Omnivore Atlanta

Now it can be told – the true story of my feelings about Shaun Doty’s cooking.

Don’t worry, there’s nothing really negative about it. I have enjoyed Doty’s work ever since he was chef at Mumbo Jumbo. That restaurant, you’ll recall, had Guenter Seeger on board as consulting chef. Doty had worked for Seeger when he was chef of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead.

After Doty left the Dining Room, he landed at restaurants in France and Belgium, then returned to the States. After two gigs elsewhere, he returned to run the kitchen at Mumbo Jumbo at Seeger’s behest. He then went on to open MidCity Cuisine, then Table 1280, and in 2006, Shaun’s (1029 Edgewood Ave., 404-577-4358) in Inman Park. I believe he has shared ownership in all of these restaurants except Table 1280.

So, Doty has a resume nearly as giddy as Richard Blais’, and I used to make the same complaint about him as others currently lodge against Blais — that he never stayed anywhere long enough to get really focused. Doty has a rep as something of a society dude, often showing up in pictures of convocations of the beautiful people. His restaurants have always seemed to attract that crowd and, knowing their insatiable taste for the nouveau, I’ve wondered if Doty’s peripatetic resume is a reflection of that.

Read the rest of this article here.

(Photo by James Camp)

Bookmark to:

On Thurs. Oct. 9th, chef Shaun Doty is offering Inman Park Neighborhood Association members half-off on their dinners at Shaun’s (but they have to flash their Inman Park Patrol Membership Card or it’s a no-go).

Bookmark to:

Slugs slouching toward Bethlehem? Planet of the chalky lakes? Nope, it’s my favorite pizza at Fritti, the Napoli, made with bufala mozzarella, salted anchovies, capers and wild oregano.

This particular pizza is one of eight made with a special flour and certified by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association. The crust is somewhat billowy compared to the restaurant’s other pizzas. That’s not to say that the “traditional” one topped with Gorgonzola and pineapple and drizzled with balsamic vinegar we shared Friday night wasn’t good, too.

The starter I find irresistible here is the mound of cremini and portobello mushrooms fried in rice-flour batter with truffle oil — hot, fragrant and luscious. We also ordered a plate of bresaola with celery and Parmigiano with lemon.

Fritti, like its sister next door, Sotto Sotto, is among my favorite comfort restaurants, where I can consume 2 zillion calories and know each and every one will be delicious.

Bookmark to:

I received this e-mail yesterday: “I haven’t tried The Cupcake Factory yet, but my fave gourmet cupcakes in town are Sweet Pockets, [404-668-1022]. They have a little shop inside the Irwin Street Market in Inman Park (along with a Jake’s ice cream), and are available at a few other places around town. I’m biased because the owner is a friend, but try this month’s special cupcake, the almond-raspberry one. I had it today. Delicious. Check ‘em out!”

The Irwin Street Market is located at 660 Irwin St., and is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday. Sweet Pockets, whose owner/baker is a former architect, also has cupcakes available at the Beehive Co-op (1821-A Peachtree Road), which is open noon-7 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday.

Let’s hear your reports.

Bookmark to: