VINOCITY KIRKWOOD

He says:
The bandstand was empty. So were most of the tables. The dim, cavernous dining area could easily accommodate two hundred people, but on Saturday morning it only boasted two, both drearily sipping cups of coffee. On the television behind the bar, a woman in an infomerical was demonstrating how to use gallons of OJ and full laundry baskets to work out. Our waiter’s “bedhead” hair didn’t look artfully coiffed. In fact, it looked like he’d just woken up, rolled off the futon, and was looking for his pants. At any second we expected a janitor to come down the aisle, pushing along some red plastic party cups with his broom.

“This place looks like a hangover,” said Uptown Girl.

I couldn’t agree more. When we first reviewed Vinocity in 2007, it had a better location and higher ambitions. Its menu was all over the place, but at least it tried.

In contrast, I can't help but feel that Vinocity Kirkwood has given up. The new brunch menu contains several cutting edge dishes with names like “French Toast,” “Belgian Waffles,” and “Veggie Omelet.” Wow, really?! An omelet with vegetables in it? And $13 for a bagel & lox? Gee, thanks!

She says:
To be fair, Vinocity's main focus is on lunch and dinner, not brunch. My guess is that the addition of a weekend brunch menu is an attempt to turn an extra buck. But breaking into Atlanta's robust brunch scene is a hopeless endeavor with such a boring, overpriced menu and cheerless space.

As for the food... I can't complain about my crab cake benedict. The poached eggs jiggled amiably over two large and acceptably crabby patties. What I can (and did) complain about was the side of fruit, a pile of melon chunks which had gone rancid. When I handed the fruit back to our waiter, he agreed, saying "Yeah, that looks pretty bad." I suppose he was too busy wiping the sleep from his eyes to notice their disgusting condition earlier.

He says:
I ordered the special of the day, an omelet with polish keilbasa, red pepper, and feta cheese, mostly because it was the only item on the menu I’d never cooked before myself. As it turns out, I could have done better. The eggs were overcooked, almost rubbery, and there wasn’t enough pepper or cheese to balance the heaviness of the sausage.

We say:
If you’re going to serve brunch, shouldn’t you try to give a damn?




Vinocity Kirkwood
1963 Hosea Williams Drive, Atlanta, GA 30317
http://www.vinocitywinebar.com/

TILTH

She says:
Tilth is the kind of restaurant that you still talk about years after dining there.

Our dinner at this Seattle newcomer was a highly anticipated event. Ever since Frank Bruni, the New York Times food critic, selected Tilth as one of the top 10 new restaurants in America in 2008, Downtown Boy has been pining to go. I was also eager to eat at a restaurant committed to using only local, organic ingredients, which is exemplified both by its name (“tilth” refers to nutrient-rich soil) and the fact that it is one of only two restaurants in the country to receive organic certification from Oregon Tilth. Housed (literally) in the renovated first floor of a small Wallingford home, Tilth accommodates only 40 people at a time. This charming intimacy is enhanced by the waitstaff, who offer intelligent advice about the menu. Our waitress helpfully pointed out that it was common for guests to strategically order several half-dishes to maximize the number of entrees they could try. This is just what we did.

He says:
The simply-named "Hor d'Oeuvres" appetizer was anything but -- rather, it was simply marvelous. A gumdrop-sized ball of homemade mascarpone cheese sat on a crisp parmesan cracker, garnished with a fresh slice of fig. The ensuing synthesis of creamy, salty, and sweet notes had the entire table breaking into spontaneous smiles. This might have been the finest appetizer I've ever had.

My first half-entree, the smoked heirloom bean cassoulet, was surprisingly excellent. A bean stew rarely gets me excited, but Tilth's version came with wild mushrooms, truffles, and oven-dried tomatoes. An incredible, smoky earthiness infused every bite of this dish -- I never imagined such intensity could be wrung from such humble ingredients. The rich porcine flavors of my second entree, the slow-cooked pork cheek, were less unexpected but just as wonderful. The chefs at Tilth have mastered pork, retaining its subtle gaminess and keeping it tender enough to split with a fork. I mopped up every last piece in the pancetta-parmesan broth.

Last but not least came the Alaskan sablefish, a type of cod, which had been cooked sous vide. For those who do not know, the sous vide method allows for pressurized cooking at very low temperatures, which preserves the delicate texture of meat. For me, Tilth sets the standard for this kind of culinary magic. My first bite of sablefish literally melted on my tongue. My second bite, accompanied by a fennel salad and picholine olives, was even better. At this point, I was becoming convinced that this restaurant could do no wrong.

She says:
I agree, that sablefish was incredible. My other favorite, as odd as it sounds, was the cauliflower flan. The truffled flan was so rich you'd never guess that it was made from cauliflower. Drizzled on the side was a puree with meyer lemon, capers, and tarragon. I have seen many restaurants use artsy drizzles of sauces or purees to make their dishes appear fancy, but these usually don't add much to the dish. On the contrary, this puree provided a tart contrast to the creamy flan. In fact, each bite got progressively better as the various flavors fused on my tongue.

Less noteworthy was the sockeye salmon tartare. It's not that the mixture of raw salmon (of the quality you only find in the Pacific Northwest) with cornichon, endive, and dijon wasn't delicious ... it was just less impressive than the sablefish and flan.

As we ordered desserts, our waitress once again came to the rescue, insisting with surprising assertiveness that we include the cheesecake. Her advice was spot-on. It was unlike any other cheesecake I have seen or tasted... far less sweet, with the freshness of the cheese standing out. The little balls of sweet fromage blanc sitting atop a tiny crust of feuilletine had us all fighting over the final bites. We also had to try the avocado mousse, for novelty sake. I don't think it'll be replacing chocolate mousse anytime soon, but once again the unique combination of fluffy, lightly-sweetened mousse, candied ginger, and cilantro syrup had our palettes spinning.

He says:
The cheesecake was indeed on its own level of awesomeness. The almond brown butter cake paled in comparison -- it was too plain -- but the blood orange creme brulee held its own. Uptown Girl found it too sweet, but the rest of us swooned over the candied citrus rinds and silky custard.

We say:
Many other restaurants focus on local, seasonal fare, but Tilth takes it to new heights. With startling flavor combinations and top-notch service, Tilth is truly one of the best restaurants in America. We can't imagine having a better meal this year.




Tilth
1411 N 45th St, Seattle, WA 98103
tilthblog.wordpress.com

PIROSHKY PIROSHKY

He says:
Several years back I found myself in a ravenous state while exploring Seattle’s downtown for the very first time, and I headed into Pike Place Market desperately seeking a cheap, hearty snack. As luck would have it, I stumbled right into Piroshsky Piroshsky, a tiny shop that sells the small, stuffed pies that gives the store its name. The Russian word for “little feast,” a piroshky is a handheld pie that can contain anything from beef to mushrooms to fruit. The array of sweet and savory choices in Piroshsky Piroshsky’s display case is dazzling.

On our latest jaunt to Seattle, I ordered the cheddar cheese piroshky for nostalgia’s sake, and it’s just as delicious as I remember it. Thick wads of cheddar are baked right into the golden spirals of the moist, oily bun. Every bite must have been at least 200 calories – no matter, it’s totally worth it.

Uptown Girl ordered the chocolate-cardamom piroshky, which looked sweet and filling. Yum!

This isn’t fancy food by any means … just street food at its best.




Piroshsky Piroshsky
1908 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101
http://www.piroshkybakery.com/

4TH & SWIFT

He says:
This past weekend, I treated Uptown Girl to a special Valentine’s Day dinner at 4th & Swift, one of Atlanta’s hottest new restaurants in 2008. And what says “romance” more than a 4-course prix fixe menu for $75/person? With Bacchanalia-level prices, though, there also come the expectation of a creative menu, top-shelf ingredients, and unexpected pairings that challenge the palette.

Could 4th & Swift deliver?

She says:
For the first course, Downtown Boy and I both chose the poached Maine lobster. If they were going to charge us an arm and a leg for dinner, we were going to get the most out of it! They were generous with the lobster meat, which was buttery and delicious. It came atop a pile of cauliflower “risotto,” which was, unfortunately, just a bland pile of steamed cauliflower. Also absent was the carrot-ginger emulsion… there was a butter sauce on the bottom of the plate, but it lacked any distinct ginger or carrot flavor.

My second course involved Yellowfin tuna prepared two ways. The first, a slab of tuna lightly seared and set on top of seaweed salad, was uninventive. The second was tastier and more creative – a spicy tuna tartare mixed with avocado and topped with wasabi tobiko (roe).

He says:
My second appetizer of pork sugo and herb gnocchi was disappointing. Ground up into a Bolognese-style ragu, the pork was as bland as the tomato base it came with. It didn’t help that underneath the parmesan flakes it looked like Hamburger Helper. The accompanying gnocchi was delicate and tasty, but it wasn’t enough to save this dish.

My “counting sheep” entrée – a North African inspired dish that included 3 types of mutton – fared much better. The merguez (spicy sausage) was rich and smoky. Two generous chops came with a creamy tahini sauce. And the slow braised shoulder, while tame, paired well with the moist bed of couscous and a spicy harissa.

She says:
On our server’s recommendation, I selected the roasted North Carolina pheasant for my entree. It reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner. First, the late fall/winter flavors were all there… the tender roasted pheasant meat, the buttery mashed sweet potatoes, the cabbage hash, and a sort of cranberry and nut chutney. And second, it was far too much food. I definitely enjoyed the dish, but I also wondered if 4th and Swift was trying to justify the price of this prix fixe meal through quantity rather than quality.

Consequently I could only manage a few bites of my dessert, a spiced chocolate pot de crème. The custard was fine, but missing any real intensity. I was put off by the cinnamon “churros” that came alongside, as they were not cooked through, leaving the interior unappetizingly gooey.

He says:
The parsnip and apple cake, 4th and Swift’s avant garde version of carrot cake, was a complete letdown. Any notes of either parsnip or apple were lost in two successive layers of maple cream cheese frosting.

Another letdown, I might add, was the restaurant’s décor. The entire “faux warehouse” look of backlit brick face walls and exposed piping is just so played out. It’s the de facto look of restaurants that are too lazy to create an authentic vibe. And I guess that’s my major problem with 4th & Swift, overall. The kitchen here is talented, but too many dishes are lazily prepared, or formulaic, or just plain boring.

We say:
Good food in search of true inspiration.




4th & Swift
621 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
http://www.4thandswift.com/

SOTTO SOTTO

He says:
Ah, Sotto Sotto, where have you been all these years?

Uptown Girl and I consider Italian one of our favorite cuisines, and yet we have struggled to find a great Italian meal ever since moving to Atlanta. We have followed recommendations from friends and publications alike, and everywhere we have dined we’ve encountered generic pasta in boring cream sauces. After a long while, I resigned myself to second-rate Italian in this city… but finding an establishment like Sotto Sotto gives me real hope.

It occupies a small, unassuming space on North Highland that is easy to miss, which is probably why it took us so long to eat here. Nevertheless it is lovely inside, with dark wood tables, dim accent lighting, and the unfinished plaster walls of a Tuscan villa. The restaurant was almost empty when we arrived for an early dinner, but by the time we left every table was full. In this economy, this tells me that Sotto Sotto is doing something right.

Our waiter said Sotto Sotto’s risotto was considered the best in the city, and I won’t argue with him. The mushroom risotto I ordered was sublime. The Arborio rice was creamy and tender without falling into mushiness, with a robust mix of wild mushrooms infusing every bite.

The pappardelle with duck ragu was less of a revelation but no less delicious. The delicacy of the fresh pasta paired well with the light tomato base and rich slivers of duck thigh. The kitchen could have been more generous with the duck, but this is a minor complaint. Each of these pasta half-orders only cost $10, and they were more than filling.

She says:
These half-order pastas are the most brilliant idea ever. After hemming and hawing between two pasta dishes for 10 minutes, I finally realized I could get both! The cappellacci de zucca is a seasonal dish, little pasta “hats” stuffed with butternut squash and sweet potato, and served with sage in a brown butter sauce. I’ve had better versions of this dish before, and although the pasta was perfect, overall the dish was too mild. Luckily I had a second dish to savor – the tagliattelle al funghi. It was the noodle version of Downtown Boy’s wild mushroom risotto. Again, the fresh pasta was excellent, and the sauce achieved a terrific blend of creaminess, saltiness, and mushroomy earthiness. I would definitely put it among my top 10 favorite entrees in Atlanta.

I really didn’t need dessert, but I had to try the chocolate soup, just because it sounded so… different. It was basically a bowl of warm melted chocolate with bits of crunchy, salty “croutons” that added a nice textural contrast. A delicious novelty, but a bit much.

We say:
There’s nothing overly fancy at Sotto Sotto … just basic Italian dishes that are close to perfect.




Sotto Sotto
313 North Highland Ave. Atlanta, GA 30307
http://www.frittirestaurant.com/sotto/