Atlanta, GA: Fuego Mundo Wood-Fire Grill
Thanks to Twitter, I learned about a cool happening, a first of this kind for me. Fuego Mundo Wood-Fire Grill , a new restaurant that opened June 5th at the Prado in Sandy Springs, Georgia, invited customers to come to the restaurant for a food tasting. It gave the restaurant an opportunity to run through their rituals & routines, the menu, etc. to see what worked and troubleshoot what needs to be tweaked. And, for the customers? We were able to try food…for free!
Never having been in the Prado, I was intrigued by its quiet seclusion even though the location is right off a major highway. A friend of mine and I, not knowing what to expect, entered Fuego Mundo Wood-Fire Grill from the back parking deck. We were graciously greeted by Todd, ushered to the initial seating area, and happily enjoyed the entire evening. The first business in Georgia to get a loan from the SB administration as part of the Recovery Act, Marsha Hershkovitz (owner) has already proved the money went to good use. The interior is lovely, open, and easy to navigate, the staff confident and friendly, and the food? In a word? Exceptional!
We were able to choose one entree (fifteen to choose from) or any number of tapas. Tania chose the Fuego Filet with Plantains, Rice, and Beans, while I went with three tapa, the Beef Empanadas, Yucca Fries, and Quinoa Salad. Like many restaurant, we were given a table marker for servers to know where to bring the food. Our marker was Nicaragua. From what we could tell from the tables around us, each card represented a South American country and offered detailed information about the respective country. An educator by day, this naturally made me happy, as the information presented a wonder learning opportunity. Plus, it was entertaining when the servers were trying to locate customers (since we all moved from our original areas) and heard, “Uruguay? Is Uruguay out here?”
Once our food arrived, Tania and I ooh’d and ahh’d after every bite. Her Fuego Filet was so tender it melted in our mouths. The Yucca fries were perfectly fried, without being greasy, and the garlic sauce it came with that was to die for. Tania also enjoyed the sauce on the meat, which was the trade off for her dislike of the quinoa. She did not enjoy its texture or the flavor. On the contrary, loving quinoa and making it often for myself, I adored the salad with arugula, roasted red peppers, tahini dressing, and pine nuts. Lastly? The empanadas. Oh the empanadas. Baked, not fried, they were possibly the best empanadas I have had while here in Atlanta. I preferred them with out the oniony vinegary salsa-sauce with which they were paired.
Overall? The Fuego Mundo portions were plentiful. Each food item was paired well. The seasonings apparent, but not over powering. And the prices, while not relevant for us that evening, were extremely reasonable.
If your in the area, Fuego Mundo is really worth trying. I think that once you get over there, you’ll be hooked. I know I was. But, in case your not convinced, check out the story WSB did on the restaurant, or other blogger posts about the opening: Fuego Mundo (fabulous phorography) or A Quick Review: Fuego Mundo.
Fuego Mundo @ The PRADO
5590 Roswell Road, Suite 120
Sandy Springs, GA 30342
404-256-4330
