Behind The Scenes: Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate (Krog St. Market - Inman Park)

In anticipation of wrapping up our #SupportATLBiz campaign on March 31, we decided to do something a little different for all our friends.  We partnered with the awesome team at Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate at Krog Street Market to get a behind-the-scenes tour of their in-shop chocolate factory.  Read on to find out more about how Xocolatl (pronounced "chock-oh-LAH-tul") started, why they chose to open their shop in Atlanta, and how they work with other local businesses to create delicious chocolate treats.

"Cacao doesn't grow in Georgia's climate.  But, if it did, I'm sure Xocolatl would buy it here.  They support ATL biz!" 

We visited Xocolatl on a weekday morning when most of the stores in Krog Street Market had yet to unzip their screens and open for business.  Elaine, who owns Xocolatl with her husband Matt, was there to greet us with two of her chocolatiers.  The Xocolatl chocolate factory was already bustling when we arrived, and our noses filled with the sweet scent of cacao and sugar.  Our eyes met with the heavenly sight of stacks of as-yet-unwrapped chocolate bars.  What was this magical place Mommy took us to on a school day?  (And, more importantly, was Mommy losing her mind?!)

Stacks of freshly made chocolate bars waiting to be hand-wrapped.

Elaine, who is a mommy herself to 5-year-old Ronan and 2-year-old Evabelle, was an extremely patient and gracious host to us, and it was clear she could tell us everything we needed to know about chocolate.  The first thing she did was give us a tour of the micro chocolate factory, along with a really easy-to-follow description of how Xocolatl's chocolate is made.  She explained that cacao beans are the key ingredient of chocolate.  Cacao beans are the seeds of the cacao fruit.  Most parts of a cacao fruit are edible, including the white flesh of the fruit, which Elaine said has a tropical flavor sort of like pineapple.  And the edible parts are, in fact, quite healthy - especially the raw cacao beans, which Elaine told us are high in antioxidants and flavonoids.  Elaine showed us the huge bags of cacao beans Xocolatl orders from exotic places like Costa Rica, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Trinidad, and Madagascar.  She shelled and let us try some of the raw cacao beans and even let us inhale the lovely scent wafting from the burlap bags.

"This has to be what Heaven smells like!"

"But can we eat it yet?"

Once they have their supply of cacao beans, Elaine's team sorts through them, selecting only quality beans for their chocolate.  They then roast the selected beans to enhance the cacao's chocolatey flavors while burning off sour flavors the beans may acquire through fermentation.  After roasting the beans, the Xocolatl team cracks them using a machine with a hand crank.  The cracking process helps turn the cacao beans into cocoa nibs that are used to make chocolate.  Elaine and her team were nice enough to let us crack a few beans ourselves.  That was surprisingly tough!  We're thinking folks who crack cacao beans all day probably don't have to lift weights much...

"Okay, it's time to show Ms. Elaine what these biceps can do."

After the cacao beans are cracked into cocoa nibs, the mixture has to be winnowed so the hard bits of husk can be separated from the softer, tastier cocoa nibs.  The winnowing process is super cool.  The winnower is basically a wooden box with a couple of paths inside it, kind of like a maze, that's covered on the front by a clear acrylic sheet.  Xocolatl's chocolatiers scoop the cracked cocoa nib/cacao husk mixture into a hole at the top of this wooden box.  Then they use a vacuum hose to blow air into it.  The air blows the cacao husk pieces down one path and into a bowl waiting underneath; it blows the cocoa nibs down an opposite path and into a different bowl.  The cacao husks are used as mulch - per Elaine, they're really good for plants due to their high nitrogen content).  The clean mixture of cocoa nibs is the only ingredient in Xocolatl's chocolate bars other than organic cane sugar.  Incredibly, Matt built Xocolatl's winnower himself.  Amazing!

"Must. Not. Spill."

Once the magical winnowing process is done, the Xocolatl team puts the cacao nibs and cane sugar into a grindeur/melanger (a machine with two granite wheels inside that grind, churn, and aerate the cocoa nib/sugar mixture until it becomes smooth and creamy).  We learned that the Cocoatown grindeurs Xocolatl uses are manufactured and sold right here in Roswell, Georgia.  How's that for supporting local businesses? 

Cocoatown grindeur made in Roswell, GA, filled with gallons of chocolate.

The grindeur/melanger works the cocoa nib/sugar mixture for many hours to get it to the right consistency.  Throughout the process, the Xocolatl team has to manually adjust the tension in the granite wheels to ensure the mixture will create creamy yet light chocolate bars.  Once the mixture is perfect, Elaine and her chocolatiers pour it through a machine that squirts perfectly portioned batches of chocolate into Xocolatl's custom molds.  The team puts the chocolate-filled molds into a custom-built (also by Matt) wooden chest of air conditioned drawers so the bars can set.  Once the bars have set, they remove them from the molds, trim off any unsightly chocolate slivers, hand-adorn them with ingredients like locally sourced nuts (if that particular chocolate bar calls for it), and wrap them up to sell.  This entire process, from bean to bar, takes at least 4 days.  Quite a bit of work for a small rectangle of chocolate - but totally worth it because the final product is exquisite.     

Some of the locally sourced ingredients that Xocolatl uses for its chocolate bars.
Local suppliers include Caffe Campesino (coffee) and Kirsten Farms (peaches, pecans).

Each almond is artfully placed by hand onto each bar. 

When we finished our tour, Elaine let us sample some of Xocolatl's bars.  The bars taste different depending on where the cacao beans in the bar originated and the ratio of cocoa to cane sugar in the bar.  After we got a little bit "chocolate wasted," we asked Elaine why they decided to start a chocolate shop.  She told us how she and Matt traveled to Central America in their pre-kids days and always dreamed of going back.  Then, at a point in their post-kids era (while she was pregnant with their second child), they said, "Why not?"  Then they packed up their things and moved their family to the Costa Rican jungle for 6 months.  During that time, they learned as a family the art of chocolate making.  They saw how in that region chocolate is made organically, often with crude handmade tools, and wanted to bring that spirit of artisanship back to the U.S.  Matt is an Atlanta native and still has family here (in fact, his dad stopped by while we were there to help with chocolate bar wrapping); so Atlanta is where they landed.  And we're really happy about that.  

We love hearing stories like Elaine and Matt's.  And we love seeing how their story unfolds every day and intertwines with similar stories of Atlanta business owners who, like Elaine and Matt, pursued their dreams and became entrepreneurs.  Thanks, Xocolatl, for being such an inspiration, for supporting other ATL businesses, and for providing our community with such yummy, wholesome chocolate to enjoy.  We wish you much success!

#SupportATLBiz

"This was the best Toddler Foodie outing ever  Thanks, Xocolatl!'

*****

 



Have you participated in our #SupportATLBiz campaign yet? 

 

It's not too late!  Post a photo of your business/product on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #SupportATLBiz, and we'll give you a shout-out on our blog.  The Toddler Foodies love local small businesses!

Pallookaville Fine Foods (Avondale Estates)

Toddler Foodie Rating:  4 out of 5 Gummy Bears.

:) = GREAT spot for kids of all ages (and kids at heart).  Creative, fun throwback-carnival-meets-cartoon theme with fun décor to keep littles entertained.  Extremely friendly, kid-conscious staff.  Huge menu of tasty soda fountain-style beverages, including a booklet full of delicious boozy soda fountain beverages for stressed out mommies and daddies.  Casual, no-fuss dishes, such as corn dogs and an array of deli sandwiches made from locally-sourced ingredients.

:( = Not the healthiest menu in town, although it's a contender for one of the "funnest" (yes, Mommy told us that's not a real word).

Note:  Our friends at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently announced that a take-out only version of Pallookaville is opening in Little Five Points soon.  Fun stuff!

Carnival/deli-style feast (clockwise from top):  Garbaged Fries, Pork Burger, side salad, Brunswick Stew, Fryinstein Monster

Pallookaville Fine Foods is a "you have to see it to believe it" spot.  We learned about it through a recent article in the AJC listing family-friendly restaurants in Atlanta and, upon taking one look at the menu, we just had to pay it a visit.  Pallookaville is a retro carnival, soda fountain, and deli flavored with tongue-in-cheek grown-up humor (the adult humor is subtle enough that only adults would detect it).  Pallookaville is filled with fun décor, from a huge sculpture of Mike from Monsters, Inc. to a large wooden elephant on the wall to kitsch 1950's paraphernalia featuring cartoonish drawings.   And there are TVs mounted to the ceiling showing old school Bugs Bunny cartoons.  We were enthralled.

"Duuuude... look at this place.  Pure magic."

Our server, Nathan, came over to greet us right away. What a nice guy!  He was so helpful, answering all of Mommy and Daddy's questions, giving them recommendations on what to eat, putting up with us every time we interrupted.  With his expert guidance, we ordered a smorgasbord of items off the retro menu:  Boilt Nuts (hard-boiled peanuts) to start the meal, the Fryinstein Monster corndog (one beef frank, one Polish kielbasa, and one Italian sausage dipped in cornbread batter and fried), a side salad, a cup of Stacy Family Brunswick Stew, a 1/2 Pound Pork Burger (the burger patties are made with ground pork and bacon and taste like breakfast sausage), and an order of Garbaged Fries (which the menus describes as cheesed, onioned, peppered, and poutined).  Because she absolutely couldn't resist, Mommy also ordered a chocolate New York Egg Cream off the soda fountain menu.  

In general, we liked all the food we ordered.  The hard-boiled peanuts were fresh (as in, stems were still attached to some of them) and had great flavor with just a little hint of spiciness. 

"These peanuts are so fresh, they still have stems in them!"

The Fryinstein was HUGE.  The four of us shared it and ended up bringing half of it home.  At first bite it was clear that it was a premium corndog made with top-quality ingredients - not the frozen type you would normally get at the carnival.  Pallookaville offers three different types of corndog batter, which is pretty neat.  We went the traditional route and ordered the Golden Cornbread batter. 



"My corndog is bigger than yours."

The rest of the food was okay - edible, but not so memorable that we would suddenly crave it.  The Brunswick Stew was a tad salty.  The Pork Burger was interesting because it was like breakfast food for dinner; but it wasn't interesting enough to make us swear off regular burgers for life.  The salad tasted like something you would find in a public school cafeteria (hmm, now that we're thinking about it, maybe that was the point).  The Garbaged Fries had lots of interesting flavors and textures due to the multitude of toppings, but the fries themselves were a bit bland.  The highlight of our meal was the New York Egg Cream.  What a frothy, bubbly, chocolatey treat that was!

"Mommy said I have to eat five bites of salad for one sip of that Egg Cream.  Oh, the injustice!"

For Mommy and Daddy, however, the highlight of the meal came at the very end, when Mommy ordered the Toasty Cinnamon Crunch Shaketail (vanilla ice cream, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, butterscotch, and Fireball whiskey) upon our server's recommendation.  Of course, we didn't get to try any of that milkshake; but we could tell from the looks on Mommy's and Daddy's faces when they took the first sip that it was ahhh-mazing.  Maybe life-changing.

All in all, we liked Pallookaville.  We will definitely stop by again or check out the new Pallookaville Jr. opening up in Little 5 Points.  Even though some of the menu items disappointed us, the awesome service, super kid-friendly atmosphere, and incredible soda fountain menu justify an occasional visit.  And we suspect Mommy and Daddy will be back without us one Date Night to try some of the other Shaketails. 

Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall (Old Fourth Ward)

Toddler Foodie Rating:  4 out of 5 Gummy Bears.  Best for kids who eat like adults (there's no kids menu, and there are no chicken fingers, macaroni & cheese, or French fries).  Come for brunch or an early dinner to avoid the cocktail crowd. 

:) = Awesome location right on the Beltline.  Neat campground theme complete with wooden picnic tables in the dining room, stuffed deer heads on the wall (which are a great distraction for little ones), a huge mural featuring a large owl and a bear that makes you feel like you're lost in the woods (another good distraction for littles), and creative camp-style dishes (including Fluffernutter sandwiches... hellooo, retro).  Staff is friendly and attentive to children, and the crowd there doesn't seem to mind children. Lots of nice outdoor seating. 

:( = Parking is probably difficult when it's busy.  Some of the dishes require some tweaking/perfecting.  Small bathrooms with no changing tables. 

"We have to eat this burger before the bear gets it!"

When we learned that there's a restaurant right off the Beltline that transports its diners to a bona fide campsite and serves old school camping-inspired food, we said, "Sign us up!"  We couldn't dream of a better way to spend a chilly, drizzly, winter evening.

We arrived at Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall, recently crowned one of the hottest new restaurants in Atlanta, around 5 PM.  Mommy, who was apprehensive about taking us there because Yelp says it is not good for kids, was elated to find that there were quite a few young diners present - even toddlers!  And there were lots of high chairs by the hostess stand - a sure sign that kids are welcome.

The stylish hostess knew right away to grab a high chair for us and seat us at a table near the restrooms.  We were awestruck by Ladybird's dining room.  It was hip, artsy, retro, and down-home casual all at the same time.  The natural wood tables and bar, authentic campground décor, and huge mural of a dark forest featured on the main wall made us feel like we were on a scouting trip and got us really excited about trying the food.  We started our meal with "Trail Snacks":  Navajo Fry Bread and the Fluffernutter.

Navajo Fry Bread
Photo taken by 3-year-old Toddler Foodie.

Fluffernutter
Photo taken by 2-year-old Toddler Foodie.

Both dishes were delicious - and messy.  Prepare to ask for more napkins or bust out the wet wipes.  The Navajo Fry Bread was like a salty-sweet flatbread pizza topped with a generous portion of country ham and oozing with fresh honey.  The Fluffernutter was overstuffed with homemade versions of marshmallow crème and hazelnut butter, served in a brown paper bag with bacon crusted banana chips.  (No, we're not joking.)  We devoured that Fluffernutter like we had been lost in the woods for weeks.  How could we not?

We got a sampling of dishes to taste and share:  the creamy ham & potato soup, hearty greens and farro salad, grass fed beef carpaccio, Fisherman's Stew, and double-stack burger.  What we loved:  the soup, the Fisherman's Stew (steelhead trout, littleneck clams, chorizo, sofrito, yucca, & baby onions, served in a cast iron skillet with a cute tin camping cup for the shells), and the carpaccio (definitely made with high quality beef and topped with delicious grana cheese).  What we thought could use a little perfecting:  the burger (the meat and bun were clearly high quality, but the patty was a tad salty; we loved the pickles served alongside the burger, though - they had a sweet-smoky-somewhat spicy flavor and were clearly made in-house) and the farro salad (it had too much farro and not enough greens, and the farro seemed undercooked).

Grass-fed beef carpaccio (top)
Hearty greens and farro salad with bleu cheese on the side (bottom)

Fisherman's Stew

A little after 6 PM, the restaurant started to fill up with adults looking for a good meal and/or tasty cocktail(s).  The cool thing was, the dining area was large enough to accommodate the grown-ups and us (we tend to get antsy toward the end of our meal and start moving around the table a lot); and the noise level was high enough to drown out the dinner-is-over-now-we're-ready-to-go whining that was starting to come out of our mouths.  Of course, Mommy couldn't leave without trying dessert; so before we were done with our entrees, she ordered the Strawberry Shortcake.  We are sooooooo glad she did.  Ladybird's Strawberry Shortcake is one of the best desserts we have ever had in the ATL.  The "shortcake" part of it is more like sweet cornbread straight out of  a Southern grandmomma's oven.  Imagine topping that with subtly sweet, without-a-doubt-house-made citrus crème anglaise and whipped cream, and a smattering of fresh strawberries.  We were in food heaven. 

"Floyd Mayweather is not The Best Ever.  This Strawberry Shortcake is!"

We absolutely loved the atmosphere and entire motif of Ladybird.  We hope that as the restaurant matures, the recipes will reach perfection - because this spot has so much potential.  We look forward to coming back when the weather is warmer, so we can sit on the patio, watch Atlanta go by on the Beltline, and pretend we're Cub Scouts on a mission to brave the unknown. 
  

"Can someone please bring the Fluffernutter back into fashion?! It is life-changing!"

"Okay, brontosaurus, I guess you can have some of my Fluffernutter."

 

Escargot, Risotto, Nutella Pie, & French Macarons: The Toddler Foodies Get Romantic

Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, we want to help you plan something romantic for your special someone.  We know what you're thinking:  what do a couple of toddlers know about romance?  Believe it or not, we know a lot.  Mommy doesn't realize it, but we are always listening - and we hear her when she talks (to her girlfriends or out loud to herself) about all the things she wishes Daddy would do or places she wishes Daddy would take her.  So, as a special treat to our grown-up friends, we've decided to focus this week's posts on romantic restaurants and sweet treats for your sweetie.  In addition to our usual Gummy Bear Ratings, we're going to include Hershey's Kiss Ratings to help you decide how valentine-friendly certain places are.  And we may even sprinkle in a few romance tips along the way, since we've learned so much from listening to Mommy's rants.   



           Romance Tip #1: Charm your date by being content, studious, & well-behaved.           

Violette (Atlanta/Emory)

Photo credit:  http://gritsandgroceries.blogspot.com/2012/02/splendid-french-cuisine-in-atlanta.html

Toddler Foodie Rating:  2.5 out of 5 Gummy Bears (due to being a better atmosphere for adults).  Can you take kids here?  Yes, definitely.  Do you want to take kids here?  Maybe not, for your own sake.

Hershey's Kiss Rating:  4 out of 5 Hershey's Kisses.  Comfortable yet classy ambience.  A great option for parents' night out.

:) = Hands down some of the best service we've ever had.  They treated us like little princes, and we (and our Mommy) really appreciated that.  Live jazz.  Friendly, unpretentious clientele.  Authentic French food. 
:( = Food is pricey, as you might expect at a French restaurant.  Some of the food was a bit oily.  We're not sure if a true French food expert would appreciate it as much as we did.  The temperature inside the restaurant was a little chilly - wear layers.

Notes:  Violette is right off the Clairmont Rd. exit on I-85.  Their sign is not flashy or overly conspicuous - blink and you will miss it.  Valet service is complimentary, but have cash on-hand if you want to tip.  

*****

We've heard Mommy say to Daddy, "I wish you paid attention in your high school French class.  French is sooooo romantic."  Keeping that in mind, we decided to take Mommy out for French cuisine at a cozy little spot that's known as one of the most romantic restaurants in Atlanta and one of the top ten French restaurants in Atlanta:  Violette.  We chose Violette over all the other local French restaurants because the host there, whom Mommy called a couple days in advance of our visit, was so nice and helpful to her.  She asked him whether it was okay to bring two toddlers to the restaurant "to let them try French food" (she did not mention that we moonlight as Toddler Foodies).  He answered honestly that the restaurant does not see too many little diners, but would be happy to accommodate children's needs.  He even helped her figure out the best time to visit for dinner (5:30 PM, when the restaurant opens, because it's not too crowded at that time) and named some menu selections he thought we would enjoy.


When we arrived at Violette, we received warm greetings from the host and the restaurant's manager.  The host immediately led us to our table.  Our server, Julian, came out to meet us shortly after.  He was one of the nicest servers we have ever met - he talked to us, joked with us, asked us about ourselves, and taught us about the items on the menu in terms we could understand.  He treated us like little adults, even though we were probably some of the youngest customers he had ever served at Violette.  He brought out crusty French bread right away, along with some yummy olive oil for dipping.  He even asked us if we wanted butter, to which we replied, "Yes.  But... what is a butter?"

Romance Tip #2:  Always look for ways to bring
your date's hand close to yours.



Romance Tip #3:  Your date will love seeing you
make funny faces while you're eating.























For dinner we ordered escargots (snails cooked in white wine-garlic butter) and Canard Colvert (seared duck breast with garlic-tomato confit, sauteed spinach, chorizo-garlic au jus).  

Escargots + National Geographic animal flash cards. 
A day in the life of a toddler foodie.

Heard as this photo was taken: "It's a duckie! Quack quack!"

The escargots were our favorite part of dinner, much to Mommy's surprise.  (In fact, we ate 5.5 out of 6 escargots, while she only got 1/2 a snail foot.)  The escargots were cooked perfectly - not rubbery, very easy to cut and chew.  They were served with crunchy sticks of bread that we could dip in the white wine-garlic butter once all the snails were gone.  

Romance Tip #4:  Impress your date by stuffing your cheeks full of snails. 

The Canard Colvert was not our favorite dish, and Mommy ended up bringing her portion home to Daddy.  The sauce was somewhat watery, and the potato served on the side was a little hard.  The skin on the duck had good flavor, though; and the meat was tender enough for our little teeth to bite into without Mommy having to cut it into small pieces.

Romance Tip #5:  Sometimes it's okay to eat with your hands. 
Just make sure you wash them first.

For dessert, we tried the Tarte au Myrtilles (blueberry tart with a brown sugar crust, served with vanilla ice cream and fresh berries).  Wow, was that a treat!  The blueberry filling inside the tart was more like a blueberry infused custard than a traditional blueberry pie filling.  And the crust was divine - flaky, but not crumbly; and not overly sweet.

Romance Tip #6:  Show your date that you know how to share. 

After trying French food for the first time, we can certainly see why French culture makes Mommy swoon.  As certified romance experts, we can confirm that Violette provides a great taste of French culture and would be an excellent place to take a special date on Valentine's Day (or any other day).


Sotto Sotto (Inman Park)



Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/182958803586273324/
  

Toddler Foodie Rating:  2 out of 5 Gummy Bears.  We called in advance to make a reservation and spoke with the restaurant's general manager, who was extremely warm and open to the idea of bringing in two toddlers.  But the staff's demeanor and overall atmosphere make it clear that this restaurant really isn't meant for little ones.

Hershey's Kiss Rating:  3 out of 5 Hershey's Kisses.  Intimate setting, extensive wine list.

:) = Tasteful décor.  Hassle-free location with complimentary valet parking and ample parking spaces.  Eclectic menu of authentic Italian dishes, including risotto and handmade pasta.  "First course"-sized portions of the risotto and pasta dishes are available, which are less expensive and perfect for hungry kids.
:( = The food we ordered was not as tasty as we expected it would be given this restaurant's excellent reputation.  Some staff members were standoffish and aloof, which took away from the restaurant's charm. 

Notes:  Sotto Sotto is next door to, and shares valet with, Fritti.  The sign for Fritti is more prominent, so look for it instead of the Sotto Sotto sign.  Have cash on-hand if you want to tip the valet.  

                                         *****
                                            
Mommy's not the only one who teaches us about romance.  Sometimes Daddy shares his wisdom with us, too.  One time Daddy told us that if Mommy's mad at him, all he has to do is feed is her pasta, and she will forgive him right away. So we think pasta must be a verrrry romantic food. 

We Googled "best pasta in Atlanta," and the link to the 10 Best Italian Restaurants in Atlanta popped up.  Sotto Sotto is #6 on that list.  We chose Sotto Sotto because when Mommy called to ask if it would be okay to bring two toddlers there "so they could taste real Italian food," the general manager himself was really nice, told her it would be fine, suggested we come at 5:30 so we could avoid the adult dinner crowd, and even offered to make special dishes for us or order us pizza from Sotto Sotto's adjacent sister restaurant, Fritti, if we didn't like the dishes on the menu.



Romance Tip #7:  Ask for permission before you double dip.

Given that we got such a warm and enthusiastic welcome over the phone, we had high expectations when we walked into Sotto Sotto.  Unfortunately, the host and other staff members did not appear to share the general manager's enthusiasm for receiving a Mommy and her two toddlers.  Even though the restaurant was virtually empty when we arrived a little late (right at 6 PM), and the staff appeared not to be preoccupied, they seemed unnerved by our presence.  The hostess asked one of the servers to get us a high chair, to which he responded, quite unapologetically, "No" and walked away.  Eventually we did get a high chair, followed by one glass of water for Mommy, and then a basket of bread and olive oil for dipping.  Nobody thought to bring us water until Mommy flagged down our server and asked for it.  Thankfully, the bread was soft and yummy enough to keep us satisfied until we got our food.


A 3-year-old foodie's photo of his Italian feast:
First course sizes of Risotto ai Funghi, Papardelle al Sugo d' Anatra,
& Lasagnette alla Bolognese. 

Sotto Sotto offers all of its risotto and pasta dishes in "First Course"-sized portions (which amounts to a little more than half of the regular-sized course, per our server).  For dinner we ordered 3 first-course sized dishes:  Risotto ai funghi (camaroli rice with wild mushrooms and reggiano cheese), Pappardelle al Sugo d'Anatra (fresh papardelle pasta with braised duck ragu), and Lasagnette alla Bolognese (baked lasagna with a Bolognese béchamel sauce).  The food, like the chilly welcome we got upon our arrival, disappointed us a little bit.  The risotto had a distinct truffle flavor, but some of the rice was still hard.  The pappardelle was definitely fresh and delicious, and heaped with generous portions of braised duck, but the sauce lacked any memorable flavor.  The lasagnette was similarly unremarkable.  Our favorite part of the meal was the white chocolate bread pudding with amaretto cherries that Mommy ordered for dessert.  It had a nice firm yet chewy texture and was not overly sweet. 



Romance Tip #8:  Always save room for dessert.



On a positive note, our server eventually warmed up to us a little bit.  Mommy told us he would be nicer to us if he saw that we knew how to behave in a restaurant, and she was right.  He even made a little bed on the table for our teddy bear!

For Teddy Bear, only the finest Italian linen will do.

Overall, we weren't as impressed with Sotto Sotto as we thought we were going to be.  Maybe our expectations were too high.  Or maybe we just caught the staff on an "off" day, or ordered the wrong dishes.  In any case, while we appreciate that Sotto Sotto gave us a chance to stop by, we think Mommy and Daddy may try out other restaurants the next time they want to have an Italian-style date night.


Crave Pie Studio (Duluth)

Mouthwatering display of Crave's assortment of sweet 5" pies,
including yummy Nutella cream pie.

Toddler Foodie Rating:  4 out of 5 Gummy Bears


Hershey's Kiss Rating:  4 out of 5 Hershey's Kisses.  Crave Pie's unique sweet (and savory) pie flavors are sure to make your Valentine feel loved.



:) = Cute little eatery in the heart of quaint Downtown Duluth. Casual, low-key atmosphere.  Quick service.  Good beverage options (assorted coffee drinks for parents and juice boxes for little ones). Parents will feel comfortable eating here with their kids, but also have the option to order to go.  
:( = In terms of service, this eatery is somewhat do-it-yourself (get your own napkins, grab your own drinks from the cooler, etc.).  Do not come here expecting a regular sit-down meal with full service.   

Notes:  There is some construction taking place right in front of the restaurant, but don't let it scare you away!  There is ample parking behind and around the restaurant, and the sidewalk is still open.  

*****

We have been around long enough to know that Valentine's Day is really about eating lots of sweets.  So for the last two stops on our Romance Tour, we decided to try a couple of eateries that specialize in serving yummy sweet treats.

Our first stop was Crave Pie Studio in historic Downtown Duluth.  We arrived around 10:45 AM on a Saturday morning, when the area was still relatively empty.  When we walked in, we were enthralled by the display of assorted mini (5") pies.  We were especially drawn to the spread of cute little chocolate pies (because what's Valentine's Day without chocolate?!).  Mommy and Daddy weren't quite ready for us to indulge in chocolate so early in the day, so we ordered the Apple-Pear Pie, Southwest Chicken & Vegetable Quiche, and Chicken Pot Pie.

Crave Pie Studio's assortment of quiche.
This photo was taken by a 3-year-old - we are getting better at our craft!

We have nothing but good things to say about these pies.  Each pie (especially the Chicken Pot Pie) was stuffed with fresh-tasting ingredients.  The chicken pot pie had loads of white meat smothered with a tastefully seasoned, creamy filling.  The crust of each pie was perfect -  buttery, flaky, crispy on the outside with terrific flavor in each bite - but our favorite crust belonged to the Apple-Pear pie.  In addition to being flaky and buttery, it had a nice caramelized sugar crunch to it that tasted like candy.

Chicken Pot Pie tip:  Ask them to heat it up for a few extra minutes to make sure the filling gets warm enough. 

Romance Tip #9: If your date gives you this look,
it means there may not be a second date in your future. 

Romance Tip #10:  Offer to cut your date a
slice of pie before serving yourself.

Overall, we loved Crave Pie Studio.  If your valentine pines for pie, we recommend getting her a sweet treat from here.  Crave Pie Studio is offering a Valentine's Day special that will include selections like The Chocolate Lovers Variety Pack or Cherry Pie with heart cutouts.  Follow them on Instagram (@cravepie) or visit their website for more details. 


Mac Lab (Duluth)

 There's no denying that these delicate, colorful French pastries are tres romantique.

Toddler Foodie Rating:  4 out of 5 Gummy Bears.


Hershey's Kiss Rating:  5 out of 5 Hershey's Kisses.  Your sweetie will swoon over these adorable little treats.  Trust us.


:) = Unique and creative science theme that makes dining fun. Conveniently located in a busy plaza off the Pleasant Hill Road exit on I-85.  Delicious, expertly made pastries and a broad selection of French macarons. Attentive service. Good selection of premium coffee drinks.   
:( = This cafe is not very big and has a beautiful, light-colored/white interior.  Parents might be nervous that their little ones will destroy the furniture.  We recommend stopping by here to order pastries to go, but not necessarily hanging out here with kids.

Notes:  Mac Lab makes fresh macarons daily.  Come early to ensure the flavors you want don't run out.  Also, the café is next to Ming's BBQ, which is one of our favorite Chinese restaurants in Atlanta.  

*****

We've already established that all things French are sooooo romantic.  French macarons - delicate, airy little cookies made with egg whites, sugar, and almond flour - are no exception.  We have personally witnessed Mommy's reaction when Daddy surprises her with a box of macarons, and we know they are sure-fire way to put a smile on someone's face (or get someone's forgiveness).  So, for our last stop on our Romance Tour, we decided to try a new café specializing in French macarons.

Mac Lab is owned by a husband-wife team of two professional chefs who are very passionate about their craft.  Their passion is evident in the delicious, authentic macarons and other pastries they produce; the intricate and creative details woven throughout their café; and the excellent level of service they provide.  (Mac Lab's staff will even tell you that it's best to enjoy your macarons at room temperature.)  Macaron-making is a tedious process, and there's an art to it that Mac Lab clearly strives to master. 

Romance Tip #11:  Impress your date with your scientific knowledge.
Smart is the new sexy.

We ordered four macaron flavors when we visited:  green tea, salted caramel, chocolate, and black sesame.  We had no complaints about the macarons whatsoever.  They were the perfect balance of a crispy but not overly fragile shell with a chewy, flavor-filled interior.  And Daddy and Mommy liked the quality of the iced coffee so much that they didn't even have to add sugar to it. 

Romance Tip #12:  Show your date that you're not afraid to try exotic flavors.
Pictured:  Black Sesame macaron

There's no question that we adored the treats that Mac Lab offers.  We probably won't spend much time hanging out here (because Mommy worries about us destroying the place), but we will definitely be back regularly to order a box or two to go.  If your valentine likes sweets, we recommend checking this place out.  A very reliable source told us that Mac Lab is going to offer special macaron flavors in larger sizes for Valentine's Day, including champagne raspberry, passionfruit mango, and black sesame ice cream.  Follow Mac Lab on Instagram (@mac_lab) for more details. 

*****



Well, it looks like it's time for our Romance Tour of Atlanta to come to an end.  In closing, we'd like to leave you with a few more romance tips:

~Atlanta Eats recently posted a listing of where to celebrate Valentine's Day, neighborhood by neighborhood.

~Groupon has a whole section dedicated to Valentine's Day gifts and activities.

~Living Social has some good V-Day options, too.

~There are some interesting things to do in Atlanta on Valentine's Day - check them out!

~Valentine's Day treats can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter their dietary needs.  Check out this selection of gluten-free Valentine's Day treats.

We think romance and love should be celebrated every day, not just on Valentine's Day.  But we do hope all our friends near and far have a memorable February 14th.  Until next time, happy eating (and romancing)!