Fiddlehead ferns are coveted among foragers!
Fiddlehead ferns are another beloved blink-and-you’ll-miss-them springtime treat. There are different kinds of fiddlehead ferns, but only several are actually edible. Local to several areas in North America, including the Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the U.S., restaurants on OpenTable are serving this wild treat to the delight of diners.
* 80 Thoreau, Concord, Massachusetts: “Another great dinner at 80 Thoreau. Had the rabbit paté and the artichoke with barley. The paté was moist and very flavorful. The vegetarian dish was a palette of greens and golds. Indicative of the spring fare were the fiddlehead ferns, asparagus, and golden carrots accompanying the stuffed artichoke. It was presented so beautifully that I didn’t want to disturb it. Delicious dish I would have again.”
* 8407 Kitchen Bar, Silver Spring, Maryland: “The food is amazing. Loved the fiddlehead/ramp/chicken-of-the-woods mushroom salad! Very skilled server.”
* Bricco Trattoria, Glastonbury, Connecticut: “They cook with local ingredients and had fiddleheads for an appetizer, followed by an apple salad with shaved fennel and a light dressing. The veal parmesan with a side of fresh pasta with pork strips in the sauce was excellent. I cannot remember getting a meal of this quality.”
* Culina Millcreek, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: “Three of us went to Culina to celebrate a birthday. We all thought the evening special sounded delicious (asparagus soup with blue cheese, Alberta pickerel with fiddleheads), and all of us were extremely pleased. I also love to go to Culina for brunch.”
* Fuel Restaurant, Lewiston, Maine: “This is the second time we have been to Fuel, and we were not disappointed. The food was wonderful. We had a dish of fiddleheads cooked in a white-wine reduction with apple smoked bacon — and asked for more bread to sop up the juice.”
* Jamestown FiSH, Jamestown, Rhode Island: “We had two fabulous dinners at Fish. The first was a spicy shrimp dish with the most delicious polenta I’ve ever had. The second was a salmon dish with spring veggies, including fiddlehead ferns. Everything that comes out of the kitchen is beautifully presented and tastes fantastic! We wanted to lick our plates!! The chef is extremely creative.”
Lately it seems as though you can’t dine out (or in) with a group of friends without dining with someone who has food allergies — or strong food preferences. Be it an allergy to dairy, gluten, nuts, or seafood or a preference for raw foods or vegan cuisine, diners are testing the mettle of many chefs with extreme special requests. Janny Hu, of the San Francisco Chronicle, 
