Hot Dish Review

It was a cool rainy Winter’s night and all I wanted to do was go home and curl up on the sofa, but a last minute dinner invitation was too tempting to resist: “The Optimist you say?” Hmmm….sofa or seafood. “Uh, sure, I’m available for dinner at 9pm!”

Perhaps the name The Optimist was conceived to counteract this country’s economic downturn, as it seems optimism is truly contagious. Regardless, chef and owner Ford Fry has a winner on his hands with this seafood restaurant in the booming Westside, just down the street from his other restaurant, JCT Kitchen.

It’s a gorgeous industrial modern space with exposed brick, metal trusses, and lots of wood including what appears to be original flooring. Lighting behind both bars exudes warmth. I imagine the space to be light and airy during daytime hours. Outside, there is a small yet tricky putting green. Colorful balls and putters are available inside at the hostess stand. Who doesn’t want to play a little golf after dining on oysters?

I met BG at the oyster bar where she was enjoying a cocktail. A glossy white brick oven with a blue octopus painted on it provides a whimsical focal point. We were escorted to our table in the almost full dining room….quite a feat at 9pm on a rainy Monday. I ordered a glass of bubbly.

We decided to share a couple of starters, garlicky littleneck clams and spicy Spanish octopus. Wafer thin slices of garlic and a handful of parsley flavored the clams’ broth, with a thick slice of Texas toast for dipping. A huge tentacle, much like the ones painted on the oven, was roasted and sauced with a kimchee puree. Delightful and photogenic.

On to entrees, we thought sharing one would leave room for dessert….a wise move. However, it was difficult to decide between the grouper and scallops so we flipped a coin. Grouper won. It was served with roasted Japanese eggplant, piquillo peppers, and pine nuts. Probably not the most exciting dish ever, but I’m never too excited by fish. We also ordered a couple of extra veggies, Brussels sprouts and turnip greens. Both were good but neither outstanding. I heard the scallops were amazing, after the fact, of course.

Another glass of bubbly and it was time for dessert. Our server listed them verbally. BG inquired about the “Savannah style” beignets, which were described as layered and heavier than New Orleans style. Drizzled with syrup and served with creme fraiche, they were indeed dense but delicious.

Although it wasn’t the best meal I’ve had recently, the atmosphere and service were superior. There are enough items on the menu to bring me back, like the frothy she-crab soup, Maine mussels in green curry broth (yes!), and of course, the scallops. Plus, I need to improve my putting.

914 Howell Mill Road 404-477-6260

My first visit to Concentrics’ new restaurant, The Spence, was a lovely experience. Soft lighting warmed up the cool modern industrial space. Dramatic dishes envisioned by celebrity chef/mad scientist Richard Blais elicited excitement. My anticipation was met with brilliant, quirky combinations that worked most of the time. And when they did, it was heavenly.

I was hoping to recreate that experience on my subsequent visit with friend YP, however, most of the menu items that were amazing (beet pappardelle with duck confit, for example) were, not surprisingly, off the menu. Like most chefs these days, Blais’ menu in is constant flux due to the availability of seasonal ingredients, and of course, his whims.

YP met me on a blustery Winter night. Thankfully, there’s a valet just steps from the door. We started with a bottle of lambrusco and an order of chef’s already almost famous “oysters & pearls” for her, the carrot agnolotti with pig trotter and persimmon for me.

New to the world of cheap, chilled, sparkling red wine, YP loved the light, easy-drinking lambrusco. Of the four raw oysters, she insisted I eat one. Nitrogen was used to freeze horseradish creating the “pearls” which sufficiently concealed the mollusks’s flavor. As an oyster aficionado, YP gave them the thumbs up.

I prefered my appetizer, a long transparent plate of braised sweet carrots, caramelized persimmon slices, and pasta pockets filled with pork, capturing the essence of the season.

Our server removed our utensils, replacing them with a mishmash of vintage pieces…love that. We decided to share two additional small plates and a side. First a wooden cutting board arrived with a slab of foie gras terrine, artfully adorned with micro greens, pickled cherries and candied kumquat. Sure, it was darling, but YP noted the terrine was a bit too cold to spread and the thick slices of accompanying Texas toast were dry and crumbly. With a pork terrine offered as well, it would have been logical if the foie gras was served seared. And I dare say it would have been tastier.

Perhaps the Brussels sprouts, fried with haricots verts and dressed with a Thai vinaigrette, would fare better. Indeed, they were delicious, although a bit on the salty side.

Our third dish to share was another made with pasta, this one a mezzi rigatoni colored black by squid ink. It was served with clams, octopus, and a smattering of goat cheese, all resting in a cool sauce that reminded us of Sriracha with mayo. The seafood was properly prepared but the disparate elements of the dish simply didn’t coalesce.

Ever since we planned our dinner I was looking forward to having their housemade milk punch, served as an after dinner cordial with a few tiny, chewy cookies. After we squeezed the last drop from the lambrusco bottle, I ordered it, only to find out a few moments later that they were out. However, our server thoughtfully brought us some of the tiny cookies but even they were disappointingly crisp (they are described as “crisps”, so I imagine this is the way they are meant to be although they were pleasingly chewy the last time).

The atmosphere and service were great, as before. And the food was predictably unpredictable.

75 5th Street NW 404-892-9111

Walking into the dimly lit restaurant it was instantly clear. Underground cool, accidentally refined, The Lawrence epitomizes the style of its owners Darren Carr (of Top Flr, Sound Table, and Dinner Party Atlanta) and Patrick La Bouff (Dinner Party Atlanta).

Having already popped the cork on a bottle of Veuve at home, LC and I continued our 2nd anniversary celebration with a glass of prosecco as we settled into a table by the window. There are no signs that the space once housed Cuerno, then Lupe. Slate and wood dominate, with chalkboard menus decorating the inviting bar.

Executive chef Shane Devereux creates dishes that sound both intriguing and weird, but knowing his work from Top Flr, Sound Table, and Dinner Party, he rarely disappoints. Having said that, I hesitatingly ordered the fried green tomatoes to start. You know how I feel about fried green tomatoes. The plate arrived with three big slices decorated with delicate pickled baby shrimp and watercress. Beneath the tomatoes was a heavy, spicy sauce chef described as a “deviled gribiche”. To the side was a poached quail egg in a little pool of a different, more subtle sauce. Despite the somewhat cumbersome breading, the combination of flavors and textures worked.

A bowl of littleneck clams were next, in an intricate broth flavored with serrano ham, pickled scallions, roasted cherry tomatoes, parsley, thyme, and jalapenos. LC loved ‘em. I asked Patrick for a taste of the golden rice porridge so he delivered a bowl, adorned with feta and baby rye croutons. I thought I tasted oregano, but the menu says marjoram….perhaps there’s a bit of each?

Which pork dish should we try, the belly or the cheeks? I chose the smaller plate of braised pork belly on cornbread puree with smoked sweet tea jus, garnished with crispy julienned pig ear. LC swore he wouldn’t try the pig ears but ended up enjoying them by accident.

I would never have ordered the fish ‘n’ chip salad but the couple dining next to us were fawning over it, nearly orgasmic. The menu description sounds disjointed: trout, lady pea, malt, pickled ramp tartar, fingerlings. What the f*ck? It’s the unexpected handling of each ingredient that make create the wow factor here. For instance, the fingerling potatoes are cut into strings, providing a crispy topping to the fried strips of trout and tender peas.

A textural theme had emerged throughout our meal, each dish (except the clams) had a crunchy element. Some food critics in Atlanta seem to have an issue with this, but I applaud Devereux’s creativity and attention to detail.

For the finale, I was thrilled to see pecan bread pudding with dried cherries on the menu. I’m a self-proclaimed bread pudding expert and found this to be the best I’ve had in years, full of plump, chewy cherries….a sweet ending to a sweet evening.

905 Juniper 404-961-7177

What could be better on a snowy winter’s night than rustic, organic comfort food? Miller Union delivers as the Westside’s newest darling. The much-anticipated project from Neal McCarthy, former Sotto Sotto manager, and Steven Satterfield, former sous chef at Watershed, serves up locally sourced veggies and proteins, giving the dishes an automatic Southern appeal, with a modern twist.

Of course, I had already checked out the menu in advance. Several magic words appeared…..rabbit, brussel sprouts, bread pudding. B agreed to join me despite the slick driving conditions. We each warmed up with a spicy glass of Maurodos Prima Tinto de Toro from Spain.

The restaurant is divided into several sections, each with a farmhouse decor and simple seating. Our table was one of four in a secluded alcove, with minimal embellishment and dark walls. Even on this wintery night, the place was packed.

Neal himself brought out a snack of feta cheese and three different varieties of radish to dip. B and I settled on three appetizers. Funny how we always agree on what to order! We both wanted to try the melted cabbage and mushroom toast and the Sapelo Island clams with bacon, fennel and parsley. I insisted, mostly due to the rave reviews, on ordering the farm egg baked in celery cream. Our server finally delivered some bread which we demolished while casually chatting about sex and plastic surgery.

Along came the melted cabbage and mushroom toast, which became unfortunately mushy due to its toppings. Nice flavor but no contest next to the clams. Bacon and fennel created a memorable combination. But damn! The egg baked in celery cream was some serious culinary genius. Served with crunchy toasted rustic bread for dipping, the yolk was soft and creamy, not runny. Don’t even think about not ordering it.

Rabbit. Need I say more? Slow braised and served atop wild mushrooms and grits. Slightly stringy and a bit gamey, B and I loved the braised bunny. I can’t imagine how much cream and butter were in the grits but suffice it to say, they were rich.

We also shared the White Oak beef ribeye, medium rare, which was juicy and tender. The creamed turnips provided a pleasantly bitter compliment paired with the sweet grilled vidalias. Plus a side of, you guessed it, brussels sprouts, which I believe were sauteed in bacon drippings.

More wine. Time for desserts. Yes, plural, because we had three! A rustic pear tart was simple and good, served with sugar and spice ice cream. But the aforementioned rum raisin bread pudding stole the show! Dense and rich. B wanted to try the trio of herb ice creams….thyme, rosemary, and sage. Interesting. I liked the sage the best but thought the other two were overpowering.

B and I made our ways home on the treacherous icy streets, stuffed with Satterfield’s comfort food, ready for a long winter’s nap.