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Walking into Wildfire restaurant instantly takes you back to a time when dining out was a relaxing experience without long waits, rushed orders and strained conversations. Soft jazz plays in the background of hushed discussions. Big, black booths line the walls of a dimly lit dining room open to a brick kitchen, and an oversized stone fireplace acts as a decorative focal point on the wall. There’s even an actual lobby/reception/waiting area with comfortable, plush seating, so that when there is a wait — which there should be for a restaurant of this caliber — diners aren’t smothered by those anticipating their turn to eat. The crowd at this Perimeter restaurant just outside the mall ranges from the martini-sipping 20-somethings ready to drink their work woes away during happy hour to middle-age business folk, to the occasional family outing or second date. From the creators of Maggiano’s Little Italy, the Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant group, Wildfire first opened in Chicago in 1995, but finally made its way to Atlanta last November. Its 1940s-style dinner club atmosphere makes it an ideal place to unwind or even make a business meeting more enjoyable.
Wildfire Vice President Bob Loeschorn refers to the restaurant as a contemporary steakhouse, but I don’t think he’s giving it enough credit. A steakhouse doesn’t draw attention from non-carnivore types, but Wildfire offers something for every kind of eater: steak, chops, seafood, chicken, salads, sandwiches, soups and sides galore. They even have a gluten-free menu for people with Celiac Disease and a kid’s menu with everything from filet to mac ‘n cheese. “We offer the comfort foods people have grown up with and items with wide-range appeal,” Loeschorn said. “We think of it as a steakhouse, but you can come here many times and eat something different each time without ever eating steak.” Wildfire’s knowledgeable, friendly staff tastes every dish on the menu as part of their training, so their recommendations are definitely worth taking into account. The restaurant receives fresh fish six days per week, and signature dishes include horseradish crusted filet wrapped in bacon, prime rib, and cedar planked salmon served with a brown sugar soy glaze. As a starter, the shrimp and crab bisque tasted exotic, while the spinach and artichoke fondue was light with just the right amount of cheese. The petit filet — perfect for those with a smaller appetite — felt crunchy on the outside and tender inside. Although I was drooling over the description of the wildfire chopped salad — mixed greens, roasted chicken, avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese, bacon, scallions, corn and tortilla strips tossed with citrus vinaigrette — ultimately, I chose the salmon, and wow, did I choose right! The soy glaze had the appropriate amount of zest to complement the fish without overpowering it, and the side of steamed broccoli with herb butter was cooked to perfection. The Mango Tini — LEVEL Vodka, mango liqueur, mango puree, cranberry juice and pineapple juice — looked yummy, but my dining partner and I had been staring at the impressive dessert tray (positioned right next to our table, of course) since we were seated. One fresh-baked apple skillet pie with vanilla ice cream later, and we were content to sit back, enjoy the quiet music and pretend we were living in the ‘40s without the chaos caused by incessantly ringing cell phones or people checking their Palm Pilots.
— Reviewed by Carly Felton Wildfire
Zucca: New York Pizza in the South On Chastain Road in Kennesaw, away from the hustle and bustle of the chain restaurants lining Barrett Parkway, sits a small, community pizzeria that boasts far more than just pizza. With exposed brick walls, extra-large wooden booths and a welcoming staff, Zucca Bar & Pizzeria has a real neighborhood feel. The framed blackboards hanging on a wall display the daily specials in chalk, just as they would in a Mom ‘n Pop restaurant in Brooklyn. Black and white photographs of Grand Central Station, former Dodgers’ lineups and the Brooklyn Bridge remind customers that three of Zucca’s four business partners are New York natives. And as New Yorkers, they try to spread their culture wherever they go. Thus, the pizzas are all handmade, tossed and served Staten Island-style, along with trattoria-style Italian fare. Everything in the kitchen, including pasta and sauces, is made from scratch. “We wanted to create a place where people can enjoy true, authentic Italian fare,” said Ross Vaughn, managing partner. From traditional dishes like chicken Parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs to thin crust pizzas, Zucca certainly succeeded. “Our pizza is our bread and butter — it’s the universal food,” Vaughn said. “But all the traditional dishes — the lasagna, marsalas, francaises — stand out, as well.” The pizza dough is soft with the perfect degree of crispiness in the crust. It’s not greasy, but the flavors of olive oil and garlic can be detected in the creamy white pizza. Those with more advanced palates may enjoy the clam and garlic pizza or the 42nd Street pie — white pizza with sundried tomatoes and pesto. Diners are served foccacia to start, but don’t let that dissuade you from ordering an appetizer. The grilled eggplant stack special — roasted yellow bell peppers, fresh mozzarella and grilled eggplant served like a caprese salad with balsamic vinaigrette — is light, for an Italian dish; while the eggplant rollatini — thinly sliced, breaded eggplant filled with ricotta, spinach and mozzarella and topped with marinara — is an indulgent appetizer best shared. The chicken parmesan is thick and juicy with plenty of cheese. All dinner entrées are served with a side of pasta, so you don’t miss out on the carbs by ordering chicken, veal or fish. Bring on the take-home boxes! Zucca features a bar and stays open until 2 a.m. six days a week, making it great for late night drinks and snacks. A covered patio and live entertainment on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights add to the laid-back atmosphere and encourage diners to stay a while. Plasma televisions frame Zucca as a sports hotspot. It can be hard to find authentic New York-style pizza in the heart of the South. Couple that with a congenial atmosphere where you can bring both families and friends without the pretentiousness of a Buckhead address and you may as well give up hope. But with affordable, New York-style pizza and a happening bar, Zucca is about as close as you’ll get.
— Reviewed by Carly Felton Zucca Bar & Pizzeria
The Foster House: To Grandmother’s House We Go
When Cumming native Patricia Hamby and her daughter, Amanda Davis, decided to turn their cooking and hosting skills into a business partnership, they found the perfect location in an abandoned house on the town square. “I remembered this house from childhood, and one thing led to another,” Hamby recalled, though the process was a tad more complicated than that, and “perfect” may be something of a misnomer, considering the house’s then-dilapidated condition. “We had to crawl through the front window the first time we came because the door was bolted shut,” Davis said. “But we saw the beauty in the house, even when it was broken down.” The first step in what Hamby estimated as a 75 percent renovation of the circa 1887 house was a major spring cleaning; the rooms were piled with discarded clothing and unwanted toys that never made it out the door when the last residents left in the ’80s. By enlisting hoards of helpers, including Davis’ architect brother, the team was able to replace the plastered walls with sheetrock, add a new roof, refinish most of the flooring, repaint, decorate and ultimately restore what might have become a condemned structure into The Foster House, a restaurant and special events venue with good home cooking and old Southern charm.
Despite the drastic renovations, Davis, who earned her degree in history, went to great pains to ensure that the house would still be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places once restoration was complete (it is currently in the application stage for state-level recognition). The structure that was recently hidden in thick overgrowth has now been transformed into a quaint white house that welcomes guests with a wide wraparound porch, complete with a few obligatory rocking chairs. The grounds surrounding the house are quite scenic indeed, filled with white picket fences, cobbled brick sidewalks and patio, a picturesque carriage house and smokehouse and age-old pecan trees. A step inside The Foster House transports you back to the days of yore, when Cumming was but a small rural town comprised of dirt roads. “We wanted people to feel like they were going to Grandma’s house to eat,” Davis said, and if that was the goal, mother and daughter can be commended for a job well done, with their collection of lace curtains, white paper doilies, blue and white Wedgewood china, floral accents, old black and white photographs and a hodgepodge of antiques. And oh, the food could have been prepared by Grandma herself. The lunch menu comprises Southern staples, including Mamie’s Fried Chicken (named after the original proprietor’s wife, who earned county-wide fame for her rendering of the dish) and the restaurant’s signature Sweet Potato Chips, which are sliced thin, lightly salted and served with a side of honey mustard. Though most menu items are constant, the restaurant operates on a system of old-fashioned, Southern routine when it comes to some of their best dishes, offering daily specials that are consistent week to week — Meatloaf, Foster Fried Chicken Livers, Country Fried Steak, Thyme Baked Chicken & Dressing and Roast Beef & Gravy, respectively, on Monday through Friday. Davis and Hamby developed the menu themselves, using recipes made famous in their days of cooking for church teas and their dabbles in outside catering. Some particular favorites are the Chicken Salad, made with mango chutney for a unique, sweet twist, and the Strawberry Pudding, a variation on its banana pudding relative, which nabbed the prize for best dessert at Taste of Forsyth. Add Southern hospitality to rich history and solid soul food, and you’ve got a true picture of The Foster House. Occasionally, live entertainers bring the house to life, and even dinner at The Foster House, which is served on Fridays and Saturdays only, makes for a good night on the town, as tables are dressed up with white linen table cloths and candles and the menu is a little more upscale, with items like Smoked Game Hen and Herb Marinated Shrimp Skewers. And Hamby and Davis, always the hostesses, delight in holding special occasions at their “home,” making it a great spot for business meetings, bridal luncheons and even weddings.
—Reviewed by Bre Edmonds The Foster House |
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