Gypsy Kitchen Adds New Items to Spice Trade-Influenced Menu

EXECUTIVE CHEF MATTHEW RIDGWAY'S IMAGINATION SPARKS NEW MENU ADDITIONS TO SPICE TRADE-INFLUENCED SPANISH CUISINE AT GYPSY KITCHEN
The Shops Buckhead Atlanta Restaurant to Offer Flavorful New Dishes and Culinary Adventures

ATLANTA (Nov. 5, 2015) – Tradition doesn’t have to be static. At least, that’s Matthew Ridgway’s philosophy. The executive chef of Gypsy Kitchen is putting his philosophy into practice with the introduction of new menu items at the Buckhead restaurant known for offering diners a rich taste of Spain’s diverse culinary repertoire.

“When I came on board in late spring, my first priority was to establish a strong team foundation. All the while, we were experimenting with new recipe ideas," says Ridgway. "While the recipes are new, my focus is the same as it has been at every kitchen I've led - to create clean, simple dishes that are interesting without being too far-fetched. Our chickpea pancakes, for example, combine little more than chickpea flour, eggs and oil, but they are delicious.”

Ridgway is eager to see the look on diners’ faces when they bite into his lamb tartare with radish and walnut raita. “I’ve been making some version of lamb tartare for 20 years with different flavor pairings," he notes. "This slightly sweet rendition is simply prepared and has a much smoother flavor than beef tartare. The quality of the lamb and olive oil are critical to making this dish work.”

New items on the Gypsy Kitchen menu include the following:

Pinchos Calientes y Frios…..Hot and Cold Snacks

·         Marinated octopus salad

·         Littleneck clams pipérade

·         Foie gras escabèche

·         Uni-stuffed eggs with colatura

Tapas.…..the Gypsy Kitchen Way

·         Hot mussels with red lentils, chorizo, torn basil and coconut milk

·         Roasted cauliflower and quinoa salad

·         Pennsylvania duck al pastor with crushed white beans and tamarind ketjap manis

·         Tuna tartare stuffed piquillo peppers

Raciónes….Entrées

·         Georges Bank cod with green onion pil-pil, glazed eggplant and black garlic migas

·         Braised Berkwood Farms pork jowl with romesco and roasted heirloom apples

·         Grilled yellowfin tuna fideo with toasted vermicelli short noodles and lemon confit

In addition to the new menu items, Ridgway will be featuring a few out-of-the-ordinary culinary adventures to be known as the "Gypsy Kitchen Experiences."  The three-course meals, which must be ordered one week in advance, are served family-style for six to eight diners and will be available early 2016.  Guests will choose from lobster and seafood paella, whole suckling pig or a Moroccan lamb shoulder tagine as their entrée, and the other two courses will consist of seasonal appetizers and salads.

"One of the things I love about the South is the diversity of produce grown here and the longer growing season," Ridgway enthuses. "With pumpkin season upon us, I know we’ll be serving a Spanish-style roasted pumpkin salad. As soon as I hear Gold Rush apples are available, which have a rich, musty flavor unlike any other variety, you can bet they’ll be making their menu debut.”

To learn more about Gypsy Kitchen, visit the restaurant’s website, Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram. Gypsy Kitchen is open for dinner daily and is located at 3035 Peachtree Road NE in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta development. Reservations can be made online or by calling 404-939-9840. Valet parking is available.

About Southern Proper Hospitality

Southern Proper Hospitality is an entrepreneurial organization that values innovation, creativity and attention to detail. The mission of the team of industry leading professionals is to help shape the cultural fabric of Atlanta. Southern Proper provides a “short term escape” for diners by creating unique and distinct dining experiences that appeal to customers’ sense of adventure. Each restaurant offers a high energy, fun and entertaining atmosphere coupled with genuinely hospitable service and exceptional, high quality food.

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