Monday, November 26, 2007
Restaurants Shoot me if I order this again
Posted by Cliff Bostock @cliffbostock on Mon, Nov 26, 2007 at 5:51 PM
We went to see I'm Not There, the Bob Dylan (sort-of) biopic by Todd Haynes Saturday night, and we ducked into Apres Diem afterward for a light dinner. This in itself was an accomplishment. On Thanksgiving, we went to see No Country for Old Men, with the plan of hitting a Chinese restaurant on Buford Highway afterward to honor the Pilgrims. The violence of the film so nauseated me, I couldn't think about eating. The Coen Brothers ruined my Thanksgiving!
I still enjoy Apres Diem, but I'm tired of suckering myself into ordering the Salade Nicoise (above). I know the restaurant thinks it's doing us all a favor by using a chunk of tuna instead of the canned stuff. Despite the server's insistence that the tuna is ahi-grade, I once again found the stuff repulsively stringy and tasteless. Could it have been ... frozen?
I've complained about this about 50 times, and I'm obviously in a minority. But I'll take the salad made with high-quality canned tuna any day, as it's always been made at Anis, for one example.
I love everything else about Apres Diem, from the ambiance and the hottest servers in the city to the pastas and entree specials. But as God is my witness, I'll never eat the Salade Nicoise again.
Comments (10)
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You're not alone on this. The first time I had a classic nicoise was a few years ago at Eclipse di Sol - but they took it off their menu only a few months after they opened. It was really great. Nice to know Anis is a place where I can get one. Let me know if you find any other restaurant that makes it in the classic style and not with a squishy/chewy, tepid chunk of seared tuna. Blech.
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How funny. I was actually here a couple of weeks ago after seeing a movie next door. I ordered the roast chicken with veggies and it was surprisingly good! The veggies needed a bit of salt, but I was pleased with my meal. The portion could have been a bit bigger, but it was a solid roast chicken dish.
Cliff, you are not alone! I always go for the Nicoise at Apres Diem...and always kick myself after. The last time I ordered it, it was so bad that I haven't gone back. The fish probably *is* frozen and I, too, would take canned any day over the tuna they serve.
Apres Diem makes me insane. I haven't been back in at least a year due to an experience that provided me with both the worst version of a Salade Nicoise I've ever had...and the worst service I've ever had (or had had up until that point). Even if I go to a movie there, I refuse to eat there. Although they use a piece of seared tuna instead of canned tuna, The Globe does a nice version of the Nicoise. The tuna has always seemed to be fresh and...well...I'm a fan of seared tuna no matter how you serve it. Jaqbo Bakery & Cafe makes their version with canned tuna...and its quite bountiful and decent. I've only eaten it to go...so it might be worth trying it. They do a nice olive-oil and lemon dressing with plenty of tuna and olives...
Thanks for the tip, Tami. I'll swing by Jaqbo some time and try their nicoise. I"ve had a love/hate relationship with Apres Diem, Carpe Diem and Carroll St - all owned, I believe, by the same group. I've had some great experiences at all three and have enjoyed some very good food. The atmosphere can be really cool and comfortable. But sometimes the service is awful, and Carroll St in particular has gone down hill the past year. I'll keep giving them a try, though, in hopes of a repeat of good times remembered. I love the menu at all three (apart from the seared-tuna nicoise, of course),
You are right, Tami. The Globe's version, though made with fresh tuna, is primo.
Cliffy, you shoulda just got Popeye's. I miss your rantings about Pops. I heard they don't have mac n cheez or green beanz there anymore.
got news for you... any tuna you eat in atlanta is previously frozen, but you probably knew that already
Hanna Nanna: The last few times I've gone to Popeye's, which has been several months, the service was great.
toby's right. unless you want to pay 20+dollars for your nicoise salad, you're going to have to eat "refreshed" tuna. but who would waste fresh tuna on a nicoise salad anyway? the utility frozen stuff can be just fine - unless it's from china, of course.
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