Sunday, July 26, 2009
Food, "Dish", Atlanta

New & noteworthy

Finding chic and cheap French fare, a new pizza joint comes to town and deals in Downtown

By Kirsten Ott Palladino

At a recent friendly business lunch at Joël, I was uber-pleased to find that the revamp of the menu has resulted in fare just as special and trademark Cyrille (Holota, the executive chef), but at a more affordable price point. The French brasserie now offers a host of wallet-friendly dining options: On Tuesday, sip on a glass or bottle of your preferred vino at half-off. Both Tuesday and Wednesday are dubbed “bistro nights,” wherein diners can nosh on moules frites or traditional paella paired with a glass of wine for $18 per person. On Wednesday, specialty cocktails are all $6. Thursday nights get really casual and budget-friendly with beer and pizza specials. A large pie costs $10, and a small will only set you back $6. Beers are half-price. Joël is located at 3290 Northside Parkway. 404-233-3500. www.joelbrasserie.com.

The next evening, when Maria and I walked into the newly minted Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria, we were eager to try the pizza. Located next to STATS in the Luckie-Marietta District, Max’s serves up New York-style pizza cooked in what they’re claiming is Georgia’s only coal-burning oven (they’re a dime a dozen in NYC). Max’s opened at the end of June by Concentrics Restaurants group and is led by native New Yorker and Executive Chef Nick Oltarsh (one of SP’s Top 25 Atlanta Chefs in 2008 for his work at Room at Twelve). Our server was a sweet-faced kid with the beginnings of a handlebar mustache. He excitedly explained how they grew their own herbs, used local farmers for their produce, including the heirloom tomatoes, made their own gelato and cooked their pizza in Georgia’s first genuine coal oven. His excitement was contagious, and we pored over the menu with a couple of local brews (I had my standby Sweetwater 420, and Maria tried Concentrics’ own Numbers Ale, which tasted like a lighter version of mine). The pizzas at Max’s are available in a couple of different fashions—as is the case at most pie joints. You can build your own, which starts at $14.95 for six slices, or try one of the specialties. We shared the sausage and goat cheese pizza. Both Fritti and Varasano’s hold their weight against the pies here—but I prefer the heavy hand that tops the pizzas at Max’s. The sausage—perfect in its non-commercial natural form—was softened with the perkiness of the goat cheese. The light dose of tomato sauce, swirled with mozzarella, roasted red onions and basil, completed the dish. We cooled our palates with two scoops of house-made gelato in strawberry and pistachio. Though it’s no Paolo’s (Paolo’s Gelato in Va.-Hi.), each bite of creamy Italian goodness was savored. Had we just wanted a small treat, the restaurant offers mini-cones of gelato for only $1. Overall, though, we were happily satisfied both with the meal and the addition of a new easy-to-access restaurant for lunch and dinner. Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria is located at 300 Marietta St. NW. 404-974-2941. www.maxsatlanta.com.

Craving fine dining but can’t afford the fine prices? Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week starts July 27 and runs for two weeks through Aug. 9. A three-course meal costs just $25 at a host of great dining destinations: 30 Tables, Atlanta Grill, Avanzare Steakhouse, BLT Steak, Café Circa, Django Gypsy Saloon, Durango Steakhouse, French American Brasserie, Hard Rock Café, Il Mulino, Legal Sea Foods, Max Lager’s American Grill & Brewery, Morton’s The Steakhouse, No Mas! Cantina, Pacific Rim Bistro, Paschal’s Atlanta Downtown, Peasant Bistro, Ray’s in the City, Rise Sushi Lounge, Room, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Sear, Social, Spoon, Stats, Terrace on Peachtree, Thrive and Trader Vic’s. No tickets needed, but reservations are suggested. The fixed price of $25 does not include beverages, tax and gratuities. www.atlantadowntown.com/fun/restaurant-week. SP

Kirsten Ott Palladino is the Life & Food Editor of The Sunday Paper. Get in touch at 
kpalladino@sundaypaper.com or follow her on Twitter @kottpalladino