FSR September 2022

CHEFS & INGREDI ENT S NOW SERVING

SittingDown to Street Eats BY TREVOR GRINER Elevated versions of global street foods are finding their place on the plate.

MI VIDA EMBELISHES AREPAS WITH CREMA AND CAVIAR.

REY LOPEZ

FROM AREPAS IN COLOMBIA to pier ogies in Poland to banh mi in Vietnam, street foods vary across cultures. But for all the differences, one unifying quality captures the essence of what makes these casual, on-the-go dishes so enticing. “There’s such immense flavor in a sin gle bite,” says chef Roberto Santibañez, owner and culinary director of New York City’s Fonda and Washington D.C.’s Mi Vida. “[Street foods] come from a place of comfort.They come fromhome and from recipes that have been passed down from

generation to generation. And that’s true whether it’s Mexican or Chinese food.” Originally fromMexico, Santibañez has developed a menu at Mi Vida that transforms the country’s traditional street foods into plated dishes fit for full service dining. A dozen years ago, the food truck craze brought global street fare to ubiquity and soon after, fast casu als brought them to brick-and-mortars. Now, chefs like Santibañez are elevat ing these classic dishes. In some cases, the only change needed is the plating.

“So many of the dishes are already so perfect that there’s only so much you can do to make it better,” he says. “So it becomes more about how you present it.” He suggests using ceramic plates instead of baskets and advises chefs to pay close attention to how sauces are drizzled. Other small changes, like using finely diced onions instead of roughly chopped onions, can also add a more refined air. “Even taking regular cilantro and replacing it withmicro cilantro can bring

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