My latest obsession: The “Burger stack” at Bocado (887 Howell Mill Road, 30318. 404-815-1399. www.bocadoatlanta.com) on the Westside.
Read all about it on my blog, The Blissful Glutton.
(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)
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)
I got a text this afternoon from Jennifer Zyman that a new sandwich place had opened behind Octane called Tiny Bistro (1039 Marietta St. 404-745-9561). So I went to check it out. It’s owned by the folks who run Figs & Honey catering, and serves sandwiches, sides and to-go entrees. Jen (who also passes on the helpful tip that Octane has 15% off coupons for Tiny Bistro) will bring us more info in an upcoming Cheap Eats column.
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)
Star Provisions To Go: A long-standing item on an ever-evolving seasonal menu, this posh po’boy is a favorite lunchtime item among regulars. The kitchen starts with a soft bun that’s slathered in a remoulade brightened by fresh chives and lemon juice. Large Georgia white shrimp covered in a buttermilk, flour and cornstarch mixture are fried in peanut oil then tucked into the bread along with bright green butter lettuce, sliced local tomatoes and dill pickles for added tang. 1198 Howell Mill Road, Suite 100. 404-365-0410. www.starprovisions.com.
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(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)
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.
As Cliff mentioned a couple of weeks ago, the Westside’s most popular Thai restaurant is heading east.
Spoon co-owner Sujaree Hewitt just told me she and her sister, Ain Suteeluxnaporn, plan to open Spoon Eastside in the fall. The restaurant, which will be about the same size as the Marietta Street location (except it will have a patio), will be located in the Ormewood Park shopping center (749 Moreland Ave.) that already houses the more lactose-oriented Little Azio pizza and Morelli Gourmet Ice Cream.
“I think lunch will be a little bit slower than here,” said Sujaree, whom I ran into at the original restaurant. “But dinner definitely stronger — lots of neighborhood people.”
Sujaree got an MBA at Georgia State and handles the front end, while her sister learned how to become a chef at the Atlanta Art Institute. Kid brother Wind Suteeluxanaporn (yes, he spells his last name differently) helps out.
“We’ll have to rotate” between the two stores, Sujaree said.
The menu will likely be the same simple lineup — highlighted by noodles and curries, with interchangeable meats and heat.
This sounds like a pretty good move, doesn’t it? Southeast Atlanta, like the Westside before Spoon came along, is a bit underrepresented in the Asian food department. I’d be surprised if the sisters didn’t strike the same chord they managed to hit on Marietta Street.
I had a late lunch Wednesday at Star Provisions (1198 Howell Mill Road, 404-365-0410). I’d heard a rumor that they were serving fried chicken, so I had to check it out. I found it in the refrigerated case near the cash register and figured I would be eating it cold, which would have been fine by me. I used to get up in the middle of the night and eat my mother’s leftover (flawless) chicken, standing in front of the refrigerator. It was always in a blue bowl lined with paper towels.
Star Provisions has some mysterious way of heating the chicken without ruining the crispy, flour-coated skin. The stuff was state-of-the-Southern-art, but not cheap. You pay by the pound.
Prices at this shop in front of Bacchanalia can sometimes take me by surprise. This bottle of Fentiman’s Ginger Beer (above), from the U.K., was over $4, for example, and it wasn’t nearly as good as Stewart’s version. (Then again, I can’t find Stewart’s Ginger Beer anywhere in town these days. If you have a lead, let me know.)
I bought this key lime tart (left), which looks like a culinary mandala, for dessert. When I took it to the cash register to pay, I was charged $10. I was shocked and made a sarcastic remark, since I thought it was half that much. As it turned out, I was right, they refunded me $5, and I ate the whole thing in a flash without any resentment about its price.
