News You Can Eat
Two killer Austin spots nab nominations for Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurant 2015
Every summer, Bon Appetit releases a highly anticipated list of the best new restaurants in America. On Tuesday, foodies got a taste of this year's picks with the announcement of the 2015 nominees.
Among the 50 nominees from across the U.S. are two of Austin's favorite new dining spots: Dai Due and Gardner. The two concepts — the former a combo restaurant and butcher shop, the latter a vegetable-focused spot from the owners of Contigo — are among the restaurants that Bon Appetit says "just killed it this year."
The nominees were compiled by Andrew Knowlton and Julia Kramer who, over the last few months, "criss-crossed the country seeking out the truly original, innovative, and unexpected cooking taking place right now."
Dai Due impresses with a meat-centric menu where almost every ingredient is sourced from within a couple hundred miles. Winning dishes include biscuits and gravy with venison breakfast sausage, grilled giant beef rib with potato and sauerkraut dumplings, and the roast half chicken.
At Gardner, diners get a taste of haute Scandinavian cuisine deep in the heart of Texas. BA suggests you order the rye English muffin with sprouted-grain butter; cucumber with zucchini, potato and Norwegian brown cheese; and the ribeye with potato, cheddar and grains of paradise.
The 10 winners will be announced on August 18. If selected, Dai Due and Gardner will join the ranks of other previous Austin winners Thai-Kun, Jeffrey's and Josephine House.