Zombie Burger + Bird added the “bird” to its name earlier this summer to reflect its expanded menu. So now at Zombie, it’s OK to chicken out. (Photo: Zombie Burger + Bird) By Karla Walsh Imagine you’re sitting in a booth at your local version of Cheers. You know, the one where you’re a regular, where everybody knows your name. You’re about to place your order. I’d wager you have at least one standby dish you enjoy every time. At Harbinger, I bet it’s the steam buns. (If it’s not, it should be!) At Cosi Cucina, it’s the crustless cheesecake. The greatest hits — the menu MVPs — are popular for a reason. Restaurant owners and chefs tell me they’re proud of and grateful that diners adore these bestsellers. Still, they’re even more excited to about the “sleeper hits,” the overlooked dishes they wish more people would order. Last spring we dished about underrated dishes at Hansen’s Manhattan Deli and 5 Borough Bagels, among others, and got such a good response, we figured we should find a few more, hiding in plain sight. Which will you try first? Zombie Burger + Bird Most-ordered item: Zombie Burger Sleeper hit: Malvado Diablo The Zombie Burger, Orchestrate Hospitality’s riff on the classic American smashburger, “outsells our next highest-selling burger by nearly two to one,” according to chef/partner George Formaro. At this East Village fast-casual landmark, “the burgers understandably get most of the attention. They’re iconic, and they’re what we’ve been known for since the beginning. But we’ve put just as much thought, research and work into the chicken. That’s also why it felt important to add ‘Bird’ to the name,” which they did in June. The sleeper hit here is one item Formaro wishes more diners would give a cluck about: The Malvado Diablo. It starts with a soft white bun, made from scratch. The accessories include pepper Jack cheese, thick-cut fried pork belly, pickled jalapeños and lime mayo. But the real star is the juicy, deeply seasoned, shatteringly crisp, fried chicken breast at the center of it all. “I honestly think it’s one of the best examples of what our kitchen is capable of,” Formaro said. “The flavors feel familiar, but they’re put together in a way that most people probably haven’t experienced in a sandwich. It’s smoky, spicy, creamy, crisp and comforting all at once — almost as if it feeds your soul directly. I absolutely love this sandwich.” Palms DSM Most-ordered item: Jerk Chicken Sleeper hit: Honey Suya Wings At this Caribbean escape on Ingersoll, the bestseller by far is the jerk chicken, chef/owner Amara Sama’s signature dish. They fly through hundreds of pounds of chicken quarters every week, which they doctor up with a dry rub featuring Jamaican herbs and spices. After 48 hours, the bird is smoked low and slow, then finished over an open flame. Sama, a former sprinter for Iowa State’s track team, says this spicy, bold dish reminds him of warm nights in Kingston, Jamaica. For a more under-the-radar option, Sama suggests the Honey Suya Wings. “Suya is a West African spice blend made with ingredients like paprika, ginger and ground peanuts, creating a smoky, nutty flavor that’s hard to describe until you try it,” he explained. “Traditionally, suya seasoning is sprinkled over grilled meats like steak, lamb or chicken.” Here, he showcases it in the sauce rather than a dry seasoning blend. After several years of testing and tinkering, Sama says he hit the sweet spot with his honey-sweetened suya sauce, which he now tosses with roasted chicken wings to coat every crevice with flavor. “It’s one of those items that people don’t always order at first, but once they do, they usually come back for it,” he said. Highland Underground Most-ordered item: Chuck’s Mule Sleeper hit: Smoking Jacket Designed to transport guests back to the 1970s, when the same Highland Park space was Klein’s Department Store, it tracks that the bestsellers are classics like the Oak Park Old Fashioned, the Chuck’s Mule (infused with amaro) and the Far Out Fresh (a spicy margarita). These are the favorites, according to Sam Hoyle, a partner of Orvis Horatio Group, which operates the Highland Underground as well as Dough Co. Pizza and the Des Moines Biergarten. The sleeper hit is the Smoking Jacket, custom-tailored for the Underground by bar manager Jake Humburg. Its mix of dark rum, banana liqueur, toasted coconut, vanilla, grapefruit peel and house-made tobacco bitters — all served on a vintage glass ashtray with a candy cigarette. It creates “a complex, smoky-sweet sip that’s unlike any cocktail you might order at another metro area bar,” Hoyle noted in an email. “The flavors, presentation and overall experience really capture the 1970’s department store vibe. It also happens to pair really well with our fondue.” Contributor Karla Walsh has written health, travel, food and dining stories for dozens of local and national publications including Better Homes Gardens, Food Wine, Allrecipes and more. You can find her on Substack, What’s Good. ...read more read less