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December 2006
Squashed
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Word was getting around that Hector Santiago had changed his menu at Pura Vida, the tapas bar he and wife Leslie own in Poncey-Highland. I chose Pura Vida as the AJC’s first Restaurant of the Year in the 2005 Fall Dine Guide, so it’s no secret that I’m in love with just about anything Santiago decides to take his tongs to. I couldn’t wait to try his new menu, but nearly had a heart attack when there, in the lower left hand corner of the menu, I noticed they were missing. My calabaza squash rings. My heart sank; I nearly fell off my chair in anguish. How long had I loved them? Those thin-cut rings, deep-fried in a nutmeg-laced tempura batter sprinkled with mild queso fresco and crema Mexicana? It happens. Chefs move on. And we need to let them, of course. But they need to remember what our favorites are —- those signature items that everyone wants when they walk through the door. Pura Vida’s calabaza squash rings. Seeger’s coddled egg (which we’ll never eat again, unfortunately). The tlayudas at La Oaxaquena Taqueria. Nam’s lemongrass tofu. Chocolate cheesecake at Aria. Pavlova at Joel. Butterbean hummus at Watershed. Rosca bread at Pao de Mel. Cuban sandwiches at Papi’s. Cha jang mein at Nam Chun Hong. The ribeye at Bones. That’s just a handful. What’s your favorite dish in the ATL?
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Herren’s cinnamon rolls and beyond
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Theatrical Outfit, the downtown theater that occupies the space that was home to one of Atlanta’s longest-running restaurants, has brought back that establishment’s signature goodie: Herren’s cinnamon rolls. Even though the restaurant has been gone for decades, they’re serving the miniature pastries, baked according to the original recipe, at intermission during actor Tom Key’s performance of Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Memory.” Do you have memories of these rolls or specialties of Herren’s? Are there other dishes from Atlanta restaurants past you wish were still being served?
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I Won’t Be Home for Christmas…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s inevitable this time of year. There are hungry souls roaming the earth who have no place to eat on Christmas day except out. Or perhaps they can’t boil water. Either way, it’s nice to know that there are restaurants open at where they may find refuge. Here’s the deal about holiday dining: Hotels are always open, and their dining rooms usually are, too. Small ethnic restaurants are often open, too, but it’s always a good idea to call before venturing out — reservations are required for Christmas events at some restaurants and hotels, even if they aren’t needed at other times of the year.
If I had nowhere to hang my hat on Christmas morning (or if my relatives finally wised up and kicked me out) what places are open that I should try? Ethnic Asian? The Ritz? Where’s your favorite place to eat out on the 25th day of December?
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Selling junk food to raise money for schools
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
School administrators say soft-drink contracts provide money for needs that otherwise go unfilled, such as band uniforms, student breakfasts before standardized tests, musical equipment and computers. A new analysis of 120 soft drink contracts in 16 states, performed by the health advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, says that schools make, on average, $18 a student per year from such contracts, and that schools get a bigger cut of the profits from fundraisers like wrapping paper or candle sales. Does your child’s school benefit from vending machine sales? How is the money used? Should schools sell junk food to children to raise money for “extras”?
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Dining Disasters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In my accessAtlanta column this week, I talk about the fact that the dining experience — good or bad — has a lot to do with the diner’s attitude as much as the restaurant’s. But there are cold, hard facts to bad service that a diner just isn’t in control of. There’s no need to mention names here, but what’s the worst experience you’ve ever had a restaurant? A drink spilled on your Jimmy Choo’s? An hour-long wait, even with a reservation? What’s your horror story?
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