Woodfire Grill (Take 2)
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
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3 responses so far ↓
1 Ted // Nov 16, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Thanks for the review! When we first moved down here 5 years ago we ate at Woodfire frequently, but quickly grew tired of the lack of innovation on MT’s “daily” menu - very little actually changed on it, and his preparations tended to be the same from week to week. I’ve been meaning to try the new version, and you’ve definitely given me a good reason to head over there.
2 Chloe // Nov 18, 2008 at 8:41 am
Ted — I felt the same way. Even MT’s final night lacked oomph (my sister said he played safe). I do love MT’s food and style but you’re right, it’s tiring after 5 years. You’ve got to go over there and try Chef Kevin’s artistry. It’s fantastic.
3 Atlanta // Nov 18, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I absolutely love this restaurant. I went there for my birthday and the food was incredible. got a free ice cream sundae too cause it was my birthday.
Highly recommend this place!
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