Launderette Lands on Food & Wine’s Restaurants of the Year List

Launderette, the evolving neighborhood spot from Rene Ortiz and Laura Sawicki, was named as one of Food & Wine’s restaurants of the year today. Ortiz is rightly described as "a guy who loves hyperbole," and the writer goes on to talk about his "next-level" mussels:

Take mussels, which I’d gotten bored with. Ortiz cooks his Prince Edward Island ones in a broth enhanced with ground pancetta and salami, then throws in chopped Castelvetrano olives and fermented serrano chile butter. They’re unbelievable.

Sawicki’s spongy burger buns were mentioned. There was also a shout out to the duo's next-door project, Mr. Mc's, with its short but strong array of New Orleans fare (those muffulettas).

Other restaurants on the list include New Orleans' Shaya, Raleigh's Death & Taxes, and Minneapolis' Brewer's Table at Surley Brewing.

The Holly restaurant won last year’s Eater Award for restaurant of the year, made the finalist list for this year's James Beard Awards’ best new restaurant, and landed on Texas Monthly's list as well.

Earlier this year, Emmer & Rye's Kevin Fink was named one of this year's best new chefs by the food publication.