Foundation Social Eatery

    

Happy Thursday pretty friends! Have you ever taken a bite of food and immediately feel yourself get transported to a tropical island? Well that’s what happened when I tried the Coconut Panna Cotta from Foundations Social Eatery. Located in Roswell, this little gem could possibly be the best restaurant north of the city.

Last week Drew and I ventured out to our old stomping grounds to check out the very popular, Foundations Social Eatery. We were greeted by welcoming faces and were seated next to the lovely windows. Our waitress was very knowledgable and gave us a few recommendations. Chef Mel came out to say hello and told us a little about his menu. Eager to get started we told our waitress to send out Chef’s recommendations for our charcuterie board. He chose two cheeses and two meats- sadly I don’t remember the names but they were phenomenal! Take my advice, if you like cheese and meat, let Chef pick!

All the dishes we ate were divine! From the mushroom ravioli to the beef short rib sugo, everything was packed with flavor. But if you only have time to stop in for one dish- order the Coconut Panna Cotta. This is hands down one of the best desserts I have ever tried. It was perfectly sweetened, soft texture and rich of tropical flavors. It is unlike any dessert you will find in Atlanta!

What to Eat

• Mushroom Ravioli: red wine truffle sauce, grana padano, chive
• Crisp Spanish Octopus: fingerling potato, FSE chorizo, lime, cilantro
• Charcuterie Board: take our advice- let Chef pick!
• Beef Short Rib Sugo: Cavatelli, cauliflower, rapini, roasted garlic, black truffle, parmesan
• Meats by Lenz: 8 oz hanger steak, grilled shiitake, ciponlli, barley, turnup puree, herb jus
• Coconut Panna Cotta: Lemongrass basil seeds, kiwi, guava sorbet, orange tuile

About Chef Mel

Chef Mel Toledo, chef and owner of Foundation Social Eatery, brings nearly 15 years of cooking in some of the best kitchens in Atlanta, California, France and elsewhere. Lately of Century House Tavern in Atlanta, the chef also sharpened his teeth in the legendary Atlanta kitchen of Bacchanalia and at the oft-lamented Posh, named Atlanta’s best new restaurant when it opened in 2007, as well as earning a spot in Gayot’s top 10 new U.S. restaurants in that year. By any measure, Toledo’s qualifications are impeccable. But for Toledo, experience trumps pedigree.
That’s how he creates a unique experience at FSE every time: by drawing on his own experiences to build one just for his guests. His formative times begin at California Culinary Academy, where he studied while working in the San Francisco kitchen at Roy’s, a Hawaiian fusion restaurant and a longtime Mission District favorite. Next, he sharpened his knives at Daniel, Chef Daniel Boulud’s renowned French eatery on New York’s Upper East Side. Though Toledo’s time at Daniel was short, a lifelong passion for classical French cuisine awakened in his palate.

After returning to the city he loves, Toledo came in on the ground floor at Posh, the award-winning Atlanta fine dining restaurant that helped introduce a city to seasonal cuisine with a menu that changed daily. Toledo quickly rose from sous chef to executive chef before moving on to Home Restaurant and then 5 Seasons Brewery. But his greatest act comes now.
While helping out in his friend Chef Daniel Porubiansky’s kitchen at Century House Tavern in Woodstock, Chef Mel Toledo and his wife Sandy have been hard at work planning, designing and building Foundation Social Eatery, just down the road in Roswell.

Whether you are looking for somewhere new to take your loved one, or perhaps you are looking for a delicious night cap, Foundations Social Eatery is perfect for everyone.

Xo,