Omnivore Atlanta

Tom Colicchio and Thomas Keller

It’s a gold, or rather or, medal finish.

In last night’s last “Top Chef” Las Vegas episode actually located in Las Vegas (ironically, the only episode that didn’t focus on the city), the remaining cheftestants competed in an olympian-sized challenge, a miniature Bocuse d’Or for a panel of crazy famous chefs, including the always intimidating Thomas Keller. Although the challenge called for fancy techniques and intricate presentation, it was hometown hero Kevin and his “day off food” that walked away with the gold, pocketing $30,000 and a shot at representing the US in the real version of the culinary games. Kevin left the bells and whistles in his beard and his more simplistic plate was the only well executed dish of the night, proving that good cooking, even prize-worthy cooking, doesn’t have to include showy techniques (yes, I’m talking to you, Michael Voltaggio). (more…)

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Eli Kirshtein

What happens in Vegas apparently lands on your plate — if you know what you’re doing. If not, you’ll be sent packing, knives and all, with one killer hangover.

In last night’s super-Vegas-themed elimination challenge, the six remaining cheftestants created dishes inspired by six flashy Vegas casinos, from the gaudy Mirage to the gaudier Excalibur. Instead of stopping by Whole Foods, the cheftestants shopped for ideas at their individual hotels, touring lobbies, drinking beer, and greeting dolphins (for a moment, I thought I was watching a bad Travel Channel special).

While the infamous knife block certainly implied the selection of the casinos was random, the chef-hotel pairings seemed a little too appropriate. Wacky Robin was dealt the quirky glass Chihuly sculptures of the Bellagio, Jen looked for her prince (or rather, her Bam, Bam) at Excalibur, Kevin ogled the dolphins at the Mirage, one Voltaggio (Bryan) ogled the sharks at Mandalay Bay, and the other (Michel) visited New York, New York — and immediately talked about how the city has the best food in the country, implying his interpretation of the challenge would be the best, too.

Perhaps the most appropriate pairing of all, however, was class clown Eli, who was coupled with the class clown of the strip, Circus Circus. The casino is literally over the top (the “big top,” that is), much like the Atlanta-based chef whose one-liners often come across as equally garish. Unfortunately, Eli didn’t grasp the comparison. He created a dish that was almost completely literal — and nearly inedible.

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I guess one good turn, or challenge, deserves a repeat.

Last night’s episode of “Top Chef” Las Vegas was a virtual vegetarian deja vu as the remaining cheftestants cooked up veggie entrees for quirky actress Natalie Portman, taking a cue from last summer’s “Top Chef Masters” where the masters cooked a dinner for quirky vegan actress Zooey Deschanel. While the first incarnation was mostly interesting (Art Smith making vegan food with love, come on!), this time around the majority of the cheftestants served up plates of thrown together veggies and then freaked out about it. The most interesting thing about the meal, aside from Padma and Natalie’s giggle-worthy double entendres, was Michael Voltaggio’s banana polenta, and even that wasn’t his original idea. (more…)

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Let it ride. Or rather, slide.

Over the past few weeks Jen has cooked through illness and battled anxiety, but during last night’s famous restaurant wars, the lone female superstar actually floundered, serving not one, but two poorly executed pieces of fish. Her sloppy, broken brown butter sauce was uncharacteristic and brought out some pretty harsh words from head judge Tom Colicchio ( “It’s basically grease – her mentor would not be happy with her”). Even her slightly more inspired mussel “consummé” was not up to her usual standards, or Robin’s for that matter, and at the judge’s table she was a literal and figurative mess. At least she (or the editors) got to show off her bikini bod. (more…)

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Three cheers for the other white meat!

Kevin’s love of pork took center stage last night (narrowly beating out Padma’s knee-high white boots) as the remaining cheftestants paired pig with pinot noir for guest judge Charlie Palmer. In fact, Kevin’s downright jolly reaction to the challenge (“I have a pig tattooed on me, that’s how close this is to my heart”) and his subsequent win was more exciting than the dish he won it with, a pleasantly uncomplicated pork leg pate with pork fat mayo and a hint of chestnut. Even if Kevin doesn’t pull off a “Top Chef” win, after braised pork barbecue and bacon jam and all kinds of pork fat, he’s certainly the king of pig. (more…)

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That a boy, indeed!

Red beard sporting, southern food cooking Atlanta chef Kevin Gillespie took home a win, and $15,000, in last night’s episode of “Top Chef” Las Vegas for his venture into Asian cuisine, proving he can cook more than just bacon jam. Kevin’s Vietnamese inspired grilled pork with herb salad impressed guest judge Tyler Florence and his gutsy move – choosing the $15,000 over immunity – caused an outburst from otherwise calm and collected Padma (“That a boy, Kevin!”). And while his confident attitude (“At this point, I’m not concerned with immunity”) could have read as cocky, Kevin still managed to come across as a good guy. I hope Jen buys him that suit. (more…)

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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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GREAT RED NECKWARE SPORTING EURO CHEFS THROUGH THE AGES: Or possibly time-lapse aging. Mattin in 20 years?

Welcome to the wild, wild west.

In last night’s edition of “Top Chef,” the remaining cheftestants left the comforts (and air conditioning) of the M Resort kitchen for fire pits in the Nevada desert, cooking for a few dozen cowboys and camping out in teepees on a veritable dude ranch. The desert heat (after all, it was “nine trillion degrees”) made for some agitated chefs and overwhelmingly mediocre food, “some of the worst of the season”. Although Atlanta based Eli’s tough tuna sandwich and accompanying radish “salad,” which looked more like a pile of raw radishes, was certainly among the mediocre, his commentary got to the heart of the episode: presenting the chefs themselves. (more…)

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HE PUT HIS HEART INTO IT: Pura Vida's Hector is the first Atlantan to go home

Nothing’s better than bacon jam.

In last night’s episode of “Top Chef” Las Vegas, hometown hero Kevin Gillespie became cheftestant royalty as he sat down for dinner alongside a panel of crazy famous French chefs, including the chef of the century “unicorn” Joel Robuchon. Kevin’s take on snails paired with southern inspired bacon jam (“I think you could put bacon jam on anything and you’re golden”) won him the affection of guest judge Daniel Boulud and, in a very cool twist, the opportunity to clean up, don a suit (production actually bought him a new one), and eat rather than cook during the elimination challenge.

Bacon didn’t work as well for Frenchman Mattin, whose embarassing bacon infused veloute landed him at the loser’s table. While it was too obvious Mattin would fail the challenge (just how much country-pride pressure can you put on one neckerchiefed man?), it was surprising that he didn’t take more heat, or responsibility, for his role in the dish. After lying at judge’s table about his level of input on Ashley’s ideas (he volunteered his disapproval of the asparagus, but didn’t cop up that he vetoed putting it in the sauce, a suggestion Tom had liked), Mattin showed that even in a challenge geared towards his strengths (“I think they make a challenge just for me”), he wasn’t much of a chef. At least Robuchon complimented his French. (more…)

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Take that, Michael Isabella.

In a “Top Chef” first, cocky and “freakin’ livid” cheftestant Michael Isabella faced the judges at both the winner’s and the loser’s table last night for his watery greek salad, the third undercooked shrimp dish of the season. He didn’t have to pack his knives (damn it!), but he managed to commit two “Top Chef” sins with one bad salad: riding on the chef-coattails of another contestant and making a second dish just for “the heck of it.” He even got a rise out of usually level-headed Padma after admitting he wasn’t sure he should have served the dish at all. Let’s hope that confrontation keeps his ego in check, at least for an episode or two – after all, it’s not that hard to beat out someone who defends sad-looking pasta salad with even sadder flavors. (more…)

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Oops, she did it again. And she really, really shouldn’t have.

In last night’s Vegas style battle of the sexes, the girls served up a heaping helping of repeats – an impressive feat for the second episode – practically handing fuel to Michael Isabella’s fire. Eve, the midwest complicated/simple girl, served the judges and a cabana full of bachelors underseasoned and over complicated (not to mention over cooked) shrimp, this time with salsa instead of curry, and still couldn’t explain a lick of it. Jesse came up with another decent idea for chicken and did everything wrong again. Not even Jennifer’s snotty octopus ceviche could save the day for the girls’ team, no matter how much I was rooting for them.

Thankfully, Atlanta fared much better than the ladies, with both Eli and Hector winding up at the top during judge’s table. Despite missing out on the elimination challenge victory (it’s pretty hard to beat a macaroon filled with guacamole after that many shots), Hector’s tequila lemon-lime tofu proved he still had plenty of huevos, earning accolades from the judges and even more sighs of envy from my couch. Fellow Atlanta representative Eli also scored with his thai-inspired tuna tartar with wild rice, winning over Gail Simmons and the bevy of “so hot” bachelorettes (Thanks, Mattin). (more…)

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GO TEAM! Kevin Gillespie wins the first elimination challenge

Score one for Atlanta!

In a sea of tattoos, piercings, and un-shucked clams on last night’s debut of “Top Chef Las Vegas” (at first, I thought I might have accidentally been watching a new episode of “LA Ink”), Atlanta’s three resident cheftestants managed to make quite a splash. Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill, who came off with an odd mixture of arrogance and good guy charm, won the season’s first elimination challenge for his procrastination-inspired arctic char and turnip salsa verde, winning over guest judge celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and tough guy Tom Colicchio.

Kevin was definitely the star of the evening, but my heart already lies with Hector whose accent and cooking motto (“I cook with heart and balls”) are setting him up to be this season’s gentle giant. I was a fan the minute he complemented Padma without just calling her hot, although I’ll admit I’m still wrapping my head around the deep fried steak dish.

As for Eli, Atlanta’s third representative, I’m pegging him as this season’s class clown. His commentary (“I cook ’cause I’m a fat kid”) and faux-cocky attitude (which appears to be about as tough as his faux hawk) are funny without going the way of, say, “Top Chef” New York’s Stephan. Stephan’s honor I’ll reserve for Michael Isabella, whose own cocky attitude and sexist comments put him as the prime suspect for season villain. Preeti may not have been able to shuck clams, but she does know what seitan is — take that, Jersey boy! (more…)

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Pura Vida's Hector Santiago

It’s time to unpack your knives. “Top Chef” is back and it’s more local than ever.

The new season of “Top Chef,” this time set in glitzy Las Vegas, starts this month, and, as previously unveiled, will include three Atlanta chefs, the most of any season: Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill, Hector Santiago of Pura Vida, and Eli Kirshtein of Eno.

Gillespie, Santiago, and Kirshtein are just three of the 17 cheftestants featured on the upcoming season. Others include the executive chef for Google, a Frenchman from Biarritz, and a finalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant award. My biggest question leading into the series (other than how the economy has affected Padma’s wardrobe) is how well the locals will fare against the rest of the competition. Past chefs have gone to both extremes: Atlanta-based chef Nimma Osman was the first to pack her knives on the Chicago edition of “Top Chef” while Richard Blais made it to the same season’s finale. How well do you think Gillespie, Santiago, and Kirshstein will fare? And will any of their restaurant’s dishes wind up on the judges plates? (more…)

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The Northside Farmer’s Market, held at Northside Drive Baptist Church, is getting into the holiday spirit this Saturday. The special holiday market features local artists, crafts people and products, as well as local farm produce.

The Holiday market is open from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat., Dec. 8, and will also be open Sat., Dec. 15. The market is located in the parking lot of the church at 3100 Northside Drive.

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Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, would be 172 years old today.
So, Twain’s in Decatur is celebrating its namesake’s 172nd birthday with the third annual Mark Twain Birthday Bash. The party features food and drink specials and live music from local musician William Donnie Picou, as well as a mustache contest.

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Legal Sea Foods, the Boston seafood phenomenon, is opening a new location in downtown Atlanta this spring. The restaurant will be located on two stories inside the Hilton Garden Inn in the Luckie-Marietta district of downtown, right across the street from the Georgia Aquarium. The first floor will feature an oyster/lobby bar and the second floor will be home to the main dining room.

Legal Sea Foods first opened in Boston more than 50 years ago and currently has 34 locations along the Eastern seaboard. This is the chain’s first restaurant in Georgia.

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Fox’s reality show “Kitchen Nightmares,” starring “Hell’s Kitchen” chef Gordon Ramsey, is looking for train-wreck restaurants in Atlanta for its second season. The network is taking applications now and will be in Atlanta the week of Nov. 26 to scope out the nightmare restaurants. Selected restaurants receive a full makeover and monetary compensation. Applications can be sent to foxtvkitchen@gmail.com or you can call them at 310-387-6775.

Are there any area restaurants you think could use the reality makeover?

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Thanksgiving at Atlanta Restaurants
Tired of spending hours cooking only to burn the sweet potato casserole you don’t even like that much? Check out these Thanksgiving dinners that don’t require you to set one foot in the kitchen.

103 West, Meals for small groups including Ashley Farm turkeys and traditional dressings, sides and desserts. Leftovers go home with you to enjoy the next day. $35-$69. 103 W. Paces Ferry Road. 404-233-5993.

Agnes & Muriel’s, Traditional Thanksgiving dinner buffet. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. $12.95-$28.95. 1514 Monroe Drive. 404-885-1000.

The Cafe at Ritz-Carlton, A brunch featuring traditional Thanksgiving fare. 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $36-$82. 3434 Peachtree Road NE. 404-237-2700.

The Clubhouse, Classic Thanksgiving dinner. 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. $15-$30. 3393 Peachtree Road NE. 404.442.8891.

The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Two items per course from the four-course tasting menu with optional wine pairings. 5:30-8:30 p.m. $137-$207. 3434 Peachtree Road NE. 404-237-2700.

Fire of Brazil, A Brazilian-style Thanksgiving featuring traditional Thanksgiving fare as well as the regular Brazilian meat menu. The evening dinner also includes exotic meats, such as boar, alligator and venison. Lunch, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner, 3:30-9:30 p.m. $13.25-$39.50. 218 Peachtree St. NW. 404-525-5255.

The Highlander, Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and all the fixin’s. $12.95. 931 Monroe Drive Suite C-101. 404-872-0060.

Imperial Fez, Turkey prepared the Moroccan way along with a choice of two, three or five sides. 6-10 p.m. 2285 Peachtree Road. 404-351-0870.

Lobby at Twelve, A la carte breakfast and a Thanksgiving dinner buffet featuring a carving, salad, seafood, trimmings and dessert station. Breakfast, 7-10:30 a.m. Buffet, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. $17-$44. 361 17th St. 404-961-7370.

The Palm, A four-course turkey dinner, in addition to the regular menu. Noon-9 p.m. $18.95-$38.95. 3391 Peachtree Road NE. 404-814-1955.

River Room, Special prix fixe three-course meal. 11:30 a.m-8:30 p.m. $19.95-$39.95. 4403 Northside Parkway NW #150. 404-233-5455.

Vinings Inn, Special prix fixe three-course meal. 11:30 a.m-8:30 p.m. $19.95-$39.95. 2011 Paces Mill Road. 770-438-2282.

Thanksgiving Takeout
Want Thanksgiving dinner in the comfort of your home (and your pajamas) without all the fuss of cooking? Check out these fully prepared options from Atlanta area restaurants. Don’t worry; we won’t tell your in-laws the beautifully cooked organic turkey is only proof of your excellent ordering skills.

Alon’s Bakery, Thanksgiving to go including traditional items and dishes for the day after. Order by Mon., Nov. 19. 1394 N Highland Ave. 404-872-6000 Ext.11.

Dish, Organic turkey and all the traditional fixings available to order. Order by Fri., Nov. 16. Pick up Nov. 19-21.

Murphy’s, Full meals for four or eight people, including turkey, sides and your choice of pie. Order by Fri., Nov. 16. Pick up Wed., Nov. 21. 997 Virginia Ave. NE. 404-872-0904.

Star Provisions To Go, Complete Thanksgiving meal including whole organic turkeys, breakfast and bakery items and wine and cheese selections. Order by Sat., Nov. 17. Pick up, Wed., Nov. 21. 11198 Howell Mill Road Suite 100. 404-365-0410, #134.

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The Candler Park location of the Flying Biscuit is throwing a Sweetwater beer dinner this Friday, Nov. 9, featuring a three-course menu paired with three different Sweetwater brews: Sweetwater Hummer, Sweetwater 420 and Sweetwater Festive Ale. The menu includes sautéed shrimp, seared rib eye and sweet potato pie in a ginger crust. Tickets are $34.95 and include a commemorative pint glass and a brewery tour pass. Make reservations by phone at 404-687-8888.

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Walking through the aisles of the grocery store last night, I was thrilled to see giant boxes of pomegranates, bins of brown chestnuts and big, beautiful oranges. They were like signs of cold weather to come.

Apparently, though, more than Mother Nature wants to get in on the premonitions: In addition to the seasonal produce, the grocery store was stocked with products already advertising, not for Thanksgiving, but for Christmas. Coke’s boxes already had its classic Santa, and Oreos were stuffed with thick, red icing.

I know the holiday season starts earlier every year, but I really didn’t expect to find Christmas staring at me in the face before the calendar had even switched over to November. I’m just going to hope that Coke was playing Santa for Halloween.

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Moe’s & Joe’s is celebrating 60 years next week with six days of food and drink specials. Visit it Mon., Nov. 5-Sat., Nov. 10, for 60-cent Mo Jo burgers and 10-ounce glasses of PBR. The party culminates on Saturday when the bar invites back all of its former owners and workers for a birthday bash.

The bar will also be honored by Mayor Shirley Franklin with a proclamation for its 60 years of service.

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Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant is changing things up this month.

The Irish pub is closing down its doors this weekend to relocate to the new Streets of Buckhead development. The pub will remain open through this Sat., Oct. 20, (just enough time to celebrate the Rugby World Cup finals) and then will begin the move to the corner of Buckhead and North Fulton avenues.

The updated and relocated Fadó is set to reopen in January 2008.

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The City of Refuge, an organization that provides services and tools to Atlanta’s less fortunate, has launched a new culinary program: 180 Degree Kitchen, offering jobs and life-skills training to young men and women interested in a career in culinary arts. A commercial kitchen that will offer training to 160 students is in the works on the City of Refuge campus. Classes will begin in the spring.

In the meantime, 180 Degree Kitchen will host a cooking demonstration Thurs., Oct. 25, at Bloomingdale’s at Perimeter Mall. Samples and recipe cards for the two dishes demonstrated will be available to the audience.

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Georgians for Choice and Generation Five’s Atlanta Transformative Justice Collaborative are bringing sexy back, hosting Sex, Wine, and Chocolate, a French-style cabaret show this Thurs., Oct. 18, featuring the Boom Boom Collective burlesque troop and appearances by Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, Asians of Change and spoken-word artist Nyrobi Moss. To live up to the event’s title, there will also be a lingerie fashion show, pole dancers, a donation wine bar and plenty of chocolate desserts, including vegan treats provided by La Dolce Lulu and cupcakes from Sweet Pockets.

The event runs from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Solarium at Historic Scottish Rite (321 W. Hill St., Decatur). Buy your tickets online here, for a suggested donation of $25-$50. All proceeds go toward Georgians for Choice, a pro-choice organization supporting reproductive freedom, and Generation Five, an organization working to end child sexual abuse.

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Esquire magazine has just released its annual Best New Restaurants list, picked by food and travel correspondent John Mariani, and two Atlanta restaurants made the cut: Shaun’s, headed by chef Shaun Doty, and Trois.

Fearing’s in Dallas won the magazine’s Restaurant of the Year award. Creative Loafing’s Food Editor Besha Rodell is in Dallas this weekend and will be checking out Fearing’s; look for a blog entry on her experience next week.

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