Tasting Intown: Nexto

Tasting Intown

In case you spent 2016 in a cave, Atlanta is in the midst of a ramen boom.

From Jinya in Sandy Springs to Taiyo in Decatur, hot noodle soups are proliferating in time to warm us up all winter long. For those not so broth-inclined, there is also an increasing interest in Asian grilling techniques that go beyond the hibachi style of places like Nakato, perhaps most visible so far at Craft Izayaka in

Congress in New York.

Chef Obunai knows her stuff in the deeply intuitive way that comes from having learned to appreciate food in childhood. The huge ramen bowls are priced from $12-14 (and you’ll be bringing home leftovers), with the grilled menu just a buck or two more. The best hot buns are the “unagi and chips,” an inventive and crispy riff on the English classic. Be sure to also order an okonomiyaki. Yes, there is technically squid in there somewhere, but between the fluffy pancake crust and the salty one-two punch of bacon and smoked bonito flake, this is a savory flatbread that even less adventurous diners will enjoy.

Krog Street Market and Brush Izakaya in Decatur. So for starters, Nexto’s menu sits at the intersection of two major waves of attention to Japanese cuisine.

Nexto will get foot traffic from the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, cross-traffic and spillover from its sister restaurant, Two Urban Licks, and delivery service coming soon will make the food available to everyone else. And the food is on-trend. But Chef Mihoku Obunai doesn’t care much about being trendy; she’s just cooking the stuff her family used to make in Japan. It’s already carried her to celebrity chef status in competition on Food Network’s Chopped and winning the first ramen battle – as the only woman to compete – at the annual StarChefs International Chefs

From the grill, order scallops because they’ve got perfect char but mainly for the addictive surprise of their bed of curried spaghetti squash that would make a great salad on its own. As for the ramen, you can’t go wrong on any of their half dozen choices whether you’re looking to cure a drippy nose with 24-hour broth, or clear your head with the supremely spicy, or you’re just hunting for a satisfying vegetarian option.

We went on a Friday night at sunset when there was no wait. They usually have red bean or green tea ice cream for dessert, but had run out of it by the time we inquired. Right on cue, our serve happily suggested Two Urban Licks, a place with great coffee and desserts, just next door.

Nexto is located at 828 Ralph McGill Boulevard. For more information, visit nextoatl.com.

By Collin Kelley

I’ve had the pleasure of dining at Cast Iron in the Old Fourth Ward three times now (maybe four by the time you read this) and I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed each visit, despite some hiccups in service and food consistency.

What I’ve appreciated most is the effort of the kitchen and staff, the comfortable and unfussy atmosphere and the inspired cocktail menu. The fact that I can walk there in less than five minutes doesn’t hurt either.

Cast Iron, the brainchild of Chef Evan Cordes (formerly of Cakes & Ale, Serpas True Food and H. Harper Station), is located in a prime spot: the corner of Highland Avenue and Sampson Street. It’s a short stroll from the Atlanta BeltLine and is surrounded by some other favorite local joints like Highland Bakery, Across the Street, Zuma, Ladybird and my favorite dessert spot, Queen of Cream. The location alone with all the foot traffic should mean it’s an instant hit, but two other restaurants – P’cheen and Last Word –have come and gone in the space, so maybe I’m a little more invested in Cast Iron’s success than I should be.

Cast Iron opened just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, and my first visit there was with a group of friends on the restaurant’s second night of operation. We were seated in a big, roomy booth with a view of Highland and were instantly charmed by the specialty cocktail menu, which is inspired by the album “Ah Um” from jazz great Charles Mingus.

I had the Better Git It In Your Soul, a

By Grace Huseth

Popsicle purveyors King of Pops is moving to a new home in the Old Fourth Ward.

The location is the former A&R Ironworks warehouse at 552 Decatur St. SE. The popsicle-makers have been working out of an Inman Park warehouse since 2011, but is now moving on to a larger space to house even more flavors in 2017.

“The location is great and is in a neighborhood we love,” said owner Steven Carse. “Plus, the Atlanta BeltLine will soon be completed in that area, which will be good for our employees concoction of tequila, lime, pineapple and cinnamon served over a big ice cube with a nice little kick. One of my friends raved over the Goodbye Porkpie Hat, a smooth mix of bourbon, lemon, maraschino and sarsaparilla soda, while another grimaced at first sip of the Boggie Stop Shuffle, which has paprika-infused vodka and coffee as its main ingredients. He let me have a sip and I commented that I imagined it’s what an ashtray might taste like. On the other hand, the house gin and tonic was totally solid.

The real head-scratcher, at least at first glance, is Cast Iron’s minimal menu. It’s not divided into starters or mains, but simply two short columns with the portions growing from appetizer-sized to more substantial entrees. There are three “sides” or starters listed separately at the bottom of the menu, but the only one you need to care about are the fries.

The shoestring cut fries are crisp, lightly coated in herbs and served with aioli dipping sauce. They might be the best fries I’ve ever tasted. During my three visits, our table wound up ordering a second bowl, and a third. They really are that good.

I ordered the “seven ounce patty” (that’s a hamburger; why it just can’t be called a hamburger on the menu is beyond me) and it was nicely cooked with a juicy, pink center and the Tillamook cheddar offered a nice sharpness. The bun is just weird. At first glance, it looks like toasted Wonder Bread with the crust cut off, but the menu says it’s chili cornmeal bread. It’s a minimal bun, which I prefer, though I found it rather tasteless, but it did allow the flavor of the beef, bacon and cheese to really shine. that bike to work.”

The monkfish with boiled peanut rice pudding, citrus marmalade and garlic tomatoes was a hit. It was tender and meaty white with a lobster flavor. Another friend liked the duck confit with waffle chips, and I also sampled the rye tagliatelle with pork shoulder and plan to order my own plate on the next visit. The beet salad – beets, carrots ricotta, parsnips and lentils – also made my fellow diners happy. If there’s any serious failing on the Cast Iron menu, it’s dessert – if you want to call cookies and milk dessert. Maybe they don’t want to compete with Queen of Cream (seriously, y’all, the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted), but if they want diners to linger, this is where Cordes and company need to step up their game.

Cast Iron is still young and it seems there’s some experimentation going on with ingredients and presentation of their menu staples, but they will settle in. This is a good neighborhood restaurant, and if you happen to be exploring the Eastside Trail and looking for a good dinner spot, Cast Iron is worth your time.

And don’t forget the fries!

Cast Iron, 701 Highland Ave., is open for dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays with weekend brunch coming soon. Visit castironatl.com for more information.

King of Pops is known for its entrepreneurial strength with a touch of whimsy. It was founded by brothers Steven and Nick Carse, who dreamed up their popsicle business while traveling in Latin American and snacking on ice pops called paletas. Since then, they have expanded to over 20 full-time employees and have their eyes set on even more developments.

Renovations for the 11,480 square-foot building are expected to cost $425,000. Steven Carse said the warehouse will be used as headquarters, complete with offices, freezers for storage of pops as well as production and distribution. “It will be great to have everyone back under the same roof,” he said.

Distribution has been an issue for King of Pops in the past. A large cult following amped up production, yet it was hard to distribute frozen popsicles made with no preservatives or chemicals that stabilize freezing. The solution has been to create Perfect 10, a distribution service that now includes 14 other local artisan food brands King of Pops personally love.

Plans for 2017 distribution will include a new flavor called the blackberry and banana pop. The ingredients for this King of Pops original flavor will come from the company’s own farm, King of Crops, in Winston, GA. Steven Carse said the farm has been up and running for a couple of years, and yet this will be the first year it will be able to produce enough crop to create a wholesale pop for Atlanta and beyond.

Quick Bites

Mellow Mushroom has a new outpost at 340 West Ponce de Leon in Decatur serving up pizzas, calzones, black angus beef burgers and salads. There are also vegan and gluten free options. For more, visit mellowmushroom.com.

Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, formerly located in Decatur, has re-opened its doors in an upscale, rustic space in West Midtown, 1133 Huff Road. The new Twisted Soul continues to serve globally inspired soul food for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. For more information, visit facebook.com/ twistedsoulcookhouse.

PREP, the shared kitchen and food business accelerator that provides production space, resources, and guidance to Atlanta’s culinary entrepreneurs, has expanded to encompass 68,000 square feet in what will become PREP2. The space is next door to the current location at 3300 Marjan Drive. For more information, visit prepatl.com.

ONE. midtown kitchen has named Matt Weinstein as its executive chef. Weinstein, who hails from Woodfire Grill, was recently named to Zagat’s “30 under 30” list.

Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads has opened in Poncey-Highland on the ground floor of the new 675 N. Highland apartment building. For more, visit rizeartisanpizza.com.

Sweet Auburn Barbecue is now bottling their signature housemade barbecue sauce. The slightly sweet and spicy tomato-based sauce is made in small batches in-house at the Poncey-Highland restaurant, 656 North Highland Ave. Bottles, which cost $10.50 each, are available at the restaurant or online at sweetauburnbbq.com.

Sprouts Farmers Market is scheduled to open a new 30,000-square-foot store at 2551 Blackmon Drive in the Decatur Crossing Shopping Center on March 1. The store is currently hiring staff, so visit sprouts.com/careers if interested in employment.

andler Park’s popular Radial Café is opening a second location in College Park in the spring. The new outpost will be located in an historic storefront from 1910 at 3725 Main Street. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as creative cocktails. For more, visit radial.us.

atin-inspired restaurant Cheeky is now open at 4600 Roswell Road in Buckhead. Cheeky offers a menu of skewers, tacos, rice and protein bowls, salads, burgers and pour your own beer. For more, visit eatatcheeky.com.

Shake Shack has opened its second Georgia location at Perimeter Mall, 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road. The burger, fries and milkshake joint’s first was at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.

At Rize, our passion for food and people inspire us every day. This passion defines who we are and drives us forward, It inspires the artisan to techniques we use to prepare our food, to the way we care for our team, to the way every guest is treated - like friends and family. Every moment is important. Every moment is an opportunity to share our passion and create a truly memorable dining experience.