Chow Down Atlanta

A lot of people were saddened (me included) when The Roman Lily Cafe decided not to renew its lease. But folks will be happy to know that the chef and owner, Calavino Donati, has re-emerged as Calavino’s At Oakhurst, serving Italian cuisine. I had the pleasure of dining here a couple of weeks ago during their Soul Food Fridays and I have to admit I was hesitant at first because I thought, what Italian place serves southern food? But the menu looks promising so off we went. And boy, were we totally blown away…

Located in downtown Oakhurst Village in Decatur, the place is nice and comfortable. With a huge bar area separate from the dining room. It was also packed during our visit. Perhaps because Doria Roberts (the Doria Roberts) was performing that night. We were greeted warmly by Calavino, one of the sweetest persons I’ve ever encountered. She was busy expediting, greeting, busing tables. A true hands-on chef. And owner.

After being settled into our table, with a good view of the stage, we decided to start with the Fried Green Tomatoes topped with goat cheese and caramelized onions. The tomatoes were huge and crunchy. I really liked the goat cheese topping and caramelized onions. We also had the Wild Mushroom Brushetta made with grilled baguette rounds then topped with a generous amounts of wild mushrooms and goat cheese. The toasted walnuts in the topping made this appetizer quite interesting, and very enjoyable.

For mains, we had the famous Turkey Meatloaf (a mainstay at The Roman Lily) and the Duck and Waffles. The turkey meatloaf was delicious and very moist. It was slightly spicy from the poblano peppers and the onion, garlic, and corn really helped with the flavors, which broke the monotony of an otherwise ordinary-tasting dish. I also loved the creamy tequila gravy it came with. For sides, the rosemary mashed potatoes were tasty; and the dill-havarti mac and cheese was really cheesy. The spicy collards were great — not bitter at all; and the black-eyed peas with charred tomatoes were very flavorful. Overall a great dish that became even more perfect with the chosen sides.

The Duck and Waffles was another winner. The duck breast was a good portion. It had a thick, crunchy batter of spicy cornmeal which was nice. The whole wheat macadamia nut waffle could have been bigger but it had great texture and was very good, nonetheless. It was already sweetish so the molasses on the side wasn’t necessary at all. The cinnamon butter was a nice touch, but the Jezebel Jam made with blackberries and jalapeños elevated the waffle (and the dish) to a new level. It was fantastic.

For dessert, I had a bite of the Roman Lily staple banana cake drizzled with homemade caramel sauce served with vanilla ice cream and fresh bananas. The banana cake was dense and moist, not too sweet, really lovely; the caramel sauce was a tad too sweet for my liking but easily scraped away. I love the fresh bananas with it.

Talking with Calavino, I was told that she is totally going southern in the next weeks to come and will abandon the Italian menu altogether. Great move, in my opinion. Her southern offerings are really solid. Calavino’s is a true hidden gem in this part of town. The great music and full bar are an added bonus. Go if you haven’t. You won’t be disappointed.

Insider tip:
Around the corner from the Universal Joint, Steinbecks, and Matador Cantina. Street parking and the plaza across the street provide additional parking spaces.

The scoop:
Calavino’s At Oakhurst
350 Mead Rd
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 373-5220
Dinners on Tuesday-Sunday from 5-10
Brunch on Sundays from 11-3

Technorati Tags: Calavino’s, Oakhurst, Italian cuisine, Southern cuisine, soul food, bar