Omnivore Atlanta

Pho in East Atlanta! Could it be??? Yes, it appears it’s true. The owners of Wasabi in Castleberry Hill have bought the building that used to house Cantina La Casita and are planning to open a Vietnamese noodle joint in the spot within the next two months. Pho, late night, and … wait for it … weekend dim sum are planned for the restaurant, which will be called So Ba (not for the Japanese noodle soba, but I’m told the name means “my third” in Vietnamese, for the owner’s third restaurant and also the upcoming birth of his third child).

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It takes a lot for me to to jump off of my couch, throw on some clothes and speed over to a restaurant after settling in for the night. But that’s just what I did after getting a call from my friend (partner in crime and pizza freak), Kit Fenton, tonight proclaiming he’d just had “the best pizza in Atlanta.” I have no idea how Antico Pizza Napoletana (1093 Hemphill Ave., 404-724-2333. www.anticopizza.it) flew under my (and everyone else’s) radar. But my first visit was a revelation. Owner Giovanni Di Palma (a native of New York and Naples) is the kind of man who instantly wins your adoration. His enthusiasm and pure passion for true Naples style pizza is so infectious, I was thrown into a manic state of pizza lust the moment I entered the brand new Westside Pizzeria. Yes, lust. And anyone who wants to know where Enrico Liberato (the former pizzaiolo at Fritti) has disappeared to need not look any further.

Luca Varuni, Giovanni Di Palma and Enrico Liberato

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST…


(Photos by Jennifer Zyman)

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You see it on “Top Chef” all the time. The hobbled, baby wildebeest limping around the kitchen. A chef barely hanging on in the competition. Scared and bleeding. On their last legs. With a few hyena snapping at their ankles. A lions pride, calmly in the brush, watching.

Figuratively, Robin is that wildebeest.

Literally, though, she’s a true survivor.

Eli’s unfortunate comments cast judgment on Robin’s inspiration and victory this week. It was the type of comment that probably had more than one person, including myself, saying “Oh no, he didn’t”.

He did.

I can’t defend his choice of words. Even though I can vouch for his character (he happens to be an extremely loyal and family-focused person).

But I can help you imagine his mindset.

When you’re a young chef, overly ambitious and obsessed with your craft, cancer doesn’t mean much. When you work in a great restaurant and push hard every day, nothing else means as much. A tight brunoise or turned vegetable are all that matters. Life is barely a blip on the radar.

It reminds me of this quote from White Heat by Marco Pierre White.

“When boys don’t last the pace that makes me feel good because I can and I will”. – chef de partie at Harvey’s.

That is a ruthless yet accurate comment.

Change that to, “I love it when cooks can’t keep up, even if they’ve had cancer,” and you have a sampling of what I think Eli was getting at.

(more…)

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BIG FUN: The dry-fried beef chow fun at Ming's

Ming’s Bar B Q holds a special place in the hearts and stomachs of many Cantonese barbecue-loving Atlantans. The cooking is consistent and the menu is rife with virtually every Cantonese dish imaginable. The Buford Highway location has little ambiance, however, which makes it a hard sell for less adventurous diners.

This past spring, a new location opened in the emerging Asian culinary paradise of Duluth. The new Ming’s Bar B Q (2131 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, 770-623-9996) is much larger and the decor is more modern than the original’s. The Duluth Ming’s features a glass-walled room dedicated to barbecue, where rows of Peking duck, Char Siu (honey barbecued pork), soy sauce chicken, and other items hang side by side. The menu has all the greatest hits, plus a new section inspired by the contemporary teahouses of Hong Kong. Look for items such as Chinese-style french toast covered in syrup and butter, baked fish on cream corn, congee, a bevy of tea-based drinks (including Hong Kong-style milk tea), hot grapefruit juice with honey, “French-style” coffee, and Ovaltine for the kiddies.

Continue reading “Cheap Eats: Ming’s Bar B Q Duluth”

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Matt Coggin, the managing partner of DBA Barbecue in Virginia-Highland, writes this good news:

We replaced the electric smokers with a Lang Smoker and an Ole Hickory Smoker. The BBQ has been improved dramatically. Also, Drew Kirkland is our new chef/pitmaster. Drew was the chef de cuisine for Kevin Rathbun for four years. Recently, he has been serving BBQ at the Albert. The Lang smoker is Drew’s, and he is very passionate about his BBQ. We are very excited to have the kitchen in such capable hands.

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In my Grazing column two weeks ago, I wrote briefly about the ancient Romans’ penchant for disguising one food, particularly offal, as another, as illustrated in Petronius’ Satyricon.

The new issue of my favorite foodie mag, Gastronomica, features a 14-page article about the French’s own penchant for such culinary tricks during the 17th and 18th centuries. I haven’t seen the issue yet, but Marc Abrahams discusses it in his “Improbable Research” column for the Guardian. His article is headlined “When is a frog not a frog? When it’s a bird” and is illustrated with the Muppetesque photo above.

Abrahams writes:

The French will swallow almost anything, so long as it’s surprising to see and delightful to taste. Jennifer J Davis explains why in a study called “Masters of Disguise: French Cooks Between Art and Nature, 1651–1793.J” The 14-page report, replete with old drawings and few new photographs, is published in the journal Gastronomica.

“Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries,” Davis writes, “cooks engaged in a multitude of games in which one food masqueraded as another. Such games often played along the fault lines of alimentary taboos, as the cooked imitated the raw, the dead masqueraded as the living, and the injunctions of Catholic fasts were followed to the letter, if not the spirit, of the law.”

Religious fast days, especially, became opportunities for cooks to strut their ingeniously stuffed stuff. All things seemingly became possible. Vegetables took on the appearance of fishes. Fishes were made into simulacra of beef, pork, and other meats.

French chefs fried up frogs “en guise de” chicken. Going in the other direction, sometimes birds became faux amphibians.

Read Abraham’s entertaining summary but subscribe to the quarterly Gastronomica to read the whole article.

(Uncredited photo courtesy of the Guardian)

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MEAT OF THE MATTER: The beef carpaccio at Pricci

Do you remember why you fell in love with restaurants in the first place? I’d like to say that for me, it was the philosophy behind the care and respect for organic vegetables, or the realization that an inspired dish of food could nourish the soul. But I’d be lying. In reality, my love affair started at my best friend’s 10th birthday. Her father took us to a fancy restaurant — it was the first one I’d ever been to. I remember my awe at the dining room’s mirrors and soft lighting, the waiters in tuxedos, the sound of glasses clinking and people talking and laughing. It was like magic, a fantasy, a place where the entire purpose of its existence was to create relaxation and joy.

The first time I entered Pricci I was reminded of that original experience. After devoting so much time to thinking and writing about the new breed of restaurant, where casual hipsterdom and the ethics of produce are the main selling points, Pricci seemed like a welcome reminder of upscale dining’s original intent.

Waiters in white tuxedos glide around a room that’s almost comically clichéd, the Disney version of an Italian restaurant, with mirrors on the walls, Art Deco-inspired decorative touches, and clubby, circular booths. If it’s a bit silly, it’s in equal measure pure fun, an unabashed homage to the idea that dining out is (and should be) a form of entertainment.

Continue reading “Review: Pricci”

(Photo by James Camp)

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Alice Waters of Chez Panisse was spotted brunching at Watershed today. Pass it on. (Hat tip: Stephen Curry)

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We dined at Sotto Sotto this evening and got a mouth full of wonderful food and an ear full of news.

First, the meal: It was the last night of Inman Park Restaurant Week and the restaurant was packed with diners taking advantage of the restaurant’s $25 three-course meal. I actually skipped that but I did take the server’s suggestion that we “say goodbye to this year’s Heirloom tomatoes” by ordering dishes that featured them, like the Caprese salad above.

The salad included a very good bufala mozzarella and yellow, purple and red Heirlooms. The yellow, which I don’t recall encountering anywhere else this year, was especially good, with a slightly sweet flavor that Wayne called “watermelony.” For my entree I chose the restaurant’s classic dish of tortellini stuffed with ricotta flavored with fresh mint under a tart sauce of red Heirlooms and basil.

Wayne ordered the three-course meal, starting with the cantaloupe and prosciutto shown here, followed by a risotto topped with chopped tomatoes and basil. He spooned down a bowl of chocolate soup for dessert.

Now the news. We ran into Riccardo Ullio, owner of the restaurant, along with Fritti next door and Beleza in Midtown.

(more…)

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Condolences to Hector Santiago, “Top Chef” contestant and chef-owner of Pura Vida, whose grandmother died this morning. Wife Leslie Santiago posted this on Facebook:

Hector’s Grandma, Abuelita Ana Santiago Oritz, died early this morning, at the age of 97. She lived a long life, had five children, lots of grandchildren and several great grandchildren. She lived to see a lot, including her grandson appear on television. I’m sure she was proud of him. Hector adored her, and will miss her. She meant the world to him.

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Thillist reports that Eros Tapas Bar, which replaced Piebar, is now Ixtlan Ultra Lounge:

Just arrived in the former space of Eros Tapas Bar, Ixtlan retains the interior design of its predecessor (glass tent ceiling, stone floors, rooftop filled w/ rounded white backless couches), while boasting an all-new menu including “tapa-tizers” like Ixtlan Hot Fish (fried tilapia bites tossed in sweet chili sauce) and fire-grilled Filet Kabobs marinated in garlic, herbs, and the chef’s signature tzatziki. Also worthy’re char-grilled Sirloin and Turkey Burgers, Chopped Beef, Pulled Pork, and Chicken Breast BBQ Sandwiches, plus BBQ entrees like the Smoked Turkey Drumsticks and the 10oz Boston Pork Steak, aka the Rich Garces….

Cafe Sage Hill has taken over the Dusty’s Barbecue location at 1815 Briarcliff Road. It’s all about breakfast and lunch, Southern-style. …

A new restaurant, Croaker’s Spot, is opening at the corner of Edgewood Avenue and Boulevard, across from Danneman’s Coffee. It will feature seafood and soul food. …

The Iberian Pig (121 Sycamore St.) opens Monday night in Decatur. …

Abattoir is now open for lunch. …

Regina Charboneau, author of the Southern cooking blog for Atlantic Monthly’s food site, recently posted an article entitled, “Seven Lessons in Southern Hospitality.” Here is my fave “lesson”:

Decide a night or day that is the easiest night for you to entertain. Maybe you have a housekeeper that comes on Thursdays so entertain on Wednesdays so you will have help cleaning up, or entertain on a Friday because your house is already clean.

Right. The secret to Southern hospitality is a servant. Miss Scarlett knew it and so should you.

I find this bit of Southern hospitality advice kind of strange too:

Never apologize even if dinner is overcooked or undercooked. Make light of it, we are all human–just have plenty of bread (and wine won’t hurt). Whether you live in the North, South, East, or West, hospitality is hospitality–it is always a gift.

Well, fiddle-dee-dee, it seems the fried chicken is nearly raw. Y’all just have another couple of biscuits and I’ll get the peach cobbler warmed up as soon as I scrape the mold off it.

(Photo of Vivian Leigh and Butterfly McQueen, from Gone with the Wind, courtesy of Live Auctioneers.)

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Right now, I’m at a coffee shop. A few moments ago, I signed an autograph on one of those papers you find in front of such places. Probably looks like the one you’re reading now. I’m in a baseball cap, pulled just over my eyes, and a pair of camouflage carpenter shorts I got from Target. And a nondescript navy blue sweatshirt.

I’m Joe, Anytown USA. But I’m not.

I’ve achieved some sort of celebrity status. Falling in rank somewhere between the E and Z lists. Probably more toward the back of the alphabet. A fact that has been made increasingly obvious through some surreal experiences.

Often, I’m just that guy from TV. A food channel dude. That chef.

Sometimes, I’m a guy you think you know from somewhere, but can’t quite place.

I recommend that if you find yourself going through this metamorphosis, do not tell the person who is stumped about your identity who you are. Telling them you’re from this or that TV show has the potential to yield a most humiliating result. As it did to me once in Jacksonville. Early in my newfound life, the curious person who thought they knew me responded that no, they didn’t know me from television. They just thought I was Craig Wilson from their intramural softball team.

I now refer to this as the Craig Wilson rule.

Continue reading “Knife’s Edge: Z list”

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Jujubee’s: Jujubee’s keeps it simple by offering a few flavors of its Italian-style frozen yogurt along with all the usual toppings. The pomegranate, a usual suspect at modern frozen yogurt establishments, is tart and tasty. But the chocolate is so full-flavored and rich, you may forget you’re eating something low-fat. Instead of contending with rogue sprinkles and chocolate chips, the counter folks smartly secure the toppings with another thin layer of frozen yogurt, and they’ll even let you mix up the flavors in the layers. 4279 Roswell Road. 404-303-0024.

Continue reading “Mouthful: Frozen yogurt”

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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I lunched with three friends at Star Provisions today. The place was packed inside and out and we had quite a wait in line. I ordered this bánh mì, the popular Vietnamese sandwich of a crunchy baguette stuffed with pickled vegetables, cilantro and meat — braised pork in this case.

The sandwich was utterly delicious but the cost, $12, was  bit of a shock, considering that you can buy these on Buford Highway for a couple of bucks (though not usually made with meat of this quality). With a side of pickled beets and a bottled soft drink, my tab was about $18.

I tried to spend more by purchasing a few cookies before we left. However, the slowest sales clerk I have encountered in a long time was working the cash register alone. I finally bailed, figuring it would be better not to eat cookies, anyway.

(Photo by Cliff Bostock)

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THE DAILY GRIND: The Apache burger at Grindhouse Killer Burgers

The adult renaissance of the hamburger isn’t difficult to explain. Nothing (besides maybe pizza) comes close to fulfilling an aging population’s insatiable appetite for nostalgia. And God knows baby boomers are nothing if not nostalgic.

Then, too, there’s the recession. (I’m referring to the little depression that we keep reading is over.) Hamburgers are typically inexpensive, which is why McDonald’s is prospering in a wretched economy. Still, it’s a bit mysterious that if you scan the average menu of a full-service restaurant, the burger will usually cost less than dishes that have cheaper ingredients and require less time to prepare. I suppose the burger has simply retained its rep as cheap, no matter the quality of the contents.

The latest in the absolute epidemic of burger joints to open here is Grindhouse Killer Burgers (209 Edgewood Ave., 404-522-3444) at Sweet Auburn Curb Market.

Continue reading “Grazing: First Look: Grindhouse Killer Burgers and Wonderful World of Burgers”

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Anne Zimmerman of Culinate attends a dirt tasting. Yes, really. A typical observation:

The mud from Pugs Leap Farm in Healdsburg was thick and dark and hearty, and smelled like a green pasture. After smelling the soil, we tasted chervil grown at Pugs Leap, then a chunk of egg from chickens raised at Pugs Leap, and finally a delicate slice of tomme cheese made from the milk of goats raised at Pugs Leap.

Would you believe me if I said I could taste the continuity? The chervil was delicate yet distinctly herbaceous, and the yolk of the egg had a creamy green freshness. And the tomme was soft, mild, and — can I say it again? — divinely green.

I was stunned. I’ve had some miraculous food experiences, but nothing that illustrated so convincingly the connection between the health of the land and the food that I put in my mouth.

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Toby Young is back, and he’s still “very, very British.”

In last night’s magic-themed episode of “Top Chef” Las Vegas, Toby Young, the show’s resident foul-mouthed, analogy-making Brit, returned to judge the remaining cheftestants’ deconstructed versions of classic dishes, from a showy Caesar salad to eggs “foreign to me,” alongside deconstructionist showmen Penn and Teller. Fittingly, both classic British dishes — shepherd’s pie and fish and chips — flopped last night, failing to meet Toby’s, or even Teller’s, expectations. Ash’s shepherd’s pie was clunky on the plate and poorly cooked (his tomato looked like a bad tomato Provencal I actually did get at a buffet in Vegas) and Laurine’s fish and two chips, aside from being overcooked, failed to recreate the fatty flavor of fries.

Ultimately, though, it was Ron’s pathetic paella, his countless mediocre fish dish of the season, that was deemed the worst of the night and sent the Haitian chef packing his knives. While I doubt Ron thought he was the best chef of the bunch, his disillusioned commentary (“I could win for this,” “I’ve made award-winning clam chowder”) made him seem out of touch with the competition and his abilities throughout much of the season. Thankfully, his heartfelt goodbye saved some face and helped to show that at least a part of his cocky/confused persona was created in editing. Keep living the dream, Ron — one day you can cook for Tyra Banks. (more…)

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Cabbagetown Market will hold its third annual pig roast noon-5 p.m. (or so) this Sat., Sept. 26. You get your local pig, your locally grown sides and your locally brewed beer, plus local music. That’s a lotta local flavor. Last year’s event was fun.

The rain has forced this year’s event to sheltered space. It will be held at the Cabbagetown Community Center on Estoria Street, between Gaskill and Kirkwood.

Proceeds benefit the Cabbagetown Neighborhood Association. Call 404-254-1454 if you have questions.

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Best of Atlanta hits the streets and the interwebz tomorrow out now!, but because we know you can’t wait, we’ll offer up some teasers. We’re running through a few of the most popular categories readers voted on and see if you can guess who/what won. You can also guess on what’s the best free thing to do in Atlanta.

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*And yes, these were actual reader submissions.

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Check out this photo of the restaurant from yesterday:

Not only was the entire restaurant flooded, but the edible garden which they have just put so much work into has been totally wiped out. We’ll keep you up to date as we hear more.

(Photo by Evan Richardson)

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The Georgia Dome is featuring some new pig-out food. PR rep Lauren Fibres writes about the oddity at right:

One of the most notable new additions is the Victory Knot (photo attached), a two-pound, giant, gourmet soft pretzel.  The Victory Knot is topped with sea salt and served with three dipping sauces – beer cheese, spicy mustard and a sweet vanilla cream. Meant to be shared between 3-4 fans, the Victory Knot is so huge, it is served in a full-sized pizza box. …

The Iberian Pig will open next Mon., Sept. 28.  Can’t hardly wait to try Cabrito Carbonara, slow-roasted goat with chittara pasta tossed in a carbonara sauce with applewood smoked bacon, fresh cream and a poached egg. …

The Top Floor (or TOP FLR) people, including Chef Shane Devereux, are hosting private dinner parties at secret locations around the city every other Friday night. You can check out the most recent menu on the Dinner Party website. Your $55 buys five courses paired with wines. Unfortunately, the next dinner is already sold out. So get on their list now. …

I lunched at the new Grindhouse Killer Burgers at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market.  Run. Seriously.  Even in the middle of the current epidemic of burger joints, former real estate attorney Alex Brounsteein is serving some of the best burgers I’ve encountered. The Apache, featuring roasted green New Mexico chiles, is dangerously addictive, I’m afraid. Thank God they aren’t open after 4 p.m. …

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The Tin Drum peeps have opened Wonderful World Burgers in Emory Village  (1561 North Decatur Rd., 404-373-8887).  We sampled a few of the cafe’s tasty slider-size burgers, but this hot dog with teriyaki sauce, mayo and roasted seaweed was the standout.

Everything except daily specials costs under $3. And the specials, like Wednesday’s kimchi stew with hanger steak, are only $3.75.

As is usual with Tin Drum’s owner, the restaurant makes musical allusions. I presume the name derives from the song made famous by Louis Armstrong. In the bathroom, I found faux graffiti quoting lyrics of “Zero Landmine,” the EP by (incredible) Japanese artist Ryuichi Sakamoto. It’s probably best known to Americans for Cyndi Lauper’s participation.

More in Grazing later this week.

(Photo by Cliff Bostock)

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NUMBNUTS: The Asian meatballs at 30 Tables

It’s easy to see why restaurants are becoming safer and less eccentric. When times are tight, the reflex is to return to simple, nonthreatening food that appeals to the masses. 30 Tables, in the Glenn Hotel, reflects that tendency, both on the part of the hotel and on the part of Concentrics, the group brought in to run the restaurant.

Let’s start with the Glenn, and the space 30 Tables inhabits. The restaurant is the third establishment in this space in three years. The hotel’s tried one outlandish concept after another, starting with the ludicrous and preposterously bad B.E.D., and then Maxim Prime, a collaboration between Jeffrey Chodorow and the men’s magazine of the same name. Maxim Prime was only slightly less garish than B.E.D. in its design and concept, and the food was far more successful. But ultimately, the ’80s-themed den-of-iniquity decor, eggs topped with gold leaf, and Russian waitresses dressed up like “Simply Irresistible” dancers didn’t hold sway over enough diners to make Maxim Prime a success. So what next?

Continue reading “Review: 30 Tables”

(Photo by James Camp)

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Here’s another example of human weirdness. Just thinking about eating a salad gives you permission to eat French fries instead:

Just seeing a salad on the menu seems to push some consumers to make a less healthy meal choice, according to a Duke University researcher.

It’s an effect called “vicarious goal fulfillment,” in which a person can feel a goal has been met if they have taken some small action, like considering the salad without ordering it, said Gavan Fitzsimons, professor of marketing and psychology at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, who led the research.

In a lab experiment, participants possessing high levels of self-control related to food choices (as assessed by a pre-test) avoided french fries, the least healthy item on a menu, when presented with only unhealthy choices. But when a side salad was added to this menu, they became much more likely to take the fries.

No wonder Mickey D’s and others have added salads to their menus!

(Graphic courtesy of Find Fitness Here.)

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This (above) was the best thing I ate  last week — chicken cooked in a tomatillo sauce. It’s a tapa-sized portion available at Eclipse di Luna. I used to eat the same dish, in a larger portion, at El Molino, my favorite Atlanta taqueria that, sadly, closed over a year ago. (I’ve yet to find another taqueria that prepares daily off-the-menu dishes like the cook at El Molino did.)

I lunched at Eclipse with four friends and every dish, including the cheese plate (right), was spot-on. Another dish I enjoyed for the first time was the chicken empanada.

Generally my friends and I order three dishes each here, but less gluttonous diners will be happy with two.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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