My culinary adventures (and disasters) have been well-documented over the years. From Sous Vide 101 to cautionary tales around Captain Crunch chicken dishes, I enjoy channeling my inner Julia Child, as inappropriate and misleading my guidance may be. 

As a general observation, ever since our daughter Kate came onto the scene, my inspiration and excitement in the kitchen has materially suffered. I’d rather play outside, help with first steps or tidy up the home – inevitably relying on takeout or quick prep meals that consistently fall short. However, on the rare occasions that creativity does strike in the kitchen, it has been in the lens of recreating some of our favorite restaurants’ dishes. Here are a few: appetizer, main course and dessert that I have been particularly proud of lately.

Appetizer: Cucumber Salad

Whether you are familiar with the restaurant or not, Din Tai Fung is America’s top-grossing restaurant chain per location. Famous for their soup dumplings and Xiao Long Bao, the cucumber salad is out of this world – crunchy, sweet, refreshing and easy to recreate at home.

Main: Japanese A5 Wagyu Ribeye

  • Financial Planning tip: Purchase at Costco – $55/lb vs $135/lb+

I hear the disappointing comment of “I could have made this better myself at home” most often at steakhouses. Not just that, but rarely do you find true Japanese A5 cuts at even the most famous and expensive steakhouses. And while $55/lb is still outrageous, there is truly no comparison when it comes to flavor and texture. Best practices for your wallet suggest that you save the A5 for an anniversary dinner and not the 4th of July family cookout.

Dessert: Cookie Skillet (aka the ‘Pizookie’)

  • Original Restaurant: Uno Pizzeria & Grill (fka Pizzeria Uno)  
  • Word of caution: Cast iron vs circular cookie sheet have vastly different time/temp requirements
  • Knock off recipe link: https://unocasa.com/blogs/recipes/skillet-cookie

“Grow up and stop eating cookies, Tom.” Valid and correct, but respectfully, my response is “no.” Topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, the Pizookie is typically served family style, which if done strategically and correctly, allows you to hide how much you have actually ate.

If you have restaurant recreations of your own, please send them my way – we are always in search of new ideas!