Omnivore Atlanta

Foodies have watched sadly as Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines, both published by Conde Nast,  have shrunk drastically during the last year. This morning, the New York Observer, printed a story about a consulting firm’s work at Conde Nast and predicts a not so rosy future for the two magazines:

Within the building, one buzz term that keeps popping up is “frequency reductions.” The epicurean titles, Gourmet and Bon Appetit, are most commonly mentioned as candidates for reduced publishing schedules. There is also the possibility that the two staffs could be streamlined.

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Bon Appétit has named Decatur’s Cakes and Ale one of 2009’s top 10 best new restaurants:

At the age of 27, Billy Allin gave up his job as a money manager and enrolled in culinary school. After graduation, his cooking skills landed him gigs at renowned restaurants, including Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Watershed in Decatur. With his farm-to-table cooking philosophy fully established, Allin and his wife, Kristin, decided it was time to open “the restaurant where we would want to eat,” he says.

That restaurant is Cakes & Ale (from a phrase in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night meaning “the good things in life”), located east of downtown Atlanta. The couple’s ideal restaurant turns out to be a 50-seat neighborhood spot where the kitchen staff often answers the phone when you call to make a reservation, and a chalkboard announces the daily menu, which features simple, precise dishes like braised rabbit grits with saba vinegar and spring onion; buttermilk-rhubarb fool; and the addictive arancine here.

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Bon Appétit magazine has named Rolling Bones on Edgewood Avenue one of the 10 best barbecue restaurants in America.

Of course, this was on the basis of the former menu. The restaurant was recently sold and I was told a new, more diverese menu was on the way when I visited a few weeks ago. I presume the meats will remain the same.

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Bon Appétit’s “Foodist” visits Atlanta and files rave reviews, replete with pics, of near-neighbors Varasano’s and Holeman & Finch. Excerpts:

Varasano’s won’t win any design awards for hipness; it’s a few steps up from an airport food court. (I was reassured, though, to notice the girl sitting next to me wearing a t-shirt that read “Shakespeare hates your emo poems.”) But never mind that. I challenge you to find me a better pizza pie…

H + F’s menu is devoted to small plates: trad Southern meets trad pub. Cornmeal Fried Oysters were perfect. One poached egg served with a small, thick piece of house bacon and a Johnnycake was satisfying–and just right size. Best of all was the house-made currywurst served with Savannah Red Pea dahl, a brilliantly balanced melding of flavors and smart nod to England’s love of Indian food.

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Bon Appétit’s website is featuring a slideshow of its favorite food blogs, with great pictures and recipes. It’s true food porn. You can fantasize and drool and not gain a single ounce of bodyweight!

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