Taste – Fall 2024
CLASSIC CITY ITALIAN
By Griffin Nelson | Photos by Andrew Thomas Lee
Italy is a diverse country, with food influenced in the North by cold winters in the mountains and proximity to Switzerland and Austria, surrounded on almost every side by the sea, and the fertile hills of the central boot. Chef Mark Bolchoz has traversed the country from top to bottom, furthering his education on the Italian culinary experience, influencing his approach to menu creation at restaurants in the past and now, specifically at Osteria Olio as part of The Indigo Road hospitality group.
Located inside the newly remodeled Rivet House hotel, the restaurant took classic dishes, an understanding of Italian-American tradition, a high-end approach to cuisine and has built a menu of modern Italian dishes for the discerning palate. As Chef Bolchoz explains, “I went back and thought, what if we had the familiarity of the dishes that you recognize from childhood or TV or Italian pop culture references, but it was served on a special and unique level.”
That “special and unique level” is evident in dishes like the Ravioli All’Aragosta (Lobster Ravioli). The nostalgic dish starts with fresh sheets of pasta made at the start of the day. Once the lobster is prepared, large pieces of the meat are combined with a bit of ricotta and lemon zest to brighten up the flavor before being added inside the perfect pasta pillows. A seafood broth is made with the remaining lobster shells, creating a savory base for the sauce which, when combined with the ravioli, is then topped with a charred tomato butter and a drizzle of bay leaf oil.
The only thing that could possibly improve on a dish like this is the ideal wine pairing. Vonda Freeman, Wine and Beverage Director for Indigo Road Hospitality, has helped curate a wine list that is almost exclusively Italian to complement the wide variety of dishes. “I would suggest Bucci Verdicchio die Castello di Jedi from Marche,” says Freeman. “Verdicchio is a grape higher in acidity which makes it a great compliment for richer dishes, especially seafood. It has citrus and floral notes that will compliment the exotic aromas and texture of lobster. This wine also offers a hint of marzipan-like sweetness that brings out the salty sweetness of our lobster ravioli.”
Despite the Italian menu, the staff has made a concerted effort to work with as many other restauranteurs and farmers in the area as possible. “I spent a month prior to opening, just conceptualizing, meeting people, going to farmers markets,” says Bolchoz. “That local element is a big piece for us. It’s completely intentional; it’s not a buzzword. Diamond Hill Farm and Woodland Gardens are two of our bigger providers. We’re buying pork from Riverview Farm and Bold Springs Apiary is where we get our honey. Even seafood we try to source as much as possible from the gulf and Southeast.”
Even the choice to renovate a historic building over building something new, which can often be the more expensive decision, shows the owner’s dedication to creating something with the community and for the community, inspired by the beautiful country of Italy. With Character Built Construction, each detail has been thoughtfully chosen, integrating the hotel and restaurant for a seamless design. “We have a coffee bar and cafe that operates in the morning for the hotel,” says Bolchoz. “So even the pastries in there are pretty indicative of what you would find in Italy or Europe.”
Indigo Road Hospitality Group has built a space that is sure to quickly become an Athens favorite. Visit OpenTable for reservations and enjoy a taste of Italy in the heart of Athens.
AN ODE TO NIGHTHAWKS
Photos courtesy of Nighthawks
If you’ve ever seen the painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper, you have a visual for the early, mid-century vibe of the same-named cocktail lounge owned by Krista and Jerry Slater. “We usually build a concept around a feeling or a story,” says Jerry. Pulling on Krista’s background studying art history, Jerry’s years of living in Chicago (where the painting hangs today) and the couple’s love of the romanticized America of the 1920-50s, the successful restauranteurs already had a solid concept before even starting on the drink menu.
“I’ve loved Edward Hopper’s work for a long time and I think one of the things he captured was the beauty in loneliness. Not sad and lonely. Being alone doesn’t have to be a terrible thing. We’re experiencing something together, apart.” Krista’s eloquent description of the late-night scene lends understanding to the objectives of Nighthawks Lounge.
A college town with roots in music and the arts, locals who worked for that title rather than gaining it by birth, Athens has the unique feeling of being a small town while still providing the variety of a large city. That makes for an appealing location but can often be isolating as well. “You move to a new town and you try to get your bearings,” says Krista. “So, you find your bar and your bartender and the regulars help you find new places to go. We loved the energy of that, a place to be alone and not alone.”
Certainly, there are plenty of bars and places to socialize in and around the city of Athens, but there are few sophisticated cocktail spots dedicated to more established individuals living and working in the area. “As a cocktail bar we are very hospitality forward,” explains Krista. “Not a lot of cocktail bars do table service. [At Nighthawks] you don’t have to order at the bar or even pick up your drinks at the bar. [That aspect of hospitality adds] another layer to enjoying yourself. Don’t worry. You can just relax and we’ll take it from here.”
The cocktails live up to the expectations of the atmosphere, with twists on classics with heaps of personality. Sodini’s Cocktail is named for one of Krista’s favorite dives in California, “a martini for gimlet lovers”. Some recipes are named for phrases overheard from behind the bar such as You Boys & Your Facts, a tequila-based and lightly floral concoction served up in a coupe with a Luxardo cherry. Instead of just having an Old Fashioned on the menu, their version of the recipe is with your “spirit of choice, sugar, bitters and appropriate citrus,” appropriately named A Cocktail the Old Fashioned Way. “It’s a verb, not a noun,” says Jerry. “It’s very approachable for people who are intimidated by a long ingredients list and then they’re impressed with how complex it can be for such a simple drink.” Order the house Old Fashioned to have it made with a balanced blend of cognac and rye whiskey.
With a cozy vibe and great drinks, the only thing that remains is a convenient location. “What makes Nighthawks so great is that it’s kind of tucked away on Tracy Street. People don’t think about where it is in the context of everything else. It’s less than a mile from so many other things,” says Krista. Perfect for a pre-dinner apertivo or a post-dinner nightcap, Nighthawks Lounge is open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Tuesday through Saturday, with happy hour from 4–6 p.m. every day.