Unlike revenge, cheese or ripe tomatoes are not best served cold. On a recent visit to Trade - which I adore, and most anything Jody Adams does - we were served a burrata and a tomato salad that were both straight from the icebox.
OK, I get why burrata is served cold, if restaurants are concerned about being docked by the health department. But is this really the reason? We are to the point where we will stop ordering it while dining out. Served at a proper temperature at home burrata is a completely different experience.
With tomatoes, on the other hand, I don’t see a health department objecting to whole tomatoes kept at room temperature then cut just before serving. Local summer tomatoes should never see the inside of a refrigerator. We couldn’t bear to eat the otherwise beautiful tomato salad and took it home to take the chill off.
Why so cold???
Trade does serve one stellar dish best served cold - the mango baked Alaska. Probably the best since the Key Lime baked Alaska at the dearly departed Pacific Time in Miami Beach.
