Atlanta Improv: The Food Is Nothing To Laugh At

Two things we really enjoy are a good laugh and a good meal; the combination of both makes for a perfect evening! We were very excited when we were invited to the Atlanta Improv Comedy Club and Dinner Theatre with the other members of the AFBS to experience their ambitious menu.

Photo credit: Eskimo Advertising

With Buckhead traffic, we arrived in what we thought would be plenty of time, but the actual theater can be a bit tricky to locate as it is nestled deep in the bowels of the Andrews Entertainment District. Once found, we were guided to our table by a charming hostess. The 6-seat tables are not spacious (a vast understatement,) perhaps tiny would be a better descriptor with adorable little beaded lamps for just a touch of light. Servers immediately brought menus and began taking orders.

To save time and because I was curious, I had reviewed the Improv menu online before we attended. It became clear that Stout Irish Pub (right next door) provides many of the dishes on the Improv menu. Before the lights went down, we ordered the Headliner appetizer platter which calamari, fried green tomatoes and BBQ eggrolls as well as some hot chicken wings for the table, a classic burger for Dom and the grilled lamb “Pops” for me.

The calamari was good but was a bit cool, the fried green tomatoes with goat cheese were excellent and the BBQ eggrolls served with a sweet raspberry chipotle sauce were exceptional. The wings were exactly what you would expect – wings in hot sauce – nothing remarkable, but good just the same! Dom who is very picky about his burgers, found his to be good, but not extraordinary. I, on the other hand, ordered the best item on the menu! The lamb chops were cooked a perfect medium rare served with a drizzle of a balsamic vinegar reduction. They were plated atop a creamy wild mushroom risotto and served with sautéed green beans on the side. Truly delicious.

We were also impressed with the servers. Dressed in black they quietly and seamlessly moved through the tight room to deliver food and drinks. Just before last call, we put in an order of the dessert trio for the table. More rapid than an eagle, our server swooped in with a plate with Krispy Kreme Doughnut Bread Pudding with white Valrhona chocolate and Maker’s Mark caramel sauce; Coconut Cream Pie made with coconut cream cheese filled pastry, fresh whipped cream, and toasted coconut; and, Flourless Italian Chocolate Cake concocted of four imported Italian chocolates with raspberry coulis and topped with whipped cream.

Oh and in case you forgot, it is a comedy club. The comedian on stage for the evening was none other than Andy Sandford of Adult Swim fame and formerly Creative Loafing Magazine’s “Best Atlanta Comedian.” His dry humor and deadpan delivery were an excellent accompaniment to the food as well as the atmosphere.

Overall, this was a wonderful evening of entertainment and food. As a food blogger, food is typically the primary focus of our dining encounters. It was nice to step outside of that emphasis for a change and enjoy a meal in tandem with a theater experience. However, as with any theatric event, courtesy comes first. While we nodded and used hand gestures to communicate our impressions of the food, we all tried very hard to be respectful of the artists and the theater rules by not using flash photography, thus we have very few pictures and those we do have are quite dark. Thus we ask your forgiveness for the lack of quality pictures of our evening.

While most people do not go to a comedy club for the food, we would recommend that you make an exception in this case and head over to The Atlanta Improv for a show AND a great meal.

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

Homey Almond Peach Galette

Peaches, peaches, peaches. The words “Georgia” and “peaches” are synonymous especially during the late summer months. This is emphasized by the fact that more than 70 streets in Atlanta have a variant of "Peachtree" in their name. Georgia's peach industry has a long tradition. The first peaches were planted in the state in the eighteenth century, when Franciscan monks introduced peaches to Cumberland and St. Simons islands along Georgia's coast in 1571, and by the mid-1700s peaches were being cultivated by the Cherokee Indians. Raphael Moses, a former Confederate officer from Columbus, was among the first to market peaches in 1851 and is credited with being the first to sell and ship peaches successfully outside of the South.

Currently, Georgia ranks third nationally in peach production behind California and South Carolina. Many of the peaches grown in the South are sold in the wholesale fresh market, with a small percentage sold at roadside markets and local farmer’s markets. We were fortunate enough to receive a box of gorgeous locally grown peaches from Watsonia Farms who frequent the Grant Park Farmer’s Market to sample and cook with. The first few were eaten straight out of the box on the way home! Yet nothing compares to a fresh peach pie. This version is rustic and unfussy with a whole wheat crust and complimentary almond.



Whole Wheat Crust:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter chilled
1/4 cup ice cold water

Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into pieces and cut into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with some pea-size pieces. Sprinkle water over mixture, one tablespoon at a time and knead lightly just until dough forms. If needed add more water one tablespoon at a time to the right consistency. Form dough into a ball.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before rolling out. Roll the dough ¼-inches thick into a large round approximately 12 inches in diameter.  If you have a bit of extra dough set it aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the rolled dough to the lined sheet.

Filling:
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 pounds peaches, sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment. Whisk almond meal, sugar, and salt. Sprinkle the rolled out crust with ½ of the almond mixture leaving a 2-inch border around the edges.

In a large mixing bowl, toss peaches with ¼ cup flour, cubed butter and the other half of the almond mixture. Mound the peaches in the center (on top of the almond mixture) leaving the same 2-inch. Fold crust up at edges, pleating as needed and removing straggling pieces adding to the reserved scraps. Sprinkle the top of the galette with sliced almonds.

Bake galette until crust is golden brown, peaches are tender, and juices are bubbling thickly, about 50 minutes. Transfer galette on paper to rack to cool. Cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving with whipped cream or ice cream.



Cinnamon Scraps Tart:
Reserved pie dough scraps
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine and roll out dough scraps to ¼-inch thickness. The shape does not matter. Sprinkle the top of the dough with cinnamon sugar and bake on the top rack of the oven for 5 minutes or until crust is lightly brown and the cinnamon sugar is bubbly.  Let cool and serve to kiddles (and husbands) who are impatiently waiting for the galette to be ready.

Rush Hour Refuge at Sweet Auburn Barbecue

On a rainy evening after navigating Atlanta rush hour traffic, I found respite at new location of Sweet Auburn Barbecue in the former home of the once popular Pura Vida. I sat down and joined follow members of the Atlanta Food Bloggers' Society to decompress and enjoy some drinks and munchies. The drink menu is impressive and inventive with an interesting twist; the drinks are listed in order of their strength! I went with the middle-of-the-road “Collin S Curve” made with barrel-aged gin, Death’s Door gin, Bonal Gentiane Quina, Bigallet 'China-China' and Lemon Bitters.

We were all wowed by the tableside performance as one member of our party order a “Don’t Burn Down The House” which involved the charring of a plank of hickory with a torch and then placing a glass upside down over the smoldering wood to capture the smoke. Once fully infused, a mixture of Bulleit Bourbon, Maple Syrup, Black Walnut & Creole Bitters was poured into the still smoking glass and garnished with a twist of orange peel.

As we sipped and chatted several plates arrived at the table starting with a Sweet Auburn country picnic plate with shaved Benton’s country ham, homemade pickles, homemade pimento cheese, candied bacon, crostini and lavash. The house made pickles and the candied bacon were the standouts of this menu item. Smoked chicken wings, tossed in “Wu Tang” sauce were bursting with flavor. The meaty wings with just the right amount of heat in the sticky sweet soy sauce and crazy crispy! These disappeared before I could even think about snagging a second one.

Next came a tray of signature Pimento Cheese Wontons which were served blazing hot. Waiting just long enough for them to cool ever-so slightly so as not to completely burn our mouths, we bit into the super crispy bites to the find cheese mixed with housemade bacon marmalade for a rich, creamy and salty flavor. A dip in the sweet Thai chili sauce brings the sweetness making for the perfect combination of sweet and salty. It came as no surprise when the Chef informed us that they make about a 1,000 a day. (Yes, that's three zeros.)

The adorable Chef Tiny could be seen sheepishly peeking through the kitchen doorway gauging our reactions to his creations. We invited him to the table and he chatted about making pickles and his secret Asian fusion sauces. He was very intent on making sure we enjoyed every morsel and eagerly sought our recommendations for improvement, of which we had none.

With ample parking available across the street, this Poncey-Highland spot is the perfect retreat for cocktails and nibbles after a hard day of work. We cannot wait for the chance to come back one afternoon to try some of Chef Tiny’s brisket and other barbequed specialities.

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

Cooling Cucumber Gazpacho

Cucumbers are the fourth most widely cultivated vegetable in the world. Cucumbers are one of the most underrated vegetables around; they have exceptional healing powers. Studies have shown that cucumbers clear the body of toxins, cleanse and purify the blood, strengthen the heart, moisten and cleanse the large intestines and lungs, treat kidney and bladder infections, alleviate fevers and summer heat, and can even prevent heat stroke.

Cucumbers aid in hydrating the body, reducing edema/swelling and are a popular remedy for relieving redness and swelling of eyes. They have the ability to cool the body's temperature and can improve the complexion and health of the skin. Experts say that a pack of grated cucumber placed on the skin brings healing to the cells and tissues of the face. The juice of cucumber can even accelerate the healing of burns and wounds. This super food also has diuretic properties and is anti-inflammatory.

What better way to stay hydrated and cool during the dog days of summer of the year than a gazpacho made with cucumber? Originating in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, gazpacho is a soup made of raw vegetables and is served cold.

5 small cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1⁄2 cup water
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice from 1 lime
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine cucumbers, bell pepper, green onions, parsley, jalapeño and garlic into a blender or food processor. Add water, lime juice, salt and fresh ground pepper and then pulse to reach the desired consistency. Some folks like their gazpacho chunky, while other prefer complete liquefaction. The gazpacho is best if chilled for at least 2 hours. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed before serving. You may garnish with a variety of complimentary additions such as mint, basil, a dollop of sour cream or even nasturtium leaves.

NYC's Baker and Co. Hits the Spot

On a recent trip to New York City with my son, I found myself tired, thirsty and hungry as we ambled into Greenwich Village. First of all, if you haven’t been to that area in recent years it is much different than years gone. The neighborhood is much gentrified with a more vibrant business environment lacking the more colorful population I recall in the early 80’s.

Wandering down Bleecker, we happened upon the newly opened Baker and Co. Briefly this place is a gem.  Given the ramblings of this blog, I am sure you know that I (Dom) can be a bit picky…

The attractive, homey space with its original mosaic flooring beckons for a leisurely lunch lingering over a bottle of wine from the restaurant's all-Italian list. The railroad depot-style restaurant reaches its terminus in a small patio in the back, surrounded by the unpopulated backs of old neighborhood buildings.

The food doesn't adhere to a strict Northern Italian approach, with offerings like a riff on one of Rome's most famous dishes - Baker's Mac and Cheese "Cacio e Pepe." Owners Elena Fabiani and Markus Dorfmann have once again tapped Chef Ricardo Buitoni to execute their culinary vision, which includes a seasonal menu of (non-traditional) Italian comfort food.

The selection of wine and beer is quite impressive and the food is terrific.  I was particularly happy with the pasta, sausage and rabe; a dish we make often but they do better, (got to be honest with yourself).  Even though I am not a big fan of croquettes, these were great! Made with risotto and crushed truffle, these are not your typical rice fritters! All of this at a reasonable price; twenty bucks for a big plate of pasta and a draft Moretti lager. Given the environs, THAT is saying something.

So if you find yourself in on Bleecker Street in NYC, stop in and tell General Manager CJ Marsi that we say, “hello.” He is wonderful to chat with. And be sure to ask him about their specialty “spiritless” cocktails!

You can see an annotated version of this post out on Genius.com.