Hot Dish Review

Generally, I travel with a companion. However, meeting AD in Brazil last week, I was flying solo out of Terminal T. In search of an open currency exchange at Hartsfield-Jackson, I ended up at Terminal E (you know, E as in Edward. I think it would be so much better if it was E as in euphemism, but I also think Terminal T should be T as in tsunami).

Anyway, there I was….one chick, flying South. There was indeed a currency exchange on Terminal E, but they were out of Brazilian Reals. Directly across from the exchange was One Flew South, our airport’s new fine dining restaurant. I was supposed to review it for AFD when it opened last year but I had, ironically, flown South to Spain.

I love irony so I was compelled to dine there, taking a seat at the bar where Norm the bartender took care of me. The cocktail list was as creative as any chic spot in Atlanta, old-fashioned and travel oriented drinks. Jets to Brazil? Oh my God, how could I not order it! Made with cachaca, lime, parfait amour, and rhubarb bitters, I expected it to be a bit sweeter, like a caipirinha. But it was strong, a little funky tasting (the bitters perhaps).

One Flew South also has a sushi bar with a selection of rolls, nigiri, sashimi, and sakes to pair with the fish. Perhaps if I was going to Tokyo….

An impressive wine list includes Turley zin and Heitz cab. The space is sleek, modern, and decidedly unairportish.

Like a mind-reader, Norm recommended the very dishes I had my eye on. The theme? Pork. I started with the Benton’s bacon and Sweet Grass Dairy goat cheese salad that featured the herbie cheese spread beneath frisee (my favorite!) dressed with pink peppercorn vinaigrette. Thick, chewy slices of the bacon were divine. Basil poached pears added a sweet note to the salad.

I placed my salad and entree order at the same time, in awe at the speed at which the kitchen expedited orders for their customers, each one a stressed-out traveler with a plane to catch. Thyme roasted pork belly was crispy, fatty, and awesome, lightened up with a black-eyed pea and arugula salad, a smear of parsnip puree, and a touch of blackberry-onion marmalade. Norm suggested an Anchor Steam to follow my cocktail. Smart move.

The whole menu was intrigueing, from the pecan dusted scallops with sweet potato and cranberry hash appetizer (how did I resist that?) to the 1/2 pound Kobe burger with five spice fries. Both not a bargain at $16. The guy next to me didn’t eat his fries. They looked perfect….I almost reached over and grabbed them before they hit the bin, what a waste.

Breast of duck and portabella ravioli is just $22, while my pork belly came in at a reasonable $18.

Naturally, I could not resist the bread pudding. The drinks, and Norm, convinced me I had plenty of time! How about a Brooklyn Chocolate Stout to go with dessert? Yes, please! Alas, I didn’t love it. Made as a loaf, then sliced, I prefer my bread pudding baked with crunchy bits of bread here and there. Some creme fraiche would have helped.

Little did I know what was in store for me in the coming days, or even the coming hours. Find out what happens in the next installment of “Romancing Rio”.

HERE’S A RE-RUN WHILE I’M IN RIO!
Top Flr is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta for many reasons…food, ambiance, price, and service….they shine on all points! Those guys should give lessons on how to run a restaurant. Guests are usually greeted by Darren, one of the owners. Doesn’t hurt that he is English (and hot). The dining room upstairs (top floor) is cozy and they expanded the downstairs space last summer, but I still I prefer to sit at the original bar, although it isn’t quite the same since Adam’s departure. He was one of the original partners and selected the often obscure and wonderful wines on their list. He turned me on to anglianico, a spicy red that I’ve ordered ever since I tasted it.

Diners (and drinkers) are greeted by the smoky aromas of the kitchen….reminds me of a campfire so I especially enjoy eating there in the colder months.

The menu has evolved but several standards remain like the white bean hummus, duck confit pizza, lamb (now pork) skewers, and hangar steak. I can still remember the delicately flavored mussels from my first visit with d. Proteins are mostly a la carte, to be paired with one or two of their terrific sides. Salads are huge and fresh, the pastas are decadent comfort food. The original mac ‘n’ cheese left much to be desired but they have since improved it, and improved it again. It is now one of the best in town, with a creamy bechamel cheese sauce, baked with crispy breadcrumbs on top.

They used to do a duck confit pappardelle, reminiscent of the short rib version at the now-defunct Globe. Duck confit can still be found on a pizza, the current pie topped with pesto, applewood bacon, and grilled portobellos, and some sort of amazing cheese….smoked mozzarella perhaps? An artisan cheese plate is the perfect snack if you are sampling wines at the bar.

Many visits with AG completed my exploration of the Top Flr menu. The boring-sounding-but-surprisingly-not white bean hummus remains one of their most popular appetizers. I’ve had a fabulous scallop dish, a wonderful curry redolent of lemongrass and coconut milk, even the simple chicken delivers a mouthful of juicy, smoky flavor. Having tried practically every dish from appetizers to entrees, I once even ventured to order the tuna tartar flatbread with avocado. I don’t like tuna. I was amazing.

My first dessert there was one of the best things that ever crossed my lips. It was a cold Winter’s evening and me and LC had just stopped in for a nightcap, but my sweet tooth ached for something sinful….the caramelized pear tart with gorgonzola ice cream. Orgasmic.

Friday I introduced Top Flr to my new main squeeze ST. He ordered the salmon (which I admit I did not even try) with the stellar mac ‘n’ cheese (which I scarfed) and I finally had the crispy duck breast. The thick layer of fat left the crisped skin unedible….I wish they had rendered the fat, although the temp and flavor of the meat was perfect. I paired my entree with the sweet potato succhatash with pancetta, roasted peppers, jalapenos, and cream corn. It sounds a bit disjointed and would probably fare better with one less ingredient.

Two glasses of wine later, I craved something even sweeter than ST.
(Remember when Top Flr first opened and they did unusual chocolate truffles with spices and herbs?) Dried mission fig pudding cake (synonymous with bread pudding?) with berry compote….bring it on mama! Kickass.

I could regale you with more tales of Cote du Rhone and the crazy tobacco ice cream they once served, but suffice it to say, I’ve developed a relationship with this place. Is it love? Perhaps. And that just doesn’t happen every day.

674 Myrtle Street, just off Ponce 404-685-3110

After a Valentine’s party at my office, I was a little down. Newly single (again!), I thought a light dinner served by a gorgeous bartender might help take my mind off of ST, so I headed to Abattoir.

Chef Hopkins changes the menu based upon what is available from local farmers, although there are several standards that have stuck, like the chicharrones. I guess pig skins aren’t too hard to come by at a restaurant that breaks down whole pigs on a regular basis!

Upon arrival I took a seat at the bar, happy to see BS was there. Having already started on cab at the party, he poured me a glass of red (was it the malbec?) as I perused the menu. A salad of lacinato kale with duck confit and farm egg vinaigrette caught my eye. BS confirmed it was awesome and recommended the valencay cheese served with a hot mini baguette from Star Provisions. Perfect.

Valencay is a smooth, dense mold-ripened cheese made of raw goat’s milk from the Loire Valley in France. It was paired with Marcona almonds and honeycomb. Sweet accompaniments with cheese are always my favorites.

The baguette reminded me of my bread debate with JR at Dinner Party last week. Although Star Provisions probably makes the best European-style baguettes in Atlanta, they don’t hold a candle to any baguette you can buy in Europe. Even the ones at the airport in Paris have that heavenly texture and flavor that is unmatched in the states.

Kale can be tough but the local lacinato kale Hopkins uses for this salad was tender, its slight bitterness balanced with a hint of sweetness in the dressing. A quartered hard boiled egg, paper-thin slices of radish, shreds of duck confit, and crisped bits of duck skin topped the greens. Just a terrific combination!

Another glass of wine, maybe the Louis Martini cab, and some light conversation was just what I needed! Thanks for lifting my spirits BS.

Valium will be my Valentine as I try to get some sleep on the flight to Brazil, then I’ll be romancing Rio!

This is one of the best salads ever! The original recipe comes from the February 2009 issue of Food & Wine Magazine. I still have it bookmarked, the pages filthy from making the dressing dozens of times, although by now, I’ve committed it to memory, and made a few changes. Here is my version:

BITTER GREENS WITH FIGS AND FOG

1/2 small head radicchio, finely shredded
1 Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise
1 C. baby arugula
1 1/2 oz. cooked organic chicken, cut up
7-10 whole unsalted almonds
1 dried calmyrna fig, chopped
1 oz. Humboldt Fog goat cheese, cubed

DRESSING (this is a double recipe, you’ll want extra!)

3 tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 tblsp. fig vinegar (or raspberry)
3 tblsp. sugar free apricot preserves
1 shallot, very thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
freshly ground pepper and salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the raw almonds on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes, and let cool, then coarsely chop. (I make a big batch to save time, also great served with cheeses).

Let the sliced shallots marinate in the vinegar for 10 minutes. Meanwhile add the oil, rosemary, and thyme to a small saucepan. Heat over moderate heat for 2 minutes until it sizzles. Stir in the apricot preserves and heat until melted, about 1 minute. Add the shallots and vinegar and cook an additional minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the lettuces, warm chicken, figs, and almonds in a large bowl and drizzle the warm dressing, to taste. Top with chunks of the cheese. (Note: the original recipe calls for regular goat cheese, see photo in magazine below)

This recipe makes one huge salad or 2-4 servings as a side, in which case I add more almonds, figs, and cheese but omit the chicken. The sweetness of the preserves and figs are the perfect match to the bitterness of the greens.

I love bread. And so does Jonathan St. Hilaire, owner of Bakeshop with partners Todd Rushing and Bob Amick of Concentrics, his former employers.

Located in midtown next to the Metropolis, this place is a full-on bakery. Nothing divides the kitchen from the dining area except a big wooden shelf of freshly baked breads. Three communal tables, one of them practically in the kitchen, made of thick solid wood are paired with tall aluminum chairs to provide casual, neighborly seating.

The aroma of baking bread always reminds me of Germany. There, we would walk to the bakery down the street to get brotchen for breakfast every few days. They used to deliver it every morning at 6am but those days are gone, folks gotta fend for themselves now.

Bakeshop offers a wide selection of breads like ciabatta, brioche, country sourdough, French baguettes, and several seasonal specialties like the date and walnut maple loaf I took home today.

In addition to the breads, St. Hilaire is a baker of pastries. Having graduated from the French Culinary Institute in New York City, he is well-practiced in the art of pastry. His almond croissants became practically legendary at the market at Parish. At Bakeshop there are chocolate smore tarts, sweets in jars (more on this later), cookies, and whole cakes.

Stints at Spice, Woodfire Grill, and ultimately overseeing all of the baking for Concentrics, his lofty resume belies his humble persona. It seems he just wants a simple bakery, where the quality reins supreme and the customers leave with a smile. The staff at Bakeshop is genuinely interested in you, the customer. Brodie was on hand today to introduce me to their wares and deliver an excellent lunch experience.

Along with the sweets and breads are delectable breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads. I lunched there today and sampled a variety of offerings starting with the soup special of white beans with a slice of sun-dried tomato bread toast, perfect for dipping. The bread provided the saltiness to the sublime soup for the perfect combination. A salad of mixed greens, walnuts, pear, and blue cheese was dressed with a light champagne vinaigrette. Light and not too fussy. A sandwich of prosciutto, arugula, and parmesan on an apple baguette didn’t deliver the sweet note I was hoping for, but was rather over-powered by the salty prosciutto. The best dish by far was the open-faced goat cheese tartine of walnut pesto, avocado, goat cheese, and watercress on a slice of toasted country French bread….absolutely worth a return visit! Creamy, crunchy, unctuous….man, it rocked!

Other savory sandwiches include a grilled cheese with bacon on sourdough, BBQ pork with cabbage slaw on a sweet potato roll, and smoked turkey with blue cheese and red onion on wheat. Fritattas, ham and gruyere croissants, and French toast and more are served for breakfast.

I topped off my lunch with a dessert in a jar. The espresso pot de creme and a large coffee from 1000 Faces, based in Athens, GA. Light yet rich, delicious.

What I had for lunch was nothing compared to what Jonathan packed up for my take-home goodies: the date walnut loaf, ciabatta, French baguette, bacon baguette, and a loaf of country sourdough. Damn! Even I can’t eat that much bread! Plus, an almond croissant, chocolate croissant, pistachio apricot tart, and chocolate graham tart, and a mini ham and goat cheese quiche to go. What a great guy….no surprise that he’s a Pisces!

To be continued…..

Yes, I know. Red Lobster, not what you’d expect from me. Oh well, here’s the deal….we used to go to fancy restaurants in Chattanooga for Christmas Eve, get lobster and steak. It was awesome!

When I was a kid there was a “Red Lobster phase” when we would go there every Friday night. I was about eight or nine. It was their heyday and there was always a long wait in the lobby. My Mom might have a mai tai while we waited….how 1977!

Over the last five or six years Red Lobster has become a Christmas Eve tradition with us, out of simplicity, familiarity, and ease. It is close to my parents’ house near Chattanooga and they really aren’t all about fanciness, so we go to Red Lobster, just like old times.

Even when I was a kid, they would let me get crab legs or lobster if I wanted. Heck, I’m an only child, why not! These days we start off with some salad and try not to eat too many of the addictive garlic cheese biscuits before the seafood arrives. No appetizers, my folks don’t fuck around. They order fish with no butter and sauces on the side. I, on the other hand, have my baked potato with butter and sour cream.

Me and Mom get the Caesar salad, but with raspberry vinaigrette on the side. There’s no iceberg on the Caesar as opposed to the house salad which my Dad unfortunately ordered. Me and Dad drank Miller Lites (the champagne of the trailer park).

This year I had the grilled trio of Maine lobster, a skewer of shrimp, and sea scallops….all perfectly cooked and served over rice pilaf. I substituted a baked potato but it came with both. My Dad had the rock lobster, shrimp scampi, and grilled shrimp.

My Mom ordered a strange combination of seafood jambalaya, shrimp scampi, and bacon wrapped bbq scallops. OK, I’m not sure what she was thinking but jamabalaya is made with andouille sausage. Plus, it was in a cream sauce rather than tomato based (which was a bit odd) but she was expecting a more authentic dish. Of course the bacon on the scallops was not well-done and to top it off, the scallops were served on top of shoestring fried onion rings…..a grease pit! I ate them.

As always, we scarfed the garlic cheese biscuits with our salads and Dad commented on how honey would be delicious on them. Disgusted with this idea, me and Mom make faces and explain why garlic and honey are, well, disgusting together.

After dinner, we go home to open gifts. These days stocking stuffers and cash are the norm, plus culinary treats, care of moi. This year I brought an almond flavored champagne and Babette’s dried cherry tart. Plus, Sweet Grass Dairy’s Thomasville Tomme, Humboldt Fog and Taleggio, and dried figs for snacking for Christmas Day. And a couple of bottles of Lambrusco and a bottle of Shiraz for me.

Red Lobster. What to say? They use enough garlic to ward away vampires for the rest of the year and enough butter to single-handedly add your holiday 5 to the scale. But after 30ish years of experience, they do know how to cook a lobster!

B and I dined at the self-proclaimed whimsical French-influenced bistro Amuse! last night. Owned by Arnaud Michel of Anis and Andy Alibaksh of Apres Diem, their influence is immediately evident in the warm and inviting decor and Alibaksh’s often disjointed menu offerings.

Chef Lenny Robinson, formerly of Anis and The Tasting Room, heads the kitchen. I wanted to meet him, but alas it didn’t happen.

I started with a Cote du Rhone at the bar as I waited for B to arrive. She walked in toting gifts, one being a stuffed reindeer that we later named Randy. We took a corner booth and started catching up on each other’s man dramas….I swear, I live in a soap opera. Our attentive server, David, suggested a bottle of cab, was it Lummis? (yeah, I forgot to take the wine list Monica!) It was lush and leggy.

The kitchen surprised us with a starter (I would say amuse bouche but it was far too large) of sashimi tuna with fava bean puree, chili oil and preserved lemon. Chef clearly does not know me. Tuna bores the shit out of me even at MF Sushi. Although the texture was nice, there was no flavor. B liked it much more than I did.

Their soup of the day was rabbit and white bean stew. Aha! We can never resist a wascaly wabbit! Seriously, if there is rabbit or brussel sprouts on a menu, you can bet me and B will have them. The stew was hearty and flavorful, although heavy on tomato.

Of the starters, the pork belly was recommended (I always say yes to swine!) and roasted cauliflower sounded intriguing. We also ordered the goat cheese fritters and house salad, all to share. A runner brought out fabulous crispy hot rolls with butter. I’m a sucker for a good bread service and I have to give Amuse! an A.

I don’t even like cauliflower but I think Cliff Bostock said it was good. A few whole pieces of cauliflower sat atop a puree. Pecorino candied pistachios? Maybe they were crushed and sprinkled on top. There was definitely great flavor in this dish but both B and I were perplexed that it was served cold.

The house salad sounded amazing with wood roasted apple, peanuts, 40’s blue and crispy onions. Just as David brought out the two plates (the kitchen split most dishes for us) my phone rang. It was ST. I had to go outside to escape the lovely jazz ensemble by the bar so I could hear his defeated words. Cold, semi-inebriated, and ultimately sad as hell….at least I looked good in my new sweater dress!

Still on the phone, my good friend and amazing Argentinian artist MS arrived with his man S. Quelle surprise! They joined us (see, that big corner booth came in handy!) and we proceeded to regale them with our man dramas. S ordered the house salad and MS got the moules en biere beligique (sans frites). There is the “French influence” on the menu.

I really loved the salad but the apples did not appear to be roasted and the peanuts were missing altogether. S said the dishes here were rather inconsistent, but I must also say the kitchen is still young, the restaurant having only been open a little over a month. Crispy onions on anything make me happy.

Crisp pork belly was served over a slaw of napa cabbage, apple, avocado and yuzu. OK folks, where was the avocado? The pork belly was sufficiently piggy and paired well with the slaw. I dare say there was some mint in the slaw. I hate mint.

When we first arrived I mentioned to our server that I must try the “mac & cheese” (that is how it is printed on the menu). B and I split the lobster tagliatelle entree, described as flavored with oregano, chile, bottarga di mugine, and chive flowers. No mention of tomato. The chunks of lobster were perfectly cooked, yet the sauce was predominantly tomato. I have a weird distaste for tomato with any type of seafood. However, the oregano and chile boosted the flavor. Chive flowers and bottarga di mugine? What the fuck. We never got the “mac & cheese”. We never got the goat cheese fritters either. And dammit, we didn’t even order the brussel sprouts!

But we did, of course, order two desserts. The apple tart with cinnamon ice cream and the butterscotch creme brulee. Another example of something that I expected to be served warm, the apple tart was cold and disappointing. The creme brulee was creme brulee.

We overstayed our welcome by about an hour. Do they close at 10? I guess we were amused!

560 Dutch Valley Road 404-888-1890

It has been a while since I’ve dined at Serpas, so I was thrilled to get a chance to go with AD, on her last night in Atlanta, accompanied by her injured dude NC.

The restaurant was packed at 8:45 on a Friday night. Modern industrial chic describes the space, with a huge mural of cotton on one wall, exposed brick on another, all cozied up with soft lighting. Chef Serpas can be seen expediting orders and chatting with customers in a non-frenzied manner.

Tuna is not my thing. However, AD loves it. Contrary to all logic, I love it at Serpas too, having tried it at the media dinner. Diced ahi, green apple, and onion are dressed with a chile sesame dressing, the perfect marriage of sweet and spicy, served with huge homemade potato chips, and a big serving of gratuitous cleavage.

A bottle of cava was well-priced so we started off with a sparkling toast to AD’s upcoming worldwide travel adventure. I will be meeting her, perhaps in Chile, so we decided to follow up the cava with a bottle of pinot noir from Cono Sur.

We also agreed on the crispy duck rolls. I’ve had them on every visit and always love them, filled with rich and flavorful pulled duck, each piece resting in a sweet and spicy chili syrup. I wish we could have had the eggplant hushpuppies and Scott’s signature oysters too, but I had to save room for the house salad and entrees, who’s descriptions define comfort food.

Chef Serpas has a knack for sauces and dressings. The Serpas house salad is a perfect example, just simple fresh field greens, candied pecans, and goat cheese, dressed with a blistered grape vinaigrette….a little sweet, a little tangy, just plain awesome!

Although chef Serpas is from Louisiana, he includes a few Asian inspired dishes, like the duck spring rolls, that are extremely successful. I’ve had the jumbo sea scallops served with bok choy on a perfectly executed panang curry.

On this visit the three of us decided to split two entrees. The duck breast, stuffed with Andouille sausage was served with an “open faced vegetable relleno”. I’m still confused about that, but I can tell you it was made with Brussels sprout leaves, chilis, mushrooms, and raisins. All sat upon a slightly sweet and savory sauce that complimented the crispy skinned duck and vegetables.

The short ribs with pappardelle reminded me and AD of the amazing dish we used to get at The Globe (R.I.P), but its presentation was entirely different. The beef was not pulled but served as a chunk atop the large paste squares with a scrumptious sauce with roasted shallots, asparagus, and sunchokes. The meat was so tender it easily fell apart as we dug in with forks, making “yum” sounds as we cleaned both plates.

Bread pudding you say? Hell yeah! I like mine not drenched in sugary sauce so I requested the bourbon cream sauce on the side. Not too sweet….just right!

I just love Serpas. Scott Serpas is a genuinely nice guy and, in my opinion, ranks among the top five chefs in Atlanta (possibly even the best?). There’s no pretense with the food, the chef, or the location. Perhaps it’s his play on sweet and spice that I love so much. Or his masterful sauces and dressings. It certainly lives up to his “True Food” name.

659 Auburn Avenue at Studioplex 404-688-0040

Serving up love in the Old 4th Ward! The restaurant is hard to find, in what is still a relatively sketchy neighborhood, but I always leave happy that I came.

Each of my visits have been solo for lunch. It was probably Cliff Bostock’s rave reviews that peaked my interest in visiting a vegetarian restaurant because I am certainly a carnivore. But it sounded as though the chef/owner David Sweeney was a daring entrepreneur who’s reinterpretation of vegetarian dishes was vibrant and creative.

His dishes are made with meticulous precision. You will never find limp greens in your salad or less than perfectly ripe pears, apples, or flavorless tomatoes….locally sourced, impecably prepared. The prices reflect this diligence, but as is so often the case, you get what you pay for.

Last Friday found me in the neighborhood so I stopped in. I particularly love the space on a sunny day given the entire front is windows. It feels so fresh, clean, healthy. Every table was occupied by two diners but it is commonplace to share here, so I sat with a couple of guys that said ‘fuck’ even more often than I do (if that’s possible).

Never knowing what will be on the menu I was thrilled to see Sweeney using every Fall ingredient I love, making my decision a difficult one. I could not pass up the sweet potato soup with chestnut, coconut, and cinnamon raisin croutons. Brought out by my favorite server (Stephen?) with a piece of fresh bread from Magnolia Bakery, unfortunately with caraway seeds, but I still nibbled on it anyway. I was hoping the soup would have a bit more sweetness, especially with the addition of coconut, but it was the cinnamon raisin croutons that really made it for me.

Along with the soup I had half a salad of radicchio, frisee, escarole, Gala apple, sunflower seeds, spring onion, and feta. In hind sight I would have just had a whole salad, it was fabulous! Different than other salads I’ve had at Dynamic, this one was almost a chopped salad, every component perfectly intregrated and balanced.

My first meal here was a salad of arugula, pear, and candied pecans topped with a mini round of warm Bucheron. That was probably over a year ago and I still remember it! Damn, it was good. I really need to get my ass over there for pizza night on Saturdays….I hear reservations are necessary, keep in mind the space is quite small.

Due to the seasonality of the menu, it changes daily to include what’s at market. Sweeney’s background in catering healthy meals in Germany translates here into a concise blackboard menu of a salad (sometimes two), a sandwich, a bowl or plate of vegetables, a soup, whatever works best with the ingredients at hand. There are some sweets like dark chocolate, almond stuffed dates for a dollar and a small selection of organic cookies, some wheat-free options, coffees, and teas.

So go……you’ll feel good inside and out!

427 Edgewood Avenue Closed Sundays & Mondays 404-688-4344 www.dynamicdish.net