Hot Dish Review

Recently, I was invited to join the Atlanta Food Bloggers Society. Most of the city’s top bloggers are members so I was thrilled to be included!

Our meetings are, not surprisingly, are held at restaurants where we discuss the food and share tips and tricks on blogging. Often, the restaurant is happy to provide a few complimentary tastings to get us started, and of course, to win our favor so our posts will be positive. Ahhhh….delicious bribery.

A recent get-together at Double Zero Napoletana was a small yet diverse group of bloggers, some with their mates. I took LC along for an Italian feast at this newest venture from the Castelluccis.

Much like their Spanish restaurant in Decatur, Iberian Pig, and multiple locations of Sugo, the Castelluccis don’t skimp on servings here. They started our communal table with two beastly pork shoulder roasts called l’arrosto, each with an assortment of accompaniments. Baskets of thin, toasty bread, made out of pizza dough, served as makeshift pita pockets to be filled with pieces of the roast, so tender it fell apart at the approach of our forks. I chose grilled radicchio, apple-almond mostarda, and hot Calabrian chiles to pair with the meat. Chunks of carrot and potato added to the rustic appeal of this dish, easily large enough to share as an entree for two.

Another thing the Castelluccis do better than nearly anyone is provide a warm and inviting dining atmosphere. Wood tables are accented with modern stainless steel chairs. Intimate nooks are created within the large space by burgundy velvet curtains. But the focal point is the dim and sexy lighting achieved with rows of simple clear glass orbs.

My knowledge of Italian wines is minimal so I asked our server for a suggestion. He came back with a couple of tastes and I chose the richer one….from Puglia, I think. As you may know, I rarely eat Italian food. I am guilty of pigeonholing this country’s cuisine into the pasta with marinara category. But there are numerous regions of Italy that do not focus on this Americanized standard. The menu at Double Zero is proof, with a variety of meat and seafood dishes like polipo, for instance….the small plate of grilled octopus with sunchoke-pancetta hash and a vibrant asparagus puree that LC and I ordered was fresh and light with a vinegary zing. No marinara in sight.

As for our main dish, I felt compelled to order a pizza, as did many others. After all, the name of the restaurant refers to the finest grade of flour used in making authentic Neopolitan pizza dough. Grant and Marie of Marie, Let’s Eat! ordered the American, Marilyn of Atlanta Etc. tried the traditional quattro stagione, while our hostess and Atlanta Foodies blogger Becca shared the maiale with her husband. Perhaps even better than my funghi pie, the maiale was topped with braised Nueske’s bacon, mushrooms, goat cheese, arugula, garlic, and fig-onion agrodolce. It was rather sweet but so delicious.

Each pizza was baked in one of their custom-tiled woodburning ovens installed by Italian craftsmen and delivered to our table with a sharp pair of scissors for cutting slices, literally. The crust was thin, crispy, and notably charred, with just enough toppings.

Those that didn’t indulge in pizza raved about their selections as well, including a lamb meatball starter ordered by Leslie from The Food and Me and a mountainous salad shared by Megan of Meals With Megan and her guest, famed photographer Lou Freeman.

No meal with LC is complete without sugar! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have gelato and I was curious about their cannolis after the amazing ones we had at Antico. Made locally by Highroad Craft Ice Cream, we sampled a scoop of pistachio, coffee, and caramel gelato, all of which were a little too sweet and creamy to be authentic gelato, but certainly great for ice cream. Three small crunchy cannoli shells with a light and fluffy filling were delicious, but I prefer the big ones at Antico.

There is so much more to try at Double Zero. The menu is packed with chef Chad Crete’s signature rich and decadent dishes, from the lobster pappardelle to the short rib crespelle.

This blogger dinner was great fun! LC and I really enjoyed getting to know some of my fellow bloggers and their friends and look forward to meeting again soon.

5825 Roswell Road NE 404-991-3666

After spending a few hours at the Inman Park Festival, me, LC and his folks had a bite to eat at Pure nearby. Not surprisingly, LC had a sweet tooth and wanted to stop by Paolo’s (click here for my previous full review) for some gelato on the way home.

I knew it was a recipe for certain disappointment, having just returned from Germany where the best authentic Italian gelato can be found on every corner, like at Eiscafe Capri, a stone’s throw from my Oma’s haus.

Paolo’s is so quaint, just like a little gelato shop one might find in Italy. But I have always found the product to be too sweet, too rich, too American. Yet I continue to hope that someday the gelato will magically improve, but alas, it never has.

We went in, mesmerized by the display of gelato flavors behind the glass case. My favorite, stracciatella, was not available so I ordered a cup of cappuccino. LC tried a couple of mini cones and we got a cup of pistacchio for his Dad, which in hind sight, was probably the best flavor on offer.

As for me, my cappuccino was just like any other coffee flavored ice cream. Not bad, just not the light, icy texture of gelato in Europe. I’ve often thought it is the difference in ingredients available here that makes it impossible to duplicate, although it could also be America’s taste for fat and sugar that overrides the need for authenticity.

In the end, Paolo’s makes good ice cream, but it simply isn’t gelato to me.

1025 Virginia Avenue 404-607-0055

This is one of my favorite places on earth! I kid you not. When I travel to Germany, I look forward to eating real Italian gelato at this family-owned cafe’ almost as much as Omi’s “schmand kuchen” (more on that later).

Located on the main street in our tiny town of Solms, Eiscafe Capri makes authentic gelato with milk rather than cream for a lighter, less caloric frozen treat than ice cream.

It also seems to have less sugar. Gelato makers in the U.S. tend to make the mistake of Americanizing the traditional recipe, adding more sugar. I’ve often wondered if we can even duplicate gelato in the states given the difference in available ingredients.

On our first full day in Germany, the weather was beautiful….warm enough to wear flip-flops! I was practically giddy as we took a seat outside at the cafe’. She ordered an alcoholic beverage (what!) and I got my favorites….stracciatella (chocolate chip) and nuss (hazelnut) with whipped cream. And I mean real whipped cream. They don’t even put any sugar in it.

After that day the weather took a turn for the worse. I had to wear boots every day and only had the chance to visit the cafe’ once more before we took off, back to the U.S., where the climate is warm and the gelato is, sadly, not the real thang.

For my birthday, LC took me to The Iberian Pig in Decatur. My only other visit had been for an Atlanta’s Finest Dining article when me and my companion sampled half the menu. The Spanish inspired tapas and entrees are rich and delicious….a perfect choice for a decadent birthday binge.

Wanting to stick to Spanish red wines, I ordered two different 3 oz. samples, a tempranillo blend and a carmenere, both great paired with the cana de oveja, a ripened sheep’s milk cheese similar to French bucheron, with apricot jam and toasted rustic bread.

Aware of the enormous portions here, we ordered a few tapas to share. Albondigas, meatballs made with wild boar sausage and stuffed with piquillo peppers, Macedonian dates, and roasted tomatoes, are served in a creamy sauce with pimentos and oyster mushrooms. It sounds like too many ingredients competing for your taste buds’ attention, but surprisingly, it works. Although there are only two meatballs, the sauce is heavy with cream.

I wanted to try something new, but it’s hard to resist ordering dishes that are proven winners. Huevos con trufa is just such a dish. A mini casserole holds a huge chunk of slow roasted pork cheek topped with caramelized onions, a poached egg and black truffles. The soft egg yolk coats the fork tender pork, making a decadent spread for more of their fantastic toasted bread, which I accurately guessed is supplied by Holeman and Finch Bread Company.

LC insisted on the manchego mac ‘n’ cheese. I knew how heavy it would be, but what the hell, it is damn good. Made with garganelli pasta twists, the individual dish is baked to form a crispy top that hides the gooey, cheesy pasta beneath it. An extra hour of cardio next week.

Still hoping to try one new dish, we went with the meat “cocas”. A large wafer-thin flatbread topped with serrano ham, arugula, caramelized onions, shaved manchego, pistachio, and olive oil. While we waited for its arrival, I ordered 3 oz. pours of two different Spanish wines. Trying new wines this way is perfect for me….lots of variety with no commitment!

Unlike the other dishes at Iberian Pig, the flatbread was light and airy. Salty ham, crunchy pistachios, sweet caramelized onions, and peppery arugula provided excellent contrasts in flavor and texture.

LC made no secret that it was my birthday so I was expecting a sweet treat from the kitchen. However, I still had my heart set on their trio of housemade gelatos….pistachio, fig and sherry, and dulce di leche. Although creamier and sweeter than gelato should be, I do love the creative flavors.

The gelato was especially good with the churros, fried dough sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, served with a dark chocolate chili dipping sauce. Our server brought them out with a birthday candle secured to the plate with a dollop of frosting. Crispy on the outside, the churros were remarkably light on the inside. We ate four and took two home, where my birthday celebration continued for several hours.

It was all delicious.

121 Sycamore Street, Decatur 404-371-8800

With lines out the door every Summer, one might think the gelato at Paolo’s in the Virginia Highlands is an authentic taste of Italy. Paolo Dalla Zorza has indeed captured the atmosphere of so many tiny gelato shops in Europe, but I have often been disappointed with his product.

Having visited Europe on numerous occassions, I am a total gelato snob. When I’m in Germany I walk down to the gelato shop on the corner every freakin’ day. It has been owned and run by the same Italian family ever since I can remember. They go back to Italy in the Winter and return to the small town of Solms in the Spring to serve up authentic, amazing gelato.

Sometimes I think it’s the ingredients that make it impossible to duplicate here in the states. Other times I attribute the lack of authentic gelato here to the makers trying too hard to please the American palate with copious amounts of sugar and cream instead of milk. Then it’s ice cream, not gelato.

Paolo’s has enjoyed ten years of success due to its perfect location, a tiny space which is surely the lowest rent in the neighborhood, and the insurmountable draw of sugar to the kids on this very family-friendly street. There is now a second location in Charleston.

LC and I stopped in after our snack at Goin’ Coastal since it is right next door. It had been a couple of years so I was ready to give Paolo another chance to win me over.

Paolo’s offers authentic flavors like gianduia and zabione. My favorite is straciatella, basically vanilla with chocolate shavings. In Europe this simple composition takes on a more complex nuance, some intangible quality that makes it taste so much better there than it does in the U.S.

We ordered one waffle cup with a scoop of straciatella and one of espresso (I think). The texture of the espresso was too creamy, like regular ice cream, and also too sweet. I was quite pleased with the straciatella and I loved the edible cup!

His menu also includes crepes and creative treats like vanilla gelato extruded in strings and topped with strawberries. Called “spaghetti eis” in Germany, it’s a sweet take on the traditional pasta with marinara.

In Germany they use very small scoops pronounced “bellschen”. My regular order? “Ich moechte zwei baellchen von straciatella und eine von dem nuss, mit sahne bitte!” That’s straciatella and hazelnut with real whipped cream.

Seems like everyone’s in the gelato business these days. Whole Foods makes a totally bastardized version.

At least Paolo is trying to do something authentic, just wish it tasted a little more like the real thing.

1025 Virginia Avenue 404-607-0055

Located on Decatur’s historic square, this restaurant is the latest from the Castellucci family that owns Sugo. An extensive selection of Spanish inspired tapas and plates are offered. Me and ST sampled our way through the menu, essentially eating like pigs, starting with charcuterie, jamon Iberico, the expensive Iberian ham and the restaurant’s namesake.

Our server Mary Quinn suggested a creamy sheep’s milk Spanish cheese called camedeoveja. Spread on the crispy toasted bread, it was delectable. Cheese and ham were served on wood cutting boards with mustard and tiny green olives.

The space is warm, furnished in dark wood, exposed brick, and deep red velvet curtains. Lighting is soft and flattering, perfect for a romantic evening with ST.

Chef Chad Crete was very gracious, bringing us a few of the bacon wrapped dates stuffed with manchego cheese and walnuts, resting in a romesco sauce. OMG. I could eat fifty of those!

There were so many amazing sounding dishes on the menu, like the tocino con manzana….slow braised pork belly with a salad of Granny Smith apples and candied walnuts dressed with a drizzle of apple cider reduction. Fatty crispy pork belly was yummy but I detected a hint of something not yummy….the tiny chiffonade of green on the apple salad, was it mint? I hate mint.

Which brings me to the sangria. The best in town is at Pura Vida, hands down. Still. I ordered the bottomless glass at The Iberian Pig for $21. Served in pint glasses, I suspect there is more juice than rum or wine. What I love about Pura Vida’s sangria is that it has chunks of fruit soaked in rum. Eat them and you will feel it! Sangria at Pura Vida is not for pussies.

While sipping the sangria at The Iberian Pig I once again detected a hint of flavor that was familiar yet somehow just plain wrong. Then I saw it….a slice of cucumber! Cucumber in sangria? Don’t ask me. ST ordered the “pretty darn good” red wine and it was, in fact, pretty darn good….2004 Marco Real Garnacha Navarra from Spain.

Next up on our trail of tapas was the BBQ octopus and the huevos con trufa. Both recommended by a friend of MN. The best part of the octopus was the stringy pork belly underneath. For some reason I thought BBQ meant grilled. No, it means with BBQ sauce, which I didn’t really care for. It was served with crunchy potatoes that I did not eat lest they take up space in my stomach where I could put something delicious, like more pork.

Huevos con trufa is a huge chunk of slow roasted pork with rustic toasted bread topped with a poached egg and black truffles. Remember, these are tapas folks. But the Castelluccis are known for ample portions. The pork was fork tender, ridiculously good. Break the egg yolk and dip the crusty bread in it, making sure to pick up a bit of truffle which was made into a tapenade. Decadent, rich, hell yeah!

Chad delivered another delicious surprise, their albondigas. Wild boar sausage meatballs stuffed with piquillo peppers, dates, and roasted tomatoes, finished with pimento creme and oyster mushrooms. I would not have ordered this but it was great, the flavorful meat pairing perfectly with the sweetness of the dates and the earthiness of the sauce.

Jesus Christ! An enormous serving of baked manchego mac ‘n’ cheese came out and a sampler of three sausages….lamb with macerated cherries, fennel sausage with caramelized onions, and chorizo with moscatel wine reduction and romesco, which was the standout among the trio. We couldn’t polish off all of them so they went in a recycled to-go container along with one of the two meatballs.

After all of those entree-sized tapas we had an actual entree coming, the cabrito carbonara; slow roasted goat with chittara pasta tossed in a carbonara sauce with Benton’s bacon, cream and topped with yet another poached egg. Mary Quinn instructed us to break the egg and mix in the yolk to complete the sauce. I found the pasta a bit too al dente, however the meat was succulent, the flavor of the dish was outstanding.

By now I was on my fourth glass of sangria. Despite the cucumber, I didn’t seem to have a problem getting my money’s worth out of the bottomless glass.

A selection of gelatos for dessert….the best was the fig and cherry, followed by the pistachio and the dulce de leche. I found the texture to be pretty authentic as far as gelato goes, the dulce de leche a bit too sweet.

We gave our leftovers to the “homeless” kids outside. They said they were hungry. I guess their Mothers in their million dollar mansions don’t really cook. Poor things.

Next time I will try one of the flatbreads. A neighboring table had one and it looked extra thin, crispy, and drool-worthy. The food isn’t authentic Spanish, however, having recently visited Spain….Barcelona and Mallorca…..I found these dishes more to my liking, perhaps because they were not so simple like in Spain. Regardless, I liked this place with its rich sauces, overdone flavor combos, and Italian riffs mixed with Spanish inspiration. It worked for me!

121 Sycamore Street, Decatur 404-371-8800 www.iberianpigatl.com