen. “It was something we grew up drinking...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff Utilizing Alfredo sauce’s longevity as a beloved profile, Fazoli’s put it to work as a flavor bridge in a bolder menu build. As part of an Alfredo Fest promotion, Rick Petralia, R&D Chef, developed the Angry Chicken Alfredo. Fried chicken breast is tossed in a spicy Calabrese sauce served atop spaghetti with the housemade “Angry” Alfredo Arrabbiata sauce. Bacon, pepperoncini and Gorgonzola cheese finish the dish. “This dish was engineered to have the perfect balance between heat and flavor,” Petralia says. “We don’t feature spicy menu items often, so we wanted to...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff Pincho Factory, a new Latin-inspired fast-casual, is known for a number of things, including its namesake pinchos (skewers of grilled meat), burgers and fries. For the Miami-born concept, Chef/Co-owner Nedal Ahmad created the Toston Burger as an LTO. “It was by far our biggest LTO of all time,” he says. “What started on our chalkboard with plantains as buns grew into one of our best sellers on the permanent menu.” He attributes the success to the combination of the salty-sweet, crunchy tostones (fried plantains) with the umami-rich beef patty. “When married with...

PHOTO CREDIT: Flavor & The Menu Staff As Florida’s oldest restaurant, Columbia takes pride in its history as a family-run establishment—and in its longtime favorite dishes. The signature “1905” Salad was first served in the 1940s, created by waiter Tony Noriega based on what he liked to make at home out of iceberg lettuce, onions, pepper, ham, Swiss cheese and tomatoes, and tossed in lemon juice, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Over time, the salad has evolved to include Romano cheese and options of adding turkey or shrimp. Known as the “Tony Salad,” it was later renamed “1905” to honor...