Chow Down Atlanta

My friend PT, aka the pizza enabler, invited me to lunch at Antico. I had never been so I jumped at the opportunity. That was Friday. I’ve been back twice since. To say it was the most fun lunch would be an understatement. Giovanni was not only the most gracious host — he’s funny, witty, and absolutely passionate about his craft. Lunch that day was more like a seminar on pizza making. I could probably open my own pizza joint afterward, armed with all his pizza-making “secrets”. But then again, yeah right — I can’t even bake to save my life!

First, it’s all about the ingredients: specially milled flour and authentic San Marzano tomatoes (canned within 4 hours of harvest with each can having a serial number and necessary seals/certificates) imported directly from Italy, fresh ingredients, delicious cured meats, extra virgin olive oil, all contribute to the makings of a great pizza. Then, the dough. It is a work of science in itself. The consistency is adjusted depending on the weather. Finally, the oven. At over 1000 degrees, the pies are baked an average of 60 seconds. The result, a masterpiece — the dreamiest pies ever — springy, crunchy crust with amazing char, gooey buffala cheese, outstanding pizza sauce, a bit of sogginess which is to be expected, and an excellent melding of sweet, spicy, salty flavors.

I have tasted all the pizzas but my absolute favorites are the San Gennaro and the Diavaola. In the San Gennaro, the spicy sausage chunks are tempered by grilled onions, the red peppers add sweetness, the buffala provides a chewy texture, and the crust supplies the canvas for the flavors to shine. While I do find the crust blandish on its own, it’s not really meant to be eaten as is, much like in Asian cuisine where you don’t really eat the steamed rice by itself.

The Diavaola combines spicy, garlicky sopressata, housemade peperonata, and fresh buffala. The sopressata is very tasty with the right amount of mild saltiness to it. The slices are thick enough to provide meatiness in a every bite. The peperonata is pleasantly spicy. Simply delicious.

While Giovanni does not allow you to customize your pizza, there’s a perfectly good reason to it. The ingredients on each type of pizza are designed to provide the best combination of flavors and textures, thus, the resulting pie is of the highest quality overall. Here’s a short video of Giovanni with a brief explanation:

To cap off a perfect meal, one must have perfect Italian espresso made from an old-fashioned maker. The coffee is strong and so good.

And what goes with espresso? House-made cannoli and sfogliatelle. Both are delectable and freshly made daily.

Lastly, some Limoncello. Also made in-house daily. Strong. Tart. Sweet.

Finally, it’s time to go. Verdict: pizza perfection made the old-fashioned, authentic, Italian way. As a parting shot here’s Giovanni with my moo card.

There are over 100 photos on this set. Click on the picture below or here to see more pictures:

The scoop:
Antico Pizza Napoletana
1093 Hemphill Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 724-2333

Technorati Tags: pizza, Midtown, Neapolitan, Westside Atlanta

Alpine Bakery has been a suburban institution for many, many years. It’s a dessert-and-pastries heaven with a pizzeria attached on its side. Mouth-watering cakes are showcased in numerous gleaming cases, as well as cheesecakes, pies, pastries, Italian treats, and a wide assortment of cookies . Everything is made in-house.

Cakes go for about $38 for small and $58 for large , while slices are about $7 each. You can pretty much get a slice of any case available on display. The Red Velvet cake here is moist, not cloyingly sweet, with a fresh cream cheese icing. The Million Dollar cake, a bestseller, comes with rich layers of chocolate mouse, flour-less cake, cheesecake, and more — enough to satisfy a sweet tooth if you ever had one. The Carrot cake is divine with lots of carrot bits in its moist layers plus a good crunch from its walnut-laced cream cheese icing.

The NY-style cheesecakes are rich and smooth, thanks to a concoction of heavy cream, eggs, and cheese. The Tiramisu, Turtle, Chocolate, and Strawberry are all fantastic choices. But my favorite is the plain version where you can really taste the cream and cheese.

If you must try just one pastry, go for the Cream Puffs made with heavenly Chantilly cream. They keep well in the fridge and make for good breakfast. The cannolis and fruit tarts, as well as the chocolate covered balls of cheesecake are all wonderful options, although, be warned that the cannolis are good eaten the same day.

But since I don’t really have a sweet tooth and am not a dessert person, I go here for the take-out pizzeria. They have the best Strombolis in the city. Bar none. And I go here every week just for that. Everything is made from scratch and the Meatball Parmigiana is just unbelievably good. Think long loaves of freshly baked dough filled with meatballs and cheese or sausage, peppers and onions, or pepperoni and cheese. Chewy cheese oozes out of every bite while the yeasty dough keeps them in. Really, it is “oh-my-god” fantastic.

The NY-style pizzas are equally fantastic. The crust is thin, the sauce is fresh with a great consistency. I can’t say it enough but they are just so good.

Beware, this carb-laden place is a threat to anyone’s diet.

Insider tip:
There are a few small benches outside for eating. Or do like I do and bring lawn chairs, sit back, people watch and eat the best strombolis and pizzas outside of NY.

The scoop:
Alpine Bakery And Pizzeria
295 Rucker Road
Suite 140
Alpharetta, Georgia 30004
Telephone: (770) 410 - 9883
Fax: (770) 410 - 9884

Technorati Tags: Alpharetta, bakery, pizza, cakes, pastries

I was one of the lucky ones to have been invited to Jeff’s place where I had 14 glorious slices of the best pizza in town. That was a few weeks well before his joint opened. I was also invited to the invitation-only media event at the restaurant, but, contrary to what one publication butterfly insinuated, no, I was not in attendance. Two weeks ago, I came in unannounced. I did not talk to Jeff Varasano at all (although I did wave at him). Or anybody from his PR staff. I paid for our entire meal and I did not get any complimentary items. Whew. Now that those are out of the way, on to the food…

There were four of us and ordered 5 pizzas: Margherita, New Haven Clam, Chica Bella, Salumi, and Dolce. We also started with a couple of Spinach and Caprese salads. The salads were great starters with the spinach salad having good crunch, the pecans and the gorgonzola cheese adding a variety of textures, and the dressing tempering the slight bitterness of the greens. The caprese salad had thick slices of mozarella and great tasting slices of heirloom tomatoes. I love that they served the oil and balsamic vinegar on the side.

The first pizza that came out was the New Clam pizza. This was my favorite at Jeff’s house. It had clams, mussels, and a good amount of garlic in our chosen white sauce. The pieces of clams and mussels were substantial so you can really taste seafood goodness in every bite. The garlic wasn’t overpowering at all and provided just enough for taste. I was quite disappointed with the crust on this one — as you can see, there was too much charring, to the point of being bitter on some bites. The clams/mussels were also a tad on the salty side. Definitely not the same pizza I had at Jeff’s place. Nevertheless, our guy companions ate everything as expected (they don’t have anything to compare it with anyway), although my sister and were in agreement about the crust and taste.

The Chica Bella is truly a “chick” pizza. It’s my least favorite (even at Jeff’s private tasting) but I wanted to indulge my sister so I let her go ahead and order it for the group. Now, would you believe this is the best vegetarian pizza I have ever had? I’m a self-confessed carnivore and I am known to frown upon greens because to me, it’s such a waste of precious stomach space. I’ve been wrong before and Mr. Buddha sums it up nicely. I have to admit that I’m wrong again this time. The arugula on this pie was very refreshing with the drizzle of lemon bringing out its peppery taste. Truly a great vegetarian pizza. Even the boys in our group ate it all up.

Next came the Salumi pizza. If there was ever a “guy’s” pizza then this one is it. The generous amount of thinly sliced Italian meats, mozarella, and olives gave this pizza a bold taste. It wasn’t salty nor oily. Just meat goodness in every bite. Wouldn’t you know it, the boys in our group loved it and it’s their favorite!

The Dolce pizza is a great dessert pizza. It is gooey and sweet. Too sweet. But very good, nonetheless. I like it a lot. But don’t ruin your dinner by making a mistake of ordering this first. Be sure to order this last or as a dessert. It has tons of dates, fontina cheese, walnuts, and rosemary, then drizzled with honey. We used it as a mid-course to give our palates a breather and cut down the taste of the pizzas we’ve ordered. It worked!

The last thing to come out was the pièce de résistance. The star of the show. The Margherita pizza was THE BEST pizza I’ve had in town.  Ever. It is also the most beautiful pizza I have ever laid my eyes on. It was perfection: the crust, the sauce, the cheese, the char. I had to stop the chatter around me so that I can enjoy this pizza in silence. It was heavenly. I did notice that the sauce is a tad less intense than the one Jeff served at his house but I can only say that because I have something to compare it to.  My 3 companions did not know that difference and the consensus was the same:  the best! Eight thumbs up on this one!

Interesting notes:
There was absolutely no floppiness on all the 5 pizzas we ordered.  All the crust and charring were perfect except for the clam pizza which had too much charring to the point of being burnt and bitter on the edges.  Not a big deal. Fifteen seconds less in the oven should do the trick.

The Dolce is a dessert pizza.  It is way too sweet and rich for a pizza.  Should move this to the dessert section of the menu.

The pizza sauce is perfect — a tad less intense than what was served at Jeff’s private parties — but still great, nonetheless. The perfect amount was used on each pizza which contributed to the no-sogginess factor.

Each pizza is good enough for two if you start with a salad/appetizer. As a big eater, I can finish one pizza on my own. There were 4 of us on my last visit and we demolished 5 pizzas and 4 salads without any problems.

The service was still spotty but should have improved greatly by now.

Verdict
The best pizzas I’ve ever have in town and most beautiful pizzas I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Definitely a must-try.

The scoop:

Varasano’s Pizzeria
2171 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 352-8216

Technorati Tags: pizza, Varasano’s, Jeff Varasano, Mezzo, Atlanta, NY style pizza

Last month, my sister an I went to Ecco for their Shop-and-Dine event where you can get a $25-dollar Prix Fixe dinner with 3 courses. Most importantly, we went because it was Spanish Tuesdays. With most restaurants barely making it these days, the place was unbelievably packed when we came in. In fact, there was a considerable wait. Fortunately for us, we were smart and made reservations days before.

We got a good kick at watching handsome Chef Micah doing his magic the entire evening. It was great to see how hands on he was: expediting, tasting, even bussing tables. What a refreshing site to see considering most chefs (especially the celebrity ones), tend to socialize more than get busy in the kitchen. Of course, it also helps that he’s really cute. Really!

My sister went for the 3-course dinner and started with the Roasted Mussels in a saffron-chili broth. (Sorry no picture– the lighting was so bad and the dark color of the mussels didn’t help at all.) The mussels were fresh and the broth was delicious. We needed a whole loaf of bread to sop up all the broth. It was that good. There were about 2 dozen mussels in there which was a lot for an appetizer but great if you’re sharing. I had the Grilled Asparagus and Tomato salad which was very good. The white asparagus were tender and grilled lightly while the tomatoes were crisp. The vinaigrette was very flavorful.

For her main, my sister got the Spolettoni with Mushroom Ragout. This dish was a total let-down. The pasta sheets, albeit house-made, were so undercooked. They were dry and hard. There was a good amount of mushrooms and the sauce was pretty tasty but the dish was lacking in oomph. Perhaps a few bits of short ribs would have made this dish a winner.

I came for one purpose alone: the Cocido. My Spanish-blooded grandmother used to cook this every Sunday while we were growing up. It’s a very laborious dish to make. My mom makes a close-enough version. I wanted to see if Chef Micah can measure up. And boy, he did. It was fantastic. The meat was well seasoned and fork-tender and all the required veggies (cabbage, chick peas, carrots) were present. The broth had the right balance of sweet and salty and tasted bold — like it’s been cooked for hours. The Au Jus sauce served on the side wasn’t necessary at all. The Cocido was already good by itself. Definitely makes up for the awfully and painfully slow service we got.

For dessert, my sister got the Apple Torte which came with her meal, while I got my favorite Blueberry Panna Cotta. The Apple Torte was another blech. It was freezer cold and hard. Whole Foods makes a better version, sad to say. The panna cotta here is heavenly and I never tire of it. It is creamy and has tastes of fresh blueberries in it. Even the non-dessert fan that I am can eat several servings of this.

It was hit-and-miss on this visit. The cocido was amazing and the apps were great but the ragout and apple torte were both forgettable. Our server was totally in the weeds the entire night and a nice lady serving tables near us had to step in many times. With our present economic status, Ecco must step-it up big time on the service department as patrons who now seldom eat out will surely go somewhere else where food and service can be both great at the same time.

The scoop:
Ecco
40 Seventh St NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: (404) 347-9555
Bar opens at 4pm daily; Dinner starts at 5:30pm until 11pm (M-Th), 12am (F-Sat), and 10pm (Sun)

Technorati Tags: Ecco, Midtown, wood-fired pizza, pasta, bar, Italian cuisine, European cuisine

Tuesday is my favorite pasta day. It’s because Tuesday is lasagna day at VZ. It’s the only day they ever make lasagna. But more on that later. VZ is this amazing pizzeria place on 141/Peachtree Parkway in the Johns Creek area. Believe me when I say this place rocks! Everything is made to order so although you’ll have to wait a few minutes for your pizza, pizza knots, and garlic bread, it is so worth the wait. The side salads are big and so fresh you’d think the greens came straight from the garden. The strombollis are huge enough for two people to eat and can be ordered with any combination of ingredients. The 10-inch heros are baked crispy on the outside. I mean it, everything on the menu is good.

First, the pizza dough is made in-house, fresh and really just amazing — it has the right amount of chewiness, crispiness, and doughiness. The homemade pizza sauce is bold and tasty. And the toppings, fresh and plenty! One bite and you’ll be hooked.

Then, of course, there’s the lasagna. Huge portions of home-made-from-scratch lasagna. It is THE best lasagna this side of Italy. Seriously, I’ve been to Italy countless times and although the version of pasta there cannot be duplicated, VZ sure makes a worthy contender. The layers of al dente pasta sheets, meat, and sauce then generously topped with their chuncky tomato sauce make this lasagna so addicting. Unfortunately, it is only available on Tuesdays. But now you know where to find me on Tuesdays!

If you’ve never been at Verra Zanno, you owe to yourself to go and be wowed. Start with some garlic bread which comes with a side of marinara sauce for dipping. Follow with a side of salad. The pizza is a must try for your first visit. After that, which I guarantee you’ll be back, try the pastas, then the rolls/strombollis, and the heros. Of course, you have got to be there on Tuesdays!

Insider tip:
Lunch specials daily. New specials available (click here). Whole pizzas cost a little more than what you’re used to but the taste and quality will definitely make up for the price.

The scoop:
Verra Zanno
(678) 473-0209

11600 Medlock Bridge Road (AKA 141) Suite 190
Duluth, GA 30097

Technorati Tags: Verra Zanno, pizzeria, pizza, pasta, Johns Creek, 141 Peachtree Parkway

I have guy friends who go to Little Azio’s weekly. It’s kinda like their ‘weird’ ritual — bike the Silver Comet then eat pizza/pasta afterwards. So I went one day and was slightly impressed. The pizza dough reminds me of flatbread but chewier. The topping held on nicely and didn’t make the dough soggy. All in all, good Margarita pizza.

I love Italian Wedding soup so I ordered a bowl. It was so hearty with lots of meatballs, orzo pasta, and veggies. The broth was so tasty. I would say it’s one of the better ones I’ve tasted.

I am a sucker for bread. I love bread. So much so that I am known to skip dessert in favor of bread. I love yeasty, doughy bread fresh out of the oven. Having said that, I ordered a basket of their fried bread and ate all of it. All. of. it. They were sooooo good. Yikes, I’m looking at the picture now and didn’t realize I finished 6 of them!

Then, the pasta came. The penne was perfectly al dente and the Telefono sauce made of spicy tomato sauce, mozarella, and basil was really good, although didn’t have enough zing for me. I had it topped with grilled chicken and ate everything off.

Everything I ate was pretty good. I wouldn’t say it’s stellar Italian but good enough. Twice, I had take-out from their new Suwanee location and was sorely disappointed. The first time, they forgot to put shrimp on my Shrimp Telefono pasta. Second time, the Sausage Pasta was bad (as in food poisoning kind of way) — the minute I opened the container, I could smell it was already past its expiration date. Called the restaurant back and told them and was told they were going to check it out. I just learned this newly-opened location is now closed. I feel sad when restaurants close.

Insider tip:

All pasta orders come with garlic bread.

The scoop:

Little Azio’s

Several metro-Atlanta locations. Check website for details.

Technorati Tags: Little Azio’s, pasta, pizza, Italian cuisine

I had a quick lunch with a bunch of friends over at Cameli’s Pizza on Ponce. Cameli’s is a family-owned pizza joint next door to Atlanta’s City Hall East inside the non-descript Kroger plaza. While there’s not much to say about the decor (excuse the mess as they’re in the process of expanding), the pizza surely makes up for it. Well, at least my friends’… not mine.

I ordered the Pax Americana pizza with chicken, spinach, and mushrooms. I was sorely disappointed with the crust — it was thick, hard and crunchy which is what you got from your grocer’s frozen section way before they invented good frozen pizza. It was like eating days-old toast. The pizza overall was so dry and tasteless I had to have a heavy hand on the pepper flakes just to give it some flavor. Anyway, it was so bad, it doesn’t even deserve a picture. But like I said, I ordered wrong.

My friends’ pizzas were all oozing with bubbly cheese and their crusts were thick and doughy or thin and crispy. The pepperoni pizza was very good as well as the vegetarian pizza which had spinach and mushrooms. The calzone was huge with tasty filling.

I definitely have to go back and try other pizzas. I’m not crossing them out of my list completely yet.

Insider tip:

Personal piizzas are a good 10 inches. Daily specials available.

The scoop:

Cameli’s Gourmet Pizza
699 Ponce De Leon Ave NE,
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-249-9020
M-TH 11:30-10:00
FR 11:30-11:00
SA 12 noon-11:00
SU 5:00-10:00

Technorati Tags: pizza, Cameli’s Gourmet Pizza, Ponce De Leon Ave, Downtown Atlanta

I’ve been waiting for this to happen and finally we now have Korean fried chicken in Atlanta. Love Letter Pizza and Chicken is located next door to the Super H Mart in Johns Creek. Now don’t wonder about the restaurant’s name. Korean restaurants usually have humorous American names. Lost in translation, I surmise. The inside looks typical of a pizza joint with booths on both sides of the wall, two tables for parties of 8, and a couple of bar-height tables for 2. There’s a walk-up counter for to-go orders, but basically, eat-in patrons get ushered through to one of the booths or tables and are provided with table service.

True to its name, Love Letter Pizza and Chicken serves Cheogajip (Korean-style fried chicken) and pizza and nothing else. Cheogajip is marinated chicken pieces lightly-battered then deep-fried. It comes in three flavors: fried (plain), sweet and mild, and sweet and hot. You can order any two combination of flavors you like. The chicken also comes in three varieties: chicken pieces, wings, and popcorn style. What’s neat about this place is the plastic gloves they provide so that you don’t get your fingers all orangy and saucy from eating the chicken with your hands. Of course, nobody said you should use the gloves. I actually found them more cumbersome so I used what’s best for chicken: my bare hands.

The chicken were cooked to perfection: crispy on the outside but still tender on the inside. The chicken were marinated enough to have flavor but not too much to overpower the sauce. Although the plain ones came, well, plain, they had enough taste to render them tasty. The sweet and hot flavors were not too sweet yet packed enough punch to add a little heat. By the way, don’t expect huge American pieces here. The chicken are cut up similar to sizes you’d use in stew, making them more manageable to eat.

There are 7 kinds of pizza with Bulgoki Pizza as the must-try. You can request to have your pizza with a different kind on each half. On this visit, we tried half cheese and half Bulgoki. Now let me remind you that this is not your typical Italian pizza. Asian pizza borders on the sweetish side so don’t expect a tangy pizza sauce. That said, the Bulgoki pizza is delicious. Think of it as a Supreme pizza topped with pieces of Korean beef. There’s also Sweet Potato Pizza on the menu which is also sweet-tasting as expected of Korean (or any Asian) pizza.

All orders come with a fresh cabbage-kernel corn salad with mayo and ketchup for dressing. It looked weird at first glance but mix them up good and you have your salad with classic thousand island dressing. A bowl of crunchy, pickled, cubed, fresh daikon (radish) also accompanies all orders. The daikon is a good accompaniment to the chicken.

Insider tip:
Chicken prices range from $13.99 - $15.88 while 10-inch pizza prices are from $9.99 - $12.99.
Local beer priced at $2.99 / Imported at $3.99
Lunch specials start at $2.99 (the best deal at $7.99 — 7 pieces fried wings, 1 slice pizza, salad, and drink but only available during lunch M-F 11am-3pm)

The scoop:
Love Letter Pizza and Chicken
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd, Ste 350
Johns Creek, GA 30097
770-813-8882

Technorati Tags: Korean fried chicken, Korean pizza, Love Letter Pizza and Chicken, Super H Mart, Johns Creek, Abbotts Bridge, restaurant

Another Atlanta institution, Mellow Mushroom has been around for over 30 years. While the pizza is not New York style, they do boast of using spring water for their dough. This used to be our college hangout for good pizza and casual atmosphere. I love their toasted subs. I would say the pizzas are okay but they do get points for using fresh ingredients and a wide array of toppings. The pizza dough is chewy if you’re into that kind of thing which I am. The pretzels are worth a try and comes in two sizes (small = 3; large = 6) with a choice of dipping sauces (marinara or honey mustard). I usually just go for the toasted subs.

Insider tip:
45 Locations to serve you

The scoop:
Mellow Mushroom
Open daily from 11am

Technorati Tags: Mellow Mushroom, pizza, subs, pretzels, Atlanta