Earls Test Kitchen Awards

Earls Test Kitchen Restaurant Review:

Earls Test Kitchen? Yes, it's the name of this downtown hotspot, the kingpin of casual fine dining. It's also the launching pad for new dishes destined to filter out chain-wide. A novel Chefs' Collective of six eminent chefs bring the likes of a dynamite prawn and mango roll, Hunan kung pao, Sicilian calamari, tinga chicken tacos and more to the menu. Reliable standbys such as burgers, pizza and pasta are all included, as are Leroy's crispy dry ribs, Lois Lake steelhead salmon, plus various steaks and chops. There's an emphasis on quality seasonal ingredients, and everything is house-made, including the addictive sourdough bread. For desserts, try the Gold Digger, an Italian vanilla and chocolate gelato sundae with hot toffee and spiced candied pecans, or the peanut butter skillet cookie with salted caramel, chocolate chips and vanilla bean gelato. Exclusive microbrews, inventive cocktails featuring freshly squeezed juices, and a well-priced, globetrotting wine list make Earls a rare breed among upscale chains. Enthusiastic servers are another bonus. And the actual Test Kitchen? It's at the top of the stairs and glassed in to enable plenty of peeking.