Omnivore Atlanta

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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In Ms. Wiggins’ fifth-grade class at Cascade Elementary in Atlanta’s West End, it’s coming up on state testing time. The kids are weary and antsy, having spent the past few weeks enduring lessons on facts and figures to prepare for the tests that will determine, among other things, the school’s level of funding. But at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, it’s time for a different kind of lesson. On this particular Tuesday, using veggies they’ve grown themselves in the school’s courtyard garden, the kids will be making soup. Continue reading the food feature.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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There is no better evidence of our superior ethnic dining scene than the proliferation of restaurants specializing in sub-cuisines. The newest hotspot is Delicious Kabob (3640 Shallowford Road, 770-457-4948), an off-the-beaten-path restaurant specializing in Northern Chinese and Szechuan dishes. Owner Zhiqiang Zhang hired one of Atlanta’s Chinese superchefs, chef Lu Liu and his partner, chef Beijing Yang to oversee the menu. Chef Liu and chef Yang hail from Northern China as do Zhang and his sister, Shomey, who runs the front of the house. But Liu is an expert at cooking most regional Chinese cuisines and took home the gold in a National Chinese cooking competition.

Northern Chinese fare dominates the menu. The lamb kebabs encrusted with cumin seeds and chili oil delight with a hint of game on the tongue, the crunch of char rife with kiss of the fire and the seductive aroma of toasted cumin. “Tofu skin with pepper” plays on subtlety. Chewy pappardelle-like noodles made from crosshatched tofu skin—the film that forms atop tofu—are stir-fried with slender pieces of juicy pork and slivered green hot peppers. A clay pot filled with “Lamb stew with goji berries and dates” hints at Morocco with the waft of clove and sweetness from the dates and chestnuts. The stew’s broth is slightly thickened with cornstarch (instead of time), but the flavor is there.

The Szechuan menu is small, but strong. Paper-thin pieces of beef in the “Szechuan crispy fried beef spiced with chilis and peppercorns” are lightly breaded and wok-fried to a crisp. The Szechuan peppercorns, dried red chilis, cilantro and green onions perfume the meat and add that quintessential “ma la” heat (numbing and spicy). The chili and green onion laden broth in the “Fish boiled in spicy chili oil” isn’t slick with oil, but just fatty enough to play against the confit-esque pieces of grouper and crunchy Napa cabbage. Comparisons to other Szechuan restaurants are inevitable. But this restaurant’s breadth of warming food and equally warm staff give it more than enough strength to stand on its own.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Although he is the owner of Method Coffee Bar & Tea Lounge (1593 North Decatur Road. 404-549-8942. www.methodcoffeebar.com), Don Lowell insists Dale Donchey is the mastermind behind the operation. Donchey placed third in this year’s Southeastern Regional Barista Championship and is going to Portland for the Nationals in March.

The coffee shop’s name comes from its devotion to methodology from beans to brew. Method sources all of its coffee beans from Intelligentsia, the lauded Chicago roaster whose “direct trade” sourcing philosophy and commitment to quality has made it the preferred bean for discerning coffee drinkers. The coffee shop serves an ever-changing handful of varietals in a range of prices, which the seasoned (and super friendly) baristas will describe to you in such romantic detail you’d think you were discussing wine with a seasoned sommelier.

While the coffee shop brews its espresso on a top-of-the-line La Marzocco machine, its use of Chemex coffeemakers is the draw for aficionados. The Chemex method employs a heat-resistant, non-porous glass carafe with a special unbleached paper filter. The coffee grounds are slowly saturated with hot water resulting in a clean cup of coffee where each note shines. Method “pre-doses” (or pre-measures) each bean varietal accordingly to achieve the perfect strength and balance of flavor. Each dosage of whole beans is stored in an individual glass bottle until it is ground to order and brewed drip by precious drip before your eyes.

Tea is another area where Method excels as they treat and present their impeccably chosen whole leaf teas with great care. An assortment of Vosges sipping chocolate—like the spicy Aztec—is perfect for chocolate junkies and kids alike. And a short, but sweet list of locally made pastries from tattooed baker Larisa Slaughter provides that much needed nibble as you linger, sip and type.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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ONCE UPON A TIME: Blais has appeared many times in CL’s pages, but this is his first byline.

Almost ten years ago, I remember anxiously awaiting the latest copy of Creative Loafing, with what was to be my first mention in an Atlanta paper. OK, any paper, unless you count my hometown local that had written about how fast I got pinned as a high school wrestler. It would be just a quick mention in CL. The tiniest blurb, but the type of thing that a young chef dreams of. I remember driving to Fellini’s to see if the print edition had been released. After four visits and scouring the distributing cases up and down Peachtree Street with no luck, I finally went back to my apartment.

After midnight, I woke up and went out again. It was easy to bounce up and go because I slept with my clothes on, with my television playing, stuck on the Food Network, and with whatever celebrity chef’s book du jour sprawled out over my chest.

I never got that mention. After all the waiting and anxiety, the blurb just mentioned the name of the restaurant, the owners and, of course, the name of the previous chef. Oh well.

Later that night I headed into work. Very early. Bakers’ hours. I prepared the restaurant for lunch service and set everything up. All the stations. Every sauce strained twice, and every nine pan filled. The grill on. The protein portioned. The menu printed. The side towels neatly folded and anally arranged on every cook’s cutting board. The dishes washed. Breakfast made for the staff. Coffee brewed.

The sun hadn’t even come up yet.

It was a time I remember well. And it’s in that spirit, the one of the hard working, young chef, that I embark on this new adventure, almost 10 years later. (more…)

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There is something so deliciously primal about tearing a hunk of chicken off the bone with your bare hands, folding it into a warm tortilla with a spoonful of salsa and devouring it. What can I say? This Mexicana loves her chicken, which means I was delighted to discover El Pollo Regio (5499 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-458-9663; 10471 Alpharetta Street, Roswell. 770-552-5466. www.elpolloregio.com).

Naturally, the “Pollos asados al carbon” (char-grilled chicken) is the thing to order. This bird soars high above the other chicken spots lining the highway because of its lip-smacking marinade. The most information I could get is that they use Achiote paste, an earthy and thick red paste made from ground annatto seeds that is normally mixed with an acid like citrus or vinegar. The juiciness of the chicken and flavor imparted by the flames charring the marinade make for, as my friend put it, “some badass chicken.”

An order of the whole chicken ($12.99) comes with a container of rice flavored with tomato broth, a bowl of smoky “Charro” pinto beans, a piquant salsa verde creamy with avocado, large chunks of sticky sweet charred onions, a fresh salsa roja, a couple of limes and a stack of locally made and all-natural El Milagro tortillas. If you don’t have the time to sit down and contend with a bone-in chicken meal, the “Taco Regio” ($4.00) is a great choice. The oversized tortilla is coated with oil and grilled to make it pliable, then filled with an abundance of finely minced grilled chicken, a layer of crema Mexicana (Mexican sour cream) and guacamole. Add a charred jalapeno, some salsa and a squirt of lime and you’ve got a one-handed meal guaranteed to satisfy.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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The Cafe At Pharr (316 Pharr Road. 404-238-9288, and other metro Atlanta locations) was started in back 1992 by Shirley and Mike Liu, who retired in 1998 and handed the business over to their enthusiastic son, Johnny. You can’t miss him when you arrive; just look for the guy with the permanent smile on his face.

What sets this tiny lunch spot apart is its simplicity, consistency and commitment to healthy eating. Almost everything on the menu is made from scratch daily and surprisingly low in fat. The Café bakes its own bread every morning and uses no preservatives. Ask any regular and they’ll tell you they come for the assortment of chicken salads, available as a sandwich ($7.50) on your choice of white, wheat, multigrain, baguette and croissant or as a salad plate ($9) with romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, sliced tomatoes, two pieces of soft baguette and the café’s special ginger dressing that has no oil or fat. Both the sandwich and the salad plate come with a handful of chilled seedless red grapes and the café’s signature and strangely addictive “Yogurt rolls,” a fluke turned staple using leftover croissant scraps that are baked off, filled with a semi-sweet German gelatin mixed with yogurt and sliced.

One of the most popular salads is the celery chicken, a minimalist approach to chicken salad with chicken, celery, spices and mayo. I always go for the curry chicken salad made with a secret curry sauce, a touch of mayo and chopped chicken. The celery-laced tuna salad is another simply made favorite that actually tastes like old-fashioned tuna salad—not an abundance of overcomplicated ingredients for show. Liu says he only adds enough to hold the base together because health is paramount. One diner actually lost 40 pounds by eating every meal at the Café except for breakfast on what they called the “Café Pharr diet.” Who needs Subway?

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF: Presto's meaty Bandeja Paisa

One of the best ways to get to know a country is through its cuisine. The ingredients, cooking methods, serving vessels and customs provide great insight into a country’s soul. Travel, unfortunately, necessitates money and time — something most of us have precious little of these days. That doesn’t mean exploration is out of the question, however. Feel like tasting Colombia? Take a “trip” there via Presto Latin Restaurant (1392-B Roswell Road, Marietta, 770-973-2196, www.prestorestaurant.com).

The breadth of Presto’s menu is impressive and the staff is always willing to help you you navigate the offerings despite its sometimes limited English. (more…)

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MOO-CHOS FOR LESS: The $18 Rivieria burger

There’s no debating the burger trend sweeping the country. One could say the economy’s dive has stimulated our craving for nostalgic — and cheap — foods. Whatever the case, Americans are burger crazy and Atlanta chefs are cashing in.

Arnaud Berthelier, executive chef at the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead (3434 Peachtree Road, 404-237-2700. www.ritzcarlton.com), is one of the newest players on the burger scene. The Dining Room has long been a paragon of excellence, but who can actually afford the extravagance these days? Berthelier has debuted a special burger menu with optional beer pairings by sommelier Robert Evans and manager Claude Guillaume for the Lobby Lounge, available daily from 11 a.m. to midnight. So you can get a piece of the action for a relatively cheap price, considering the Dining Room’s tasting menu starts at $90 per person.

Burgers are served on buttery brioche buns and all — minus the sliced duck confit burger — are made with Strube Ranch American Kobe beef custom-ground to the chef’s specifications. Each burger, except for the Cadillac, comes with golden waffle-cut fries.

Prices start at $16 for the Classic, a monstrous hand-formed patty of juicy beef topped with gooey and earthy Vermont cheddar, crunchy slices of Applewood bacon, and mayo with a hint of sherry. The Rivieria ($18) is just as hearty as its mates, but lighter in impact thanks to the peppery arugula, tangy tomato confit, mozzarella and Parmesan. If you do decide to splurge, there’s the $65 Deluxe, made with seared foie gras, sliced truffle, aged Comté, bibb lettuce and merlot sauce.

The only downside to the burgers is their presentation. Each creation is placed in a narrow paper-lined poplar box that, while slick, makes the eating experience cumbersome. It can be difficult to extract the burger with all of its components intact, but the flavor is well worth the work.

(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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PIE TASTERS: The Grande Max

Returning holiday gifts at the mall is my own version of hell. But there I was at Lenox and, to make matters worse, my stomach was violently growling. The food court wasn’t an option, so I texted my friends for ideas. One person reminded me Pizzeria Venti (2770 Lenox Road. 404-228-2013. www.pizzeriaventi.com) had recently opened down the road.

The restaurant’s a franchise, with locations scattered throughout the country. The staff here was genuinely enthusiastic about the menu and the food coming out of the kitchen looked tasty. Pizzeria Venti’s specialty is pizza al taglio, roughly translated to “pizza by the cut.” The handmade pizza ($3-$4.50/slice and $15-$22.50/pan) is cut into squares, heated in a special oven and served on a nifty metal dish. The sauce didn’t taste overly processed and the cheese had a nice roundness to it, but I just couldn’t get past the Pizza Hut-like thick crust. The Timpanini ($6.50), however, showed promise. It resembled a round, deflated calzone and came with a side of marinara for dipping. The pillowy crust was slightly sweet and the provolone, mozzarella, pecorino and herbs filling was creamy, yet light.

Lasagna al forno ($7.75) — which a staff member couldn’t stop raving about — had the perfect amount of cheese and a tasty meat sauce. My favorite item was a side of tender and well-seasoned meatballs ($4 for three). Bocce Balls ($7 for three) are a fun and decadent take on the same meatballs: They’re wrapped in pizza dough with marinara and cheese and baked until the crust is golden brown. My one bite of Dutch fudge cookies and cream gelato from the large assortment showed promise; it was thick, creamy and without one ice crystal to be found.

In short, the restaurant’s no culinary revelation, but it’s a great option for harried folks looking for a hearty bite at a good price.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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At first glance, the Westside Garden Market (1954 Howell Mill Road. 404-609-9666. www.westsidegardenmarket.com) may seem a little bare bones. But don’t let that deter you. Owner Majid Elmaliki has amassed a treasure trove of local artisanal products, imported gourmet goods and a wide variety of certified organic produce. Although Atlanta’s Westside already has its share of wonderful gourmet specialty stores, this new locale is sure to become a popular option for its extremely reasonable prices and shopper friendly hours.

Elmaliki’s impressive selection reads like a who’s who of local producers. Look for milk jugs from Sparkman’s, bags of granola and freshly baked bread from Magnolia Bread Company, granola and energy bar bites from Pure Bliss Organics, creative “jams of love” from Emily G’s, biscotti made by Allegro Restaurant, locally-roasted Dancing Goats coffee, cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy, the insanely good gluten-free and vegan “Coconut drops” by American Gra-Frutti, amazing Indian spice blends from Modern Day Masala and much, much more. Imported items—such as cans of San Marzano tomatoes, large bags of Italian pasta, high-quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars, tins of Moroccan saffron sold by the ounce and Tunisian tomato paste—are indispensable for your pantry and affordable to boot.

The market will debut a lunch menu in mid-January featuring a handful of dishes inspired by Elmaliki’s native country, Morocco. Look for charbroiled meats—such as kofte kebabs (seasoned ground beef) made with grass-fed beef from Harris Ranch Beef Company (also sold in the market), Halal lamb chops from New Zealand and Australia and chicken kabobs marinated in Moroccan saffron and olive oil—served with Moroccan couscous and a dip made with organic yogurt with chopped cucumbers. Other items like freshly made hummus and eggplant pureed with garlic and olive oil will also be available as menu items or packaged in the refrigerated case.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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Mediterraneans know how to live the good life. Everything is done at a pace that welcomes and relaxes. And that’s why I adore Café Agora (262 East Paces Ferry Road. 404-949-0900. www.cafeagora.com). No matter how much you have ordered, congenial owner Al Ozelci will insist you sit at the counter and feed you little bites of this and that until your food is ready. He says his hospitality is for “feedback,” but it’s really just his way.

Agora’s gyros are serious contenders for best in Atlanta. The aromatic mix of marinated and spit-roasted beef and lamb is cut into perfectly sized slices, nestled into seasoned shredded lettuce, drizzled with tangy tzatziki sauce and wrapped in dense pita bread charred and puffed from a short spell on the grill ($7.01). If the other meat choices are too tempting to bare, go for the mixed grill ($14.95)—an assortment of gyro meat, charbroiled chicken, kofta kabob (broiled seasoned ground lamb with Turkish spices & herbs), lamb shish kabob (grilled marinated and grilled lamb) and adana kabob (seasoned and grilled ground lamb) set atop basmati rice and served with a house salad and that delicious pita.

While Café Agora is a carnivore’s paradise, the salads and vegetarian appetizers are uniformly superb. Your best bet is to grab the “Mixed Maza Platter,” ($7.99) which comes with of variety of appetizers including smoky baba ghanoush, creamy hummus, chunks of grilled eggplant and a salad made with shredded carrots, creamy yogurt and bright notes of dill.

A final word of advice: resisting the Ozelci’s humorously persistent insistence that you have one of his filo-based pastries dripping in honey and crumbled pistachios is futile.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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You may recognize Kristin Hard’s name from her K Chocolat line of handcrafted artisanal chocolates with holistic claims. Until recently, the chocolates were only available at select locations, but her new Inman Park store, Cacao Laboratoire du Chocolat and Boutique (312-C North Highland Avenue. 404-221-2626. www.cacaoatlanta.com), grants fans more accessibility. The boutique is minimalist but luxurious thanks to feminine touches such as an opulent glass chandelier wrapped in a fabric shade and elegant packaging imprinted with silver wings.

Hard’s products showcase a mash-up of her traditional French training, premium ingredients—sustainable and local when possible—and creative flavor infusions. The chocolatier obviously favors dark chocolate (which is purportedly healthier), since every item is made with an intense rendition of the stuff. Truffle names such as “Protect” aren’t cheap marketing tactics. Hard deeply believes in the health benefits of her wares – she suggests the chamomile in the “Inner Calm” to help a nasty cold ($2.25/piece). Peppermint patties are offered in a metallic wrapper ($3) or a chewier lollipop version dotted with 24-karat gold dust and silver leaf ($3). The Aztec Aphrodisia Sipping Chocolate is drawing praise for its depth of flavor and slight piquancy from the secret blend of chiles and spices. Hard tops it with a homemade marshmallow and serves it in a vintage silver cup on a silver tray. Fruit draped in chocolate—such as frozen bananas encrusted with cacao nibs ($4.50) and dried pear slices ($6.50)—show chocolate’s ability to elevate the humblest of ingredients.

(photo by Jennifer Zyman)

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NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON: Korean Soon Tofu stew

I must have been Korean in a past life. I crave some form of the cuisine daily. My most recent discovery, Jang Su Jang (3645 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, 678-475-9170), has become a fast favorite.

The restaurant advertises Korean barbecue and tofu on its sign (the rest is in Korean). Both are good, but the tofu makes this spot worth the trek. More specifically, the Soon Tofu dishes, a bubbling tofu stew served in cast-iron bowls alongside a bowl of rice and the customary banchan (assorted side dishes). The beef and kimchee ($8.45) heartily mixes spicy broth with large chunks of fresh, silken tofu, green onion and other ingredients. You are given a raw egg that you crack into the bowl and stir to cook; it adds richness and body to the dish, which you then ladle over the rice. (more…)

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BETWEEN A ROCKERFELLER AND A HARD PLACE: The nostalgic oysters at Harry Bissett

When a friend saw me perusing the website for Harry Bissett’s (360 Pharr Road, 404-425-5995), he got excited. A Georgia Bulldogs fan, he’s eaten several times at the Athens restaurant, which has been serving New Orleans-style cooking since 1986. He was happy to learn that a clone of the restaurant opened here a few months ago. “You’ll enjoy it,” he promised.

I’ve never eaten in the Athens restaurant, but if the restaurant there is anything like the one here, my friend has either lapsed into a culinary coma or was playing a practical joke on me. I’ve seriously not had such an unpleasant experience in a restaurant in memory.

I don’t feel good about writing that this restaurant is a landmark in poor service and food, but the missteps were so bold and so obvious, we felt like we were watching very bad theater. The lead actor, the server, did such a miserable job that, halfway through the performance, I couldn’t look at him without flushing with embarrassment, much less point out to him his most recent error.

There was no crowd to explain the incomprehensibly bad service. On a Monday evening, the restaurant had only a few tables of diners and maybe eight people at the bar. This is generic space in a generic mixed-use building in generic Buckhead. Mardi Gras beads and a few other visual clichés make you suspect les bon temps are not going to roulez too good.

Not long after we were seated, our server appeared at the table and asked for our drink orders. I ordered my usual tonic water. I thought it might be an oversight that I received a lukewarm glass of tonic that was about half-full, with no ice. But the server twice replaced the glass during the meal in identical fashion. (more…)

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It’s not the prettiest thing in the world, but Anis has added a thoroughly authentic boudin to its lunch menu (along with some other items). Not to be confused with the popular white Cajun sausage that goes by the same name, this is a boudin noir, blood sausage.

I admit I don’t have much of an appetite for blood sausage normally, although I’ve eaten plenty of it in France. I asked the server if it was typical blood sausage, slightly gamy tasting and “crumbly, weirdly dissolving in the mouth.”

“No,” she replied succinctly.

Wrong. But a few dots of mustard and the mashed potatoes took the edge off the flavor.

During lunch with Brad Lapin there last Friday, I ran into Jean-Frederick Peferttini, one of the owners, whom I haven’t seen in years. Jean-Fre managed Pastis in Roswell, another restaurant he and partner Arnaud Michel owned and sold. They still own Django downtown.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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