huge hunks of P’tit Basque cheese that gets blasted under the
broiler and comes out bubbling and brown (so much so that Dotolo
calls it “a decapitated French onion soup”)—the flavors make
sense, thanks to the acidity of the wine, the meatiness of the
chorizo, and the creaminess of the cheese.
As for their ribs, which are slicked with a house-made balsamic
barbecue sauce and blasted under the broiler (“There’s so much
sugar in that sauce,” says Dotolo, “you can burn the shit out of
them”), words fail. They’re just that good—maybe the best I’ve
ever had.
And that’s pretty much the point at Animal, where the food
has definition without having limitations. By pulling from all of
the world’s great cuisines, Dotolo and Shook have created a cuisine
that’s entirely their own. They stick to their guns but care about
their audience. The results—with crowds lining up night after
night—speak for themselves.