Balsamic Cherries over Ice Cream

This is an adaptation of a healthy dessert idea from Ellie Krieger. Unfortunately, it does not include ice cream in its original form. To practice portion control, I use the small party cups of vanilla ice cream I used to eat at birthdays. The balsamic cherries lend a slightly sweet and tart topping, and making them is a snap.

For the balsamic cherries, simply halve and pit a topping-sized portion–I usually use somewhere around 10 cherries, and that’s pretty generous–and add to a small saucepan along with about a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Since cherries are in season right now and are therefore at their most sweet, you can get away with a lot less sugar than a tablespoon if you’d like. Stir the 3 ingredients together and bring them to a boil over medium heat. Then let them simmer for about 5 minutes more. Let them cool a little, then pour the cherries and balsamic sauce over ice cream.

Original recipe here.

Lunacy Interior

We quickly scanned the short menu and decided to order a few of the tapas-style dishes (which makes sense when you know that the chef/owner Paul Luna also runs founded Eclipse di Luna and Loca Luna). I was a little disappointed that they no longer have the slider-sized sandwiches on the menu that I’d heard about since their opening, but what we had to choose from was still a good selection. We probably could even have ordered the whole menu to sample–everything was under $4. You read that right, FOUR DOLLARS. To start, I decided to try the cabbage salad I’d read good things about on Eat it, Atlanta‘s blog:

Cabbage Salad

I thought the salad was decent, but nothing to write home about. However, it probably doesn’t help that I’m not a huge fan of cabbage. Next, we had a plate of the fresh mozzarella, which came with tomatoes, mushrooms, and a balsamic drizzle; sauteed shrimp (no pic); and short ribs:

Fresh Mozzarella

Short Ribs

The fresh mozz was really tasty and refreshing. The short ribs and shrimp were fan.tas.tic. Both came in small bowls with a pool of flavorful cooking liquid underneath, which both Mario and I ended up sopping up with bread. At one point during our conversation, I took a particularly well-seasoned bite of short rib and just had to close my eyes and pause the conversation for about 10 seconds. Mmmm. On top of that, they were quite literally fall-off-the-bone tender. Mario’s shrimp were apparently so good that he could only spare me one bite before chowing down on the rest. No harm done though, I was pretty loathe to share my short ribs as well.

Lunacy Black Market is an awesome lunch spot that is well worth every one of the [very few] pennies they charge. They do also have dinner hours, but are only open Wed-Sun (this goes for both lunch and dinner, dinner only on Saturday). Chef Luna seems intent on integrating the restaurant with the surrounding area and hosts a number of weekly events to cater to neighborhood residents, including “Weekend Wine Downs” on Sundays and “Mozzarella Mondays” where attendees can learn to make their own cheese.

www.lunacyblackmarket.com

City Barbeque

Founded by a BBQ competition team in 1999, City Barbeque’s menu offerings cover many of the US’s barbeque styles. According to their website: “Our pork shoulder is reminiscent of the southeastern United States, the brisket and sausage take you to Texas, and the ribs exude a blend of Memphis and Kansas City.” When I floated into the restaurant on a wave of smoke à la an old Warner Brothers’ cartoon, I decided to keep it simple with a pulled pork sandwich (slider sized for lunch) and my first ever taste of fried pickles:

Pulled Pork Slider

Fried Pickles

I was surprised that the pulled pork came sauce-less. I’ll confess that I had never had a pulled pork sandwich until freshman orientation at GT 6 years ago, but I’m pretty sure that all the variations I’ve tasted since then came pre-sauced. However, I discovered that the probable reason for this was the six sauces available at the table for use at my leisure. From North Carolina-style vinegar sauce to Kansas-style sweet red sauce, they had everything you might want to slather on your ‘Q. I decided to try their Original Kansas-style sauce, and I commenced dousing my pulled pork in lots and lots of the stuff–I tend to like the bun to be slightly mushy when I eat it. The sandwich was pretty good, and I actually struggled to finish the 1/4 lb slider. The generous portion of pork had a little fat, a little char, and a lot of yum.

I wasn’t so impressed with the fried pickles, which to me just tasted like pickles dipped in cornmeal. The batter was a little thin and didn’t have much flavor. Since this was my first time trying fried pickles though, maybe they were supposed to taste this way?

City Barbeque serves up the usual suspects found at a ‘Q restaurant: ribs, sandwiches (pulled pork, sausage, brisket, etc), and chicken. The sides are more of the same. I enjoyed my sandwich, but wished I had tried a different side with my meal.

www.cityqbbq.com

Penn Station

Penn Station is a sandwich chain that started in Cincinnati, OH in 1985 and now has 200+ locations across 12 states. They’re known for their cheesesteak, and I tried one on more than one occasion, along with their vegetarian Grilled Artichoke sub (among other things. I visited a lot.):

Cheesesteak

Grilled Artichoke

I won’t even pretend that these subs are healthy, but they are crazy delicious. The cheesesteak is tender and juicy, and they’re generous with the meat. I was getting mine with grilled onions, mushrooms, and mayo, but Penn Station also offers a ton of other add-ons for the cheesesteak. The bread, baked in-house daily, was soft and perfect for soaking up grill juices.

I think I may have liked the meatless grilled artichoke sandwich even better than the cheesesteak though. With artichoke hearts, mushrooms, provolone, oregano, parmesan, and mayo, it’s a quite hearty sandwich. I know that grilled subs are far from fine dining, but you could really taste the Parmesan come through in every bite. The artichoke hearts are obviously canned but still retain a great meaty texture, even buried under provolone cheese.

Penn Station does not currently have any locations in Georgia, but I would urge anyone visiting any states along the midsection of the US (KY, OH, MO, IL, etc) to check them out. Any potential ATL-area franchisers might also think about putting a Penn Station here. Possibly planted across the street from my apartment.

www.penn-station.com

Lobby

The purpose of the lunch was to introduce–or rather, reintroduce–new-old executive chef Nick Oltarsh. Oltarsh opened Lobby Bar and Bistro in 2005 and after a stint at Murphy’s in Virginia Highland, he has returned to Lobby. The menu contained a number of “New South” favorites on which I was excited to see Chef Oltarsh’s take, such as shrimp & grits and chicken & waffles. We started out with a variety of appetizers–chicken & waffles, seared tuna, pizzas, and gumbo–and this course included some of the favorites for the day:

Gumbo

Veggie Pizza

Seared Tuna

Chicken & Waffles

I’m always, always wary of restaurant gumbo. For me (and I’d imagine for most people who have gumbo regularly made at home), nothing compares to my mom’s or grandma’s gumbo. However, I was quite impressed by this cup. The broth was tomato-based, which is not how my family typically does it, but I know that many people do and it was actually quite good. Chef Oltarsh later shared that his recipe is courtesy of Chef Nick Melvin (a New Orleans Native) of Parish.

The pizzas were also surprisingly good. We tasted the veggie pizza pictured and a margherita I didn’t get a photo of. The cheese topping each slice was thick and fresh, as were the veggies. If you’re interested in their pizza, I’d suggest stopping by on one of their “All You Can Eat/Drink Pizza Nights” which are scheduled to coincide with Atlantic Station’s outdoor movies on Thursday nights. You can get all-you-can-eat pizza for $10, and complimentary beer and wine with your meal for $15. Pretty sweet deal. The chicken & waffles was also a hit for most of the attendees. I wasn’t really impressed by the chicken strips, which seemed to be more batter than chicken, but the waffles were really, really good. Probably my favorite app!

For entrees, we had a choice of roasted salmon with champagne vinegar sauce, or shrimp & grits.

Roasted Salmon

Shrimp & Grits

I had the shrimp & grits, and my +1 had the salmon. I heard nothing but good things about the latter, and it seemed to evaporate off of the plates of those who had ordered it seated near me. The shrimp & grits though, were only 50% good. The shrimp were very well seasoned and I enjoyed them. The grits, however, were a disappointment. They almost tasted like instant. Improve on those, and this could be a great dish.

For dessert, we had a tray of mini desserts, including eclairs, a lemon meringue tart, and an opera. Unfortunately, I think I was too excited about the sweets to get a photo, but everything I tasted (3/4 desserts–but only halves!) was delicious.

In addition to the aforementioned all-you-can-eat pizza night, Lobby also has a $1 (but, 1 per person) martini happy hour Wed-Fri from 5-7pm. I can definitely recommend trying the pizza and gumbo. And who could complain about a $1 martini?

www.lobbyattwelve.com

Sun in My Belly (via suninmybelly.com)

Sun in My Belly is a full-service catering and event design company that also happens to have both a “neighborhood cafe” in Decatur/Kirkwood and a “garden cafe” at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. We visited the former for brunch on a warm and breezy morning and decided to sit on SiMB’s back porch to enjoy our meal. Both of my companions were in a breakfast-y mood and ordered the Challah French toast (stuffed with honeyed ricotta, served with brown sugar glazed berries and maple syrup), but I was in the mood for a sandwich and decided on the Rose Pistolla with a side of mac & cheese:

Challah French Toast

Rose Pistolla

I didn’t include the description of my Rose Pistolla from SiMB’s website because it doesn’t match what I had. There it describes a hot pressed ham sandwich with pepper jack, chipotle mayo, roasted red peppers, and Dijon served on brioche, but that is obviously not brioche in the picture above. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly what was on the sandwich, but I know the main component was indeed ham and that it was quite tasty. The sandwich was hot, the bread crunchy, and they were generous with the cheese and flavorful mayo. The mac and cheese was underwhelming, but I guess I should’ve known when the waiter hesitated a split second when I asked him whether it was good.

I was pretty envious of the French toast my friends ordered and managed to beg a bite off one before they both cleaned their plates. Wow. This dish was really fantastic; the bread was somehow light and dense at the same time and the honeyed ricotta filling was creamy and flavorful. I’d recommend trying this if you’re in a breakfast-y mood too.

I had read some negative comments on Sun in My Belly’s service before visiting, and I will say that it was a tad slow. Interestingly enough, our waiter commented on this when he got to the table and let us know that it was a little busy inside, but he wouldn’t forget about us and wanted us to enjoy a leisurely brunch. He did make sure to check on us a few times throughout the meal, but it got a little unbearable when he hadn’t shown up to run our credit cards 20 minutes after leaving the check. We ended up going inside to the counter ourselves to have it taken care of. I guess if you’re in a rush, let your waiter/waitress know up front so they don’t make the meal a little too leisurely.

Sun in My Belly’s neighborhood cafe is located right down the street from the East Lake Marta Station in Decatur. We had no wait for a table on a Friday mid-morning, but as with most brunch spots in Atlanta, their wait can be pretty long on a weekend. Live to Feast and The Food Abides also have reviews of their meals at Sun in My Belly. I look forward to returning!

www.suninmybelly.com

To me, a Cuban sandwich should be a textural sensation – a mix of slightly crunchy bread, gooey cheese, crisp pickles, and juicy meats. The best one I’ve had in recent memory is from TINY Bistro, so theirs is my “gold standard” for now. A few bloggers (Eat Buford Highway, Foodie Buddha) have lamented the fact that Crazy Cuban’s signature sandwich contains veggies–lettuce, tomato, and jalapenos–which you don’t typically see on a Cuban. I don’t know whether it was due to the bloggers, direct customer complaints, or what, but Crazy Cuban now offers both a “Traditional” and a “Classic” Cuban. I think the Traditional is veggie-free, but don’t quote me on that. Whatever the name, that’s what I ordered (as did Malika), along with a bag of plantain chips and a drink:

Veggie-less Cuban

Crazy Cuban serves 7 varieties of sandwiches and offers chip/drink accompaniments. Though not my favorite Cuban, I can see myself returning for lunch, as it is a pretty short walk from the North end of campus. I’d suggest they start up some advertising around campus too, Tech students are a huge market!

www.crazycubansandwich.com

The anticipation is killing me

The Sandwich

Basically, if you like Chick-fil-A’s classic chicken sandwich (which I do) and you like spicy (which I do), you’ll like this sandwich. The chicken is the same juicy stuff that CFA is famous for, and the seasoning has a slow, creeping heat. By the time I was halfway through I wasn’t sure I’d finish the whole thing without another cup of lemonade.

I’m not sure whether I’d order the spicy chicken sandwich over the original, but I am looking forward to the spicy chicken breakfast biscuit that AJC Food Critic John Kessler mentioned is in development. Check out his experience at CFA headquarters for a taste of the sandwich here.

www.chickfila.com

Baked Artichoke

I won’t say that my first time prepping an artichoke was easy, but it was doable. The instructions from the recipe and my copy of Joy of Cooking helped a lot. I also found this lovely instructional video for those of you who are feeling adventurous also.

The beginning of this recipe only goes about halfway through the prep process before boiling the artichokes in lemon water. I don’t think removing the choke before boiling would make much difference, and maybe it’s just easier to remove after the artichokes have been cooked a bit. So while the artichokes are boiling away, mix up an herby/cheesy sauce of Gorgonzola, cream, thyme, parsley, garlic, and S&P. Once the cooked artichokes have cooled down, finish the prep process by removing the choke and stuff the cheese into the center of each artichoke. Place the stuffed artichokes in a baking dish, sprinkle them with seasoned breadcrumbs, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 25 min at 400F.

Clearly, the hardest part of this recipe is prepping the artichokes! These make a delicious and impressive-looking appetizer. For those unfamiliar with whole cooked artichokes, not only can you eat the tender heart in the center, but you can pull out and eat the bottoms of the remaining leaves, which work especially well as a delivery vehicle for the creamy Gorgonzola stuffing.

Baked Artichokes with Gorgonzola and Herbs
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
Salt
4 artichokes
3 lemons, plus 1 lemon
10 ounces mild Gorgonzola cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus 1 tablespoon
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the artichokes by cutting off the top 1-inch or so. Cut the stem close to the base of the artichoke so the artichoke can sit up straight, and remove some of the bottom leaves. Using kitchen shears, trim the sharp points off of any remaining outer leaves. Add the artichokes to the boiling water. Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice into the boiling water. Toss in the lemons. Cook the artichokes until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the artichokes and let cool.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the Gorgonzola, cream, thyme, 2 teaspoons parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. In another small bowl stir together the bread crumbs and remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the center choke of the artichokes using a small spoon. Stuff the cheese mixture into the center of the artichokes. Place the artichokes into a baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the artichokes. Drizzle the tops of the artichokes with olive oil. Bake until the artichokes are heated through, the cheese is melted, and the bread crumbs are crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the artichokes to a serving dish and serve.

The Shed at Glenwood via Zagat.com

We thought the entrance was a little awkward, as you walk in and are basically standing in the dining room–no real host’s stand separates the room. A hostess did appear promptly, found our reservation, and led us to our table. You may or may not need a reservation though; while we were there, the dining room remained full, but not crowded. Our waiter brought over an interesting starter for us to share: popcorn! We also got an amuse of parmesean-stuffed dates and an olive:

Popcorn Starter

Amuse

I thought the popcorn was a cool touch, and probably smart on the restaurant’s part because it’s cheaper than bread. The stuffed dates and olive were a tasty snack as well. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a date before, but I am a sucker for a salty/sweet combo and this delivered perfectly. I followed each bite of date with a nibble of olive to achieve the right balance. For our sliders, Mario settled on the Angus and the schnitzel with pear jam, a throwback to his childhood (he’s an army brat and spent many of his formative years in Germany). I decided on the pork belly with baked beans and the pulled pork. We also had a side of fries to share:

Schnitzel and Angus Sliders

Pork Belly and Pulled Pork Sliders

Fries

I think the best slider we sampled was the angus. Melt-in-your-mouth beef topped with a yummy mayo-based sauce made up this little burger. Mario’s schnitzel was also very good, and the pear jam was a nice complement (though strangely, it tasted a lot like marshmallow to both of us). My pulled pork was also melt-in-your-mouth tender, and nicely seasoned. The slider I was most looking forward to and most disappointed by was the pork belly. It was a generous piece of meat, but was a little too dry to be enjoyable. Maybe some bbq sauce or more baked bean juice would have improved it, but as-is I couldn’t finish it. The bread used on all the sliders was also nice–very soft, and a nice bread-to-”stuff” ratio. Just a few days before, I had read this article from Citysearch Atlanta on the best fries in the city, which listed The Shed’s version at number 3. We weren’t disappointed by their execution, which resulted in nicely seasoned, crunchy on the outside, moist (and not mealy) on the inside fries.

The atmosphere at The Shed was one of the best parts of our meal. It seems like it would be a little upscale and stuffy, judging from the decor, the amuse, etc. but it is actually quite relaxed and really does feel like a neighborhood spot. The clientèle was a mix of families, the after-work crowd, and couples. I guess with a weekly $3 slider special, they really can’t be too bourgie though! We really enjoyed our meal there and I’ve been looking for an excuse to go back. I don’t ride out on I-20 often, but this was a lot closer in-town that I expected. And I would looove to live in the Glenwood Park area!

The Shed’s runs a number of weekly specials, which are: Tuesdays, Potroast & Pie ($15); Wednesdays, $3 Slider Night; Thursdays, Harvest Night: 4 Veggie Sides for $10; Sunday Brunch, $5 Mimosas & $6 Moscow Mules; Sunday Supper, 3 Course Prix Fixe ($20). Follow them on Twitter to get updates on what the offerings will be on a particular day, or check out their website, which they also keep updated regularly.

www.theshedatglenwood.com