My First (and Second) Antico Experiences

I've pent up so much excitement about one day visiting Antico Pizza (1093 Hemphill Ave; Atlanta, GA). After hearing more and more good reviews from friends and reading more and more RAVING reviews, I couldn't hold it in any longer (Blissful Glutton's review here, Savory Exposure's here, Besha Rodell/Creative Loafing's here and Chow Down Atlanta's here).

So on Friday, my colleagues Peg and Gene and I made the trek down from lower Marietta to the pizza joint (near Georgia Tech). Antico has taken up post in a space that formerly housed a bakery. As we walked up, I thought about how grateful I was that Antico expanded its hours and is now open for lunch. If my memory serves me correctly, they've only been open about 10 weeks.

I'd heard that the food was good (and authentic), the ingredients fresh from Italy and the experience unparalleled. It's all true.

Within two minutes of ordering our $17 Margherita pie (with pepperoni added for $4) from menu, a steaming hot pizza arrived at our table (apparently the pizzas cook in under a minute in the blazing hot, Italian-imported ovens). Gene, who had been twice before, showed us where to find plates, fresh chopped garlic, parmesan cheese and paper towels. Not sure how we wanted to attack the pizza, Peg and I requested silverware. So there we sat, in the bustling kitchen on modest folding and rickety wooden chairs, devouring our pie and listening to blaring Italian music.

I now understand why Besha Rodell says in her review that she had to eat there several times before she could concentrate on writing the review. I couldn't even talk. All I wanted to do was shove more pizza deliciousness into the whole in my head you call a mouth. OMG. I can't believe I'm saying "OMG" in my restaurant review... but seriously, OMG. The sauce was simple but didn't lack flavor. The buffala cheese tasted so fresh it was unreal. The pizza featured just the right amount of basil. And the pepperoni wasn't that preservative-packed, pseudo-meat stuff we've all tasted too many times. The crust was lightly charred, light and fluffy (but not soggy). We groaned, grunted, shoveled more food into our mouths and mopped up the leftover crust with some of the most delicious olive oil I've ever had. We topped the meal off with a complimentary espresso (good call, Gene). So. Good.

We all left reflecting on the delicious meal and saying we had to bring friends and family here. And so I did, that night. That's right. I came back for dinner Friday night.

Friends Moeko and Matt, as well as my husband Dan, heard all my ranting and raving and wanted to check the place out for themselves. I obviously had no qualms with stopping by again. Mo picked out the Margherita ($17) for them; we snagged cappricciosa ($21 - artichoke hearts, proscuitto, mushrooms).

The moments that came next were like deja vu of lunch earlier that day. More grunting, groaning, eating without many words exchanged, dipping of crust in olive oil, etc. The cappricciosa was good, but I have to say the classic margherita is better. (FYI, the gal at the counter said the pomodorini is fan favorite -- it's a riff on the margherita but with whole cherry tomatoes).

Since Antico doesn't have its liquor license, it's BYOB. We brought a bottle of Spanish granacha ($10) with us -- but some folks next us brought in four coolers, about 10 six packs and enough wine for a small army. Too bad they wouldn't sell us a bottle once ours ran out... FYI, for those of you who don't do math, we ate and drank for about $12-$13/person. Not bad for a dinner out.

Moeko treated us to a tiramisu, which was nearly as delicious as the pizza itself. Served in a modest plastic cup, the dessert's lady finger/licquer and custard layers melted together beautifully. Moeko thought the bottom of hers was a little too moist (perhaps it had been hanging out the fridge a little longer?) but she enjoyed it tremendously nonetheless.

My fellow evening diners agreed that the pizza was the best they've had in a long time. And we all loved the loud, rustic dining experience. "It was the best pizza I've had outside of Italy," my husband shared. He wanted to go back on Sunday (sadly, Antico is closed on Sundays). "I seriously dreamed about that pizza the night after we ate it," is what my friend Moeko said. No joke.

If the so-called "Atlanta Pizza Wars" are being fought, Antico is winning.

The pros:

• Pizza that's so good that you'd think you died and gone to Italian heaven
• Affordable, plus the BYOB saves on the spending
• Fresh, authetic ingredients

The cons:

• Super healthy eaters may be turned off that Antico doesn't offer any low-cal options like salads
• Some may be put off by the casual, dive-y eating experience (note: we enjoyed it) and not really having wait staff
• Local food movement folks may not like the carbon footprint created by importing ingredients weekly
• (You're plain crazy if you don't like this place)

For the Cooks on Your Holiday Shopping List

As you finish up shopping for the 2009 holiday season, I wanted to share some fun gift suggestions.

I always have a few cooks on my shopping list and am perplexed about what to buy them that they don't already have. Here are a few items I scooped up this year:

Chez Panisse Vegetables: this 368-page cookbook should be in any serious home cook's arsenal. This book was published in 1996 by Alice Waters and includes recipes from the famous Berkley, California, restaurant. I was introduced to the cookbook a few months back at my friend Kate's (we made the butternut squash risotto and it was TO DIE FOR). Pick up a copy for about $25 from Amazon.

Pan Scrapers: practical, affordable and perfect for stocking stuffers. These durable, plastic scrapers are safe on non-stick surfaces and will likely prevent lots of frustration and angst following baking, broiling and sauteing. I picked up colored ones (99 cents each) at the Decatur Ace Hardware (they have AWESOME gifts) but you can also find them on Amazon and on Organize.com.

Chop2Pot Cutting Board: another find from Intown Ace Hardware ($15). This cutting board lays flat while you chop and dice, then when you're ready to scrape your veggies into the pot, you squeeze the handle and let them roll right in. My description may not make sense, so hopefully the photo helps you get the idea. Chop2Pot cutting boards are also available on Amazon (though I hate that one review says the boards don't last long!).

Flying Biscuit Cookbook: perfect for your friend or family member who appreciates healthy and hearty breakfast cooking. Atlantans will especially appreciate the recipes, as the restaurant started here and has grown into a successful local chain ($12.95 on the Flying Biscuit Web site or at Intown Ace Hardware).

Fire Wire: How cool is this flexible, stainless steel grilling skewer? This gift is great for the occasional or hardcore griller. The skewer can be locked and loaded with veggies, meats and other deliciousness. One big perk is that the skewer's flexibility allows you to easily marinate in a plastic bag or bowl. I bought on Amazon for about $14 (set of 2) but these are also for sale at Intown Ace Hardware. Check out this Tailgating Ideas article on Fire Wire.

Utensil pot clip: another practical stocking stuffer. By clipping this handy thing to the edge of your pot, you can rest your spoon or spatula so that it drips back into the pot versus making a mess on your counter or cooktop. Available on the Vat19 site or at Intown Ace Hardware for about $7. (As an aside, Vat19 looks to have lots of nifty cooking gadgets with its motto of "Unique Gifts and Unusual Gift Ideas.")

Beer Sommelier-style Tasting at SAVI Urban Market

Last night, my brother Ben, his girlfriend Becca and a few other friends hit up SAVI Urban Market's open-house type shindig. Our reason for going: the Beer Sommelier. Ben saw on Facebook that Matt Simpson, the beer sommelier, was participating in the open house.

SAVI is a mix of health foods market, beer mart, wine bar, butcher shop, bakery, deli and convenience store. The shop is located at in Inman Park (287 Elizabeth Street; Atlanta, GA 30307). http://www.saviurbanmarket.com/

Matt Simpson, as always, was spreading beer cheer with samples of delicious hops served with a side of beer knowledge. Matt doesn't sell beer; his expertise is explaining how beers are made, how they differ from one another, what flavors to pay special attention to and what foods to pair with particular beers.

How do I know this? My friend Kirsten found Matt and we hired him for our friend's bachelorette party back in April. Imagine a group of 20 girls, giggling while tasting Belgium beers and answering beer trivia questions. We had the greatest time, and Matt did a good job of choosing beers the bachelorette loved (wouldn't you say, Moeko?) and giving us some beer 101 without assuming we didn't know anything about beer. Check out his resume (he knows his stuff).

I felt a little sorry for the other vendors last night, as things like the (delicious) quinoa pilaf were not getting as much attention as the brew samples. I can't recall all that we tasted but I did enjoy the Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (good but a little more bitter compared to what I'm used to), Old Chubb (smooth taste, caramel notes and oddly enough served in a can!) and Victory Golden Monkey (light, golden and tasted more like the Belgians I love so much).

I left with a six pack of Old Chubb Scottish-style Ale ($9.99/six pack at SAVI, out of Lyons, Colorado - http://www.oskarblues.com/).

Check out SAVI Urban Market for some healthy and eclectic food and drink -- and consider hiring The Beer Sommelier (Matt Simpson) for your next private party.

p.s. while he may not be writing for beer publications, I think my bro Ben may one day give Matt a run for the money. Ben's girlfriend says he gives a mean beer academy.

Toilet Rebate Update -- and a Decatur Metro Shout-Out

Last week, I posted about how DeKalb County ran out of rebate funds for its low-flow toilet replacement program.

Maybe even more exciting than my story being picked up on Decatur Metro (an awesome community blog that was voted the best local blog by Creative Loafing) is the fact that the Office of Watershed Management now has funds to keep the program alive. Thanks for sharing the good news, Decatur Metro.

We'll be waiting on our $200 check.

- Katy

A Denim Milestone

I broke out of my super deal-finder persona this weekend to achieve a denim milestone... my first pair of FANCY jeans.

For the last few years, I've coveted my girlfriends' 7 For All Mankind, Paper, Citizens of Humanity and Joe's jeans. I have wanted to buy a pair but haven't been able to justify it (either I didn't like the size I was, didn't want to spend $160, couldn't find a fit that I loved, etc.). I also realize that I've paid $20-$40 for about 12 pairs of jeans in the last two years that I haven't loved. I'm no math major, but this tells me that my so-so jeans have cost me more than a really great pair.

Well, this weekend, while helping my Aunt Vera (of VeryVera fame) out at Costco, I saw something that made me do a double take: a table of original bootcut fit 7 For All Mankind jeans... for $96! (FYI, ladies, I was at the Mall of Georgia Costco Foods in Buford, Georgia.) It was a little more work than trying a pair on at Macy's ("little more work" = no fitting room, had to buy a few sizes to try on in the bathroom, returned the ones that didn't fit) but totally worth it. That's like 30-40% off retail!

I was a little perplexed about what size to buy (did I want a pair that fit exactly right from the get-go? Or did I need a pair that was a little snug, knowing they would loosen up a little as I wore them?). I ended up with the slightly more snug pair and feel I made the right decision. P.s. the length is great for me because I'm tall (5'8) but even having to hem a pair of $96 7's would be worth it.

Doing jean-loosening stretches in my living room and pondering outfits.... eeeeeeeh!

Katy

Loving The Look for Less' Fab Holiday Finds Under $100

Still need to buy a few more holiday gifts for friends or family? Look into these great suggestions from The Look for Less (click to enlarge).

You really ought to check out The Look for Less' Fab Holiday Finds Under $100. I have done most of my holiday shopping but may have to snag a few of these great ideas for birthday gifts or for a few remaining friend gifts I need to get.

Misleading Info from the DeKalb Department of Watershed Management

While I've posted most of our home selling posts on my Katy Streams Her Consciousness blog, I though this particular piece was more fitting for this blog since it's more read by the local crowd.

In DeKalb County, Georgia, one must have certified low-flow toilets for a home sale to go through. My husband had no qualms installing two of these low-flow toilets in order to get our house sold, especially because he could install them himself AND because the DeKalb Department of Watershed Management would give us a $100 rebate per toilet. He purchased two nicer-than-required toilets at Home Depot for about $150 a piece, knowing that we would be recompensated for two-thirds of the total cost.

Well, it turns out that the Watershed Management Department is not giving the whole truth as far as the rebate goes. In fact, I would go so far as to say they're providing false advertising.

We got a letter on November 23 (scan of the letter is below - click to enlarge) saying that our toilets were verified as eligible for the rebate... but there are no funds left in the rebate account. Part of the letter reads, "...due to funding not being available in the rebate account, your application cannot be processed at this time" and "please note that you will not be receiving a rebate check within 60 days as outlined in the resolution."

My husband (Dan) called their office yesterday to discuss the sketchiness of their offer and how misleading it is that their Web site still advertises the rebate program. The account rep/office clerk he spoke with said she was sorry but that no funds were available. She did say that the board is voting in a few days to decide whether or not to add more funds to the rebate program. Dan pointed out that they should take down the rebate information until more funds are available. As of today, the info is still up there.

Dan did get a promise from this contact saying she would personally call and let him know if more funds would be available come December 8.

I wonder how many other people feel they've been ripped off?