CAKES & ALE

He says:
At Cakes & Ale, simplicity rules. It starts with the décor – solid white walls lined with mirrors and illustrations drawn from culinary textbooks. REM’s Automatic for the People softly plays in the background. The waiters wear black. Specials are written on a chalkboard like in an English pub. Nothing fancy. Nothing outrageous. If Cakes & Ale wants your attention, they want the food to do the talking.

She says:
And boy did it speak to me! Our enthusiastic waiter made every item on the menu sound amazing (or “really cool” in his words), so it was a tough choice. I ended up selecting the pompano (a type of fish, related to mackerel), and a helluva fish it was. It was cooked “en papillote,” or baked in a pouch, which ensured the delicate fish stayed moist and tender. Thinly sliced onions and peppers were draped on top, adding a touch of piquancy, but overall the fresh flavor of the fish stood on its own. It came with a side of potato-butternut squash puree. The slight sweetness of the squash combined with a generous amount of butter made this side irresistible. And mixed with a bite of the fish… absolute perfection! This is one of the best entrees I have eaten in Atlanta.

He says:
Cakes & Ale’s chicken pot pie is a glorious example of restraint. Some eateries, like The Lady & Sons, feel the need to radically alter this classic comfort food. But why mess with perfection? Cakes & Ale’s version is a simple pie baked in a ceramic dish that bests Swanson’s TV dinner classic at every turn with fresher ingredients and superior taste. The crust is flaky and buttery. Copious chunks of plump chicken breast swim with corn and beans in a thick, golden broth. It may look rather plain, but it’s the best chicken pot pie I’ve ever had.

She says:
For dessert we shared the pomegranate flan, which consisted of a layer of flan topped by a thick layer of pomegranate jelly and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. The flavor was wonderful, not too sweet with the tangy, berry-like flavor of the pomegranate shining through. I didn’t particularly like the texture, though; the creaminess of the flan was overwhelmed by the heaviness of the jelly.

He says:
So picky! I loved the flan exactly the way it was.

We say:
This just might be our favorite small restaurant in town.




Cakes & Ale Restaurant
254 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030
http://www.cakesandalerestaurant.com/