Cakes and Ale: a restaurant review
| December 5, 2010 | Posted by ameliaps under atlanta, restaurant, review |
Dear friends:
This post (a draft) would have been my entry to project food blog, challenge #9 (write a restaurant review)…had I passed…but my wild ride is over. Thank you to all of you for taking me so far! I am so proud to have made it up to level 8: top 24 amongst 2,000… that is a very special one-percentile!
This week-end I celebrated to all the fun I’ve had (and drowned a bit of my sorrow too!), the amazing people I have met on this challenge (made quite a few new friends), awesome blogs I got to know, great recipes I got to create, and your special encouragement.
Tasked with writing a review for a restaurant in a city of 5 million people I felt overwhelmed by options and a bit like Goldilocks when faced with too many choices. I started looking for top Atlanta restaurants and suddenly I was thrown off by the glamour-chef driven, expensive menus, fancy decor and wannabe attitudes. Too big! Then I thought of an off-the-beaten track place in the ethnic section of town that we love going to for DimSum or the tiny gastro-pub up the street. Too small! My goal was to find a place that was “just right” and that would fit with my food philosophy of farm-to-table: local and seasonal food.
(Note: the pictures are taken without a flash in a candle lit environment. I tried to be discrete and quick!)
Cakes and Ale – local, seasonal, simple comfort with a shabby-chic bistro flair
Cakes & Ale Restaurant (254 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030, tel.: 404.377.7994)
“Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?” –Sir Toby, Twelfth Night, Act 2, scene 3
Imagine yourself living in a big busy international city where traffic is terrible where fashion-forward or fast food abounds…it’s Saturday evening and all you wish for is a small cozy and buzzing neighborhood to walk around, a quaint place to meet friends for local food, wine and long conversations, with an unpretentious attitude. The city is Atlanta, the cozy neighborhood is Decatur, the quaint restaurant is “Cakes and Ale”: my wish was granted! The name alone, inspired by the Shakespearean play Twelfth Night and meaning “the good things in life”, is a welcome and refreshing change to the mainstream big-city chain restaurants, the fashionista hang-outs, the fusion-confusion places, and the molecular gastronomy kitchen-labs. It’s back-to-basics, no-fuss-no-mess, straight down to the roots, real, seasonal, local and sustainable food. The menu is Southern-inspired but with a few “quotes” from Italian and French cuisines. How can you not embrace the philosophy of a place that offers locally sourced vegetables, grains milled artisanal-y, meats raised humanely and sustainable fish? I also have immediate affinity for chef owner Billy Allin who grew up in South Carolina but has a grandmother from Naples (my Italian roots are cheering) and started his career as a money manager before moving to San Francisco to attend the California Culinary Academy and then land at Chez Panisse, where he learned about sustainable and local cuisine.
On a cold mid-winter night (but for that matters, on any given “mid-summer night”!) this tiny charming place with just a few tables (enough to make for a great private party) reminds me of what going out for dinner used to be for me in Rome, or for that matter in any given European capital. It has a shabby-chic CalMed (California Mediterranean) feel, with its simple but elegant décor, the tall bistro bar lined with freshly cut seasonal flowers and phatty-cakes (simil-woopie-pies) under a glass-dome and backed by a metal a warehouse shelving full of wine glasses, the antique-y framed mirrors and few well-chosen illustrations on the walls, the air-ducts-lined ceiling, informal booths, Thonet bistro-style chairs for the tables, the warm entrance draped in curtains welcoming you like into a home, the large windows (from the street diners appear much like pastries in a bakery…you almost feel invited to come closer). The place is dimly lit (which for me is a bonus because it gives it a bit of a smokey and intimate Parisian atmosphere), not pretentious and with a European feel. It’s great for dinner friends, for a first (and second and third) date, and for a solo dinner at the bar (you won’t feel lonely and the bartender is a delight to talk to). Not so much for dinner with the family (it’s for a grown-up crowd) or with the boss (too cozy and a bit noisy).
The menu is written by hand daily on an oversized chalkboard: just a few carefully chosen items, changing daily (4 to 5 entrees): finally, not another endless 4-page menu! The wooden tables are simply set with white plates, simple clean glasses, rolled-up black cloth napkins and a tea light candle in a small ceramic vase with tiny holes to allow for a subtle glow. There is music playing in the background: a faint touch, just enough to brake the echo, which is nice.
While the place is indeed cozy that can also be a downside: if you don’t book well in advance you risk waiting for an hour to be seated in a small space adjacent to the bar, right as you enter the double doors, and passed the tall curtains. This is what happened to me and my husband when we ventured over there on a Saturday night around 8pm, without reservations. We asked to be on the wait list and headed to a near-by bar until the host called our cell phone, about 30 minutes later, when seating opened up at the bar: nothing was available at the tables. This was fine by us, because seated up high at the bar we could observe all the action better. The bar is also the spot to be if you are inclined to try the many wonderful and unusual concoctions the talented bar-tender expertly assembles, like a Fennel martini, the Lemongrass Vesper (Cocchi, vodka, gin, lemongrass) or the Clarence Worley (Orangerie, maraschino, combier, lemon, honey syrup). She (the bar-tender) had a “je-ne-sais-qua” appeal, with her thick bangs, pony-tail, tattoos and a charming way of talking you into a few drinks, yet attentively re-filling your glass of water. Since our dinner took a while to arrive (“the kitchen is backed up tonight”) she offered us a second plate of the amazing coriander-citrus-vanilla scented French luque olives (“this one is on me”). These small thoughtful gestures are appreciated and make the experience so much more personal. The olives came with bread and butter. My proof of the pudding whenever I try a new restaurant is the bread. Yes, the most simple, basic of dishes. If that is good, I feel immediately more comfortable knowing the kitchen is in good kneading hands. And this one was: fragrant, rustic, crispy, woodsy, warm, baked with love. The wine list is interesting and there are some good local micro-brews as far as beer, although for a place that has “ale” in its name I would have expected a larger selection of brews.
While we were waiting to be seated, I had plenty of time to read through the board. I also love the printed-daily menu, aptly titled “EAT” clipped on a recycled wood board with office clips. Our knowledgeable bar-tender guided us through the menu suggesting her top two dishes. I was enticed by the pan-fried pork chop. It came with pickled peaches and a zesty slaw, a balanced tart contrast to the sweet locally-sourced pork meat. This was THE best pan-fried pork I have ever had (I almost pulled a Meg Ryan with my noises of enjoyment…). It was crunchy on the outside (I would guess breaded in Panko breadcrumbs), juicy on the inside, cooked to perfection. My husband’s roasted lamb with a bean ragout and a salsa verde was good, but did not stand up to mine. It was cooked a tad too rare and was somewhat lacking in personality. I leaned over to see what other people were eating and was intrigued by the simple crispy roasted chicken with perfect looking crispy shoestring fries (jealous thoughts). We ended up striking a conversation with an older couple sitting at the bar next to us who lived a few blocks up the street. They seemed to know every dish in the house and were referring to them affectionately as friends: oh, and you have to try the tongue! And make sure to come again in the spring for their minted pea soup and rhubarb crumble! And on and on. For dessert I had a wonderful berry tart with soft cream. To close the evening I was happy to find sustainable coffee from local micro-roaster “Counter Culture” on the menu (which I discovered this spring when researching my Edible magazine article on “Slow coffee”), while my husband indulged in a creamy Burmester Tawny port.
We went again on a Thursday evening, on the early end, with the kids, to see if the experience was consistent (I did not feel that one visit was sufficient to form an opinion). While the dinner-goers around us where all adults sans-kids, the waiter was very friendly and patient with ours, even offering material to keep them occupied (that said, it is definitely more of a grow-up hang-out). We ordered the arancini, crispy and perfectly fried risotto balls, with a heart of oozing cheese, wrapped Italian-style in a paper cone made from an old menu. They are addictive. Small enough to be one-biters, with a subtle hint of fennel, which comes from the unusual use of fennel pollen, brightened up by a delicate undertone of citrus. For my main dinner course, I ordered the Wild Striped Bass, Shrimp, Clams, Green Tomato, Chorizo. It came in a very aromatic saffron broth (which my 7year old enjoyed with the crispy bread). There were only 2 shrimps and a couple of clams (I would have hoped to have a few more for a main course). The fish was very fresh and cooked to perfection, with a wonderfully crisp skin. For the children we ordered the pork Ribs which came with a side of sliced apple and fried mustard greens. The ribs were slightly bland but the friend greens were very tasty, with a salty and umame kick (I had to “steal” them all!). My husband orders the Tri-Tip Steak, cooked medium rare and served with farro and chanterelle mushrooms, drizzled with a delicate Horseradish Sauce (not at all overpowering). There were also a couple of Brussels sprouts: just a touch so not to overwhelm the dish. This was one of our favorites. I like that for water we get sparkling water bottled in house at $1 per person for unlimited refills. Hic.
Our server was informal and relaxed, yet attentive. He gave us just the right amount of attention and was friendly without being overwhelming. If he did not know the answer to a question I had (where are these olives from?) he would go back to the kitchen to ask. All the waiters look great in their all-black outfits: they are young and hip yet understated and have an un-hurried attitude, so finally one can sit and enjoy a long conversation without someone constantly asking if I am done with my meal (unlike many other places in town)!
For dessert (we agreed with the kids on this before dinner, once we saw the enticing dome on the bar counter upon entering) we order their famous Phatty cakes (love the witty name): two puffy gingerbread pillows kissing each other with a fluffy mascarpone filling. They come in an order of 3 for $6 but the waiter brought us an extra because there were four of us (thoughtful touch!). They were good but I could only eat half of one at this point in the dinner. The kids devoured them and wanted more, to-go. There were other creations from talented pastry chef, Cynthia Wong, scribbled on the board that I could have definitively wanted to try, had I not been so satisfied with my meal… they all looked so wonderfully seasonal, like the Double Chocolate Bundt Cake with Tangerine Ice Cream or the Honey-Pecan Tart with Cranberry-Vanilla Sorbet.
As far as our bill, everything considered it was acceptable if you consider the quality of the ingredients. It’s not cheap but it’s not exorbitant either (entrees range between $14 and $22). Again…it’s “just right”.
Next time, I might want to go for the Sunday supper, a family-style served dinner, on the first Sunday of every month, which is reasonably priced at $32 for antipasto, main course, side and dessert.
THE VERDICT: 4 out of 5 stars. Cozy, charming and understated atmosphere: check. Well prepared and presented dishes: check. Pleasant (in manners, and looks!) staff: check. Seasonal and locally sourced ingredients: check. Delicious and well balanced food: check. The 1 star missing is because of the unpredictable menu (which is also one of the pluses), a couple of “okay” dishes (nothing that can’t be fixed with a bit of tendering), the high price tag on a few main entrees and for the difficulty to get a seat unless you reserve well in advance.
I am looking forward to the next dinner there… or even just for cakes (dessert) and ale (drinks)!
My entries to Project Food Blog
{eighth – and final – entry here (one flew over the pumpkin patch)}
{seventh entry here (video: Crêpe Suzette and sidecar cocktails)}
{sixth entry here (An Asian inspired picnic under the Autumn leaves)}
{fifth entry here (Reinventing pizza: my 3 spins)}
{fourth entry here (La Dolce Vita butternut squash agnolotti)}
{third entry here (Luxury Dinner Party: a Fall Symphony)}
{second entry here (Moroccan bisteeya: a magic carpet ride)}
{first entry here (What defines me as a food blogger)}
{sixth entry here (An Asian inspired picnic under the Autumn leaves)}
{fifth entry here (Reinventing pizza: my 3 spins)}
{fourth entry here (La Dolce Vita butternut squash agnolotti)}
{third entry here (Luxury Dinner Party: a Fall Symphony)}
{second entry here (Moroccan bisteeya: a magic carpet ride)}
{first entry here (What defines me as a food blogger)}
Please also check out my fellow Project Food Blog “eliminees”:
The Cuisinerd
I am a Feeder
You fed a baby chili?
Brie le grand fromage
Spicy Green Mango
Good Food, Good Wine and a Bad Girl
Completely delicious
Korean American Mommy
Eat, Live, Run
The Front Burner
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Amelia. This is a wonderful review, well written and I appreciate you being discreet in the restaurant.
I questioned this as a challenge since bloggers taking pics in restaurants and reviewing them is such a hotly debated topic, however this proves (like we needed more proof) that you should have still been in the contest.
So glad to have met you and your blog is firmly ensconced in my Google Reader now!
Just lovely Amelia. You did a fantastic job and you definitely should have advanced. You're a winner in my book and so glad I found your blog through the contest.
I too live in a big city of millions of people (Los Angeles) and know how hard it is to find places just like this. Thanks for making me feel welcome in this cozy little place. GREG
I`d like to be there someday
have a nice time,
Paula
LOVE.
I live in Roswell, and my husband and I have been trying to figure out if this restaurant was worth the drive to Decatur. I'd heard mixed things, but this definitely makes me want to go. We have a 5 month old, so we'll have to try it out early on a weekday.
Sad to see you didn't make it through. You were one of my favorites.
Great review !! so thorough !!! (btw: I have started questioning mine…)
Excellent job!!
aw friends: love the love!!!
@Mardi: so true, I shy from photographing in restaurants for too many reasons to list.
@Lisa: ditto!
@Greg: places like this are so rare…makes me wonder why? I guess people like loud and fancy over cozy and chic
@Paula: you too!
@Stephanie: glad the review was of help! and thank you for your moral support (really).
@Cristina: Muchas gracias, mi amiga. Can't wait to read how you "ate" Paris (I am sure your review will be great).
you've done a wonderful job throughout PFB and i'm so glad you shared your review with us. your photos are fantastic and really capture the mood of the restaurant. the food looks delicious and your review is so in depth. great job and i look forward to seeing more from your blog in the future!
Wonderful write up. Cakes and Ale is one of my favorite ATL restaurants – and you describe the experience to a "T" – the arancini is so delicious!
Wonderful review and photos. Sorry about the contest, but congrats on advancing as far as you did!!! if you come to Rome for the holidays, let me know
Keep up the GREAT work – you continue to inspire me!!! your blog was the best, hands down — their loss!!!
Loved reading through this Amelia, and although I am sad you are not in pfb anymore, I am THRILLED that I discovered your blog through the contest. We have a lot of the same food philosophies and appreciation of farm-to-table food. This review was comprehensive, and I couldnt agree with you more that a restaurant absolutely deserves a second visit before your write anything about it! Cant wait to keep reading your posts! <3
"I almost pulled a Meg Ryan with my noises of enjoyment…"
Ha ha ha, you crack me up!
This place sounds like such a find! I'm sure my husband would like it, as he loves Southern, Italian, AND French food. And the prices do sounds relatively reasonable for what you get.
Fabulous review, Amelia! I'm sad that you were knocked out of the competition before you got to submit this post, as it's absolutely wonderful. Thorough and engaging, just like you.
But, regardless, we carry on, and you, my dear, are doing great things. Much love!
Jax x
@Brie: glad you "felt" the mood!
@Lynn: nice to hear you like it and that I described it to a "T"!
@Nicole: ma certo, e grazie cara!
@Risa: aw: touched!!!
@Amanda: ditto
@Jen: glad I made you giggle
@Jackie: that means a LOT to me. Thank you.
Great review – you're going from strength to strength and I think the voters of PFB are plain silly to have missed this. Well, reading the above, plenty have not!
Looking forward to reading about your Xmas food… now that you are free again to enjoy the culniary delights of the season!
I have loved reading all of your PFB posts, congrats for making it as far as you did! Lovely review, too. You have a permanent follower!
@Zeralda: thank you my dear. I am back to the real life now
@Annalise: likewise!
Amelia, for me one of the big bonuses of participating in PFB was getting to know your blog. You did a wonderful job and you made a fan out of me. Glad you posted the review anyway. If I ever make it to Atlanta, I'll have a place in mind. Sounds like a winner. Thanks!
The candle lighting in these photographs is so beautiful.
I've never seen such blogger dedication. You are still a winner in my book.
Brava Cara!
gorgeous photos — and what a fabulous review! bravo!
It looks and sounds just perfect! Very comfortable and love the 'farm to table' commitment. Thanks for sharing. So sorry you didn't advance but I look forward to 'following' you!
@Jean: that makes me feel so warm and fuzzy: thank you so much!
@Denise: awww: that means a lot said from a blogger like you, that is dedicated and passionate and that I totally admire
@Paula: grazie cara
@G.: merci!
@Healthy Mamma: I know…oh well…next time
In Asia very rarely you can find great places like this. And thanks for the pictures and review.Someday i am hoping to visit it together with my family.
Amelia;
I'm proud of you and glad to know you a little better through your blog
From the start of his creation " Z Tasty life" has evolved and grown up mature …
Bravo et merci pour le partage d'expérience…
My best wishes for the new year, more recipes, more photos, etc..
Vinciane
The French in Atlanta
@Dana: thank you! Hope you do visit (let me know if you do)
@Vinciane: I am so glad you have been following me: having readers like you make me want to keep going!!! I hope to see you soon