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TV Thu Feb 23 2012
Top Chef Texas, Episode 16: You're Hot Then You're Cold
You're yes and then no, you're in then you're out, as sage-of-our-time Katy Perry reminds us -- words that might be stinging a bit after some reversals of fortune on last night's episode of "Top Chef." As always, three thoughts on the last installment before the finale...
The Vancouver Chinatown Quickfire tag-team challenge featured some familiar faces, as the final three were joined by Anita Lo and Floyd Cardoz of "Top Chef Masters" and Chicago noodle-master Takashi Yagihashi. Which caused Sarah to do a full-force freak-out. "Takashi! Did you see Takashi? You got Takashi! Where's Takashi?" It was cute. And ultimately, while Paul's dish based on Takashi's "giant clam" sashimi was praised but for its excessive Thai chilis, Sarah and Floyd pulled out the win with a cod and crab salad over coconut curry, for both taste and alliteration I assume.
Is it just me, or has the food gotten just stunning and mouth-watering since the cheftestants arrived in Canada? Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of barbeque. But everything the chefs have made in the last two episodes just looked gorgeous. And interesting! Lindsey -- who was totally on top last episode -- made a halibut dish with multiple tomato components for the Elimination cocktail party challenge -- including something called a tomato nage (neige? nahj? I don't even know what word this is, it's so fancy!) that Gail described as an exquisitely seasoned piece of ice. (Ultimately, it wasn't enough to keep her in the competition but still -- ballsy!) Sarah's dish involved a ginger-spiced sformato made with something called an anti-griddle -- which I can only assume uses anti-matter to create anti-heat. And did you SEE how many lobsters Paul went through JUST FOR THE SAUCE of his winning dish? Lobsters in blenders no less.
Frozen sformato notwithstanding, Sarah is officially repping our fair city all the way to the finale against Paul. Based on this week's dishes, I'm genuinely excited to see what comes out of their very divergent chef minds and onto the judges plates next week. And if Sarah wins, you can bet Spiaggia is likely going to see an uptick in reservations. Go now during Restaurant Week, while you still can! You can say you knew her when...