Hot Dish Review

I’m a Southern girl. Sorta. My Mom is German, my Dad is American and I grew up in a small town in Tennessee.

Although my Dad’s family was poor, they ate remarkably healthy. They grew what they ate….green beans, corn, squash, tomatoes, everything. The chickens that ran around the coop could easily end up on the dinner table, having already provided their eggs for breakfast.

Fast forward to my childhood. My Mom was a health nut, always looking for ways to modify Southern favorites. She substituted low-sodium chicken broth for regular in my Grandma’s cornbread dressing. Later, she started using Egg-Beaters instead of whole eggs. Just suble changes, the same great flavor, better nutrition. We ate from the garden in the Spring and Summer, canned green beans for the Winter. I loved okra, poke salad, fried green tomatoes, and sweet taters….and still do!

So what most folks consider Southern cooking is somewhat unfamiliar to me (by most folks I mean yankees). There were no grits or casseroles in my house, no fried chicken or macaroni and cheese.

What I’m getting at is I don’t like typical Southern food….the artery-clogging butter-laden Paula Deen fare. I tend to avoid any restaurant that is even remotely Southern. However, ST had a nice gift card for Dogwood. I had been wanting to go since they opened, having perused the menu, despite its Southernish pedigree.

The space is beautiful with big photos of Dogwood blossoms, white tablecloths, and soft, romantic lighting. I started with a glass of the peppery Hullabaloo zin and ST got a Negra Modelo.

Their specialty is the grits bar. Not a bar at all, but rather specifically Red Mule yellow stone ground grits from Athen, GA topped with one of three toppings: Brunswick stew, pimento cheese and Benton’s fried ham, or braised mushrooms and shaved parmesan. ST likes grits and I felt compelled to try them so we got the Brunswick stew topped bowl. Super creamy, they seemed to have some cheese in them. I could eat a ton of this stuff!

Another Southern thing I don’t like is biscuits. Dogwood’s bread service was reminiscent of biscuits….kudos for creatively making that connection without serving actual biscuits. The crust was crunchy and it was hot out of the oven, admittedly pretty good, although it would have been better with unsalted butter.

We split the grilled baby romaine salad with smoked bacon, blue cheese, Fuji apples, dressed with a creamy red wine vinaigrette. It was awesome, probably my favorite dish of the evening.

My starter of roasted Georgia quail with cornbread-andouille stuffing with country ham butter and mushrooms was really good. The skin was somewhat crisp, a solid flavorful dish.
ST ordered the crispy gulf oysters with caramelized fennel-onion jam, and fried shiitakes. I’m not a big fan of oysters but tried one of the four. I was a big fan of the sweet caramelized onions.

For our entrees ST ordered the Painted Hills NY strip, medium, served with duck fat potatoes and I had the (no surprise here) local honey glazed Ashley Farms duck breast with sweet potato and poached pears.

His steak was huge and delicious. The leftover meat became steak and eggs for breakfast. My duck was the best I’ve had in a long while and as you all know, I eat a lot of duck. Cooked medium, the skin was crisped, the thick slices displayed atop pureed sweet potatoes and poached pears. The best part, however, was the surprise of a bit of honeycomb. Fucking awesome!

Our dessert was a modern take on s’mores…..chocolate creme brulee with a dollop of torched marshmallow, and a graham cracker biscotti. I didn’t taste much graham flavor in the biscotti, it would have been better with just plain ol’ graham crackers like the ones Grandma used to keep in her cupboard.

Ingredients like Georgia mountain trout, pecans, hominy, pimento cheese, peanuts, and grits sound Southern but don’t let the menu fool you. This is upscale dining. My Grandma never made blood orange fumet or sauternes sabayon.

If Atlanta restaurants keep blowing me away with modern comfort food (like Miller Union) and kickass “Southern” fare, I may just consider myself converted.

565 Peachtree Street 404-835-1410

My birthday dinner at Woodfire Grill was Thursday night, rescheduled from last week since B was out of town. Sexy Argentinian artist MS and his partner S joined us.

(Sensitive readers beware, this post will be full of cursewords and italics!)

This was my first visit to the restaurant since the interior re-do. We didn’t like it. A place called Woodfire Grill should be warm and cozy.

Our evening got off to a frenetic start as B and I were running late to our already late reservation. Who cares, I looked fabulous in my outfit, entirely from Target! Earrings, necklace, scarf, and dress (OK, it was Anna Sui for Target).

It was my birthday dinner and I wanted a drink! Our server greeted us and explained the menu options available….3 course, 5 course, chef’s choice, vegetarian, pescitarian, with or without wine pairings, or a la carte. TMI. S was allergic to him. He recommended a half bottle of Veuve then ran off. When he finally returned we ordered the champagne to toast my birthday.

Did I mention it was my birthday? Yes, I am the bitch that made a special request for my birthday. I wanted foie gras, damn it! They often have it on the menu at Woodfire, just never when I’m there, so it wasn’t an insane request. It wasn’t like I was asking for filet mignon at McDonald’s.

Also, I was excited to meet Kevin Gillespie. His performance on last season’s Top Chef won him many fans and (I believe) saved the restaurant’s life. I had confirmed with the staff that he would be there, although I knew he was possibly flying out for a special event. He was not there.

But B did confirm they would have foie gras! Fabulous. I didn’t think it was necessary to explain that it should have a sweet accompaniment, like fig and pear compote. Or mascerated berries. Or candied kumquats. Everyone knows that. Everyone! Unfortunately, it was served simply on top of the standard (and might I say inexplicable) grease soaked toast. I’ve never understood why a rich meat like foie gras would be served with greasy toast but it happens more often than not. I would have loved some watercress or frissee, maybe a drizzle of balsamic reduction and a sweet component. I usually toss aside the toast but had nothing else to eat with the foie gras this time (the flavorless smudge of something on the plate was dried so it doesn’t count). On the bright side, it was seared perfectly (although MS prefers his cool in the center).

Quail or duck? I asked our server which had the cripier skin. Neither, they were skinless. What the f*ck, why skin a d*ck? Or grill a quail without skin? Maybe he was trying to deter me from ordering either as it was late and they could have just run out. He recommended the sturgeon to B rather than the quail. I ordered the pork tenderloin. The menu description said it came with roasted root vegetables, Coca-Cola glazed country ham, and sweet potato sauce. This was all true, but the veggies and ham were microscopic. Why mention a dish is served with something if one has to search for it on the plate? The meat was dry dry dry.

B liked her fish. I tried it. No complaints. MS ordered the Maine peekytoe crab salad appetizer as his main. S had it as a starter and it too was microscopic. Big plate, small food. S ordered the black trumpet mushroom risotto as his second course, a really tasty dish. His beef strip loin, however, was the best dish of the trio of entrees at our table. Again, I didn’t see anything on the plate except the meat.

Thankfully, B ordered the brussels sprouts as a side. Roasted with sweet herbs and tossed with a smoked onion vinaigrette. They were amazing! The best in town.

B and I followed our champagne with a glass of red. The boys were having margaritas. We talked about art, we talked about Rio. MS entertained us with his riveting tale of working out on the beach at Ipanema, stumbling upon a tarp that concealed a dead body!

Ah, mortality. Birthday cake. Or, rather, birthday chocolate bread pudding. It should have been orgasmic, like the pork and the foie gras should have been, but again, just didn’t wow me. The best part was the chocolate chip cherry ice cream on top, the scoop no bigger than a walnut. I blew out my candle and made a wish (for more f*cking ice cream!)

I know Kevin Gillespie is kickass. So why am I always disappointed with Woodfire Grill?

1782 Cheshire Bridge Road 404-347-9055

At the close of the Winter Olympics in Canada, what could be more appropriate than dining at Saskatoon, a new restaurant specializing in wild game from the Northwest.

I sorta expected the staff to say “ay?” at the end of every question…”having wild boar tonight, ay?” LG and I arrived hungry for some meat! I was ready to try wild game that is not as common here in the States, like elk and venison (yes honey, that’s Bambi).

Mountain lodge decor complete with antler chandeliers creates a rustic and warm ambiance. We ordered a bottle of full and spicy 2005 Campo Viejo Reserva Rioja to start. Most of their wines come in around $30….very reasonable. Hot bread with three flavored butters eventually arrived.

The original Saskatoon has been open in Greenville, SC for 13 years, and although the founder is Edmund Woo, the owner of this spin-off is Yash Patel. A few Asian influences remain on the meat-centric menu like the buffalo lettuce wraps that LG and I sampled. A selection of julienned veggies like red pepper, cucumber, onion, scallions, and tomato accomany the strips of buffalo, cooked medium, served with two Asian dipping sauces. Not bad.

But I preferred the other starter…..wild boar sausage flatbread. Basically a mini pizza, the flatbread was topped with portabellas and parmesan. I couldn’t tell the sausage was made with boar, but I did like the flavor.

Our server, Dan, was very helpful and brought out a taste of the ostrich. I think it was good, but too much BBQ-ish sauce masked the flavor of the meat. Executive chef Kevin Backus came out to chat and offered to create a mixed grill entree for me so I could taste a variety of game….I wanted something wild! I chose the trio of quail, elk, and kangaroo while LG stuck with the plate as it was offered….duck, quail, and lamb. Venison, rather than quail, was on my plate atop a mound of skin-on mashed potatoes. Then a separate plate with the little bird arrived. I wish the skin had been crispier.

LG and I said a prayer for the animals that died for our extravagant meal as we savored each bite. My favorite was the kangaroo (probably because of the marinade), although it was almost well-done it was very tender. Requested medium-rare, my venison was quite rare which made it chewy. Seems as though the sauces and marinades conceal rather than enhance the meats’ flavor. The menu says the steaks and meats are grilled over a live hickory fire. Really? I just didn’t get that grilled frontier flavor that I craved.

Saskatoon also offers ribeyes, filet mignon, pork tenderloin, and a variety of fish for diners with tamer tastebuds.

The couple at the table next to us were raving about their dessert. It was the creme brulee napoleon. Creme brulee layered with phyllo dough, caramel sauce, and pecans. What made it amazing was the slightly burnt flavor of the phyllo squares, crisped in the oven just before assembly. Staff wine specialist Stephen Pouleris suggested a Hungarian dessert wine called Royal Tokaji with dessert, like a glass of liquid raisins.

360 Pharr Road 404-891-1911

Saturday night B and I dined at Abattoir. I was interested to hear what chef and partner Josh Hopkins thought of my interview with him and the article on the restaurant that just came out in the current Atlanta’s Finest Dining. And of course, we were craving some freshly butchered meat. (Abattoir means slaughterhouse in French, by the way.)

Waiting for B at the bar, I ordered my usual Karl Erbes riesling poured by the gorgeous bartender with the mesmerizing eyes. We decided to make ourselves at home there rather than at a table, as we often prefer. It’s just more interactive! I had a chance to meet Rick, the restaurant’s manager, who was a gracious host.

The space is like a modern barn, with rough unpolished wood, light gray banquettes, and high ceilings. Lighting is warm and cozy and makes everyone look gorgeous.

I think it’s worth mentioning that, unlike many food writers, I don’t see the problem in writing a review based on one visit, even if it’s a media dinner. Good is good. And bad is, well, not so good. My opinion and impressions generally remain consistent if I visit once or ten times. And really, it’s just not that serious folks.

So, on this, my second visit to Abattoir, I was excited to try something new. I had eaten my way through half the menu at the media dinner a couple of months ago, loving the rabbit rillette, the chicharrones, and the lamb liver fritters. I started with a salad of roasted figs, gorgonzola, and bacon, the heady flavors tempered by fresh greens. Divine.

Our bartender, now our server, delivered a lovely crisp baguette with butter as I switched to a glass of the smooth cab B was drinking. She chose a couple of cheeses, one of which was my standby, the Humboldt Fog, served with Marcona almonds. Cheese service at all of Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison’s restaurants is always stellar.

One of my colleagues said the quail was awesome so that’s what I ordered. Stuffed with sausage and served with a succotash of cabbage and bacon, it was true comfort food. B chose the slow cooked rabbit (I referred to it as a wascal-y wabbit) as her main, with stewed okra and tomatoes. As we noshed on bread, cheese and wine B struck up a conversation with J, a fellow diner at the bar. We ended up sampling his lamb which he described as rich and somewhat gamey. No problem, we like gamey. My horoscope said I would meet some interesting people tonight.

There was bacon in my salad, bacon in my entree, so why not bacon in the dessert? Abattoir’s maple bacon beignets are already nearly famous. Doughnuts drizzled with syrup, they are as good as they look.

The restaurant was busy throughout the evening but as the crowds waned, chef Hopkins came out to say hello….how nice!

Despite being known for offal, none was ingested on this visit.