Hot Dish Review

All of the restaurants in my Top Ten are dinner spots where I order fatty pork, decadent foie gras, and anything wrapped with bacon, stuffed with butter, or covered in hollandaise. Except one.

Dynamic Dish is an organic, mostly vegetarian restaurant on Edgewood that I have only visited for lunch, although they do serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. I love it.

Saturday I picked up my Mom to take her to the airport. We got back into Atlanta right at lunch time so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to take her to Dynamic Dish.

Thanks to her passion for healthy eating, I grew up with an understanding of nutrition and vitamins that very few people are lucky enough to have. Making healthier versions of Southern classics as well as experimenting with trendy health foods like wheat germ (that’s right, it was the ’70′s!), tofu, and soy milk made my childhood rather unique and ultimately, food became my passion as well. My parents look much younger than their 60 plus years which I directly attribute to their emphasis on a healthy diet and supplements, rather than relying on pharmaceuticals to “cure” them.

So I knew my Mom would appreciate the fresh, clean, organic food at Dynamic Dish. Chef and owner David Sweeney was behind the counter when we arrived. I introduced them, mentioned her imminent flight to Germany, whereupon he began speaking German! I had completely forgotten his background, having spent years in Germany making and delivering vegetarian meals to a select clientelle. Funny how the universe works.

Perhaps my first visit to Dynamic Dish this year, the sunny space has undergone a recent facelift, adding a dark gray tile backsplash and more barstools for what will soon be a full service bar. David informed me he would finally have his liquor license in a matter of weeks! He plans to extend the hours, serving lunch and dinner six days a week. Great news, but I miss the big blackboard menu.

The day’s offerings were written instead on three pieces of brown paper attached to the side wall. Now guests enjoy table service rather than ordering at the counter, however, the once-complimentary bread and butter will now cost you $3.

Mom and I chose to split a bowl of chilled Haas avocado soup, a cool puree with yogurt and ginger. Topped with chopped tomatoes and cilantro, I thought it might remind me of guacamole, but the sharp zing of ginger gave the soup a bright, zippy character. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds provided textural interest.

We also split a roasted tofu sandwich with carrots, onions, and basil pesto on thick slices of fresh organic bread. Pesto is my favorite Italian sauce but it often contains copious amounts of garlic so we got it on the side. Somewhat small, our sandwich was piled high with sweet roasted carrots and onions. We both spread a generous amount of pesto on our portions….so much for taking it easy on the garlic! Sweeney’s pesto was made with lots of it, but it was so good I was eating it out of the side dish with my fork.

Although most of the menu remains vegetarian, I was surprised to see a turkey sandwich with bacon (what what?) offered. Sweeney’s brief menu changes daily based upon his creative whims and what is available at market.

From his innovative cuisine to his quirky location, David Sweeney’s passion for his craft has made Dynamic Dish a success.

427 Edgewood Ave. 404-688-4344

How long can you store cooked barley in the fridge? I was hoping a week was not too long last Saturday when I stopped by Whole Foods after the funeral to pick up some cheese and ended up perusing the food bars for accompaniments for my fourth and final serving of leftover barley.

Wanting to stick with the vegetarian theme for my lunch I decided to get some carrots and chana masala, an Indian curry made with chickpeas. I had an odd hankerin’ for the braised greens as a side dish.

When I got home I heated up my barley, seasoned it with black pepper, then topped the bowl with the warm chana masala and carrots. I garnished the concoction with golden raisins and a handful of cilantro.

Creative and delicious! The raisins added sweetness and an awesome chewy texture. I was surprised at how spicy the chana masala was, great choice. The greens, slightly bitter, paired well with the grains and sweet carrots.

The barley experiment was a total success! From the nutritious meals with my julienned veggies to the wholesome breakfast with figs and honey, everything I tried with the toothsome barley was hearty and satisfying.

Barley, batch #2 coming up. I think it is a perfect go-to staple to keep in the fridge for emergencies. Try it and let me know what you come up with!