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| Sala by Suzanne Wright Ghosts haunt Sala. Culinary ghosts of chefs past who failed to deliver on early promise, and romantic ghosts of the Brit I dated that lived around the corner and ditched me not long after a tequila tasting. I’m here tonight to exorcise both ghosts. Chef Todd Mussman took over last year after working at The Fifth Group’s South City Kitchen. For a guy who’s movie-star handsome from Massachusetts, he is doing exceeding good work in a Mexican eatery, proving himself a company MVP. Sala means “parlor” in Spanish; trust me, you’ve never seen a Mexican restaurant look like this before: there’s not a piñata or coat of red paint anywhere. The designers took a minimalist approach with the décor using white split-face concrete and corrugated metal with dozens of white paper lanterns hanging from the dark ceiling. Dark wooden tables, a couple of tall green plants and modern art are the only color in the room. Sala has a vaguely retro modern, South Beach Miami feel that either feels stark or soothing depending on your preferences. With so many hard surfaces, the place is loud when crowded; on less packed evenings, its laid back charms emerge. Don’t miss the friendly bar. Sala serves 100% blue agave tequilas. My prickly pear margarita was a cranberry-hued beauty, the puree not too sweet and garnished with a lime wedge. (The lime is a constant; Mussman says if he puts a lime on your plate it’s not for garnish, it’s to be used to release flavors.) On the weekends, “bottomless margarita mini margarita tastings” are held. But don’t say adios to wine. Enthusiastic Buffy Davis, who also worked at South City Kitchen, has increased wines by the glass from 12 to 26. Focusing on wines of Latin America and Spain, she is also bringing half bottles onto the menu. I love two lovely whites, Verdejo and Albarino. There will also be occasional regional wine tastings. Our waiter Jack was breezy and knowledgeable. As we nibbled on complimentary salsa and chips and sipped our libations, we studied the menu, cleverly displayed on a clipboard. The menu is divided into small dishes, soups and salads, classic entrees, specialties and side dishes. Sala bills itself as cooking “authentic regional Mexican cuisine” with made-from-scratch ingredients. While you’ll find some standards here, you’ll have a great deal of fun trying things you’ve never had before, getting an introduction to the rich cuisine of the country. After some wrangling, we order a special appetizer, sopes del dia, tacos, pozole rojo, pollo en mole Xico, pescada Veracruzana and a side of plantanos. Mussman plans to enter aguacate relleno de camarones en amoradas, the special starter, into a contest sponsored by growers of Haas avocados. Translated roughly as “stuffed cold shrimp salad with love,” a dice of shrimp, tossed with a mayo-based salsa featuring Mussman’s kicky jalapenos. The whole is tucked into a hollowed out avocado shell and served with slices of the green fruit. It’s a refreshing winner and we can see why it’s a popular dish throughout Mexico’s coastal towns. Sopes are fresh corn masas filled with the Chef’s daily selection; tonight it’s chorizo and potato and mixed vegetables. With a squeeze of lime, these bit-sized rounds come to life. Mussman recommends we taste the chile-braised pork tacos and Jack concurs; the wait staff is crazy about pig. Three full-size, flour tortilla-clad tacos feature meltingly tender BBQ. Mussman says he first dry rubs the shoulder, then smokes it, adding a wet paste of such ingredients as allspice and clove, marinates it overnight and then cooks the whole thing with caramelized onions for five hours. The resulting meat is flavorful and delicious. Pozole rojo is perfect for a cold winter’s night. A hominy and pork stew in a red chile broth, it’s topped with traditional raw accompaniments like cilantro, cabbage and radishes. Use your corn tortilla to scoop the toppings, along with the liquid, into an edible package. The braised, bone-in pollo (chicken breast) is rich and smoky, the mole featuring Mexican dark chocolate and the pescada is a thick, beautifully cooked, mahi-mahi served in a vinegary-tomato sauce studded with olives, capers and jalapenos. Fried plantains are served with fresh made sour cream. Save room for dessert. The camote is an ideal foil to the tarta de chocolate. Baked sweet potato pudding with candied pecans and orange-rum syrup is outrageously good and the russet color is beguiling. The chocolate tart has an almost port-like flavor (courtesy of roasted banana and coffee sauces) and the grainy texture of the not-too-sweet chocolate is a welcome counterpoint to the smooth camote. It’s a creative end to a consistently inventive meal. Mission accomplished: I’ve managed to exorcise both ghosts. Now I just need to exercise…or take a siesta. Sala is located at 1186 N. Highland Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30306; 404-872-7203. |
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