Courtesy Tigress
Chef Spotlight: Dale Talde
The James Beard nominee and Top Chef alum recently opened Tigress, a Cantonese chophouse on the rooftop of the new Perry Hotel in Naples, Florida. A Filipino American with Chinese heritage, Talde shares his vision for how guests should enjoy their meal, a twist on a favorite appetizer, and some favorite local spots.
Share-Worthy | “Cantonese food is celebratory—we want guests to share. We serve our steaks sliced with an assortment of pickles, lettuce leaves, herbs, and sauces, so everyone can create a beautiful bite of rich beef enhanced with different flavors.”
Delicious Dumpling | “For potstickers, we use dry-aged beef for the filling. It’s folded in with Chinese chives, ginger, and garlic in a Shanghai dumpling skin, which is boiled first, then pan-fried. They’re served with spicy mustard and soy vinegar.”
Out & About | “There’s a great food scene here. Bicyclette Cookshop and Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge are wonderful. Pastry Boutique in [nearby] Esterio has some of the finest pastries I’ve ever had—we serve them here on property.”
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Now Open: New & Noteworthy Eats
Armour House
Birmingham, Alabama
This modern brasserie in the historic Armour & Co. building serves premium beef steaks grilled on an open fire, raw-bar selections like bluefin tuna crudo and fresh oysters, and more than 300 wines. Whet your appetite with a signature martini featuring housemade caperberry brine.
Courtesy Miletta
Mileta
Lexington, Kentucky
Executive Chef Alex Green whips up contemporary Italian favorites like spaghetti with littleneck clams and New York strip with potato frico and braised radishes. Book a table in the Pasta Room to see creations like fiori with lemon and ricotta being crafted by hand.
Photo by Ben Nguyen Pham
Ryokou
Atlanta, Georgia
Michelin Award–winning chef Leonard Yu (of Omakase Table) opened this intimate, 10-seat destination in the Adair Park neighborhood. The eight-course tasting menu features dishes and ingredients from some of Japan’s most influential culinary areas. Think thin-sliced abalone over rice or Kegani nigiri (horsehair crab).
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Gaming Gastronomy
A $275 million expansion Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in western North Carolina brings a new restaurant by multi-Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay. Ramsay’s Kitchen is a 12,000-foot space with an open-exhibition kitchen and serves favorites like beef Wellington and jumbo lump crab cakes—and, of course, the celebrity chef’s signature sticky toffee pudding.
This article appears in the Spring 2025 issue of Southbound.
