Hot Dish Review

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!

It had been far too long since my last visit to Dynamic Dish, my favorite mostly-vegetarian restaurant. On Saturday, however, I found myself craving a super-healthy salad or creative sandwich and asked my neighbor LG to join me. With five minutes notice we were on our way to Edgewood.

Owner and chef David Sweeney makes everything with loving care, of the freshest local organic ingredients, literally farm to fork! The brief menu, with only five or six choices, is written on a blackboard behind the counter where guests place their orders.

The space is as fresh and vibrant as the food. I love it there on a sunny day….light pours in through the big windows in front.

Our server brought out a little bread and butter as LG and I caught up on recent drama and trauma.

A brunch dish of farm eggs with feta cheese and scallions served on a thick piece of wheat toast with roasted fingerling potatoes intrigued LG, but she wanted to add something green. Sweeney was happy to oblige with some sauteed Swiss chard in the eggs.

My salad, a variation of the first salad I ate at Dynamic, demonstrates Sweeney’s brilliance and remains one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Saturday’s version was mixed Geogia lettuces (mostly butter lettuce), roasted Vidalia onion, julienned apple, walnuts, and chopped dates topped with a round of warm Bucheron Chevre. The cheese is barely melted around the edges of the rind, cool and crumbly in the center. Every element of this salad is exquisite! Lightly dressed greens provide the perfect bed for sweet, chewy, crunchy, and creamy toppings.

Also offered that day was a roasted tofu sandwich with arugula cashew pesto, avocado and peppers on garlic bread with a side of mango salad and a soup of fennel, chickpea, and cashew topped with quinoa and scallions. The side of the day was creamed spinach.

Vegetarians and carnivores alike adore this place. If you haven’t been….what are you waiting for?

427 Edgewood Avenue 404-688-4344