One of the first words I learned in German (and one I will probably never forget) was Kartoffelsalat (potato salad). The German people, especially the Bavarians, excel at making Kartoffelsalat and that style of preparation was what I became accustomed to, especially growing up so near Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) country. Living in H-town, however, has certainly expanded my potato salad purview, for our city's chefs are doing some pretty creative takes on this dish. Here are five types to try in Houston:
5. Mustard Potato Salad (Revival Market). Soft, slightly sweet red potatoes give this potato salad a comforting texture, while chopped red bell peppers and house-made mustard add spice and crunch. This bit of a twist on tradition proves that small alterations to a standard recipe can lead to substantial improvement.
4. Potato-Tomato Salad (Beaver's). Despite a generous coating of mayonnaise, many potato salads still end up tasting dry. Beaver's avoids this problem by speckling its potato salad with tomatoes, whose juice commingles with a liberal dose of chimichurri to create a terrific sweet, acidic dressing.
3. Dill Potato Salad (Baba Yega). Technically a side but never an aside, the potato salad at Baba Yega comes with all sandwiches but easily distracts diners from their reubens and veggie BLTs with its spritely garden flavor, thanks to a hearty handful of dill and chopped celery. As Matthew Dresden noted, the supple texture is more of mashed potatoes, and in combination with the mayonnaise, this makes for a very creamy potato salad.
2. Caribbean Potato Salad (Reggae Hut). Tired of pale, bland potato salad? Reggae Hut's version is a rainbow of red onions, sunny carrots and verdant legumes. Even the potatoes take on a pinkish hue due to the infusion of red wine vinegar and mayonnaise. This cornucopia of colorful ingredients translates into a more complicated but very appetizing. collaboration of flavors.
1. La Rusa (Tango & Malbec) You probably did not plan on eating potato salad at Tango & Malbec, but next time you will if someone at your table happens to order the La Rusa, a potato salad with carrots and peas. Supposedly invented in Russia, ensalada rusa is usually served in small plate or tapa format. Too bad, because you'll want a whole bowl to yourself.
