Hot Dish Review

Recently, I was asked to write a piece about the Association Verace Pizza Napoletana for the show Atlanta Eats. I interviewed an old acquaintance, Riccardo Ullio (you may have heard of him) regarding his membership in the association and soon found myself craving pizza.

When I asked him what it took to become a member, his first response was “money”. Nevertheless, Ullio passed a rigorous test to determine if his pizza met the strict guidelines, from ingredients to the final product, making his restaurant Fritti among the first in the U.S. to become a member of the prestigious association.

That was in 2004. Now Atlanta boasts a few more certified authentic pizzerias including Antico Napoletana and Double Zero Napoletana, a name referencing the super-fine wheat flour that is required to make the dough. Imported San Marzano tomatoes and bufala mozzarella must be used, although the cheese doesn’t have to come from Italy….Ullio gets his from a local artisan producer.

It was one of the first warm evenings of Spring, prompting me to suggest dinner at Fritti, with its lush patio decorated with tiny lights and a festive mural on one wall. LC and I chose a table outside, each of us starting with an appropriate beverage pairing for pizza, a Peroni.

Ullio’s pizzas are rather large, although they are considered individual servings. We decided to order two, and split an appetizer to start. Robiola fritta, almond crusted goat cheese with arugula, peppers, and olive salad sounded like fried goat cheese garnished with the remaining ingredients, when in fact, it was the opposite. Although not listed under the salad section of the menu, this dish was definitely a salad. LC wasn’t surprised. The generous plate of peppery arugula and salty olives complimented the fried discs of mild goat cheese….nice and light.

Fritti offers a large selection of authentic neopolitan pizzas, from the popular Regina Margherita simply topped with San Marzano tomatoes, bufala mozzarella and fresh basil to pies with a variety of meats and cheeses. Although I wanted to venture out, I couldn’t resist my favorite pancetta e cipolla, the standard pizza with the addition of caramelized onions and hot pepper. LC agreed to be my guinea pig and tried the quattro stagioni with cotto ham, artichokes, mushrooms, and black olives.

When visiting my grandparents in Germany, we would often visit the neighborhood pizzeria where I would always order a quattro stagioni, four seasons in English, traditionally prepared with each of the four toppings placed on the pizza separately, dividing the pie into quarters. At Fritti, one has the option of having it topped in the traditional manner or with the ingredients mixed, which is the way LC ordered it.

We polished off the salad and our first round of Peronis just as our pizzas arrived. Unlike typical American fast food pizza, toppings are more sparingly applied on Neopolitan style pizza, and the crust is both crispy and chewy. Salty pancetta was the perfect compliment to the sweet caramelized onions on my pie that I reluctantly shared with LC. Meanwhile, he was enjoying his pizza as well, allowing me one tasty slice. Both of us managed to eat half and had the remainder wrapped up to take home.

Chewy, cheesy, authentic or not, Americans love their pizza….any way you slice it!

309 N. Highland Avenue NE 404-880-9559

Italian food….it’s not my thing. But it was me that recommended Double Zero Napoletana for a group of us last week, due to its convenient location and because of my selfish craving for their authentic Neapolitan style pizza.

The cavernous space is divided by a long bar on one side and a communal table down the center with a single row of bare bulbs encased in glass above it, imparting a warm glow to the dark wood furnished dining room. Full length burgundy curtains add drama.

Our group of six met at the bar, immediately impressed by the stellar service. LC ordered a martini which was shaken furiously, creating those tiny ice particles that LC loves. Plus, they had his favorite blue cheese stuffed olives. Embarrassingly unfamiliar with Italian wines, I was thrilled to see they offered many by the half glass, so I began sampling some different varietals.

With an 8:30pm reservation, we were hoping to be seated a bit earlier, but instead were still waiting at the bar. So we decided to order a snack of butternut squash frittelle, crispy fritters filled with a creamy and slightly sweet squash puree. They were served on a smudge of caramelized onion aioli and a handful of watercress, then drizzled with lemon honey. We devoured them.

Even at 9:00pm, the restaurant was abuzz with folks enjoying good food and wine. Unsure how much longer our wait would be, LC and I ordered the pizza that I was craving, the maiale, a decadent combination of sweet and savory toppings. Braised Nueske’s bacon, mushrooms, goat cheese, garlic, fig-onion agrodolce, olive oil, vanilla salt, and fresh arugula hit all the right notes. Double Zero serves all of their pizzas whole, with scissors to cut your own slices. Love it!

As soon as our pizza arrived, however, our table was ready. The manager stopped by with a complimentary dish of the butternut squash frittelle, a peace offering for our lengthy wait. Nice.

Having perused the menu, RT, who is Italian, commented that authentic Italian food is simple, hinting that the dishes at Double Zero are a bit too complicated. Much like its Spanish influenced sister, The Iberian Pig in Decatur, I find that the menu here suffers from the same overuse of ingredients. Nevertheless, the result at both locations is deliciousness.

A prime example of this overuse of ingredients is the capesante, the seared scallops entree served with corn-arbol sauce, pearl onions, summer squash, seasonal mushrooms, crispy artichokes, and saba vinegar. Both RT and his wife CT ordered them. Each of the three scallops per dish was the size of my palm. LC and I were offered bites and agreed that it was a fantastic dish.

But first, CT had a salad composed of marinated beets, frisee, grapefruit, goat cheese, and candied pecans, dressed simply with a red wine vinaigrette. We tried it as well and found the flavors terrific.

LC and I split the osso buco entree, a roasted pork loin the size of my forearm. The menu described its accompaniments as creamed farretto with dried apricot, pork demi, and crispy parsnips. I really thought it was sweet potato puree and spaghetti squash, but having had five half glasses of red wine, you can’t really rely on my assessment. However, I do know for certain that the meat was incredibly tender.

After we polished off our entrees, the manager returned with yet another peace offering, a flute of prosecco for each of us. Although we were stuffed, I coerced LC into sharing a bowl of gelato with me, pistachio and coffee. Having eaten copious amounts of gelato in Europe, the American version is always too sweet and creamy, as was Double Zero’s, but the flavors were pleasing. It was a sweet ending to a lovely evening with friends and family.

5825 Roswell Road 404-991-3666

Lately I’ve found myself eating lots of Italian food, ironically not among my favorite cuisines. Meals at Davio’s and LPC, however, are slowly changing my Americanized-spaghetti-and-meatballs view of what Italian cooking is….or should be.

STG Trattoria is Brian Lewis’ newish spot, named with the initials of his three sons. Hidden away right in the middle of Buckhead, it’s miles from his other restaurant, Bocado on the Westside. Having only tried brunch there, an evening visit was in order.

The vaulted entryway lined with bottles of wine is just as impressive at night, the soft lighting adding romance to the modern industrial space. Our group of five arrived for our reservation, eager for libations and an appetizer or two. Heather seated us at the communal table by the open kitchen where I could watch chef Josh Hopkins, transplanted from Abattoir, ready each plate for service.

We were given a tablet containing the wine list with click-on descriptions of each….ingenious if you have hours to contemplate your choice, but we found navigating the computerized list between five of us to be frustrating. Their Italian-style Amaro apertifs have made a splash in Atlanta’s evolving cocktail scene, but the guys went with classic martinis while us chicks chose wines by the glass.

We started with the roasted shrimp and calamari served over soft polenta and dressed with squid ink vinaigrette. The dish wouldn’t win a beauty contest, but might win a blind taste test. A starter of roasted quail that I was intent on ordering unfortunately changed its accompaniment from figs to cannellini beans, quickly removing it from my “to eat” list.

An order of bruschetta was an unusual combination of Fall’s quintessential squash, the butternut, crispy prosciutto, fontina, and arugula on three large pieces of toast. Everyone loved it. Realizing that the portions were normal rather than super-sized, we chose a third starter, the roasted duck breast. Served in the mini cast-iron skillet in which it was roasted, the duck was finished with preserved chanterelles and celery leaf….a comforting, earthy dish.

We decided to share two pizzas, one topped with speck, smoked grana, cacio di roma, castelvetrano (now that’s a mouthful) olives, tomato sugo, and arugula, the other with roasted king trumpet, beech, and oyster mushrooms, pancetta, fontina, and rosemary. Both were on wafer thin crusts, nicely charred in the oven, and scantily clad with the aforementioned toppings. There is no “extra cheese” or “quadrupel meat” in Italy. My only concern was the toppings separated quite easily from the crust, leaving bare spots.

One in our group was Italian, so it was interesting to get his impressions of the meal’s authenticity. He ordered a pasta dish, the braised lamb ragu with ricotta and oregano over tagliatelle, for everyone to try. Personally, pasta with marinara has no appeal whatsoever, but he said the flavor was good, although he would have preferred bigger pieces of meat. Everyone agreed the texture of the pasta was perfectly al dente’.

Most of us were on round two of drinks when the pizzas were polished off. But we still had room for something sweet! Of the three desserts offered, we chose two: a panna cotta trio and a chocolate budino.

Having eaten a luscious budino at LPC the week before, I described it to my dining companions as a cross between cake and pudding, gooey and warm in the center. Chef Hopkins’ version is more dense, much like a traditional English pudding. It was served chilled and topped with strawberries.

The panne cotta were in three flavors, honey with preserved lemon, vanilla with blueberry compote, and cappuccino. Naturally I assumed my favorite would be the latter, but surprisingly I fell for the honey in spite of the lemon. In fact, it was the chewy, sugar-coated texture of the lemon peels that won me over.

Leave your expectations of garlic bread and mounds of fettucine alfredo at home. Lewis’ vision of an authentic trattoria is realized at STG. Simple and surprisingly light.

102 West Paces Ferry Road 404-844-2879

Too exhausted to cook, LC and I often find ourselves in a quandary after late nights at the office. Luckily, I live in the Virginia Highlands with everything from organic burgers to sustainable seafood a few minutes from my condo….as long as we can find parking, that is.

A recent evening found us driving towards my place, him in a suit, me in workout clothes, both ravenous. Often, we end up at Goin’ Coastal or Yeah! Burger, but I was craving something else, something spicy. So we met at El Taco, where the parking is plentiful. The traffic on the way, however, was reason enough to start with skinny margaritas (not like we really needed a reason). An extra shot of tequila on the side hit the spot.

Although LC said he didn’t want to eat many chips, we emptied the basket with the arrival of some queso. A trip to their awesome salsa bar added fuel to the fire (or vice versa) as we dipped into my favorites, their scorching hot habanero mango salsa, roasted tomato salsa, and chopped cilantro.

Rather than our usual tacos, we wanted to try an El Taco original, the Mexican pizza, flipping a coin to decide between homemade chorizo and carnitas. Chorizo won the toss. An enormous super-thin masa crust is covered with black beans, chorizo, queso fresco, jalapenos, avocado, radish, and fresh lettuce and tomato, then finished with a drizzle of crema. It was a delicious mess that would make a great appetizer for a large table or a hearty meal for two. We had to take some home, which was devoured later for a midnight snack.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, the whole clan met at the Botanical Gardens for their holiday light show. It was unfortunately freezing ass cold, so we bundled up, sipped some hot chocolate, then headed to El Taco. It was the day after Christmas and the place was packed. The only table large enough to accommodate our group of ten was on the patio which was surprisingly toasty.

This time we started with a pitcher of skinny margaritas and the standard chips with guacamole, queso, and salsa. I got a little dish of the habanero mango salsa to see if the boys could take the heat. Their mouths on fire, attention was quickly diverted by the announcement that the prize wheel was about to spin. Despite having ten numbered wooden nickles, no free drinks or desserts for us.

Plate after plate of fajitas and tacos arrived. For me, a steak taco and a roasted chicken taco, both requested in corn tortillas, were warmly satisfying. Charred jalapenos and chopped cilantro make these far better than average.

Everyone enjoyed their Mexican meal, from the teens to grumps himself. There’s nothing like some habanero salsa to warm you up on a cold Winter’s night.

1186 N. Highland Avenue 404-873-4656

As some of you may know, Italian food is not among my favorites. However, sometimes I am happily surprised by restaurants like Davio’s that serve Northern Italian dishes or the occassional kickass pizza like the ones LC and I enjoyed at Hearth recently.

When I learned that STG Trattoria, Brian Lewis’ new Buckhead hotspot, was beginning brunch service, I wanted to give it a try. The dinner reviews have been promising and I was excited to see what former abattoir chef Josh Hopkins would bring to the table…literally.

The restaurant was as hard to find as reported, but once there, I was impressed with the vaulted entryway lined with wine bottles and the space’s minimal industrial design warmed up with dark wood accents.

LC and I chose a table by the windows, flooded with sunlight. I ordered a coffee and he got a Mexican Coke. There were several selections on the menu that intrigued me like the duck hash or ricotta, spinach and mushroom frittata, but I ended up ordering the eggs benedict pizza. LC tried the baked eggs with proscuitto and sausage bolognese and white beans despite my attempts to steer him in a different direction.

Our server brought out two iron skillets, one with LC’s baked eggs and the other was the duck hash with poached farm eggs and arugula, the dish that I had debated about but decided against. She hurried to the kitchen to put in the pizza order. Meanwhile, LC and I sampled the extra dish, full of tender roasted duck and new potatoes. Unfortunately, it lacked flavor. I was glad the eggs benedict pizza was in the oven.

LC was enjoying his dish, but I was perplexed that neither egg dishes was served with bread. Italian food without bread? A thick slice of grilled ciabatta was the missing component. Not a fan of white beans or bolognese sauce, my distaste for his dish wasn’t a surprise.

My brunch pizza was almost large enough to serve two, its authentic thin and crispy crust topped with tiny poached eggs, prosciutto, and arugula simply dressed with olive oil and lots of black pepper. There’s no mention of cheese, but I believe there was a sprinkle. Although I was keeping my fingers crossed for a traditional Hollandaise drizzled on top of my pizza, instead there was an aioli served alongside with the taste and texture of creamed butter. Seems the whole idea of eggs benedict was lost in this Italian translation.

It was only STG’s third Sunday of brunch service, so I expected a few kinks. I look forward to a return visit for dinner, particularly to see the space at night. And to try the roasted quail with figs, spinach and pancetta and one of their signature pizzas.

102 West Paces Ferry 404-844-2879

After an exhausting day of work for both LC and myself, he stopped by my office so we could grab a bite to eat nearby. At the bar (yes, there’s a freakin’ bar at my office!) my colleague TB suggested Hearth Pizza Tavern, making special mention of their amazing roasted Brussels sprouts. Say no more, I love Brussels sprouts!

Hearth sits on the corner of Roswell Road and Hammond, in the shopping center with Whole Foods. I often find restaurants in shopping centers lack character, however, this space exudes warmth, with brick and wood furnishings and light emanating from the open kitchen. We chose two seats at the bar where the service was excellent.

Our impromptu dinner found me without my camera, so I used my phone to take these not-so-awesome photos. The food, however, was awesome. We ordered a couple of Peronis on draught and the Brussels sprouts as a starter. Quartered and roasted until crispy, the sprouts are tossed with pancetta and parmesan, then drizzled with a balsamic port reduction.

He could have opted for a sandwich or wings, but LC went with an individual size pizza despite having had a slice for lunch. It turned out to be an excellent choice. Appropriately called “ring of fire”, the thin and crispy crust was topped with garlic chili oil, chorizo, salami, cherry peppers, caramelized onions, roasted cremini mushrooms, cheeses, and cilantro. Spicy!

I chose the “simply white” pizza topped with olive oil, ricotta-mascarpone, romano, parmesan, garlic and fresh herbs, then added caramelized onions and black olives. It was simply kickass. What’s great about these individual pizzas is that the center doesn’t become soggy and droopy. They are cooked in their 600 degree hearth oven, creating a perfectly charred, crisp crust.

Two individual pizzas, an appetizer, and three beers for about $35. Delicious and affordable. If I lived nearby I’d become a regular.

5992 Roswell Road NE 404-252-5378

When I saw Pizza Hut’s ad on TV for this product, I was appalled. As if their pizza isn’t cheesy and caloric enough, now you can order it with a crust made of cheese filled snacks. Is this concept so complicated that it requires step by step instructions? Check out the dude in the online ad demonstrating how to eat the Cheesy Bites. And what’s left once they are consumed….a crustless pepperoni pizza? Not exactly appetizing.

This product is clearly marketed to kids (or morons), and quite possibly invented by satan (or money hungry product development whores). Either way, I’d advise you to stay away from this nutritional nightmare. No wonder kids in America are fat. Shame on you Pizza Hut….or is it Pizza Gut?

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

A holiday rerun, exactly one year ago….Pizza, and who makes the best, is a subject that elicits a great deal of passion from practically everyone. How can anyone claim to be the best? Some folks like it saucy, others like it dry. My parents like cracker-thin crust while my neighbor prefers hand-tossed. The battle between New York and Chicago styles is legendary, each camp fiercely loyal to their pie.

Antico Pizza Napoletana has received more press, mostly positive, than any other new pizza joint in recent memory. Their artisan pies are STG certified “Verace Artiginale” by the European Commission’s Istituto Mediterraneo di Certificazione.

Owner and pizzaiolo Giovanni Di Palma hails from New Jersey and New York, via his obvious Italian heritage. A visit to his grandparents’ village near Naples inspired him to open Antico in October of 2009, using flour from Molino San Felice made in the village of Cimitile.

Antico means “ancient”, and Di Palma adheres to the methods and traditions of true pizza di Napoli, hand-kneading the dough daily and charring the pizzas in one of three hand-made Acunto ovens, world renowned for their intense 900 degree heat contained by ancient Santa Maria brick and volcanic rock from Mount Vesuvius.

Specific ingredients are required for the pizza to be STG certified, including fresh Mozzarella di Bufala from Campania and San Marzano tomatoes.

LC and I visited Antico last Friday, needless to say with a few preconceived expectations based upon all the hoopla. Housed in a free-standing white brick building, the space is industrial, yet exudes a certain warmth, no doubt from the hot-as-hell ovens, and from the man himself, who brings his passion for pizza to the table every single day.

Still without a liquor license, we picked up a six-pack of Peroni and I toted a chilled bottle of Lambrusco….gotta keep it real! The original main dining area is separated from the kitchen only by the counter where Giovanni and his pizzaioli toss and top the dough. Enough wooden picnic tables are available to seat around 60 people comfortably and there were likely that many there on Friday. Each table has a big roll of brown paper towels and plastic cups. Who needs fancy? We relaxed with our drinks and waited as the speakers belted out Italian opera…..classic.

We tried two pizzas, the first a Margherita, topped simply with Mozzarella di Bufala, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. I had heard Antico’s pizzas were “wet” so I was a bit worried. I’m not a fan of saucy pizzas, and I like the crust extra-crispy.

Giovanni himself brought it out and cut it at our table. It was a big pie, perhaps 18″, so I was impressed that the center was not soggy. However, the ratio of tomato to cheese was certainly heavy on the tomato. In keeping with the casual service, the pizzas are served on metal sheets on brown paper.

Our second pizza was the Capricciosa topped with mushroom, artichoke, prosciutto cotto, and bufala. LC discovered the condiment table with hot pepper flakes, pickled hot red peppers, and parmesan and got us some of each. We both preferred this pie, especially with the addition of more spice! But I found that once I had eaten the central part of a slice, I was left with about 3″ of crust, so I had amassed a pile of “ends”. LC, on the other hand, ate all the crust, causing him to feel “full of dough” later….LOL.

I was on my third slice when Giovanni pulled up a chair at the end of our table, poured himself a glass of my Lambrusco, and started talking about his passion for pizza, commenting “It’s a lot more than great pizza. Look around the room, everyone’s got a smile on their face. Nobody’s texting, they’re enjoying the experience.” So true.

You may have guessed by now, it wasn’t my favorite pizza ever, but I loved the atmosphere. From the music to the frenetic pace of the smiling pizzaioli in the kitchen, Antico feels authentic. Perhaps I would return for the Bianca, or white pizza, with four Italian cheeses. Or maybe I would try of of their calzoni that are so enormous they are cut into individual servings.

But our experience wasn’t over yet….

The biggest culinary revelation of the evening, and perhaps of the year, was the cannolis. Ever since I ate one at a deli in New York, I’ve hated them. I mean loathe them. Quite a bit has been written about Antico’s cannolis so I knew I would have to try one. I thought we’d just take one home to be polite but Giovanni insisted I needed to eat it immediately after he made it.

Di Palma’s cannolis are fresh. He makes the thin, crisp cookie shells and fills them with old fashioned cream that is remarkably light and ethereal. He brought over two huge cannolis, one with chocolate chips and the other flavored with Nutella. I took a bite. Damn! Not even the same species as those tiny, hard, stale things in New York filled with disgusting frosting.

That was my first real cannoli and I can assure you it won’t be my last. The best in Atlanta? Damn straight. But the battle of the pizza pies will surely rage on.

1093 Hemphill Avenue 404-724-2333 (phone orders accepted)

A re-post in honor of AD’s return to Atlanta after her worldly travels! I suspect you’ll see similar eye candy in the coming week….

Me and AD went to Fritti last Friday, on one of Atlanta’s last balmy summer nights. I had not visited in quite some time, not since Ricardo hired the new chef, but I’ve long considered his authentic Neopolitan pies some of the best in town.

AD is well versed in wine, having worked for a distributor for over a year. However, neither of us have developed a distinct palette for Italian wines, so we tried a couple and settled on a bottle of Primitivo Salento, Rosa del Golfo. At a mere $36 it was a tasty bargain.

We tracked down Ricardo at Sotto Sotto. It was nice seeing him in a chef’s coat again….back in his element. By the time we were seated outside we were two hungry chicks! I’ve seen Rachael Ray make arancini and wanted to give them a try as an appetizer. Deep fried risotto and sausage croquettes, arancini are served with warm marinara and took the edge off our hunger.

Usually, I order the pancetta, caramelized onion, and hot pepper pie, but wanted to try something different. We opted for two pizzas, the speck e rucola with smoked prosciutto, smoked mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and arugula and the funghi di bosco with crimini and portobello mushrooms and white truffle oil. I had to add some caramelized onions to the funghi making it absolutely amazing! The sweet onions, truffle oil and mushrooms were a great combination. The other pie was smoky and delicious with fresh arugula on top. I added some hot pepper flakes and our fabulous waitress, who used to work at Beleza, grated some fresh parmesean on top.

I like my pizza crust crispy. Crusty. Charred. After a glass of wine I forgot to order them extra done, so there was some unfortunate sogginess in the center of both. But the flavors were as luscious as ever.

AD thought we would have leftovers but that didn’t happen. Our server asked about dessert and when I expressed my uncertainty on which to choose she said the magic words….chocolate soup. Sotto Sotto serves this most amazing dessert which I have not had the pleasure of slurping in at least three years so the moment the words escaped her lips I was already saying “bring it on!”

We ordered a port and a tawny, both very good, to have with the chocolate soup. Ricardo brought over a taste of tawny from Sotto Sotto and we chatted about a new Spanish tapas joint in Decatur.

Before we know it, a chill will be in the air, the leaves will fall, there will be a shadow where there once was sun. And it’ll be too cold for AD to wear that white dress….see, winter sucks!

309 N. Highland Avenue 404-880-9559