My Broke Kitchen

10 Restaurant Dishes to Recreate at Home

May  7, 2014

Cooking on the cheap shouldn't mean minute rice and buttered pasta every night. With a little creativity and a little planning, Gabriella Paiella shows us how to make the most of a tight budget -- without sacrificing flavor or variety. 

Today: Recreate must-try restaurant dishes at home, for a fraction of the price.


One night, about a year after I had moved to New York, I was at a Mets Game. It wasn't terribly memorable, but I do remember that my date ordered chicken tenders; they were $11, and predictably not very good, but I immediately thought, "Damn, those are surprisingly cheap."

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That was the moment that I realized that living in this city had permanently skewed my perceptions of what people should pay for food. Even though I'm incredibly frugal at the grocery store, I'm often lured into shelling out at every new restaurant that I have to try -- and there is always another one. 

Fortunately, working in food media means being surrounded by people creative and motivated enough to recreate some of the most acclaimed restaurants' recipes. I've pulled together a few of my favorites -- you'll save money, won't have to wait for a table, and can eat them in the privacy of your home (no pants!). Here's how to live the dream: 

Momofuku's Pork Buns 



Northern Spy's Kale Salad 

Brussels Sprouts Salad a la M. Wells 



Maialino's Olive Oil Cake 



Celery Salad and Cheese on Toast (Inspired by Prune)  



Carrot Avocado Salad (courtesy of ABC Kitchen



Le Bernadin's Crispy Skinned Fish 



Union Square Café's Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Poppy Seeds and Lemon 

Roberta's Parsley Cake 



The River Café's Strawberry Sorbet 

Tell us: What are your favorite restaurant dishes that you've adapted to your home kitchen? 

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • orchid
    orchid
  • Marci Schwartz Lutsky
    Marci Schwartz Lutsky
  • Tamara
    Tamara
  • Jan Oconnell
    Jan Oconnell
  • cagii49
    cagii49
Yes, my name rhymes.

12 Comments

orchid September 22, 2022
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Visit Our Site: https://orchiddinex.com/
 
Marci S. June 9, 2015
I recreated quinoa quesadillas from one of my favorite local restaurants http://veggingattheshore.com/2015/02/kale-quinoa-quesadillas-with-guacamole/
 
Tamara April 26, 2015
Twenty five years ago, we had a restaurant in Chicago called Sole Mio. It was, at the time, the best Italian restaurant in the city. Very authentic northern Italian in cuisine and decor. The owner was definitely a man ahead of his time.

There was a dish on the menu, which I can't accurately recall at this time, but I recreated and tweaked it and it is now my signature dish. Marinated seared duck breast atop a bed of creamy polenta and finished with a port wine reduction. I am leaving a few of the ingredients out of the description because when one has a "signature dish", sharing isn't always an option. Someday, when I write my cookbook, I'll share it fully.
 
Jan O. April 26, 2015
I have a pretty respectable version of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, delicious
 
cagii49 June 4, 2014
Well, what is the very first dish? (the colorful salad)
 
molly Y. May 11, 2014
YAS! i can't wait to eat all of these in my no-pants-allowed kitchen.
 
healthierkitchen May 7, 2014
Everytime I eat the Piyaz at Zaytinya in DC I tinker with this a little more. I get close: http://food52.com/recipes/10519-gigante-beans-a-la-zaytinya.
 
Beez K. May 8, 2014
I tried the tomato at Zaytinya years ago - I made it my goal to replicate it at home!
 
Beez K. May 8, 2014
**Tomato jam
 
Liz B. May 7, 2014
At home = more herbs and spices and healthy things, less butter! I'm all for this post!

http://thatumamilife.wordpress.com - a clean eating bento blog. Japanese or Asian-inspired!
 
aargersi May 7, 2014
and can eat them in the privacy of your home (no pants!)
I am seriously LOL-ing
these: http://food52.com/recipes/4305-achiote-chickpeas
 
Anita Y. May 7, 2014
I have adapted and bettered the Boston Market Chicken Tortilla Soup. Does not sound terribly innovative or expensive, but, you have to understand that I absolutely could inhale everyday this soup. Mine is healthier and prettier and more filling.
(I leave the tortillas out)