Chow Down Atlanta

I took a short road trip a few weekends ago when the weather was just beautiful to the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The purpose: Dillard House. To eat. The city of Dillard is in Rabun County which is less than two hours northeast of Atlanta. Two miles more north and you will find yourself on the state line of North Carolina. The scenic drive is breathtaking and the views of the smoky mountains in the beginning of fall, more so.

Dillard House is deeply rooted in history. It was built in 1917 by Carrie and Arthur Dillard. Modern day Dillards have built on to the restaurant and developed the grounds to accommodate a hotel, cottages, chalet, stables, petting zoo, and business center, plus provide numerous on site activities. But what really attracts people to come in droves is their restaurant.

Family owned and operated since 1917, the Dillard House Restaurant serves family-style, all-you-can-eat dining all year round. There are two dining rooms. The main house which is huge and the Dillard Hall. The hall is a small house fitted to accommodate a few dining tables for patrons who come in between meals — say, 30 minutes or less before the next meal is served, or during the one-hour lull between breakfast and lunch. Rather than let people wait for the next service, they are ushered to the adjacent hall where they can already enjoy the next meal to be served. Brilliant, if you ask me. The menu changes but on our visit looked like this:

I cannot remember all the meal prices but lunch (which we ate) was $21.95 per person. Each meal includes four to five meats and about a dozen sides. All the meat and veggies are grown in local and surrounding area farms. Every single menu item is made fresh, in-house, using only the freshest ingredients.

What they do is bring all the food to the table and they replenish each item as needed or requested. Overall, the food was okay. There were some favorites and not so favorites. The barbecue chicken was very good; tender, moist, flavorful. The fried chicken was good but not fantastic. The country style steak was tasty and much better than the fried chicken. For the sides, I really loved the stewed harvard beets that still had a lot of crunch in them, the cream corn was creamy and had lots of whole kernels, the waldorf salad was refreshingly light, the acorn squash souffle was sweetish and not very mushy, and the yeast rolls were divine. There were also housemade jams and jellies and the blackberry one is superb (had to take home bottles of it). Dessert is a strawberry cobbler that even the non-dessert eater like me, loved it.

Overall, the food is good, although, not in the so-good-let-me-drive-two-hours kind of way. Still, you must experience this place at least once. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. A nice respite from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta.

Insider tip:
Both the homemade lemonade and sweet tea are fantastic.
The country store right outside the restaurant sells homemade jams, jellies, and the country ham they serve.
Reservations taken for parties of 15 or more.
1-800-541-0671 or 706-746-5348

The scoop:
Dillard House Restaurant
768 Franklin Street
Dillard GA, 30537
706-746-5348
Open 7 days a week and all holidays.
Breakfast: 7:00-10:30
Lunch: 11:30-5:00
Dinner: 5:00-8:00

Technorati Tags: Dillard, ayce, family-style dining, Southern

The Shed at Glenwood is one of my favorite places — food is simple yet well executed, and well, just plain good.  I’ve never had a bad experience here and service is always on point.

On a recent visit a couple of weeks ago, I feasted on their famous Beet Salad. It had roasted Beets, organic Vermont goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic dressing. This is a must try here. Must. It is a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and salty in subtle amounts. I simply love this.

My dinner date’s lentil soup was full of flavor, chunky, and comforting. It was a huge portion and good enough for sharing.

My grilled all natural ribeye steak was perfection. It is a thick piece of meat with flavor all the way through. The side of jumbo lump crab meat in drawn butter was fresh and a great surf with the turf. The mashed potatoes were creamy and gave a nice background to the main.

You all know by now that I am not fond of desserts (give me fresh baked bread anytime) but our server sold us into trying the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. It was great; cheesy but not cloyingly sweet, with a hint of raspberries.

I make it a point to visit when Chef Lance Gummere has a Prix Fixe offering. It is a great value and a good way to get introduced to his cooking. Our dinner came to $120 before tip for two people (3-courses plus a glass of wine). Incidentally, I am not a drinker and would prefer Diet Coke over anything else. But I found a favorite in their Sangria which is made with fresh fruits, red wine, and ginger ale. It is sweet which is why I love it. And it is also strong (for me) — a few sips rendered me light headed).

Insider tip:
My car GPS couldn’t find this place so I had to call for directions: use this address instead: 890 Glenwood Ave SE.

The scoop:
The Shed at Glenwood
475 Bill Kennedy Way SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
(404) 835-4363
Tuesday-Thursday: 4pm-10pm
Friday: 4pm-12am
Saturday brunch: 10am-3pm, dinner service 3pm-12am
Sunday Brunch: 10:00-3:00
Sunday Supper 3:00-9:00

Technorati Tags: The Shed at Glenwood, Lance Gummere, farm-to-table, American cuisine, East Atlanta

I’ve been back to Woodfire twice since Chef Michael Touhy left in August. Taking over now is Chef Kevin Gillespie (former Sous Chef) and all I can is… wow! I am totally impressed with Chef Kevin’s great talent. He has definitely elevated Woodfire’s status to a new and higher level.

 

I’ve had nothing but interesting dishes the past visits that were all outstanding including an amuse bouche of Marinated Fig Wrapped in Speck. I love figs and this was a great combination. The sweetness of the figs went well with the slightly salty taste of the soft bacon. Lovely.

Everyone has a version of fried green tomatoes. Here, the tomatoes were crisp and the batter adhered pretty well. I liked the creamy chévre topping. The bed of turnip salsa verde was a bit of a stretch for me, because, if there is one thing I really hate, it’s anise and 5-spice powder, which clearly, this salsa had a good dousing of. I’m sure others will have no problem with it. It just made the entire dish taste, well, Chinese.

There was a Mushroom Flatbread my sister ordered one time and if you’ve been to Woodfire, you know how bad the lighting in there is, so since I hardly ever bring my big camera to restaurants, you’ll notice that most of the pictures here are grainy and dark; and, therefore, no picture of flatbread. In any case, the flatbread were delicious. There were chantrerelle mushrooms as well as cubes of celery, onions, and green peppers in a lemony dressing. A great second course. There was also some pan-seared scallops we had that were really fantastic — huge scallops were served with bok choy (Chinese cabbage) and a blood orange-ginger broth that was out-of-this-world good.

The Cornmeal Crusted Oysters were fantastic. The oysters were plump and fresh with a very thin cornmeal crust. I loved the sweet onion pico de gallo that it came with. And the house-made potato chips they were served on was very creative. Not only that, they provided a good crunch.

The Pan Roasted Wild Striped Bass was delicious. It was nice and crunchy on the outside but moist and soft on the inside. It had this mustard sauce that was great with the fish.

One of my favorite dishes I’ve had these past visits were the wood-grilled Georgia Quail that was simply tasty. I loved the tiny dollop of fig puree that it came with and I wished they included a bigger portion of it. The roasted vegetables it came with were a great accompaniment.

The Wood-grilled Painted Hills Steak was superb. Served at the perfect medium rare with the creamiest sweet potato puree and roasted local vegetables, this definitely isn’t your usual steak-and-potatoes dish. I don’t like it when steaks are covered with sauces and cheeses. I prefer to taste the meat on its own. Unadulterated. With just a smidgen of salt to let the flavor of the steak come out. Fantastic.

Saving the best for last… possibly the best dish I’ve had this year and the best grilled pork loin I’ve had anywhere, this literally rendered me speechless. Just by the looks, this dish was gorgeous. The pork was almost creamy and without any discernible meat fibers. Every bite melted in my mouth. The grilled slaw was flavorful and the potato puree was just wonderful. This dish was pure heaven.

I’m not a big fan of desserts but my sister is. She had this dessert trio of a tiny caramel apple on a stick, a warm apple gratin, and a scoop of to-die-for caramel ice cream. Yes, even the non-dessert eater that I am had to say that was the best caramel ice cream ever.

The verdict

I’m tired of eating the same ingredients over and over again. I’m tired of the same ingredients being put together again and again. But not here. Chef Kevin uniquely puts ingredients together that you would not typically see in everyday restaurant dining. Like figs instead of apples. Or bok choy instead of cabbage. I’m putting this restaurant on my top 5 for 2008. Enough said.

Insider tip:
Enjoy a panini at The Cafe located in the front entrance.

The scoop:
Woodfire Grill
1782 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-347-9055
Tuesday through Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Technorati Tags: Woodfire Grill, Michael Tuohy, Grange, The Citizen Hotel, Kevin Gillespie, Five Senses Restaurants, Buckhead

The Feed Store, Duluth Fall Festival, and JapanFest

Whew!  I’ve had a busy weekend.  Too many events going on that it was impossible to go to all of them.  Friday, I went to The Feed Store’s farm-to-table dinner.  Chef Peter did an excellent job creating a menu showcasing Sweet Grass Dairy. I cannot rave enough about this place. It is simply fantastic. And no, I am in no way affiliated with this restaurant. I just really love Chef Peter’s food.

I’ll condense my review. More pictures can be viewed here. Overall, another superb meal. Oh, and we all got to take home a whole Green Hill cheese!

Amuse Bouche (”Mediterranean Feta” – Cerignola Olive Petal Confit, “Heat” Green Tomato Pico de Gallo – Tortilla Chip): loved the mild cheeses on this one. The pico de gallo provided a slight hint which was a nice touch. The tortilla chips, I could have eaten a whole bag.

Appetizer (Pan Seared Foie Gras, “Lumiere” Stuffed French Toast, Ellijay Apple Sauce): the melt-in-your-mouth, perfectly-cooked foie gras was heavenly and sat atop a cheese-stuffed soft French toast with a very mild apple sauce. Chef Peter gave new meaning to apple sauce with its mild taste and smooth texture. This isn’t baby food anymore.

Soup (Georgia Shrimp, “Thomasville Tomme” Bisque, Berkshire Pork Lardon Toast): this was THE best tomato bisque I have ever had. It had the perfect balance of shrimp and tomato tastes. So comforting. And very flavorful.

Salad (Baby Arugula, Sous Vide Candied Beet, Fried “Green Hill”, Black Pepper Vinaigrette): the slightly-bitter, crisp baby arugula was tempered by the beets that provided lots of texture. The chopped beets had this interesting crunch that you wouldn’t't think it could come from beets. Again, very nice touch. The light drizzle of the vinaigrette tied everything in. The fried Green Hill added bonus. A winning salad, indeed.

Entrée (Churrasco Beef Tenderloin, Grilled Sweet Onions, Black Eyed Pea, Collard Green, and “Sevenwood” Casserole): the tenderloin was another clear winner. Perfectly grilled (churrasco style), served medium-rare, it was fork tender and was very tasty. The accompanying black-eyed peas and collard greens provided a Southern flare and the onions toned down the strong flavor of the greens. The casserole wasn’t cheesy at all but provided just hint of flavor. Excellent dish.

Dessert (“Fresh Chevre” Ice Cream, Scuppernong Syrup, Mint): a perfect exclamation point to a magnificent meal. The goat cheese ice cream was so good, held its frozen temperature up to the last bite, and was sitting on a tiny pool of delicious scuppernog syrup.

Festival Weekend

Loot from the Duluth Fall Festival: 9 loaves of bread and kettle corn

Duluth Fall Festival

JapanFest

There were too many festivals going on but I only went to Duluth, where I’ve been going since I was young and also because I have to stock up on bread. This year was their biggest so far. It is the most organized festival. Sunday, I went to JapanFest where I’ve also been going for years. It’s also a little bigger this year but I’m losing interest on this one. First of all, I can get better food at the participating restaurants themselves. Second, it’s too chaotic. I’ll definitely skip this one next year and go to the Pig Roast in Cabbagetown AND the Chili Cook-Off in Stone Mountain instead.

Pictures from the Duluth Fall Festival are here and from the JapanFest here.

Technorati Tags: The Feed Store, Chef Peter Golaszewski, College Park, Duluth Fall Festival, JapanFest

This is a bit of a short notice but my favorite chef in Georgia is doing a 6-course farm-to-table dinner at The Feed Store Restaurant tomorrow night (August 21) at 7pm. Chef Peter Golaszewski is a genius if you don’t already know yet so prepare to be wowed by his wonderful creations. This is in conjunction with Riverview Farms out of Ranger, Georgia.

Dinner is $55 per person but Chow Down Atlanta is giving away a limited number of $10 off coupons for tomorrow night’s event. Email me at Chloe@chowdownatlanta.com to get the codes and the details. Call and make your reservations now. See you there!

The Menu:

Amuse

Truffled Pinkeye Pea Caviar–Fresh Goat Cheese

baguette

Suggested wine : Ferrari-Carano- Pinot Grigio, Russian River $10

Appetizer

Watermelon Lacquered Pork Belly–Poached Ellijay Apple

Mustard Jus

Soup

Cream of Tomato Confit–Cheddar Cheese Bisquit

Suggested wine: Chateau St. Jean-Chardonnay, Sonama $10

Salad

Crispy Pig Ear and Pickled Okra Salad

Organic Cucumber Vinaigrette

Entrée

Petite Filet Mignon—Zephyr Squash Casserole

Scuppernong Steak Sauce

Suggested wine: Araucano, Carmenere, Chile $8

Dessert

Mountain Blueberry Cobbler

Vanilla Ice Cream

Suggested Wine: Taylor 20 year Tawny Port

$55.00 per person

For Reservations call 404-209-7979

The Feed Store Restaurant
3841 Main Street
College Park, GA
404.209.7979

Technorati Tags: The Feed Store Restaurant, farm-to-table, Peter Golaszewski

August 12th marked Woodfire Grill’s 6th year under owner and executive chef Michael Tuohy. Sadly, it was also his last day there. For the past six years, Atlantans have been spoiled by Chef Tuohy’s true farm-to-table concept and creations from his wood-fired grill. This Saturday, he packs his bags for sunny California to head Grange at the new Citizen Hotel which is slated to open in November 2008.

Photo courtesy of Broderick Photographer

We’ve been fans of Chef Tuohy for a while now so when my sister asked me where I wanted to go for an early birthday dinner, I chose Woodfire. It was a big night for us: we wanted to bid farewell to Chef T, eat his last meal at Woodfire, and celebrate my birthday (though days early) with my little sister paying. (You have to understand, my little sister still lives off of our parents so it was a big deal. Not to mention this will only be the second time in her entire life she’s ever paid for dinner. Okay, three times, but lunch at Souper Jenny doesn’t really count.)

Photo courtesy of Broderick Photographer

Our night didn’t start out right to begin with. First, we were running a little late. My sister called ahead to tell them we were going to be 10 minutes late. When we got there (9 minutes past our reservation time), they’ve already given out our table and was told there was now a 30-45 minute wait. It was understandable, given that it was their busiest night. We conceded defeat and couldn’t do anything but mope. Literally. A minute later, a server approached us (he probably noticed our long faces) and asked if we’ve been helped or if we wanted something from the bar. He excused himself after hearing us whine and told us he’d see what he can do. Exactly three minutes later, he’s ushering us to a cozy table for two. See, moping and whining pays.

The scene

It was packed to the rafters. Not a single empty table or empty seat that night. Chef Tuohy was doing the customary rounds. He thanked us for coming and hoped to see us out west. The stoically-faced host and hostess were circling the place all night keeping tabs on seat count. In a corner, an older couple was celebrating their wedding anniversary and had a huge flower arrangement on their table. Sweet. While the rude server in the silk blue top kept piling dirty glasses and empty wine bottles on the ledge which was inches off my face.

The meal

We both decided to go for the 5-course meal. I chose the Insalata Caprese, the Pan Roasted Sonoma Foie Gras, the Spit Roasted Gum Creek Farm Pork Loin, a cheese plate, and the Peach Crepe. My sister chose the Smoked Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho, also the Foie Gras, the Wood Grilled Painted Hills Hangar Steak, also the cheese plate, and the Boca Negra Cake.

There wasn’t really anything among the first course choices that jumped at me so I went with the Insalata Caprese which was a little boring with its usual tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. I really don’t like when they Americanize this salad by dousing it with balsamic vinegar so I’m glad there was only a slight drizzle of it. My sister’s gazpacho was very refreshing and the smoky taste made it even more appealing.

Clearly, the best offering of the evening was the Foie Gras. It was so smooth and milky with the sweet figs adding contrast and the pecan raisin toast providing texture to the dish. It was simply fantastic.

Photo courtesy of ETK

My pork loin was good, though ordinary. It was tender, flavorful and cooked perfectly. The grits and corn succotash were good accompaniments but I have seen this trio so many times that it’s gotten tiring. My sister’s hangar steak was also good, tasty, and cooked perfectly. The cucumber and tomato salad were a nice touch — something you don’t usually see paired with steak.

The cheese platter was all a blur to me since there wasn’t really anything in it that impressed me save for the sheep’s milk one. Frankly, I would have been more pleased if they had included something from Sweet Grass Dairy.

Photo courtesy of ETK

My Peach Crepe dessert was very light topped with that lovely mousse. It tempered the sweetness of the sugar sauce. Contrast that with the Boca Negra Cake which wasn’t really all that.

The verdict

I was expecting Chef Tuohy’s last meal to be more inventive. Flamboyant. Daring. Kinda like going out with a bang. Maybe he wanted to play it safe which he did. Don’t get me wrong, the meal was very good, though, not fantastic.

Service was good but not first-class. Maybe because our server wasn’t staying either. And I’ve already told you about the blue-topped server and the stoically-faced host and hostesses. Remember the waiter that gave us a table three minutes after having been told of a 30-45 minute wait? Turns out he was Bernard Moussa, the owner. No wonder he kept checking on us the entire meal. Topping our weird night was when the valet “lost” my car and gave me the wrong car instead. It took two people 10 minutes to find it, all the while with me having visions of someone driving away with it and trashing and smoking in it.

Bottom line, Woodfire Grill was a great restaurant. I may have to come back just to see what new executive chef Kevin Gillespie does with it.

(Special thanks to BS and BK for the wonderful photos. You can check out more pictures on my flickr account .

Insider tip:
Enjoy a panini at The Cafe located in the front entrance.

The scoop:
Woodfire Grill
1782 Cheshire Bridge Road
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-347-9055
Tuesday through Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Technorati Tags: Woodfire Grill, Michael Tuohy, Grange, The Citizen Hotel, Kevin Gillespie, Five Senses Restaurants, Buckhead