Progressive Dinner and Diners

A steamy breeze was blowing down Peachtree Street as members of the Atlanta Food Blogger Society gathered at Publik Draft House (PDH) for the first half of our first-ever progressive dinner. We started with refreshing “Clemet Lemonade” made with lime and lemon juice, simple syrup and Tempranillo wine.

As we sipped and chatted platters of braised short rib sliders with pickled radish and mustard mayo arrived along with lettuce wraps filled with scallop ceviche made with Korean melon, and PDH’s Southern take on bruschetta with pimento cheese, roasted grape tomatoes and bacon jam.

While the sliders were well proportioned and tasty, our favorite was definitely the bruschetta. The ceviche lettuce wraps were very creative and fresh but a bit outside the norm; these would not be my first choice on a subsequent visit. After we finished our cocktails and starter snacks, our merry band of tasters took to Peachtree Street strolling by the Fox Theater on our way to our dinner destination, Baraonda Ristorante.

We were seated before the front window with an amazing view of Peachtree at a beautiful table where we continued our camaraderie and banter as plates of mixed greens tossed with a lemon honey dressing and piled with gorgonzola cheese, apple slices, dried cranberries and walnuts were placed on the table beside fresh-from-the-oven “Fra Diavolo” pizzas topped with housemade tomato sauce, spicy capicola, mozzarella cheese and calabrese peppers. The salad was a crisp, fresh combination that complemented the bold, spicy pizza.

Salvers of handmade, ruffled gigli pasta with wild boar sausage, sautéed rapini and melted Italian cherry tomatoes. This dish was a true hit with all the flavors melding entirely. Veal Parmigiana followed that was impeccably prepared; sparingly breaded and then lightly coated in tomato sauce and topped with just the right amount of mozzarella.  Bowls of sautéed zucchini accompanied the veal. Last, trays of wild mushroom ravioli with gorgonzola cream sauce were delivered that were so soft and rich that they completely melted in your mouth with a burst of intense mushroom flavor.

Just when we thought our bellies would burst, long platters of freshly-made tiramisu were added to the table with an eruption of oohs and aahs from the group. The dessert was delicate and rich at the same time with the perfect amount of sweetness so as not to be cloying. We were having so much fun that it was hard to part ways, but we said our goodbyes and headed back to Peachtree Street to make our way home.

While the menu items we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited.