Over
the past month I’ve been a busy little grubber
ravenously consuming everything in my path. And somewhere
in that four-week stretch I managed to squeeze in one single-day
eating rampage that spanned fourteen restaurants, thirty-four
plates of food and two waist sizes tacked onto my already
voluminous figure. I’ll know it’s time to stop
when I catch myself asking Melanie if my butt looks too
big.
There obviously isn’t enough space in this column to cover
every last morsel, so I’ll just briefly touch on two newly
opened neighborhood spots.
Pozole
Pozole is quickly becoming THE Virginia Highland’s go-to
Mexican restaurant, and they don’t even officially serve
Mexican food. According to chef/owner Jason Hill, Pozole’s
kitchen is cooking up what is called Nuevo Latino – a fiery
style of cooking that originated in New Mexico.
I’m not certain that Hill’s menu totally belongs in
that category but I wouldn’t dare call it ‘authentic’ Mexican
and it’s hardly Tex-Mex, so I guess Nuevo Latino is as good
a culinary category to place it as any.
Besides, his noticeably abundant use of chilies is signature
Nuevo Latino cooking. For example, a buttery cheese dip made
of Oaxacan cheese is generously topped with those lively fire-roasted
chilies whose biting sting can also be felt in the lobster broth
of a delicious, smoky seafood stew called Cazuella de Shellfish – the
best of the larger plates.
But some of Hill’s dishes are more Mexican than anything
else – dishes like Mole Braised Beef Short Ribs with stone
ground grits and Oaxaca anejo queso. However, the mole is too
bitter and its odd grainy texture is discomforting. Stick with
the smoky seafood stew when it comes to the bigger portions.
Most of the food at Pozole is good and if you like ass-kicking
spicy you ought to give the habenero salsa a try. If not, Hill’s
version of tomatillo salsa is as smooth as it gets.
He also has a few surprises on the menu – Pork Tacos arrive
wrapped in organic corn tortillas and an unusual restaurant offering
of Popped Corn is tossed with pepitas and Chile essence.
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Spicy Cazuella de Shellfish at Pozole
Pozole
1044 Greenwood Ave, Va-Hi Tel: 404-892-0552
*Recommended Dishes Habanero
Salsa, Oaxacan Cheese Dip w/fire roasted chiles, Cazuella
de Shellfish
Hours:
Sun - Thurs: 5:30pm - 10pm
Fri & Sat: 5:30 pm - 11pm
Redfish
687 Memorial Dr, SE Atlanta
Tel: 404-475-1200
*Recommended Dishes: Gumbo, Crawfish Crab Cake,
Po' Boy, Shrimp & Crab Etouffee, Wild Salmon Souffle,
Bread Pudding
Hours:
Sun - Thurs: 5:30pm - 10pm
Fri & Sat: 5:30 pm - 11pm
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Redfish
Jack Sobel (owner of Agave) has teamed up with old friend Gregg
Herndon to open Redfish, a Cajun/Creole bistro located on Memorial
Dr. just a quick left-hook from Agave. For those of you who don’t
already know, Herndon is most recognized for his culinary accomplishments
at Tiburon Grill in Virginia Highlands.
And long-time Tiburon fans will be happy to see his Honey Lacquered
Duck and cast iron skillet Fried Chicken on the menu at Redfish.
Both garnered a cult-like following during Tiburon’s golden
years.
But also remember Herndon was the sure-handed Spatula behind
a popular little place called Taste of New Orleans on West Peachtree,
believed by many at the time to be the best Cajun restaurant
in the city.
So he’s got plenty of experience with Creole/Cajun cuisine.
And that’s probably why his spicy roux has the depth that
others lack. A good roux needs that popcorn-y nutty flavor that
can really bring together a shrimp, crab and andouille sausage
Gumbo, and do the same for a Shrimp and Crab Etouffee.
As far as sides go, homemade Tasso Mac & Cheese looks interesting
but tastes oddly sharp, horseradish mashed potatoes have nary
a nuance of horseradish but a hearty bowl of buttery Red Beans & Rice
with generous chunks of ham hits the spot.
A gigantic Shrimp Po’ Boy with thick spicy remoulade on
grilled baguette practically feeds two.
Crispy Bayou Crawfish Cakes give way to a velvety jalapeno tartar
sauce filling.
And whatever you do, do not exit the building without ordering
Gregg's flawless Rum and Currant Bread Pudding. It’s a much
lighter version than any other I’ve encountered.
Apparently, I’m not the only one out and about making a
pig of myself – Diane, an Alpharetta work-from-home mother
of two offers this:
We’ve been venturing out and tried a myriad of ATL restaurant
offerings over the last couple of months. I’ve distilled
my thoughts down to a brief few words each:
Smokejack: Still good food, light crowds.
ONE Midtown Kitchen (for a wine dinner): Good energy
and enthusiasm… not to mention fun food.
Big Fish Seafood Grill: Needs some experience in the
server department, but promising.
Pure Taqueria: Spirited, fresh and hip.
Piebar: Disappointing.
Don Juan Mexican at CNN Center: They didn’t have
a guacamole dip on the menu. Hmmm…
We’re getting an Athens Pizza up here around the
corner; I’m pretty excited.
I guess those Alpharetta soccer moms do have somewhat of a culinary
life after all.
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