Omnivore Atlanta

Tonight is $3 slider night at the Shed on Glenwood. Among this evening’s flavors is one made with pulled pork from Community Q, a new barbecue joint in Decatur. I’ve heard lots of positive buzz about Q, but haven’t made it yet…

Pizzeria Vesuvius, new on Edgewood, will host a “soft opening” tonight and be officially open Friday. Follow the new restaurant on Twitter, @PizzaVesuvius….

Speaking of Twitter, you can follow me there, @CliffBostock, but I use Facebook far more often. You can friend me there, also by my name….

I’m also hearing lots of positive buzz about the new cajun spot, Cafe Nouvelle, from downtown lunchers. It’s located across the street from Ted’s Montana Grill on Luckie Street..

I took my friend the professor, Lee Orr, to La Pietra Cucina Tuesday and he loved it. The restaurant has hired a new general manager, Chris Martha, who was the manager of Spice and was with Fifth Group Restaurants since the group’s opening of South City Kitchen….

The Big Gay Supper Club meets for dinner next at Waterhaven on Dec. 8….

Mark Petko has some great pictures of the Iberian Pig on his website, Sponfed Atlanta….Broderick Smylie of Savory Exposure is featuring pictures of some San Francisco venues…

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EGGO: Listeria monocytogenes never looked so good

As if the ruined economy wasn’t enough, now poor Americans have to deal with a nationwide shortage of delicious (and cheap!) Eggo waffles afflicting our country. What could cause such suffering?

Eggo’s parent company, Kellogg Co., blamed the frozen waffle shortage on the floods that struck Atlanta this September, claiming the heavy rains shut down one of its main plants located in the city. But in actuality, the plant was closed during most of September and October after Listeria monocytogenes were found in a sample of Eggos. Listeria is a bacteria that is harmless for most people but can be dangerous for pregnant women, newborns and people with weakened immune systems.

The company recalled nearly 4,500 cases of Eggos and ceased production at the plant for much of September and October. The flooding then delayed the plant’s re-opening, according to Kellogg.

Still sure you won’t leggo that Eggo?

(Picture courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

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Crawford Moran with a city water beer

The nifty rainwater collection system that 5 Seasons Brewing Company installed at their Westside brewpub location in September attracted plenty of attention. Apparently CNN saw my Talking Head story on it and decided to run their own short feature.

Unfortunately, the story also got the attention of various local, state, and federal regulators, who whipped out their statute books to find that there are no guidelines for the use of rainwater in beer, so therefore it must be illegal.

“We weren’t thinking about hiding it, because we had no idea it would be a problem,” says brewer Crawford Moran. “The system produces ‘potable water,’ which is the standard for commercial applications, but that doesn’t necessarily translate [to a brewpub], because there’s no regulating authority.”

The system, installed by RainHarvest Systems of Cumming, Georgia, has been used in commercial operations before, and the 6-stage filtration system filters down to 0.5 microns, followed by a UV filter that kills bacteria. It produces water so pure that the University of Georgia Soil and Water Laboratory, the certified lab that tested the sample from 5 Seasons, fairly gushed about it in its normally staid scientific assessment. No matter. The brewery could have dug a well on the site of the former stockyard without even having the water tested. (more…)

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Hanging with the Girls Next Door all night could definitely work up an appetite, probably leaving Hef with the hankering for some late-night eats. So Playboy.com searched the country for the top 10 diners and picked Atlanta’s own Majestic Diner as one of the stand-out establishments:

This Atlanta institution has been serving “food that pleases” under its Art Deco-style marquee’s blazing neon glow since 1929. The Majestic serves everything from cholesterol-threatening omelets and fist-thick burgers to blue plate specials and gyros. Red stools complement a red counter, while squeaky vinyl seats are well worn, providing cushy support for a multitude of derrières. The Majestic is located along a stretch of “Hot ‘Lanta” that’s resisted urban renewal, so the freaks do come out at night: college students, clubbers and other locals.

See the rest of the list here. And if you’re feeling a little stung by that “freak” comment, remember: there’s no one freakier than 83-year-old Hugh Hefner.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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I stopped by the new Painted Table Cafe (465 Boulevard) a few nights ago. The restaurant occupies the space that housed the much-missed Zocalo Taqueria. Unfortunately, a sign announced that “technical difficulties” had emerged during the restaurant’s soft opening, forcing it to close temporarily. It will reopen 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 16, according to the sign. But I’d call ahead (404-622-4353).

Daily Candy mentioned the restaurant recently:

Chef Omega Idolion Angell has taken up residence beneath the Fine Line Gallery, serving breakfast and lunch in a cozy, eclectic space.

A mix of wood, metal, stone, and orange Venetian faux finish make the interior a canvas in its own right. A big band soundtrack and rotating local art up the art house ante.

The far-ranging menu includes aromatic peanut butter and jelly soup, French toast rolled in caramelized Frosted Flakes and served with vanilla-orange anglaise, and pistachio-encrusted red snapper. The selections pay homage to Angell’s work in 92 countries (including stints as an Alaskan king crab fisherman and Flying Biscuit exec chef) and his willingness to play with his food.

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Doug Strickland, owner of Eno, sent out this e-mail today, announcing the sale of his restaurant and neighboring market:

Eno was born from the passionate pursuit of a life dream.

As most of you know, we sold Eno and Barrelman to Zaza Pachulia, the center for the Atlanta Hawks.

Living a life dream and having passion in what you do brings many rewards. It allows you to work endlessly and intensely without ever feeling like it is work; in our business, it provides a constant medium for giving to the community; thirdly, it allows you to form many great relationships. I think it is the relationships that I have been able to build that mean the most to me. I am truly blessed.

Some of our regulars and friends in the trade, have asked me to send out a note about what is going on, what’s next for Eno and what’s next for Doug Strickland. This warms my heart greatly. I would love to stay in touch. Thank you.

At Eno, Zaza and his team have expressed a real appreciation for the concept and while there will be tweaks, as I understand it, he does not plan to change much, at least not for now.

As for me, ironically, the sale of Eno has allowed me to more actively pursue my passion for food and wine, stir creative juices and spend more time with my family.

While exploring longer term opportunities on the beverage supply side, I am consulting private collectors, restaurants and hotels in wine and general beverage program management.
If I can be of help or should an opportunity arise that you know about please think of me.

Thank you for helping me live my dream.

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I’m sorry to report the bad news that Geneva Francais died Sunday. I have no details, but received an e-mail from a family member, who was short on details himself. He did say that she had suffered two earlier strokes.

Geneva was one of our city’s true culinary characters. Her restaurant, the African Brown Bag, was among my top favorites during the ’90s. She started business in Little Five Points, preparing a blend of African-French cooking that attracted foodies from all over the city. Later, she moved the restaurant to Ford Factory Square, but it did not last long. I can’t think of another restaurant as eccentrically appealing as the Brown Bag was.

I’ll furnish more details as I receive them. In the meantime, I extend my condolences to her family, especially her daughter Hillary, who usually helped Geneva at the restaurant.

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Illy, maker of what many regard as the world’s best coffee, is going after the Starbucks crowd, according to the Wall Street Journal:

For more than 20 years the closely held company, based in Trieste, Italy, has sold its coffee in high-end grocers such as Whole Foods and in coffee shops, hotels and restaurants in the U.S. Now it’s expanding its reach by signing contracts with cafes in the U.S. that agree to serve Illy exclusively and allow Illy a hand in quality control.

There are only 28 such stores in the US now and one of them is our own Cafe Nineteen in the Westside:

Cafe Nineteen in Atlanta, which closed temporarily last year, reopened in June, having added an outdoor patio with red Illy umbrellas. Owner Sean Lupton-Smith said he began serving Illy coffee “so we could offer a consistent experience to our customers and be strong enough to stand up to the Starbucks around the corner.”

A 12-ounce Illy drip coffee in a white ceramic cup with the red Illy logo sells for $3 instead of $1.60 for his previously no-name cups of joe. Coffee sales have tripled to $750 a day. “We’re open until 2 a.m. and believe it or not, we sell coffee at midnight,” Mr. Lupton-Smith says.

Personally, I prefer Lavazza over Illy, and I mean the taste — not just the lower price.

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The Social House in West Midtown has decided to take the Atlanta mayoral election into its own hands. Beginning today at 7 a.m. and ending tomorrow at noon, the breakfast eatery is assigning each of the six candidates a special pancake or waffle. For each item ordered, a vote will be cast into the poll for the next mayor. The results will be declared tomorrow afternoon. So far Jesse Spikes and Peter Brownlowe have confirmed, and the reps for Kasim Reed and Lisa Borders are attending. You may think this is nonsense, but I think it’s an informative and delicious way to decide the new mayor.  Take our poll below to vote for your favorite pancake … I mean mayor.

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(Photo by Broderick Smylie)

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To all who are interested in showing off their awesome culinary skills, “Top Chef”will  hold auditions here in Atlanta for season seven. This open casting call will be at Craft Restaurant, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., on Nov. 8. Be sure to bring a filled out application, video submission and all other required materials, which can be found on the Bravo TV website.

Also, be sure to brush-up on you pastries and cakes, as a new “Top Chef” spin-off, titled “Top Chef: Just Desserts,” will also be casting at the same audition. The newest version of the show was just recently announced on Oct., 26 and auditions are already underway. The spin-off is said to premiere in 2010.

Craft is located at 3376 Peachtree Road. 404-995-7580. www.craftrestaurant.com.

(Photo courtesy Bravo TV)

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The newest location of Pure Taqueria — 300 North Highland Ave. — will open Oct. 31. Inman Park residents will be treated to an open house this Thursday night. The new taqueria is in the old Grape location, across from Sotto Sotto and Fritti. …

Check out photographer Mark Petko’s blog Spoonfed Atlanta to see some beautiful shots of dishes at Serpas True Food. Other restaurants he’s featured recently include Top Flr and 4th and Swift. …

In case you missed it, Tom Maicon of Atlanta Cuisine published a great interview with Jeff Varasano, owner of the controversial Varasano’s Pizzeria. Among his comments which have caused further controversy:

The biggest unexpected challenge was the fact that guests eat their pizza with a knife and fork. Coming from NY it’s just a reflex to pick up a slice and fold it. I really want everyone to try pizza at it’s best and a huge part of any food experience is the way it feels in your mouth. A great piece of fresh fried chicken has a nice crunch on the outside that gives way to a juicy interior. Similarly, folding a fresh slice allows you to bite the crust which gives way to the juicy sauce.

This style of pizza has a light crust that is too delicate to retain any crunch after it’s been cut with a knife or if it’s sat too long. We got a lot of early criticism about the texture of the crust and we spent the first two months altering the dough formula to compensate. This was probably our biggest mistake. I know of no pizza with this kind of thin, charred, light airy style that holds up to a knife and fork….

The Cabbagetown Chomp and Stomp is the weekend of Nov. 7. The annual event’s highlight is a chili cookoff. This year’s judges are Shaun Doty, Kevin Gillespie, Linton Hopkins, Kevin Rathbun, Joe Truex and Scott Serpas. …

The Anis and Carpe Diem folks have opened their new restaurant, Amuse, in the old Allegro space on Dutch Valley Road in Midtown. It’s been open a week now. …

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Unbelievable.

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Whoa! Subway is about to overtake McDonald’s. OK, we’re not talking sales; we’re talking number of locations, but still..:

Restaurant upstart Subway, riding high on the marketing message of healthy fast food, will overtake its titanic competitor McDonald’s in American store locations by the end of 2009, with a shocking total of more than 32,300 outlets.

That’s something few consumers could imagine before the sandwich chain piggybacked on huge weight loss of morbidly obese Jared Fogle — who lost 245 pounds by exercising and eating only its sandwiches, in contrast to Super Size Me’s Morgan Spurlock, who got fat and sick eating McDonald’s grub.

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Ugh. Another Atlanta restaurant bites the dust. This time it’s Fishmonger in Sandy Springs. (Hat tip: Patricia Tinsley)

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I just received this photo from a friend of mine who waits tables at the restaurant:

When I spoke to her yesterday, she told me that the clean up was moving along quickly — all the interior wood had been replaced (although it still needs to be stained), among other things — and that the restaurant was anticipating an early November re-opening. This could change a few things…

(H/T to Lindsay Saripkin; Photo by Kelly Smith)

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CL's 2008 Food Issue

Congratulations (!) to Besha Rodell whose 2008 Food Issue, My week on an all-Georgia diet, took home first place for Newspaper Food Feature under 250,000 circulation at the Association of Food Journalists conference in New Orleans. (We also hear that some guy named Obama was honored today too, although not for his food writing …) For the issue, Besha challenged herself to do that which so many preach yet so few seem to accomplish — survive on a purely local diet. She allowed herself a few basic cheats (salt, oil and yeast), but otherwise maintained a strict Georgia-grown dictum: no sugar, no pepper, not even any beer!

The result was a funny, honest, down-to-earth diary documenting her experience and experiment. She also spotlighted some of the faces behind the food on her table, such as Mike Buckner of Fielder’s Flour and beekeepers Donna and Ray Lopes. Since she came on as Creative Loafing’s restaurant critic and food editor in early 2006, Besha’s won two other AFJ awards and was nominated for a James Beard award in 2007 for her 2006 Food Issue. Congratulations Besha!

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File this under “news that totally sucks.” Elisa Gambino (right) has announced the closing of her store, Via Elisa. Although she will continue marketing her sauces under the same name, she will no longer be making her pasta, by far the best available in the city. She writes:

Via Elisa’s store – but not our sauces — will end what has been a glorious seven-year run in Atlanta at the close of business on Saturday, October 17, the latest victim of an unforgiving economy.

Though that will mark the last day we will make our award-winning pasta and the last day our store will be open, I want you to know that we will continue to make our sauces, whose sales have grown despite the economic climate.

Since the line of Via Elisa sauces sold at Whole Foods Markets throughout six states in the South does very well, I will focus on developing Via Elisa as a sauce company. All three of our sauces – Passionately Perfect Tomato, Diavoletta and Sofia’s Sicilian Caper – are available in 16-oz. and 32-oz. jars.

Between the flooding and the economy, there has been much sad news here in Atlanta, and when I think of the loss that so many people have suffered, this bit of news seems trivial in comparison. I am thankful to all of you who have supported Via Elisa since we opened our doors in 2002. I have been overwhelmed by your kindness and dedication to the success of Via Elisa and I hope you will continue to support the sauces as I streamline our business. I have always enjoyed delivering pasta to the people in the neighborhoods, markets and our store. I am confident I will enjoy promoting and selling our sauces as well.

A supply of Via Elisa pasta and ravioli is available at Whole Foods Markets here in Atlanta (as we have just shipped out a fresh batch). You know where to find it! We will also continue to accept your orders until October 16 and I hope you will stock up. Everything we make freezes well.

On a closing note I want to thank the incredible and dedicated staff of professionals who work here at Via Elisa. Without Dave, Tina, Bess, Noe, Maryland, Darnell and Dahlia, Via Elisa would not have been possible. Their dedication to Via Elisa has inspired me daily and has kept me going over the years. Their contribution to the business has been immeasurable. Please thank them when you come to the shop.

And please do come by, say hello and pick up your pasta, ravioli, sauces, meats, cheeses, vinegars and oils at least one last time. The store will be open and we will be here making pasta through Saturday, October 17, and we would love to see you.

As I have always said, a two-pasta day is a good day! And if you are looking for sauce, all of our 16-oz. sizes are still on sale at Whole Foods Markets in the South for only $3.49 until October 13th.

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Gourmet magazine ceases publication. The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton closes.

And now French culture completely collapses.

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In case you missed this: I suppose it’s coincidence, but I can’t help but remember that Cracker Barrel is the same restaurant chain that fired all known gay employees around 1991 and provoked a years-long boycott. I wonder why they won’t release the video tape of the race-motivated beating that occurred there last month. In any case, it’s astonishing to see something like this happen now.

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PAY UP: In theory, there should be no such thing as a drink special in Atlanta.

Chalk it up to a city that seems hell-bent on stymieing the flow of booze: Along with rolled-back bar hours, blue Sundays and Kafkaesque liquor license applications, it’s totally illegal for bars and restaurants to serve discounted drinks.

Happy hour? Nope, not unless the prices are the same during every other hour. Half-price bottles of wine? Technically, not allowed. A bottomless glass of wine for a set price? Not even close.

“To offer a special, you basically have to offer it every day,” attorney Hakim Hilliard says. “So it can’t be a special.”

What about a place that offers a particular type of liquor only on a certain day — say, a pizzeria that sells $2 margaritas on Tuesdays? Because margaritas aren’t sold any other day, that’s not a discount, right?

“I think that’s a stretch,” says Hilliard, who’s familiar with the law both as a former city attorney and as a lawyer who’s represented bars and restaurants charged with violations of Atlanta’s liquor code.

The specific law Hilliard cites has been on the books since at least the late ’70s. The law makes it illegal to sell “any alcoholic beverage at a price less than the price regularly charged for such alcoholic beverage during the same calendar week.” It also outlaws “using coupons or other special promotional items as an inducement to purchase alcoholic beverages.”

Continue reading “Feature: Unhappy hour”

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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Another landmark closes, according to Repeat Atlanta:

Following the recent closures of ESPN Zone, Wolfgang Puck Express, Roy’s Hawaiian and the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton, T.G.I. Friday’s on Peachtree has closed too. Located just north of Piedmont Hospital on Peachtree Road, their Buckhead location was one of only a few locations left locally when they ceased operations as of 9/28.

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At a recent lunch, a friend was complaining that it’s hard to find a hamburger cooked rare in our city, despite the epidemic of new burger joints. According to the New York Times, there is very good reason for that. Today’s paper includes a lengthy story in which the writer, Michael Moss, traces Upton-Sinclair-like, the hamburger whose E. coli contamination left Stephanie Smith paralyzed:

Meat companies and grocers have been barred from selling ground beef tainted by the virulent strain of E. coli known as O157:H7 since 1994, after an outbreak at Jack in the Box restaurants left four children dead. Yet tens of thousands of people are still sickened annually by this pathogen, federal health officials estimate, with hamburger being the biggest culprit. Ground beef has been blamed for 16 outbreaks in the last three years alone, including the one that left Ms. Smith paralyzed from the waist down. This summer, contamination led to the recall of beef from nearly 3,000 grocers in 41 states.

Read the entire article, with its account of slaughterhouses that refuse to sell meat to companies that insist on rigorous testing,  and you’ll never complain again about your hamburger being overcooked.

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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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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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