NO USE CRYING- Kristina Train Overcomes Obstacles & Releases Stellar Spilt Milk

In an alternate universe where Murphy’s Law did not exist, Kristina Train might have become a star almost a decade ago.

 

Passionate about music since her mother taught her to play the violin at the age of four, the Savannah native scored a deal with Blue Note Records (the legendary jazz label that’s been home to everyone from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Herbie Hancock and Amos Lee) when she was in her teens. But her mom insisted she go to college first, so she put her career on hold until after graduating from the University of Georgia. Sent to London to work with producer Jimmy Hogarth (Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae) and songwriter Eg White (Adele), Train suffered another setback when a nearly completed version of her debut album was forever lost to a computer glitch.

 

Undaunted by the obstacles, Train returned to the studio and delivered the cheekily-titled Spilt Milk, a stunningly soulful jazz-pop album that’s earned favorable comparisons to icons like Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield. We recently caught up with the 27-year-old singer-songwriter in the middle of her tour with Keb Mo to discuss her long, winding road to success.

 

 

You’re originally from Savannah, which isn’t exactly a musical hotbed. How did you get discovered?

 

I was playing in bands and a producer heard one of our demos. He brought me to New York and I showcased for the Blue Note guys. My mom said, “You’re not going to do anything until you go to college!” So there were a couple of years where I fought for it, telling her I didn’t want to waste my time going to college because all I want to do is music. My Blue Note A&R rep said, “When you decide what you wanna do, please come to me,” so [after college] I did. They arranged another showcase and invited me to sign a deal at that time.

 

Why didn’t you rebel when your mom insisted on you going to college? 

 

I’m an only child raised by a single mom and I always wanted to make her happy. She was the one who introduced me to music, so I’m very grateful. I tried to do what I could to appease her, and she ended up being my biggest fan. 

 

How did taking that extra time to grow and mature impact the music you ultimately made? 

 

If I’d made an album at 19 it would’ve been a very different album. Spilt Milk is the album I’ve always wanted to make. When I finally went over to London to work with Jimmy Hogarth and I heard the first song that we wrote, I realized why I’d waited so long. It was SO worth the wait. 

 

You lost all of your album’s initial recordings to a computer glitch. How did having to re-record the album impact your approach?

 

I’ve always believed no deal is done until the ink is dry, because so many things have gone wrong in my life. When I got the phone call that my songs had been deleted, I was definitely in shock! But I was even more determined to go back and make it better. So many things go into making an album– financial issues, logistics, scheduling– that it can be very overwhelming. But everyone involved believed in it so much, so we came back and I sang my heart out. It turned out to be a wonderful thing. 

 

What’s the next stage you’re hoping to reach in your musical career? 

 

I want to keep touring so that I can reach people on a personal level. A year from now I’d like to have all the songs for my next record written. I just want to keep everything moving and see my career withstand the test of time. Until I die, I’ll be writing, recording and touring… and hopefully paying the rent! 

(originally appeared in Jezebel)

THAT'S ITALIAN!- Antico Pizza Napoletana

Antico Pizza Napoletana

1093 Hemphill Ave

404.724.2333

www.anticopizza.it

 

With the foodie feeding frenzy that’s gripped the ATL in recent years, where a new hotspot opens every week and you can’t swing a stick without hitting someone who’s appeared on Top Chef, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for new restauranteurs to distinguish themselves. After all, how do you stand out in a field overcrowded with culinary standouts? In the case of Giovanni Di Palma, you do it by swimming directly against the current, ignoring trends in favor of tradition.

 

Antico, his labor of love that opened in October to gushing reviews, is like no other 5-star restaurant in town. There’s no valet parking, no fancy interior design, not even a proper seating area to speak of. There are 12 non-dessert items on the menu– nine pizzas and three calzones– and you order at the counter. You can take it out or huddle around a rustic communal table originally intended for dough preparation. But despite the complete lack of bells and whistles Antico has emerged as Atlanta’s hottest new restaurant, and the reasons can be traced to Naples, Italy.

 

Five years ago Di Palma (who grew up in New York, the grandson of a life-long Pizzaiolo) made a pilgrimage to his ancestral Italian village to make a donation to preserve the ancient basilica in which his grandparents had gotten married. While there he was introduced to the owner of a local flour mill, who took Di Palma to the Centro Storia neighborhood’s legendary restaurant, Il Presidente Pizzeria, which has provided pies for everyone from Bill Clinton to the Pope. It was there that he learned to make Pizza Napoletana in the Verace Artigianale (True Artisan) style, hand-kneading dough crafted in small batches and adding nothing but sea salt and fresh water. He learned to cook them to a perfect char in Sorrento stone ovens heated to 900º by hardwood fires. Ask Di Palma the secret of his success and he confesses, “This pizza doesn’t belong to me, but to the craftsmen who created it. I’m just a messenger.”

 

That may be true, but the message he’s delivering tastes like the culmination of hundreds of years of culinary refinement. Antico is authentic to the extreme, adhering to strict guidelines: Di Palma imports flour, San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella di bufala from the Campania region of Italy every week, and cooks every pizza in 10,000 pound ovens hand-made in Naples. The result is a perfect balance of crispy and chewy, bursting with robust, earthy flavors. Whether you get the deceptively simple Margherita D.O.P. or the Cappricciosa, which is loaded with savory mushrooms, artichokes and prosciutto cotto, Di Palma’s passion for the craft comes through in every bite.

 

The gregarious Di Palma seems as surprised as anyone by the glowing reception his debut entrepreneurial effort has received, but Antico (which was originally takeout-only) is already planning to add family-style seating, an outdoor terrace and perhaps even a rooftop patio in the coming year. At an average price of $19 per pizza, it’s easily the most affordable trip to Italy your mouth will ever take. –BRET LOVE

(originally appeared in Jezebel)

 

OTP EXCELLENCE- Aspens Signature Steaks

ASPENS SIGNATURE STEAKS

2942 Shallowford Rd, Marietta

678.236.1400

knowwheretogogh.com

Owned by the same folks who brought you Roswell’s Bistro VG and Alpharetta’s Vinny’s On Windward (both of which are equally excellent), Aspens marries the flavors of an upscale steakhouse with the ambiance of a Colorado ski lodge. Leather chairs, cedar beams, antler chandeliers, a stone fireplace and Southwestern paintings set an intimate mood perfectly, while the buzzing action in the bar area ensures things never get boring.

 

Executive Chef Sean Clark’s menu adheres fairly closely to steakhouse traditions, but show’s enough of a distinctive flair to keep things interesting. Their small plate menu changes daily, but often includes Blue Cheese Risotto Fritters with crushed tomatoes and marinated olives, Eggplant Salad layered with heirloom tomato and goat cheese, and Sesame Seared Tuna with avocado, wasabi and lemongrass ponzu. Entrees such as NY Strip Angus Steak and Pan Seared Scallops are as perfectly cooked as you’d expect, but don’t be afraid to try the nightly specials: The Red Snapper and Shrimp with edamame ravioli we tried was out of this world.

 

Fair warning: Owner Michelle Sedgewick’s “Killer” Tiramisu and Dark & White Chocolate Mousse Cake with raspberry sauce will seriously make you wish you’d saved more room for dessert. –BRET LOVE

(originally appeared in Jezebel)

FRIENDS IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES- Manchester Orchestra

FRIENDS IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

With a little help from Letterman and an A-list producer, Manchester Orchestra aims to be Atlanta’s Next Big Thing.

Though you’d never have guessed it based on the indie-rock aesthetic of their debut, Manchester Orchestra clearly isn’t satisfied with merely being the best band to emerge from Atlanta in over a decade. If their latest album, Mean Everything To Nothing, is any indication, Andy Hull and company are determined to be the biggest band in the world.

 

Produced by Joe Chiccarelli (My Morning Jacket, The Shins), Manchester Orchestra’s bombastic second LP was designed to fill arenas, with songs that evoke comparisons to rock legends ranging from Black Sabbath and R.E.M. to Jane’s Addiction and Nirvana without ever losing their distinctive identity. Which explains why the band had performed on The Late Show With David Letterman twice and had its music featured in shows such as Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill by the time most of its members were legally able to drink alcohol.

 

“We really wanted this record to be bigger,” admits Hull, the band’s 22-year-old singer-songwriter, “and I think that was the hardest part for Joe. There was a point in time where he was like, ‘Guys, you can’t turn everything up all the way and have it sound clear!’ He showed us how to arrange our music without having to crank everything to 11.”

 

It was a great lesson for the young band, the latest in a string of learning opportunities stretching back to when Hull was a teenager. Inspired by bands such as the Get-Up Kids, Modest Mouse and Death Cab For Cutie, he began playing music out of frustration with the alienation he felt at Lilburn’s Providence Christian Academy. The response to his earliest songwriting efforts were so positive that Hull, whose father and grandfather were both preachers, elected to drop out of high school and pursue music full-time.

 

“I was brought up with really good morals,” he recalls, “but my father and grandfather have always been incredibly supportive. There was never any pressure for me to follow in their footsteps, so I was home schooled for a few years while I was making our first record.”

 

Eventually Hull surrounded himself with like-minded friends Jonathon Corley (bass), Jeremiah Edmond (drums), Chris Freeman (keyboards) and Robert McDowell (guitar), and in 2006 Manchester Orchestra recorded their first proper album, I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child. At the age of 19, Hull and company found themselves invited to play at the prestigious Lollapalooza and South By Southwest festivals, and the buzz surrounding them quickly began to build.

 

Much of the band’s critical acclaim tends to focus on Hull’s maturity, with lyrical themes such as religion, relationships, redemption and death that belie his tender age. “My mom always said that when I was a 4 I was acting like a 6-year old,” Hull recalls. “I’m in a position where I can’t really afford to screw up. I’m not a senior in college, so I was never raging or partying all the time.  We had no time to be foolish because we were so busy touring, trying to get our jobs done.”

 

Asked how he remains grounded in the face of Manchester Orchestra’s impressive list of accomplishments– playing every late-night talk show of note, a glowing review of the new album in Paste, having their music used in TV shows and video games– Hull credits his 2008 marriage to his high school sweetheart, Amy, as well as the fact that he and his bandmates keep each other in check.

 

“A lot of the guys in the band have known my wife longer than I have. We’ve all known each other for like 10 years, and we’re big on accountability: They call me out on my crap and I call them out. We know we’re very lucky to have come this far, and we’re very aware of how quickly we can fall. I’ve never had a backup career plan,” Hull confesses before going uncharacteristically quiet for a moment. “I just hope it doesn’t go away.”  –BRET LOVE

(originally appeared in Jezebel)

THE ART OF CUISINE- Painted Table Cafe

Painted Table Café

465 Boulevard SE

404.622.4353

www.paintedtablecafe.com

The first thing you should know about Grant Park’s Painted Table Café is that there are, in fact, NO painted tables. Instead, the name is indicative of owner Omega Angell’s love of the arts, both visual and culinary.

 

The dining room’s walls are lined with locally produced artwork (five pieces sold in the first week after opening in early November), every restaurant employee is an artist of some sort, and the cafe’s motto is “Let our palette paint your palate with flavor.” Angell even signs every plate he sends out, skillfully dripping the Greek symbol for Omega in various sauces. It’s a classy twist on the diner concept, with the warm orange walls, vibrantly colored paintings, hand-made light fixtures above the bar and sultry Rat Pack-era jazz on the stereo creating a surprisingly sophisticated mood for a place that serves breakfast all day.

 

Angell, who grew up working in his parents’ restaurant and hung out with punk-rock legends Rancid before attending the Culinary Institute of America, has a decidedly unique, anti-corporate stance on the way restaurants should be run. Nearly 80% of his vegetables are locally grown, and Angell will gladly sing the praises of the Georgia farmers he’s proud to work with. All of his Painted Hills beef is hormone-free, free range and grass-fed, as are the Springer Mountain chicken and eggs. And Angell seems truly passionate about his community, speaking fondly of nearby competitors Stone Soup Kitchen and Solstice Café.

 

If the chef seems unconcerned about the competition, it’s because his knack for high class/low-cost cuisine more than speaks for itself. His menu offers distinctive twists on traditional favorites, concocting comfort food with creative flair. A simple dish like Crunchin’ French Toast is rendered more complex via Angell’s batter-coated, frosted flake-flecked crust, which is then topped with Georgia peaches and a vanilla-orange anglaise. Angell’s burgers and sandwiches are equally impressive, from the remarkably spicy Blackened Tuna Burger (with cucumber, avocado and wasabi aioli) to the hearty Hot Roast Beef Sandwich, an open-faced smorgasbord of grilled Texas toast, garlic mashed potatoes, succulent beef and rich brown gravy guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.

 

But for the best evidence of Angell’s unfussy culinary brilliance, look no further than the first item on his menu: Shrimp & Grits. The dish has become a must-have for Southern-style restaurants, but his version excels thanks to slow-cooked stone-ground cheese grits, a half-pound of jumbo tiger shrimp, fire-roasted red bell peppers, mushrooms, pancetta, caramelized onion and a spicy red gravy whose secret ingredients include Angell’s own coffee blend (which he’ll soon sell at Painted Table).

 

Most new restaurants take some time to find their footing, but this one is off to a strong start thanks to the hands-on owner/chef’s distinctive vision and 30+ years of experience. His former employers at the Flying Biscuit (which is now owned by Raving Brands) are making a good run at being the biggest all-day breakfast spot in town, but Angell is clearly angling to be the best. –BRET LOVE

(originally appeared in Jezebel)

 

 

 

 

 

TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS- Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft

(photo by Melissa Libby)

Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft

1745 Peachtree Rd, Suite Y

678.539.6181

www.tuktukatl.com

 

Street food– that is, food available from street-side vendors using makeshift or portable stalls or carts– is universal, from South Africa’s bunny chow and North Indian Chaat to Middle Eastern shawarma and good ol’ American hot dogs.  The concept stretches back thousands of years, but the trend of selling what is traditionally considered street food in upscale restaurants is a relatively recent development.

 

Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft, the latest offering from the family behind Tamarind and Nan Thai fame, is a perfect example of this dichotomy at work, offering moderately priced food in one of Midtown’s most spectacular settings (formerly occupied by Taurus).  There’s an authentic tuk tuk– the 3-wheeled auto rickshaw popular in Asia– to greet you in the downstairs lobby; an exquisite elevator lined with Thai script; a dining room decorated with cookie tins, exotic artwork, and cushioned chairs modeled after those used by Thai royalty; and a bamboo-lined balcony affording amazing views of the ATL skyline.

 

The idea, according to General Manager Thaddeus Keefe is to, “create a casual atmosphere where people can come in after a long day and just hang out, have a few drinks, have some good food and not feel so formal.”  Keefe and his Executive Chef fiancée Dee Dee (daughter of Nan/Tamarind owners Charlie and Nantha Niyomkul) have managed to do just that.  Between the warm décor, romantic candlelight, hip-but-mellow music, and their signature Lychee Martini (vodka, sake, sparkling rose and lychee juice), we felt the edge of the workday melting away before our first dish had even been delivered to the table.

 

The menu maintains this low-key approach, focusing on small plates of finger foods with an average price of $9.  “We wanted to introduce the people in Atlanta to real, traditional Bangkok street food,” Dee Dee says, “as a tribute to the things my parents ate when they were growing up in Thailand.”

 

We started with the Moo Yang, deliciously tender grilled pork skewers, which come hung from a swanky steel rack designed (and patented) by Dee Dee.  The Hoy Tod offered an unexpectedly complex combination of textures and flavors, mixing a crunchy pancake with chewy mussels, crisp bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro and a robust sweet chili sauce.  We really loved the Yum Woon Sen, a spicy salad of mixed seafood, minced chicken cellophane noodles, lime, onion and palm sugar.  But our favorite was the Neau Sawan, a Thai beef jerky that was so remarkably flavorful we could’ve eaten it by the bagful.

 

Though family-style dining is Tuk Tuk’s intent, they offer a handful of larger entrees for those who don’t like to share.  Try the Pla Haw Bai Tong, a whole catfish grilled inside a banana leaf with chili lime sauce; or Kai Yang, a moist half-chicken served with papaya salad and sticky rice.  But you’ll really want to save room for dessert: We’d recommend the Tapioca Pudding, whose intriguing blend of coconut, lotus seed, taro and sweet corn provided the perfect antidote for the spice buzzing our lips and taste buds.

 

We visited Tuk Tuk during December’s soft opening, when they were still “ironing the kinks,” but Keefe and Niyomkul’s colorful concept had clearly already hit the ground running.  It may not be as pricey as the family’s other restaurants, but once word on Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft gets out we have no doubt it will be just as popular. –Bret Love

(Originally appeared in Jezebel Magazine)