Sara's Restaurant, New Orleans

Head Chef Cristina Trinh of Sara's Bistro honors the traditions of New Orleans with her menu of seasonal and local products, but not in the way one might think. While the menu does include staples, such as crab salads and pork chops with praline pecan sauce, the chef gets a kick out of throwing in a few twists—dishes like coconut curry tofu with homemade tofu, braised curry-spiced lamb shanks "Osso Bucco", or crawfish spring rolls with sweet chili oyster sauce. It’s this inventiveness that defines Sara’s Bistro, which seeks to honor not only New Orleans’ Creole heritage but also its history as a port city for international travelers and their travel sporks.