You can tell we’ve entered the holiday season when the color of the day is black. To get in the mood for the shopping extravaganza (or refuel if you are among those who queued up at the crack of dawn), why not dine today where the plate is painted black?
At restaurants around the city, squid ink transforms starters, mains and even desserts into dramatic pieces of edible art. Here are seven dishes where squid ink is the secret to show-stopping texture, color and flavor that’ll wow you more than a doorbuster.
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Credit: Ligaya Figueras
Squid ink and pasta are a classic combination. When you feel like twirling a fork around some bold, black pasta noodles, hit up No. 246 in
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Decatur for its squid ink spaghetti and shrimp fra diavolo, or head to KR Steakbar to fill up on tagliatelle nero with crab that gives a slight kick from chile. Saltyard's black linguine dish studded with clams, Georgia shrimp and squid is a signature item while at Floataway Café, the squid ink macheroni is the staple. The house-made pasta changes – rigatoni, spaghetti, macaroni – and exec chef Todd Immel may even cut it into ring shapes so it resembles squid – but one constant: It will always be studded with shrimp, octopus and squid.
Yet squid ink isn't solely for pasta. There's the spicy fried "black rice" starter at King & Duke that also offers squid, pine nuts and Romesco sauce. And at recently opened coastal Italian concept Il Giallo Osteria in Sandy Springs, you can find risotto "nero" braised calamari in ink.
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Credit: Yvonne Zusel
Dessert? Try the cream cheese panna cotta with huckleberries and squid ink cookie crumbs at BoccaLupo.
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