Hot Dish Review

The Westside is exploding! From Abattoir to Miller Union, art galleries to furniture stores, The West Egg and Baccanalia now have a new slew of gentrified neighbors. Bocado is the latest boom….ST and I visited Saturday night. The staff was more than accommodating as our asses arrived an hour late.

Brian Lewis, the owner of Bocado, is not British but he begs the description (spoken with a British accent) of a “brilliant fellow”. His personal attention throughout our meal was charming. He recommended a hearty, spicy red and does a stellar job with the wine program, owing in part (I’m sure) to his family’s vineyard.

Bocado means mouthful in Portugese, although the menu is entirely American. I don’t get that.

The space is modern, spare, fresh. ST described it as vibrant. I like that. The crowd is hip and they know it. Light wood tables and matching mod chairs rest upon the ubiquitous concrete floors. Some walls sport shades of green. Only a tiny vase of sage and thyme decorate each table. Stainless steel lamps hang above the central servers’ station. I can imagine it will be awesome to sit on the patio here in the Spring.

We started with mussels and brussels, not because it rhymes (although that would be a compelling reason) but because I love both. Bocado’s mussels rest in a white wine broth with shallots, basil, and chilies. Not bad, not great, a little plain I guess. Unfortunately, I could not detect any chilies which would have added some much-needed zing. Brussels sprouts boasted a vinegary tang from the capers, and were further dressed with thyme, parmesan, and tiny croutons. A bit undercooked and underseasoned for my taste.

It’s impossible not to compare Bocado to Miller Union, particularly since B and I ordered clams (served in their shells like mussels) and brussels there as well. Sorry, but Miller Union kicks Bocado’s ass. Their clam’s broth was a heady combination of bacon and fennel, the brussels were soft, charred in bacon drippings with herbs.

As a third starter I considered the veal cheek with creamy polenta or the crab fritters with an Asian salad, but ended up with the damn foie gras even though it was au torchon. I don’t even like that preparation but I still could not resist! It was the sweet potato and date condiment that convinced me. Again, disappointment reared its ugly head. The slice of foie gras sat upon a condiment that tasted only of applesauce. Chicken liver “goodness” comes with applesauce….maybe they served me the wrong liver to see if I knew the difference? Hmmm. Regardless, we spread it on the toasts and ate it.

On to the entrees there are a couple of items that I’ve been reading about….one blogger loves the burger stack, another loves the pimento cheese sandwich. I would never order a pimento cheese sandwich without a strong recommendation but I had to see what all the fuss was about. The components of this sandwich are roasted poblano, pimento cheese, bacon, and fried green tomato….sounds like a clusterfuck to me. Well, it wasn’t. It was kickass! The warmth of the roasted pepper, fried green tomato and toasted bread just barely melting the pimento cheese, served with a flavorful bowl of tomato bisque.

The burger stack was similarly drool worthy. A stack of three thin yet juicy patties with American cheese and housemade pickles, served with pretty good fries. I like my burgers thick, cooked medium, but since this is a stack of patties they are more medium-well to well. Not as good as The Nook’s awesome burger with smoked gouda and bacon but still worth a try.

Other plates include a flatiron steak, Chesapeake flounder and oyster stew. Four artisinal cheeses are offered as well. Executive chef Todd Ginsberg, formerly of Trois, stopped by our table. Unpretentious, a genuinely nice guy.

Dessert looked better than it tasted…..chocolate pudding with peanut butter whipped cream served in a Mason jar. The texture of the pudding was extremely dense, almost like fudge. It was just OK.

I really want Bocado to thrive but I fear the fierce competition in this hot neighborhood could suffocate it before it has a chance to find its identity.

887 Howell Mill Road 404-815-1399 www.bocadoatlanta.com

OK, WTF! (sorry AG, I know how much you hate that, LOL). Why are there no Honeysuckle White turkey burgers in the stores? I have been buying their turkey burgers for years….years! I buy them in May, I buy them in October. Yes, I buy them year round.

This Winter they are MIA. I guess some brilliant mother fucker decided that people only grill burgers in the Spring and Summer. I cook mine in a skillet, so who cares if it’s 20 degrees outside! You mean people don’t eat turkey burgers in the Winter? OMG.

Kroger is the only store that carries this brand and I always thought they were made with turkey breast (this used to be the case) which is lower in fat and calories than the brand Publix carries,Jennie-O, which had 240 calories per patty the last time I checked.

Finally, I was forced to buy Perdue ground turkey breast. I had to touch it. That’s right, I had to make my own patties and since I’m a perfectionist with food, I weighed each piece for accuracy.

Although it was disgusting, it was a blessing in disguise. A 4 oz. serving (raw) of the Perdue ground turkey breast has only 120 calories! Their pre-made patties inexplicably have 160 calories. Checking the website for Honeysuckle White, it looks like their product has 240 calories per serving! What? They are described as lightly seasoned. I’ve noticed they look sorta like red meat when cooked, not white like the unseasoned Perdue. I’m guessing the “seasoning” is MSG and food coloring. Their frozen patties are 160 calories. I’m not sure why there is such a vast difference, even within the brands, but it is rather misleading….you gotta check the label every time and make sure it is breast meat. Jennie-O offers more varieties than Publix carries, the all natural white turkey burgers coming in at a mere 180 calories.

So. Who deserves the Knuckle Sandwich? Honeysuckle White gets a big fat one, with mayo please!

Open almost a year now, Richard Blais’ burger boutique on Howell Mill is still abuzz with energy. I met AD there for lunch with her beau BH and we had to wait for a table even on this soggy Saturday. Top Chef finalist Blais is best known for his creative kitchen chemistry, using liquid nitrogen to quick-freeze ingredients for dramatic effect….fun!

The burgers at Flip represent a variety of unorthodox combinations, from chorizo with manchego to a country fried beef patty with pimento cheese. There’s a tartare and a tuna, all served on little buns with housemade condiments. Or you can order any burger served on a lettuce wrap. I had not noticed that option on previous visits and decided to give it a try.

I have never sat at a table at Flip and today was no exception, the three of us sitting on the cushy white stools at the bar. The space has a retro appeal decked out in white vinyl and laminate with touches of red.

AD tried the turkey burger with a side of tempura battered butternut squash fries. BH went with the po boyger, a patty made of shrimp and served with shredded lettuce, Old Bay mayo and tabasco. He ordered onion rings on the side. I’ve had the turkey burger before, topped with cheese, avocado, sprouts, and pomegranite ketchup….it’s pretty tasty. They were both quite pleased.

There has been a definite improvement on the fried sides…..much less greasy than before. Butternut squash fries were good, sprinkled with spices, and the onion rings were excellent.

My crab burger failed to thrill me, however. Topped with green curry sauce, pickled apple, and micro greens, it sounded more flavorful than it was. On the guilt-free lettuce wrap it didn’t seem worth its $14 price tag, yet is a bargain compared to the kobe burger with seared foie gras at $39.

Of all the burgers I’ve sampled at Flip, my favorite is the lamb burger with cheese, green olive relish, cucumber yogurt, and raisin ketchup. Although each burger is a miniscule 5.5 ounces, they are pattied thick and the smooth toasted buns hold up well.

We didn’t indulge in a shake on this visit, but I’ve had the Nutella and burnt marshmallow which is a yummy textural treat. And, of course, how could I not try the foie gras milkshake? Made famous (or infamous?) at the chef’s short-lived restaurant, Blais, in 2005, it has been resurected at Flip. A liver milkshake you say? Sounds f#*cking disgusting indeed, but I must admit I loved it. It’s sorta like vanilla with chunks of fat in it. Still sounds disgusting. Try it.