Omnivore Atlanta

I stopped in the relatively new Chocolate Coffee (1159 LaVista Rd., 404-327-6060) today. Actually, I have no idea if it’s actually spelled Chocolate Coffee, ChocoLaté Coffee or Chocolatte Coffee. Literally all three spellings are used on the shop’s website. (This is a local chain of three cafes.)

In any case, I skipped the numerous chocolate-and-coffee concoctions and had a good espresso macchiato. Pastries looked better than average.

One sort-of complaint: The shop offers free Wi-Fi and in fact is an advocate of free wireless everywhere for everyone, according to its website. Why, then, are you limited to an hour of service at the shop and why do you have to enter a code to log on? It took me some time to get my iTouch to work and the barista told me she had given up on getting her own iPhone to work there.

This isn’t unique to Chocolate Coffee. It costs practically nothing for businesses to provide free Wi-Fi. Why the time limits, the codes and the log-on pages full of advertising?. …

We ate at — you know where — the Shed on Glenwood Wednesday night, having become totally addicted to the $3 sliders. Last night’s delicious newbie was one of ratatouille topped with goat cheese. We also ordered this plate of onion rings. The damn things were as big as the sliders, tasted sweet and almost tempura-crispy.

The Shed began a Thursday-night special this week too — a plate of four fresh vegetables for $10. This week’s choices were sunchokes, organic tomatoes, Swiss chard, arugula and sweet corn. I hope to get there next week. …

We indulged our addiction to Spoon in East Atlanta Thursday night. The restaurant now has its pouring license, so you can dull the fiery curries by numbing your entire head with liquor. As usual, I trotted across the parking lot to Morelli’s for ice cream — one scoop of ginger-lavender and one of goat cheese swirled with figs.

Morelli’s is featured in the current issue of the Porch Press, by the way. That’s the monthly newspaper for Grant Park and East Atlanta Village. The article’s not online — none of the paper is, incredibly — so you’ll have to find a copy to read it. Writer Darin Glass reports that business has been crazy at the shop since Bon Appetit cited it as one of America’s top 10 ice cream shops. …

Name Change: Food 101 Morningside becomes Rosebud on July 6. This follows purchase of the restaurant by Executive Chef Ron Eyester, who has been with the restaurant as a co-owner and chef since it opened. So, there won’t be any significant changes in the menu. A press release explains the new name:

So, why Rosebud? Well, as any “regular” will tell you, Chef Eyester’s second love (aside from food) is music. An avid fan of bands such as The Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, and The Allman Brothers, Eyester has built a reputation for offering unique music tribute dinners throughout the year. Fittingly, Rosebud is the name of one of Jerry Garcia’s custom made guitars.

Newbies on my list: RA Sushi, Evos, Nonna Mia, Midtown Mediterranean Diner, Teela Taqueria, Nectar, Noon Midtown and Bistro in a Box. I also hear stuff’s happening at Saba. Any reports on any of these?

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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I had the week’s best meal last night at Dynamic Dish. It’s been a couple of months since we’ve eaten there. Every time we’ve gone by, the restaurant has been booked full. Unless it’s a meal for review, I don’t do reservations.

I ordered baby eggplants stuffed with pureed artichokes, topped with a bit of cheese. On the side was steamed kale in EVOO and some wedges of roasted Gold Yukons. Wayne got a zucchini quiche that was a bit too oniony but otherwise perfect. It was served with some mixed greens.

For our starter, we split a caesar salad. The romaine lettuce was topped with sliced avocados sprinkled with black sesame seeds. Crunchy “nutritional yeast croutons” garnished the salad, whose dressing was made from a vegan mayo spiked with a hot chili powder. Delicious.

The restaurant has five matching community tables now and looks better than ever. …

We hit Spoon in East Atlanta again Tuesday night. I’m addicted, but I have to admit the nearby presence of Morelli’s Ice Cream reinforces my compulsion. You get a 20-percent discount after 6 p.m. Tuesdays, if you dance for nine seconds. I wish I’d had my camera to record what people will do for a 20-percent discount. I remained in control of myself but Wayne danced at least 27 seconds, expecting a 60-percent reduction. …

Grant Central has perfected its puttanesca sauce, available as an occasional special. Yay!

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We dined at the new Spoon on Moreland Avenue in East Atlanta tonight — great, as always — and then headed across the parking lot to the highly addictive Morelli’s for ice cream and a life lesson.

Wayne ordered a crepe whose preparation created a bottleneck since only two employees were on duty. I enjoyed telling people who were drumming their fingers at the counter that Wayne was responsible for the holdup.

Eventually, one of the employees opened the pick-up window and slid an order toward a woman. “That’s not what I ordered, did I? I don’t think so,” the woman said, embarrassed. The employee apologized, asked for the order again, filled it and insisted that the woman’s companion take the incorrect order for no charge. They left smiling and literally promising to return many times.

Wayne’s endless crepe was finally delivered, but I still had not received my cone. The employee looked at me and said, “Did you want something?”

“Um, yeah. I ordered and paid you for a scoop of ginger-lavender in a waffle cone,” I said, feeling annoyed.

“Oh yeah! I knew that. Sorry, I forgot.” Ohhhh-kay.

She shut the window and, moments later, returned with my cone. “I’m sorry I messed up,” she said, “so I gave  you two scoops.”

I felt happy-happy, joy-joy. Finally, a solution to all conflict. When you screw up and annoy people, just give them free ice cream.

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Every Monday through Thursday from noon to 3 p.m., Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream has begun offering a free scoop to anyone who’s unemployed and struggling to find a job. You can also use their free Wi-Fi to look for said job.

Though usually known for flavors like Jalapeno Coconut and Ginger Lavender, the current economic crisis has encouraged new, hilariously named flavors like Life’s Lemons, the Pink Slip and Unemployment Bana-fits. Sometimes you’ve got to laugh to keep from crying.

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I’ve been hearing raves about Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream (749 Moreland Ave., 404-622-0210) in Ormewood Park for a couple of weeks now. (Among the raves is a review by Jennifer Zyman. Check it out here.) Morelli’s replaces the Bruster’s that closed there.

I was curious about the two most exotic flavors — coconut-jalapeño and Indian kulfi. Honestly, a couple of samples of those two didn’t tempt me much, but Wayne ordered a cone featuring both. Instead, I opted for dulce de leche that was probably the best I’ve ever had, including several gelato versions.

The place was doing a nonstop business when we visited Sunday night but the counter folks were unruffled. They seemed to take each customer on a tour of flavors, helping everyone settle on the right one. It was like watching a pharmacist at work.

Morelli’s backs up to a Little Azio (404-624-3105). We decided to have a quick dinner there before we indulged in the ice cream. Oy. It has not gotten one bit better since I reviewed it almost two years ago.

I ordered a white pizza with shrimp (left). Somehow, I wasn’t informed that the shrimp would be chopped and flavorless. I did like the thin crust on the pizza and the cheese was okay. Wayne ordered spaghetti with meat sauce (above, right), which tasted very Chef Boyardee to me. It was so bland, in fact, that Wayne squeezed an entire lemon on it.

This is the shopping center where Spoon, an excellent Thai restaurant in the westside, is opening a second location. Please hurry!

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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