Hot Dish Review

On a recent Friday I chatted with Hector Santiago at his sandwich shop, Super Pan Latino before devouring a decadent pork bun. Less than a week later I found myself at Pura Vida with LC for a late dinner. Santiago was in the kitchen, expediting orders.

Pura Vida is one of my longtime favorites. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, the food is flavorful and interesting, and their sangria is consistently the best in Atlanta. It is the perfect place for a birthday party or an intimate date.

Santiago can go for long periods with no menu changes, then Bam! Suddenly, all your regular dishes are gone, replaced with seemingly experimental plates with foams and “caviar”. This used to be really disappointing when I would go expecting the duck maduros and it would be gone.

These days I’ve come to expect the changes, even welcome them. This was LC’s first visit, my 50th, so I was at a distinct advantage. We started with two glasses of sangria, one red and one white, each full of rum-soaked fruit.

Some old familiar dishes remained like the hanger steak pinchos, tender smoky grilled skewers of beef covered with an herbaciously green chimichurri. Always a good choice.

I chose a new veggie dish called “fall over chayote” to pair with the steak. It reminded me of Hugh Acheson’s “super-food” at Empire State South, a crazy hodge-podge of individual components that, when put together, are still a crazy hodge-podge. The description should have clued me in….chayote squash, enoki, smoked tofu, calabaza puree, wok seared jalapenos, pepita oil and umeboshi sauce. That last ingredient explains the saltiness we encountered in some bites. Umeboshi is made from pickled Japanese plums….an odd addition on a Latin menu.

Moving on, we tried the mofongo con “carne frita”, pork carnitas served over mashed green bananas with pork cracklings. I’ve ordered this dish several times, however, this time Hector added a pork jus espuma. That is the foamy stuff in the photo. I don’t know if it added anything to the dish, but remembering too late that it was usually somewhat bland, I asked for his fiery hot habanero sauce, a clear liquid in a squeeze bottle that makes everything better.

Hector used to do a great dish with goat. There is a new incarnation of it on this menu, slow cooked with plantain dumplings, curry sauteed cabbage and calaloo greens. I would have ordered it instead of the pork had I not had goat the night before…..how often can one say that!

My love of avocados prompted me to try the aguacate criollo, described as avocado, lime “caviar”, piquillo agridulce jelly, chorizo chips, cilantro and avocado oil. Chunks of avocado were topped with bits of lime pulp (the “caviar”), and crispy slivers of chorizo. Little cubes of sweet and sour “agridulce” jelly added another odd component to an already unusual looking plate. The end result was like deconstructed guacamole and it’s pretty hard to complain about that.

We ordered another small plate, the tamales nejos, but sadly I didn’t remember it until I looked at the photos the next day. Like mole, I continue to order tamales, believing that someday I will discover what other’s love so much about these dishes. Santiago’s tamales had a good texture, with robust flavor from the fresh masa and charred scallions which paired nicely with the black beans alongside. If you like tamales, you will probably enjoy these. If you are like me, they won’t knock your socks off.

More sangria and, of course, dessert. Two, actually….a sinful chocolate and ancho chili flan brulee’ that lacked much chili kick and a baby banana ice cream sandwich made with chipotle chocolate chip cookies that LC really liked. I vaguely remember eating it despite my mild dislike for banana. My memory is a bit foggy on the specifics….I’m gonna have to blame that on the sangria!

656 N. Highland Avenue 404-870-9797

Often named among the best Indian restaurants in Atlanta, Bhojanic has been on my list of places to try for years. I finally had an opportunity to dine there with B. It was her first restaurant review so we were prepared to sample a bit of everything.

The space was warm and inviting with burgundy crushed velvet curtains and soft lighting.

We started with a glass of malbec and an order of naan with raita and chutneys, plus two dishes from the tapas menu, Bhojanic shrimp and eggplant makki ki roti.

Despite my disdain for cucumber, I really like raita. B and I tore off pieces of the naan and dipped it in the cool yogurt sauce. The jumbo shrimp sauteed in a tomato and onion masala were tasty but we were hoping it would be spicier. Likewise, the eggplant dip was somewhat bland, but I loved the traditional Indian flat cornbread that was served with it for dipping.

Chat is described on the menu as a popular Indian street food, consisting of crispy chips or noodles combined with savory toppings and chutneys. It sounded really weird so we had to try it. We chose the chat papri made with crispy flour chips, potato, garbanzo beans, yogurt and mint chutney. I hate mint and requested the chutney on the side. However, as is often the case with Indian food, mint and cilantro are interchangeable, so there was a chance I would, in fact, love it.

The chat arrived, just as weird as we thought. A hodge-podge of crispy chips, cold yogurt, garbanzos…..it was like nachos gone horribly wrong. Turns out I was right about the mint chutney, though. It tasted more like cilantro, loved it!

There is no vindaloo on the menu at Bhojanic. Our server explained the cooking is from a region where the food is not so spicy. So our repeated requests for hot and spicy were met with tepid results.

Not enthralled by the chat, we had saved sufficient room for a thali, a cafeteria style metal tray, each compartment with a different veggie or meat dish. B and I couldn’t decide so we ended up getting two thalis, each with one meat and two veggies.

Each thali comes with rice, chapati (whole wheat flat bread), papadam (crispy lentil cracker), salad, and raita. For our meats we chose the goat curry and the chicken tikka masala. Among the four veggie selections was saag paneer, creamed spinach with cubes of Indian cheese. I often buy the same dish as a frozen entree called palaak paneer by Ethnic Gourmet. It’s delicious. B wanted to try the black lentils called daal makhini and the potatoes and cauliflower, alu gobhi. Our final vegetable was the bhindi masala, sauteed okra with caramelized onions.

We finally got our wish! The goat was pretty spicy, in a yogurt based curry sauce. Unfortunately, goat is always more bones than meat. Another Indian entree I purchase in the health food department at Kroger is Ethnic Gourmet’s chicken tikka masala, boneless tandoori chicken in a tomato cream sauce. Bhojanic’s version was very similar, and therefore very tasty. A couple of beers cooled off our palates.

Of the vegetable sides on our thalis I liked the saag paneer and the okra best, although I don’t remember any caramelized onions with the okra. Both B and I were running out of room, filling up on chapati and chutneys, but ordered one dessert anyway.

We opted for a traditional Indian dessert called rus malai, two small cheese dumplings in a saffron cream sauce. Yes, it was weird. The saffron flavor was nice but the spongey, cheeselike texture was unpleasant.

There aren’t too many things B and I haven’t tried so our intention was to venture out of our comfort zones a bit. Mint chutney, chat, cheese dumplings for dessert….I’d say mission accomplished!

1363 Clairmont Road, Decatur 404-633-9233

It’s been a while since I attended one of these food and wine free-for-alls. Last Thursday night was the fifth annual (and my first) Aqua Vino at the Georgia Aquarium which, as far as I could tell, was to benefit the Georgia Aquarium. LC and his family were all in attendance.

Held in the Oceans Ballroom and surrounding galleries, attendees dressed in semi-formal attire were surrounded by enormous fish tanks as they tasted tiny dishes and tried wines from domestic and international wineries and distributors.

Seems the idea is to race around and eat a sample of every mini dish offered while swilling as many wines from as many vendors as possible. It can be rather disconcerting to hear the comments from the uncultured masses as they ponder why they are being served such miniscule amounts of wine or why there is a bucket of “excess wine” on each table. Excess wine? Hell, that’s not possible!

Not everyone can be lumped into the aforementioned category, however. This event draws its share of wine snobs, foodies, and industry folks that come to schmooze. As for me, I kinda like grazing. It’s the same concept as tapas, where diners can try a variety of tastes without commiting to one big entree, just on a much more outlandish scale.

Many local restaurants participate and it must rather redundant after a while with as many as a dozen of these “tasting” events held each year, particularly in the Fall.

One restaurant with a table at Aqua Vino was Livingston. Having taken over the kitchen from Gary Mennie, his former sous chef Zeb Stevenson was dishing up a savory spoonful of lamb topped with a salad of dried fruits and pistachios, instantly calling to mind the Moroccan spiced duck that was my favorite dish at the now defunct Globe. It was served with a spicy yogurt sauce and a similar pairing of dried fruits and pistachios.

Just as I was chewing a big chunk of tender, spicy and truly delicious beef from Eclipse di Luna, Zeb spotted me, ran around to the front of his station and gave me a big hug. Ahhh….I miss hanging out at the bar at Livingston with B and Zeb. We’re gonna have to do that real soon!

Another favorite bite was the simple duck confit, goat cheese mousse, and honeyed figs on lavosh presented by Peasant Bistro. Their menu features a few dishes that spark my interest like the pork chop with corn bread pudding, the duck breast with chocolate balsamic jus and blackberry gastrique, and the parsnip and carrot ravioli appetizer…..yum!

Many restaurants served tiny versions of their signature dishes like Dogwood’s grits with various toppings or the mini desserts from Seasons 52 (actual size!), while others such as New York Prime showcased their macaroni and cheese and a chocolate dessert rather than steak….guess that would have been a costly tidbit.

Conclusion? You can dress a pig in finery and feed it truffles and champagne but at the end of the day, it’s gonna go back to it’s regular trough….LOL.

Next weekend is Taste of Atlanta, where they charge extra for additional “taste tickets” so festival goers pay for their gluttony with more than mere heartburn and weight gain. See you all there!

Ladies! Save the big bucks for Botox! Atlanta offers a variety of fun and inexpensive activities, here are a few of my favorites coming up:

Foodies & Fashionistas on Wednesday August 25th at Market at the W Hotel in Buckhead features some of Atlanta’s best boutiques showcasing the hottest Fall fashion trends while guests nibble on tasty morsels provided by Market. RSVP at rsvp@thereynoldsgroupinc.com by August 24th to receive a complimentary bellini when you arrive!

Piola in Midtown offers an on-going “apertivo” at their bar Monday through Friday from 6-9, with delicious Italian appetizers to get your evening off to a great (and free!) start. On Wednesdays only, starting at 7pm, ladies receive a bottomless glass of house red or white wine or sangria included in the purchase price of an entree or pizza.

Bluepointe’s Tuesday martini specials are practically an Atlanta tradition, but now they have stepped it up a notch with their new Half-Price Happy Hour Monday through Friday 4:30-7:30. Enjoy half-price appetizers and select wines and specialty cocktails for only $5.

If you can’t wait until next week, jump in your car right now and head over to Fontaine’s in the Virginia Highlands for half-price oysters, crab legs, and shrimp until 7pm tonight (Friday August 20th).

Back to work Monday got you stressed out? Grab a friend and go to Noche for all-u-can-eat tapas, only $10 and chill out with their dangerously inexpensive margaritas for just $3 each. Then call in sick on Tuesday!

Talk about memories. Pura Vida is one of those restaurants that has stood the test of time for me. The scene of many dates, meeting of friends, and countless pitchers of sangria. It was where me and AD used to hang out with a pack of cigarettes back in the day when you could still smoke in public.

Chef and owner Hector Santiago was one of three Atlanta chefs competing on last season’s Top Chef, and although he went home relatively early, it surely garnered him and the restaurant some appreciated publicity.

The menu has undergone many changes over the years. Originally, Puerto Rican tapas dominated, now it is an amalgam of Latin flavors. Some dishes, like the garlicky mushrooms, the malanga root chips, and the chicken empanadas, are mainstays. The hanger steak pinchos is another, although Santiago has revised the presentation. I always order it and it was among the few tapas ST and I shared for a late night dinner Saturday. Chunks of tender steak are skewered and grilled, then drizzled with a punchy cilantro chimichurri.

Another staple is the sangria. Pura Vida serves both white and red, the best in town! The white sangria is full of fruits like pear, grapefruit, and apple while the red has grapes, orange, and apple, all liquor soaked. I always request lots of fruit and eat it out of my glass with a spoon. Our server, Nathan (or was it Andrew?) was efficient and cute.

Since it was ST’s first visit to Pura Vida and, like, my 50th, I wanted him to try some of my favorites. It had been a while since I had the coctel de camerones. The updated version is called diablo shrimp coctel….same basic ingredients of butternut squash, a creamy sauce and a hot sauce. Still awesome.

My all-time favorite dish is the duck maduros, plantains layered with duck meat. Santiago took it off the menu for quite some time, much to my dismay. Then it was back. Now it has evolved into the duck confit with caramelized plantains. OK, can’t complain! It is basically the same flavor as the duck maduros, a lusty combination of gamey duck and sweet plantains.

For a while, chef explored Latino variations on foie gras, creative, expensive, pretty damn good. These days he is back to basics. the little pork and ham sandwiches called mi media noche (midnight snack) and the burrito are prime examples. A few years ago he began offering goat, slow cooked in coconut milk with green banana mash. It is delicious, although the mash could use more flavor.

The atmosphere is festive. I usually enjoy sitting at the bar but it was late so ST and I snuggled in a booth which usually require a reservation, or at least a wait. Thanks Pura Vida for yet another great memory.

656 N. Highland Ave. 404-870-9797 www.puravidatapas.com