Best Meals Food & Wine Editor’s Had in April

"Texas Chef Steve McHugh is known for his expert meat preparations, but the Shrimp and Whipped Hominy at his newest venture, Luminaire in Austin, Texas is a testament to his range. Luminaire, located in Downtown Austin, opened in February 2023 in a stunning new Hyatt hotel on buzzy Congress street. The multi-story restaurant anchors the hotel with large garage-style windows which allow dining to seamlessly extend outdoors. McHugh's menu is playful with an emphasis on peak ingredients cooked over fire (but also don't miss the charcuterie on the dinner board which McHugh cures in-house between Luminaire and his San Antonio-based restaurant Cured). The most memorable dish from our meal, though, was McHugh's play on Shrimp and Grits which featured gorgeous roasted shrimp over creamy whipped hominy studded with crispy bits of smoked Tasso ham. The whipped hominy is creamy and light and has a pure, corn-forward flavor. The dish has just enough salt, acid, and spice from a chipotle adobo to be perfectly balanced. This was truly an excellent dish from an all-around wonderful meal!" - Alexandra Domrongchai