Tag Archive for: meatballs

Pricci: Authentic Italian

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 10/14/20

Good Italian isn’t hard to find in Atlanta, but the moment you walk into Pricci, you’re taken back to a time when waiters doted over their guests, warm greetings where you almost felt like family, and classic dishes were made so well, you didn’t want anything more.  The Buckhead Italian staple does everything well from the savory meatballs, fantastic focaccia bread, meaty carpaccio, hearty pappardelle special pasta, desserts, wine selection, and a premium veal chop that will leave your mouth watering. Authentic Italian, homecooked classics, are back in style at Pricci, so let’s get going on an Italian culinary journey.

Before we even got our appetizers, we received the BEST bread, focaccia made with garlic and onion with a goat cheese and marinara sauce on the side. As it melted in our mouths, we had to order more because it was some of the best bread. Of the stellar starters, we chose the meatballs (you know we would) and the carpaccio. These two dishes that are on any real Italian menu and both were just divine. Starting with the meatballs, they were rich and meaty with a good mix of meats to even out the flavor, and a generous amount of marinara. We loved that the marinara boat had a little bit of ricotta cheese melted into it and you could chop up the meatball some and get a bite of the ball, cheese, and marinara all at once. Pro tip: top the focaccia bread that comes with your meal to eat the chopped-up meatballs. WOW! Second, the carpaccio super tender and thinly sliced topped with a tangy and sweet vidalia onion aioli. With the tangy, richness, and sweet of those ingredients, it really paired well with the earthiness of the arugula and the creaminess of the cheese. The best part was wrapping it all up on your fork and getting a little bit of those crunchy capers. It was just the icing on the cake: crunchy, earthy, creamy, rich, meaty, tangy, and sweet.

The second that Marco, the GM told us that their special pasta of the day was a lamb ragu pappardelle pasta dish, Liz exclaimed, “did you know I was coming today?” Ragu pappardelle is my (Liz’s) favorite pasta dish on an Italian menu, so I was thrilled. Starting with the perfectly cooked and tender lamb in a hearty ragu, tomato-based sauce which was savory and rich. The addition of wonderfully cooked and tender pappardelle and paired with a hint of blue cheese, it was divine. What I love is to roll up the lamb, sauce, and cheese into the pasta and eat it almost like a little wrap. Delicioso!

If you try anything at Pricci, it’s the veal chop. They bring in their veal from Holland and its diet is totally milk based, so it turns out even more tender, rich, and less gamy than other veal dishes you can get elsewhere. They carve the meat in-house and only receive 4 or 5 level meats. This melt-in-your-mouth carved cut of meat is heavenly. Like we said above, it’s perfectly cooked, light, tender, then topped with a savory and rich sauce that is a balanced sweet and savory. It really brings out the lightness of the veal. Then, paired with potatoes that soaks up a good bit of the sauce and earthiness of power greens in olive oil and lemon and you have a complete gamut of goodness: earthy, savory, sweet, starchy, I could go on. Are you sold yet?

Whatever you do, stay for some dessert and amazing in-house brewed espresso. The coffee was so rich and creamy, you didn’t need to add any sugar or cream. It was perfect all by itself. The crème bruele was everything you’d want in your vanilla custard-based dessert, perfectly flambeed with a crunchy and buttery top. John adored the gelato that had FRESH whole maraschino cherry gelato with very rich and creamy chocolate.

With every course finished, the last sip of wine was gone, espresso was empty, and our time at Pricci ended with the best Nutella brownies we got to take home. Can we go back now?

Cru Food and Wine Bar Atlanta: Wine Oasis

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/27/20

On a bustling corner at The Battery Atlanta, there’s a wine oasis dotted with bluish-purple umbrellas, marble tabletops, warm vibes, and surrounded by several colors of delicate flowers and greenery. Cru Food & Wine Bar at the Battery Atlanta has mastered the art of superb wine procurement from magnificent champagne and Smell the Roses flights to a wide variety of dishes that compliment the wine on their menu. We can’t think of anything better to pair your favorite vino with than a solid charcuterie or small plate, and even a succulent filet mignon. Wine not join us on a culinary journey from our time at Cru Atlanta?

What’s the first thing you think of when you think of wine? Charcuterie and cheese OF COURSE. Yes, all caps. Cru Food & Wine Bar has exemplary flight pairings with carefully curated list of cheeses and meats. We got the Premier Cru which boasted of salami, prosciutto, soppressata, and manchego cheese and accompanied with a selection of pickled vegetables, tasty mustard, and rustic bread. What a great way to start our wine journey. To go with it we opted for the Smell the Roses flight which had 3 delicate and well-balanced Rose wines. Our favorite was Chateau Gassier Esprit. It was crisp and light with a delicate amount of tart, apples, citrus-like notes. Plus, who can go to a wine bar without sampling at least one champagne? The one we sampled was the Laurent Perrier Brut La Cuvee from France. It was everything a true champagne should be with brut bubbles and a slight tart finish. What’s your favorite wine varietal?

Beyond your traditional wine bar fare, Cru Food & Wine Bar also offers a wide array of sharable plates. The Ahi Tartare is mild and tender with creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber with a hint of earthiness combined with bitterness of the olive. I (Liz) don’t usually like olives (AT ALL) but the combination of the avocado, cucumber, and tomatoes, cuts the bitterness, while the olive actually adds to the flavor. Mix all the ingredients up on the plate and add some of the rustic bread, it’s a great bite. After something light, we decided on something a little heavier, like the Wagyu meatballs. With wagyu as the main ingredient, these meatballs are the right amount of meatiness, yet lighter than expected. Paired with a bright and light sauce that we loved, topped with basil that added a good amount of earthiness to balance the richness of the meat and the creaminess of the cheese. Our tip is to cut the meatballs up and pile all the ingredients on the rustic bread for a solid complete bite.

Want something a little sweeter? Cru Food & Wine Bar has these goat cheese beignets that are surprisingly decedent treat. Almost dessert-like, we’re in love with the creaminess and tart of the goat cheese, the crunch of the beignet, and the sweetness of the honey. That last touch really adds a ton of rich, sweet flavor. The secret ingredient in this dish, though, is the mascarpone. It lightens up the goat cheese and gives it more of a creaminess to the inside. Make sure to get every bit of honey, beignet, and filling into one bite and get ready for a flavor explosion. This was the biggest surprise of the night and ended up being my (Liz’s) favorite thing!

Earlier we asked what’s the first thing you think of when you think wine, but now we have a follow up. What’s the second? Before you answer, you were thinking steak, right? We knew it and this one is filet mignon at that! This beauty is a perfectly tender piece of meat cooked medium with the right amount of seasoning, sauce, and the tart of the blue cheese. The tasty sauce on the plate around the steak was a chianti-based that was slightly sweet to balance out the tart of the blue cheese and heaviness of the meat. Add in the earthiness of rosemary to round out the flavor! On the side, the au gratin potatoes are like a hearty potato pie with layer upon layer of cheese and potatoes, which goes so well with the sauce. It was also paired with green beans that had the right crunch and seasoning, adding a little hint of freshness and brightness to round out the succulent dish.

Sipping on a cool glass of champagne, we relaxed in the shade and just watched people walk by Cru Atlanta. The people around us glasses clinked, and the light sound of chatter filled the warm summer air. We couldn’t eat another bite, so we just sat full and happy. We know it’s hard but if you could choose one thing to try, what would it be?

Grana Atlanta: Meatball Heaven

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/21/20

On the busy corner in Piedmont Heights, Grana’s newly built restaurant is a shrine to the almighty meatball – and all things Italian. Herringbone floor, two large wood burning pizza ovens, sweeping lights, and impeccable décor, Grana has an impressively upscale dining room that pays homage to the Chef’s Italian Heritage. It’s a stunner. Heading up to the beach vibe rooftop bar and patio, you’re greeted with the neon sign that reminds you that this place will be known for it’s balls, meatballs that is. Mark our words, the best meatballs in Atlanta. Beyond this, sinful appetizers, array of unique pizza, fantastic pasta, summer sippers, and impeccable main dishes make up the fabric of the best new Italian restaurant in Atlanta. That’s amore. Let’s dig in.

We get it, dreaming of the perfect meatball was never in our realm of reality either. But here we are awestruck by the master meatball-teer.  We opted for the meatball flight which included Mommy’s, Nonna’s, Crisp Veal, Pork, Grana, and Brasstown Beef. All practically perfect in their own way, but our stand-out was the best meatball ever, Crispy Veal. Imagine biting into a crisp, crunchy shell and coming upon tender and mild veal, perfectly seasoned with a blend of spices, and topped with a dollop of spicy aioli. It has everything you’d want in a meatball: meaty, spicy, sweet, crunchy, earthy. Perfection if you ask us. Perusing the reset of the meatball wonders, we also really enjoyed the Brasstown Beef that boasts hearty and tender beef topped with immaculate black truffle jam(!) and gouda that rounds out the bite, bringing in a little earth and a little creaminess. All the flavors on this one!! Break up the meatball and mix in the truffle topping. WOW! As for the Pork with the whipped ricotta, it was also delicious, with a very mellow pork ball and the creaminess and earthiness of the ricotta cheese. Meaty and creamy. Nonna’s mixes the right amount of meatball with mustard seed for tart and a slight pop in the mouth. Then, on top of that the currants are sweet and tart. Cut the meatball up and mix in the toppings, yum! What feels like the original, just plain good Mommy’s that reminds you of something your grandma would make, perfect meatball, sauce, earthy basil. BAM! Finally, The Grana is a simple, yet delicious meatball that is a good mix of sage and meat, perfectly balanced. Be honest, if you could have just one, what would it be?

Now that we’ve gotten you good and hungry, our Italian journey continues on the vendura and pasta. Something we would never think of getting was the wood roasted peppers. Pat sent them up for us to try and boy, what a treat. Slightly spicy of the pepper to the creamy of the whipped ricotta to the sweetness of the honey, mix it all up and you get a great all-around flavor! The most delightful surprise of the night was the Roasted Corn Vendura. Immaculately plated standing up with the stalks in the air, the corn is surrounded by a moat of lemon aioli, peppers, and Calabrian oils, it was visually and tastefully stunning. The crunchiness of the corn, the creaminess of the aioli and then comes the spice on the back end to kick you in the teeth. We’re in love with this dish because it gives you a little bit of everything and it’s so unique! After breathing a little fire, came our Pappardelle pasta. Oh. My. Goodness. Ragu is our love language. This Pappardelle pasta, which is thick and hearty, is perfectly cooked and fresh topped with rich pork ragu and sprinkled with hard mozzarella cheese. So meaty and rich, the ragu is the perfect combination with the heartiness and heft of the pasta, plus the right amount of spices. Top with that perfect amount of cheese and you’ve got a dynamite pasta that we will have to come back for seconds to get!

Next stop, pizza. We sampled the Roni, which was a mix of fresh cheese, crisp crust, pepperoni, honey and Calabrian chili combined inside curled up pepperoni. An everchanging collaboration of flavors that seep together to make one of the most unique flavored pizza’s we’ve ever had! Tip: horde the middle. All of the pepperoni goodness and honey, chili, all come together there. It’s the best bite. We’d like to mention that John really enjoyed the Roni. He said at one point that he couldn’t get over how good the pepperoni, honey, and cheese combination was and never would have thought he would love it so much.

Just when you think you can’t get a better meal, in comes the Wood Roasted Chicken. Having the Porchetta (WOWZER!) at the preview, we figured since our waitress recommended it, we’d give it a whirl. Good. Choice. Tender and fall off the bone roasted chicken in a blend of spices and mixed with peppers and surrounded by the sweet and spicy rosemary lemon sauce that elevates the chicken.  The best part was the fattier chicken thighs paired so well with the spiciness of the sauce and the peppers. If you have any leftovers, make a quick panini or sandwich with it the next day. Delicimo!

Full to the brim, now, while we sat on the patio and the rainstorm rolled in, we sipped on several cocktails, like the Lemonada, which was Liz’s favorite! It’s just a gin slushie with lemon Pellegrino! It’s simply refreshing and perfect for a hot day. They’re frozen cocktail changes every so often so you might go and get an Aperol Spritz slushie or even a Froze. Our favorite shaken cocktail was the Amalfly Coasting that is the right mix of Pellegrino pompelmo, gin, peychaud’s. It’s sippable heaven.

That evening as we left, a lone beam of light shown under the clouds. A glimpse of the sunset could be seen from the rooftop and we stopped to take it in. The perfect ending to a wonderful meal. It just proved to us that meatball heaven does exist.

Piastra: Handmade With Love

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/15/20

With the white table cloth crisp and clean, adorned with fine linen wrapped silverware, china, tall shiny wine glasses, and the smell of fresh baked bread, this sets the stage for the elegant Italian food that Piastra makes from scratch with love. Tucked in the charming downtown Marietta Square, Piastra boasts handmade, in house mozzarella or pasta, fresh baked bread, hand stuffed sausage, and even made-from-scratch desserts like their peach cobbler, it’s all so fresh and feels authentic. From the rich meatballs, to the crunchy risotto balls, refreshing peach caprese salad, to the delicate salmon sausage entrée, to the unbelievable pork chop, and finally finishing it off with crumbly peach cobbler. This authentic Italian meal was a walk through Italy, but with a hint of the south sprinkled in to remind us we’re not in the Lipman family kitchen in the outskirts of Rome. Bring your elastic waste pants, you’ll need them for this journey.

Starting with the meatballs, these three beauties were hand-made with pork, beef, cheese, and perfectly seasoned with garlic and topped with a silky red sauce. They were rich and meaty with great flavor and balance. A good little appetizer to share or on the side. Beyond these, we got two other dishes, the Arrancini (Fried Risotto Balls) and Peach Caprese Salad special. The risotto balls were outwardly crispy and crunchy with creamy risotto and pancetta pieces, then the balsamic drizzle is earthier completed the entire bite. So, a crispy, crunchy, creamy, with hints of meat and earth all in one fun little ball. Enough for sharing or not. We opted for NOT. Opting for something a little lighter after fried and meaty starts, Piastra’s seasonal take on a traditional caprese salad was to add peaches and orange tomatoes. The mozzarella is the freshest we’ve ever had, so light and mild paired well with the earthiness, sweetness, and slight pine of a fresh sliced peach.  Take the peach, mozzarella, basil, tomato, all in one bite, you’ll get a ton of flavors that’s perfect for the patio on a hot summer day.

Every Thursday through Saturday, Chef Lipman offers a Chef’s Tasting Menu, a 4-course menu with appetizer, pasta, entrée, and dessert. It’s only $65 and a steal! Off that menu, we sampled the Salsiccia de Salmone, the salmon sausage. Now this, we’ve never had anything like it! This isn’t your momma’s sausage, it’s lighter and flakier. Just imagine perfectly ground salmon encased and mixed with spices,  herbs, while paired with onions, garlic, and zucchini. It screams summer with the lightness of the fish to the bright and crispness of the zucchini squash, and richness of the onion. The addition of the lemon vinaigrette really brought the whole thing together with a bright, light flavor.  We’re definitely a fan of this one!

If you’ve been waiting for our favorite dish, it’s ready for it’s close-up. The Braciola di Maiale, Tomahawk Pork Chop, was a thick cut piece of pork heaven. We only had a pork chop this thick and juicy one other time at a fancy, upscale, Atlanta steakhouse to be unnamed and this one was BETTER! From the absolute divine char on the top, the juicy and thick perfectly cooked cut of pork, to the sweetness of the sauce, this piece of meat is perfection. Then, you pair it with out of this world mashed potatoes boasting of creamy and rosemary(!) goodness. On top of that, the earthiness of the garlic drenched spinach and you’ve got a melody of flavors that work in perfect harmony to bring to life one amazingly beautiful dish. What more could we say about this dish besides, “GET IT?”

One thing we did not anticipate when we stepped into Piastra was the dessert passion that comes with visiting Chef Lipman’s kitchen. Made from scratch and one of the freshest peach cobblers, their desserts are all made fresh daily and change seasonally. Peach is perfect for the summer, especially in this dessert because the sweetness and cool of the peach matches the creaminess of the whipped cream and the nutty, buttery, crumbly, graham cracker crust. Overall, the crunchy crust mixed with the peach and the whipped cream is every dessert flavor we can imagine. We need more peach cobbler in our lives. Don’t you?

We told you that you would need your stretchy pants for this Italian family-style meal. Let’s top that off with a glass of Pinot Grigio, which was so affordable, or some fantastic white sangria that paired perfectly with the peach caprese salad and you’ve got it all. Are you think what we’re thinking? See you at the Chef’s Table next week? You’re in for a treat.

Take Us Out To Live! At The Battery

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/6/20

The pitcher comes up to the mound and the crowd grows silent in anticipation. Here’s the pitch! The ball sails through the air and with the crack of the bat, the ball is going, going, GONE. Next to Truist Park, Home of the Braves, Live! At The Battery knocks it out of the park with margarita pitcher specials, fun cocktails, and an array of bites for any sports or social occasion. Really, the minute you walk up to the Battery, you feel the electricity that the stadium brings and being literally a stone’s throw from Truist Park, it’s one amazing patio and sports enthusiast space. Nestled in Live! At the Battery is Sports & Social, Todd English Tavern, and late-night haunt, PBR. The complex has a little bit of everything from sports watching, the biggest TV you’ll ever see, a good array of dishes, cocktails, drinks, and even a mechanical bull. Take us out to Live!

The word we’d use to describe the cocktails at the Live! Complex would be eye-catching. In our time on the patio, we got The Wave and Blackberry Ginger Margarita. The Blackberry Ginger Margarita was reddish in color and was sweet, tangy, and finished with a slight ginger beer after taste. It was the right mix of all those flavors to make one tasty margarita. Plus, you could get a whole pitcher for only $25 when we were there! A steal! We also sipped on The Wave. It was tropical style margarita with blue curacao and garnished with a pineapple. Pleasingly blue and green hue, topped with yellow pineapple, it was a sweet, yet refreshing patio drink perfect for the hot summer days. Eat the pineapple WITH the pineapple for the best flavor!

Surprisingly good were all the dishes! Our favorite bite of our adventure were the skillet meatballs. Perfectly cooked beef and pork mix, they were topped with melted cheese and accompanied by stewed tomatoes and crisp, herb-buttered bread. We loved that the tomatoes were fresh and really complimented the meatiness of the entire dish. Pile up the bread with some of the meat, cheese, and tomatoes. It’s a creamy, earthy, deep, and rich crescendo of deliciousness. This is a must try.

Looking for a bite to pair with a refreshing beer while watching the game? You should check out their Sweet Thai Chili chicken wings! Hefty wings that are deep fried and slathered in a sweet and spicy sauce that’s so messy, you’ll need to have a ton of napkins handy. The messier the better we say. Then, just imagine on top of that the crunch of perfectly fried and breaded skin for an all-around good bite. It’s just so meaty, spicy, sweet, and crunchy, you don’t even need the blue cheese or ranch for any additional flavor. Now, as you eat them, they get spicier, so this is where you could dip it in the blue cheese or ranch for a cooling creaminess. Yum.

For our handheld, the Ahi Tuna Tacos were light and crisp with tangy pineapple and sweet soy sauce. The ahi tuna itself was very tender and mild, a great bite on it’s own and paired with slightly charred and tangy pineapple. Piled on top of that is the sweet of the soy, and the crunch of the wonton shell and slaw. The wonton shell really drew the bite together for a crunchy, sweet, tangy, meaty dish. This goes great with one of the featured margaritas or even a glass of white wine.

You know that feeling when you get home from a big Braves’ win? That’s the feeling you get when you leave Live! At The Battery.