Chef Paul won a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast earlier this week, and the Capitol Market had a watch party for the historic event. And there was a TON of good food.



Ristorante Abruzzi
Chase Collier
Hernshaw Farms Mushroom Arancini - San Marzano tomato sauce, parmesan foam
Smoked Salmon Crostini - Smoked Salmon, herbed goat cheese, arugula, crispy capers, pickled red onions, spicy citrus honey, toasted Charleston Bread baguette



Coco's
Jesse Lyons & Chasity Thomas
Mini crab cakes with specialty sauce



Bogey's at Capitol Market
Andrew Ford & Jay Nelson
Smoked beef ribs, pork belly burnt ends with slaw and wood-fired roasted corn



Ichiban
Evan Wilson
Korean egg rolls, pork kimchi fried rice, Sesame garlic sauce
Beet cured salmon wontons with wasabi yuzu drizzle and micro greens
Tuna and avocado maki with aji Amarillo and tajin



Sam's
Paul Greco
Italian sausage roll w vodka sauce, parm and fresh basil
Melon skewers with mozzarella, prosciutto and balsamic reduction



Fernbank
Mike Medley
Marinated mozzarella skewers
Elderflower spritzer



Southern-ish
Brandon Mouser & Charlie Dodrill
Mini Benedict with gochujang hollandaise, fried pork katsu, microplaned salt cured egg yolk
Nashville Hot Chicken banh mi with green tomato and dill pickle slaw, collard green and green peppercorn Kewpie mayo aoli
Green tomato bruschetta with grilled sourdough, sauteed cold beans, blanched asparagus, and a ramp, serrano, and anaheim chili olive oil dressing

"IN 1947 LUCY JACKSON, A SELF-TAUGHT COOK DECIDED TO OPEN HER OWN RESTAURANT. WHILE WORKING ON DEVELOPING A NAME FOR THE BUSINESS, SHE RECEIVED SOME UNCOMMON INSPIRATION FROM A COUPLE OF SOURCES. FIRST, WHILE ON A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, SHE SAW A PICTURE OF A BEE ON A LARGE MOVING SIGN, AND VIEWING IT AS A SIGN, DECIDED TO NAME HER RESTAURANT AFTER IT.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SHE WAS MOVED TO HELP AN AFRICAN MISSIONARY BY PROVIDING AHOT MEAL FOR HER. THE MISSIONARY WAS PREVIOUSLY IN ANOTHER WELL KNOWN RESTAURANT, BUT COULDN’T AFFORD TO BUY ANYTHING TO EAT. SHE WAS TOLD, “GO DOWN TO BUSY BEE, MOMMA LUCY WILL FEED YOU!”. THE MISSIONARY WAS SO REFRESHED AND ENJOYED THE MEAL SO MUCH THAT SHE WAS MOVED TO ENCOURAGE THE ASPIRING ENTREPRENEUR THAT BECAUSE OF HER KINDNESS, HER BUSINESS WOULD ALWAYS BE BUSY, AND THAT IT WOULD ALWAYS BE BLESSED. IT WAS THESE TWO ENCOUNTERS THAT INSPIRED THE NOW-FAMOUS NAME “BUSY BEE.” reads the website.



The classic southern restauranr has earned a James Beard Award for its menu of chicken, catfish, sweet potatoes, macaroni & cheese, ribs, porkchops, greens, okra, pie and more.

After placing an order online and waiting for a loooong time, my name was called, and I dug into my fried chicken, mac & cheese and candied yams immediately. Every bite was delicious - seasoned to perfection with big flavors that were so soul-soothing.



Grade: A

"Ohio-native Sarah O’Brien started Little Tart Bakeshop at Atlanta’s farmers markets in 2010. Drawn to the south by its long growing season, excellent produce, and friends who had made the vibrant city of Atlanta home, O’Brien opened her first brick and mortar shop at the Jane in Grant Park in 2011. A stall at the Krog Street Market followed in 2014, plus a new location in Summerhill in 2019, and Little Tart can still be found at farmers markets around town," reads the website.



"Today, Little Tart is made up of passionate bakers, baristas, and counter staff who work diligently every day to make and serve delicious, thoughtfully-produced pastry and coffee. From the beginning we have chosen to work with local farmers, jam makers, beekeepers, cheese makers, and butchers because we believe local, quality ingredients are what set our food apart. We are always striving to become even better bakers. We love what we do, and hope that comes through in every buttery, flaky bite."



Croissants, danishes, galettes, scones, turnovers, cookies, cinnamon rolls and more grace the menu.



Plus several new-to-me options like Kouign Amann, which is a sweet, multi-layered Breton cake made with laminated dough.



And bostock, which is a pastry made of stale brioche soaked in liquid and covered in almond cream.



I went for a giant meringue flavored with "golden milk." It's a very light, crunchy, crumbly treat that has notes of turmeric. So, a tiny bit earthy but plenty sweet.



Grade: B

"W.H. Stiles Fish Camp is a modern, urban fish shack serving freshly caught seafood from the South (mostly)," reads the website. Named after Chef/Owner Anne Quatrano's great-great-great-great grandfather, W. H. Stiles, Fish Camp is affectionately referred to as "Dub's."



"Fish Camp features a raw shellfish bar with a rotating selection of oysters, clams, and crudo, sandwiches (po'boy, lobster roll, catch of the day), salads, bowls of fish, shellfish, and chowder, homemade seltzers, and a selection of beer and wine. For those who like to linger, Dub's retail section offers an eclectic array of sea-inspired home decor, kitchen utensils, oyster shuckers, claw crackers, sauces, and condiments. Evoking the bright, comfortable, and casual feel of oceanside seafood shacks, Fish Camp is an anchor of Ponce City Market's Central Food Hall."



The Crispy Cod sandwich features these beautiful slabs of fish, remoulade, pickles, onion and slaw. Cod is a mild, white flaky fish that fries perfectly.



Utz crab chips are seasoned with a blend of spices and Old Bay seasoning to capture the essence of Maryland's blue crab. They are inspired by the culinary heritage of the Chesapeake Bay and are designed to be crunchy with a slightly spicy, savory taste.



This was a lovely stop to do a little perusing, see what fresh oysters they had for the day and enjoy a classic fried fish sandwich.



Grade: A

I was so fortunate this evening to be able to attend the Taste of Talent reception at the Coliseum. This event showcases some of the culinary talent at the facility. A total of six groups dished out tasty bites as part of a competition. The winning team gets to have their dish featured on the Parlor Room menu. The Parlor Room is an exclusive VIP area for select ticket holders where you can relax, enjoy drinks, and have some tasty food. One of the dishes I had tonight will soon be on the menu. My first dish of the night was a vegetable stuffed puff pastry with a Sriracha sauce. Then, I moved onto street tacos with a side of street corn. Next up was a gyro kebab with tzatziki sauce as well as a potato, Boursin and crab croquette covered in butter and honey. Afterward, I was able to try a cheeseburger eggroll with a special sauce, as well as a jalapeño popper with its own sauce. Following that, I had a taco, cornbread, cupcake, which could be topped with pico de gallo, lime, cilantro, and cheese. They also had a goat cheese and preserve bite in raspberry or blackberry that could be topped with honey. Finally, I ended with a PO of Cuban themed bites: a Cuban slider, churro and an empanada. The Cuban sandwich, churro & empanada won the people's choice award. The bacon cheeseburger egg roll and jalapeno poppers won the judge's choice award.