At Davio’s Atlanta, it is still "all about the guest." While the Atlanta Davio’s recently announced some exciting changes including the appointment of Paul Dunn as General Manager and Timothy Magee (formerly of Community Smith) as the location’s new Executive Chef, the title of owner Steve DiFillippo’s 2013 advice-laden memoir remains the company tenet.We had the pleasure of attending a menu tasting hosted by DiFillipo and his exceptional Atlanta team last week. After mingling with glasses of champagne, we were seated as a service of the restaurant’s signature popovers arrived at the table just before the first dish of the evening: Mediterranean octopus with purple cauliflower puree, spicy carrot puree and chopped almonds.
The octopus was very tender and the 2013 Davio's Reserve Chardonnay made for a wonderful pairing. All of Davio’s French-style, private label wines are sourced from Merriam Vineyards which is nestled in the warmest edge of the Russian River Valley.Plates of delicate ricotta-prosciutto ravioli in a Parmesan broth topped with fava beans were next on the tasting menu. The pasta was perfectly prepared with understated yet masterful, flavor profiles that matched well with the 2013 Davio's Reserve Pinot Noir.
Then came the main course: Brandt prime aged sirloin was moist and soft with a rich Barolo demi-glace accompanied by confit potatoes served atop mashed potatoes which created an interesting contrast of textures. The inclusion of morel mushrooms was a nice surprise; making their first appearance of the season. The 2013 Davio's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was a sensational pairing.The dinner plates were cleared and replaced by hot cups of cappuccino and coffee and bowls of flan-style panna cotta. The subtle vanilla flavor of the custard was accentuated by local Georgia strawberries and a petite lavender shortbread wafer making for a nice finale to our menu sampling.
Thanks to the Steve DiFillippo and the attentive Davio’s Atlanta staff for a glorious evening on the patio. To experience this Italian hospitality first hand, make Davio’s Atlanta (located at 3500 Peachtree Road in Phipps Plaza) your next dinner destination.
While the menu items we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited.