Since I’m a food writer/editor, not a true critic (there’s a definite difference), anonymity doesn’t really concern me. But I prefer to not be treated well simply in hopes of good press; I want restaurants to show their true colors at all times (and then I dish to you, dear readers, what I’m seeing on the scene). So when Maria and I dined at Wisteria (471 North Highland Ave., 404-525-3363) in Inman Park to celebrate five years of courtship, I loved that they didn’t recognize us from our recent cover and treated us in a most excellent fashion. We requested a corner table when we made the reservation, and they sweetly complied when we arrived. As our eyes grazed over the extensive but not overwhelming wine list and Maria considered the flight of three for $15, we started with two appetizers: the refreshing ahi tuna and crispy flatbread, and a divine Southern dish of pimiento cheese deviled eggs paired with perfectly pickled okra and spiced pecans. The tuna was diced and formed into a small mound of refreshing lime goodness, avocados and citrus horseradish vinaigrette. It’s very similar to the tuna starter at BLT Steak, but the ambiance at this cozy neighborhood nook makes it taste all the better. Funny how a setting changes everything. With our wines finally selected, we moved on to the main course. Maria chose the pecan-encrusted Atlantic salmon, which is served over steamed spaghetti squash and julienned sweet potatoes with a champagne fume. I snagged a couple of bites and swooned—I’m a sucker for pecans and sweet potatoes. I’m also on a brie kick (love it with the baguette, grapes and sliced cucumber at Apres Diem), so when I saw it in a pasta offering, I was elated. The brie cheese-stuffed tortellini is a complete marriage of the seasons with its brown butter and walnuts celebrating autumn and Granny Smith apples and crisp arugula a definitive celebration of summer. But when they combine, it’s a comfortable happiness for the palate—at least it was for mine. We ordered dessert since it was a special occasion. I’d casually mentioned our anniversary when booking our table, as a way of requesting something off to the side, but the host must’ve taken the time to note it somewhere because our server had a brightly lit candle tucked into our cherry cobbler when she delivered it to our table and wished us a happy anniversary with a smile. We were touched—and satiated, to boot.
AROUND TOWN
Atlanta Community Food Bank’s monthly Supper Club fundraiser will be held at Leons Full Service (131 E. Ponce de Leon, 404-687-0500) on Tuesday, April 14. The restaurant, which opened to much excitement in February by Brick Store Pub owners Dave Blanchard, Michael Gallagher and Tom Moore, plays host to the monthly event, which allows participating restaurants to donate 20 percent of the evening’s proceeds to Atlanta’s Table, the prepared food rescue project of the Food Bank. Leons serves up its Belgian-inspired pub fare in a former gas station on the corner of Church Street and East Ponce de Leon in downtown Decatur. For more information about Supper Club, visit www.acfb.org.
West Midtown continues to dominate in growth. And now it’s also the new destination for wine and beer shopping in the same place—and I’m not talking about a liquor store with only big-name brands and no one around who actually knows anything about the products. Hop City Craft Beer & Wine (1000 Marietta St.) carries 1,000 unique beer brands, including hard-to-find craft beer, and more than 600 varieties of wine. The store also offers home-brewing books, ingredients and equipment, as well as some pretty cool gifts for the beer and wine aficionados in your life. Oh, and the staff is more than prepared for any beer and wine question you can think of. SP
Kirsten Ott is the Life, Food & Style Editor of The Sunday Paper. Get in touch at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com or get quick food bytes by following her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kirstenott.
