Cibo E Beve, Italian for “Eat and Drink” is a new Italian eatery from the owners of 101 Concepts (Food 101 and Meehan’s). Located in Sandy Springs in the Fountain Oaks shopping center, Cibo E Beve (pronounced chee-boh bevay) is just a couple doors down from Food 101. This modern Italian restaurant is run by Chef Linda Harrell, who has twenty years culinary experience and was Chef de cuisine at Buckhead’s Anitca Posta. I was invited to the media preview last week. Don’t have time to read the post? Watch the Cibo E Beve video instead.
The wine and cocktail menu is extensive with a bevy of Italian wines and specialty cocktails like the Yellow Fever (pictured at the top of this post), which includes one of my favorite ingredients, St. Germain, and the Chatham County Line with Peach infused whiskey, maple syrup and a Georgia peach. Servers are very adept and helping you make a wine selection if you aren’t sure what to order. Just give them idea of what you like, and they’ll come back with a couple choice selections which are sure to please.
The menu is divided into Small plates, Pies, Pastas and Main plates. We started things off with the Hamachi Crudo, a lovely piece of Yellowtail, which was followed up by a Cibo Meatball and one of Chef’s signature dishes, the Arancini Siciliani, safrron risotto fritters filled with buffalo mozzarella and parmesan, the flavor was absolutely titillating. This is a must order if you visit Cibo E Beve. I’d love to spend some more time exploring the small plates menu, especially items like the Octopus or Lamb belly with Polenta.
Next up were the pies: Margherita and Quattro Formaggi. The Margherita was light and delicious, the San Marzano tomatoes, make all the difference, in my opinion. The Quattro Formaggi, or four cheese, was equally delightful, and I loved the addition of the fire roasted Mortadella, which the additional meat was kind of a surprise, but a good one. I’m anxious to try the Soppresate pizza on a return visit.
There are eight different pastas on the menu, half of which are vegetarian, as well as some of the small bites and pizzas being vegetarian, so there is no problem accommodating herbivores as well as carnivores. We sampled two of the meat-centric pastas during the media preview: Bucatini with bacon and pancetta, and Orecchiette with turnip greens, sausage and asaigo. My favorite was latter, with the turnip greens making for an unexpected but good combination with the sausage. However, I’d love to try the house special – Rigatoni with gorgonzola dolce and pistachio cream.
Mains include Veal, Scallops, Halibut, Salmon, Lamb Shank Osso Buco and the obligatory chicken. I was torn between our two dining options: Scallops or Lamb Osso Buco. However, since it was quite warm out, I decided to keep things light with the scallops. The three scallops were wonderfully prepared and served on shallot risotto with white chocolate veloute, although I tasted some sort of Asian influence in the sauce that I can’t quite put my finger on. One my dining companions shared a taste of the lamb shank with me and it was heavenly, just about melting in my mouth.
Cibo E Beve is an excellent choice for meeting up with a friend for drinks and to share a couple small plates or pizza. If you want to have an Italian feast, Cibo E Beve has got you covered there too with authentic pizzas, pastas and main dishes. This new Italian eatery is definitely worth putting on your must visit list. Dining room seating is only 70 people max, so reservations are a must for weekends.
Brunching at Cibe e Beve in Sandy Spring
It is always a treat to uncover a new Brunch spot! Especially when the word hasn’t spread and you have the place to yourself.
To start, we were treated to a choice of beverages: Bloody Mary, Brunch Punch (prosecco with red tea infused vermouth) or the Chatham County Line. This special drink, only available on the weekends is made with pecan infused whiskey, savannah sour wood honey, st. germaine, peach slice, smoked ice. While the Chatham was a tantalizing concoction, and I was glad we had the option of trying it, I think it is a bit strong to kick off your day. The Brunch Punch seemed to be the unanimous favorite.
I have previously enjoyed late night pizza with Mixologist, Justin Hadaway and this was my first dining room visit to experience the creations of Chef, Linda Harrell. Here is the Misfit “family-style” Sunday Brunch menu enjoyed by the foodies:
- It’s The JAM! homemade breakfast bread, homemade jams
- The Hipster – sweet and savory french toast stuffed with prosciutto & taleggio, rosemary-mustard maple syrup
- Red Flannel Hash – eight hour braised brisket, beets, potatoes & nueske’s bacon topped with poached farm eggs and horseradish aioli
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes – fresh berries, savannah bee co. honey butter
- Eggs Any Style – two farm eggs any style, nueske’s bacon, hash browns, southern brioche toast
- Polenta (Italian Grits Y’all)
Our server, courteous, personable funny and attentive. The standout dish was clearly the red flannel hash. Whenever I have had Hash in the past, it has been consistently the same salty, smashed concoction of what appears to be the leftover meat and potatoes from the weekend. This was a clear departure with tasty braised brisket complimented by beets and a perfectly prepared poached eggs.
The only complaint from the Misfits is that there was no place to nap afterward. Seriously, we are headed into a food coma shortly after the meal was over. The meal was everything it should be: hot, well prepared, kind and attentive service, beverages filled, a large table of separate checks delivered swiftly.
Quant’è buono and E’ ottimo goes out the owners, management and staff of 101 Concepts for a well executed meal.
Cibo e Beve
4969 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA 30342
Phone: 404.250.8988
info@ciboatlanta.com
4969 Roswell Road, Suite 245
Sandy Springs, GA 30345
404 250 8988
Cibo E Beve Website
