Tag Archive for: beets

Atlas: Four Hands Collaboration

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 11/8/21

The moment you walk into the St. Regis, you’re greeted with a towering chandelier and sweeping staircase leading you to a dimly lit library with a sprawling illuminated bar and intimate tables filled with couples and friends smiling over delicious dishes. At Atlas, there are three words to describe it: impeccable, perfection, opulent. This does not only describe the ambiance, but some of the best food in all of Atlanta. The night we went was during the Four Hands collaboration 7-course tasting menu that married the genius of Chef Money and Chef Paul Liebrandt, the guest chef, in one miraculous meal. It’s a culinary masterpiece with the beautiful plating, scrumptious tastes, wonderful wine pairings, and the best white-glove service. This is definitely one to remember and we want to share the details with you.

 

When you arrive and sit down at your table, they immediately send over treats before you get your meal, like the Foie Gras Bon Bon, the “Cloud”, Puff Pastry, and Liquid Olive. Being about one bite each, the perfect little tastes are packed with flavors like the foie gras is rich and meaty, the cloud is earthy and literally melts in your mouth, while the puff pastry is dill forward and crispy, and the liquid olive was smooth with a little bit of olive on the end. We think the cloud was the best with the balance of cheese and beet flavor and were very impressed with the liquid olive, not too strong.

 

The first course is the Golden Caviar. Starting out, they place the caviar from their exclusive collection on the trout and accompany it with a tuna belly and a fantastic aioli. The caviar itself is a wonderful mix of saltiness and slight fish that accompanies that perfect pop. Underneath is the light, silky trout and juxtaposes the earthy micro greens. On the side, the crispy lightly fried tuna belly is perfection with a tasty creamy and earthy aioli for dipping. This course (and the next two) was paired with a delicate Rose champagne that is light and crisp to go with the lightness of the fish and caviar.

 

On to the second course, we got the Beets, which were paired with preserved plums and soft goat cheese. On top, the earthy and tangy beets are frozen in a ball then below is a moat of cheese, plums, and roasted beets that you can mix up together to get an amazing earthy, creamy, tangy bite. This one was so much fun to eat, a real treat.

 

Just behind this course, was the Scallops, but we opted for the Hamachi Crudo instead since we don’t eat shellfish. The presentation on this one was the absolute best of the entire meal. Served on a hand plate, it felt “hand delivered” to you! The fish is served raw but is so tender, it literally melts in your mouth and goes flawlessly with the creamy avocado, bright citrus vinaigrette, and amazing cold cilantro jalapeno sauce. In love with all the flavors creamy, earthy, spicy, bright, and add the crunchy beet flakes for one of the best bites of the night.

 

Moving on the fourth course where we got to pair a perfect poached cod and a bright Chablis. One of the best poached cods we’ve ever had, it was fall-apart tender. It’s light and mellow and pairs so well with the multiple forms of grapes that accompany this dish. The sweet and tart of the grape gives this little number an earthy and tart with a slightly salty end. The Chablis on the other hand was acidic that juxtaposed the sweet and salty of the dish. Just perfect.

 

When you didn’t think it couldn’t get any better, course five knocked it out of the park with the Westholme Wagyu. Buttery, slightly charred, and melt-in-your mouth wagyu that was too tender and delicious to even use the Italian knife they let us pick out. Topped with a candied fig that gives the meat a sweet, brown sugar, earthy, and tart bite on top of the already perfectly cooked wagyu. On the opposite end of the plate is a too beautiful to eat flower and gelatin concoction. It adds the right amount of creaminess. Overall, when you mix all the flavors together you get a creamy, rich, sweet, salty and a myriad of other flavors that let’s you know this IS the dish to remember. Paired with a heavy Cabernet is just right.

 

On to the dessert portion, they brought out course six, the Green Apple palate cleanser. They pour a citrus green apple sauce over this frozen, green apple treat for a boost of brightness. The entire dish is earthy and crisp with a complex mix of tartness and nuttiness from the pistachios, granola, diced apples, and mandarin. Then, for the finale, the Vol Au Vent is a decadent, crispy, bold bite. With layers of flaky pastry and bold caramel and apple flavor all around. Then, on the side, a rare dessert wine ice cream is boozy and sweet that goes well with the bold apple and caramel flavors. Paired with a Royal Hungarian dessert wine is rich and drinks like brown sugar, what a great sip with the dessert.

 

As a thanks, the Chefs brought out Petit fours after our meal. These candies are so fun, what looked like an Oreo, matcha gummies, and more. Just like these gifts, the entire meal is a total gift from beginning to end. From the delicious meal to the best service, it was one to remember.

 

Would you go to Atlas for a tasting menu?

Kyma: An Ode to Greece

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 9/20/20

There’s a light breeze over the patio that’s randomly dotted with mosaic tile in blue and white patterns. The smell of candles and the ocean can be felt throughout the place, reminiscent of a warm night in Santorini or after a long walk through the Parthenon. With Kyma in Buckhead, you don’t need to get on a plane and head to Greece, because you can visit right here in Atlanta. The décor is pitch perfect with a lighted night sky inside to the beautifully crafted fireplace outside. Beautiful. But the best thing? The Food! Authentic Greek traditional fare elevated by carefully curated spices, flavors, and textures that work in harmony to create unforgettable dishes like lamb pie, Tsipoura fish, Octopus Mini, tartare trio, lamb chops, and everything else on this elegant menu. Let’s take a tour of Greece.

Starting with the array of meze that Chef Pano generously sent our way, we tried the Calamari, tartare trio (special of the night), lamb pie, Octopus Mini, spinach pie, and cheese. Starting with our two favorites, the Octopus Mini and the lamb pie, both bites were spot on! The Octopus Mini was the stand-out favorite meze of the tasting with the truly perfect cooked octopus, charred, and was almost like eating a very tender pork loin with a slight char and pop of the skin. Simply presented and seasoned well, it was the best octopus dish we’ve ever tasted. Just imagine this wonderful meat paired with capers and red onion to give it a little bite and earthiness. This is a must try. Second, the lamb pie, was everything you’d think and more with the crunch of the pastry, the spicy and flavorful lamb inside, and mixed with the yogurt to cool it down. It’s no wonder this beautiful dish is so tender, it’s cooked for 12-hours! Still thinking about this dish!

Everything else was just stellar, like the Calamari was cut into noodle-like strips and mixed with a creamy yogurt and bright zucchini to round out the fun dish that you can mix together yourself. We’ve never seen anything plated and done this way. We really thought it was spectacular! The special of the night was the tartare trio with tuna topped with caviar (fave), sea bass with spices and lemon, and salmon mixed with yogurt. All of them were savory, sweet, and a great little bite! Eat it with a spoon or on the crisp bread, either way you’ll really like these! One of John’s favorites was the cheese meze. It’s a Kasseri cheese that’s been sautéed and comes off rich and almost meaty, then finished off with ouzo for a boozy bite, lemon for brightness, and olive oil for earthiness. One of the best little cheeses you can ever get. Nothing screams Greece than a traditional spinach pie, AMIRIGHT? One of the staples we love in Greek food is always the spinach pie, but these little bites were just dynamite with a crispy shell and the spinach and feta came together exactly right.  You can’t go wrong with anything or any of these bites.

In between the meze and the entrée we got a break to cool it down with a trio of three salads. The watermelon, beet, and the Greek were all something you’d expect to be on a Greek menu, but they all have something that really make them stand-out. Take the watermelon and feta with the minty freshness and topped with a watermelon sorbet that cools and it melts and mixes well with the fresh watermelon and salty, creamy feta cubes. Yes, SORBET! As for the beet salad, it too is topped with a beet sorbet and boasts an array of beets, nuts, and an amazingly paired with warm sheep’s milk cheese. Creamy, earthy, and warm.  Finally, The Greek is just a perfectly seasoned and hearty cucumber, tomato, olive oil and basil. Simple and perfect.

As the night progressed, the sun started to set, and Chef Pano wowed us with the Tsipouri reveal from under a bed of grape leaves to show a whole fish, cooked with salt and seasoned with spices and simple lemon. They took it away to take the bones out and to butterfly it, but it was so fun to watch those grape leaves come off! Once the fish got back to the table, it was just as we thought, flaky and light with the right amount of seasoning, lemon, and slightly buttered olive oil that Chef Pano makes in house. It came with an assortment of sides and lamb chops. The lamb chops were perfectly cooked and had an amazing seasoning that gave the hearty lamb a little spice and a little earthiness. Roll them around in the tzatziki sauce, you won’t be sorry! As for the sides, the eggplant was amazing, like a hearty stew, with tender eggplant, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. Then, add in the bright and tender kale wilted and seasoned with a generous amount of lemon. The both went well with the full-flavor and flakiness of the fish.

These amazing bites were perfectly paired with the Morpheus and Thirsty Philosopher cocktail, as well as a stellar Greek wine that drinks like a pinot grigio, called Boutari, a Moscofilero from Mantinia, Greece. The Morpheus was the favorite with a velvety and earthy gin mixed with St. elder, simple syrup, and hibiscus. Sweet and lively with a hint of booze on the back, just like we like it! The Thirsty Philosopher is a simple cucumber vodka drink with hints of cucumber, dill, and earthiness of gin on the back end. One of those drinks you could sip on with any entrée! Greeks love their wine and we know why. The Boutari is a fantastically drinkable, crisp, and light wine that pairs well with a light, flaky fish! Reminiscent of pinot grigio, it is one that we’d love to have again.

As the night sky turned to shades of deep purple and black, the lights from the restaurant spilled onto the patio and the candles were lit in the fireplace. The candles danced and leapt throwing shadows on the ground and creating a symphony of odd shapes. It felt like we were on a cozy street in Greece on a warm summer night.  Maybe we’ll stay for just one more moment.

THERE ON FIFTH: A MIRACLE ON FIFTH

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/16/20

Among the concrete, skyscrapers, and hustle and bustle of the vibrant midtown city-life is a fantastic new spot, There on Fifth, the second There restaurant in Atlanta. It’s exactly what that area needs, and could we boast, a miracle? Something for happy hour after work or to take your biggest client, There on Fifth is an injection in the arm for the restaurant scene in that part of midtown that needs more upscale options, while not feeling pretentious. The second you taste Smallwood’s food you know why this place will be a hit with just about everyone, though. Offerings at There on Fifth include Indian-inspired beets, a seriously divine pork rillettes, dynamite hanger steak, and some of the best in-bone chicken in the city. Let’s sit down and share a meal together, shall we?

We tried a few of the shareable plates including the Roasted Local Beets and Pork Rillettes. It doesn’t get more local than these local beets, which were picked directly from Bill Brown, the owner’s garden. You can tell how fresh they are, perfectly ripe and tender. We love what Smallwood did with the Indian-inspired flavors like the spice of the Vadouvan to the creaminess of the Labneh.  It’s bright, fresh, earthy, creamy, and one of the best beet dishes imaginable because it has so many dynamic flavors that come together in one dish. We’re in love.

Moving from there we tried the Pork Rillettes, which Smallwood said was almost like an upscale charcuterie plate, and we can’t agree more. Have you ever had a pork pate perfectly blended and then combined with bacon and duck fat? I know your mind is being blown right now, but it’s so good you could get a spoon and just dig in. There is a variety of pairings you can make on this plate, like combining the pate with the raspberry jam on toast. Imagine freshly made raspberry jam with a perfect sweetness mixed with the savory and richness of the pate. Two things you didn’t know you could combine make one of the best little bites! Also included on this plate is pork rinds, so you can dip pork into pork. Isn’t that fun? Finally, don’t get us started on the pickled ramps. Did you know they only have a few weeks to even be harvested? You must get in and get them or you miss out. What’s amazing about this little veggie is that it’s on part onion but finishes like garlic. We’d recommend combining that with the pork pate and it adds an element of earthiness, bitter and tartness that elevates the pate itself. This is a must try dish for anyone that loves to mix and match flavors.

To say steak is a staple is probably an accurate account of almost every upscale place around town. It’s a must have on any menu because there’s always someone who loves their meat and potatoes, AMIRIGHT? What if we said we can make it fun, too? The Hanger Steak at There on Fifth is just that! Perfectly cooked steak (get it medium!) that’s rich and meaty slathered with a fantastic, creamy and rich sauce Choron. This grown up, but playful dish sits atop flat potatoes, almost like hashbrowns. Take all the ingredients and some of the vegetables and mix it all up, that’s your best bite. It’s meaty, rich, tangy, sweet, savory, earthy, and your taste buds will be happy.

The second you put the Springer Mountain Cassoluet in your mouth, you know this is going to have a good night. Miracles happen every day, right? But this one we didn’t expect. You see chicken on the menu, and you say to yourself, “that’s the safe dish.” Not this time, this is probably the best bone-in chicken dish in Atlanta. Bear with us here, we’re going to prove it. Imagine chicken perfectly brined and tender that literally will not stay on the bone, then flash fried and crispy, salty perfection. Combine this with the white beans, pork, and a myriad of comfort food vegetables beneath, it almost came off a little like the best stuffing you ever put in your mouth. Yes, like at Thanksgiving. Something you need to know about me (Liz) is that there are two things I love: white beans and stuffing. Put them together and literally my eyes rolled in the back of my head and I told John, “I can’t stop eating this.” We’d recommend mixing the chicken and all the goodness beneath into one bite, plus you have to get a little bit of that flash fried skin. Are you ready to try it? We’ll definitely be getting it again.

Beyond the fantastic fare, make sure you sample a few of their cocktails or grab a dessert! Our favorite was the Bonfire on the Beach. This is a refreshing, sweet, and tart whiskey cocktail with lemon, honey, and ginger beer.  Like the name says, it reminds us of the beach up front with the sweetness of the ginger and honey, finishing with a little bit of fire of the tart lemon and warming whiskey. We also enjoyed the French 75. It was cooling and mellow and who doesn’t like gin and champagne together? One of the BEST. Finally, have your drink and eat it too with the Monday Night Brownie. Fudgy and rich chocolate up front, with the little bit of bitterness from the Drafty Kilt and the slight salt makes this a well-rounded delectable bite that’s a perfect way to end the night. Share? No, thanks.

The sun is hiding behind the large building to the west, and the wind picks up and makes the patio an enjoyable spot to sit and chat. We talked to Bill Brown who owns the restaurant for a good 15-20 minutes about all things There, life, and the industry. Bill knows so much about restaurants and it’s always a delight to chat and share a drink with him. Cheers, Bill. You have a winner here!

Ocean & Acre: Land and Sea Perfectly Paired

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 11/24/19

Land and Sea come together in perfect harmony up at Ocean & Acre in the Halcyon Forsyth complex! What really sets them apart is the innovative and truly unique menu offerings like ceviche with beets, wagyu beef carpaccio, lamb belly, and savory pork chops. If meat isn’t your thing, they have tons of fish, a take on fish and chips, oysters, and even more shellfish to choose from. Like we said, perfect harmony! Beyond this, we really enjoyed the medley of flavors that they paired together in each dish to make them remarkable. Ok, enough talk, let’s take a journey through their menu, sip on a cocktail, and sit by the fire. Come on in.

Starting with the raw bar, the Bass Ceviche was one of the most unique small plates we’ve ever had with light and flaky bass mixed with beets and in a beet vinaigrette. It was earthy, fresh, and light with every flavor you could imagine in such a simple dish. Yes, you must like beets, but they are perfectly cooked and are actually the perfect pair with the fish. Light and delicious.

Maintaining our foray into the lighter side of Ocean & Acre, we opted for the wagyu beef carpaccio. The most tender slice of tartar beef paired well with some oil, herbs, and a light whipped cheese. The best bite is to wrap up the beef, cheese, herbs, and oil and stuff it all in your mouth. Savory, creamy, light.

We took a turn from there into hearty with the Smoked Lamb Belly. The meat was fresh with very little game, a different take on a pork belly dish. What was truly amazing about this dish was the best side on Ocean & Acre’s menu: the polenta. We cannot sing the praises of this more! With the creamy polenta flavor up front then the tart and sweet of the craisins and raisins on the back it’s a savory sweet MASTERPIECE. Could. Not. Stop. Eating it. Great for the cold weather!

Our main course consisted of some of the most flavorful, savory pork chops we’ve had in a long time. Perfectly cooked with herbs and a hearty au jus, this chop was well, perfect. It comes with two, cooked onions to add flavor to the sauce, as well as mushrooms. Two people can share it, it’s that big. Suggestion: get the pork chop with a side of the polenta from the lamb belly dish. We ended up mixing them together and WOW. This is THE combination to try! Highly recommend.

Let’s not forget their drink menu which had a good mix of classics and signature sips to try. The one we like the best was Barracuda. It’s their drink of the week this week, November 22nd 2019 through the Thanksgiving. They have an in-house infuser and backed it with habanero, blood orange and tequila. They paired this with crème de chassis on the top. Perfecto. We also enjoyed both the Rosetta, the drink of the week last week with whipped egg and cloves, as well as a fun tiki drink called Ebb Tide: pineapple, rum, mint. A tiki mule if you will. Wonder what fun drink of the week they will come up with next week? Can’t wait to find out.

We must say that the Halcyon up in Forsyth is really a destination for anyone living in Atlanta. They have a brew pub, sports bar, movie theater with delicious eats, and more. Let’s not forget this absolute gem, Ocean & Acre. Take your family, friends, and life mate, grab a cocktail and sit by the fire. You’ll be glad you did.