Since the mid-'70s, when Joel Dean, Giorgio DeLuca and Jack Ceglic opened Dean & DeLuca in SoHo, gourmet and specialty food shops have cropped up in more and more American cities, and even a good number of well-to-do small towns. Besides all the tasty goodies for sale, what makes the best of these places fun to browse is the array of local and regional products that can be found.
MARKET PLACE: At the Mercantile on DeKalb Avenue in Candler Park, owners Janea Boyles and chef Samantha Enzmann feature the likes of Sparkman's Cream Valley milk and butter, Springer Mountain chickens, Carolina Gold rice, and Lusty Monk Mustard, along with produce from local farms, and fresh flowers. There are also made-to-order sandwiches, a couple of daily housemade soups, and takeaway dinner specials and sides.
MODERN MERCHANTS: The Mercantile is housed in a new brick building, made bright by tall windows around the corner facade. The open kitchen is fronted by shiny glass deli cases and a self-serve soup bar. Coolers with beverages, including Arden's Garden juice and Bionade soda, and shelves stocked with all sorts of fancy food stuffs, fill out the space. Seating is at the cheery window counter or indoor and outdoor tables.
SANDWICH SELECTIONS: There are four neighborhood-named sandwiches on the menu, plus seasonal and special offerings, all served with a small salad or fruit cup. Last week, the Druid Hills featured a combo of tender, thinly sliced roast beef, generously piled on a soft hoagie roll, with arugula, sweet onion confit, and peppery aioli. The most popular sandwich is called the Candler — a Thanksgiving leftover-style melange of roasted turkey, crispy pancetta, cranberries and cream cheese on wheat or white bread. The current seasonal is a three-cheese pesto panini, grilled with provolone, havarti and fontina, Roma tomatoes and honey sauce. Kids' stuff includes: grilled American cheese; turkey, lettuce and tomato; and peanut butter and banana.
DINNER-TO-GO: Rotisserie chicken is available for take-out every day. The "salt and pepper" basted birds are delicious, with moist meat and crispy skin, and a good deal at $7.99. On a recent evening, snappy sautéed green beans, and truffle oil-flavored roasted potatoes, browned outside and fluffy on the inside, were perfectly simple sides. The rotating list of dinner specials is posted on the Web site. Lately, Enzmann has been cooking up savory pot roast, Via Elisa three-cheese ravioli with tomato sauce, crab cakes with red pepper sauce, smoked pulled pork or barbecue chicken sandwiches, and grilled ribeye steaks. And look for tamales made by sous chef Michael Hosp (the former owner of Asada).
AT A GLANCE
• Where: 1660 DeKalb Avenue N.E. #150, 404-378-0096
• Signature dish: Springer Mountain rotisserie chicken
• Entree prices: $6.99-$16.99
• Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays
• Reservations: No
• Credit cards: Yes
• Online: themercantile atl.com
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