dining out - atlanta event...

MUDCAT’S 2,000 NIGHTS OF THE BLUES | CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN INSPIRES YOUTH

DiningOut Must-try dishesand unsungrestaurants

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21 ATLANTA-AREA COMMUNITIES IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

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6

12DUNWOODY

FLOWERYBRANCH

BUFORD

DACULA

LAWERNCEVILLE

SUWANEE

ALPHARETTA

NORCROSS

DORAVILLE

POWDER SPRINGS

ATLANTA

CHAMBLEE

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CUMMING

ABOUT THECOVERAt Beni’s Cubano restaurant in Marietta,Jenni Girtman took this photo of the puercoasado, a large plate of mojo-roasted porkwith grilled peppers, onions and lime thatevokes the flavors of Havana.

6 Out & about

7 Up close: Kenny Leon’s “Take You Wherever You Go”

12 SPOTLIGHT: 2,000 NIGHTS AND COUNTINGDaniel “Mudcat” Dudeck keeps Northside Tavern jumping

16 Historic Morningside church !inds grace period

20 King of Crops farm sources frozen treats

24 Children Helping Children inspires young people

28 COVER STORY: DINING OUTUnderrated and must-try restaurantsfor Intown eats and Northside nosh

34 Banjo Coffee: Cooler than cool

36 Twisted Soul: “The responsibility of the blessing”

40 Beni’s Cubano: A little bit of Havana

44 Chicomecóatl: Vega’s vegan mission

48 ‘cue Barbecue: This way to the BBQ pit

52 Food Terminal: Gateway to great flavors

54 Citizen Soul: Food for the spirit

56 Hammocks Trading: No beach but making waves

60 The Whiskey Project: Aged to perfection

64 Ticonderoga Club and Watchman’s: No boundaries

68 AGING IN ATLANTASecond-language classes ask “Parlez-vous francais?”

70 PRIVATE QUARTERSRenovated frame house offers oasis in Virgnia-Highland

76 TRAVELRoad trip: A beacon to Spartanburg

82 LAST WORD

in thisissue

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DesignersShane BlattArLuther LeeEvelyn Ortega

PhotographersJason GetzJenni Girtman

ContributorsLanada BallardH.M. CauleyLane EdmondsonJason GetzJenni GirtmanHenri HollisPamela A. KeeneAdrianne MurchisonMuriel VegaBob TownsendSuzanne Van AttenHaisten Willis

4 LIVING • October 2018

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“Danse Macabre” is a recurring vignette at The Center for Puppetry Arts’ “The Ghastly Dreadfuls.” Photo by CLAY WALKER

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oc toberTheater: Ghosts with the most

A rollicking showcase of puppetry, music and themacabre, “The Ghastly Dreadfuls” may be the Centerfor Puppetry Arts’ best grown-up showcase for itscraft, as long as you don’t mind a little grisly comedy.

“The Ghastly Dreadfuls.” Oct. 10-27. The Center for Pup-petry Arts, 1404 Spring St. 404-873-3391. www.puppet.org

Theater: The gloves come offActor Garrett Turner plays boxer Jay “The Sport”

Jackson (a fictionalized version of first African-Americanheavyweight Jack Johnson) in Marco Ramirez’s play “TheRoyale,” a drama about race and boxing in the early 20th

century, directed by Patdro Harris.“The Royale.” Oct. 10-Nov. 4. Theatrical Out!it, 84

Luckie St. 678-528-1500. theatricalout!it.org

Festival: Pride rocksOver nearly "ive decades, the Atlanta Pride Festi-

val has grown to celebrate the different facets of theLGBTQ community. In addition to the parade, musicalperformers at this year’s festival include MichelleMalone, Bebe Rexha and “American Idol” contenderAda Vox.

Atlanta Pride Festival. Oct. 12-14. Most events takeplace in or near Piedmont Park, corner of 10th Street andMonroe Drive. atlantapride.org »

By CURT HOLMAN

AboutOut&

Kenny Leon, artistic director of True ColorsTheatre Co. and Tony-winning director forsuch shows as 2014’s “A Raisin in the Sun,”made time to write a memoir. Featuring a forewardby Samuel L. Jackson, “Take YouWherever YouGo” focuses on the influences that shaped Leon asa person and an artist, including his mother andgrandmother, who he lived with from age 4-8 inTallahassee, Fla., as well as playwright August Wilson.

Leon will be one of dozens of authors at the 27thbook festival of the Marcus Jewish CommunityCenter of Atlanta. On Nov. 18, Leon discusses whyhis grandmother’s words, “Take you wherever yougo,” have been a guidepost throughout his life.

Living Intown:What prompted yourgrandmother to say those words to you?

Kenny Leon: It was something that she alwayssaid. It was ongoing. It was the way she lived herlife. I used to wear red Reeboks all the time. Isaid, “Grandma, do you think it’s cool to wear redReeboks to church?” She said, “God, don’t care, buthave a little class. Wear a matching bow tie. But youhave to be you.” In 1992, when she died, I startedwearing tennis shoes every day. They remind me tostay grounded.

What do actors teach you?I always say any project is always a collaborative

experiment. With Denzel [Washington], I like theway he makes me earn his trust. With PhyliciaRashad, it’s the many different ways that shecan [express] every emotion. Sam [ Jackson] isdemanding. Like all great artists, he pushes meto be a greater director. Even when casting youngpeople, it’s a test to teach.

You suggest people make a significant changein their lives every seven to 10 years?

People know if they are craving something new.

Kenny Leon’s‘Take YouWhereverYou Go’

Up Close

True Colors Theatre co-founder Kenny Leon, shown hereon the set of “Hairspray Live!” in 2016, has published thememoir “Take You Wherever You Go.” Photo by RYON HORNE

We become insecure prisoners of our own false senseof security. I tell young folks they have everything theyneed inside of them. I tell them the same thing mygrandmother said a long time ago: Always be yourself.

The 27th annual Book Festival of the Marcus JewishCommunity Center of Atlanta. Oct. 30-Nov. 18. 5342 TillyMill Road, Dunwoody. 678-812-4005. atlantajcc.org/bookfestival ■

— ADRIANNE MURCHISON

insider tip » Ahead of the book festival, the MJC-CA hosts prologue events in October, including a presen-tation by Mitch Albom on Oct. 13 and Oscar-winning ac-tress Sally Field on Oct. 21.

October 2018 • LIVING 7

Festival: The spice of lifeFeaturing unlimited tastings of

chili and Brunswick Stew, Brookha-ven’s seventh annual chili cookoffincludes recipes from more than75 restaurants and amateur teamsin competition for $2,500 in prizesand awards, along with plenty offrosty beverages to cool the palate.

Atlanta Chili Cookoff. Oct. 13.Brookhaven Park, 2660 OsborneRoad. atlantachilicookoff.com

Dance: Harlem renaissanceA combination of ballet school,

touring company and outreachprogram, the Dance Theatre ofHarlem celebrates its 50th anni-versary with a show that includessuch pieces as “Vessels,” set to themusic of Ezio Bosso, and “Dancingon the Front Porch of Heaven,”choreographed by Ulysses Dove.

Dance Theatre of Harlem Compa-ny. Oct. 13-14. Cobb Ener!y Perform-ing Arts Centre. 2800 Cobb GalleriaParkway. 770-916-2800. cobbener-!ycentre.com

Theater: For thoseabout to rock

Adapted from the highly enter-taining Jack Black comedy of thesame name, the crowd-pleasing

stage musical “School of Rock”features 14 songs by Andrew LloydWebber and a book by “DowntonAbbey” creator Julian Fellowes.

“School of Rock.” Oct. 16-21. FoxTheatre, 660 Peachtree St. 404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org

Festival: Food, glorious foodMore than 90 Atlanta restau-

rants serve up delicious samplesof their wares at Taste of Atlan-

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Dance Theatre of Harlem’s tourperforms at Cobb Energy Centre.Photo by RACHEL NEVILLE

Expect Taste of Atlanta to includesuch fare as this smoked chickenbanh mi from 2016. Photo by ED CARTER

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ta, a three-day foodie festival thatincludes kitchen workshops, winetastings, “Chef ’s Table” talks and the10th annual Barcraft Celebration.

Taste of Atlanta. Oct. 19-21. Histor-ic Fourth Ward Park, 680 Dallas St.tasteofatlanta.com

Music: Def becomes himGrammy-winning producer,

songwriter and performer JermaineDupri celebrates a quarter centuryof his Atlanta-based label with theSo So Def 25th Anniversary CulturalCurren$y Tour, featuring Dupri andsuch collaborators as Da Brat, BowWow, Youngbloodz and J-Kwon.

Cultural Curren$y Tour. Oct. 21.State Farm Arena ( formerly PhilipsArena), 1 Philips Drive. 800-653-8000.statefarmarena.com

Festival: Emerald isleThe sixth annual IrishFest Atlanta

presents two days of concerts, work-shops, a traditional ceili dance and »

The stage musical version of“School of Rock” hits the Fox Theatre.Photo by MATTHEW MURPHY

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calendar

such special events as the art of pouring the perfectpint of Guinness. Musicians include traditional Irishband Teada and All-Ireland !iddle champion PatrickFinley.

IrishFest Atlanta. Oct. 27-28. DoubleTree by Hilton,4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. IrishFestAtlanta.org

Festival: Self-madeSelf-described as “the greatest show (and tell) on

Earth,” Maker Faire Atlanta turns a probably-home-made spotlight on inventions and craftsmanshipthat includes robots, vehicles, unique artwork anddemonstrations of technical creativity.

Maker Faire Atlanta. Oct. 27-28. Georgia FreightDepot, 65 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. atlanta.maker-faire.com

Comedy: Mad about youLewis Black’s Grammy-winning stand-up makes

such a feast of comedic irritation and outrage, it feltlike typecasting when he played the voice of Angerin Pixar’s “Inside/Out.” The “Daily Show” commen-tator brings his “The Joke’s on US” tour to CobbEnergy Centre.

Lewis Black. Nov. 2. Cobb Ener!y Performing ArtsCentre. 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. 770-916-2800.cobbener!ycentre.com

Music: A view to a GillGuitarist, songwriter and tenor Vince Gill has 21

Grammy awards, more than any other male countryartist, but proved his rock chops last year when hereplaced the deceased Glen Frey in the Eagles. Ex-pect to hear selections from his latest album, “DownTo My Last Bad Habit.”

Vince Gill. Nov. 3. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St.404-881-2100. foxtheatre.org ■

Shown here in 2013, Jermaine Dupri celebrates 25 years ofhis label So So Def on Oct. 21. Photo by JONATHAN PHILLIPS

Country star VinceGill has sold morethan 26 million al-bums since 1990.

ADay in Decatur

Warm welcomes. Good times.Just minutes away on MARTA.

Shopping and dining on Sycamore Street

VISITORS CENTER113 Clairemont Ave., Decatur 30030

| visitdecaturga.com


Story by SUZANNE VAN ATTENPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN

Byday, the squat, cinderblock building withbars on the windows is easy to overlook. Butat night, when the neon light glows blue,the Northside Tavern on Howell Mill Roadcomes alive. And it’s never livelier thanwhen Daniel Dudeck, aka Mudcat, is on stage.

The perpetually youthful musician in the wide-brimfedora is a !ixture at the blues club, where he can usu-ally be found !ingerpicking the guitar strings Piedmont

blues inthe night

style or playing a smoking slide. To catch him in ac-tion, especially on a weekend night when he’s backedby a full band, is a quintessential Atlanta experiencethat leaves clubgoers sweaty and exhausted from theirworkout on the dance floor.

The self-taught musician honed his craft buskingon street corners and ferries from New York to NewOrleans, and has gone on to tour Europe and play withgreats like Dickey Betts, Taj Mahal and Derek Trucks.But perhaps his greatest influence as an Atlantainstitution is his role as an ambassador for bridgingthe contemporary blues scene with the legacy of itsforebears.

“He’s one of the most influential blues musicians inthe modern era,” says Matt Harper, owner of Fat Matt’sRib Shack, where Dudeck got his start in Atlanta.

“He brings people together from multi-generations,and he’s able to propagate Atlanta blues music all overthe world. Plus, he’s just a blast. His music is very root-sy, stylish and fun.”

Despite his Southern drawl, Dudeck, 52, spent the!irst nine years of his life in St. Paul, Minn. He likes topoint out that his hometown borders the MississippiRiver, home of both the blues and the humble cat!ishwith which he shares a nickname.

In 1976, Dudeck moved to Tybee Island with hismother, where she supported them with her barberskills. Six years later, she “decided she had to go !ind

2000NIGHTSand counting ...Daniel “Mudcat”Dudeck keeps the NorthsideTavern jumping

»


Blues musician Danny Dudeckaka Mudcat, has performed atthe Westside’s Northside Tavernevery Wednesday night for years.

herself,” he says, and he wound up inthe foster care system. After a couple oftemporary situations, Dudeck landed in afamily with three brothers who treated himas their own. When the family moved toAugusta, Dudeck went with them.

Dudeck credits his love of music to hismother’s vinyl record collection; John-ny Cash was one of her favorites. But hispassion for the blues began with “The BluesBrothers” movie. In a brief scene before thelate, great Aretha Franklin’s big number,blues legend John Lee Hooker can be seenperforming his song “Boom Boom.”

“What the hell is that?” Dudeck remem-bers thinking.

That sound lit a !ire in him.“In Augusta, there was a bookstore that

had a huge collection of jazz and bluesrecords. I bought a Vanguard album, ‘TheGreat Bluesmen.’ It made me high,” Dudecksays, chuckling at the memory. “It put me ina euphoric kind of place.”

When he was 17, a friend gave Dudeck aguitar left behind by an ex-girlfriend.

“I stayed with it day and night for amonth straight,” he says.

Songwriting came naturally to him.“I couldn’t play other people’s stuff very

well,” he says. “My M.O. was to learn a riffand write a song around it. And I alwaysloved to sing. When I was little I liked toskip school and walk through the marshand make up songs and sing them to theseagulls.”

Music wasn’t his only creative outlet.Dudeck began acting in children’s theaterwhen he was still in Minnesota, and he stuckwith it through his teenage years, playingroles in “Godspell” and “Macbeth.”

After high school he got in to the Nation-al Shakespeare Conservatory, an actingschool in New York City. He found a placeto live in Hell’s Kitchen and started buskingon the Staten Island Ferry. It wasn’t longbefore he started spending more time onthe street than in school and dropped out.He eventually moved to New Orleans andcontinued to busk and study acting beforemaking his way to Atlanta, where he began

Dudeck has helped bridge tradi-tonal blues to Atlanta’s contem-porary music scene.

Danny “Mudcat” Dudek has been a regular atthe Northside Tavern since the club startedfeaturing blues music in 1994.

blues inthe night


artists like Frank Edwards, Cora Mae Bryantand Beverly “Guitar” Watkins to a newgeneration of fans. Along the way, Dudeckgained a deeper knowledge of the blues.

“Cora Mae changed my world. I thoughtI knew the blues, but I’d never heard of thePiedmont blues,” he says, referring to the!ingerpicking style of guitar playing charac-teristic of coastal blues musicians.

Now, 25 years later, the Northside Tavernis a beloved institution among live musicfans.

“I was the young guy when I started, nowI’m older than a lot of the people there,”Dudeck says.

The musician performs solo everyWednesday night and plays with a full bandthe last weekend of the month. He estimat-ed he’s played 2,000 nights at the club sofar. After Webb died last year, her brotherTommy became manager and Dudeck tookover booking the bands.

Asked what’s changed over the years,Dudeck pointed to the bar’s Westside neigh-borhood.

“When we !irst started, we had to havethe Red Dog cops there to keep it safe. If yousaw somebody walking by, it was becausethey were homeless or they were coming tothe Tavern. Now they’re walking from onerestaurant to another.”

Dudeck still plays other venues aroundtown, including Blind Willie’s and Matil-da’s, and he has a new record out called“Castaway.” When he’s not immersed inmusic, he can be found tending his vegeta-ble gardens or preserving his harvest at hishome in Decatur, which he shares with wifeKathryn Dudeck, wildlife director for theChattahoochee Nature Center.

But on Wednesday night, come hell orhigh water, Daniel Dudeck will be at theNorthside Tavern playing the blues.

Northside Tavern, 1058 Howell Mill Road.Mudcat performs 10 p.m.-2 a.m. everyWednesday and the last full weekend of themonth. Free Wednesday, $10 Friday-Saturday.404-874-8745. northsidetavern.com. mudcat-blues.com■

insider tips »•The Piedmont Report is a podcast Dudeckhosts on his website at mudcatblues.comthat combines his two loves: the blues andfarming. The show features music, sto-ries and planting tips for gardeners. He per-formed a scripted, live version of the showat Avondale Towne Cinema last summer witha host of guest artists, and he had so muchfun, he plans to do it again.

playing blues clubs around town. His variedrepertoire would expand over time, rangingfrom “Goin’ to Jackson” by Cash and “EmptyRoom Blues” by Memphis Slim to originalslike the rollicking “Get Your House in Order”and the love song “Falling.”

In 1993, the longtime owner of theNorthside Tavern died, leaving his daughter,Ellyn Webb, in charge. She waffled betweenturning it into a strip club or a blues bar.Then one day, Dudeck says, “she saw meplaying at Fat Matt’s and asked me if I wasinterested in bringing some friends in.”

Dudeck delivered. Not only did he bringin contemporary blues musicians, but he in-troduced old-school African-American blues

“‘The GreatBluesmen’putme ina euphorickind ofplace.”

DANIELDUDECKBluesmusician


histor icchurch

Parishioner Carey Millerlooks up the installa-tion date of historicRock Spring PrebyterianChurch’s nearly 100year-old stained-glasswindows.

AGESROCKofHard choices givegrace period tohistoric church

Story by H.M. CAULEYPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN

Onastretch of southboundPiedmont Avenue oftencrammed with cars zigzag-ging out of new apartmentsand retail centers, a small,country-style church pops into viewjust beyond Rock Springs Road like amirage from the past.

Its two gables, accented with fancyfretwork, anchor either sides of a graystone and beige stucco structure witha center steeple rising over red doubledoors. On the side of the building, anA-frame crowns !ive stained-glass win-dows whose beveled panels overlookthe weathered headstones of a smallgraveyard that dates back to the 1870s.

The roots of Rock Spring Presbyteri-an Church, at the corner of Piedmontand Montgomery Ferry Drive, go backeven further, to the years before theCivil War when the rural area waspopulated by names now familiar onAtlanta road signs: Cheshire, Medlock,Johnson and Collier, to name a few. Ma-ny of those families who founded thechurch are honored in the sanctuary’sstained-glass windows, installed whenthe current structure was built in 1922.

The name of the church, “RockSpring,” is not the same as nearby RockSprings Road, but both derive from anold spring that used to flourish in thearea.

The church’s charming exteriorcaptivated Gail and Jeff Dore when they

»

Above left, Rock Spring Presbyterian has been a part of the Morningside community since the 19th century. Above right,gospel bluegrass band Hicks with Picks, featuring Mary and Chas Gowing, performs Thursday evenings. Below, the churchwas founded in 1870, with the current building on Piedmont Avenue erected in 1922.

»

moved to Atlanta from California inin 1984.

“I remember thinking it was sucha pretty church,” Gail Dore says. “Itwas the !irst church we tried, andwe never went anywhere else.”

Her husband recalls meeting along-time member who grew up inthe then-rural church. “She remem-bered when Piedmont Avenue wasa dirt road, and people tied theirhorses up out front. This was wayout in the country in those days.”

Other Atlantans know the churchfor its annual live nativity scene,complete with animals, that hasbeen drawing Christmas crowdsto the small property since themid-1950s. Through the years, theclassic English-style country churchwith its Tudor Revival accents has

clung to its corner of Piedmontdespite the modernity that sur-rounds it, including new residentialconstruction, the Sprouts naturalfoods store and an outpost of Grind-house Killer Burgers. The contrastis particularly poignant on Sundaymornings, when the crowds at near-by Passion City Church are so hugethey require off-duty police of!icersto direct traf!ic, while the roughly80 members of Rock Spring have noproblem !inding a parking space.

“We know we need to changewhat we’re doing to attract youngpeople,” says Carey Miller, an elderwho joined the church more than 30years ago. “But we have traditions,and those are hard to give up.”

Unfortunately, traditions such asthe Nativity scene weren’t adding

to the bottom line, and the church’sexistence was threatened by dwin-dling funds.

To keep on solid !inancial footing,the congregation recently closeda deal to sell about two acres of itsproperty to a developer. The swathincludes a deteriorating, red-brickmanse built in the 1960s that hasbeen vacant for some time, thelower playground area behind thechurch and a secondary parking lot.

“We were talking a matter ofmonths,” Dore says. “It came downto !inances, and this was the onlyoffer we had. It was sell or close.”

A proposed residential plan sub-mitted by developer Don Donnellyof Hedgewood Homes plays off thechurch’s unique architectural style.

“The site plan is based on older

histor icchurch

Rock Spring Presbyterian’scongregation chose to selltwo acres of land on the prop-erty to raise funds to restoreits finances.


villages in Europe where the churchwas the center of the village, andhomes radiated out from the centralbuilding,” he says. “We think this is agreat solution to preserving historicchurches and other historic buildings:Private, boutique developer pur-chases excess church property andcreates land plan and architecture fornew homes that support the historicchurch architecture and do not over-power the historic buildings.”

Hedgewood bought the 1.9-acreproperty before zoning approval wasgranted so the church had the fundsto make pressing repairs. While theoriginal site plan called for 22 homes,the local neighborhood review boardsreduced the total to nine, which Don-nelly expects will be on the market forabout $1.2 million each. Additionally,the new neighborhood’s homeowners

association will maintain the churchgrounds.

The $1.95 million transaction won’timpact the church building, whichwas listed on the National Register ofHistoric Places in 1990; a separate rec-reational building, Loudermilk Hall; orits playground, serenity courtyard andthe graveyard. And the cash infusionwill do more than keep the heat on thiswinter: $150,000 has been earmarkedfor charitable contributions

The most powerful impact may bein hurt feelings, Jeff Dore admits. Butdire !inancial straits left little room foremotional considerations.

“It’s bittersweet: Now we havemoney, but money doesn’t always !ixeverything,” he says. “Money isn’tgoing to bring bodies. People have towant to come to church, and we haveto have something that will make them

want to come.”That’s the next major challenge the

congregation will have to tackle, Doresays.

“The sale gives us time to reorganizeand work through what we need to doto be a strong, healthy church.”

Until then, at least, a piece ofAtlanta’s history remains standing onPiedmont Avenue.

Rock Spring Presbyterian Church.1824 Piedmont Ave. 404-875-7483. rspc.org■

insider tips »•Don your toe-tappin’ shoes andhead to Rock Spring Church everyThursday night when the “Picks withHicks” gospel band jams. In 2002,eight church members started thegroup, which has also performed atvenues around town.


farm totable

CROP of the

King of Crops in western Douglas Countyis a working farm still in its beginning sta

ges.

King of Crops occupies the land of a former plant nursery for big box stores and u

ses its irrigation system.

Farm manager Stephen Dobek weeds the starter fig bushes.

POPSDouglas Countyfarm grows producefor King of PopsStory by HAISTEN WILLISPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN

Nestled in far westernDouglas County, 20 milesOTP and eight miles southof I-20, sits a rural out-post of one of Atlanta’shippest brands.King of Crops farm takes its name

from King of Pops, the iconic Atlantaline of frozen treats evoking images offood truck festivals, Ponce City Marketand other millennial magnets. But thefarm gives off a different vibe. Locatedin the tiny community of Fairplay, it’s arustic stretch of 58 acres that lends au-thentic flavors to the company’s story.

King of Pops was founded in 2010by brothers Steven and Nick Carse,who switched from white-collar jobsto crafting a sweet local treat. From itsInman Park headquarters, King of Popsserves such treats as Chocolate SeaSalt, Cookies ‘n’ Cream, Thai Iced Tea,Banana Puddin’ and White ChocolatePeppermint.

In 2014, the company purchased thefarm and began planting crops the nextyear. The land previously served as a gi-ant plant nursery providing flowers andshrubs to big-box stores, and King ofCrops uses its intact irrigation system.But 2018 is the !irst year that crops fromthe farm — such as blackberries, basil,mint, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes,watermelons, pie pumpkins, wintersquash, !igs and muscadines — provideactual ice pop ingredients.

While the farm is far from producingall of the fruit used by King of Pops —the sheer size of the company puts thatbeyond the scope of 58 acres — its goalis to increase King of Crops’ contribu-tion each year.

“Everything we’ve grown so farhas gone to the kitchen. A big chunkof what we’re doing this !irst year is!iguring out what crops we can make animpact with, especially things we can’t!ind elsewhere,” says farm managerStephen Dobek, who envisions a specialline of King of Pops treats made entirelyfrom the farm.

King of Pops bought the farm in 2014, planting crops the next year.

»

Chickens on the farm help reduce pestsand provide welcome fertilizer to plots of

land.

The farm’s shade house protects the more delicate plants.

The signature ice pops.

farm totable

Some crops, such as basil and blackberries, already are sourcing ingredients for King of Pops’ signature treats.

He also sees potential for Kingof Crops to host events, perhapsweddings or corporate gatherings.Several lily ponds dot the land-scape, and a horse farm can befound at the back of the propertyalong with an enormous Amer-ican flag flapping in the breeze.Less event-friendly but no less im-portant is a compost heap, “Kingof Compost,” a partnership with acompany called CompostNow thatrecycles food waste and brings itto farms.

It’s all quite a change from Do-bek’s past. He grew up in Buffalo,majored in political science atthe University of Dayton in Ohioand then found himself hating anof!ice job in Chicago. When hisparents retired to Greenville, S.C.,Dobek followed and landed anapprenticeship at a local farm.

He picked up agriculture skillsall over the South, including Lou-isiana and south Georgia, beforesigning on with King of Crops thisspring.

Since late March, he’s been

both living and working at King ofCrops — “there are no commutesin farming,” he says — and enjoysthe summer heat much more thanthe snow shoveling he enduredup North. But it was a learning ex-perience: Dobek passed out morethan once from heat exhaustionbefore he learned the importanceof pacing himself and hydrating.

“There used to be a traditionalmarket garden set up here,” hesays. “To go from that to servicingjust one company and growingcustom products for them is a bigtransition for the farm. But thereare a number of things we knewahead of time that we could use.”

Dobek dreams of an on-site pro-cessor that could make ice popsof regional fruits like pawpaws,which are sometimes called “hill-billy mangoes.” Dobek comparesthe pawpaw’s taste and textureto a banana’s, with the drawbackbeing that the plant doesn’t storeor transport well. On-site process-ing could !ix that issue.

While large-scale production

likely remains a few years out,Dobek looks forward to bringingon more help, potentially fromarea high school kids who’d like tolearn more about farming.

“We’ll be increasing the amountof produce we can send to thekitchen year after year, so croppops will be more common astime goes on.” Dobek says. “Thefarm needs to help tell the story ofKing of Pops.”

King of Crops. 6950 Post Road,Winston. 678-732-9321. Kingof-Crops.com■

insider tips »•For King of Pops fans looking forsome 21-and-over flavors, checkout the the company’s bar con-cept at Ponce City Market. Offi-cially called O4W Beach Bar, theestablishment opened over thesummer and serves boozy slush-ies along with snacks and frozenpops sourced by King of Crops.Find the bar inside a shipping con-tainer next to the entrance to therooftop.

inspir ingyouth

Helpinghands

ChildrenHelpingChildren inspires kids


Story by PAMELA A. KEENE

OnOct. 17, 10 years ago, Michelle Hodgson, aformer DeKalb County school teacher, helda remembrance of her late son, Cole Clay-ton Hodgson, on what would have beenhis !irst birthday. He passed away at !ivedays old from complications from Down syndrome.The gathering of family and friends assembled bearbackpacks !illed with toys to share with area nonpro!itgroups.

A year later, word spread and more groups of neigh-borhood moms and kids joined in to help. By the thirdyear, the celebration outgrew her home, and Hodgsonrealized that the act of giving instilled a sense of re-sponsibility and accomplishment for young people.

“That !irst birthday party for Cole quickly grewinto what is now Children Helping Children,” saysHodgson, founder and executive director of the orga-nization that now connects youth organizations andstudents with dozens of nonpro!its. “So many schoolsrequire students to do community service, but when

these same young people come together to work onprojects they create and manage, it becomes some-thing they do willingly, and they have fun at the sametime.”

At 8 years old, Riley Kollas attended that !irst party.“At the time, I just knew I was doing something tohelp other kids and that was good,” says Kollas, nowa senior at Lassiter High School in Marietta. “ButChildren Helping Children has really affected my lifeby reaching out to kids just like me, my own age, whohave different circumstances and need help. And nowto see all these kids who are so excited to be helpingother kids, it really touches my heart to be part of it.”

Hodgson did not expect that honoring Cole’smemory would lead to a movement that has touchedmore than 20,000 lives and has more than 100 activevolunteers.

“CHC teaches children of all ages and backgroundshow to be advocates for change and leaders in philan-thropy by !irst identifying their gifts and talents andthen giving them real life platforms to serve in theircommunity,” she says. “That’s the secret sauce: giving »

The non-profit group Children Helping Children organizes activities such as the Birthday ClubProgram, through which kids donate books and art supplies to young people in need.


them input on the people they help and what they cando.”

As an early program nine years ago, CHC created apen pal project to connect third-graders at WestminsterSchool and Scott Elementary in Atlanta to give youngpatients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta art therapysupplies. “When the students met, they came up with thespeci!ics of the project, which children they wanted tohelp, and took the steps to make them happen,” Hodgsonsays. “They had so much fun the !irst year that the nextyear they made cancer bracelets for the children at CampSunshine, a special camp for children with cancer.”

In 2010, CHC !irst worked with participants at GiGi’sPlayhouse Midtown, a Down syndrome achievementcenter, helping them learn !ine motor skills by mak-ing gingerbread houses. A year or so later, GiGi’s teenmember Kevin Mackey spearheaded a project to create“happy” packets for new mothers of children born withDown syndrome. Teen members at GiGi’s now operatea once-a-month coffee shop called “Hugs and Mugs” atspace donated in CHC’s King Plow Center of!ice.

“This is a way for our participants to develop life skillsas they age out of our programs,” says Fred Webster, sitecoordinator at GiGi’s Midtown location. “It builds theirself-esteem as they learn job and life skills to becomemore independent.” The teens at GiGi’s decided to do-nate the funds to children at the Atlanta Mission.

Each year, Children Helping Children solicits about adozen young representatives ages 12 to 16 from schoolsand nonpro!its to serve on its Junior Board and createtheir own philanthropic projects that will be the foun-

dation of LoveFest, the organization’s public event heldeach October in honor of Cole’s birthday.

The 2018 Junior Board members will showcase theirideas and engage community volunteers to help com-plete their projects on Oct. 21 at the Promenade inPiedmont Park. The event includes music, youth activi-ties and 10 tents for the Junior Board members’ speci!icprojects, such as creating, decorating and !illing foodbags for children at the Atlanta Community Food Bank,assembling art therapy buckets for CURE ChildhoodCancer patients, and decorating collars and leashes forCanine Assistants (pets that work with children).

“Our previous Junior Board members return year afteryear to mentor our younger participants,” Hodgson says.“We provide platforms for these kids to shine, even ifthey may not choose philanthropy as a career. What theydo helps them become stewards of service in so manyways. It is so ful!illing to see them blossom.”

Children Helping Children. King Plow Arts Center, 887 W.Marietta St., Studio S109. facebook.com/chc.atl■

insider tips »•Children Helping Children will begin accepting applicationsfor potential Junior Board members in October. You canlearn more at an information booth at LoveFest or at face-book.com/chc.atl.

•The group also offers Hodgson’s “Compassion Curricu-lum,” an initiative developed to engage all types of learn-ers in neighborhoods, churches and schools using art, lit-erature, music and math to teach kindness.

The non-profit’s Open Mic Program (right) raises money to benefit special needs families at Christian Youth Theatre (left).

inspir ingyouth


CULINARY COMMANDMENTS TO DINE BY:BEHIND THE MENU AT MARLOW’S TAVERN

Metz’ cooking chops were first developed at The CulinaryInstitute of America, and his nearly 30 years of formalrestaurant training began at some of the finest restaurants inNew York City, including Tribeca Grill, Montrachet and 21 Club.

Marlow’s Tavern executive chef and co-founder John C.Metz really enjoys putting his chef’s twist onMarlow’sTavern food & boozemenus. It starts with those tavern basics and continues through every unique ingredient.His passion starts with his guests inmind, creating something delicious for them to enjoy. Marlow’s “TavernTell-All” on their website shares an inside look at how he and the restaurant focuses on fresh, local ingredients,prepared daily, grounded in classic culinary techniques & philosophies with his special twist. I recently satdownwithMetz to get an evenmore in-depth view of how he develops the dishes that are enjoyed in everyneighborhoodwhereMarlow’s Tavern is located.

Marlow’s has been in business since 2004. How do you keep yourmenus fresh seasonafter season, year after year?I like to walk that fine line between satisfying guests’palates and pushing them, creating something they may notexpect, but really enjoy once they try it. Our menus offer a diverse combination of tavern classics that are elevatedwith the best freshest ingredients available and some food you might not expect to see in a neighborhood jointlike ours. I like our food to be approachable and still allow our guests to step outside of their comfort zone to trysomething unexpected. Putting new spins on their favorites helps people feel comfortable trying something new;often the subtlest additions can make the biggest difference, whether it’s using a creamier, less pungent bleu cheesedressing, like Gorgonzola or crisping the capers on top of our beef carpaccio. That is the fun of being a chef and earningthe trust of our guests and neighborhood, daily. It is all about taking care of people for me.

How doesMarlow’s elevate typical tavern food to a gourmet level?It’s not gourmet, it is all about great flavors and combinations of the best, freshest seasonal ingredient, preparing itright, cooking it right and serving it with amazing hospitality. It makes it taste better. Of course we use our culinary training and craftsmanship, keeping our standards high even withthe simplest ingredients or items is critical to our success.We pay attention to tiny details; we prepare every dish with fresh, local ingredients, putting a unique twist on classic Americanfavorites. For example, we chop and blend 10 different types of lettuces for our salad.While many guests order our salads because they are healthy, we want them to be craveable, too.My goal is to create food that our guests really want to eat.

What are guestsmost surprised to learn aboutMarlow’s Tavern when dining at one of your restaurants for thefirst time?People are very surprised to find out how tiny our tavern freezers are.We only use them for ice cream! Sometimes the word“tavern”can give guests an interesting first impression, so it isgreat to be able to surprise them with a warm, atmosphere, unique drinks and those classic American favorite ingredients with our Marlow’s twist. The freshest ingredients prepared dailyare an absolute must for me and our chefs. It is the only way we can ensure that every dish will be perfect. Our philosophy extends through every aspect of our restaurant, including thebar, where our fruits, juices, shrubs, bitters and mixes in every cocktail are equally as fresh, unique and imaginative.

ADVERTISER CONTENT

diningout

appetizerIntown: Seafood tartine, Bistro Niko

Don’t be confused by the “toasted French bread”element of this multi-flavored appetizer in Buckhead.While the seafood tartine at this outpost of French cu-linary bliss is built on crispy bread slices, it makes anevolutionary leap beyond an open-faced sandwich.Atop that base of buttered goodness is a mélange ofscallops, shrimp, calamari, andouille sausage and themild zing of Fresno chilis. The toppings are nothingshort of extraordinary, in both individual flavors andcombinations they create. C’est magnifique!

3344 Peachtree Road. 404-261-6456. buckhead-restaurants.com/restaurant/bistro-niko

Story by H.M. CAULEY, LANE EDMONDSON and ADRIANNE MURCHISON

S ome people dine out only occasionally, while others tirelessly seek out new restaurants and unfamiliarflavors. Given Atlanta’s ever-changing culinary landscape, either kind of diner can "ind themselves in needof direction. For both this story and the ones that follow, we sent out a team of intepid eaters to scout outsome must-try dishes around the Metro area. Occasionally they found delicious but underrated fare atsome familiar spots, but primarily they sampled restaurants fresh on the scene that feature the culinarymastery of some of Atlanta’s most inventive chefs. We also included some bartenders and coffee brewers to providebeverages to wash down those mighty meals. First up, here’s a rundown of excellent dishes in 10 categories, withmatching examples both in Atlanta and on the Northside. Warning: if you’re not hungry when you start readingthese reports, you will be very soon.

Northside: Tuna tower, Kona GrillChefs at the Kona Grill in Avalon have created

a delightful seafood starter that appeals evento those who may think they’re not crazy abouttuna. The $15 tuna tower is a multi-tiered concoc-tion with a base of sushi rice, a layer of crab mix,another of tuna, and a topping of additional tunadrizzled with a spicy sesame sauce. Cucumbersalad and taro chips on the side add a bit of extracrunch.

5100 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta. 470-226-1540.konagrill.com

— H.M. CAULEY

Intown eats and

Seafood tartine, Bistro Niko


burgerIntown: White Oak Pastures Burger, H&F Burger

Many patrons consider this Ponce City Marketlocation a burger paradise. The popular Ave’s Tur-key Burger, topped with organic turkey pepperjackcheese, avocado and yellow mustard, has been knownto sell out. The White Oak Pastures burger is just assatisfying a delight. The grass-fed beef patty sandwichis served with hoop cheese, a pickled pepper, ro-maine lettuce and chow-chow relish.

675 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta. 404-355-3762.hfburger.com

Northside: Down South Burger, Bocado BurgerThis burger haven located at Alpharetta’s Avalon

shopping center serves double-stacked burgers, Phil-adelphia cheese steak and chicken club sandwiches.The delectable Down South burger has two grass-fedAngus beef patties topped with pimento cheese, spicychipotle mayo, a fried green roasted Poblano pepperand bacon.

2820 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta. 678-248-5223.bocadoburger.com


d Northside nosh

White OakPastures Burger,H&F Burger

Burger stack,Bocado Burger

»


saladIntown: Chopped seafoodsalad, The Oceanaire

You might not think of thisMidtown seafood restaurantas a salad destination, but thisstarter at both lunch and din-ner (and to go) is tasty enoughto be a meal on its own. Thebase is a bed of chopped ice-berg lettuce enhanced by bigbites of shrimp, crab and fetacheese. The mix is then blend-ed with a Greek vinaigrettedressing for a zesty finish.

1100 Peachtree St. 404-475-2277. theoceanaire.com

Northside: Autumn salad,Loving Hut

This vegan restaurant inNorcross offers several saladsto sate the craving for a re-freshing crunch. The Autumnsalad is a flavorful platterpacked with fresh tomatoes,bell peppers, sun-dried toma-toes, cucumbers, tomato tofuand chickpeas atop of bed oflettuce and drizzled with anartisanal dressing.

6385 Spalding Drive, Nor-cross. 678-421-9191.lovinghut.us/norcross

— H.M. CAULEY

pizzaIntown: Vegetarian Pizza, Varuni Napoli

Eating healthy can be a conundrumwhen pizza is your favoritefood, but Varuni Napoli’s sumptuous Neapolitan pies containno preservatives, additives or artificial flavoring. The vegetarianSpacca Napoli is prepared with mozzarella and Taleggio cheese,as well as Pecorino Romano cheese, basil, black truffle oil andblack pepper. (If you need to slake your carnivorous side, consid-er the Bastardo’s pepperoni and Nduja sausage with freshmozza-rella, San Marzano tomatoes, Pecorino Romano and basil.)

1540 Monroe St., Atlanta. 404-709-2690; Krog Market, 99 KrogSt., Atlanta. 404-500-5550. varuni.us

Northside: Build your own, Hearth Pizza TavernThis neighborhood pizza tavern offers 10 specialty pies made

with 100 percent organic flour and wheat germ. Create your ownpie with nearly 10meats, 25 vegetables and six cheeses to choosefrom. For building inspiration, the “Mom Says ‘Eat Your Veggies!’”pie includes a cheese blend, roasted cremini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan and pesto. One of its richest options,the Chorizo Sunrise Pizza, includes chorizo sausage, broken yolkegg, Mexican crema, salsa picante and chopped cilantro.

5992 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. 404-252-5378. hearthpizzatavern.com


diningout

ChorizoSunrise Pizza,Hearth Pizza

Tavern

Bastardo’s,Varuni Napoli

Photos byBECKY STEIN

steakIntown: 32-ounce porterhouse fortwo, Parker’s on Ponce

The 32-ounce, bone-in porterhousesteak at Parker’s on Ponce in Decatur,priced around $72, is for friends whowant to induldge their cravings formeat. Cooked to order, this “king of theT-bones” cut features a tenderloin fileton one side of the bone and a New Yorkstrip on the other. The entrée comeswith generous sides of mashed potatoesor fries, bread and a veggie.

116 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur.404-924-2230. parkersonponce.com

Northside: 30-ounce bone-in rib-eye, Little Alley Steak

This Roswell eatery offers a broadselection of wet- and dry-aged Chicagosteaks, but for pure melt-in-your-mouthdecadence, it’s hard to pass up the30-ounce bone-in ribeye. Aged 60 days,this flavorful cut can be paired withshrimp, scallops, lobster tails or craband topped with a selection of eightsauces and butters. Even without adollop of foie gras butter or horseradishcream, this treat easily makes the gradefor meat lovers.

955 Canton St., Roswell. 770-998-0440. littlealleysteak.com/Roswell

— H.M. CAULEY

breakfastIntown: Pancakes, Ria’s Bluebird

Although this reliable, friendly joint serves a range of greatbreakfast and lunch offerings, they do pancakes so well it’s a mys-tery why diners would order anything else. The plain buttermilkpancakes are a daily feature of Ria’s menu (with the option of add-ing pecans, caramelized bananas or chocolate chips), but a special“Fancy Sweet” version is often available. Variations can includepeach, blueberry, roasted apple or Butterfinger pancakes.

421 Memorial Drive. 404-521-3737. riasbluebird.com

Northside: Bialys, Hen Mother CookhouseThis Johns Creek newcomer makes a bialy worth driving for,

served with a fabulous house-cured gravlax and chive creamcheese. A fresh, well-executed version of this baked Jewish staple,HMC’s bialy is light yet dense enough to make it slightly chewy andsatisfyingly toothsome, with a lovely crust. Load on a schmear ofthe lemony chive cream cheese, a hunk of gravlax and maybe a bitof pickled red onion, take a bite, and your palate will be thrilled.

11705 Jones Bridge Road. 770-417-8404. henmothercookhouse.com— LANE EDMONDSON

Pancakes, Ria’s BluebirdPhotos by BECKY STEIN

Bone-in Ribeye,Little Alley Steak

»


southernsideIntown:Mac and cheese,Community Q BBQ

Some diners visitthis shrine to perfect-ly smoked meats justto order the standoutmac and cheese. Thisdairy-focused pro-duction elevates theSouthern staple, withrigatoni pasta standingin for the typical elbowmacaroni. Three kindsof cheese, along withnearly as much heavycream, make for a richlyintense, slightly chewydelight that would alarmany cardiologist.

1361 ClairmontRoad. 404-633-2080.communityqbbq.com

Northside: Creamedcorn, The Crafty Hog

Concord Road’s cav-ernous, family-friendlybarbecue joint deliversgood barbecue and sometop-notch sides, mostnotably the creamedcorn. Sliced from roastedears of corn, the kernelsare then cooked up withcream and a dash of hotpaprika. The overalleffect is a tad soupy andnicely accents the smokymeat. The corn’s sweet-ness, along with the richcream, offsets the small,spicy kick, creatingflavors that linger long inthe memory.

652 ConcordRoad, 770-801-8815.thecraftyhog.com

— LANE EDMONDSON

diningout

cocktailIntown: Cheshire Cat, Paper Crane Lounge

Paper Crane Lounge above Staplehouse restaurant on Edge-wood Avenue has a dimly lit, cozy living room setting ideal fordate night. The drink menu offers very little description for eachlibation, but the inside scoop on the Cheshire Cat is that it’s a cit-rus, sherry-based shaken cocktail made with rye whiskey, servedon the rocks with a little ginger, honey and blueberry tincture.

541 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta. 404-524-5005. staplehouse.com

Northside: Louisville Smash, The Whiskey ProjectDisplaying an impressive wall of more than 1,000 spirits, The

Whiskey Project crafts such drinks as The Louisville Smash, acolorful cocktail made with Richter’s Unblended American Whis-key. A hit with patrons, it’s made with blackberry syrup createdby blending macerated blackberries, raw unbleached sugar andwater, and then boiling it.

45 Oak St., Roswell. 678-373-1981. twpatl.com— ADRIANNE MURCHISON

Cheshire Cat,Paper Crane LoungePhoto by ANDREW THOMAS LEE


tacoIntown: Taco Veloz

The Buford Highway location — little more thana drive-thru stand and covered dining area —- ofthis three-restaurant local chain has reliably craft-ed mouth-watering, authentic tacos for years. Thejuicy carne asada and succulent barbacoa tacosare standouts, but most impressive is the moist,savory shredded pork in the carnitas taco. They’reall usually served in two corn tortillas, mixed withchopped onion and cilantro, and go well with alittle lime squeezed over the top.

3245 Chamblee Dunwoody Road. 770-936-9094.tacoveloz.com

Northside: Alebrije Mexican CuisineThis recent and happy addition to Gwinnett’s

dining scene is full of color, flavor and a welcom-ing atmosphere. The brisket taco stands out, withtender, savory meat that melts on your palate withsubtle notes of cinnamon and oregano. OwnerMark Soriano wraps the brisket in cactus leaves andslow-cooks it overnight, making for a nearly velvetytexture. Tacos come with the usual chopped onionand cilantro plus your choice of coleslaw.

1611 Satellite Blvd. 770-676-6093. instagram.com/alebrijecuisine

— LANE EDMONDSON

dessertIntown: Mango stickyrice ice cream, ICE NY

Atlanta’s sole outpost of thepopular chain offers a user-friendlyintro to the rolled ice cream trend.Watch servers pour a liquid icecream base onto a frigid steel plateand scrape it up into rolls. Thenthey put it in a cup with slices ofmango and a hunk of coconut-in-fused sticky rice, and top it offwithcoconut sauce. The ice cream’ssweet tang is complementedperfectly by the nutty. slightlydecadent companion. Mango slicesoffer a palate-cleansing, slightlychewy texture in contrast, and canconvince you that you’re just eatingfruit for dessert.

Pinetree Plaza, 5177-BBuford Highway. 470-275-3762.icenyicecream.com

Northside: Blueberryfontaine, Collet FrenchPastry and Café

The airy, calm space by the inter-section of Old Milton Parkway andHaynes Bridge Road crafts savorypastries, soups and salads, but thereal show here is the desserts. Theirblueberry fontaine, for example,with its buttery pâté feuilletée (puffpastry), lush vanilla pastry creamand sweet, shining blueberries,could well make a driver make anillegal left turn to get one.

2225 Old Milton Parkway.678-770-6066. facebook.com/Collet-French-Pastry■

— LANE EDMONDSON

Blueberry fontaine,Collet French Pastry and CaféPhoto by JENNY TURKNETT


diningout

Story by LANE EDMONDSON

B ack in the dark ageswhen I fell in love withcoffee, nobody drank thecold-brewed stuff. It wasstrictly a home-based en-terprise born of convenience, as mostcold-brewing techniques produce avery concentrated result: You couldkeep it in the refrigerator all week,add water and heat one cup at a time.Cold brewing produces a less acidicdrink, which appeals to people withgastric issues, but back in the day,java purists found it a muddy, weakfacsimile of the real thing.

Now, cold-brewing has gonethrough a sea change. You can scarce-ly leave the house without someoneoffering you a bold cup – usuallyserved cold — compared to the ane-mic brown water of yesterday.

This is all part of the plan forAtlanta’s Banjo Coffee. Basedand brewing in Avondale Estates,Majestic Banjo International beganserving its zesty, full-bodied coffeesat area farmers markets in 2015.Owners Billy and Chasidy Atchisonand Sebastian Kegel opened a cozybrick-and-mortar coffee shop lastyear where they brew shade-grown,organic, fair-trade beans from CaféCampesino in Americus.

Unlike days of yore, these coldcups are not watered down beforeserving. Visitors can also ordertraditionally brewed (i.e., hot) coffeedrinks along with on-tap Banjospecialties like Nitro, Matcha GreenTea Nitro, and locally producedGolda Kombucha served in Banjo’ssignature Mason jars. With the Nitrovarieties, Banjo embraces the nationaltrend of pumping nitrogen into a kegof cold brew and serving it from a tap.

Banjo’s brews are available at areaWhole Foods and Kroger. Look for12-ounce and quart-sized glass bottles— in the cold drink section, of course.

38 N. Avondale Road. 404-748-1837.banjocoffee.com■

insider tip » Banjo’s offers eatsfrom the likes of Pine Street Market,Ratio: Bake Shop and Atlanta FreshCreamery. In mid-August, it introducedits first hand-crafted soda, a concoctionof muscadines, ginger, lemon and lime.

Coolerthan cool

Based in AvondaleEstates, Banjo Coffeebegan serving its dis-tinctive, cold-brewedbeverage in 2015.


diningout

responsibilityof theblessing’

‘The

Chef Deborah VanTrecespecializes in cookingglobally influenced soulfood and speaking outon social issues.


Story by HENRI HOLLISPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN

‘‘E very culture hasits own versionof soul food.”Chef DeborahVanTrece learnedthis lesson first-hand in her globaltravels and made it part of her owncooking philosophy. VanTrecesays she believes that soul food,wherever it’s from, is really aboutwelcoming visitors to the table.

VanTrece is the chef and ownerof Twisted Soul Cookhouse &Pours, as well as the companyCatering by VanTrece. By her ownadmission, her current role countsas the "ifth or sixth act in a careerthat includes being a model, astudent, a flight attendant and,increasingly, a vocal advocate forsocial justice.

During her years working as aflight attendant in the late 1980sand early 1990s, VanTrece learnedto appreciate many flavors aftertasting them in their lands of origin.

“I just loved visiting marketsin these new places and buyingingredients I hadn’t ever usedbefore,” VanTrece says. “Then,when you get the opportunity tobe invited into someone’s home,and you see the way they cook ...that’s their kind of soul food.”

Themenu at Twisted Soulreflects her global approach. Shecooks oxtails, a soul food staple,until meltingly tender, then glazesthemwith sweet and savory hoisinsauce from China. She folds humblecreamed corn into Italian risotto.She bundles ingredients from atleast three different continents intothe BBQ duck spring rolls servedwith a bourbonmaple ponzu sauce.

VanTrece extends her ethos ofopen-mindedness and inclusionbeyond the kitchen. As a lesbian,African-American chef and busi-ness owner, VanTrece has beenincreasingly asked to comment onmultiple issues since she openedTwisted Soul inWest Midtown inearly 2017. She speaks candidly onsuch topics as female restaurateurs,gay rights, racial inequality andhow her intersectionality affectedher entrepreneurship. (Full disclo-

Twisted Soul serves candied salmon belly bacon on cream corn risottowith crispy Brussels sprout leaves in a corn jus.

VanTrece crafts BBQduck spring rollswith maple bourbonponzu sauce.

»


sure: Before becoming a freelancewriter, I did some public relationswork for VanTrece in 2015.)

VanTrece has learned to em-brace the attention, though shedoesn’t allow it to distract her fromrunning a restaurant.

“It does feel like a responsibility,and it’s one I take seriously,” shesays. “For all those groups, I haveknown that those issues existed be-cause I’m a part of them. But gettingthe strength to have the voice wasthe first step. It tookme a long timeto become fearless, and to be hon-est, I’m still scared. I’m scared likeeverybody else — scared of what’snext, scared of the responsibility. ...But it’s something I accept. It’s theresponsibility of the blessing.”

VanTrece hopes to use the plat-form she’s built to turnmedia atten-tion to an issue that she deeply caresabout: the Farm Bill, and specifical-ly, SNAP, the Supplemental Nutri-tional Assistance Program. ThroughSNAP, formerly known as the FoodStamp Program, low- and no-in-come people receive federal aid inpurchasing food through specialdebit cards known as EBT (Electron-ic Benefit Transfer). In 2016, morethan 44million Americans receivedfood assistance through SNAP.

Now the program enters un-certain waters as the Farm Bill isdebated and repeatedly rewritten inCongress, with a proposal to replaceEBT cards with pre-packaged foodand dry goods. VanTrece believesthat such a solution would be a set-back for program recipients.

“We’ve evolved to the pointwhere you can take your foodstamps, go to a farmers marketand get double the value and buyfresh veggies, and we’re going totake that away?” she says. “That’sgoing to affect the most vulnerable

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VanTrece believes thatthe keys to better foodsecurity and healthiereating habits amonglow-income populationsare education andawareness.

The fried Spring-er Mountain chick-en comes with three-cheese macaroni anda collard green roll.


people: children, the low-income elderly, veterans.”She believes that the keys to better food security and

healthier eating habits among low-income populationsare education and awareness. To that end, VanTreceand her team participate in a wide range of events. Overthe summer, Twisted Soul hosted a Juneteenth eventto benefit No Kid Hungry, a national organization thatfights childhood hunger. In the fall, she co-hosted anevent about the intersection of soul food and spirituali-ty with Rose Scott of WABE, an Atlanta NPR station.

Additionally, VanTrece has invited students in highschool culinary classes and vocational work place-ment programs to visit her kitchen. In the future,VanTrece would like to create a community panelseries to educate the public about healthy eatinghabits and how to make the most of EBT cards. Shealso plans to open more restaurants, rooting herselfdeeper in the Atlanta community.

As always, she’ll make food that pays homage tothe places she’s been and the people who expandedher culinary horizons. Whether she’s the student orthe teacher, VanTrece believes that keeping an openmind is the way to inspire productive dialogue.

“If you’re not paying attention, there are thingshappening that you care about but won’t get thechance to have an opinion on,” she says. “And whatwe eat, that’s a huge one.”

Twisted Soul. 1133 Huff Road. 404-350-5500.twistedsoulcookhouseandpours.com■

insider tip » The bologna mousse at TwistedSoul, which VanTrece has prepared for traveling events, isa favorite dish among local chefs.

Deborah VanTreceopened TwistedSoul Cookhouse andPours in West Mid-town in early 2017.

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A little bitof Havana


Story by HAISTEN WILLISPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN

Northside foodies have a new option at theirfingertips with the opening of Beni’s Cubano.The vibrant yet cozy new place locatedat the back of Tin Lizzy’s Cantina in theAvenue at East Cobb came about after theTex-Mex restaurant owners — Southern Proper Hospi-tality Group — discovered they had an excess of 1,000square feet of space. They blasted a new entrance backthere to make way for Beni’s, which gives patrons asense of Havana upon arrival.

The tall, narrow entryway features skinny blueshutters over a yellow paint scheme, above which sits asign reading “Beni’s Cubano Restaurante.” Inside, pas-

“Every recipe, every sauce, everymarinade is critical, from thewaywe roast garlic to the ratio ofingredients in key sauces.”JOHNPIEMONTE,one of three owners

»


tel-hued vibes continue with pinktiles and lime-green walls. A rustedbicycle dangles from the roof,fronting a curved ceiling hangingover a traditional bar and boothsetup. Trumpets and guitars blastsalsa music over the restaurant’sspeakers, blending in with thearoma of Cuban spices to completethe Latin atmosphere.

“Cuban was an idea that wehad envisioned doing for a longtime, and the stars lined up for usto do it in East Cobb,” says JohnPiemonte, one of SPH’s threeowners. “We’re relentless when itcomes to our restaurants, wantingto perfect the food, the design andthe service. Every recipe, everysauce, every marinade is critical,

from the way we roast garlic to theratio of ingredients in key sauces.Nothing happens by accident.”

In addition to Beni’s Cubanoand Tin Lizzy’s, SPH restaurantsinclude Milton’s Cuisine and Cock-tails, the Big Ketch and the BlindPig, among others in North Caroli-na, South Carolina and Augusta.

“We see all of our restaurants asbeing experiential, and that cer-tainly includes Beni’s,” Piemontesays. “Our goal is to transport peo-ple somewhere, to take them ona short-term escape from reality.When you visit Beni’s Cubano, itfeels like you’re in Havana.”

Beni’s Cubano. The Avenue at EastCobb. 4475 Roswell Road, Marietta.404-348-4394. benniscubano.com■

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insider tips »• More than half of the menu at Be-

ni’s Cubano is gluten free. Also, forfolks with an appetite, dinner canbe finished off with house-madebread pudding, the only dessert of-fered at Beni’s. It features Cubanbread, along with eggs, milk, pe-cans and golden raisins toppedwith whipped cream and dulce deleche caramel.

• Though only 1 year old, Beni’s Cu-bano has already spawned a sec-ond location. Intowners can visita food court version of the restau-rant in Peachtree Center in down-town Atlanta, located at 231Peachtree St. 770-212-9076.


3 on-the-menu items• Seafood Criollo. With sauteedshrimp and mahi mahi, plusCuban creole sauce with sofrito,tomato and olives, this dish has acajun taste.

• Beni’s Mojito. Made with HavanaClub Silver Rum, mint simplesyrup, limes and soda water, theBeni’s Mojito is both sweet andtangy at the same time. While notoverly minty for a mojito, it packsa punch of flavor initially, followedby a lingering lime aftertaste.

• Black beans with bacon andsofrito. Flavored with smokedham hocks, Beni’s black beansexplode with homemade flavor.Brent McGhee, general manag-er at Beni’s Cubano, says it hisexperience sampling the beansthat convinced him to work at therestaurant.

Beni Cubano’s is lo-cated at the back ofTin Lizzy’s at the Av-enue in East Cobbshopping center.

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Vega’s veganmi


ission

Story by MURIEL VEGAPhotos by JENNI GIRTMAN

The !irst thing you’ll spot at one ofchef Maricela Vega’s intown foodpop-ups is her bright red neon signthat spells “Tamales.” Sitting oneach counter like a flag staking herterritory, the sign’s retro style informs herback-to-basics cuisine, with only sustainablygrown vegetables and ingredients that supportas many local farmers as possible.

“Working with tamales was the most com-munity-grounded moment that I !irst expe-rienced,” Vega says. “We were getting thebanana leaves from my parents’ house, andthen all of the vegetables were either ones theygrew or from the farmers market. It was justlike: Wow, this tamale is Atlanta.”

No relation to this writer, Vega grew up inDalton — about 90 minutes from Atlanta — afterher family immigrated from Mexico to Cali-fornia and made their way to Georgia. Despitelearning cooking techniques from her Mexicanmother, Vega didn’t immediately connect withfood. She attended Georgia Southern Universi-ty for two years to study international law, butan internship at an Atlanta law !irm, where sheassisted on a murder case, gave her a chance tofall in love with the city.

“The idea is tocreate an entirerelationshipwith the foodsystem in ourcommunity.If you look backat our history,we didn’t alwayshave pork orchickens.”MARICELAVEGAChef

Chef Maricela Vega’splant-based cuisineincludes basmatirice fried with garlic,Asian peppers andlocal tomatoes.

In addition to her pop-up restaurant Chicomecóatl, Maricela Vega cooks at suchlocations as the Spindle near the Atlanta BeltLine’s Eastside trail.

»


Ten years later, Vega still hasn’tlooked back. “I used to come toAtlanta when I was young, but neveractually got to really see the city theuntil then — just walking and bikingeverywhere,” Vega says. She putaside her plans to be a lawyer, but“the only way that I could stay was ifI were to pay for my living.”

She tapped into that knowledgeher mother gave her in the kitchen,and without formal training, grabbedservice gigs at Midway Pub, EmpireState South and the now-shutteredTierra Restaurant. Around 2011, shestopped serving and began workingin the kitchen, leading Sun inmyBelly’s catering as well.

Her experiences include an inter-disciplinary program at UGA and apasta-making stint at No. 246, butshe attributes her return to EmpireState South in 2016 as “where all mydiscipline came.”

As she spent more time cooking,she made trips to Mexico City andCuba to explore how others madefood sustainable and how she couldbring those practices back to Atlanta.

She says the walk-in refrigera-tor at Empire State South put thesourcing of food into perspectivefor her. “Their walk-in was brokendown by farms, varieties of radishesor carrots, and it was all just veryspeci!ic,” she says. “I started asking,‘Who are these farms?’ ‘What doesthis variety mean?’ I just rememberone day being like, ‘Chef, I want tomeet these people.’”

That’s how she made her relation-ships with local farmers from GrowWhere You Are, Mayflor Farms, Me-na’s Farm and Community FarmersMarkets. Her plant-based dishes areinspired by Mexican cuisine, butturned on their head by creative useof ingredients from Georgia farms.Vega’s specialties include tostadaswith pumpkin-seed salsa, poachedegg and swiss chard; tamales !illedwith chicken, greens and sesamesauce; and fried rice !illed withvibrant vegetables like beets.

Vega has occasionally used meat

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Vega’s sope includessunburst squash, rat-tlesnake beans, newpotatoes and mildshishito peppers.

insider tip » Find MaricelaVega at the Spindle and LottaFrutta inOld Fourth Ward or at chicomecoatl.com. She posts her next dates, menusand new locations on her Instagram,@chicomecoatlien


Vega’s sope showcases rattlesnake beans andMexican peppers sent from her aunt’s hometown.

from local farms, but most of her dishes are vegetar-ian or vegan. “The idea is to create an entire rela-tionship with the food system in our community,”Vega says. “If you look back at our history we didn’talways have pork or chickens. Really, this is a properinterpretation of what Mexican cuisine should actu-ally look like. Potatoes, cactus and tomato broth.”

“I don’t even know if people realize how import-ant it is to actually know what is going on in our foodsystem,” Vega says. “There are people in Cuba thatare eating chicken from North Georgia.”

After a short stint of doing a supper club, El Pala-dor, out of her beautiful house in Mechanicsville lastyear, as well as selling tamales at the East AtlantaVillage Farmers Market, Vega has transitioned out tothe community.

She’s doing lunch pop-ups every other week atbike apparel shop the Spindle in Studioplex andmultiple-course dinners once a month at LottaFrut-ta — all driven by her social media. Diners follow herumbrella name, Chicomecóatl (chicomecoatl.com),for the goddess of corn.

At the Spindle, she serves snack-sized plates. “It’slittle things that you would eat if you’re cravingthem, you know?” Vega says. “If you were in Mex-ico, you might go and pick up an empanada in themarket, or you might grab a tamale. It isn’t a full-onexperience of a meal.”

In the next few months, she’ll feed the students ofPeace Prep Academy in the English Avenue Neigh-borhood until December, giving them access tovegan meals rich in fresh produce often not found intheir neighborhoods, and teaching them more aboutwhere food comes from.

Early next year, she’ll head to Mexico for twomonths to study corn and its nutrients and applythat knowledge into a new business: a corner store-type place in Atlanta similar to a Mexican bodega. “Iwant to honor my grandparents. I want to have corntortillas the way that we make them,” Vega says.

“If I can provide food, I can get my businessrolling, and I can also later create socioeconomicmodels to shift some of my cuisine into other partsof the Latino community — then that’s big.”■

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Thisway totheBBQpit

diningout

Baby back pork ribsare a favorite at ‘cueBarbecue restaurants.

Story by HAISTEN WILLISPhotos by JASON GETZ

Funny thing about barbecue, ithas a loyal following. It becamea favorite pastime as a childfor Paul Doster, the owner andchef of ‘cue Barbecue. A nativeof La Grange, Doster used to stop inbarbecue restaurants during family tripsto his grandparents’ home in Macon. Heloved the local, homey feel of barbecuejoints and knew he wanted to own one.

“The number one thing we emphasizeis that everything is homemade,” saysDoster, who has locations in Milton,Cumming and Peachtree Corners.

‘Cue serves mostly Georgia-style, pork-based fare, but is willing to borrow fromother regions as well. There are SouthCarolina, Kansas City and Texas brisketinfluences, and even a vinegar-basedPittsburgh-style coleslaw.

“We hit a little bit of each region, soanyone can come in and enjoy it,” saysDrew Hinsch, general manager of thePeachtree Corners location.

The restaurant features all of barbecue’smajor meat varieties, along with smoked

“The number one thingwe emphasize is that everything is homemade.”PAULDOSTER, owner and chef

Paul Doster, own-er and chef of‘cue Barbecue,grew up loving thetaste of barbecue.

Smoked barbecue with pulled BBQ chickenand bourbon potatoe casserole is shown.»


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chicken wings. What’s more, themeat comes sauce-free, so patronsare free to flavor their own foodwith tabletop sauce bottles.

‘Cue carries four house-madebarbecue sauces: a KansasCity-style sweet sauce, a SouthCarolina-style mustard-basedsauce, a hot vinegar sauce, anda North Carolina-style sweetvinegar. Though the meat is goodenough to be eaten by itself, eachsauce brings out different flavorsand can be mixed and matchedthroughout a meal. Hungry cus-tomers sometimes purchase theirown sauce bottle on their way outthe door.

“Paul is a master with recipes,”Hinsch says. “[With] everythinghomemade, it’s not coming infrozen bags and then heated up.For the most part, you’re eatingour food the day it was made,which keeps everything fresh anddelicious.”

You’re likely to notice ‘cue Bar-becue’s laid-back atmosphere andpersonal touches. Doster encour-ages his staff to leave a mark on the

eateries with their own wall deco-rations. Co-owner Beth Gray tookdoors from an old house and sand-blasted and painted them funkycolors before installing them at thePeachtree Corners restaurant.

“Everything on the walls ishomemade, too,” Doster says.“We want the staff to show offtheir artistic side, and to placesomething inside the restaurantthat they care about — that they

think is cool, fun and different.”The décor idea speaks to ‘cue

Barbecue being a labor of love,Doster adds.

I don’t have to go to work,” hesays. “I get to go to work.”

‘Cue Barbecue. 5260 PeachtreeIndustrial Boulevard, PeachtreeCorners. 470-299-5117; 13700 High-way 9 North, Milton. 770-667-0089;1370 Buford Highway, Cumming.770-888-1048. cuebarbecue.com ■

‘Cue Barbecue serves Georgia-stylepork-based fare and borrows fromother regions as well.

3 on-the-menu items• Smoked jumbo wings. The wings at Cue comewith either homemade blue cheese or ranchdressing on the side. They’re dry rubbed andsmoked, unbreaded and larger than you’d expect,which means they’re also quite juicy. Like Cue’sother meats, the wings come sauceless, leavingpatrons to flavor to their liking.

• Bourbon sweet potato casserole. Originally arotating seasonal side, this dish became a perma-nent menu item through popular demand. Sea-soned with brown sugar and topped with toastedmarshmallows, it remains a crowd favorite.

• Bananas Doster. Named for restaurant own-er Paul Doster, the ingredients include vanillapudding, vanilla wafers, sliced bananas sautéedin butter, brown sugar, roasted pecans, whippedcream and Myer’s rum.

‘Cue serves four house-made barbecuesauces including a sweet, a mustard-based,as well as hot and sweet vinegar sauces.

insider tips »• Cue Barbecue hosts live music on Friday and Saturdaynights, with a lineup that varies from blues and countryto instrumental and ’90s alternative.

• Cue rotates side dishes from week to week and of-fers seasonal items such as campfire butternutsquash, smoked turkeys, green beans and corn cas-serole this fall.

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Story by CURT HOLMAN

I f you order Grandma’sWonton BBQ Pork TossedNoodle at Food Terminal,which is something youshould de!initely do, don’tsleep on the wontons.

Usually the three fried wontons,golden brown and cinched at theends, sit modestly on the side ofthe bowl. You’re more likely tofocus on the morsels of pork, thesoft green bok choy or the friedegg that lies languidly acrossthe bed of tossed noodles. Whatshould your chopsticks snag !irst?

Food Terminal’s chefs certainlydo Grandma proud: Every elementin the BBQ Pork Tossed Noodletastes great. The pork is so sweetit tastes almost candied, but not

overpoweringly so. The richnessof the egg, the wholesome textureof the noodles, the crunchiness ofthe bok choy, the sauce poolingat the bottom – they can make thewontons seem almost like a gar-nish or an afterthought. But bitethrough a wonton’s crispy surfaceand hello, the juicy, meaty releaseof flavors takes the dish to a wholeother level.

A bargain at $9.50, Grandma’sBBQ Pork Tossed Noodle is thekind of signature dish that pres-ents diners with a delicious dilem-ma. It’s so satisfying that you’ll betempted to order it at every visit,and you’ll be satis!ied. But it setssuch a high standard that it makesyou curious to see what else thecooks have up their sleeves. FoodTerminal can inspire you to de-

vote months sampling every itemavailable, the roti and rolling hotplates, the skewers and satay tofu,the soups and spare ribs.

Just as Grandma’s BBQ workslike a gateway to Food Terminal’smenu, the restaurant itself can feellike a gateway to Buford Highway’svast culinary variety. It gives new-comers a friendly place to start andlong-time visitors a fresh reason tocome back. As a Chamblee residentfor 20 years and a BuHi habitué forlonger than that, I’ve seen favor-ite restaurants close their doors,change ownership or sadly losetheir mojo over time. Food Ter-minal’s fresh dash of excitementrejuvenates Buford Highway as adining destination.

Don’t expect one of the scruffybut pleasing holes in the wall that

Gateway togreatflavor

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line the thoroughfare: Food Ter-minal has a sleek, hip design. Theairy, high-ceilinged dining roomsports a color scheme of blacks andgreys, accented with yellow-greensand softened with occasionalstrands of white Christmas lights.

Owners Amy Wong and HowieEwe opened the restaurant in2017 as a tribute to Malaysianstreet food, with the menu citingthe country’s culinary influencesfrom India and China’s GhuangZhou, Hokkien, Teochew and Hak-ka provinces. Next to the waitingarea, a wiry wall sculpture paysplayful tribute to pushcart dining.

Another pleasant surprise is themenu, a glossy, 60-page magazinewith huge, colorful photos of thedishes. Tables also come withcheck lists of every available appand entree (about 100, not count-ing drinks or desserts), so you canmake selections dim sum style, orsimply order the traditional waywith one of the patient servers.

To cover as much culinary terri-tory as possible, consider making ameal of small plates. The Crispy Un-agi Bao is essentially a slider-sizedsandwich of eel, cucumber, avo-cado, mayonnaise and green leafon a brioche bun, with a rich andcomplex flavor combination. Theteriyaki chicken wing skewers, Chi-nese broccoli with oyster sauce andsatay tofu salad collectively cornermany of Food Terminal’s special-ties. (I’ve yet to sample the crispypig’s ear, but it certainly looks goodon other people’s tables.)

On my last visit, I left my comfortzone of Grandma’s BBQ Noodleand tried the Garlic Bone MarrowNoodle Soup, which features cubesof tender, five-spice pork belly, thinnoodle, seaweed and soft-boiledegg, with big chunks of bone justbeneath the surface of the broth,like coral reefs. With a silky consis-tency, the soup had a prominentbut not overwhelming garlic fra-grance for an eye-opening experi-ence not unlike aromatherapy.

Such entrees as the Kari Chickenand Beef Rendang are hot and pep-

pery, but even if your taste budsaren’t smoldering from curries, thecoconut ice creammakes a refresh-ing desert. Plus, Food Terminal’sfruity teas and other specialty

drinks can go easily overlooked.The tart raspberry lemonade sodaand the virgin mojito soda withmint leaf and lime juice justify avisit even on their own: you can sitat the bar and watch the exhibi-tion kitchen, or choose somethingsweet from the dessert case.

Many of the internationalrestaurants along Buford Highwayemphasize either accessibility orauthenticity, with latter seldommaking concessions to Americanpalates. Food Terminal strikes anideal balance and feels welcomingto either the BuHi unitiated orculinary globetrotters. Either way,for a #irst visit I know a great start-ing point – wontons and all.

5000 Buford Highway, B-201.678-353-6110. foodterminal.com■

insider tip » Food Terminal’sowners also own the bakery SweetHut a few blocks north at AsianSquare. Sweet and savory stand-outs include the Portuguese eggtart, ham and cheese bun, springonion bun and Hokkaido cupcake.

Above, Food Terminal owner AmyWong (left) and daughter RachelEwe. Left, Thai Chili Ground Porkand Szechuan Steamed Wontonsmall plates.

Food Terminal places its tasty takeon Malaysian street food in a sleekBuford Highway dining room.

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Story by H.M. CAULEYPhoto by JASON GETZ

New ideas are a contin-uous flow for restau-rateur Phillip Cooper.The certified sommeliermastered his craft aspart of the Ray’s Killer Creek teambefore breaking out on his own in2012 with Vin25 wine bar and bistroin Roswell. There, he says, stylesand flavors are the focus rather thana bottle with a well-known name.

Cooper’s latest venture is Citi-zen Soul, located in Alpharetta’snew city center. In the spirit ofVin25, the restaurant will have anarray of wines, 20 local craft beerson tap, a selection of aged bot-tled beers and a creative cocktailmenu. Cooper, who goes by Coop,has also set up a retail programthat allows diners to take home abottle of their favorite vintage.

“I wanted to offer a retail con-cept, but not a retail shop,” Coopersays. “When I found this buildingin Alpharetta, I saw a way to bringtogether a retail concept and food.Here, we have a kiosk with a menuyou can scroll through, so even ifyou’re not dining, you can pick abottle and walk out the door withit. We also are organizing a curatedwine club that offers recurringpurchases based on flavor profilesand prices.”

The boxy, white-brick b

dining out - atlanta event...

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