Scallops | good eats by b

South City Kitchen, Midtown

Coming here on a Sunday was great idea. My sister and I had just returned from traveling and we simply wanted a fool proof meal without a lot of fuss. Their First Flavors struck our fancy more so than the main dishes so we got four and split them all. We ordered the fried green tomatoes, smoked pork belly, crab cake, and scallops. The smoked pork belly was probably the most creative as it was served with collard green kimchi and orange-Tupelo honey. Not to say the others weren’t good since they were they just didn’t have that wow factor that will keep me coming back. What did, however, were their cocktails. They were fun and all had a southern theme. They even had one celebrating the 75th anniversary of Gone with the Wind, it was called return of the wind. I’m not sure what Rhett Butler drank but if he was around today I’m sure he would give this a try. The drink was composed of Woodford Reserve single barrel bourbon, cayrum, rhubarb tea, and braised beet liquor. If you’re looking for a sweet drink I would not recommend this one but I certainly enjoyed it. Lastly we split the peach shortcake, which ended the meal perfectly. I’m a fan of Southern cuisine and when paired with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere I’m sure to become even a bigger supporter.

St. Cecilia, Buckhead

Ford Fry does not disappoint; St. Cecilia is his fifth restaurant in Atlanta since 2007 and is no exception. The restaurants main focus is seafood from the coastlines of Spain, France, & Italy. I went with my friend, Susan, who lives close by and was curious to finally be able to see the inside after seeing the many months of construction. I started with a dish from the Crudo menu: Nantucket Bay Scallops with green apples, fennel, & pine nuts. These were amazing and I would have never thought to put apples with scallops. Susan got the Maine Sea Scallops, which are quickly becoming their top seller and I got the Block Island Swordfish. The swordfish came with tomatoes & olives which if you like Mediterranean flavors you’re in for a treat. The thing I often appreciate about seafood is that while you can be full you typically don’t leave stuffed plus this allows you to order dessert! My eyes quickly found the Nutella Torta with burnt milk gelato. My dining experience suddenly went from wonderful to flat-out fabulous. We went on a Sunday night and I was expecting a lighter crowd but that was mistake since this is Buckhead and a Ford Fry restaurant. The restaurant is truly beautiful and the food delicious, if you’re looking to celebrate look no further than St. Cecilia.