Corby Kummer Gives Craft Izakaya Two Stars

Atlanta Magazine's Corby Kummer reviews Craft Izakaya, awarding the Krog Street Market Japanese restaurant a "very good" rating of two stars. Kummer says chef Jey Oh Craft strikes a great balance with many of his dishes:

In the spicy tuna dish, a scoop of chopped raw tuna hides under prettily pressed slices of avocado. But that tartare is a modest delight, sharply awakened by Sriracha and sesame oil and served with a spicy mayo. It's an extension of the wasabi ae-enhancing but not obliterating the fish, in this case adding the oily softness of avocado and the popping crunch of tobiko (flying fish roe).

Over at Creative Loafing, Angela Hansberger takes a first look at Katana Teppanyaki & Sushi. Hansberger likes the combination of raw and grilled at the Buckhead restaurant:

Katana is two restaurants in one set in a Zen-like environment where the ingredients on the plate are the focus and skillful saucery becomes the star. Sushi is more basic than hot spots like Umi, Tomo, and Craft but it's nevertheless fresh and well cut. The experience on the action side is more sophisticated than Japanese steakhouses in Atlanta like Benihana or even sister restaurant Ichiban. It's a great stop before or after hitting the mall for a quick sushi fix or a dinner theater experience of cookery on a teppan griddle.

THE ELSEWHERE AND THE BLOGS: Atlanta Restaurant Blog finds plenty to like at 13 Pies. Friday Date Night is making plans to return to Hoof & Ale in Marietta at least once a month. Bella Vivere loves the food and decor at Ria's Bluebird, but isn't a fan of the service. ATL Food Snob is ready to become a regular at Fred's Meat & Bread. The Food Abides says The Cockentrice isn't inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. Burgers, Barbecue and Everything Else enjoys the food at Kimball House, but would rather not deal with the restaurant's crowded bar.