Atlanta Dining: Antico

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Since I moved to Atlanta in April, I've been hearing about a pizza place called Antico. Located just north of downtown, Antico is part of a group of restaurants owned by Giovanni Di Palma. 


In 2009, Giovanni bought a bakery in a not-so-appealing neighborhood and has slowly been growing his eatery empire. Not only does he have the famous Antico, but he also has restaurants serving up chicken and gelato, a bodega, and a bar with small plates. 

I finally headed to Antico with my good friend Keiylene for lunch one day during exam week.  The restaurant opened at 11:30 and we got there just in time for the doors to open. Antico is not a sit down restaurant. Rather, you order at the counter and then take your seat. 


There's two main seating areas in the restaurant, the most popular being in the 'Dough Room' which is where the pizzas are made. Antico is super casual. Grab a seat at one of the many tables with benches and wait for your pie to be brought to you.
 

I'd been told that the pizza here was very similar to the slices they serve up in New York, so I was pretty psyched. The closest thing I had to NY pizza in DC was Wise Guys, and they were pretty spectacular. Keiylene and I shared a pie--they are huge! We went very traditional with the basic margherita pizza. With fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil, it was cooked to perfection. 

While the pizza was really delicious, I definitely missed out on some of the 'insider information'. I noticed as I was nearly done with my meal that most diners had a small container of sauce on the side. It's no surprise that I love a good dipping sauce, so I was bummed I had failed to notice this earlier. Additionally, there was an accouterments bar up at the counter where the pizzas were being made -- another fail on my part. This had things like red pepper flakes, marinated peppers, and fresh basil, and Parmesan cheese. I think these additional items would have helped make the dining experience even better.


Next time, I'll definitely be trying a pizza a bit more exciting than the basic one I sampled this first time around. I brought home the San Gennaro for my boyfriend, Nick, to try and he thought it was exceptional. 

I've also heard that during dinner time the pizza chefs serenade the guests, so I'll absolutely be checking that out! I also think it's important to say that this pizza is NOT New York style. It's Neopolitan, and there's a big difference! It was much better than 2 Amy's in DC, which I think is highly overrated!

Campono

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We were recently invited to dine at the legendary DC chef Bob Kinkead's newest DC outpost, Campono.  A fast dining option nestled in the back of the Watergate building across from the Kennedy Center, we have to admit we were unsure of what to expect.  As former GW students, we'd both known of his Foggy Bottom namesake restaurant, a fine dining restaurant.  So, we were interested and intrigued to see what Chef Kinkead would be cooking up in this new Italian restaurant. 

A quick glance at the menu shows neopolitan-style pizzas, sandwiches, and salads.  Overall, not incredibly unique offerings.  But, we were both completely amazed at the quality of the food Kinkead is cooking up.  We decided to start with two pizzas and a sandwich to share between us and our friend Abby who joined the party.  The first thin crust pizza was a nod to a veggie lovers pie.  It was covered in delicious and fresh seasonal vegetables and cooked to perfection.  We devoured it quickly.



Next up was the white pizza Tutto Funghi.  We really loved the truly unique mushroom-porcini cream sauce on this pie.  White pizza can sometimes be bland and dry, but this one left nothing to be desired.  Chef Kinkead came over and explained that his infused cream sauces were the pizzas of the future.  The mushrooms were fresh and combined perfectly with the cheese and cream sauce. 


While we were loving the pizzas above and already feeling quite full, Chef Kinkead spoke to us about the general art of pizza making.  He let us know that the brick oven pizza craze is nothing but a fad, and that what really matters when cooking up a good pie is the temperature of the oven.  Soon enough, he was walking back to our table with a third pizza, his personal recommendation, the Burrata.  All we can say is, wow.  The fresh pesto, parmesean cream sauce, and oven dried tomatoes on this dish were nothing short of amazing.

Being a bread lover, I had to sample one of the many subs on the menu.  We quickly settled on the meatball parm, and man am I glad we did.  First, the bread was perfect--crispy, fluffy, and not too doughy.  The meatballs and sauce were in perfect ratio to the cheese and bread.  Much like my experience with Mike Isabella's Chicken Parm at G, I have to say this sandwich is high up on my list of meatball subs.

Last, but not least, we got a personal tour of the gelato station with Chef Kinkead.  He took the time to explain to us the difference between ice cream (more fat) and gelato (more sugar).  In addition to gelato, Campono offers delicious sorbets.  The flavors change seasonally in order to make use of the freshest ingredients.  

Between the three of us, we probably sampled 10 flavors  including chocolate, caramel sea salt, honey yogurt, mocha almond, blood orange, and sour cherry.  They were all amazing.  Kinkead informed us that to tell if a gelato maker is truly adept at his craft, it is absolutely necessary to try the pistachio.  I made that my final choice along with chocolate (I mean, that's a given).  Liz and Abby both opted for the sour cherry with strawberry-lime. 

Incredibly stuffed and beyond impressed, we ended our night at Campono vowing to return soon.  We spoke to Kinkead about his choice of location, especially since the hot spots right now are 14th Street and Shaw.  A veteran chef in this area, he did not seem to be the least bit concerned about location popularity deterring diners from making the trip to Foggy Bottom.  And I must say, I couldn't agree more.  The prices, sizes, and quality of the food will be a draw for DC residents and tourists alike.  We know we'll definitely be back for more of that amazing white pizza and gelato throughout the summer.

**While we did receive our meal at Campono for free, the opinions offered in this post are our own.

Pizza Parts & Service

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As a former New Yorker, pizza by the slice is one thing I frequently miss here in DC.  And no, Jumbo Slice is not pizza by the slice.  They are totally different concepts. Needless to say I was pretty excited to hear that the guys who brought us Taylor Gourmet were opening up a pizza place on H Street that is serving pizza by the slice at newly opened Pizza Parts & Service. Check out the menu here.  

 

 

Luckily my boyfriend was just as excited to have a new pizza place on H Street NE, and we went right when they opened on Monday night.  For those of you who want the backstory, this place was originally called Taylor Charles Steak and Ice and served up Philly-style cheesesteaks.  But according to Casey, from the Taylor Gourmet empire, Taylor Charles was too much work for too slim a profit margin. 

 

Originally they planned to open Pizza Parts & Service in Logan Circle on the corner of 14th & P, but the place they were considering was structurally unsound and way too much work. As an aside, that place will soon become a Dolcezza- who seems to be creating their own empire these days and will offer somewhat redundant competition to Pitango Gelato, also located at 14th and P.  Let the gelato wars begin! 

Anyway, back to the pizza . . .

 

I should probably preface this by saying that we ate a lot of carbs.  An unusual amount of carbs for a Monday night, but Passover had just ended and I was damn sick of salad.  

 

Even though I loved the pizza, I am going to start off talking about the garlic knots because they were my absolute favorite. When I was a kid in New York, I used to sneak out of hebrew school with my carpool crew to get garlic knots from the pizzeria next door to our temple.  I have been searching for garlic knots as good ever since.  I am surprised to say that Pizza Parts and Service makes the best garlic knots I've tried in this city. The dough to garlic ratio was spot on.  They were not dried out at all.  And best of all, they were warm and covered in the perfect amount of garlic oil, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. I actually poured a little bit of extra garlic oil over my white pizza (shhh!), and I can only hope that becomes an available pizza topping. 

 

 

First I got a slice of the sicilian-style thick crust margherita pizza.  It was flavorful, crispy around the edges, but chewy in the middle -in a good way. I remember having pizza like this as a kid, and haven't seen it in years.  Thanks for bringing it back! I will say, as a caveat, that Chicago does deep dish pizza much better than NY.  If you're really craving deep dish, you might be better off going to District of Pi.  But it was perfect for me! 

 

My boyfriend got the ultimate man's slice of pizza.  It was topped with various cured meats, and sautéed onions and peppers.  Although this is totally not my kind of pizza, I have to admit it was good for what it was.  The thin crust definitely is the winner over the thicker sicilian crust.  

 

 

For our second slices (whatever, don't judge), I got the white pizza with 4 different cheeses. My boyfriend got the buffalo chicken with mozzarella, fontina, and ranch dressing. When asked to decide which he preferred, he declared it impossible to decide because the second was so untraditional.  The buffalo sauce had the perfect amount of heat for both of us, while we generally sit at opposite ends of the spicy food spectrum.  The white pizza was alright, but needed some doctoring up.  Luckily the table was equipped with crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese (or as we used to called it in my house "sprinkle cheese"). 
 

 

Lastly, and only because they gave it to us for free, we had a slice of NY cheesecake.  I said don't judge! Casey personally delivered it and claimed it was the best NY cheesecake he had tasted outside of NY.  The cheesecake actually hails from a "little bakery" in Baltimore called Ms. Desserts.  This was a decadent and delicious end to our carb-fueled pizza feast.

 

 

We both really liked the different pizzas we tried and can't wait to go back and try some more.  I was personally impressed with the long list of pizzas that you can order either by the slice or by various-sized pies.  And let's be honest, I will be back soon for those garlic knots. 

 

Etto

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At the start of the holiday season, I was finally able to check out new 14th Street pizza-centric restaurant Etto.  Many of you might be familiar with popular pizza jaunt 2Amys up near the National Cathedral.  Etto and 2Amys actually share an owner, but I am happy to report that the pizzas are much different--I've personally never understood the acclaim of 2Amys.  Etto is a tiny restaurant, seating only about 40 patrons.  It has an additional 10 or so bar seats. The staff was generally friendly, but on the quieter side.  

Let's start from the beginning though.  We started out with a bottle of prosecco.  Clearly, there was no room for that to disappoint.

We next moved on to the roasted artichoke.  It was served with olive oil, garlic and other spices.  The flavor was delightfully simple, but in a good way.  It was refreshing, light, and harmonious.  This was actually a dish featured on their nightly special menu, but if you happen to see this offered again, make sure to give it a try.

Next we shared the Buffalo Mozzarella.  This cheese was drizzled with olive oil and had hints of lemon.  It was served along with fresh bread.  It actually tasted as if an Italian grandmother was working in the back room preparing this cheese.  It was incredibly fresh and flavorful.

Last but not least, the star event.  Etto doesn't offer a huge variety of pizzas, but they do make all the dough fresh in-house using an old fashioned mill machine.  The pizza is wood fired to perfection before being delivered piping hot to the table.  

One main difference between Etto and 2Amys that I immediately noticed is that the pizza is not doused in olive oil, which I feel makes the 2Amys pies extremely soggy.  Etto's pizza, on the other hand, while thin, managed to maintain its crispiness.  The sauce was tart and tangy, and the mozzarella cheese was melted perfection.  The fresh basil on top added to the overall flavor palette.  

I will definitely be returning to Etto again soon.  The atmosphere, service, and food are bound to make it a staple in the 14th street restaurant world.

Ghibellina

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Last week, we celebrated our friend Abby's birthday over drinks and noshes at new 14th Street hotspot, Ghibellina.  From the same people behind       Acqua al 2 in Eastern Market, Ghibellina adds another Italian eatery to the booming 14th Street restaurant scene.  The interior is absolutely meticulous.  Olive oil bottles line the wall close to the ceiling. There are intimate booths tucked along the wall and more traditional dining tables provide unique seating options. Also, the kitchen at the back of the restaurant is open, which allows diners to watch as their food is prepared.  

When we arrived at the restaurant, it was super crowded but we were lucky enough to snag some seats at the bar.  The bartender was very attentive and quickly grabbed our wine, prosecco, and an off-menu St. Germain cocktail.  All were stellar.  My only quip with the bar was the seats.  The stools were immobile, and were way too far from the counter top.  It made for really awkward leaning!  If I had been eating food there, I probably would have ended up with more on lap than in my mouth!  Luckily the whole bar does not feature these stools--the others were mobile stools with backs.  Make sure you choose those if you can!

We managed to sample a few of the offerings from Ghibellina's expansive menu.  It features small plates of pastas and various meats and fish, pizzas, and salads.  Abby and our friend Jackie decided to share the Salsicce e Cipolla Pizza (sausage with wood-roasted onions).  They were both extremely pleased with the thin crust pizza.  Abby usually adds red pepper flakes to everything, but said this pizza presented the perfect amount of spice.  Jackie thought that it combined the right amount of heat and tanginess!  

Liz and our other friend Casey decided to try the Bianca Pizza, which was topped with rapini, mozarella, garlic, calabrian chilies, pecorino romano, and fennel seeds. Liz and Casey both thought the pizza was absolutely delicious. Liz was so excited to finally have a thin-crust pizza option in the neighborhood! 

I  sampled this pizza and, as a self-dubbed pizza connoisseur, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was spot on; the cheese combined with the garlic, chilies and veggies was quite literally a pizza party in my mouth.  The thin crust was also cooked perfectly--not too crunchy and not too soft.  The crust also had the perfect amount of char around the edges.  

We also decided to try something a bit more unique and sampled a carpacchio of octopus. Although carpaccio is usually raw, the octopus was boiled and served chilled in very thin slices on a plate with garbanzo beans, fried capers, and oil with paprika. The octopus was so tender that it practically melted in your mouth.  Combined with the garbanzo and amazing fried capers (who knew how good this was?!) the perfect combination of acidity and neutral flavors were mixed. 

The last dish we tried was dessert for the birthday girl.  We decided on the strawberry tart with mascarpone ice cream.  The pastry tart was flaky and light. I could have eaten 10 of these desserts on my own!  Strawberries and mascarpone ice cream, I must say, is a fantastic dessert combination.  The mascarpone ice cream was like an elevated whipped cream.  I liken this dish to strawberry shortcake for adults.  Way more mature.

Ghibellina is a much welcomed addition to the neighborhood.  It provides a unique option for Italian dining, and from what we tried, perfectly hit the mark.  

Arcuri

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On Monday night, my good friend Adam convinced me to head to the Glover Park neighborhood in DC to check out new Italian/Pizza Restaurant Acuri (pronounced r-curry).  One of his friends from Alexandria spot Overwood is part owner—his first foray into his own business.  The menu focuses on classic Italian dishes.

Located in the ground floor space with a handful of outdoor tables, I was impressed with the space from the minute we walked in.  From the brick wall lining the bar, to the delicate candles flanking homemade bottles of limoncello, the shiny new floor, great tables and chairs, to the brick oven pizza flaming in the back, it all had me smiling.  And let’s be serious, I’m not the easiest person to impress!

My happiness continued as we sat at the bar and ordered a $7 glass of Prosecco on tap.  You read that right, $7, and on tap.  Graffiato can no longer claim they are the only restaurant in DC with Prosecco on tap.  It wasn’t the most acidic Prosecco I’ve had (I like a bit more bite to my drink than this offered), but it was still delicious.  We were also welcomed with a shot of the housemade limoncello.  And seriously, it’s made in one of the owners houses.  Well, it was.  They now make it at the restaurant, but we were told that many a batch was prepared in a part-owner’s house, requiring much effort to keep his 2-year-old from eating the alcohol rich lemon peels!

As we moved to the table, my friend Jackie joined us.  For appetizers we tried the mussels and the crostino.  The mussels were served in a red tomato based broth with white wine and garlic.  The sauce had a bit of a bite, which was much welcomed.  The product was clearly fresh and steamed to perfection.  I also loved the fresh herbs that added to the flavor palate.  This may be on my list of best mussels in DC, but a second slice of grilled bread would have been nice to sop up the leftover broth.  The crostino was good.  Crusty bread with buffalo mozzarella and roasted red peppers.  Nothing phenomenal or different, but a solid appetizer.

Next we moved on to the tagliatelle Bolognese.  As you know, we made a similar dish for one of our Tiny Dinner Parties, so I am always interested to taste others take on the dish.  The pasta was fresh – hand-made in the kitchen -  and it was apparent.  The long strands of noodles were bathed in the meat sauce featuring pork shoulder and veal.  I never ate veal until I tried Bolognese.  These are true words coming out of my Italian mouth.  I now hold a secret love for the meat.  (Back story: I grew up in Lancaster, PA.  There are a lot of veal farms in Lancaster.  Baby cows chained to their pens makes me sad, and the thought of eating the meat was unbearable for many years.  Until I tried Bolognese and that went to pot).  I digress.  The sauce was extremely flavorful.  Notes of the meat came through in every bite, strong and prevalent.  Next time I will not be sharing this with two other people.

 

Onto the pizzas.  I ordered a pizza featuring gorgonzola, apple, and pork cheek (guanciale).  Normally I do not love meat on my pizza.  I decided to branch out.  The flavors were surprising, but delicious.  The gorgonzola did not overpower, as I expected.  The meat was a bit stronger than I expected (almost like a more flavorful bacon), but worked well with the cheese.  The apples were sliced so thin, that I almost forgot they were there.  I think this actually worked in the dish’s favor because their sweetness was just an undertone to the dish rather than a dominating flavor. 

Adam ordered the prosciutto pizza with arugula and fontina cheese. It was just as good as everything else, though the slices were cut awkwardly, leaving tiny slices and huge slices. The shredded fontina tossed with the fresh arugula was a perfect balance to the salty meat. The only drawback was that the arugula was piled on so high that it made it hard to see where the prosciutto was, making it hard to get all of the flavors in each bite.  

Jackie ordered the squash blossom pizza.  Apparently, squash blossom is the flower that exists before it blooms into a full blown squash.  Jackie assumed it was actual squash, and was surprised when the server explained this.  Skeptical, she decided to give it a try since it featured pesto and buffalo mozzarella.  When the pizza came out, she was glad she took the risk.  The dough was crisp yet chewy, the perfect combination.  Although she couldn't taste much of the squash blossom flower, the flavors of the pesto, mozzarella and tomato were exceptional.  She could tell the ingredients were fresh from that day.  Overall this is one of the best pizzas Jackie has ever had!

One thing about all the pizzas that I must mention….the dough.  Oh, how could I forget the dough.  The fermented, cooked to perfection pizza dough was some of the best I’ve had in DC.  The birck oven prep definitely did its job.  I quickly dubbed it far superior to 2Amy’s up the street.  Seriously I do not get the hype with that place. 

I loved learning that the Arcuri menu is that it is in constant evolution.  They tailor the menu to what is in season and they don’t have a freezer.  Maybe this is more common than I am aware of, but I was pretty blown away by this fact.  We got some insider tips that a 14oz bone in pork chop and a prosciutto wrapped cod (yes please!) may be appearing on the menu soon…along with a few more dessert additions.  Currently, the only dessert offered is a fresh strawberry, marscapone, and sabe dish with graham cracker crumbs. Adam also ordered a limoncello slushy swirl, combining both strawberry and lemon flavors, into a perfect adult treat. Acuri, welcome to DC.  You do good food proud.  Stellar space, people and food.  I will see you again soon.