Menu Update: Top Hat Restaurant Adds Vegan Dishes, Returning Classics and More

Looking for your new favorite dish? The Top Hat might have it for you. We’ve added five more unique items to the menu, including a couple returning classics and a few brand new ones.

Here’s what Chef Billy has to say about the additions:

“I am very excited to update our menu to include a few of my favorite dishes, the Cajun Pasta and Chimichurri Steak Frites, along with Sous Chef Craig Thomas’ very creative Fried Kimchi Potstickers. This update will also include two vegan dishes, the Thai Vegan Tacos and Vegan Italian Sausage Flatbread. I have always been inspired when creating southern dishes and cooking with meats. However, working for Nick Checota, I have been challenged to make healthier, vegetarian and vegan plant-based diet dishes. This has been an eye opening, growing experience for me as a Chef. I enjoy the challenge and opportunity to create dishes that are out of my normal comfort zone. With these additions, we continue to strive for a creative and original menu that has something for everyone to enjoy.”

A tasty opener with crispy fried dough outside and a big pop of flavor and texture inside — the Fried Kimchi Potstickers are a creative twist on a classic dish. The kimchi is fermented in house with pomegranate added for an original spin on the Korean staple. It pairs well with the Chinese five-spice rubbed pork belly, which is braised with a mixture of beer, lemongrass and chicken stock. The potsticker dough recipe comes from our Line Cook, Justin, who thought it would be a great way to elevate the presentation of standalone pork belly. Served with a side of pomegranate hoisin dipping sauce, this is bound to be a new favorite appetizer.

A returning item, the Chimichurri Steak Frites, consist of flat iron steak on top of house cut fries — all covered in Billy’s tried and true chimichurri. He’s perfected the recipe after years of serving it to family and friends, and it can also be found on the Chimichurri Chicken Sandwich.

Another returning item, the Cajun Pasta, is known for it’s hearty portion and is a favorite among staff. The Southern inspired dish is right in Billy’s wheelhouse, and features house-made fettuccine, six shrimp, local andouille Redneck sausage, onions, peppers and a rich Cajun cream sauce. It’s served with a side of local Le Petit Outre garlic bread.

The Vegan Italian Sausage Flatbread is made with seitan, a meat substitute that consists of Great Northern white beans, wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, veggie stock and Italian seasoning. It’s rolled into a “sausage” and steamed for 45 minutes, grilled and cut. It comes with onions, peppers, house-made marinara and cashew cheese. The marinara consists of San Marzanos tomatoes, red wine, vinegar and herbs. The cashew cheese is made from raw cashews that are soaked over night and blended with lemon juice and nutritional yeast.

Finally, we have the Vegan Thai Tacos, made with seitan which is sautéed in sesame oil and Thai chili marinade. It goes well with our Thai pepper peanut coconut sauce, cilantro, crunchy cucumber, pickled carrot and pickled daikon radish. This dish is extra special because it’s also on our Happy Hour menu — our first ever vegan Happy Hour offering!

Stop by soon to give these fresh and delicious made-from-scratch dishes a try. The Top Hat kitchen is open 11:30am-10:00pm, Monday-Saturday.

You can view the full menu here.