Hot Dish Review

Gotta love a place with a name like Fig Jam. From the owners of Baraonda and Publik Draft House, this relatively new spot occupies the corner vacated by Baroni at Brookwood Station. This is where I celebrated my birthday….for the third time.

LC and I worked up our appetites early and couldn’t wait for our 8 o’clock reservation, instead arriving around 7:15 to find the place unusually quiet for a Saturday night. The space was warm and inviting as we settled into a private table in the back.

First things first….what to drink? A list of signature cocktails caught our attention. The Fig Jam made with vanilla infused organic vodka, fig preserve, lemon juice, maple syrup, and rhubarb bitters sounded irresistible. We also ordered the mini cheddar cheese sandwich, one of the nine small plates offered.

Served with an amazing apple chutney, we polished off the delectible little sammies lickety split, as well as our subtly sweet and deceptively strong cocktails. With no clear plan in mind, we moved on to one of the medium plates, mussles in coconut lemongrass curry broth.

When it comes to mussels, I’m spoiled. Noche used to have gigantic ones swimming in a very spicy chili broth with cilantro and hominy. These days, however, no one can hold a candle to chef Shane Devereux’ at Top Flr. Although their description is almost identicle to Fig Jam’s, Devereux adds a serious dose of heat. I request a spoon for the broth every time….seriously. So, although the mussels were very good indeed, the flavor of the broth at Fig Jam lacked the intensity that I love.

Enjoying grazing dish by dish, we decided on the lamb belly with bourbon maple sauce. Another medium plate, there was enough meat for two entrees, with pickled veggies providing a perfect contrast to the sweet glaze.

Having reviewed the menu prior to making the reservation, I was fixated on the duck confit entree. I know duck doesn’t make LC swoon, but he’s a good sport and will usually (and wisely) allow me to make the final decision where food is concerned. LC was, likewise, fixated on the flat breads. So, in an effort to compromise, we ordered both, despite the fact that we were already full. We also ordered two more of the Fig Jam cocktails.

The flatbread was literally half the size of the table and turned out to be the least impressive dish of the evening. It was like an enormous Saltine cracker topped with cubes of dry steak, a smattering of blue cheese, and not enough caramelized onions.

I was much more pleased with the duck confit, an appropriately crispy, fatty leg and thigh served over braised parsnips, with a drizzle of cherry au jus. Beets normally accompany the duck but I requested it without. As if that weren’t enough, we tried the Jefferson mac & cheese as a side, baked in a shallow dish with crunchy bread crumbs on top. Why Jefferson? I don’t know, but I do know that I would have enjoyed the duck and mac more if I had been hungry.

And what’s a birthday celebration without dessert! We barely made a dent in the bread pudding with raisins and cinnamon accented with a bourbon caramel sauce. It went home with us.

An abbreviated wine list shows depth and variety, with a nice selection by the glass. When you visit (as you should) just keep in the mind the portions are oversized. LC and I ordered enough for six and left in a food coma.

1745 Peachtree Street NE 404-724-9100

B is addicted to Groupon. She’ll buy anything that’s a good deal….golf lessons, restaurant coupons, clown suits. Once you buy it, you are obligated to use it, no matter how ridiculous it might be. But her recent purchase of a $35 food voucher at La Fourchette for a mere $17 was not ridiculous at all, so we made a reservation for Saturday night.

La Fourchette mean “the fork”, a reasonable monicker for a place that serves French inspired cuisine that one should probably eat with a fork….or does it imply something more?

The restaurant’s sterile glass exterior on busy Piedmont Avenue belies its simple yet inviting space, warmly lit and full of young and trendy diners. B arrived tout de suite and we proceeded to order a couple of glasses of inexpensive bubbly. Cheers!

We had so much catching up to do we almost forgot to look at the menu. Among the list of ten appetizers, a couple intrigued her and a couple intrigued me. I would have tried the smoked trout tart with pink lady apples, or even the foie gras despite its unfortunate au torchon preparation, especially since it was paired with roasted black mission figs and brioche, but it was the pan roasted sweetbreads that made both B and I salivate.

Served on a smudge of slightly bitter fennel puree, and slightly bitter kale, the sweetbreads were thickly sliced and perfectly accented with sweet and tart cherry confiture…a bit of each on my fork reminded me that the generous portion and overall deliciousness made it worth the hefty $16 price tag. There went half our coupon already!

B and I moved on to red wine, giving a spicy red zin a try, at $12 a glass. Our server recommended the grilled loup de mer. B often orders fish so she took his advice. It was served with leeks, crispy fingerlings, and saffron emulsion. She loved the little discs of potato. My bite was tasty but hardly memorable.

I thought momentarily about the bistro steak frites with sauce bordelaise and the grilled pork loin, but was predictably compelled to order the duck confit instead.

Two thigh and leg portions with nicely crisped skin were placed upon a generous heap of black eyed peas and leeks. I was looking forward to the leeks but the side was really just peas…and their eyes were green. It was an odd choice to pair with duck. Much like pork and foie gras, a sweet accompaniment somewhere on the plate is always a nice contrast to rich duck meat. Ironically, the veal was served with apricot puree and brocollini….probably a better match with the duck.

I rarely order chicken because, well, it’s just chicken. But La Fourchette’s roasted chicken with local okra, tomato confit, bacon, and basil puree sounds really good. Entrees ranged from a somewhat boring vegetarian plate with all the sides mentioned above for $18 to B’s loup de mer coming in at a whopping $32.

Much like the interior of the space itself, the duck was nice, just not compelling. Dessert, on the other hand, was a deliriously delicious plate of little square beignets tossed with orange blossom honey and sliced almonds with a bit of honey ice cream on the side. Crisp, light, and sticky, all at the same time.

I hate to belabor the point, but the expenditure at La Fourchette was surprisingly high, especially considering our $35 coupon. But we forked it over, with the sweet memory of the beignets and the last sips of cote de rhone softening the blow.

3133 Piedmont Road 404-748-1229

I have an aversion to meetings….sales meetings, strategy meetings, meetings to decide when to have more meetings. But I love lunch meetings. Food opens the door to discussion, to finding common ground. Lunch meetings are productive, and sometimes downright delicious.

Although I live nearby, I’m guilty of avoiding downtown Atlanta due to my fear of parking drama, which is often unfounded. Most restaurants have valet parking, like we discovered at Peasant Bistro. LC and I met two execs from the Georgia Aquarium there recently.

It was my first visit and I was immediately dazzled by the stunning space, with its sweeping staircase and delicate light fixtures suspended from the high ceiling. An abundance of windows lent a sunny atmosphere to the elegantly appointed space.

The lunch menu displays a smart selection of salads, sandwiches, and entrees, all priced at $16 or less. Fried green tomatoes make an appearance as an appetizer as well as the “T” in a gussied up BLT. Plenty of my favorite ingredients dotted the menu….bacon, avocado, caramelized onions, duck confit. Perhaps chef Michael Patria reads my blog!

Despite the array of potential deliciousness, my choice was easy: duck confit salad with goat cheese and roasted grapes, the latter calling to mind Scott Serpas’ house salad with his amazing blistered grape dressing. I chuckled as LC ordered the shrimp and grits, his cousin PC’s favorite dish. Must be a genetic thang.

The Aquarium folks both ordered…(gasp!) fish. The salmon salad, to be precise. Decorated with shoestring carrots and cucumbers and dressed with lime/ginger dressing, it likely had an Asian accent.

LC’s dish was comprised of creamy, cheesy grits with a spiced tomato cream sauce flavored with andouille sausage, topped with four enormous prawns. He allowed me one delectable bite.

Meanwhile, my salad was even better than I had envisioned. Ultra-fresh baby greens included fluffy tufts of frisee, my favorite. Chunks of confit displayed the subtle gaminess that sets duck apart from its poultry cousins. Roasted grapes popped in my mouth and provided the necessary sweet accompaniment to the rich meat. The menu didn’t specify what kind of dressing would be served but I was pleased with the citrusy vinaigrette….perhaps the same orange vinaigrette served with the roasted beet salad? It was a very impressive dish, although I would have liked a bit more of the goat cheese.

As we were leaving, a painting caught my eye. It looked like the work of Tony Hernandez. A server said the restaurant’s owner, Maureen, would know who painted it, but I certainly didn’t expect her to be there. Unaware I had inquired about the painting, and unaware I was a food writer, she was not only there, but made sure to say goodbye as we were leaving. Very impressive.

And yes, the painting was indeed by Tony Hernandez. From what’s on the walls to what’s on the plate, Maureen has great taste!

250 Park Avenue West NW 404-230-1724

Friday night LC and I found the dining room at JCT Kitchen jam packed, despite the torrential downpour and severe thunderstorm warning. We had an evening to ourselves and wanted to enjoy a nice adult meal at a cool place.

Surprisingly, I had never made it to JCT before. It was one of the first restaurants to lure the trendy dining crowd to this somewhat industrialized neighborhood. Everything I had heard was positive so I was excited to give it a go.

The space is open, exuding warmth and simplicity, much like its neighbors Quinones Room and Baccanalia in the same complex. Across the way is the White Provisions building home to culinary star Abattoir and right next to the original Yeah! Burger.

Seated across from each other at a two-top along the wall, LC commented that conversation was nearly impossible, given the constant chatter from tables nearby. It was true, the atmosphere was anything but intimate. We would have preferred the patio had the weather cooperated.

We started with cocktails from their creative list, utilizing spirits like bitters, bourbon and rye, which has become rather de rigeur for upscale trendy restaurants these days. I was excited to see a sloe gin fizz on the list, taking me back to my childhood when my parents hosted card games and my Mom made this drink by the pitcher.

After delivering our cocktails, our server read off an entire menu’s worth of specials. I almost stopped him, having already decided on the bacon wrapped pork loin, when he said the word “duck”. The game had instantly changed. It was a breast and confit, I assumed a leg, with an orange champagne sauce served with sauteed peppers….a weird pairing but he had me at “duck”.

But first we wanted to sample a couple of starters, the “angry” mussels and the bacon wrapped figs with blue cheese. We found both dishes to be very impressive. The figs were not baked but rather raw, sliced in half with a thick strip of chewy bacon intertwined among the halves, which rested in an intensely sharp blue cheese sauce that provided the appropriate balance to the dish. A smattering of toasted almonds added a fun crunchy element.

A medium-sized bowl of mussles arrived, steaming in their aromatic broth flavored with peppered bacon, serano chilis, and onion. Although small, the shellfish were great. I especially enjoyed dipping the crusty rustic bread in the spicy broth. We loved ‘em!

When our server checked in I switched to prosecco. LC ordered the shrimp ‘n’ grits and I went for the duck, of course. His dish was richer than the Kennedys, grits engulfed in cheeses and butter, topped with shrimp and a battered and deep fried poached egg. A week’s worth of calories and fat, but decadently delicious.

My duck, however, was not exactly what I expected. Yes, the breast was nicely displayed with a crispy skin. Based upon our server’s description, I was expecting a leg confit, but instead the breast was served on a mound of shredded confit, seasoned with the orange champagne sauced described, creating a concoction which sort of reminded me of BBQ. The oily, crispy, gaminess of the confit was entirely lost. I wasn’t thrilled about the peppers to begin with and they did little to elevate the entree.

An unexpected favorite of the evening was the side dish of corn succotash that LC ordered. Bathed in butter, it was the epitome of Summer in the South. Ironically LC had actually changed his order to the squash, but it was a happy mistake.

We decided to forego edible dessert in favor of the liquid variety upstairs at JCT Bar. An acoustic guitarist entertained the crowd of thirty-somethings inside as the drizzle continued outside. A train chugged past as we headed to the car, anxious to get home and work off the surplus calories.

1198 Howell Mill Road 404-355-2252

LC and his entire family are University of Kentucky alumni, so you can imagine his grief at last week’s horrific showing in the Final Four. However, earlier, in the midst of March Madness, we watched them clobber West Virginia at 8 Traxx with a big UK alumni group. Good times!

Prior to the game, we dined at the neighboring tapas and wine restaurant, Cellar 56. The experience of sharing a variety of small plates is both fun and intimate, one of my favorite ways to dine.

The menu at Cellar 56 offers tastes from garden, land, and sea, ranging from $5 to $7. We started with drinks and a warning to our server that we were anxious to get to the big screen for the game, not that it wasn’t obvious from our bright blue UK T-shirts!

LC and I chose four tapas. Grilled flatbread with duck confit, fig jam, and Cabrales blue cheese came out first, just two triangles. Toppings were generous and flavorful, a great combination of sweet, rich, and tangy, but I could see that four plates might not be enough for dinner.

Luckily, a runner delivered our order of Georgia white shrimp, tasso gravy, and Logan Turnpike grits, along with a seared scallop on sweet corn with applewood bacon, which we did not order. By the time our server came back around we had scarfed down the lone scallop. I’m not a corn lover, so it was just OK for me. Perfectly cooked large shrimp paired with creamy grits were more impressive.

A bowl of baked macaroni and cheese with green chile and prosciutto was next, providing the requisite creamy, cheesy comfort food experience. My dish of lump crabmeat, avocado and grapefruit was a disappointment due to its lack of crabmeat. Apparently, it was so lackluster that I forgot to take a photo.

When all was said and done, we were still left wanting, despite the bonus scallop. Just then, the same runner delivered a second duck confit flatbread by mistake. Voila! Problem solved.

I doubt I will return to Cellar 56, unless I’m attending an event nearby. Not bad, just not memorable.

56 East Andrews Drive 678-344-3600

Few restaurants, other than those in hotels, serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That degree of service seems daunting if not a tad overly ambitious. Some restaurants, like Serpas for instance, add brunch after a successful year of dinner service.

Not so for Hugh Acheson of Empire State South. Having gained notoriety in Athens for his farm fresh menus at Five and Ten and The National, his much anticipated Atlanta debut kicked off with three squares a day. I joined BB there for lunch on Friday to discuss his upcoming project and share a bit of industry gossip.

Located on the ground floor of the 999 Peachtree building, the space includes a quaint courtyard with bocce ball. Inside, the space is painted a deep shade of blue with wood floors, accented with brown leather banquettes and rustic country-style light fixtures….modern Southern, like the food.

I wasn’t planning to drink at lunch but very little arm-twisting was required before I was inquiring about the character of each red wine offered by the glass. We settled on a glass of the Branham cab and another of the Le Paradou grenache/syrah blend.

A little jar of pork rillette was a good match with the wine, however I found the toast too greasy. All three of the people seated at the table adjacent to ours had ordered “Super-food”, a silly name for a weird combination of hanger steak, beets, pistachios, wheatberries with feta, roasted Winter squash, mixed local beans and peas, and dressed radishes, all served on a bed of local lettuces. My bet was that BB would follow suit.

Initially he was leaning toward the arugula salad but in the end, I won the bet. Predictably, I ordered the crisp duck leg confit under the heading “Meat and Three”. Next to the heading the menu directs diners to pick two sides and a daily bread. The sides of the day were not thrilling. I was hoping for some preparation of sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts but none were offered. I chose the collards with ham hock and wheatberries with feta-cranberry.

My duck confit and sides arrived with an enormous slab of Texas toast. I had neglected to choose a “daily bread” because there wasn’t a list of breads on the menu, but I assure you I wouldn’t have chosen this one, so dense it was closer to pound cake than bread.

I was quite pleased with my duck leg, its exceedingly tender meat falling off the bone beneath the mostly crispy skin. I love the toothsome quality of wheatberries. These were served warm, dotted with semi-sweet cranberries. Feta was MIA on my plate, but BB’s wheatberries were topped with a good bit of it.

Then there were the collards, perhaps the best I’ve ever had. Having grown up in the South, that is quite a statement. Rich with chunks of ham, there was a subtle smokiness and a distinct tang of vinegar. Just damn perfect.

BB enjoyed his hanger steak, cooked medium, and the accompanying beets in particular. The steak was nice but my favorite thing on his plate were the dressed watermelon radishes, much like the paper-thin sliced assortment at Miller Union.

Other meats on offer were an airline chicken breast, grilled pork loin, and a pan roasted Carolina trout. Fingerling potatoes, field peas with rice and fennel-apple slaw rounded out the selection of sides.

We ordered two more glasses of wine, intentially confusing which was which, sipping each in turn. I requested a dessert menu, despite seeing an unappetizing slice of red velvet cake on a table nearby. You may already know how I feel about cake so suffice it to say I would not order anything who’s flavor is a color. Sure, red velvet cake is as Southern as fried pie but one would think Acheson’s love of natural and organic produce might discourage his pastry chef Chris Marconi from putting a dessert on the menu that relies on unnatural food coloring. Other sweets included bourbon pecan pie and a buttermilk chess tart that might have been good if we had more time.

Empire State South joins Atlanta’s new breed of restaurants who’s menus evolve with the seasons. If you like that trend, you’re gonna like ESS.

Concentrics’ premier hotspot, ONE Midtown Kitchen, is alive and well. Its space as dramatic as ever, the restaurant was pleasantly busy Friday night.

Seven years ago ONE was among a small handful of Atlanta restaurants that served forward, creative cuisine. I made a habit of going to ONE back in those days, usually dining (and drinking) at one of the hightops in the bar area.

They were known for their wine program, offering a large selection of whites and reds by the glass or half glass so guests could sample a variety without spending a fortune.

Over the years, ONE has been home to several chefs, some moving on to fame and fortune, like Richard Blais. The current chef, Drew Van Leuvan, is no stranger to trendy restaurants, having run the kitchen at Spice, Saga (both closed), and most recently Room at TWELVE.

Their calamari appetizer remains the best in the city, cut lengthwise rather than across, creating long straight pieces instead of the typical rings. The dish has undergone as many changes as the restaurant has chefs, but it is still a personal favorite.

On our visit Friday night I introduced the calamari to LC. It was unfortunately greasy, but exquisitely tender as always. I liked it best a few years ago when there was a spicy Asian sauce drizzled onto the plate. The latest version is topped with smoked onions and pimentos with a sweet and sour “agrodolce”.

We sampled our way through much of the red wines by the glass, starting with the Pennywise Petite Syrah and the Sinskey Concentrics Merlot. Bread service hasn’t changed much over the years consisting of slices from a good, rustic white loaf and a cluster of skinny dry breadsticks, served with garlicky hummus instead of butter. I’m not a fan. Just give me a warm baguette and sweet unsalted butter, please.

Our leisurely dinner continued with an appetizer portion of a pasta dish called caramelle, big pasta pockets filled with sweet potato, then twisted on the ends like giant pieces of wrapped hard candy. Brown butter, thyme, and parmesan made it rich and satisfying.

Half glasses of Cooper Hill Pinot Noir and Domaine ‘La Garrique’ Cotes du Rhone complimented an artisan cheese plate with such favorites as creamy Brillat Savarin and an intense chunk of Roquefort. Passion fruit mostarda and compressed carrot bread provided sweet accompaniments. Good stuff.

A small plate of duck confit on sweet potato puree with apple and pistachio was rich and comforting on this chilly Fall evening. I love Fall and Winter menus! Selections like wood grilled pheasant with hakeuri turnips, mushroom, and huckleberry mostarda or smoked duck breast with crisp polenta make the cold weather almost bearable.

Another round of wine was ordered, including a sparkling Lambrusco. There was no need for anything more but we ordered dessert nonetheless, a seemingly contradictory “souffle glace” of caramel and banana with milk chocolate, almond crumble and rhum sorbet. Huh? It was so forgettable I forgot to take a picture.

Despite a couple of missteps, it was nice to see an old favorite stand the test of time.

559 Dutch Valley Way 404-892-4111

We tried to go to Sound Table. Really, we did. But our friend CL was out of sorts and swore I said Top Flr. So, of course, that is where we ended up.

It was late-ish and I was hungry-ish. B and I made our entrance, said our hellos, and quickly ordered some wine. Quick, however, wasn’t the manner of delivery. It wasn’t N’s fault, all of the glasses were dirty. My lack of patience made the wait seem like forever but it was probably only ten minutes.

Once we each had a glass of Bordeaux, we were ready to order food. The roasted chicken and kimchee plate at Taste of Atlanta had me craving the actual dish. B decided on the pappardelle, the current version with mushrooms. Both of us love Brussels sprouts so we had the Brussels au gratin and the irresistible mac ‘n’ cheese on the side.

As is often the case, seated at the bar, meals at Top Flr become a communal experience. Folks show up, pull up a chair and by the end of the evening you’ve sampled food from friends and strangers alike.

PLB was there with his awesome wife J. JM was running the show. O popped in and joined us, ordering the mouthwatering duck confit pizza. Our entrees and smoldering sides came. My chicken was a tiny little thing, more like a Cornish game hen, however, the portion was rather large. Its crispy brown skin covered the succulent dark meat (did I have three leg quarters?) atop a soy reduction, paired with perfectly spicy kimchee made with Brussels sprouts.

The other preparation of Brussels sprouts, gratin with bacon, cream and fennel was one of the most amazing dishes I’ve had in recent memory. O took a bite and said “I got a big chunk of pork and it was goooooood!” I commented to Dinner Party sommelier JD who was working the bar that I could eat a bowl of it for breakfast and he concurred.

B’s pappardelle was the very definition of comfort food, rich and earthy with chanterelle, oyster, and lobster mushrooms in a creamy truffle jus. The simplicity of the pappardelle belies the hours of labor it takes to make it in-house. It is easy for diners to take the flawless pasta for granted.

An acquaintance of O’s was seated an few stools down from me and we got to chatting about our mutual love of food. Later he offered me a taste of his roasted squash.

My least favorite dish of the evening was the mac ‘n’ cheese. It was a little drier than usual. O shared his duck confit pizza which was as decadent and delicious as ever.

Sound Table, sorry we stood you up. We’ll be back soon, I promise!

674 Myrtle Street 404-685-3110

After racing home from work to meet B Thursday evening, the two of us hopped in the HotDishMobile, dressed in our hot pants and halters, to check out my good friend BH’s party at his boutique.

A little free cheap red wine and catching up with old friends like RD and LB was fun, then we were on our way to our regular haunt, Top Flr, for a bite to eat and a lot more wine, of the not-so-cheap variety.

Our friend CL was outside with one of the owners, JM and his wife. I needed a drink so I sat at the bar inside and ordered a glass of red, a blend I recognized from my trip to the Priorat region of Spain.

The bar at Top Flr can be a communal experience. B was still outside visiting with JM and CL so I was left to chat with my neighbors, on their first date and things weren’t going too well. He gave me a bite of his duck….great flavor but the skin isn’t rendered, leaving a pretty thick layer of raw fat.

Having skipped a proper dinner, I was thinking I would order my usual mussels in coconut soy broth. There are perhaps only two or three dishes on Top Flr’s menu that I have not tried. Although Shane makes changes to dishes based upon seasonal availability of produce, much of it is static, which is quite alright with me. It’s nice to know you can count on the mussels or mac & cheese when the craving strikes.

On Thursday, however, there were a couple of new items, one of them taken straight out of my culinary wet dream….duck confit, stewed figs, and frissee. Shut the f*ck up! I decided to try the other new dish as well, quinoa with tomatoes. The salad was awesome but the quinoa was dry and a little boring, most of it eaten by the crazy dude next to me….with his fingers.

About that time B checked out. A chick named Anna took her seat to my left and we eventually decided to split a dessert, bread pudding with pan-fried bananas. I’m not a fan of banana desserts so the fruit was thankfully not incorporated into the pudding itself, but rather, served on the side.

Next up, three guys from Chicago in town for business. The concierge at The Georgian Terrace recommended Top Flr….a surprising response given the restaurant’s underground vibe. On my second glass of wine, I was more than happy to offer my opinion on what they should order to eat, despite the fact that they had already eaten dinner.

White bean hummus, the mussels, and duck confit pizza are three of Top Flr’s standout dishes. The guys ordered all three, and two of the pizzas.

Drizzled with chili oil and served with crisped pita, the hummus is fragrant and slightly spicy. A tiny dish of olives on the side adds a salty note. The mussels rest in a dreamy broth, redolent of coconut milk, soy, and fresh cilantro. A huge chunk of crusty bread comes alongside for dunking. Duck confit, applewood smoked bacon, portobello mushrooms, pesto, and gooey melted cheese top a flavorful hand-tossed pizza crust….absolute comfort food.

Seated in the middle of the group, I gleefully helped myself to some of everything. About half of one of the pizzas ended up going home with me, making a scrumptious lunch the next day.

And for dinner I would be attending a Dinner Party at the guy’s potential new space, with their new chef! More on that tomorrow….

Opening a fine dining restaurant during the worst of economic times doesn’t sound like a smart business move, but somehow Pacci has survived and thrived. Perhaps it’s chef Keira Moritz who has gained notoriety and respect among her mostly male peers. Maybe its location in one of several new, trendy midtown hotels brings it the automatic business that hotel restaurants rely on, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests.

Or, it could be that it simply kicks ass. It is fairly common knowledge that I rarely eat Italian food. But I acquiesed on this assignment for AFD because I liked that a successful female chef was running the show.

ST and I valeted the HotDishmobile last Friday and walked in to Pacci. There was Geno! How fabulous, I hadn’t seen him since his days at Spice Market. We sat newlywed style on a banquette with a view of the expansive and dark dining room, lit by sets of enormous globes that hung from the high ceiling, shaded by long black fringe. The burgundy velvet and wood tones of the decor are puncuated by light blue and cream jacquard armchairs, one per table. Elegant.

Geno started us out with a couple of specialty bellinis, one with vanilla liqueur and the other with passion fruit. Then he brought out an amuse bouche of butter lettuce with seafood salad, light and fun.

After some discussion, Geno recommended a wine flight for me….a trio of 2007 pinot noirs from Sequana Vineyard, each with a distinct character. I ended up ordering another glass or two of the spicy Dutton Ranch.

The kobe beef carpacio was our first course, dressed with capers, tapenade, and baby arugula. Their bread service was an assortment of crispy wafers, focaccia, and cracker-like bread sticks. Problem with that is, I love authentic Italian bread and would prefer to have that at an Italian restaurant, with sweet butter please.

For our second course ST chose the lobster and butternut squash bisque with creme fraiche. Smooth and creamy, I don’t recall any chunks of lobster but the flavor was rich, reminiscent of she crab soup.

Naturally, I ordered the duck confit. A perfect example of this cooking method, the meat was succulent, falling of the bones, while the skin was super crispy. Served over soft polenta with bits of gorgonzola and blackberry marmalade, it sounds like a foolproof combination. But somehow, the four main components were not integrated. I found the gorgonzola unnecessary and while I do love a sweet accompaniment to duck, perhaps the dish would have been even better with mascerated blackberries. Nevertheless, it was damn awesome.

Eating our way down the menu, next came pastas. ST tried the shrimp fettucini with creamy pancetta sauce, Spring peas, and a soft fried egg on top, a.k.a carbonara. Rich, rich, and delicious. I ordered the sweet potato ravioli (how predictable!). Four raviolis came topped with gorgonzola and speck with brown butter. Rich, rich, and delicious.

More? Yes. The pork chop with fennel, roasted yam, and pomegranate-basil pesto had my name written all over it. One of the best chops I have had in recent memory, very tender. Pesto provided a little Italian flavor, but it was the roasted yams, sliced into thin disks with crispy caramelized edges that were amazing!

ST got the dry aged New York strip, medium, with a side of cannellini beans. Big steak. Good steak. Guess what we had for breakfast….steak and eggs.

Desserts include the quintessential Italian tiramisu and panna cotta, but we opted for the straightforward sweets, chocolate strata and rum bread pudding. I cannot say no to bread pudding! Pastry chef Elizabeth Matheson’s version is baked in its own small casserole dish topped with caramel and a little dollop of vanilla gelato. Personally, I would drizzle the caramel on the hot pudding so it would remain gooey rather than on the cold ice cream, but no matter, it was fabulous. ST’s chocolate strata was a huge slice of chocolate cake layered with chocolate mousse, served with vanilla gelato. Pretty presentation, pretty chocolately.

We were stuffed! Despite a couple of minor complaints, Pacci made a great impression on both of us.

866 West Peachtree Street NW 678-412-2402