If you've been watching "Top Chef Masters," you recently saw Chef Hugh Acheson voted off. Actually, it was the second time this season he got the boot. In a strange turn of events, one of the other chefs dropped out of the competition and Chef Hugh returned to redeem himself from the mortal sin of oversalting. He was doing pretty well until he committed another whopper in "chefdom" -- a broken mayonnaise. Although Chef Hugh disputed the criticism, he was given the "pack your knives and go" directive.
It's too bad the chef never got to make Frogmore Stew or the pumpkin dessert that Son of Hubmeister and I fought over at his Athens, Ga., restaurant.
I warmed to Acheson as I watched this season unfold and he revealed with each episode more of his quirky personality. His dry sense of humor brought some levity to an otherwise boring group of chefs. His recent sarcastic exchanges with the scientist on the science education challenge were especially entertaining.
If you read my post about his award-winning restaurant, Five & Ten (http://foodandloathingintampabay.blogspot.com/2010/10/eating-up-athens-five-ten.html), you'll now understand that placing that Chaines des Rotisseurs membership certificate near a toilet doesn't seem that out of character. I suspected an off-the-wall sense of humor. Sorry to see him go.
Here's a link to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution interview with him about the show: http://blogs.ajc.com/food-and-more/2011/06/08/catching-up-with-hugh-acheson/ If you read the comments section, you'll see that not everyone shares my humble opinion. What do you think?
Showing posts with label Five and Ten. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Five and Ten. Show all posts
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Farewell Y'all: Athens Grub Notes
Every time I visit Athens, Ga., I am amazed that this small town offers so many delightful dining options. I can think of cities much larger that have fewer independent restaurants, and the chain-free establishments in those cities aren't nearly as charming or as inspired as those I've discovered in spunky Athens.
During Daughtress's four years at UGA, which will sadly - yet gladly - culminate in May, I happily sampled the local food scene while visiting her. Some of the eateries were enjoyed before I launched Food and Loathing so forgive my lack of specifics, but I thought I'd mention a few blogworthy spots in addition to Five & Ten, which I reviewed in a previous post.
Last Resort Grill - The first thing that comes to mind is my total shock that Type-A Hubmeister would tolerate a seemingly endless wait to dine at this, much less any, restaurant. We endured over an hour's wait in a tiny, chairless front entrance crammed with other famished parents and aging Bulldogs. There was no getting a seat at the bar or even near the bar for that matter; people were packed like sardines in the lounge area. The beleaguered wait staff was good humored as they maneuvered serving trays through the throng. I wish they would have lobbed a few drinks our way. To exacerbate the situation, it was cold outside, so everybody huddled inside for warmth. All I can say is, thank the Lord the place was worth the wait. I believe I rewarded my patience with the Firecracker Filet because it looked so darned good as I watched it go by countless times. It didn't disappoint. This place was a hit with the whole family. Thumbs up on food, service and atmosphere.
http://www.lastresortgrill.com/menu_dinner.html
East West Bistro- Pre-Food and Loathing days, but I know lunch was decent because I intended to return. I am channeling homemade sweet potato chips. Due to the crowd, we dined in the wood-accented bar area, which I especially found appealing for its warm, publike aura. Located downtown in an historic building, it's a welcome retreat for a beer or cocktail.
http://www.eastwestbistro.com/food/
The National - The second Athens venture for Chef Hugh Acheson, who earned accolades for Five & Ten. Thanks to a sweet Daughtress connection, we snagged a table the first weekend The National opened for brunch. The place was packed. Daughtress and I both ordered a smoked trout and egg dish served in petite cast-iron skillets. We found the trout somewhat strong for the early hour (our fault), but Hubs and Son of Hubs ordered well. The surroundings are well appointed, bathed in white. Snazzy.
http://www.thenationalrestaurant.com/menu.html
Big City Bread- I had breakfast here a few times, feeling very much at home. Order and pay at the counter and your food is brought to your table. It occupies an old brick building and boasts a spacious patio filled with Dawgs and their dogs. Size-of-your-head biscuits are a bit sweet, so I always ordered toasted homemade bread and scrambled eggs fried in a ton of butter. They have a pastry case full of scones, cookies and the like, if sweets are your thing. It's a comfy spot to hang out and drink Athens-roasted Jittery Joe's coffee and attracts a university Wi-Fi crowd, but I think I spotted some local professional types, too.
http://www.bigcitybreadcafe.com/cafe
Shokitini - Daughtress and I share a love of sushi, so this was our dinner destination during my overnight stop last month. The place was hopping on a Sunday night and all I could think of was how those college kids could afford to eat there. When I was at FSU, granted a few decades ago, a big night out entailed $5 pitchers of Bud and 10-cent oysters at tattered and battered Barnacle Bill's. Since oysters are like eating nothing, we actually filled up on crackers. Not here. These kids are eating nigiri and drinking Sapporo in a freakin' sophisticated setting. I think we split three rolls, an order of gyoza and each had a couple glasses of wine. The bill was $65 with tax and tip. The meal was beautifully plated and the sushi tasted like the ocean.
http://www.shokitini.com/
Sniff. Sniff. Somebody hand me some Kleenex. My trips to this great college town are quickly coming to an end. Son of Hubmeister has chosen to attend the University of Florida, arch rival of yours truly and the Daughtress Dawg. Come fall, guess I'll be going Gator gigging in Gainesville. That should make for some interesting blog material.
During Daughtress's four years at UGA, which will sadly - yet gladly - culminate in May, I happily sampled the local food scene while visiting her. Some of the eateries were enjoyed before I launched Food and Loathing so forgive my lack of specifics, but I thought I'd mention a few blogworthy spots in addition to Five & Ten, which I reviewed in a previous post.
Last Resort Grill - The first thing that comes to mind is my total shock that Type-A Hubmeister would tolerate a seemingly endless wait to dine at this, much less any, restaurant. We endured over an hour's wait in a tiny, chairless front entrance crammed with other famished parents and aging Bulldogs. There was no getting a seat at the bar or even near the bar for that matter; people were packed like sardines in the lounge area. The beleaguered wait staff was good humored as they maneuvered serving trays through the throng. I wish they would have lobbed a few drinks our way. To exacerbate the situation, it was cold outside, so everybody huddled inside for warmth. All I can say is, thank the Lord the place was worth the wait. I believe I rewarded my patience with the Firecracker Filet because it looked so darned good as I watched it go by countless times. It didn't disappoint. This place was a hit with the whole family. Thumbs up on food, service and atmosphere.
http://www.lastresortgrill.com/menu_dinner.html
East West Bistro- Pre-Food and Loathing days, but I know lunch was decent because I intended to return. I am channeling homemade sweet potato chips. Due to the crowd, we dined in the wood-accented bar area, which I especially found appealing for its warm, publike aura. Located downtown in an historic building, it's a welcome retreat for a beer or cocktail.
http://www.eastwestbistro.com/food/
The National - The second Athens venture for Chef Hugh Acheson, who earned accolades for Five & Ten. Thanks to a sweet Daughtress connection, we snagged a table the first weekend The National opened for brunch. The place was packed. Daughtress and I both ordered a smoked trout and egg dish served in petite cast-iron skillets. We found the trout somewhat strong for the early hour (our fault), but Hubs and Son of Hubs ordered well. The surroundings are well appointed, bathed in white. Snazzy.
http://www.thenationalrestaurant.com/menu.html
Big City Bread- I had breakfast here a few times, feeling very much at home. Order and pay at the counter and your food is brought to your table. It occupies an old brick building and boasts a spacious patio filled with Dawgs and their dogs. Size-of-your-head biscuits are a bit sweet, so I always ordered toasted homemade bread and scrambled eggs fried in a ton of butter. They have a pastry case full of scones, cookies and the like, if sweets are your thing. It's a comfy spot to hang out and drink Athens-roasted Jittery Joe's coffee and attracts a university Wi-Fi crowd, but I think I spotted some local professional types, too.
http://www.bigcitybreadcafe.com/cafe
Shokitini - Daughtress and I share a love of sushi, so this was our dinner destination during my overnight stop last month. The place was hopping on a Sunday night and all I could think of was how those college kids could afford to eat there. When I was at FSU, granted a few decades ago, a big night out entailed $5 pitchers of Bud and 10-cent oysters at tattered and battered Barnacle Bill's. Since oysters are like eating nothing, we actually filled up on crackers. Not here. These kids are eating nigiri and drinking Sapporo in a freakin' sophisticated setting. I think we split three rolls, an order of gyoza and each had a couple glasses of wine. The bill was $65 with tax and tip. The meal was beautifully plated and the sushi tasted like the ocean.
http://www.shokitini.com/
Sniff. Sniff. Somebody hand me some Kleenex. My trips to this great college town are quickly coming to an end. Son of Hubmeister has chosen to attend the University of Florida, arch rival of yours truly and the Daughtress Dawg. Come fall, guess I'll be going Gator gigging in Gainesville. That should make for some interesting blog material.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Eating Up Athens: Five & Ten
Food and Loathing and the 'Meisters took to the road last weekend to see Daughtress in a play at UGA in Athens, Ga. For a small college town, Athens is surprisingly foodie friendly. Tucked into the nooks and crannies of 19th-century brick buildings are numerous independently owned bistros, pubs, diners, coffee shops, pizza joints, dive bars and, yes, fine-dining establishments.
I love the vibe in Athens, and the town's plethora of noshing alternatives satisfies a colorful mix of folks responsible for this vibrant scene: artsy intellectuals, prepped-out fraternity and sorority kids, inebriated idiots, scholastic nerds, aging hipsters and musicians, grungy street people, and grungy street-people wannabes. We peg the wannabes as wealthy kids from Atlanta 'burbs who strive to look impoverished and unwashed. Not to be overlooked in this multifarious populace are obnoxiously enthusiastic Bulldog alumni and parents who demand good grub while visiting their studious offspring. Since that's my category, allow me to jump to our fine-dining experience last Saturday night.
While living in Georgia, I read about Five & Ten and its lauded chef, Hugh Acheson (named Best New Chef in 2002 by Food & Wine magazine). This restaurant was ranked "worth the drive" from Atlanta - in fact, it was the AJC's restaurant of the year in 2007 - and since Athens is an hour's drive from the ATL, I knew I had to eat here at some point during my kid's college days. Saturday night was my second time, the first being an evening last winter. That night I ordered a prix fixe three-course dinner, which I recall as good but not memorable enough to tell you what I had. This time, our table of five ordered off an ever-changing menu.
Since a home football game packed the town, the place was hopping when we arrived for our 9 p.m. reservation. This white-tablecloth but unpretentious restaurant is divided into two sections, a brightly painted sun-room-type space that overlooks the street scene in Five Points, and an interior room that contains tables and a long bar. One thing I noticed this visit was the decibel level - this is a noisy place, enough that I found myself yelling across the table to make myself heard over a boisterous woman at the bar. My first time here, I was seated in the sun room, and I would suggest requesting a table in this area if you wish to converse or if you have hearing issues.
Despite the lofty ceiling - the kind with the exposed ducts - the dining room is inviting, thanks to billowing sheers looped overhead. The contemporary restaurant occupies a space that was once a five-and-dime store, thus the name. An odd assortment of black-and-white prints adorns the walls, some Asian influenced, and others - like those above the rest rooms - resemble head shots of blond models or actors from the 1960s. Hanging on the wall of the women's bathroom is Chef Acheson's membership certificate from the Confrerie de la Chaines des Rotisseurs. I had to smile at the absurdity of reading about this prestigious gastronomic organization while sitting on the commode. This guy must have a sense of humor. Interestingly, none of the eclectic decor has anything to do with the theme of the food, which is a sophisticated take on Southern cuisine.
We began with a cheese tray and a pate appetizer for the table to share. Hubmeister solicited the server for recommendations and received nothing but nods as he inquired about a few of the cow, sheep and goat cheeses. This was the first in a series of service missteps. The server was clueless when it came to the cheeses, which were delicious and accompanied by sliced apples, grapes and sugared pecans. The pate was served with toast points and sweet chutney. The pate was mild and the cheeses sharp, so we ended up with a good balance of flavors to start things off.
I ordered Frogmore Stew, a lovely Low Country concoction of large, tender shrimp, spicy andouille sausage, delicate fingerling potatoes, leeks and sweet corn on the cob. Accompanied by a thick piece of buttery, grilled bread and served in a bowl, the shrimp, sausage and vegetables were cradled in a light, tomato-based broth. This seafood "boil" was as pretty as a picture, and I am sorry I don't have one to show you.
The other standout entree at the table was Crispy Trout wrapped in Benton Country Ham, served with Red Mule Grits. Son of Hubmeister, who claimed he wasn't hungry, never looked up from the plate as he ate every bite. Additional savory selections at our table included redfish and a pork chop with collard greens. Hubmeister remarked about the freshness and quality of the ingredients.
Unfortunately, I must return to the service stumbles. The wait staff mismatched the entrees and the diners, and never removed all of the used dishes before dessert arrived. When presenting the cheese plate, the server plopped it down without identifying the cheeses, and ignored the mess of bread crumbs that remained on the tablecloth throughout the entire meal. These details are significant when considering the cost of dining at this establishment, and the lack of professionalism in the front of the house is an insult to the high-quality creations emerging from the kitchen.
This brings me to the sweet finale. We ordered two desserts and passed them around. Daughtress selected the Chocolate Nemesis Cake with Salty Caramel Ice Cream, Bruleed Bananas and Roasted Peanuts; and Son of Hubmeister, whose appetite was miraculously revived by the superior efforts of the chef, ordered Pumpkin Mascarpone Mousse with Toasted Pepitas, Whipped Cream and Maple Reduction. The rich chocolate cake was lavalike and Daughtress enjoyed the counter-balance of the ice cream touched with salt. After tasting the pumpkin mousse, I was ready to wrestle Son of Hubmeister for it and return the following evening just for dessert. For pumpkin lovers like me, this was the epitome of an autumnal treat. The maple drizzle on the plate, the crunchy pumpkin seeds, the creamy mousse - it was an extraordinary combination and presentation.
Five & Ten has earned a stellar Zagat food rating of 28 every year since 2004. I give the food high marks too, but service is another matter. Perhaps the chef/owner is getting too busy - he currently co-owns another Athens restaurant, named The National, a wine shop, and he recently opened Empire State South, a restaurant in Atlanta. I can't wait for my next trip to the ATL.
Restaurant Info:
Five & Ten
1653 S. Lumpkin Street
Athens, GA
706-546-7300
http://www.fiveandten.com/
I love the vibe in Athens, and the town's plethora of noshing alternatives satisfies a colorful mix of folks responsible for this vibrant scene: artsy intellectuals, prepped-out fraternity and sorority kids, inebriated idiots, scholastic nerds, aging hipsters and musicians, grungy street people, and grungy street-people wannabes. We peg the wannabes as wealthy kids from Atlanta 'burbs who strive to look impoverished and unwashed. Not to be overlooked in this multifarious populace are obnoxiously enthusiastic Bulldog alumni and parents who demand good grub while visiting their studious offspring. Since that's my category, allow me to jump to our fine-dining experience last Saturday night.
While living in Georgia, I read about Five & Ten and its lauded chef, Hugh Acheson (named Best New Chef in 2002 by Food & Wine magazine). This restaurant was ranked "worth the drive" from Atlanta - in fact, it was the AJC's restaurant of the year in 2007 - and since Athens is an hour's drive from the ATL, I knew I had to eat here at some point during my kid's college days. Saturday night was my second time, the first being an evening last winter. That night I ordered a prix fixe three-course dinner, which I recall as good but not memorable enough to tell you what I had. This time, our table of five ordered off an ever-changing menu.
Since a home football game packed the town, the place was hopping when we arrived for our 9 p.m. reservation. This white-tablecloth but unpretentious restaurant is divided into two sections, a brightly painted sun-room-type space that overlooks the street scene in Five Points, and an interior room that contains tables and a long bar. One thing I noticed this visit was the decibel level - this is a noisy place, enough that I found myself yelling across the table to make myself heard over a boisterous woman at the bar. My first time here, I was seated in the sun room, and I would suggest requesting a table in this area if you wish to converse or if you have hearing issues.
Despite the lofty ceiling - the kind with the exposed ducts - the dining room is inviting, thanks to billowing sheers looped overhead. The contemporary restaurant occupies a space that was once a five-and-dime store, thus the name. An odd assortment of black-and-white prints adorns the walls, some Asian influenced, and others - like those above the rest rooms - resemble head shots of blond models or actors from the 1960s. Hanging on the wall of the women's bathroom is Chef Acheson's membership certificate from the Confrerie de la Chaines des Rotisseurs. I had to smile at the absurdity of reading about this prestigious gastronomic organization while sitting on the commode. This guy must have a sense of humor. Interestingly, none of the eclectic decor has anything to do with the theme of the food, which is a sophisticated take on Southern cuisine.
We began with a cheese tray and a pate appetizer for the table to share. Hubmeister solicited the server for recommendations and received nothing but nods as he inquired about a few of the cow, sheep and goat cheeses. This was the first in a series of service missteps. The server was clueless when it came to the cheeses, which were delicious and accompanied by sliced apples, grapes and sugared pecans. The pate was served with toast points and sweet chutney. The pate was mild and the cheeses sharp, so we ended up with a good balance of flavors to start things off.
I ordered Frogmore Stew, a lovely Low Country concoction of large, tender shrimp, spicy andouille sausage, delicate fingerling potatoes, leeks and sweet corn on the cob. Accompanied by a thick piece of buttery, grilled bread and served in a bowl, the shrimp, sausage and vegetables were cradled in a light, tomato-based broth. This seafood "boil" was as pretty as a picture, and I am sorry I don't have one to show you.
The other standout entree at the table was Crispy Trout wrapped in Benton Country Ham, served with Red Mule Grits. Son of Hubmeister, who claimed he wasn't hungry, never looked up from the plate as he ate every bite. Additional savory selections at our table included redfish and a pork chop with collard greens. Hubmeister remarked about the freshness and quality of the ingredients.
Unfortunately, I must return to the service stumbles. The wait staff mismatched the entrees and the diners, and never removed all of the used dishes before dessert arrived. When presenting the cheese plate, the server plopped it down without identifying the cheeses, and ignored the mess of bread crumbs that remained on the tablecloth throughout the entire meal. These details are significant when considering the cost of dining at this establishment, and the lack of professionalism in the front of the house is an insult to the high-quality creations emerging from the kitchen.
This brings me to the sweet finale. We ordered two desserts and passed them around. Daughtress selected the Chocolate Nemesis Cake with Salty Caramel Ice Cream, Bruleed Bananas and Roasted Peanuts; and Son of Hubmeister, whose appetite was miraculously revived by the superior efforts of the chef, ordered Pumpkin Mascarpone Mousse with Toasted Pepitas, Whipped Cream and Maple Reduction. The rich chocolate cake was lavalike and Daughtress enjoyed the counter-balance of the ice cream touched with salt. After tasting the pumpkin mousse, I was ready to wrestle Son of Hubmeister for it and return the following evening just for dessert. For pumpkin lovers like me, this was the epitome of an autumnal treat. The maple drizzle on the plate, the crunchy pumpkin seeds, the creamy mousse - it was an extraordinary combination and presentation.
Five & Ten has earned a stellar Zagat food rating of 28 every year since 2004. I give the food high marks too, but service is another matter. Perhaps the chef/owner is getting too busy - he currently co-owns another Athens restaurant, named The National, a wine shop, and he recently opened Empire State South, a restaurant in Atlanta. I can't wait for my next trip to the ATL.
Restaurant Info:
Five & Ten
1653 S. Lumpkin Street
Athens, GA
706-546-7300
http://www.fiveandten.com/
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