Each week we ask a pro what’s hot, lukewarm, and freezer-burned in the culinary world. This week’s guest: Jon Christiansen, bar manager at Monsoon, Monsoon East, and Ba Bar.

HOT: Three-ingredient drinks. After going wild with eight-ingredient cocktails and cramming as much as possible into a single drink, bartenders are showing their skilled palates and minimizing with complex arrangements of complementary well-crafted spirits—like the good old days.

LUKEWARM: Ordering menu items that can be closely approximated at home with a recipe off the Internet. You probably don’t have an eloma combi oven, a 16,000-BTU wok, or a whiskey barrel aging a cocktail at home, so try something from that repertoire.

FREEZER-BURNED: A table crowded with small plates. Chefs put their best foot forward on signature dishes that at the end of the day may offer better value, and likely include some variety on the plate. Go for the big-time entrees.