Sunnier Side

Marlin Kaplin looks at an egg and sees possibilities far beyond the a.m. hours. Take his popular fettuccini carbonara ($13) at Luxe. It's a deconstructed version of the original bacon, Parmesan and cream sauce-based dish, but this time the egg, typically folded into the sauce, is placed right on top. Kaplin felt the classic way didn't do the egg's texture and flavor justice. This way, "it's a multiple taste layer experience," says Kaplin. He isn't alone in this thought; the egg has become a trendy topper on many dishes from burgers to pizzas, salads to steak tartare. "It's an ironic twist to an ingredient we use in almost every conceivable dish," says Kaplin. "The egg is capable of so many things. It's an underappreciated hero worthy of sophisticated palettes."