Ecco
40 7th St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-347-9555, ecco-atlanta.com, $$$
2 of 5 stars [a worthy addition to its neighborhood, and the food is consistent]
When chef Craig Richards moved to Ecco in 2011, he inherited a large restaurant with a devoted clientele. He also inherited the restaurant’s signature dishes like the famed fried goat cheese, perfect little balls of fried dough bursting with warm goat cheese offset by chunks of cracked black pepper and a puddle of honey.
But he steered the Mediterranean menu a little more firmly in the direction of Italy. I find the top portion of the menu, featuring small plates and Italian-inspired dishes, better than the sometimes uneven entrees. Try the charred romaine with house-smoked Steelhead trout and pickled beets. A creamy Jackson-Pollock-style buttermilk drizzle adds balance to the wood, smoke and char.
The appealing space has the Fifth Group polish, yet without the stale corporate character common to restaurant groups.
-- Jenny Turknett, for the AJC
