Restaurant Review: Woodfire Grill

Have any of you watched the most recent season of Top Chef on Bravo? Top Chef is one of my favorite shows, which I have watched since pretty much the first season (years and years ago). This season was completely out of control. There were so many talented chefs, most of whom already own and operate their own restaurants. Some of them have worked with pretty big names in the culinary world, already proven, in a way. I was especially into this season, as it had THREE contestants from Atlanta competing for the title. One of them, Kevin Gillespie (Beardo), is the executive chef and owner of Woodfire Grill, which is just a 5 minute drive from our place.

Anyone who watched the show will agree with me that Kevin was THE BEST (except my friend Asheley, who has a thing for the Volt Brothers). Kevin consistently won challenges and had such a great personality, it's no wonder he won fan favorite over and over again. It makes me so MAD that he didn't win the whole thing. As Nathan would say, It was a TRAVISHAMOCKERY. Aw, Kevin. You are so great. Let's be friends.

Now, I'd been to Kevin's restaurant, Woodfire Grill, with the girls several months before the season started, and really enjoyed it (we all got the tasting menu), but after watching him throughout the season, I knew I had to go back and try it again (and this time pay more attention). The restaurant is obviously completely packed at all times now. We got a reservation for last night (Saturday, at 8:30pm) THREE WEEKS ago, and I think we got it because someone canceled right before we called. For those of you not in Atlanta, it's RARE to need to make a reservation for a restaurant more than a day in advance, so, let's just say that a reservation at his restaurant is a hot ticket these days. Reservation. Restaurant. I can't stop typing these words.

We got to the restaurant slightly hungover after our super late night on friday (ugly holiday sweater party!), but super excited. I had a fantastic glass of sauvignon blanc in the bar area and Nathan had a Dogfish Head beer, while we waited for our table to open up. By the time we sat down for dinner, we were feeling less hungover and more hungry.

The menu overall was fantastic. I got the three course tasting menu, and Nathan ordered one item from each course: The arugula and walnut salad, The Diver Scallop and mushroom second course, and the Berkshire Pork Loin.

The salad was fantastic, it had a yogurt dressing that we are going to try and recreate at home. The Berkshire Pork Loin was great (and you have to have pork at Kevin's restaurant, for goodness sakes!), but let me take a moment to talk about the scallops.

THE SCALLOPS WERE THE BEST THING EVER. Nathan nailed it when he said "This is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth." Everyone in Atlanta, get yourselves to Woodfire and try the diver scallops. First, they were cooked perfectly. Seared on the top, and not rubbery at all. Second, here's the description of the rest of the dish (from the menu online):

hedgehog mushrooms. sweet corn. roasted garlic. scallion. foie gras jus.

Doesn't that sound amazing? The combination was unreal. I'm going to dream about this dish. If he had cooked this dish in the finals, he would have won it all. Do you hear me, Tom Colicchio? YOU MADE THE WRONG CHOICE.

Okay, this is quickly turning into the longest post I have ever written. God, I love good food.

Next, on to my tasting menu. First, they brought me a scallop over arugula pistou and cauliflower, and I loved it. The flavors were all mild, but went together well and I sopped every last bit of it up with bread. My main course was a piece of pork belly and a half a quail, with a garlicky sauce and a mixture of collard greens and other greens, in vinegar. I'm not a huge quail fan, but it was cooked really well and the pork was divine.

The only thing we didn't like were the veggies accompanying Nathan's pork loin. They were SO SALTY, and it definitely seemed like a mistake. But that was it.

For dessert, they brought me a chocolate crepe filled with cake batter, on top of a latte pool, with creme. Nathan got the pumpkin flan, which was terrific (better than mine, but I'm just not a huge crepe-for-dessert fan.)

The only bummer of the night was that Kevin was not there himself and cooking in person. Our waiter said he was home with Pneumonia, but we'll be back to see him.

I need to give him a high five. Go Beardo!

Our First Christmas Tree: Part Two- Decking the Halls

Last night Nathan and I decked the halls while rocking out to the Charlie Brown Christmas CD (which reminds me of when I lived with Ris in NYC, Hi Ris!). I'm quite impressed with our decorating skills. My mother in law was so sweet to send us home with tons of Christmas decorations last time we were in Smithfield, and I think she'll be impressed that we put them all to good use!

What do you think?

Our First Christmas Tree: Part One

Thanksgiving was so wonderful! We did nothing but hang out with the family, eat, and drink. It was the first time Nathan and I stayed with Arya in his new apartment, and it was great...Arya did such an awesome job of furnishing and decorating. And how many 22 year olds have a nice apartment with a fireplace? I was impressed.

I've been unusually spirited this Holiday season. I think it must have something to do with the fact that this is our first Christmas in the new house, but I've been irrationally excited about getting a Christmas tree, decorating the house as much as possible, baking holiday cookies. I'm out of control.

Our neighborhood's elementary school has a Christmas Tree sale every year to raise money for the PTA, and we swung by last Friday to buy our FIRST TREE.

My camera is horrible, and the battery was about to die, but here is a picture from our tree buying adventure. We offered to pick up our next door neighbor, Susan's, tree as well. Two big trees on Nathan's poor car!