The A Team
FoodBar is a jigsaw puzzle of interlocking talents.
By Jan Walsh
There is no B team at FoodBar, only A players. Each person is a unique individual, with his or her own talent and skillset. Together they interconnect with each other, forming a collaborative food and bar culture of esprit de corps. Owner and Chef, George McMillian III sources the freshest and finest ingredients for his farm to table restaurant. He brings an old school philosophy, decades of knowledge, ever evolving skills, and the wisdom of experience to the kitchen. Behind the scenes, Director of Operations, Heather Hay juggles everything from large catering jobs to the tiniest details in record keeping. And given there are no online reservations, she might also answer the phone and take your reservation. Sommelier and Head Server, John Rusiecki pairs his expertise of wine with food service. Pastry Chef, Tyler Mosier whips up perfect endings. And Bar Manager, Charlotte Speake brings the farm to the bar, creating a hand crafted, seasonal cocktail list that draws its own following. With no reservations at the bar, regulars always fill it early.
Mixologist Charlotte’s seasonal cocktails always tempt the eyes and please the palate. We order Spice is Nice, Cider Spritz, and Autumn Sunset. One sip of the fizzy, appley spritzer takes Kev and me back to a time when we had summer wine spritzers nightly on the porch. A second refreshing sip makes us wonder, why did we ever stop? And tonight’s version is perfect for autumn. An aromatic mix of Apperol, organic apple cider, SOCA, and prosecco is a slow sipping sensation. Spice is Nice is a dark, rich tini of Ketel One Vodka, espresso, chai tea, Kahlua, and brown sugar simple syrup. You will want another… Canerock Jamaican spiced rum stars in the Spice is Nice. Deep layers of fresh orgeat, pear juice, Campari, lime, and cinnamon synthesize in this yummy, rummy drink. Highly recommended! We sip our drinks with fluffy, house made bread and look over tonight’s dinner menu.
We start with tonight’s featured half shell oysters, Alabama’s own Murder Point Oysters and two salads: Ice Cube and Santorini. The oysters boast briny and buttery flavors, balanced in saltiness. Ice Cube is a head of whole head of romaine topped with applewood smoked bacon and warm blue cheese dressing, alongside a poached farm egg. Having been to Santorini several times, I can attest this salad is appropriately named. The lovely Greek style bowl of fresh cucumber, meaty kalamatas, red onion, juicy in season tomato, and pungent feta is dressed with oregano and EVOO.
In addition to Chef George’s ever evolving menu, he also offers off the menu specials. Among tonight’s off menu offerings are New York Strip and Ahi Tuna. The guys have both, and I catch the Gulf White Shrimp and Bucatini. The tuna is seared to order and tempts with firm flakes of mild flavors. The fish is enhanced by an exotic bed of toasted quinoa, sultanas, and avocado atop a peppery pool of coulis. And its garnish of mango salsa brightens with fruitiness and color. Another dish that takes us away! The thick steak arrives sizzling with a sunny side quail egg as the “cherry “on top. On first cut it shows a cooked to order juiciness. And from the first bite, it is a solid, classic chew of its bold rich beefiness. Chef George’s marvelous mushroom bordelaise adds elegance. And the plate is complete with a luminous mix of farm veggies: charred onion, comforting potato hash, wilted spinach, and earthy baby carrot. The pasta plate is a tried-and-true favorite of mine. I get the pleasure of pasta without a heavy sauce. Ribbons of semolina pasta wind and loop around perfectly curled mild, sweet, and succulent white shrimp. Touches of roasted garlic, zesty dill, acidic tomato, caramelized fennel, and sweet saffron fumet lift and intensify. Each entrée is as outstanding as the other.
Ross and I are chocoholics. So, we leave the FoodBar Doughnuts to Kev and share Chocolate Phyllo Parcel. The doughnuts take Kev back to the bakery across the street from his boyhood home in Scranton. Three warm Zeppole style bites of heaven are fluffy as a cloud and made sweeter with toffee caramel sauce and vanilla anglaise.
And aromas of the chocolate dessert evoke a sweet memory of my childhood… As a young girl, living on my grandparents’ Blount County farm, Granny would make chocolate fried pies just for me. I can still see her rolling dough, filling it with cocoa and brown sugar, pulling a big iron skillet from the stove, and lighting a gas eye. She would fry it on each side until golden, dust it with confectioners’ sugar, and serve to me with a glass of milk. Oh, my! How I wish she could see this chocolate tower!
A lesson in geometry, a cuboid of golden, delicate phyllo is stuffed with deep dark, chocolate cake and topped with sweet confectioners’ sugar. And the parcel is rounded out with a creamy sphere of vanilla ice cream. Hot and cold, dark and white, crunchy and creamy unite in what may be the best chocolate dessert I have ever had! Somm John astutely pairs with glasses of Jean Charles Boisset Cremant de Bourgogne, France with Chef Tyler’s sensational sweet course. Served at the perfect chilly temp in proper champagne flutes, the wine shows persistent effervescence, elegant acidity, and luxurious creaminess, with juicy notes of apple and lemon. From start to finish dinner at FoodBar is a night to remember, thanks to the A Team at FoodBar.
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