Featured Dish: August’s Lamb Belly

Maryse Chevrière — January 21, 2010

Kleftiko of Lamb Belly: Grilled Lamb Belly, Tzatziki, and Black Sesame from August.

Pork belly has had its time—we’re ready for a new belly. Call it a hunch, but we think the next belly to make a flop is going to be lamb belly.

The surge has yet to begin, but if you want a sneak preview of a trend in the making, head over to August, where they are already celebrating this great ingredient. The restaurant’s Kleftiko of Lamb Belly is a most welcome alternative for those suffering from pork belly exhaustion.

The tender, fall-off-the-bone meat is at turns creamy and shredded like pulled pork. A crust of black sesame seeds (warning: potential date dish nightmare) adds powerful toasted notes and texture. A cool tzatziki acts as a loose sauce for the bed of vegetable spaghetti that props up the piece of belly. The flavor of the meat strikes a Goldie Locks-like balance of being pronounced without being overwhelming.