Restaurants

 

There’s a reason more men are loitering by the ladles this week at Souper Jenny on East Andrews Drive in Buckhead.In honor of Valentine’s Day, it’s Aphrodisiac Soup Week at the soup, salad and sandwich shop.

As if Glennwood Park's neighborhood bistro The Shed at Glenwood could get any cozier, owner Cynthia Shera is throwing the ultimate in casual Sunday brunchs this weekend. Diners are encouraged to cut the tags off their holiday sleepwear and arrive in your pajamas.

 

This week, our eyes (and taste buds) were attracted to Asha Gomez's fancy kitchen layout, a low-lit Fennel Old Fashion from Double Zero Napoletana, a messy but delicious looking platter of something or other at Bone Lick BBQ, a shot of pork belly and turnips from Hugh Acheson that looks like it could be a painting hanging on a wall at the MOMA, and an enigmatic shot from Fifth Group's Michael Erickson of what I can only guess are peas with freezer-burn.

As with other recent years, 2012 has only seen a handful of ambitious, independent restaurants open in its first months. But here’s one we’ve been anticipating: Brian Lewis, who mastered the art of the neighborhood restaurant with Westside’s Bocado, launches his casual Italian venture STG Trattoria tonight at 102 West Paces Ferry Road in Buckhead. Neapolitan-style pizza—baked in Acunto ovens, the same as Antico—will be the centerpiece of the menu, though executive chef Joshua Hopkins (most recently at Abattoir) and chef de cuisine Adam Waller (previously at Sotto Sotto) will also be crafting pastas and other seasonally driven dishes.

Earlier this month, Jennifer Little and her husband, Steven (both pictured), joined me for dinner at Bacchanalia. The five-course meal (which the restaurant recently upped from a four-course format as a way to maintain its creative edge) was Little's reward for winning our 51st Restaurant Contest, in which she argued the case for Flip Burger Boutique with persuasive detail. She was kind enough to chronicle the dining experience at Bacchanalia for Covered Dish:Upon arriving home from dinner, I felt more than full; I felt complete. I have lived in Atlanta for five years and visited many of the city’s dining landmarks. But until now I hadn't completed the Atlanta foodie’s rite of passage: dinner at Bacchanalia.My meal began with foie gras torchon. This was my first time eating foie gras, but my mentality for the evening was, "When in Rome . . ." It was not at all as intimidating as I had thought, and was especially delightful when paired with Georgia pecans, ginger, and pear spread.Although we knew what our next course would be, the kitchen kept the excitement alive by treating us to a few morsels between courses. Throughout the evening we enjoyed celery soup, hot chocolate and a pumpkin churro (my favorite), and muscadine sorbet.For the main course, I debated between the quail and the venison. I chose the venison, and my selection allowed me to experience three different cuts of the meat, all of which were cooked to perfection.Our dinner would not have been as enjoyable without Mr. Addison’s guidance and insight throughout the meal. His passion for food and love for his job were apparent. It was akin to watching The Godfather alongside Francis Ford Coppola, getting his perspective on each scene.   I realize that any restaurant can use quality, seasonal ingredients, but the distinction I noted was that every accompaniment—from the quince marmalade alongside my Fortsonia cheese to the bone marrow foam served with my husband’s New York Strip—was paired perfectly; nothing was done without a great deal of thought. Throughout our evening, the service was not only seamless but also very informative. As each of our five courses was served, including the beloved cheese cart, we were given a brief tour of the art that lay in front of us.The evening was a wonderful blend of extraordinary food and extraordinary company. To the detriment of our bank account, our bar has been raised.Many thanks to Bill Addison and Atlanta magazine for the evening.—Jennifer Little