Flavors and ideas are endless
The flavor of deviled eggs typically changes twice a week. From favorites like Bloody Mary and Cheeseburger to Chili Lime, Caribbean Jerk, Chipotle Pumpkin or Buffalo, the possibilities are endless.
Credit: Submitted Photo
Credit: Submitted Photo
“There’s never a shortage of opinions or ideas back there,” said executive chef Don Warfe, who recently returned to Lily’s in October 2023.
Deviled eggs are made within the pantry station of the kitchen, which is usually where line cooks begin. They start collaborating with the other chefs and having them taste their latest creations — finding out what may be missing or learning new tips and tricks.
“It’s a great opportunity to teach people flavors and balancing and texture,” Warfe said. “It keeps things interesting for the line cooks too.”
Contest time
In December, Lily’s released a classic deviled egg, but to their surprise it wasn’t a mega hit, Mendenhall said. Customers are loving the new, interesting flavors, so much so that the restaurant is hosting a contest. People are encouraged to comment a new deviled egg flavor or a flavor that they want to see again on the restaurant’s deviled egg Instagram or Facebook post. The restaurant will pick a first, second and third place winner on Monday, Jan. 15.
Comfort food resonates with people
Deviled eggs are not an odd dish to have on a restaurant menu. They seem to be very prevalent around the Dayton region.
Mendenhall noted there was a push around 2010-2015 towards homey food. She thinks deviled eggs are one of those comfort dishes that resonate with people. Warfe added that it’s a comfort food that’s not pretentious, but can still be made elevated and with craft and care.
“Comfort food translates into so many things and deviled eggs to start off our menu is really inviting and conceptionally make sense,” Mendenhall said.
New menu
Lily’s recently released a new dinner menu featuring Rumaki, a soon to rotate menu item. Rumaki, described as an old school tiki dish, is sweet, savory and spicy bites of bacon wrapped water chestnuts on toothpicks. Warfe is looking forward to introducing different types of Rumaki.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Two other dishes he is excited for are:
- Double Sticky Country Ribs and Jumeokbap: Oven roasted tender country pork ribs ‘stickied’ with tamarind BBQ and served with jumeokbap aka Korean sticky rice balls
- “Banh Mi” Wedge Salad: Crisp iceberg wedge, stacked with house pickled vegetables: carrots, daikons, red onions, and cucumbers. Topped with kewpie roasted sesame dressing, fresh jalapeños and cilantro
Warfe said he had a lot of fun creating this menu because he put ingredients together that typically aren’t presented together. For example, he used tamarind, typically used in Indian cuisine, and jumeokbap, typically scene in Korean cuisine, for the Double Sticky Country Ribs and Jumeokbap dish.
Other items guests should look forward to include the return of mashed potatoes and the makeover of the chicken sandwich.
Warfe also previewed a brunch special that is expected to come out soon. It’s a Scotch Devil featuring a scotch egg (a hard boiled egg that’s wrapped in sausage and breaded and fried) that has had the yolk removed and is filled with deviled egg filling.
Mendenhall and Warfe are excited for this new menu because it highlights what the restaurant has always wanted to be since it was revamped into a tiki-influenced bar with global cuisine in 2020. Warfe said he feels like he is finishing what he started by returning to Lily’s and introducing its latest menu.
The restaurant has also relaunched lunch and plans to have an updated lunch and brunch menu next week.
More online
See video of Lily’s Dayton at dayton.com. For more info about the business go online to lilysdayton.com.
Tell us
Do you have a unique food and dining business in the Dayton region you’d like us to know about? Email natalie.jones@coxinc.com.
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