Omnivore Atlanta

It takes a lot for me to to jump off of my couch, throw on some clothes and speed over to a restaurant after settling in for the night. But that’s just what I did after getting a call from my friend (partner in crime and pizza freak), Kit Fenton, tonight proclaiming he’d just had “the best pizza in Atlanta.” I have no idea how Antico Pizza Napoletana (1093 Hemphill Ave., 404-724-2333. www.anticopizza.it) flew under my (and everyone else’s) radar. But my first visit was a revelation. Owner Giovanni Di Palma (a native of New York and Naples) is the kind of man who instantly wins your adoration. His enthusiasm and pure passion for true Naples style pizza is so infectious, I was thrown into a manic state of pizza lust the moment I entered the brand new Westside Pizzeria. Yes, lust. And anyone who wants to know where Enrico Liberato (the former pizzaiolo at Fritti) has disappeared to need not look any further.

Luca Varuni, Giovanni Di Palma and Enrico Liberato

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(Photos by Jennifer Zyman)

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Here’s a shot of my current obsession — the fig and prosciutto pizza at Stella in Grant Park. It will be on the menu as long as the supply of figs, from a nearby back yard, holds up. The pizza — a white, crispy one streaked with balsamic — is served with a salad. Choose the arugula salad and feel free to pile it on the pizza for a slightly bitter contrast to the sweet figs.

(Photo by Cliff Bostock)

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Is it just me, or does the crust on this spider pizza look undercooked?

(Hat tip: Brad Lapin)

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Frank Bruni took a tour of New York pizza in yesterday’s New York Times. His summary is elegant if not surprising. (What isn’t about balance?):

A great pizza and great pasta are kinfolk. What’s a margherita, after all, but a canvas for tomato, cheese and herb with less slickness, more crunch and more portability than noodles? Many of the flavors are the same.

And be it salad, pasta or pizza, the surest element of success is balance. For pizza that means crispness shouldn’t come at the expense of tenderness, the crust can’t steal the thunder from the toppings, and toppings can’t run roughshod over the crust.

As for toppings, they should add a whisper of sweetness or murmur of heat to the milky, tangy, wonderful white noise of cheese. All of the pizza places in my list of new-generation favorites understand this. And almost all of my favorite pies exemplify it.

Bruni’s general experience seemed to be that nothing is very predictable. The same restaurant may produce pizzas of significantly varying quality. He uses Atlanta pizza-eaters favorite word, “char” (or a derivative thereof), four times in his article but also notes that a beautiful char can grace an insipid pizza.

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The latest entry in the city’s pizza war is Nonna Mia (980 Piedmont Ave., 404-532-2815), a Sicilian-inspired café that’s part of a new chain out of New Orleans.

The restaurant has taken over the space last occupied by Sweet Devil Moon and many others before that. In the 1970s, when I lived a few blocks from there, it was the original location of Proof of the Pudding, now a huge catering company, which at the time also served unique sandwiches and salads.

In my recollection, the longest-lived restaurant here after Proof moved was the Big Red Tomato, a New York-style Italian café with an entertaining vibe and fairly good food. Nobody has succeeded with the location since.

I might as well say at the outset that the pizza here simply does not measure up to the standard prevailing in the city now, thanks to Varasano’s and Fritti. We ordered one of the signature pies, the Siciliana, which is topped with roasted red peppers, prosciutto, kalamata olives, mozzarella and tomato sauce. Sounds great, eh?

Continue reading “Grazing: First Look at Nonna Mia”

(Photo by James Camp)

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We visited the new Nonna Mia (960 Piedmont Ave., 404-532-2815) recently. This restaurant, part of a new chain started in New Orleans, is located in a building that has not had a good track record since the Big Red Tomato left it years ago.

Nonna Mia is something of a return to the Tomato’s style with a menu that’s heavy on New York-style Italian. By far the best thing we ordered was the appetizer, “Divine Portobello” (above), with grilled chicken breast, spinach and a red-pepper sauce complementing sliced portobellos.

We also ordered this red pizza, topped with kalamata olives, sardine-sized slices of prosciutto and mozzarella. But, look, Ma! No char!

More in Grazing later this week.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)

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Could this happen at Varasano’s Pizzeria? From a NBC News affiliate:

Today’s Stupid Criminal comes from Croatia where police say he tried to rob a pizza shop but forgot one thing – to leave the scene of the crime.

The suspect told a pizza clerk to make a half dozen pizzas and then pulled out a knife and took cash from the shop, but the lure of the food proved too much and the world-be robber stopped to eat.

He was quoted as saying he knew he should have left, but the food was too good.

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THE BIG CHEESE: Margherita pizza at Varasano

At the beginning of the year, I was on the coast of New South Wales, Australia, in a sleepy beach community. When my sister’s birthday rolled around, we asked our neighbors where we should go to celebrate. They pointed us to a pizza place in a small town about 20 minutes inland. We drove out into the rural rolling hills until we came upon a tiny town called Mullumbimby. In the center of that town was a tiny pizzeria with sidewalk seating and a wood-burning oven.

We ordered a pizza for each of us. A ridiculous amount of food as it turned out, but when the pizzas arrived my mood changed from pleasant vacation stupor to delight. And then quickly to fury.

These pizzas were perfect. Thin, crispy, bubbly crust, fantastic flavor, sauce tangy but not too watery or thick, toppings super fresh, bold, balanced. “Why?” I sputtered to my amused family. “WHY? Why, if they can do it in the middle of nowhere in rural New South Wales, why can’t we have pizza like this in Atlanta?”

Continue reading “Review: Varasano’s Pizzeria”

(Photo by James Camp)

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Yay! More pizza! From a news release:

Concentrics Restaurants is proud to announce the opening of its newest restaurant Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria (300 Marietta St.) in late spring 2009. The third Concentrics venture in downtown Atlanta’s thriving walkable Luckie Marietta District, Max’s will wow Atlantans with the simple, delicious and authentic pizza that New Yorkers have loved for years, courtesy of New York native and pizza lover Chef Nick Oltarsh. The restaurant’s signature feature, the only genuine coal-burning oven in Georgia, enables Max’s to serve perfectly crisp and piping hot pizzas, creating a unique taste and texture that has been a hallmark of New York City pizzerias for more than a century. Embracing the traditional art of pizza making, Max’s invites guests to enjoy a taste of the Big Apple’s best paired with Atlanta’s Southern hospitality.

About the coal oven:

The only coal oven in Georgia, Max’s oven heats up to 1,000 degrees. In addition to producing genuine New York flavor, the coal oven promotes environmental sustainability by burning anthracite coal. One of the cleanest burning fossil fuels with an abundant supply in the United States, anthracite coal contains the fewest impurities. Max’s defining fixture, the oven recaptures the feel of the original pizzerias of the early 1900s and takes pizza back to its roots by creating delicious pies with perfectly balanced crisp, yet chewy crusts.

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LOOKING FOR A DONOR: Tierra's Dan Krinsky

I’m back to pizza this week, but first, I want to cite some important news in Atlanta’s culinary community. Dan Krinksy, co-chef and owner of Tierra with his wife, Ticha, is in need of a kidney donor.

Krinsky was diagnosed with polycistic kidney disease, a genetic disorder, about six years ago. He has been seeking a donor for two years and although he’s had seven offers, none of them turned out to be a match. He is now undergoing dialysis three times a week.

His blood type is O, the most common, so the competition for a donor kidney, including a cadaver organ, is intense. He prefers a living donor because, he says, cadaver kidneys are not as reliable over the long term. Recent research has concluded that donating a kidney does not affect health or life expectancy.

All donor costs will be paid by Krinksy’s insurance company. Recovery from the laparoscopic surgery is usually about two weeks.

Continue reading “Grazing: Tierra’s Dan Krinsky needs a kidney”

(Photo by James Camp)

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MMMMM, CHARRY: The Margherita pizza at Varasano

Enrico Liberato is the new chef, the pizzaiolo, at Fritti. Like everyone else obsessed with pizza in our city, he had to visit Varasano’s Pizzeria (2171 Peachtree Road, 404-352-8216) in the new sky-scraping Mezzo building in Buckhead.

Varasano’s, in case you’ve been living contentedly under your homemade Chef Boyardee pizzas, has received more media buzz than any restaurant in memory. Jeffrey Varasano, the restaurant’s owner, became something of an Internet celebrity after he moved to Atlanta and began blogging his efforts to re-create the pizzas he ate regularly in New York City.

Food bloggers have been singing his praises for at least a year. And the New York Times and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution both ran major feature stories about him on July 2, 2008, after the writers attended one of the private parties he frequently hosted at his home.

These parties were rather like public scientific experiments in which Varasano attempted to make perfect pizzas with his electric oven. They also, of course, were brilliant marketing for the restaurant, creating such anticipation that Varasano’s Pizzeria was effectively given rave reviews before it even opened.

Continue reading “Grazing: First Look: Varasano’s Pizzeria”

(Photo by James Camp)

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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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We are still eating at Dynamic Dish several times a week. We especially like Saturday pizza night when you occasionally encounter psychedelic pies like this one fit for a flower child just off a mellow yellow high. It’s the Georgia Pizza, topped with Blue Hubbard squash, hot peppers, mozzarella, tomato sauce and nasturtium blossoms.

We also had a Turkish Pizza with chopped baby collards, mozzarella, feta and garlic. Lots of garlic. Way too much garlic for a love-in.

The menu of pizzas changes every week. There are usually five or more.

Check it out this Saturday night…But, hey, if you’re going to Dynamic Dish, be sure to wear some pizza in your hair….If you’re going to Dynamic Dish, you’re gonna meet some gentle people there.

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Shorty’s Pizza is running a pizza design contest that could seriously increase your bank account.

The contest, which began on April 1 and stops taking entries at midnight on June 7th, invites everyone to submit their favorite pizza recipe for a chance to win a $1,000 cash prize.

10 finalists will be selected and the final judging will take place on Sunday, June 15th at 2 p.m. at the Shorty’s in Tucker, Ga.

Some of the recipe hall of famers include: the “Rhavi Shankar” which is a ” white ‘no cheese’ pie with curry oil, roasted vegetables, cilantro-mint chutney.” And the “Wu Tang Clan, ” a buffalo chicken pie with gorgonzola, celery and ranch dressing.

“Bootlegging awesome recipes from other pizza joints is encouraged and will be tolerated.” According to a Shorty’s press release. “Anyone and everyone can enter as many times as they would like, as long as they ante up to the $1 entry fee.” (Cash only for entry fee.)

For more information about the contest visit www.myspace.com/shortys_pizza.

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As a wee tot living in 1980s Druid Hills, my family made a ritual of visiting Jagger’s, the co-ed-filled, beer-drenched pizza joint in the Emory Village shopping center. The pizza was smothered in cheese — drenched, rich, and quite simply the best I’ve ever had. Sometime in the 1990s, however, Jagger’s sold out to Park Bench, and Park Bench ultimately shuttered the Emory location. From that moment on, I’ve been on an unsuccessful search for the cheese-smothered rectangular pizzas touted as “Atlanta-style.”

Well, Jagger’s is returning. And it’ll be located at the Sage Hill Kroger Shopping Center at Briarcliff and Johnson Roads, just a few miles from its former location.

From the man himself, Bill Jagger, on AtlantaCuisine’s message boards:

YES Jaggers is COMING – hopefully before the end of March. With the SAME owner – Bill Jagger. We’re opening up first as pick-up and delivery with the same exact fabulous ATLANTA style pizzas as before. Later, maybe by the end of the year, we’ll be adding a sit-down restaurant (with a bar and we’ll consider those 2 dollar pitchers maybe every Leap Year St. Patty’s Day!)

Here’s a good summary of the pizza by Foodgeek from the AtlantaCuisine message boards:

Jagger’s pizza is cooked in a deep rectangular pan that is not too large – I’d say 6″ by 10″, maybe? – with a very thin crust lining just the bottom of the pan. Holes are rolled into the dough to keep it from rising too much. Then go in sauce and toppings, whatever you want, and the rest of the pan is filled with cheese. Like, we’re talking a lot of cheese, here. Hella’ cheese. The only outer crust on the pizza is actually browned cheese.

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We paid a visit to Cameli’s Gourmet Pizza Joint at Ford Factory Square (699 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-249-9020) a few nights ago and found the place much changed. The restaurant has at least doubled in size. It’s added a bar and a cozy lounge area, as well as more tables.

The food was as good as ever. I had pesto-sauced eggplant ravioli, and Wayne ordered a huge pizza with too much stuff on it. Cameli’s crusts are thin and handmade. I’m especially fond of the sun-dried tomato sauce.

We still miss the Cameli’s in East Atlanta Village, which featured a more diverse menu.

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What could be better than a thin-crust cheese pizza heaped with arugula lightly tossed in lemony vinaigrette? This pie, called the “Jackie-O,” may be found at Fuel (2012 Hosea L. Williams Drive, 404-373-2778) in Kirkwood.

The restaurant occupies a former Sinclair service station and specializes in thin-crust pizzas with every topping imaginable, including some rather gourmet ones.

The owner, Lisa, cooks, cleans, waits tables and performs an ongoing comedy routine. This is a completely eccentric restaurant worth a trip to Kirkwood.

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