Omnivore Atlanta

SPLIT SCREEN: Meryl Streep as Julia Child

Julie Powell’s blog-turned-memoir Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen blended two unlikely ingredients: gourmet cooking and online journaling. The venture originated in 2002 as “The Julie/Julia Project,” with Powell recording her attempt to cook all the recipes in Julia Child’s landmark cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking within a year. Sharing food, like posting a blog entry, can provide a way to connect creatively with people, but otherwise, the two activities seem unrelated.

Julie & Julia’s film version equates eating and cooking with living. The movie implies that blogging amounts to a pale imitation of life, but that’s not writer/director Nora Ephron’s aim. The creator of toothless romantic comedies such as Sleepless in Seattle, Ephron offers a well-intentioned chick flick that focuses on food and joie de vivre, rather than the tired tropes of courtship and clothes. In depicting the relationship between two women who never meet, Julie & Julia makes Julie look less like a pupil than a shadow of Julia. It’s like comparing beef bourguignon to marshmallow fluff.

Continue reading “Meryl Streep sizzles in Julie & Julia“

(Image courtesy 2009 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.)

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The culinary industry is full of career changers. But how often do you hear about someone going back into the kitchen after becoming an attorney? Meet Katie Birmingham, chef/owner of Noon Midtown (1080 Peachtree St., 404-496-4891, www.noonmidtown.com). After seven years in the kitchens of high-profile Atlanta restaurants such as Bacchanalia and Seeger’s, Birmingham started practicing law. But her passion to return to the industry was rekindled when she and her husband encountered restaurants selling simple sandwiches made with premium ingredients during their honeymoon in Italy. Birmingham recognized the lack of such spots in Midtown and set out to build a place of her own inspired by her trip. Two years later, Noon Midtown opened its doors.

Continue reading the Cheap Eats on Noon Midtown.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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A couple of weeks ago on our Omnivore blog, I posted a rant about the terrible wine service I’ve received recently, and over the years in Atlanta. It’s a topic I’ve found increasingly frustrating because there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the quality of wine service in this city. High-end restaurants in Atlanta often employ servers who don’t understand wine service basics. There are plenty of less expensive restaurants, however, that have some of the best service around.

My post garnered a lot of responses. Many agreed that Atlanta lacks in this particular area, and quite a few readers called out places that excel at wine service. I like the spirit of giving credit where it’s due, so I set out last week to find the places that are doing it right, and to understand how they do it.

Continue reading this feature on Atlanta wine service.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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SALSA CON SABOR: This Puerto Rican and Peruvian gem may not be much to look at, but the menu holds some Peruvian specialties worth your consideration — the “cebiche” in particular. The “cebiche mixto” arrives in a whimsical fish-shaped bowl, surrounded by slices of fried potato and yucca. The chunks of white fish, crunchy calamari, shrimp, mussels on the half-shell and shaved red onion swim in lime juice and are spiced to your specification; a dollop of the accompanying bright green Peruvian aji salsa adds even more heat if you like it fiery. 5567 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Chamblee. 770-455-6727.

Continue reading this Mouthful.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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How many Atlanta restaurants have to be knocked silly by the backswing of our anticipation before we all learn these words by heart: soft opening? I don’t mean two days of family-and-friends gatherings before the press release goes out, I mean a month or two of getting it together before anyone’s even heard of the place.

In Miso Izakaya’s case, the hype was hardly the fault of the owners. Unlike a certain pizza place that comes to mind, the restaurant had no propaganda machine whirling in advance of its opening. In fact, Miso’s opening reminded me a little of a slasher flick. We stalked this poor restaurant. So excited were we at the prospect of an intown Japanese pub, we trolled Edgewood Avenue for months, reporting on signs of construction, drooling at the doorway, whining about the delays. And then, in February when Miso did finally open, we pounced. Despite that the izakaya (which basically means place to drink) had no liquor license, we rabidly burst through the doors, an army of foodies, critics and bloggers, and declared boldly that … it sucked.

Continue reading the review of Miso Izakaya.

(Photo by James Camp)

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Remember the ‘70s? Probably not, but if you were dining out then, you remember the revolution in Atlanta’s restaurant scene, courtesy of the Pleasant Peasant. Owners Steve Nygren and Dick Dailey opened the restaurant on Peachtree in Midtown in 1973. It featured creative cooking, an informal atmosphere and theatrical waiters who flashed blackboard menus in your face and recited the menu.

The following year, Nygren and Dailey were joined by Bob Amick (whose father gave his name to Mick’s, the Peasant Group’s retro diners). Eventually, the Peasant Group spawned 40-odd restaurants that were sold in 1989. The chain was so pervasive that both John Kessler and Meridith Ford Goldman, food writers at the AJC, worked for it during their respective restaurant careers.

Continue reading the Grazing on 30 Tables.

(Photo by James Camp)

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Meet Eros: primordial Greek god of lust, beauty, love and intercourse; fertility deity, son of Aphrodite; and Atlanta tapas bar. Just in case you missed the connotations of the name, type “Eros Atlanta” into Google. First, you’ll get the restaurant. Second, you’ll get a guide to Atlanta escort services.

In tapas bar form, Eros exists in the old Piebar location, that space-age structure built in 1962 for Trust Co. Bank. The building now sports as its main interior design elements large black-and-white photos of the nether regions of naked women (curiously sporting thong tan lines), and phallic-shaped colored lights languidly pointing toward those nether regions. Get it? God of intercourse? Helloooo?

Continue reading the review of Eros.

(Photo by James Camp)

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Here’s a scene from my early career. I was living in a small town in rural Georgia, a place where my big-city senses underwent continual shock. One very early morning, I awoke to the sound of screams. I’m talking blood-curdling screams. They seemed to come from several directions.

I threw on some clothes and hopped in the car. After all, I was a reporter and it appeared a mass murder was underway. What I found was that people were engaging in an annual ritual of the first freeze: butchering hogs. I’ve never forgotten the sound and the bloody scene I observed.

I suppose I am overly sentimental about animals. After that experience, it was many months before I could eat pork. I went years, too, without eating veal when I saw the conditions of crate-raised calves.

(Photo by James Camp)

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TINY Bistro (1039 Marietta St., 404-745-9561, www.figsandhoneycatering.com) is one of the latest restaurants to open its doors on the booming Westside. The little lunch spot, owned by Karen and Robert Haan, is tucked away behind Octane Coffee. While it’s minimally decorated, flourishes like the ironically capitalized “TINY” sign, faux silver flatware, the vibrant pink floral dining room and the infectiously cheery staff make it exceedingly warm (and kind of precious). In a weird way, the bistro feels like it’s been around forever; this is undoubtedly due to its eight-year history as a catering company (in this same location) whose name recently changed to Figs & Honey Catering.

Continue reading Cheap Eats.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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HANIL KWAN: Unlike many Korean barbecue establishments, this restaurant shies away from the dark, cavernous look and feel. Instead, the dining room is filled with natural light that pours in from the many windows. Any of the marinated beef selections are tops. But step outside of your comfort zone and order the “bread skin,” thin slices of marbled beef that curl and caramelize on the charcoal grill. The banchan is the only drawback, as it tends to be a little limp on most occasions. However, the large varieties of beef and excellent service make up for this shortcoming. 5458 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-457-3217.

Continue reading Mouthful.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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The restaurant industry is usually one of the first casualties of a recession. Eating out’s a luxury many people forsake as soon as money gets tight. When folks do eat out, value becomes a key factor: People return to the ethnic favorites and the family restaurants they already trust.

In Atlanta, restaurants have closed down as a result of the recession (the Globe), projects have been put on hold (Buckhead Life’s signature restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel), and other restaurants are struggling to get customers in the door.

Continue reading the food feature on Atlanta dining deals.

(Photo by James Camp)

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SOUPER JENNY: Owner Jenny Levinson’s fruit salad is a tart and slightly sweet mix of pineapple, strawberries, mangoes, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, which she keeps at room temperature to amplify the flavors of the fruit. But the thing that makes this salad destination-worthy is the dollop of thick and creamy Greek yogurt and drizzled honey that crowns the whole mix. 56 E. Andrews Drive. 404-237-7687. www.souperjennyatl.com.

Continue reading Mouthful.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Mark Kurlansky has a knack for making unusual food writing, such as a global history of salt or a comprehensive biography of cod fish, breeze along at the pace of a best seller. Despite those talents, he’s resigned himself to editing in his latest, The Food of a Younger Land, letting writers such as Nelson Algren, Zora Neale Hurston and Eudora Welty do the talking. Kurlansky has collected essays and recipes once intended for America Eats, a never-completed, Depression-era volume that documented local foods and eating habits prior to the advent of fast-food chains and interstates. America Eats is an unintentional holy grail for locavores, an unpublished archive focused on regional, seasonal and traditional food choices.

Continue reading: Author Mark Kurlansky has some food for thought

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In this economy, nothing succeeds day-to-day like the formula of the neighborhood pub: good food, low prices and lots of booze.

That — and quite a crowd — is what you’ll find most evenings at P’cheen (701-5 Highland Ave., 404-529-8800, www.pcheen.com). The restaurant opened three and a half years ago and, in retrospect, probably deserves classification as one of the city’s first gastropubs.

Continue reading Grazing.

(Photo by James Camp)

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As a child of Mexican immigrants living in the States, I learned about the importance of food — especially sweets — during our visits with family in Mexico. My grandmother always insisted on taking us to Sanborns — the Denny’s of Mexico — for a breakfast of pan tostado con azúcar (butter- and sugar-coated toast) and chocolate caliente. My grandfather would take me to panaderias and let me hold the tray as he grabbed various pastries from the display case with long aluminum tongs. And my father would get as giddy as a chubby schoolboy as he sampled the cloyingly sweet homemade candies of his youth.

Continue reading Cheap Eats.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Ah, the Japanese steakhouse, the ultimate in gee-whiz dining. For many, Japanese steakhouses are the default choice for birthday/date night/family get-together eating. There’s a chef who kind of acts like a clown! It’s sort of ethnic, but the food is totally safe and familiar! We don’t have to talk to each other because there’s someone throwing spatulas around!

Nakato’s been the king of Japanese steakhouses in Atlanta for 35 years. The restaurant’s divided into two rooms, one for the hibachi grills and one that’s geared toward more traditional dining. It’s the hibachi room that’s always full, however. The garden room, where the sushi bar resides, stays relatively quiet. And that’s a shame because Nakato serves some of the city’s most varied and interesting Japanese dishes.

Continue reading this review of Nakato.

(Photo by James Camp)

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The idea of tuna in a jar hits a kind of conceptual sweet spot in my mind. Somewhere between fresh and canned, just between highbrow and lowbrow, tuna in a jar makes me happy before I even get to eat it. And then it makes me happier.

At Craftbar, Craft’s less-formal downstairs neighbor, Tom Colicchio’s more casual sensibilities shine. Familiar ingredients and preparations make for simple, nibbly fun, but are executed with less pretension and more thought than you might see elsewhere. The tuna, lightly cured in oil, sits in its jar atop a mush of delicious, gooey roasted red peppers, and is sprinkled with shards of salty black olives. Heaped onto rustic grilled bread, it’s the perfect snack — a small bite of oily perfection to accompany a glass of rich white or light red wine.

Continue reading the review of Craftbar.

(Photo by James Camp)

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I was beside myself. The woman behind the counter at Taqueria El Sori inside Fiesta Foods (2839-2863 Buford Highway) extended me a little Styrofoam cup, repeating the words “rico, rico.”

I took the cup and speared a piece of the meat with my fork. The outer layer of skin was slightly springy and covered with a relatively thick layer of fat that melted in my mouth as I chewed. But there was also a bit of meat clinging to the morsel. It was moist with peppery broth and slightly chewy, flooding my mouth with the taste of fresh pork. I speared a chunk of green chile in the broth in which the meat was cooked. It was mildly hot and almost sweet.

Continue reading Grazing.

(Photo by James Camp)

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Southerners are as blasé about soul food as New Yorkers are about pizza. We like it, we eat it often, but when was the last time you had a plate that actually made you sit up in your seat and say wow? If you can’t recall, you obviously haven’t been to Mae’s Soul Food (34 Peachtree St., 404-525-4557). Mae’s is a little hard to find. The address says Peachtree Street, but it’s actually around the corner on Walton Street — look for the tiny red and white sign.

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(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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FOX BROS. BAR-B-Q: Is there any Southern food the brothers Fox cannot transform into some wonderfully sleazy gut-bomb? Take their version of pimento cheese. It’s just your basic mix of aged cheddar, pepper jack, a dollop of mayo, chopped pimentos, cayenne peppers and a dash of their barbecue seasoning mix. However balanced and delicious the pimento cheese is, the presentation is what sets it off. Get it cold, oozing out of two slices of buttered and griddled toast or slathered onto the heart-stopping “burger” made with brisket. If those boys are wrong, I don’t want to be right. 1238 DeKalb Ave. 404-577-4030. www.foxbrosbbq.com.

Continue reading Mouthful.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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PITA PALACE: This Israeli-run temple to shawarma and falafel is as close as you’ll get to the roadside stands in Haifa. The chickpea-based falafel — from a family recipe — comes in a range of sizes depending on your appetite. The half-order is more than enough for most, especially after the salad bar’s multicolored toppings are added to the mix. Those who aren’t adept at juggling a sandwich and drink will appreciate the handy metal sandwich stands on each table. The place gets packed during lunchtime, so hit them on the early side or grab it to go. And don’t bother visiting on Saturdays; the owners close for the Sabbath. 1658 Lavista Road. 404-781-7482.

Continue reading Mouthful.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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I visited Tandoor Restaurant (279 Powers Ferry Road, Marietta, 678-560-2038) three times before I actually had a meal there. Two visits were on Mondays when they are closed — the signage was slightly obscured — and the other was a quick stop to grab a menu after feasting elsewhere. The seductive aroma of charred bread, dreamy spices and seared meat wafting from the kitchen prompted me to plan my immediate return.

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(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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When the Porter opened in Little Five Points last September, I wanted to love it. The space, formerly Grandma Luke’s, was transformed into a quirky, personable bar and hangout, exactly what it always should’ve been. The beer list was to die for. The owners — chef Nick Rutherford and front of house manager Molly Gunn — had a great narrative, part love story (they got married in the midst of opening), part young culinary dream. There was a pedigree — both Gunn and Rutherford had worked at Seeger’s, as well as other restaurants beloved by Atlanta foodies.

Continue reading a review of the Porter.

(Photo by James Camp)

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“Where ya from?” I ask Kenny Washington, one of the owners of Fat Philly’s Wings & Things (886 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive S.W., 404-254-3113, www.fatphillys.net). “D.C.,” he says. “What kind of rolls do you use?” I ask with my left eyebrow in a slight arch. “Amoroso’s. Why? You trying to see if my cheesesteaks are the real thing?” He laughs and throws me a wink. Before I can say anything else, my boyfriend mentions some Northeastern sports rivalry and they start yapping in unintelligible male-speak. I go into food mode.

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(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Nick’s Food To Go (240 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, 404-521-2220, www.nicksfood.com) is the quintessential hole in the wall you’ve probably passed by a hundred times but never entered. The tiny Greek gem is a complete family affair with Nick Poulous working the front and his wife, Helen, and their daughters, Evie and Angela, in the kitchen. Although there is no dining area — don’t even try to eat inside or you’ll get a fatherly scolding from Nick — the comforting food travels well and is always made to order.

Continue reading Cheap Eats.

(Text and photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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