4 metro area dishes worth trying

We ordered it as an appetizer for two, but when I took my first bite, I didn’t want to share. Inside was juicy, salty, house-cured ham and tender, smoked pork blanketed with melted Swiss cheese. There were slivers of crisp, sour pickle.

Instead of bread, the components were sandwiched within light, crisp layers of buttery pastry that flaked as I crunched into it. A bite of this handheld might take you back to your youth, thanks to the savory flavors being presented a package evocative of Pop-Tart toaster pastries. It even had a zig zag of “frosting” like those sweet treats, but this golden icing was habanero mustard, which completed the masterpiece with decorative, zingy heat.

469 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta. 404-748-1145, eavpub.com

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Txangurro at Cooks & Soldiers

Tradition meets innovation at this Westside restaurant, where the presentation is as remarkable as the San Sebastian-inspired flavors. Cooks & Soldiers recently celebrated 10 years of serving Basque cuisine, and it continues to add delightful dishes, such as txangurro, a deviled crab gratin in which the crab shell doubles as serving vessel.

The dish typically is made in Spain with a species of spider crab; Cooks’ txangurro uses blue crab, but it’s not the version well-known in Baltimore. Here, the taste of the hand-picked crab is the star.

This dish combines delicate, salty-sweet crab meat with sofrito, the backbone of Spanish cuisine. Onion, garlic and peppers are cooked down slowly into a sweet, caramelized paste for added depth. Corn and migas (bread cubes) meld with a saffron aioli, which acts as both a binding and a flavoring agent. Once mixed, the flavorful sauce is spooned back into the empty crab shell and baked to a bubbly golden-brown.

Spooning the dish from the spiky carapace was luxurious, but at the same time felt barbarian. Each spoonful was creamy and full of plump crab, with little filler. There were layers of savory flavor perked up by bursts of smoky, sweet pimentón. It paired perfectly with a glass of txakoli.

691 14th St. NW, Atlanta. 404-996-2623, cooksandsoldiers.com

Credit: Angela Hansberger

Credit: Angela Hansberger

Fritto misto at Small Fry

Gelato isn’t the only dish Italians eat from a cone. In many port towns, you can get fresh, fried seafood in a paper cone while you are out sightseeing. Dining on fritto misto (“mixed fried” in Italian) in Atlanta might not be the same as strolling in Cinque Terre, but Small Fry in the city’s Reynoldstown neighborhood knows what it’s doing.

Grab a counter stool and order the dish. You can watch as your cone is assembled to order. An assortment of seafood and other items gets dunked in light batter. It’s then fried quickly, which results in a golden crust that is light enough to let the seafood shine.

The large, bouncy shrimp with a bronze, lacy coating can be plucked from the cone. There were tendrils of tender calamari and pieces cut crosswise, to form crunchy rings. Hunks of cod had a brittle exterior but remained sweet, briny and juicy with each bite. There also were rectangular slabs of polenta with buttery corn flavor wrapped in Italy’s version of tempura. Cherry peppers added an occasional pop of heat and fried lemon slices provided color and brightness.

I found myself digging for the delicate bits of shallot, the fanciest of onion rings.

777 Memorial Drive, Atlanta. Instagram.com/smallfryatl

Credit: Angela Hansberger

Credit: Angela Hansberger

Meatball bites at the Ramspeck

The bar menu at the Ramspeck, open 5-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays for dinner, is small — cozy, if you will. It features treats to match a tight drinks list, and one of the stars is a plate of meatball bites.

The perfect meatball is not as simple as it appears. The Ramspeck nailed both the taste and texture. Ground lamb and lean beef were mixed perfectly for a fine, smooth texture. These meatballs were tender, juicy, light and almost bouncy. Each was flavored boldly, with a spice profile that was almost Moroccan. There was a dark sweetness to the meat, enhanced by flavorful browning due to pan-searing.

A rich, round tomato pepper jam added an umami punch. It was sweet, acidic, a touch sour and warmly spiced. But the balls were so good, the jam honestly wasn’t needed.

Meatball bites also come in barbecue chicken and bacon form, so you can have a mix-and-match half-dozen.

127 E. Court Square, Decatur. 404-377-3484, theramspeck.com

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