A mom n’ pop spot now dabbling in the bourgeoning cronut (or, in this case, Krossant) market Al’s Donuts has been serving Las Vegas since the 1970s and although perhaps not as well-known as Ronald’s the shop proved a very convenient stop on a Saturday morning prior to a tour of my new workplace and more real estate shopping. A rather small space with a decent selection of classics cake and yeasted donuts plus fritters, cinnamon rolls, and the aforementioned novelties my eventual order entailed a half dozen selections and taking them to enjoy with a friend the results were as mixed as the selections. Beginning first with the raised options, my pal’s preferred variety, both of us felt that the texture of Al’s were far less fluffy than necessary – likely the result of over-kneading the dough – and moving onward to my personal choices of a buttermilk bar and a tiny apple fritter the results were better, but still not on par with Ronald’s, Coco, Pink Box, or Friendly Donut House. Hoping for the ‘krossants’ to save the day I will admit that both versions featured an excellent crunch with good lamination and separation of the interior layers, but with a relative dearth of filling the flavor was largely lost once past the glaze – though the strawberry glaze was admittedly quite excellent.
Bread and Butter – Devonshire Butter with Volcanic Salt, Lemon Focaccia with Olive Oil, Black Truffle Mushroom with Pancetta and pork fat, Baguette with Blue Cheese and Walnut
Red Lion – tanqueray gin, grand marnier, lemon, orange bitters
La Colombe Nizza Double Espresso with Amaretto, Baileys, and Cointreau spoons
Treacle Tart – Golden syrup, raspberry ripple ice cylinder, freeze dried raspberries, honey wafer
Apple Tart Tatin – Golden Puff Pastry, Caramelized Apples, Marzipan Filling, Cinnamon Ice Cream
Sticky Toffee Pudding – Sweet Pudding Cake, Brown Sugar Toffee, Brown Butter Ice Cream
Admittedly not a ‘steakhouse’ guy nor particularly fond of ‘celebrity chef’ entrepreneurs who loosely oversea their restaurants it was with cautious optimism based on palates I trust that I recommended Gordon Ramsay Steak at The Paris Casino to a group of friends and colleagues visiting for The Olympia and with a menu featuring more than a few of my favorite things I have to confess that aside from some oddities in the restaurant’s décor and the costumed hostesses both the food and the experience exceeded all expectations. A large space, both as boisterous and as brash as the chef from which it is derived, our party of six found ourselves in the more formal of the upstairs dining rooms and with a server not just capable but happy to trade jokes with us as the night went on one might say that we ate and drank too much, but with three courses each plus a quintet of shared sides plus a few plates of the complimentary bread I’d suggest we ordered just right – each of the restaurant’s signature items making an appearance and all well deserving of the substantial praise. From supple foie gras and one of the more impressive takes on pork belly onward to perfect Beef Wellington and gamy lamb accompanied by rich shepherd’s pie each and every savory to land on the table was well conceptualized and perfectly prepared to medium or rare and with coffees and cocktails equally well-crafted nothing less was expected as dessert, the sticky toffee pudding perhaps the best dessert currently served in Sin City and reason enough for anyone to at least pull up a seat at the bar downstairs.
Foie Gras Pate with Croissant Sticks, candied nuts, honey comb, 15 year balsamic, goat cheese mousse, raspberry, mango
Ringo – Apple ladder with Honey Ice Cream and candy apple filled with apple mousse
Molten Chocolate Cake – Passion fruit and Raspberry Marshmallows, Raisins
A firm believer in Ernestine Ulmer’s quote that “Life is uncertain, Eat dessert first” and more than aware that Vegas darling Aburiya Raku had recently opened the 3pm-12am desserts only location in the shopping center Mecca on West Spring Mountain it was with a bit of surprise that I arrived at Sweets Raku at 5pm to find myself the only restaurant’s only patron – a feeling that lingered as I sat down at the small counter and one that bloomed into amazement as the evening progressed. Small and intimate despite the brilliant white backdrop and with excellent service that is formal yet friendly the basic format of Sweets Raku is that of a three course dessert tasting with a few supplemental savories and after ordering the Sakurambo suggested by my server the evening proceeded with the clever candy menu paired with rich raspberry sauce before proceeding to palate cleanser of light strawberry sorbet amidst refreshing mint gelatin and then a supplementary course of creamy duck liver brilliantly paired with items sweet, savory, and acidic plus buttery laminated pastry made to order in the open kitchen. Progressing next to the main course, one of five selections on a frequently changing menu, I can only say that if a picture is worth a thousand words then the combination of presentation and flavor displayed by “Ringo” was exponentially greater, the candy apples hand-blown before me and piped with apple mousse resting besides a perfect apple ladder and creamy honey ice cream made in house. A beautiful night already in motion long before heading to dinner with friends it will not be long before I return to Sweets Raku and next time it will likely be without plans for afterward so that I can further explore the menu, or at least linger with coffee to accompany the sizable molten chocolate ‘mignardise.’
Island Bread Pudding with Coconut Rum Caramel Sauce and Coconut Ice Cream
Sharing a city with one of the most highly acclaimed Thai restaurants in the United States cannot be easy but with Lotus of Siam’s largely traditional menu routinely garnering hour-plus waits for both lunch and dinner it could also be said that Las Vegas is an ideal locale for something small, intimate, and innovative – a description defined by Chef Nittaya Parawong and her Secret Kitchen. Featuring a style described as “Thai Tapas” alongside traditional curries and noodles with each dish made by Nittaya herself and served by friendly Taiwanese servers in a modern yet elegant space a meal at Nittaya’s Secret Kitchen is a relaxed and refined affair beginning with complimentary flavored water and although the menu featured no less than a dozen items I’d have liked to try, the decision was made to start with a variety of tapas, appetizer, and curry plus dessert – each item prepared to order, ample in portion, and served with impeccable pacing. Intentionally incorporating fish, vegetable, and meat before progressing to dessert and focusing on the more innovative options both the crispy fish cakes and the tender duck breast would prove delicious and well prepared with light sweetness acting to temper the heat and moving on to the “famous” salad I really have no idea how the chef manages to produce a batter so light and a flavor so vegetal but whatever the method it should be embraced, the dish one of the best things I’ve eaten at a Thai restaurant and without a doubt the most innovative ‘salad’ I’ve had in years. Moving on to the dessert menu there was never really a question as to what I would order and with tender pineapple pudding rife with coconut milk custard topped off with both ice cream and caramel of the same I really cannot think of a better ‘Thai’ dessert, traditional or not, nor a better thing ever done with a coconut.
Craquant de Cuba – chocolate crisp, hazelnut coffee cream, shortbread, toffee glaze
Almond, Pistachio, Caramel Macaron
Almond Croissant
Located in Boca Park and representing one of the best artisan coffee shops in a city where such places are only now beginning to emerge Sambalatte was self-selected as an ideal meeting place with my Real Estate Agent early Friday morning, a substantial departure from his suggestion of the Starbucks just down the street but one that has since ‘changed his whole approach’ to coffee (and given me a great place to relax, drink good coffee, and enjoy the free wi-fi.) Featuring a large, open floor plan with both patio seating and a loft filled with books, lounge chairs, and a communal table plus an impressive selection of scratch pastries and house-roasted coffees predominantly hailing from Central and South America ordering decisions were placed squarely in my hands, the subsequent 90 minutes covering a good variety of cakes, cookies, scones, muffins, and Viennoiserie plus the shop’s oft raved Nutella latte which is every bit as good as the rumors. Speaking to the quality of the pastry much of what we tasted at Sambalatte was well made save for an almond croissant literally oozing with frangipane and a caramel macaron that had clearly been refrigerated, but taking into account the price none were truly ‘rave worthy’ save for the blueberry riddled scone and complex Craquant de Cuba which managed a delicate balance of decadent and dainty; each layer presenting something new and the sum far greater than sum of its parts.
A new spot in the bourgeoning Las Vegas doughnut scene I originally took notice of Coco Donuts on my interview trip a month prior but with the shop not yet open I followed their development closely, happily seeing them not only open their doors a few days prior to my house-hunting trip but also receiving good word of mouth for an old-school menu gussied up with the fashionable cronut. Featuring friendly service and owners more than happy to discuss their craft plus a pre-order system that guarantees one can arrive to truly fresh doughnuts it was just after 7:00am on a Friday when I entered the store and having used the aforementioned system my order was ready to go along with a complimentary yeasted donut with sprinkles and three donut holes piping hot from the fryer. Using oldworld recipes for their cake donuts my first tastes were the buttermilk bar and the Strawberry old fashioned and with both featuring a dense crumb and glaze that is surprisingly subtle I was excited to next see what the fritter had to offer – a great exterior crunch and supple center, though somewhat sparse in apples. With the raised donut very traditional with light yeasty notes and the blueberry far more naturally flavored than most as I proceeded to the finale I will simply say that although these ladies may not have invented the cronut they have perfected it with crispy layers shattering to the tooth and a light, airy interior far superior to those at Dominique Ansel without the two hour wait, at 3/5 the price, and in no less than 18 varieties if you order in advance.
The Pancakes with House Ricotta, Fresh Peaches, Streusel, Honey
With facial hair, thick glasses, tattoos, and even jorts proudly on display amongst the patrons inside the jammed packed diner plus an overflowing parking lot with a dozen or so people waiting in the sun kicking a hacky sack it would have been difficult to miss Ria’s Bluebird even if I hadn’t been looking for it; a throng of hipsters at 1pm on Sunday perhaps the most obvious sign of brunch as there is. Owned and operated by Chef Ria Pell and considered by many to be the best breakfast in Atlanta with The New York Times going so far as to call the pancakes the best in the country it was specifically these facts that brought me to Bluebird and sidling up to the counter after a forty-five minute wait for a single seat it was the daily special pancakes I ordered – plus an order of the French Toast for good measure. Pleasant and efficient in service despite the crush of the crowd with iced coffee refilled copiously it was another twenty minutes before my plates did arrive and with two slices of buttery golden toast and two fluffy buttermilk pancakes arriving with pure maple syrup and ample fresh fruits at $9 each the only real question is which was better – a vote I’d give to the French Toast only because the pancakes came so highly billed and weren’t quite as perfect as those at Buttermilk Kitchen.
The Half Baked – Bread Pudding Style French Toast, Sunny Side Up Egg, Maple Syrup
Fried Oysters and Grits – Smoked Bacon, Benne Seed Chicken Gravy, Poached Egg
ighly touted as a place for a boozy Sunday brunch and embraced heavily by the hip Morningside community Rosebud featured prominently in my last day in Atlanta for reasons both good and bad, or perhaps I should say the food and the service. Understandably a busy place on weekends but nowhere near full when I arrived at the requisite wood, exposed brick, and leather space just after 10am I was given the option of a seat at the bar or an hour long wait and opting for the bar it did not take long to make my menu selections – an appetizer, a sweet item, a savory…and yet still I waited an hour for the latter two as my waitress somehow managed to forget to give my order to the kitchen, much as she repeatedly forgot to do simple things like fill my water glass or even take the order of the couple seated to my right. Eventually speaking to another bartender as I’d finished the excellent cornbread nearly 20 minutes prior my next two courses would arrive simultaneously approximately a half hour later and as much as the situation was frustrating I’m glad I stuck around and only hope that the service does not often show so poorly because Chef Eyester’s cuisine deserves better, the light brine of a fresh half dozen oysters popping alongside the smoky bacon and melding with the grits perfectly and the “half baked” a veritable block of creamy custard infused bread crispy on the outside and bathed in pure maple syrup with a fried egg gilding the proverbial lily.
Mignardises – Orange Poppyseed Financier, Pecan Sable, Passion Fruit Pate de Fruit
With complimentary valet and formally dressed servers, high thread count white tablecloths and crystal stemware, plus a tasting menu blending Southern flourishes with traditional French technique Restaurant Eugene and James Beard Award winning Chef Linton Hopkins has proudly stood at the pinnacle of Atlanta’s fine dining scene since its inception and as the last dinner of a truly memorable trip to the South the meal came with great expectations and anticipation. Heavily engaged with the local community of farmers and artisans with a staff more than happy to discuss sourcing, influence, and preparation of the plates it should come as no surprise that the tasting menu is highly recommended by the chef and with two supplementary courses encouraged plus an a la carte menu the only real question is one of cost and hunger, the price certainly not inexpensive, though given the quality of the experience a veritable deal compared to similar meals in the cities trumpeted by Michelin. Speaking specifically to the cuisine, the full tasting menu including both supplements, a gifted course from the kitchen, and one extra dessert from the a la carte menu it would be difficult to find fault in any of Linton’s creations on this particular evening and with flavors ranging from earthy and aromatic beets on par with something seen from the kitchen of Passard to a torchon of foie gras as creamy as those coming out of Per Se it was particularly in the fish and desserts that Restaurant Eugene excelled the most, the Red Snapper barely cooked and balanced beautifully by the vegetables and herbal cream while the banana, bleu, and curry dessert showed a pastry kitchen happy to trade a bit of risk for a great reward – the taste and texture contributing to one of the most compelling desserts I’ve had in recent memory.
Apple Cobbler Pancakes with Yard Apples, Cobbler Crumb, Sea Salt Caramel, Whipped Cream
T
ucked away along a winding road in Buckhead, Suzanne Vizethann’s Buttermilk Kitchen was the last stop on my morning breakfast tour, an arrival just prior to the restaurant’s closing at 2pm that was met with not only stellar food but fun service and a down to earth community feel where even out of towners feel like old friends. Set in an old blue barn/house with big windows and wood floors throughout at least four rooms including a bar in peering into the local, organic, and scratch-made kitchen the menu at Buttermilk Kitchen is a well culled affair with a few staples plus a few staples and selecting a pair of breads to go along with the daily special pancakes I was warned that this would be a lot of food, an advisory I foolishly but thankfully ignored despite the earlier meals (of which my server was unaware.) Certainly not a go-to spot for those on a diet as I watched the team craft each item with copious butter, flour, and their namesake buttermilk the meal began with the pairing of a hot-from-the-oven cornbread muffin light with blueberries and the size of a softball plus a golden buttermilk biscuit complete with peach jam, both excellent but the later a standard bearer for its genre with a supple crumb and big buttermilk notes to which the fresh compote played an excellent foil. Moving next to more carbs, a breakfast perhaps more suited as dessert, suffice it to say that despite the rumors from Ria’s (and The New York Times) the best pancakes in Atlanta can be found at 4225 Roswell Rd NE – the three flapjacks rich with buttermilk but airy and light, perfectly complimented by apples and whipped cream but taken to a whole new level by the caramel with flecks of fleur de sel occasionally punctuating the cobbler crumble.
Georgia White Shrimp and Grits – Andouille Sausage Stew, Poached Egg
Part three of what was in essence a rolling four-stop breakfast/brunch on Saturday, Murphy’s came billed as one of Atlanta’s most loved restaurants by locals – a neighborhood spot in Virginia Highland focused on traditional American comfort foods where friends and families gathered and lingered as waits for a table often topped an hour…it seemed a sure thing until everything but the wait proved overhyped and underwhelming. A pleasant space with a first-come-first-served bar and multiple dining areas in an old brick building I was admittedly fortunate to land a solo seat at the bar immediately on my arrival as couples and quartets waited in the heat and humidity but with service perfunctory at best the meal started ominously with a cinnamon roll removed from the pastry case and microwaved, the tangy frosting slowly sliding from the otherwise dry dough – a trend that would continue with a $10 single slice of challah French Toast that was anything but saturated with custard and generally mundane. Hoping, for once, that savories would save the sweets the final nail in the coffin arrived as the $14 “shrimp and grits” – a peppery soup surrounding good grits but overcooked shrimp and an egg better called hardboiled than poached; the dish apparently deserving only an “I’m sorry about that hun, the kitchen is real busy” when mentioned to the waitress. Me? I was sorry I’d driven to Murphy’s in the first place…and not the least bit apologetic about the omitted tip.
A busy brunch spot on Howell Mill Rd, West Egg was recommended by a friend as “sort of a hipster spot, but good food and an awesome bakery” with the caveat that early arrival was recommended as the place is known to fill up quickly with “wi-fi squatters” – all these facts proving highly accurate aside from a dreadfully dry almond croissant when I arrived just after 9am to find the place bustling, a fifteen to thirty minute wait for any indoor seat save for the bar. Without a doubt a trendy spot full of trendy folks but also sporting a few families my time at West Egg began on a couch near the photo booth where the aforementioned croissant started things off along with the first of many cups of excellent coffee and taking a few more options from the pastry case to my table the food would dramatically improve, a carb laden breakfast from pastry chef Chris Marconi full of Southern charm and modern twists. Rustic and traditional despite its modern urban interior breakfast at the table entailed four items total and beginning with the carrot cake whoopie pie and signature coca-cola cupcake both items were every bit as good as their numerous accolades would indicate, the cupcake particularly sweet but entirely “Atlanta,” and moving onward to the dense banana pudding with a meringue top served at my request along with the battered and griddled banana bread the only question here was whether the French Toast was better with just the pure maple syrup or with a spoonful of the pudding on top…my recommendation being a little of both.
Owned and operated by Kamal Grant, an ex-Navy turned Culinary Institute of America student, the Sublime Doughnuts concept seemed at first to represent yet another beneficiary of the growing Artisan Doughnut trend, but having expanded now to two locations in Thailand I figured there must be something more to this place than meets the eye – an early morning stop on Saturday seemingly the best way to find out. Large in size and clever in design with soft couches and donut pillows plus pop-art robots and aliens dotting the walls the vibe at Sublime is decidedly young and trendy and the pastries follow suit – a variety of options in all shapes, sizes, and varieties with most costing less than $2 with a 15% discount on a dozen or more and various discounts for college students with ID. Focusing on the doughnuts, first and foremost fritters, I personally found the light weight and crispy doughnuts excellent and innovative, something I have not really seen outside of Portland, and both the white chocolate peach and chocolate banana were very nicely done without being overly sweet – a trick instead reserved for the raised butter toffee with caramel chocolate icing, though it too was nice with a great rise and ample yeastiness. Moving next to the cake options, the red velvet was nice enough and the cream cheese frosting impressively tangy, but the sweet potato is truly ‘sublime, – one of the best doughnuts currently made in the United States, the flavor nearly spot on for the baked and buttered tuber topped with maple and cinnamon.
Poached Farm Egg and Duck Liver – Griddled bacon, Johnny Cake, Sorghum Syrup
Glazed Sweetbreads – Baby Squash, Hen of the Wood, Honey Jus
Crunchy Madame – Riverview Smoked Ham, Gruyere, Egg
Mondongo Tripe with Crispy Plantains
Bacon Caramel Popcorn with Pork Fat Infused Caramel
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Whipped Cream
Raved for its Burger, now available at Turner Field where I would be only a few hours later watching The Braves, and amongst a handful of Public Houses and “Gastropubs” that started the trend instead of following it, my visit to Holeman & Finch was somewhat spur of the moment as spotty weather had kept me in Buckhead after my family had turned north for the day but arriving just as the restaurant opened its doors what I found was far better than I’d hoped – a largely empty restaurant with educated service and a menu that, although pricey for a ‘public house,’ featured some of my very favorite things prepared in very unique ways. A really beautiful space with wood floors and exposed cement walls playing point/counterpoint with floor to ceiling windows and various seating options including a large bar with a copious collection of wine and spirits and a cocktail menu to match it seemed only rational to begin with a drink and the house made ‘bread box,’ the former very refreshing and the later amongst the best bread services I’ve had in recent memory, particularly the savroy ciabatta. Moving onward to plates proper with the kitchen happy to send them out one at a time the progression was admittedly compromised by selecting exceedingly heavy dishes but opting to go sweet to savory and small to large the delivery could not have been better – the breakfasty eggs, foie, and pancake like something straight out of APdC while the sweetbreads proved clean, creamy, and vegetal leading into a toasty and traditional croque and spicy-gives-way-to-sweet bowl of tripe with an amazing degree of depth and textural nuance. Sated but not stuffed despite the richness of that which had already occurred desserts would prove every bit as good as the savories, the nontraditional Sticky Toffee Pudding described as a “fig brownie meets bread pudding meets a lot of butter and toffee” amongst the sweetest interpretations of the dish I’ve experienced and the signature popcorn, a gift from the kitchen, exactly as decadent as it sounds – the savory notes coming through on the finish with a great mouthfeel akin to creamy caramel meets good Tonkotsu ramen broth.
Considered by some the best of its style in the United States Antico Pizza keeps everything simple and focused on the singular goal of creating the most authentic Pizza Napoletana possible, a mindset that has rewarded the team with numerous accolades and long lines 6 days a week at both lunch and dinner since the restaurant opened its doors. Going so far as to import each ingredient from Napoli and Campania, ordering at Antico entails a long line at the counter followed by a simple decision of pizza or calzone plus a handful of toppings and then fighting for a seat in either the small area adjacent the counter or the larger dining hall juxtaposing the pizzaiolos, ovens, and flour room – the later unbearably hot on our August visit and both rooms completely full leaving me to stand as the ladies procured three stools and an approximately 8’ x 8’ space in which to dine. Quick to serve, the pizzas emerging from the 900 degree oven in approximately 60 seconds on a baking sheet, the question of whether all of the above is worth the hassle is a definitive yes as the pizza itself is impeccable with the hand kneaded dough supple yet crunchy and rife with smoke, the Mozzarella di Bufala slightly tangy, and the hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes touched with only olive oil and basil allowing their fragrance and acidity to ride high on the palate – simple, focused, and perfect.
Peanut Butter French Toast – Challah filled with Peanut Butter, Dipped in Batter, Crusted with Bran Flakes, Topped with Caramelized Banana
Pecan Biscuit Bread Pudding
Peach Julip, Red Velvet, Carrot Cake, Peanut Butter, Almond Coconut, High Rise Meyer Lemon
Having now expanded her famous Highland Avenue bakery to a total of three locations Stacy Eames has become synonymous with Atlanta’s local artisan food culture and although our hotel was much closer to the Buckhead location it somehow seemed disingenuous to visit anything but the original for our last family breakfast in Atlanta, a gluttonous event filled with carbohydrates in many forms with just a bit of coffee , fried chicken, and eggs added for good measure. A hip and trendy place with local art for sale on the walls and a soundtrack befitting an indie music store as waifish young female servers did their job with skill and smiles it seemed only rational that the meal begin with yet another biscuit, this one dense and tender with sweet potato, alongside a slightly overfrosted brioche cinnamon roll and a half dozen mini-muffins before moving on to breakfast proper…and dessert for the road. As always largely focused on sweets over savories but unwilling to forgo a benedict with fried chicken I think it was the paprika that really put this dish over the top for me, the rest of the plate done right but that extra touch making it reminiscent of the Hungarian food my grandmother used to make, and speaking to the sweets, although the pancakes were good the French Toast absolutely stole the show, a portion big enough to share but so good you’ll only want to once you cannot eat anymore…or if you want to save room for the dainty cupcakes with good cake but far more memorable frosting and bread pudding made of cubed biscuits soaked in buttermilk custard and topped off with vanilla bean Anglaise.
Summerland Farm Sorbet – Tomato-Melon, Cucumber-Basil, Almond – truly an awful dish with flavors pungent rather than pleasant, the tomato-melon particularly affronting
Local Celeste Figs, Lemon Verbena Ice Milk, Pecan Brittle
Olive Oil Cake, Local Blackberries, Sorbet, Lemon Thyme Yogurt
A longterm resident of my dining bucket list, Anne Quatrano’s Bacchanalia would serve as the last family dinner on our trip through the South and with a truly beautiful five-course menu hefty with summer’s bounty nearly every aspect of our visit lived up to the restaurant’s sizable reputation for creating bold and innovative Southern focused contemporary cuisine. An interesting restaurant in terms of design with a large market entitled Star Provisions up front selling not only artisan foods and kitchen items but also fresh produce from the Chef’s gardens the space harboring the dining room would prove to be a low-lit, comfortable space where hushed tones and formal yet friendly service predominate and with gougeres to welcome us even before menus the food that followed over the next two and a half hours was both bountiful and beautiful, a collection of twenty plates willing to take chances and all but one successful. All-in-all a truly memorable experience with dishes such as the foie gras, sweet breads, and egg all particularly fanciful treatments of their primary ingredient and every dish featuring mushrooms or morels impeccable I was additionally wowed by the generosity of the cheese cart and creativity of the composed cheeses while desserts were a final, fragrant exclamation point of summer, the olive oil cake and figs both standouts.
A Hugh Acheson restaurant under the direction of Chef Ryan Smith, Empire State South nearly fell short of my ‘must-visit’ list while dining in Atlanta, particularly when a very rude hostess at the restaurant refused to seat us in the largely empty space since we’d showed up without a reservation at 5:35pm, but thanks to a far more affable bartender a seat was easily allocated where we could enjoy some drinks and appetizers, the entire visit just over an hour and at least a half dozen four-tops empty throughout our stay. A large restaurant with dining both indoors and out, heavy in wood and slate with unfinished ceilings and a very impressive stock at the bar a quick perusal of the menu immediately suggested cocktails to be in order and with heavy pours and interesting combinations all three choices were excellent, the Bingham particularly complex and the Alpine Summer an excellent refresher. Sticking to the in house charcuterie program and a few interesting cheeses given our interest in desserts and late-night dinner plans the two plates and a large board featured a number of interesting options including truly impressive trout mousse and the restaurant’s signature pimento cheese with bacon marmalade plus terrific pickles and a gamy sweetbread terrine that worked beautifully with the beerwurst on bread while other options like the rillettes, deviled ham, and bologna came off quite pedestrian or worse – the duck sadly bordering on ‘flavorless’ and stringy. Transitioning from savories to sweet and particularly excited given Melanie Durant’s acclaim in publications including Food & Wine it was with some disappointment that the menu only featured two options that had much appeal and with even more discouragement when our selections arrived – the tired pop-rocks infused flan an odd mix of acid and bitter that was thankfully small enough that everyone only needed to endure a bite while the Luau treats was fine, particularly the creamy meringue, but nothing to write home (or win accolades) about.
The Tomninator – Tots under Brunswick Stew and Cheese
Banana Pudding
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Considered by many to be the best Barbeque in Atlanta and generating substantial lines even at lunch on a Thursday, Fox Bros was my mother’s choice for lunch on our first day in Atlanta and luckily nabbing the last four top available in the jammed packed space loud with both voice and music the only delay we experienced was in allocating parking – a few blocks down the street in a residential neighborhood. Featuring a Barbeque leaning towards the style of the Carolinas with a distinct vinegary tone proving an ample foil to the sweet without too much heat, and most plates arranged as 2 to 3 meat combos with a variety of sides our table opted for two 2+2 combo plates with a total of four proteins and four sides, the results largely impressive save for the ribs which were far more fat than muscle. From delicate cornbread with gentle heat to crispy tots smothered with spicy yet sweet Brunswick Stew onward to mild but moist brisket and both pulled pork and chicken rife with smoke it is obvious that the pit masters at Fox Bros are well attuned to their craft and with a total bill for four tallying less than $40 with plenty of savories plus two small yet classic and well crafted desserts the restaurant also represents a veritable bargain, though I’d admittedly have happily paid a few dollars more for slightly better ingredient quality and a little extra elbow room.
Family owned and operated, all natural, and most importantly en route from Savannah to Atlanta, Revolution Doughnuts was a logical first stop on the final leg of our Southern Tour and arriving at the small store in the midst of a storm we conveniently had the place to ourselves as hot doughnuts emerged from the kitchen in no less than fifteen varieties – thirteen of which we tasted, the majority $2 each, and most exceptionally well crafted. Opting for a mix of yeasted and cake, fritters and filled, plus a seasonal special stuffed peach selection gifted from the kitchen perhaps the most impressive aspect of the doughnuts at Revolution was quality of the fruit glazes, each a spot on representation of their respective fruit, and sweet without being sugary – the sugary-sweet quota more than filled by the excellent fritter and the carrot cake while the ‘crunchy mister’ was quite literally a deep fried and glazed croque monsieur, one of the few ‘hybrid foods’ I will wholeheartedly endorse and one I’d recommend a drive from Atlanta (or Savannah) to Decatur to experience firsthand.
