Omnivore Atlanta

Atlanta Cuisine, the monthly tabloid published by AtlantaCuisine.com, will publish its first “readers’ choice” issue this month. In the September issue, publisher Tom Maicon cited his own choice for most annoying food trend:

Let’s see … most annoying food trend? Last year was easily cupcakes. But this year the most annoying food trend to me is the whole southern farm-to-table thing. Don’t think for a big-city minute that it’s the farm-to-table part of this trend that grates my last nerve — I can respect a freshly plucked vegetable just as much as the next guy — but it’s the over-used southern part of this trend that rubs me the wrong way. I mean…do we really need another southern farm-to-table concept?

For the remainder of this year and next I’ll be on the lookout for chefs who aren’t sheeople too….chefs who are willing to choose that path less taken. I’m looking for chefs like Hector Santiago of Pura Vida and Lamar Thomas of East West Bistro in Athens, Ga. who aren’t afraid to take local ingredients and do interesting things with them, rather than just mindlessly serve the awaiting public another tiresome deviled egg.

I eat to expand the mind as much, if not more, than to fill my belly. I want well-thought flavors, textures, and temperatures. I want to eat something that isn’t being overdone everywhere else in town. I want bold ethnic flavors with my so-called farm-to-table ingredients. Wouldn’t that be cool?

You can read the entire column by downloading the PDF file of the September issue on Atlanta Cuisine’s site.

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The much delayed 5 Seasons Westside brewpub is finally on track for an opening early next year, according to a statement by the company. The sprawling, 17,000-square-foot restaurant and brewery in the Brickworks at Midtown West will be the largest brewpup in the Southeast, covering three floors, with three separate bars, private event facilities, and indoor and outdoor seating for 400. David Larkworthy will serve as Executive Chef at the Westside location. Larkworthy has won praise for his fresh, simple preparations from local ingredients at the other two locations of 5 Seasons, and will continue the tradition of the farm-to-table concept developed at those restaurants.

Crawford Moran, brewmaster at 5 Seasons North in Alpharetta, will take over the kettles at the new location, where he will have considerably more room to work. “Since we are building the space ourselves we were able to dedicate a huge amount of space to the brewing part of the equation - over twice the size of an average brewpub,” Moran says. “That will allow us to serve a huge variety of beers, barrel age beers on a regular basis, cellar age our high gravity beers and offer cask ale on a full-time basis. We are going to do some unique things and explore all the different possibilities that beer can offer.”

Jose Tavel of TaC Studios is designing the space with an emphasis on sustainable materials and enviromentally friendly design, while creating a warm, hand-crafted environment that includes a walnut bar, rough-hewn timber beams, and artesian-created light fixtures. The concern for the environment will extend from the waterless urinals to the recycled kitchen oil that will fuel the brewing operations, as well as the Mercedes fire truck that will serve as the restaurant’s catering truck.

The 5 Seasons Westside will be located at the intersection of Howell Mill Rd. and Marietta St. The building itself is a redevelopment of an existing 100-year-old brick structure and former industrial hub that is being transformed into a mixed-use retail center.

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The best deal I’ve found in a restaurant in quite a while was The Glenwood’s first “summer farm dinner” last Monday, Aug. 4. We dined on five very good courses, featuring the produce of Scharko Farms, for $35.

The meal concluded with this “raspberry Napoleon” with lemon-verbena cream, surrounded by a mint moat. I am ultra-picky about raspberries, which seem to be the most abused berry on the planet. There was no abuse here. The raspberries were so flavorful, they rendered everything else on the plate back-up material. But I liked the novel combination with mint.

The fifth course (above right) was slices of medium-rare venison with arugula salad, corn pudding and black berries. Chef Ryan Stewart stopped by our table while we were eating this and waxed eloquently about how deer are eating berries and corn this time of year, so that the plate was like an ode to summer. Then he mentioned that the venison was from New Zealand and, it being winter there now, we wondered if he had not spoiled his ode. He agreed and moved on to another table.

We didn’t mind, because the plate, like all others, was delicious no matter who is eating whom this month.

We were especially impressed by the first course — “heirloom tomato water” with cucumber and basil sorbet. I assumed the name was a “food-ism” for tomato juice, but it actually was clear. One of the restaurant managers explained to us that Stewart squeezed the tomato’s pulp through a filter, leaving behind the essence of tomato. One complaint only: The tiny bowl’s sorbet was almost completely melted when it hit the table. I would have liked a more substantial taste of it.

Check the restaurant’s website regularly for other special dinners. By the way, work has begun on The Glenwood’s expansion into an adjoining space. Look for a smoke-free space with a wine bar.

(As always, full disclosure requires that we report that Chef Ryan Stewart is married to our cuisine editor, Besha Rodell. But, honestly, this East Atlanta Village gastro-pub is unique in our city.)

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This is going to be good. Ryan Stewart, chef at The Glenwood, plans to launch a series of “summer farm dinners” on Aug. 4. The first will feature vegetables, herbs and fruit from Scharko Farms.

Cost for five courses is $35, a bargain, to say the least. You must make a reservation by calling 404-622-6066. I suggest you do so promptly. The Glenwood’s last special meal, a “beer dinner” earlier this week, sold out.

Stewart’s menu follows:

First course: Heirloom tomato water with cucumber and basil ice sorbet.

Second: Quail rillettes with field pea pistou.

Third: Salmon on polenta, rattlesnake beans, crispy pork belly.

Fourth: Venison loin with sweet corn pudding and arugula salad.

Dessert: Raspberry Napoleon with lemon verbena cream.

The Glenwood is located in East Atlanta Village at 1263 Glenwood Ave.

(Full disclosure: Yes, Ryan Stewart is the spouse of our cuisine editor Besha Rodell. No, nobody bribed me to write about this. The man’s cooking is incredible. Photo from Scharko Farms’ website.)

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Muss & Turner’s is participating in some cool events in the coming months:

On Sunday, March 13 Muss & Turner’s is taking part in a local chef battle between Ryan Hidinger of M & T’s and Chris Hall of Canoe, to be held at Jay Swift’s ( formerly of South City Kitchen) new place, 4th and Swift located in the Old Fourth Ward.

Todd Mussman and Ryan Turner will be blind tasting the two chefs on two white wines, two reds wines and two beers and the chefs will create two courses for each.

“In our opinion, this is the most genuine way for a chef to make food in symphony with drink,” writes Turner. ” This kind of stuff is just fun for us. Obviously the whole chef battle thing is hip right now, but our goal is to just ‘throw down’ with our chef buddies in a very friendly competition.”

Make your reservations fast because this food fight is limited to 30 people.

If you’re looking to get a little fresh air then take a quick trip out to the farm. Muss and Turner are working with Brady Lowe from Taste Network to host a Champagne farm dinner.

On May 17, fifty guests will be loaded onto a “green” chartered bus provided by Elite Green Car, a company that refers to themselves as “eco-friendly chauffeurs,” at Muss & Turner’s store in Smyrna and driven to Serenbe for a tour of the development and the farm.

Everyone will be served an early, multi-course family style dinner created by Muss in conjunction with the harvest schedules of three local farms. Food will be paired with Henriot Champagne in celebration of their 200th anniversary.

Dinner will be served in a Serenbe home overlooking the farm where much of the food that will be served was actually grown.

Future details of the chef battle and farm dinner will be at www.mussandturners.com.

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Georgia has a lot to enjoy in terms of local foods, and an upcoming weekend organized by Food & Wine magazine’s Grow for Good campaign features a variety of restaurant/food events, all in glorification of Georgia farms. The Grow for Good campaign aims to raise $1 million for Farm to Table, a national initiative dedicated to supporting local farms and sustainable agriculture. Farm to Table will also maintain an interactive website for Georgia to help farmers build ties to consumers, chefs, restaurateurs, and institutional buyers such as schools, hospitals and hotels. It will also provide educational resources for farmers to help support a transition to sustainable farming practices.

The events begin Friday, Sept. 28, with Eat Local at Atlanta, Athens and Palmetto’s “Best Chef’s Tables.” From about 6-9 p.m. in a whole slew of excellent restaurants, attendees are treated to a tasting menu featuring Georgia-grown ingredients. Tickets are $150 per person including tax and tip, and reservations may be made by contacting the restaurant directly. A handful of the participating restaurants includes Element, the Farmhouse, Rathbun Steak, all the Star Provisions joints and many more. For the full list as well as contact info for restaurants, visit www.foodandwine.com/growforgood.

Stay tuned for information about the Country Fair in the City event Sept. 29 and the Summer Supper at Summerland Farm Sept. 30.

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