Ela - Review - Virginia-Highland - Atlanta - The Infatuation
"This Mediterranean spot in Virginia-Highland is the right choice when you’re with a group who doesn’t respect plate boundaries. Their damn-near-perfect shareable small plates mean everybody wins—even if the entrees come up short. Ela’s dining room is constantly full. Couples settle into booths or patio tables while small groups pass around those excellent small plates, like crisp falafel balls with moist centers and handmade spinach and feta pastries with an impossibly flaky crust. Sauces move from mere sideshows to the main event with a flight of five delicious sauces. Including a housemade hot sauce, green chermoula, and a smoky harissa, these dips are a must-order if you opt for any of the skewered meat entrees, especially the extremely bland and too-chewy lamb and the under-seasoned chicken. photo credit: Frankie Cole There’s no shortage of restaurants in Va-Hi, but Ela stays packed (make a reservation, even if it’s a Tuesday). That’s partly because it checks the box for a moody space that feels vibey even if it’s not doing anything particularly special. And partly because the small plates are just that good. Just make sure to invite the friends who like to share—particularly the ones who won't shame you for double dipping in the chermoula. Food Rundown Get Sauced This small plates accoutrement has five different sauces and if they were each bottled for purchase, we’d buy them all. The green chermoula is our favorite because of the fresh herbs. Steve's Greek Fries We don’t know Steve, but we like his cheese- and herb-sprinkled french fries. Get these with the sauces and you'll probably grown fond of Steve, too. Hummus Trio Dunk tiny triangles of soft pita into three different bowls of hummus. The standard chickpea is fresh and reliable. But the tamarind eggplant option steals the show with a nutty taste that’s a little more interesting. photo credit: Frankie Cole Cauliflower Falafel Order this, especially if you’re a falafel fan. Its crispy exterior gives way to a moist interior (likely thanks to the addition of cauliflower). These pair well with the yogurt-based sauce it sits on top of. Grilled Artichoke This is tough. Literally. If we hadn’t spit it out, we’d likely still be chewing it right now. But the lemon aioli it’s served with is actually stunning, proving their sauce game is elite. Yaya’s Hot Pockets They have one with lamb, but the move here is to stick with the spinach-feta vegetarian option. These aren’t the hot pockets you stick in the toaster oven at midnight. They’re large triangles with the filling bursting out of the seams and a flaky crust that we’ve never been able to perfect in our own homes." - Juli Horsford
