Chow Down Atlanta

My dear friend Patricia Tinsley took me here around the time they opened almost a year ago and we literally ate the entire menu. There was this squash ravioli and gnocchi that we had and I was completely impressed from then on and I’ve been back a few times. Everything here is made in-house. Everything. Even the cheeses. And the pastas. And the gelato. Chef Michael Bologna, who also dabbles as a professor of culinary arts at Chattahoochee Technical College, even built his own pizza oven!

I really mean it when I say everything on the menu is just spectacular. Because everything is made in-house, you must try at least one item from every section of the menu. First stop, the Mozzarella Bar. Made with whole and buffalo milks, I highly suggest you go for the Grand Tasting to get a sampling of what they offer: Latte, Burrata, and Bufala are all included with roasted sweet peppers, Pantelleria capers, Cerignola green olives, roasted Taggiasche black olives, and field greens. The mozzarella are creamy beyond belief. I particularly loved the bufala and burrata.

Have you ever seen a more beautiful pizza than this? Pizzas take center stage here. All ingredients come from Italy. Including the water. They are baked for about a minute in the high-temp oven. The resulting crust is charred and crispy. The sauce spells perfection. The toppings are top-notch. My all-time favorite, the Margharita, has slices of bufala that slides into your mouth. Believe me, the swoon factor is off the charts.

The Fig and Prosciutto pizza is a great play on salty and sweet. The fresh figs were a perfect accompaniment to the slightly salty prosciutto and neither overpowered each other. The Regina with latte fresco mozzarella, housemade sausage, and wild mushrooms is fantastic as well. If you love white pizza then the Quattro Formaggi is for you. It’s got all the cheesy goodness: gorgonzola, provolone, mozzarella, and fontina. The real problem is choosing which pizza to order because they’re all so good.

Pastas rule here, too. You get a choice between flour, egg, and gluten-free. Egg is always the right choice. Only because you seldom see it offered anywhere, and, they are made in-house. They are delicate and light. There are no stickiness and mushiness here whatsoever, just enough bite. The sauces are all fantastic. They taste fresh and delicious. The trusty, simple Pomodoro e Basilico with tomatoes, garlic, and basil never disappoints. So does the Fruitti di Mare (seafood in white wine sauce) and Con Vongole (clams in spicy red sauce). The Al Forno with housemade sausage, latte fresco mozzarella, tomatoes, and fresh ricotta is one of my favorites. The Campagnola with artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and basil is surprisingly a very hearty dish. The Rustica with Roma tomatoes, Pantelleria capers, and Taggiasche olives is a refreshing yet filling dish. The Lasagna, when offered, is a fork-tender sensation. Even the simple butter and olive oil on pasta is fantastic. Sauces usually get muddled, but here, I love that you can discern the flavor of every single ingredient. I never miss the chance to get pasta as a side to my pizza.

Should I even tell you to get the Gelato? Because you should. The Pistachio and Dutch Chocolate are to-die for. That’s coming from someone who isn’t really into ice cream or desserts. The Flourless Chocolate Cake is lighter than most I’ve tasted and goes well with espresso or capuccino.

You must, must visit Vingenzo’s if you haven’t yet. Trust me, it will save you a trip to Italy. Unless, of course, you want to join Chef Michael for a culinary tour.

Vingenzo’s
105 East Main Street
Woodstock, GA 30188
(770) 924-9133

Technorati Tags: Woodstock, Italian, pizza, pasta, gelato, mozarella

…because the gluten-free dough gives you a chewy yet airy crust; and the toppings are fresh and tasty.

Two more reasons to visit: pasta and sandwiches.

The Cool Hand Luke — because Luke is a Jedi and I’m the biggest (original) Star Wars fan on the planet Earth the combination of red and white sauce, gravy, and meatballs gives this pasta the ability to perform Jedi mind tricks loads of character and flavor.

The Foodie Buddha — because this sandwich doesn’t have a name yet. And FB is its biggest fan. And the tender oxtail filling is out of this world.

Bonuses: Panghani Cookies (kinda like a hazelnut-flavored soft biscotti) and Gougéres.

Go visit the pick-up window now!

More love here, here, here, and here.

The Kind Pie
252 E Paces Ferry Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 869-3446

Technorati Tags: pizza, sandwiches, pasta, Buckhead

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