Atlanta Kitchens: Recipes from Atlanta's Best Restaurants

Atlanta-based food writer Reese takes readers on a culinary tour of her hometown in this handsome but hit-or-miss collection. Some dishes (Pimento Cheese, Cobb Salad, Croque Monsieur, Macaroni and Cheese, etc.) are so basic it's clear their inclusion is meant as a nod to the restaurant that offered the recipe. Of greater interest are riffs on regional classics, such as the Horseradish Grill's Fried Green Tomatoes, with its remoulade sauce and spicy roasted pecans, and Repast's flavor-packed Butter-Poached Shrimp and Grits. Reese offers multiple versions for local favorite fried chicken and greens (pot likker included), and the humble catfish gets star treatment in Wisteria's Catfish with Green Tomato Ragout. Ingenious surprises include Chef Linton Hopkins' Corn Milk-Poached Maine Lobster Tail with Gratin of Mustard and Blood Orange Reduction Sauce (which, surprisingly, only calls for six ingredients) and The Blue Bicycle's succulent Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs with Saffron Risotto. Recipes best considered for their novelty include Strawberry Serrano Mussels and Gravity Pub's terrifying Vandross Burger, which replaces the bun with a glazed Krispy Kreme donut. Atlantans and those familiar with the city's culinary specialties will get the most out of this volume, but even culinary carpetbaggers should find some happy surprises. Color photos.