Chow Down Atlanta

I’ve enjoyed Chef Jay Swift’s continental cuisine back when he was still at Rainwater (Alpharetta, now closed). Now in Midtown, his take on farm-to-table comfort food is refreshing.

The menu is divided into the day’s dishes, as well as the current seasonal offerings. On a recent visit, all I wanted to eat were the small plates. My first of three started with the Crispy Brussels Sprout salad which came highly recommended by our server. These are small sprouts, flash-fried, served with North Georgia apple slices. This salad was really delicious. I loved the crispiness of the brussels sprouts whose slight bitterness was countered by the tart apples and the sweet apple cider reduction then tempered by decadent creme fraiche.

The Slow Braised Lamb Cheeks was the one thing I really wanted to eat that evening and I was not disappointed. The lamb cheeks were so tender and tasty. The reduced braising sauce was so dense and intensified in flavor. The accompanying diced, root vegetables provided some crunch, while the smoked bacon provided smokiness and a tiny hint of saltiness to the sweetish sage jus. It was reminiscent of braised brisket but with more character. Delicious.

I love risottos so getting the Champagne and Oyster Mushroom Risotto was a natural choice. The oysters were fresh and the light dusting of batter gave them a bit of crunch while still retaining their original softness. However, the risotto wasn’t as creamy as I wanted it to be. It was also more on the runny side, with the grains separating from each other. While I don’t like gluey, clumpy risotto, I also don’t prefer it to be soupy.

I was able to taste other dishes my friends ordered. The Pan Roasted Duck Breast was just divine, served at the perfect medium-rare temperature in some tangy berry sauce. The Veal Schnitzel was ever so tender with only a thin coating of batter. The spätzle that came with the dish was perfectly prepared, with the Swiss chard, and farm egg, all rounding up this great dish. We were all curious about the Mac ‘n Cheese so we talked someone in the big group to get it with his meal. Good choice, it was creamy and just plain good.

Service and food are all top notch.

Insider tip:
The floor-to-ceiling, glass-walled kitchen is an exciting sight to see, visible from any part of the restaurant.

The scoop:
4th & Swift
621 North Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
(678) 904-0160

Technorati Tags: Jay Swift, American, Midtown, Old Fourth Ward

Serpas is Chef Scott Serpas’ new endeavor (he did stints with Kevin Rathbun and at Nava, Sia, and Mitra). Chef Scott describes his food as “approachable dishes true to their Louisiana, Asian, and Southwestern influences”. It is located in the Old Fourth Ward in Inman Park.

The first thing that caught my eye here is the decor which is hip and trendy with exposed brick walls and shiny, smooth concrete floors. But we came here for the food so here it goes.

The Duck Spring Rolls were crispy fried and full of flavor. I immediately smelled the 5-spice powder (I abhor it) and was about to shun them but tried them anyway. Delicious. You can hardly taste the 5-spice although you can definitely smell it.

The Wild Mushroom Tostadas were very tasty. I particularly liked the heaping amount of lightly sauteed mushrooms topping a crisp tostado.

The Pigs ‘n Blanket were a bit ho-hum but still a fun, grown-up take on the favorite kiddie food They’re made with spicyish andouille sausage.

The Double beef patty is definitely one of the top burgers in Atlanta. The meat is freshly ground, cooked medium, topped with smoked cheddar, then served on a grilled and buttered upside-down bun. I don’t see the point of the upside down bun other than the fun factor. However, this sweetish bun added to why this burger top notch.

For dessert, we had the apple pie and the bread pudding. The Fried apple pie is a great surprise. The apples were not cloyingly sweet and the empanada was fried perfectly. The White Chocolate Cranberry Bread Pudding has all the gooey goodness of a fantastic bread pudding. I really liked it although it is very rich and a few bites is all I need.

Service is fantastic and prices are reasonable. Definitely a good place to add to my rotation.

Insider tip:
Do try the Backyard Lemonade. I had 3. Enough said. And I’m not even a big drinker. (It’s made with vodka, house-made lemonade, and ginger ale.)

Brunch served on Sundays.

The scoop:
Serpas True Food
659 Auburn Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30312
(404) 688-0040

Technorati Tags: Serpas True Food, Scott Serpas, Inman Park, true food