By Troy Johnson ll Photos by James Tran
Morning Glory
Outside of theme parks and casino cities, very few restaurants in the US will evoke such a physical and emotional reaction. Morning Glory feels like a living, breathing alien life form. And this alien thrives by absorbing the souls of millennials—all their filters and emojis and ineffably bright, happy projections of self.
By Troy Johnson ll Photos by Paula Watts
Fort Oak
Human culture was built around fire. Entire villages would gather around it for warmth and food, and form bonds and social hierarchies and roles. Every sensory element associated with wood-fired cooking—smoke, char, ash—has been deeply stitched into our DNA.
By Troy Johnson ll Photos by Jim Sullivan
Hidden Fish
It’s a glow box in the darkness. Hui An Garden restaurant used to light this corner of Convoy Street at night, but its run has ended. There’s a Wendy’s nearby, but that’s another kind of darkness. Because the surroundings are so gothically dead, the warm amber light of Hidden Fish beams like a portal of hope, the Japanese version of Edward Hopper’s famous painting Nighthawks.