Hot Dish Review

Wish I was on my way somewhere exotic right about now….With an evening flight one never knows if dinner will be served. I booked my trip to Rio too late to upgrade so I was stuck with an overnight coach flight. Hense the drinks and stash of pills. Who the hell can sleep sitting bolt upright? After my extravagant meal at One Flew South, I didn’t really care if they served Spam and Twinkies.

So, did I happen to mention that I’m the luckiest bitch in the world? As I boarded the Delta flight I resigned myself to my lot for the next 9.47 hours in seat 24A. But there was someone seated there, he showed me his boarding pass with that assigned seat. Hmmm, baffling. I checked my boarding pass and it said 2F. Score! I had been bumped to first class. I love first class.

I sat next to a guy named J. We were greeted with champagne, about to dine like kings on real food. With real utensils. Along with a noise canceling headset, cozy socks, chapstick, moisturiser and other sundries found in the seat pocket, there is a menu. Passengers are asked to order while still at the gate, sipping champagne. I kicked off my Nikes and relaxed.

I know from experience that you get all of the appetizers, regardless which one you request. No matter, eat a bit of each. J and I ordered and proceeded to love the cream of asparagus soup. However, we were also presented with the cured salmon with seaweed salad and the greek salad of feta cheese, cucumber and olives with balsamic vinaigrette. Ten minutes later, the only thing that remained on my plate were the sliced cucumbers. You all know I hate cucumbers.

There were four entree selections; seared mahi mahi with lemon butter sauce, asparagus and paella rice, three cheese vegetarian spaghetti carbonara, or the grilled fillet of beef bearnaise with mashed redskin potatoes and sauteed green beans for the hot entrees, and roast beef, herbed shrimp with a deviled egg and grilled peppers and artichokes for a chilled choice.

J ordered the fillet which I’ve had before and is truly the best option, however, already laden with pork and still not feelin’ the fish, I opted for the carbonara. It was alright but J’s entree was much more photogenic (see above). He was one of those guys that doesn’t eat veggies so I ate a few of his green beans.

I enjoyed several glasses of the 2008 MontGras Carmenere Reserva from Chile with my meal. Remember….the wine glasses, although made of glass, are tiny, about the size of a tasting glass. J had a Coke.

Dessert offerings are always the same in first class….your choice of cheese and fruit with crackers or a standard ice cream sundae with all the fixin’s. Vanilla with chocolate or strawberry sauce, chopped nuts and whipped cream, garnished with a pirouline cookie. I usually get both but having already had a three course meal I opted for just the cheese and fruit. And more wine.

No sleeping pills required as I fully reclined, covered with my thin comforter and plush pillow. About 6.25 hours later J said “somebody got some sleep!” as I awoke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon. Breakfast Miss P? Yes, please! Coffee, scrambled eggs (nuked,of course), bacon, and bagel or croissant (I had both), plus French toast. I could have had the oats of honey granola with yogurt or just fruit and bread. I could have had the whole lot had I asked for it. Did I mention that I love first class?

After a riotous week in Rio, a glorious get-away in Gloria, a brief love affair with Leblon, I was (almost) ready to go home. Sure, I’d miss the acai and the frango fritters, the agua de coco and the copious canned cerveja, but it was time to say goodbye to Brazil.

Would I, could I be so lucky on the return flight? 35G. As I made my way to the back of the plane my fate was sealed. Dinner was a choice of chicken or pasta. I chose the chicken served with gnocchi, a tomato-ish sauce, sauteed spinach, a small salad with a packet of Italian dressing and a cracker with cheese spread, and bread and butter. I paired my meal with a can of Miller Lite. A chocolate chip cookie in a wrapper for dessert. Classic.

Breakfast? I slept through it (yes, this time I had to take the sleeping pills and sleep curled up like The Bunny on the seat), however woke just in time to walk to the back of the plane and get the nuked croissant, banana, granola bar, OJ, and a coffee before landing.

I was dreaming of farofa and favelas….monkeys in the rain forest and men wearing yellow feathers in the subway. I was dreaming of Brazil.

During her visit, AD and I packed a year’s worth of drama in a week. Before taking her to the airport, we decided to find a restaurant nearby with a patio so we could enjoy the sunny day with a touch of Fall in the air, and enjoy a casual lunch while rehashing the events of her visit.

We decided on Cafe 640, formerly Cafe di Sol, who’s quaint patio faces a colorful section of N. Highland Avenue in the Poncey Highlands. The trees, flowers and tiny lights strung all around make guests feel like they are in a small town, but the sirens and occassional passing vagrant remind them otherwise! We chose one of the small tables near the street with the uncomfortable wooden slat chairs.

Should we have wine? Silly question. A glass of riesling for me, pinot noir for her. The three most expensive appetizers ($29 all together) sounded like an awesome clusterf*ck of flavor, perfect for sharing.

Delivered first were the panko crusted fried green tomatoes with New Orleans style BBQ shrimp. You know how I feel about fried green tomatoes. I rarely have a positive reaction to them, but often order them just to see how badly the kitchen can screw ‘em up. Of course the tomatoes were too heavily breaded, but they were not greasy. We could actually taste the tartness of the tomatoes, which was a great match to the sweet, plump shrimp.

A huge bowl of mussels and leeks in a red curry broth came out along with the “ropa vieja”, a dish of slow braised shredded flank steak on tortilla chips, then topped with a little melted aged white cheddar, fresh jalapeno slices, and drizzled with cilantro sour cream. In effect, Spanish nachos. Having just spent her last month abroad in San Sabastian, AD was interested to see how authentic this dish would taste.

The mussels were well-prepared, although I couldn’t detect much curry in the broth. That didn’t stop me from sopping up every last drop with the grilled slices of bread that were served with them.

In between slurping up shellfish, we tried the tortillas, each topped with copious amounts of tender shredded beef. The fresh, not pickled, jalapenos were fiery hot. We both loved it!

Not so pleased with the dryness of my riesling, I chose a malbec for my second glass, as did AD.

We enjoyed our lunch so much that I suggested LC and I dine there for an impromptu dinner the following week. Naturally, we had to order the ropa vieja. I knew LC would love the spicy nachos! To mix it up a bit we tried a house salad with a fantastic housemade balsamic, a stack of perfectly crispy onion rings, and a side of truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, bubbly and browned on top. A martini and a Guinness draft washed it all down.

But LC was still hungry, so we order the panna cotta to go. Needless to say, it didn’t even make it to the car. Sublime, light, and topped with fresh blueberries, we polished off the dessert in seconds.

640 N. Highland Avenue 404-724-0711

Change is good, but it’s good to know some things never change. Often, when restaurants “improve” a recipe, they ruin its integrity. Surin’s beef salad is an old favorite. BH and I used to get it to go while at work, taking a break from the rigors of designing.

Last week I had a craving for it and stopped by Surin on North Highland for an order to go. I always request it without cucumbers and with a side of rice to soak of the spicy juice under the lettuce leaves.

Thin slices of beef are arranged on top of chopped romaine, with red onion, scallions, tomato wedges and cilantro. It is a traditional dish, one of only a few Surin actually makes quite spicy….as good as ever!

As promised, here are a few words about my recent business lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill….with the same group of eight that dined at Marlow’s Tavern the next day. I was surprised at how many of them had never tried bison, but several of them did at my suggestion (hello! I am a food critic, right?).

I, on the other hand, had just returned from Memorial Day weekend festivities at Lake Lanier, where burgers and hot dogs dominated every dining experience, so I was ready for something else….anything else.

Bison burgers at Ted’s are delicious. I like to top the low-fat bison patty, cooked medium, with cheese, bacon, and avocado, effectively making it more caloric than a sack full of Big Macs. But I only eat half the bun, so that should count for something.

The first one I ever had was at this very restaurant, the third to open in Turner and McKerrow’s empire. I crashed the media opening, interviewing both owners seated at one of the booths along the wall. I’ll never forget when a server brought out a big slab of medium-rare buffalo and the three of us stabbed it with our sleely knives. I went on to eat a juicy, sloppy bison burger topped with gobs of melted pepper-jack cheese, guacamole and caramelized onions….a magical combination. Later, Ted commented that, and I quote, “we’re like a juggernaut, no one can stop us now!” It’s one of my favorite stories ever (although not the whole story….)

LC started the table off with a couple of gut busting appetizers, the homemade chips and onion rings. Simply house-cut deep fried potatoes with a ranch dip, the chips failed to impress. The onion rings were more impressive if only for their enormous size (yes, it does matter, silly!), although they were a bit on the greasy side.

On this occasion I ordered the steak salad, a gargantuan bowl of field greens topped with sliced Angus sirloin, medium-rare, blue cheese crumbles, smoky chunks of bacon, and quartered tomatoes, drizzled with a sweet balsamic glaze and topped with crispy fried onion straws. Again, just because it’s called a salad doesn’t mean it’s good for you. The balsamic glaze, which I ordered on the side, was the consistency of thick maple syrup, likely with as much sugar. It was a great combination of flavors but it’s hard to go wrong with bacon and blue cheese involved. Where this salad failed was the steak, which was tough and sinewy. Not easy to eat like a lady in front a bunch of guys with chunks of unedible beef in my mouth.

LC ordered some sort of sandwich, but like me, could not stomach another burger. The fellas that tried the bison all commented that it was tasty. Truth is, it doesn’t really taste much different than beef to me, but it is generally leaner, making it less juicy.

Ted’s Montana Grill never uses frozen products. Everything is made fresh daily. I admire their commitment to preserving the environment, using recycled and recyclable products whenever possible. In fact, they even re-introduced the paper straw!

Ted was right all those years ago. Now with 46 locations nationwide, Ted’s Montana Grill has stayed true to their vision to serve high quality all-American food to, well…..all Americans!

(BTW, in case you’re not an Elvis fan, TCB stands for takin’ care of business)

5165 Peachtree Parkway @ The Forum in Norcross 678-405-0305

Baseball is more than just sport. It has proven to be a pivotal force in the history of our country, putting African Americans in positions of adoration and respect at a time when discrimination was commonplace.

Working closely with the Atlanta Braves, my company was invited to attend the Major League Baseball Beacon Awards that took place on May 14th at the Omni’s Grand Ballroom. The Civil Rights Game was played the following day at Turner Field.

This year the award was given to Ernie Banks, Carlos Santana, and Morgan Freeman, three men that have made a difference in promoting civil rights throughout their lives. LC and I made our way to our table where a salad awaited each guest’s arrival. Wine was poured by attentive servers.

Desserts were already presented, providing a temptation throughout the ceremony. Or perhaps it was the proverbial carrot dangling in front of us, intended to keep us awake for numerous speeches. Unfortunately, the facility was air-conditioned to a fridgid 55 degrees, making all the ladies wearing dresses shiver uncomfortably the entire time. If that didn’t keep us awake, nothing would, not even the promise of sugar.

Dressed with a slightly sweet citrus vinaigrette, I was very impressed with the salad composed of field greens, poached pear, herbed goat cheese, and candied pecans. The greens were mostly frissee….my favorite!

Every civil rights leader made an appearance, from Rev. Al Sharpton to Rev. Jesse Jackson. But it was keynote speaker Rev. Joseph Lowery who’s words were both inspiring and entertaining.

Beatifully presented entrees arrived, seared beef tenderloin served with potatoes au gratin and sauteed haricot verts and baby carrots. Serving beef to hundreds of people is tricky at best. Some like it rare, some like it well, but everyone likes it their way. So how is it possible to make a beef dish that will please a crowd? Make sure the meat is tender! This thick cut was well-done yet juicy. Accompanying sides paired nicely.

When we finally made it to dessert, I was somewhat disappointed. Creme fraiche topped with fresh berries filled a cup made of white and milk chocolate. Although it was pretty, the dessert’s downfall was the overpowering flavor of lemon in the creme fraiche which didn’t work with the chocolate and berries.

From the diverse attendees to the well-executed dinner, the event was a success, but it would have been much more enjoyable if I was wearing a parka.

Just as the roads were becoming too treacherous to drive Sunday evening, LC and I decided to order delivery from Top Spice. Let me clarify…..it was too dangerous for us to drive, not the delivery guy!

Top Spice has a full Thai menu as well as some Malaysian specialties, including my favorite Mystic Claypot. I always miss out on the actual clay pot since I’ve only had it delivered, but the dish is irresistible nonetheless, full of plump shrimp, squid, onions, peppers, and okra in a rich, spicy curry.

LC tried the Prik Khing beef, sauteed with green beans, red peppers, and onions in a spicy chilli sauce. We both requested extra spicy but his turned out hotter than mine.

I attempted to order sticky rice with our entrees but the voice on the other end said “sticky rice mango?” So I said “sure, whatever”. Basil rolls were ordered too….mandatory appetizer.

The poor delivery guy made it through the snow. LC and I dug in, dipping basil rolls in a cloyingly sweet sauce. Surin’s spicy sweet sauce is far superior, but the basil rolls themselves were pretty good.

I took a peek at the accidental dessert order and was appalled by its garrish bright green color. There was a day-glo green dipping sauce and sliced mango that was not ripe. Horrific looking and horrific tasting too.

Both of our entrees hit the spot. The quality of their seafood is terrific, and not overcooked as is often the case with squid. LC’s beef was tender and the sauce was so tasty we ate it with the leftover rice for a midnight snack.

1529-F Piedmont Avenue 404-685-9333

The best tacos I have ever had were in Playa del Carmen. Coarsely ground warm yellow corn tortillas wrapped around ridiculously tender chunks of beef. Diced onion, cilantro, and requested white queso (gringo style) topped the beef to which I added a dollop of guacamole that had just been made at our table. Pure heaven. Even a gigantic cucaracha crawling on my arm hardly deterred me from savoring each morsel.

Since that day almost exactly four years ago (I know this because the World Cup was underway on my last visit to Mexico), I have been in search of a taco that could compete. From the tortilla to the beef, there has been, so far, no match.

Shame on me for not having visited every taco stand on Buford Highway, but I can rarely find someone willing to venture there with me, not to mention my own resistance to driving more than ten minutes when tequila or beer may be involved. And how could I eat a taco without the appropriate alcoholic beverage?

Nevertheless, the most authentic rendition of the Playa taco that I have had in a regular Mexican restaurant in Atlanta is at El Torero at Loehmann’s Plaza. Main differences….the beef is tough and I doubt they make their own corn tortillas, which are practically flavorless.

While in Cabo, B and I were determined to find good, cheap street tacos. I had read Gordo Lele’s was great but could not find it. Our cab driver said El Paisa was the best and we found it but they were closed for Siesta!

SOL and hungry, we started back towards the main street when we heard a rumble. It was hundreds of motorcycles! Biker week in Cabo…..awesome. Just then we spotted a rickety make-shift taco stand, specializing in mariscos. I believe it was called Rico’s, but it was hard to determine. No Ingles.

Despite their seafood specialty, I ordered one beef and one chorizo taco. So did B, with the addition of clams. We got two Modelos and waited at a table with a brightly colored plastic tablecloth, with five or six bottles of hot sauce. It was a hot day, probably 95 degrees. The plastic stuck to my legs, sweat ran down my back. This was authentic.

When the server brought the clams to the table, he squeezed lemon on them and they moved….so fresh they were alive! She loved ‘em, I didn’t.

A dish of cilantro, diced onion, and radishes plus a big bowl of salsa verde came out. More beer. Our tacos were double corn tortillas with meat. Nothing else. We loaded ‘em up with the fixins’. Plain, simple.

But the tortillas just didn’t measure up, nor did the fillings. Sure, they were real street tacos but I think there are much better stands in Cabo, it would just require some research in the form of trying them all in person (I’m up for the challenge!)

Until I can do that, however, I’m looking forward to continuing my quest on Buford Highway in the next couple of months! Any suggestions?

My birthday dinner at Woodfire Grill was Thursday night, rescheduled from last week since B was out of town. Sexy Argentinian artist MS and his partner S joined us.

(Sensitive readers beware, this post will be full of cursewords and italics!)

This was my first visit to the restaurant since the interior re-do. We didn’t like it. A place called Woodfire Grill should be warm and cozy.

Our evening got off to a frenetic start as B and I were running late to our already late reservation. Who cares, I looked fabulous in my outfit, entirely from Target! Earrings, necklace, scarf, and dress (OK, it was Anna Sui for Target).

It was my birthday dinner and I wanted a drink! Our server greeted us and explained the menu options available….3 course, 5 course, chef’s choice, vegetarian, pescitarian, with or without wine pairings, or a la carte. TMI. S was allergic to him. He recommended a half bottle of Veuve then ran off. When he finally returned we ordered the champagne to toast my birthday.

Did I mention it was my birthday? Yes, I am the bitch that made a special request for my birthday. I wanted foie gras, damn it! They often have it on the menu at Woodfire, just never when I’m there, so it wasn’t an insane request. It wasn’t like I was asking for filet mignon at McDonald’s.

Also, I was excited to meet Kevin Gillespie. His performance on last season’s Top Chef won him many fans and (I believe) saved the restaurant’s life. I had confirmed with the staff that he would be there, although I knew he was possibly flying out for a special event. He was not there.

But B did confirm they would have foie gras! Fabulous. I didn’t think it was necessary to explain that it should have a sweet accompaniment, like fig and pear compote. Or mascerated berries. Or candied kumquats. Everyone knows that. Everyone! Unfortunately, it was served simply on top of the standard (and might I say inexplicable) grease soaked toast. I’ve never understood why a rich meat like foie gras would be served with greasy toast but it happens more often than not. I would have loved some watercress or frissee, maybe a drizzle of balsamic reduction and a sweet component. I usually toss aside the toast but had nothing else to eat with the foie gras this time (the flavorless smudge of something on the plate was dried so it doesn’t count). On the bright side, it was seared perfectly (although MS prefers his cool in the center).

Quail or duck? I asked our server which had the cripier skin. Neither, they were skinless. What the f*ck, why skin a d*ck? Or grill a quail without skin? Maybe he was trying to deter me from ordering either as it was late and they could have just run out. He recommended the sturgeon to B rather than the quail. I ordered the pork tenderloin. The menu description said it came with roasted root vegetables, Coca-Cola glazed country ham, and sweet potato sauce. This was all true, but the veggies and ham were microscopic. Why mention a dish is served with something if one has to search for it on the plate? The meat was dry dry dry.

B liked her fish. I tried it. No complaints. MS ordered the Maine peekytoe crab salad appetizer as his main. S had it as a starter and it too was microscopic. Big plate, small food. S ordered the black trumpet mushroom risotto as his second course, a really tasty dish. His beef strip loin, however, was the best dish of the trio of entrees at our table. Again, I didn’t see anything on the plate except the meat.

Thankfully, B ordered the brussels sprouts as a side. Roasted with sweet herbs and tossed with a smoked onion vinaigrette. They were amazing! The best in town.

B and I followed our champagne with a glass of red. The boys were having margaritas. We talked about art, we talked about Rio. MS entertained us with his riveting tale of working out on the beach at Ipanema, stumbling upon a tarp that concealed a dead body!

Ah, mortality. Birthday cake. Or, rather, birthday chocolate bread pudding. It should have been orgasmic, like the pork and the foie gras should have been, but again, just didn’t wow me. The best part was the chocolate chip cherry ice cream on top, the scoop no bigger than a walnut. I blew out my candle and made a wish (for more f*cking ice cream!)

I know Kevin Gillespie is kickass. So why am I always disappointed with Woodfire Grill?

1782 Cheshire Bridge Road 404-347-9055