This month’s dishes to check out include an unexpected meat combo in a cheesy shell, an elevated bar snack in a Hemingway-themed spot, Thai street food and a dish with pasta and clams.
Cordero y tocino costra-style taco at Wahaka
I thought the layer of cheese crusted on the outside of Wahaka’s hand-pressed tortillas would be the best part of this costra-style taco. But this dish at a Mexico City-style taqueria in Dunwoody was so much more than a tortilla toasted over a grill until it melts and bubbles.
Within the cheesy shell was a jumble of hunks of meat. Tender, rich and deeply savory cuts of slightly charred lamb had a slight gaminess that set them apart from pork or beef. Crumbles of fatty but rendered bacon added smokiness. The layer of melted cheese acted as an adhesive for toppings, including chopped onions, cilantro and grilled green onion provided on the side. With earthy lamb balanced and enhanced by light smoke and the nutty-toasty flavor of the melted cheese, this flavor combination was new to me.
Each bite benefited from the complimentary salsa service with a half dozen house-made flavors. Thick, flavorful and fragrant, the salsa matcha was my favorite — even more when mixed with the tomatillo. This taco already was a masterpiece, but some spoonfuls of that took it further.
4474 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 404-400-3657, wahakataqueria.com.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Prosciutto-wrapped truffle fries at Bar Pilar
In a 1920s memoir, Ernest Hemingway mentioned french fried potatoes in one brief sentence. If he’d had the pleasure of tasting the truffle fries wrapped in prosciutto at this Hemingway-themed hideaway inside Alici, he might have written pages.
The small plate delivered opposing sensory experiences in one glorious bite. The fries themselves were an ideal vehicle — long, batonnet cut strips that were golden brown and crispy on the outside with a soft and fluffy interior. Ribbons of prosciutto added cured-meat saltiness, the lacy fat of the dry-cured ham melted slightly over the hot potatoes. Truffles and Parmesan added earthy, complex, almost musky aromas and rich flavors, but in just the right amount.
In one bite of two crisp fries tied together with prosciutto there was nutty Parmesan, earthy mushroom and the salinity of the ham. It was decadent and comforting and would pair so well with a Hemingway daiquiri or an old Havana.
931 Monroe Drive NE, Atlanta. 404-876-1000, alicioysterbar.com.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Kai yang at Gu Thai
Kai yang, also known as gai yang, is one of the most beloved street foods in Thailand. The dish, which translates to “grilled chicken,” comes from the Isaan region of northern Thailand.
In this barbecue chicken dish, the marinade wasn’t just a sauce; it was a meticulously balanced paste that layered bold, aromatic and savory flavors while the meat was grilled slowly over a charcoal fire — which imparted not only smoky flavor, but also the crucial char.
Biting through the crisp skin, I could taste the powerhouse fresh ingredients infused into the fragrant marinade. Turmeric lent color. There were aromatics that jumped out, including lemongrass, cilantro, ginger and garlic. They formed a citrusy, earthy foundation. There also were salty notes and a touch of sweetness from a sugar element that formed a glossy, slightly sticky crust during grilling.
The chicken sported a crispy, mahogany skin while remaining incredibly juicy and flavorful on the inside. I ordered it “enjoyably spicy,” and it was just that — all the chicken flavors came through despite a slight heat from chiles.
I suggest ordering sticky rice from the kiosk to complement the spicy, tangy dipping sauce.
1290 Old Peachtree Road NW, Duluth. 470-232-6905, instagram.com/gu_thai_duluth.
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Credit: Angela Hansberger
Spaghettini with razor clams at Fawn Wine & Amaro Bar
A beautiful celebration of umami, spaghettini with razor clams — once a star of the chef’s tasting menu at Fawn — now is part of the a la carte menu. This dish is a tasty rebuttal of the notion that seafood and cheese aren’t meant to be together.
In this bowl, everything worked in harmony. At its base was handmade pasta, the noodles cooked firm but tender. Comprised of uni, hazelnut and miso, the creamless sauce was just enough to cover the thin noodles with a luscious cling. And the dish melded the briny but delicate flavors of the sea, with buttery sea urchin (uni) and meaty-sweet razor clams tossed throughout. Miso provided a deeply complex, savory punch. The sauce had an extraordinary depth that coated the palate.
It could have been overwhelmingly briny and salty, but the earthy, nutty roasted hazelnut grounded the intensity of the uni and miso. Shaved Belper Knolle cheese, which was truffle-like and crumbly, added tanginess. The two plump mussels on top completed the textural harmony. Every bite was exciting.
119 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-748-4937, fawnwineamaro.com.
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