Hot Dish Review

A holiday rerun for your enjoyment (or disappointment, whatever the case may be):
Coming off a six year media love-fest, the guys at Muss & Turner’s, Todd Mussman and Ryan Turner, expanded to Joel’s former space, calling it Local Three. The third partner is chef Chris Hall, a self-taught cook and Atlanta native.

First, I must tell you the directions on their website are completely confusing. I was pretty sure I knew how to get there off I-75, remembering my two visits to Joel years ago. But admittedly, I have a condition I call “direction dyslexia”, so I can’t trust my instincts where directions are concerned. B was meeting me there and helped me get to the parking garage, along with a security officer. Once at the right building, we still had a hard time finding the restaurant. It was a little frustrating.

All the frustration melted away as soon as we walked into the warm and inviting space. There was no hint of its former stuffy self. Taupe and deep purple walls are a soothing backdrop to the rustic wood furnishings, a trio of pig paintings, a velvet Elvis, and soft, flattering lighting. It is gorgeous.

The trio’s sense of humor is immediately evident, not only in the kitschy decor but in the hilarious menu descriptions, like the “chicken liver mousse a.k.a. meat butter”. I love it that they don’t take themselves, or the food, too seriously.

Like at M & T’s, these boys use as much locally sourced produce and meat as possible. From the design of the space to the menu, it’s as if Abattoir and Miller Union had a precocious child. You will notice that every price on the drink menu ends in a “3″.

B and I were excited about our dining experience, having heard only good things about Local Three. We wanted to start off with a glass of red wine, both of us choosing the Guenoc Victorian Claret, described as “a Big One”…..no surprise there!

On to appetizers, we tried a couple of cheeses and two selections of charcuterie because they were made in-house by Mussman and listed under the heading “Notorious P.I.G.”. Gotta love it. Served with pear compote, honey, and crisp flatbread, I liked the presentation, and it was just perfect with the wine.

With the current battle of the Brussels sprouts in full swing, we ordered their crispy Brussels, listed under “snacks”. Stay tuned for a separate post on those.

B became fixated by the menu’s section called “Today” featuring items that are limited in quantity. In particular, she had her heart set on the salad of Hammock Hollow Farms baby Spring lettuce, radish, Blue cheese, and herb croutons. It didn’t excite me, but the salad of Winter greens on the regular “Appetizers” section certainly did. I make my own Winter greens salad so I was curious to see how Local Three’s version would compare.

A compilaton of frissee, dried apricots, cherries, raisins, toasted walnuts, and blue cheese, it was not as good as it sounded due to the salty, lackluster dressing. My salad kicks their salad’s ass. B’s greens also suffered under a over-salted dressing she described as juvenile. Both servings were large enough to share.

For soups we again chose one from “Today”, an irresistible dish called “Hot Crab on Crab Action”, Charleston she-crab soup topped with Alaskan King crab claws. If you are unfamiliar with she-crab soup, it is made with the roe from the female crab (hense she-crab), cream and sherry. The soup is usually rich and creamy but I found this version to be somewhat lighter with an abundance of crab meat, both in the soup and on top. I thought it was very good but B was not impressed.

We also ordered a soup from “Appetizers”, the creamy sweet potato soup, a disappointing puree that B compared to baby food. The smoked bacon, peanuts, and scallions on top did little to salvage it.

B tried the Chesapeake Bay wild striped bass for her entree, while I went with the grilled Cervena venison. Her fish, served with honey roasted turnips, rutabega, escarole, lemon, and dates, hit all the right notes. It was a fantastic dish.

I ordered my venison medium-rare. With black pepper spaetzle, spring Vidalia onion and huckleberry jus, it was a hearty plate. My meat was, unfortunately, on the rare side, and not as tender as one would wish for. A solid Winter dish.

Chef Hall stopped by inquiring about our meal. He’s a big dude. I’m not sure if he knew we were food writers but chances are, he would have visited either way.

B and I rarely skip dessert, this time sharing the pecan pie. My first impression was that it was more crust than filling. A few nibbles of it with the vanilla ice cream on top was more than enough sugar.

I wanted to love it, I wanted the three local pigs to wow us. No doubt, I will try Local Three again, if not only for its owners’ sense of humor and commitment to quality. To quote the menu “you can’t argue with delicious”.

But you can argue with mediocre.

3290 Northside Parkway NW 404-968-2700

B and I went on a roadtrip to Florida last weekend. It was more like a drive-by, arriving Saturday for a show featuring JB from Widespread Panic, then heading back to Atlanta on Sunday, but we did manage to eat at a seafood restaurant in Orlando called Landry’s.

On the main drag where most of the buildings take on the cartoonish nature of the theme parks nearby, Landry’s is no exception, boasting a kitschy marquis like an old movie theater. The decor inside, however, is best described as “regular”. B and I chose a table in the bar area since we were in a hurry.

Landry’s is the kind of place that has every kind of seafood prepared in every possible way…..grilled, fried, broiled, steamed, stuffed, and covered in special sauces. There are a few trendy dishes like the blackened sashimi, which we ordered, but the menu is mostly old standards like fried shrimp and stuffed flounder.

B ordered a Corona with salt and limes. Every time she does that I follow suit….just sounds too good to resist. Perusing the extensive menu we fixated on the appetizers. She had a hankerin’ for oysters and ordered a half dozen.

The blackened sashimi was a pretty display of rare ahi tuna with wasabi and ginger, the plate dotted with a mystery sauce that tasted oddly of petroleum. Looking at the menu now I see that it was mango sauce. Really? Otherwise, the fish had little flavor except the heat of the wasabi.

We also tried the shrimp stingers, an appetizer of jumbo jalapenos stuffed with whole shrimp and pepper jack cheese, then fried and served on a bed of onion strings. So much for eating light. Like fried balls with tails, these things were spicy, cheesy decadence. I devoured most of the onion strings as B was savoring her raw oysters.

Our fourth item was called oyster bar trash. Blackened shrimp and jumbo lump crab meat with a helping of white rice. Tasty, but certainly not worth the $13.99 price tag.

I ordered a second Corona. The tally for our seafood snack, before tip, was $60. No worries. We had purchased lottery tickets in a small town called Cecil, so we were assured of a windfall!

Landry’s appeared to be an old-fashioned family-owned restaurant so I was disappointed to discover that it is a chain, with 22 locations across the Southern U.S, from Vegas to Myrtle Beach.

We bummed cigarettes for dessert and headed to our hotel to pretty up which didn’t take long. One Dixie cup of cheap red wine and we were lookin’ sharp!

8800 Vineland Avenue, Orlando

FROM JULIA at THE REYNOLDS GROUP (plus, I drive by it every day!)

Sustainable Seafood Joint Comes to the Virginia Highland Neighborhood

Second Location of Goin’ Coastal to Open in Popular Midtown Atlanta Neighborhood this July

ATLANTA (June 24, 2010)–Goin’ Coastal executive chef and co-owner Zach Kell and co-owner Seth Hendricks will introduce the second location of Goin’ Coastal “a sustainable seafood joint” in Atlanta’s Virginia Highland neighborhood this July. Showcasing a menu that embraces seasonal and sustainable seafood along with locally sourced ingredients, Goin’ Coastal will offer Atlantans Southern fish fare in a comfortable, neighborhood setting.

“At Goin’ Coastal we believe first and foremost in keeping the menu honest and simple to honor our commitment to sustainability,” Kell said. “Overall, our goal is to create a laidback atmosphere for us to connect to the community and for guests to understand the sustainability cause through enjoying delicious, fresh food. We are confident that the menu will become part of a larger conversation and thrive in Virginia Highland, one of Atlanta’s most beloved neighborhoods.”

The Cuisine
Created by Kell, Goin’ Coastal’s menu features an array of Southern-inspired dishes with a focus on fresh fish and seafood. The dishes are designed to showcase freshly caught, seasonally available seafood prepared simply to enhance the natural flavors and textures of the ingredients. Menu highlights include she crab soup; shrimp and grits with seared American shrimp and flash-fried Gulf Rock shrimp served over creamy grits with andouille gravy; fresh seared New Bedford sea scallops with garlic and tarragon Parmesan butter; and Ashley Farms free-range fried chicken with creamy bacon thyme gravy.

A carefully crafted wine list is designed to compliment the from-the-sea fare along with a thoughtful selection of local craft beers.

The Credo
Passionately devoted to the sustainability cause, Goin’ Coastal features only the highest quality seafood, fished or farmed, from sources in the United States and Canada that can exist over the long term without compromising species’ survival and the health of the ecosystem. Co-owner and executive chef Kell’s ongoing commitment to the sustainable seafood movement has provided him with the knowledge to carefully select only the most discerning vendors and freshest products. With more than 75 percent of the world’s fisheries either fully fished or underfished, Goin’ Coastal believes the choices they make will make a positive contribution to the seafood marketplace for all consumers.

The Décor
Located in Atlanta’s Virginia Highland neighborhood, Goin’ Coastal’s décor creates an historic aura that acts as a backdrop for the restaurant’s neighborhood style of service. The warm dining room will seat 65 guests and will feature distressed brickwork, weathered timber accents and walls decorated with unique vintage black-and-white photos of fishermen. Flanked by oversized chalkboards that highlight the fresh catches of the day, the focal point of the dining room is a large mural that features a vintage fishing boat and a description of Goin’ Coastal’s mission as a “sustainable seafood joint.”

The Team
As executive chef and co-owner of Goin’ Coastal, Kell draws upon his 15 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industries to provide a unique, sustainable dining experience by combining a comfortable environment with the freshest culinary dishes. He learned his sense of old school hospitality from his mother, who cooked three innovative meals a day from scratch for his family. A graduate of Johnson and Wales in Providence, Rhode Island, Kell attributes his successes to the motivation of his father and the support of his wife, Bre, and he is dedicated to a food philosophy that supports a sustainable menu and the ultimate seafood dining experience.

1021 Virginia Avenue 404-941-9117