For the past year we have tried to keep you up to date with seasonal menu changes around town. Mostly because seasonal menus are awesome, they keep a restaurant exciting and the menu evolving. Some places do not change over an entire menu with the season, instead opt for monthly specials which are honestly some of the best food around town and only available for a limited time.
To kick things off we are taking a look at what is new this month from some of our favorite places that host regular monthly specials, Trio’s, Big Orange, Local Lime, and ZaZa’s. Trio’s Restaurant – Trio’s includes a huge special menu every month alongside a number of mainstays. Owner Capi Peck uses each month to introduce new flavors and push the team’s culinary boundaries.
Appetizer Special-Crab & Roasted Corn Beignets with Dill Cream
Seasonal Salad – Local Tuscan Kale with clementines, dried cranberries, shaved Manchego, blueberry vinaigrette
Entrees
Classic Beef Tenderloin – 8 oz grilled Black Angus, cabernet demiglace, herb compound butter, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables
Crystal Lake Farms Chicken – bone-in free range locally sourced chicken, mustard thyme cream, wild mushroom risotto, roasted root vegetables
Not Your Mom’s Lasagna – pasta, creamy spinach, roasted red & yellow bell pepper, Kalamata olives, toasted hazelnuts, ricotta, asiago, herbs, bechamel
Cabernet Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs – with Port, herbes de provence, roasted garlic, wild mushroom risotto, asparagus
Cedar Plank Tasman Salmon – wild caught, maple mustard glaze, wild rice pilaf, asparagus
Pretzel Logic Pork Tenderloin – pretzel crust, dijon cream with candied orange zest, balsamic reduction, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus
Caribbean Grouper – wild caught, Gulf of Mexico black grouper, oven roasted in banana leaves, orange-pineapple relish, Caribbean style red beans & rice
Big Orange (Midtown and West Locations) – Big Orange frequently rolls out with a monthly burger and shake special. Keep an eye on their facebook though because occasionally owner Scott McGehee will come across unique ingredients or try a new recipe that will only be available for a few days.
Burger – New York Strip Steak Sandwich featuring strips of steak, cascabel chile aioli, fried onions, and arugula.
Peppermint Bark Shake – Big Orange’s winter shake is layered with Peppermint Syrup and Candy Cane Crumbs and topped with Whipped Cream, Chocolate, and Candy Cane Crumbles. Local Lime – Local Lime has a good mix of monthly specials, some seasonal items, and the occasional week or day long special that is announced through their facebook.
Tamales – Get your choice of Chicken, Spinach, or Poblano tamales with Fresh Corn, Tomatillo Sauce, Jack Cheese, Queso Fresco, Cilantro, and Lime. Each is served with your choice of two sides
Green Chile Stew – While not a monthly special per say, the green chile stew is a seasonal dish that really begs to be eaten multiple times. We find the flavor from the chiles on one of our favorite dishes changes over the 3-4 months that it is served making it unique every time you go in. ZAZA: Roasted Winter Salad ZAZA’s – ZAZA maintains ongoing specials for pizza, salad, and soup. Not all are month-long, we find the pizza and soup specials change frequently so keep up to date on their facebook before heading in. This month they feature a month-long salad special
Roasted winter Salad – Crimini mushrooms, Petit Jean bacon, green beans, brussels sprouts, caramelized onion, tomato, pistachio, lemon, and parmesan-buttermilk dressing.
ZAZA: Roasted Winter Salad
