Besha Rodell Awards Latitude Two Stars

In Creative Loafing, dining editor and restaurant critic Besha Rodell reviews Latitude, the new Phipps Plaza restaurant from chef Micah Willix (formerly at Ecco). She challenges Willix to tap into the creativity he displayed at Ecco, where he "proved himself to be an exacting, daring, and talented chef." Rodell finds some highlights on the succinct menu, more so at lunch than dinner, but overall says:

"I'd like to see more chutzpah from Willix. I think he's capable of more daring, more flavor, more range than pork and chicken and sandwiches. This restaurant is too safe, too timid in its global influence, too geared toward a timid clientele. Perhaps it's too beholden to its location? When considering this chef and this town, Latitude should be better. When considering dining at the mall, it's a nice option."

John Kessler, lead dining critic for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, reviews Cafe Restaurant Dominicano in Norcross, awarding it three stars. What he discovers at the Dominican community favorite is "some of the tastiest Caribbean food in metro Atlanta." At lunch, he samples

"a big mound of moro de guandules—rice and pigeon peas cooked with spices and coconut milk. Then, after much discussion and stirring of vats, I get a trio of meats. What do I like best? The rich oxtails in gravy? The bony nuggets of dark-meat chicken? The pork riblets in a musky red chile sauce? All of it."

Kessler's enthusiasm also extends to his dinner and breakfast at Dominicano, leading him to recommend that readers "consider it a destination for memorable cooking. If you love Caribbean food, go."

THE ELSEWHERE
Wrapping things up at the AJC, Bob Townsend takes a First Look at Firenze Ristorante and Jenny Turknett reviews Buckhead Diner. At Creative Loafing, Brad Kaplan visits Fuoco di Napoli, and Cliff Bostock stops by Gu's Bistro and lunches at Fig Jam Kitchen & Bar.

THE BLOGS
Chow Down Atlanta spots Danny Ting (who last month left Golden House in Duluth) at Coco's Chinese Restaurant. ATL Food Snob discovers soup dumplings at Chef Liu.

Latitude

3500 Peachtree Rd NE Phipps Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30326