no. 246: Ford Fry does it again

Named for the original plot number the building sits on, no.246 is a simple, casual approach to great Italian in the deep south.  My first visit was in January to do some reconnaissance for the ICCA Spring Culinary Immersion.  The pastas are made fresh daily and the Chef's love to create unique shapes pairing them with rich sauces that are hearty for their winter menu. 

Started with a feature for the day, a squid salad and then moved on to a few main courses which were the highlight.  The Agnolotti tossed with autumn squash, mascarpone, brown butter, crispy sage, and pumpkin seeds was a perfect balance of rich and savory.  The Lumache with roasted broccoli, almonds, olives, roasted peppers, and toasted garlic was lighter and flavorful.  The Prosciutto pizza is very reminiscent of others on menus right now but the addition of pistachio gave it a unique edge.  And to add some Georgia flair to the Italian meal we tried the black eyed peas with basil.  Like all of Fry's restaurants, the wine list had some wonderful, reasonably priced options; we opted for two Italian must-have's, Barolo and a Barbera.  What better way to round out the meal than with a piece of classic Tiramisu and Anise Donuts.

The ICCA Spring Culinary Immersion group visited here for a family style lunch that was absolutely delicious in March.  After platters of fried calamari with peppers and aioli, we enjoyed an arugula Caesar with anchovies and fresh shaved Parmesan.  The pasta was the climax of the event.  Fresh pasta tossed in a light butter sauce with sausage and roasted garlic that was unbelievably simple in ingredients but bold in flavor, we were all very impressed and new fans of no. 246.