Hot Dish Review

When I learned that David Sweeney would be closing his wonderful cafe, I was shocked and saddened. On my last visit with my Mom a couple of months ago, Sweeney was upbeat, having recently completed renovations including more bar space in anticipation of finally getting his liquor license.

What happened, you ask? The exhorbitant cost, government red-tape, and ultimately the legal bullshit involved in getting, or rather not getting, his liquor license.

Thankfully, I found out about the eminent closing in time to have one last lunch. Sweeney’s final service will be on Thanksgiving day, a gracious way to thank the neighborhood that has supported him throughout his 3 1/2 years in business.

The small space was full when I arrived at 1:30pm on Saturday. I chose a seat at the bar and started snapping pictures. Seated next to me was a chick who was also taking pictures. Turns out she is a personal chef and big fan of Dynamic Dish too.

Menu selections didn’t disappoint, in fact, with only six or seven choices, it’s amazing how difficult it always is to decide. Each of Sweeney’s dishes exemplifies his idealism. Flavors are clean and vibrant, each ingredient in perfect harmony with the others on the plate.

There was a creamy carrot and sweet pepper soup, a sandwich of taleggio, Bartlett pear, almond butter, scallions, and cranberries on fresh bread baked locally at Magnolia Bakery. A bowl of coconut chickpeas with quinoa, sweet peppers, scallions, and cilantro was offered as well as a brunch dish of farm eggs with roasted potatoes….vegan, vegetarian, just plain good.

I was having a hard time deciding between the two salads on the menu….one with endive, chicory, and almonds, topped with an individual round of Bucheron Chevre, broiled until it just starts to melt. I’ve had variations on this salad with the chevre in the past and they were kickass. But Saturday I chose to try something new, the salad composed of mizuna, avocado, sweet sesame, daikon radish, cilantro and grilled meaty oyster mushrooms. Sweeney is a master of texture and flavor combinations that please every sense….crunchy, sweet, bitter, creamy, all in one amazing bite.

As predictable as I can be with food, Dynamic Dish is (was) the sort of place that forced me to be spontaneous. You just never knew what Sweeney had in store when you walked through the door.

David and I chatted briefly about his future plans. He said he would most likely return to catering, staying here in Atlanta. He brought me a sweet treat, an almond stuffed date, with my check.

It is the only restaurant on my Top Ten list that is mostly lunch and vegetarian. I will sorely miss the welcoming staff, the sunny little space, and most of all Sweeney’s dynamic dishes.

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!