Tonight marks the inaugural dinner of the BATON supper series. The brainchildren behind the operation are these lovely folks: Moses Archuleta and Bryson Tedford.

If you recognize Moses that’s because he happens to be a member of Pitchfork darling, Deerhunter.

BATON is a little different than other supper clubs. They want to act as kind of an exchange program for chefs around the country so that others can see what Atlanta has going on and also bring a little something special to our plates. They’ll take place on the last Monday and Tuesday of every month at Gato Bizco in Candler Park. Tonight’s dinner was cooked by the couple behind M. Wells – Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis- and a handful of awesome staff. If you aren’t familiar with M. Wells, it was a short-lived Québeco-American diner in Long Island City that wowed New York food lovers with its creative cuisine. Tonight, Atlanta got a taste. The theme was black pepper.

The menu.

The price point was right. The atmosphere felt very not Atlanta in a very cool way. And the food was pitch perfect Fall comfort food that tasted like it was cooked by your imaginary French Canadian grandmother. This is the rundown of what we had:

An amuse of apples with blue cheese, black pepper and sprouts.

Blue pointe oysters, coffee sabayon.

Georgia-Québec stew, oxtail, country ham, fresh corn.

Beef tongue pie, vegetable stew, tarragon, puff pastry.

Fall vegetables, shrimp butter, roots.


Liver and onions, sunchokes a la Cheryl, vermouth.

Banana cream pie.

Pudding Chômeur (I cannot describe how amazing this was).

Verdict: Tomorrow is the last night M. Wells is cooking here and while reservations are preferred, there were a lot (too many, actually) seats available tonight. You could probably still snag a seat tonight if you wanted. Not sure what time they close. Do your mouth a favor and go. No word on who is cooking at the next one, but you can sign up on BATON’s website.

Hamburgers and pizza have taken over our fair city during the past couple of years, and yet another all-American childhood food fave is just raring for its time in the sun: hot dogs. Yep. Good ol’ wieners. The centerpiece of gluttonous Fourth of July eating contests, the ultimate old-school street food and arguably one of the more perfect portable meals ever created by man. I refuse to believe that Atlantans don’t recognize the beauty of a well-made hot dog, but good ones are strangely hard to find.

Located on what feels like a former industrial stretch of road five minutes from the Windy Hill exit in Marietta is Wienerz Butcher Shop and Deli (1592 Atlanta Road, 770-426-8100, www.wienerz.com). I first discovered Wienerz at the Ponce de Leon Avenue Whole Foods, where its sausages were being showcased as a local product. After finding out that it was open to the public, I learned the place was closed for renovations, but would reopen shortly. I patiently waited until the doors had opened, gave them a month or so to get settled, and then made the longish drive in search of wiener nirvana. What awaited me was a carnivore’s dream.

Click here to read the rest…

Next time, I’m getting bread and some of their lunch items. Dying to sink my teeth into the bratwurst sandwich. Already love this place and in case you are wondering, yes, it is worth the drive.

I went to Miller Union with Moon before a show at the Tabernacle last week. Since the weather was cooler, we sat out on the patio, which is glorious at this time of year. Moon got the feta snack appetizer to start.

I got the egg baked in celery cream, which I have touted before on the blog. If you still haven’t tried it, this is your directive–assuming you are an egg lover like me.

I got the duck breast over a buttery succcotash for my main and Moon ordered a pan-roasted chicken breast. Both were excellent. Miller Union knows how to satisfy and remain consistent. A+ in my book.

We had Eat, Drink, Man and wife over for dinner that Friday. I’d found a chicken in Reisling from Gourmet I’d be dying to try and took the weather as a sign it was time.

I tweaked it a little by adding some mushrooms I sauteed in butter at the last moment and a dab of dijon once I added the cream. Just a note if you do make this dish: it needs about 30 minutes more cooking time than the recipe says. I really loved it. It’s kind of a quicky weeknight coq au vin. Served with a green salad in shallot vinaigrette and some 2009 Beaujolais Moon picked up at Green’s.

2009 was the best year in recent history for Beaujolais. It’s a great wine to have on hand and inexpensive to boot.

Moon had to work the next day so I took myself on a date. I went for an hour-long $25 foot massage at the spot next to Bo Bo Garden and then a sizzling Dolsot bibimbap at So Kong Dong, which I swear has gotten 200% better since the latest change in ownership.

It is also quite the hotspot for Korean teens and young professionals on Saturday. The place was packed and everyone seemed to know one another. Funny.

I had to go to the Ritz Carlton in Greensboro for a conference and ended up dining at the Georgia Grill one evening. I have to to give the place props for sourcing as many local ingredients they can even if they aren’t exactly seasonal–see the sweet pea filled pasta underneath my perfectly grilled lamb.

This was my first time at this property, but the service was excellent and I can see myself going back there for a mini summer lake vacay since it is only about and hour and half from Atlanta. Since we were on the road, I just had to get:

Mmmmm. Bojangles.

The next day I met my friend for a little late lunch at Souper Jenny.

God, that woman makes some of the best chicken soup in Atlanta.

I met another friend at Dynamic Dish for lunch later that week. Owner, David Sweeney, had the most amazing main of white beans cooked in some very flavorful stock, quinoa, greens, and some creamy feta. Very satisfying as usual.

After receiving a tip from a reader about a new-to-me Korean BBQ restaurant (full review coming later), I dragged my friend for a second lunch of ramen at Waraku (a place Eat, Drink, Man had told me he heard has good ramen).

I got the tonkotsu of course. Decent ramen, but it was all a bit sweet. The place seems like a seriously solid neighborhood spot if you live in Suwanee though.

Found this place called BrainFreeze a few doors down from Waraku. The windows are covered in white writing advertising snowballs, jambalaya, gumbo, poboys, etc. How could I resist? It’s super cute inside. Love the pastel vinyl seating everywhere.

Since I was pretty full, all I could fit in my belly was a snoball flavored with “hurricane” syrup. They take the New Orleans theme seriously. My friend got one that was covered in condensed milk. Heaven. Well, condensed milk does make everything awesome.

Turns out they have some sort of eating contest. Well, a snoball/ice cream creation that’s 64 ounces. You have to finish it in 30 minutes or your photo ends up in the “hall of shame” instead of the “wall of fame.” This is some “Man versus Food” kind of eating. Are you man enough? I’m definitely not.

I was fortunate enough to go to the debut dinner of the Spice Route supper club, a new supper club with a focus on Indian food cooked by Kerala native Asha Gomez. Isn’t she cute?

My friend gave me a seat as a birthday present. It was amazing! Stay tuned for my report on this and that new Korean spot this week. Until then…happy eating!

I first went to Piola’s new Atlanta location (it’s an Italy-based chain of restaurants) with some friends shortly after it opened. The place immediately reminded of the numerous such pizzerias that populate South Beach’s Lincoln Road; restaurants where well-heeled Eurotrash go to hang out while scoping out the local talent. Since I have spent my share of time at such restaurants when visiting my family (does that make me Eurotrash?), I found Piola endearingly familiar. It’s the kind of place you go for something specific: decent pizza, salads, pastas, and other Italian dishes. Moon and I normally end up going there before concerts at the Fox when we don’t want to deal with the crowds at places closer to the venue. It’s not pricey and the pizza menu is HUGE with many different styles.

I normally get a pizza and a salad. I’ve tried a lot of pizzas and they are pretty fun flavor combinations. This is a carbonara version we had recently:

Like I said, the pizza is nothing amazing, but the food is consistent. Another thing I like about the place is the bar culture.

They serve a great sangria (if you don’t mind yours a little sweet) and they serve unlimited free snacks for you to nibble on while you drink.

Free mini-pizzas

Verdict: As long as your keep your expectations in check, Piola won’t disappoint. Go for the pizza and European atmosphere. Pizza snobs need not apply.

Tip: Every 29th of the month is Lucky Gnocchi day at Piola where it’s all you can eat homemade gnocchi. A little background on the long-standing Italian tradition from Piola’s website: “The story begins with a missionary arriving in a small village in Italy on the 29th of an unknown month. He arrived upon a very poor house asking for food. He was welcomed to their house and was offered the only thing they had on the table, “Gnocchi”. The missionary was very thankful for their warm reception and wonderful food. Soon after the missionary left the house, the poor family found some gold coins right under their Gnocchi plate… 
Since then the “Lucky Gnocchi Legend” has gained recognition all over the world. Families gather together every 29th of the month and enjoy Gnocchi in order to have luck and prosperity in their lives.”

FOOD GROUP: A charming petite crêperie, sandwicherie and more.

MEAL PLAN: Before settling in Atlanta, French natives Michel and Rose-Marie Knopfler had three award-winning French restaurants in Hong Kong. However, the 1998 financial crisis and resulting business closures prompted the Knopflers to let their leases end and sell their interest in the restaurants. Rose-Marie often visited Atlanta for seminars and met friends who urged her to move her family here and open a French restaurant. The Knopflers started small with catering and deliveries, but soon decided to branch out into a little storefront selling crêpes and other French specialties.

Le Triskell French Crêperie

3833 Roswell Road (inside the Tuxedo Atrium). 404-814-8208. www.creperieletriskell.com.

OUTTA SIGHT: Le Triskell is the epitome of a hidden restaurant. It’s tucked inside the Tuxedo Atrium, a small building housing a mishmash of businesses, including a dentist, a salon and a tiny health club. If you have time on your hands, enjoy a meal at one of the bistro tables inside the sunlit atrium and amuse yourself with the steady stream of people that filters in. It’s theater of the living at its best.

Continue Reading “Cheap Eats: Le Triskell French Creperie”

Social Resto and Bar has such an amazing energy; it’s the kind of place you just want to hang out in for hours. I adore it even though the food can be inconsistent depending on what you order. We took advantage of Social’s Tunisian couscous dinner deal a few Saturdays ago and it was fabulous–and a great deal to boot! For $25, you get a salad assortment, couscous of your choice made according to a longtime family recipe, a platter of sweets and mint tea.

I opted for the Royal couscous–a mix of lamb, juicy homemade merguez sausages, and cornish hen served with a sauce of chickpeas, potatoes and vegetables that you ladle over the plate to add moisture to the couscous.

It was lovely. The meats and vegetables were tender and full of flavor. The couscous was fluffy with no clumping. And I just had to get a glass of Social’s unparalleled sangria on the side.

Social is offering the couscous dinner on two Saturdays a month so make sure you get there before the special is gone. I hope they add their gazpacho to the menu soon. It is the best in Atlanta when it’s around.

Shortly after posting the news of its opening, I visited The Kind Pie in Buckhead for a little nosh. The place–which has been open since January–is as small as a shoebox, but it was filled with the smell of this roasted Berkshire pork Porchetta. Color me blissful.

Since orders take a bit longer due to the one-man show, I hung around and chatted him up while he made my order. What a nice man. He has loads of good stories and he waxed poetic about the industry, ingredients, and food–of course. He is baking all of his own bread using a mix of organic flours, including whole wheat.

He piled the porchetta onto the bread to make this monster of a sandwich (“The Mushy,” Roasted Berkshire Pork Butt, Provolone, Broccoli Rabe, Bomba Calabrese, Organic Balsamic Vinegar an olive oil).

The carefully sourced fillings were lovely, but the bread was was too doughy for me and the ingredients got kind of lost. Another type of bread and I’d be sold on the sandwich. Maybe it was just an off bread day? The menu has loads of other kooky sandwiches (e.g. The Harry Bag of Frigin’ Donuts, The Fugazi, etc.) that I would like to try again. Since the place is called The Kind Pie, I opted for my litmus pizza, a Margherita. This is it right before it went into the oven:

And after it came out replete with his tongue-in-cheek dipping sauce.

I wanted to like the pizza *a lot* more than I did. However, it’s made with the same type of whole-wheat based dough as the bread, and was a little overworked. I am just not the biggest fan of any whole-wheat dough, but appreciate there being options for people who do like that style. He’s also working on a gluten-free version. The crust was crackly, but it didn’t have loads of flavor. The ingredients on the pie, however, were beautiful. He’s using Bufala mozzarella, San Marzano tomatoes and loads of other good products. He was quick to say this pizza is not like Antico or Varasano’s. I need to visit again before I render my verdict, but urge you to visit this fun Buckhead pizzeria for its character alone.

The Kind Pie was actually born, in theory, in the winter of 1989.

At that time I, being a recent alumnus of The Culinary Institute of America, was working as a Chef for the President of The University of Richmond (VA) and the school’s catering department.  I was also moonlighting a few nights a week at a local watering hole that served, among other things, pizza.

The pizza was nothing to brag about, frozen cardboard crust, canned sauce, pre shredded cheese, and low end toppings. However, I got paid more working two nights a week there than I did working 5 to 6 days at the university, so I dealt with it the best I could.  It was strange; the customers actually loved that pizza.  When I told people where I worked they would inevitably respond with something to the effect of, “ Great Pizza!”,  as I would appear to blush, though the reddish hue that would fill my cheeks was most likely due to an impending rage.

In any event, it was also at this time that I was greatly inspired by a PBS documentary concerning the growing organic food movement.  The show used the infamous chef, Alice Waters (one of my many mentors, though she does not know it) and a small organic farmer, Ray Chino as backdrops.  This show affirmed what I had been thinking while studying in Hyde Park – that an all organic, all natural restaurant would be a huge smash.  The show was recorded on my VCR and watched over and over again, still have the tape somewhere.  The black gold soil of Salinas Valley and surrounding regions is a sight to behold.  I was extremely fortunate to visit a few times and tour the fields… Wow.

Couple these two events in history with a VCU kid named Ken, don’t remember his last name, my dishwasher / assistant at the before mentioned watering hole.  We shared a space that was in a word – “compact”, and that is being generous.  Anyway it was Ken that etched the word “kind” in my brain, because with Ken everything was “kind this” or “kind that”.  I remember his nickname now… “Kind Ken”.

There I was making hideous pizza with “Kind Ken” and I kept yearning for the black gold produced products from the PBS show.  “That’s it!”  “Kind Pizza…. No, that doesn’t sound good”….  “The Kind Pie.”  “Yeah that’s it.”  “That’s it.”

So there you have it. If you made it this far and are still awake – that’s how I came up with the name.

But remember, this was 1989 and sourcing product on the east coast, much less making it affordable, would be and was virtually impossible.  Today, organic and all natural food can be found everywhere, and it’s still growing.  I am amazed and feel somewhat justified at how far we have come.

At The Kind Pie we try to make everything organic, whenever we can.  Some items can be found on a regular basis, while some are harder to come by daily.  The one fact that is consistent throughout is that all products served are of very high quality (See “Our Product”).  For example, we have looked at several canned organic tomato products for sauce, but none were better than San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy.  So, that’s what we use.  This may change and I hope does.  All breads and pizza crust are 99.9%, as the yeast is the only product not certified organic, but is all natural, none the less.

The menu looks very promising and I love that they take their product sourcing seriously. Stay tuned for my report.

Back in 2008, I did a round-up of local chocolatiers for Creative Loafing. Atlanta mainstay, Maison Robert, was included on the list. At the time, owners Robert and Patricia Deeb were located in a tiny house off of Peachtree Industrial with a limited assortment of chocolates. The couple recently moved their store to a spanking new location in Chamblee with plenty of room for an open production area, a case full of chocolates and many new products–including macarons, baguettes, desserts, croissants, and a limited lunch menu. The macarons and baguettes aren’t killing it for me. I still think Star Provisions has the best baguettes; and Alon’s has my favorite macarons in town. However, the chocolates are as good as ever, and I am slowly making my way through the desserts. The chocolate-based ones have been the best of the bunch. Lunch is next on my list.

The production area

One of the cases