Sustainable, Sophisticated, ‘Posh,’ Israeli Style!

Simona Edery created a unique niche in Fountain Oaks shopping center adjacent to Kroger. Lease renewal negotiations made it practical to seek new space where Café Posh has now landed in the charcoal gray Hanover apartment building at the junction of Roswell and Peachtree roads. Lot of advantages here. In addition to the new multifamily residences (across the street, The Charles should open soon), Café Posh is positioned next to the Buckhead Theatre (the former Roxy) and overlooks the Loudermilk “clock” park. Opened in mid-September, everything came to a halt over several months during construction delays.

Chef Ryan Catherall has combined talents with Simona Edery to provide an extensive farm-to-table menu.

Edery has hired energetic young chef Ryan Catherall, son of master chef Tom Catherall, of Coast, Twist and Shout fame. The resemblance is there, and Ryan has spent the last few months soaking in Edery’s perfectionism and fine tuning.

The cuisine is top of the chain Israeli fusion healthy/gourmet, and sustainable, with salads galore and very extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner choices.

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Edery said, “Most importantly, our food is clean, fresh, true farm-to-table.” In the past location, Edery’s late husband /partner was a French-speaking Moroccan Israeli. She recalls, “I learned a lot about North African Jewish food from him. The Posh menu is my creation; however, he was my most trusted critic. I knew if he said it was good, it was excellent. At times, we made the same food. That’s how I discovered that no matter where Jewish people come from, we are very much alike.”

The restaurant is street level with 40 seats inside and 20 on the patio. It could be in Tel Aviv or Paris, a typical bistro, watching the pedestrians and cars float and zoom by. Everything is made from scratch in house (“except the butter,” she jokes). The baker comes in at 5 a.m. to whip up the bagels, laffa and wraps. Even the almond milk and jam are made on site. They boast coffee beans that are hand-picked by J. Martinez and use the finest King Arthur and double zerio (00) flour.

“Our baker bakes with his soul. We have the best laffa in town. We have 18 employees making the best quarts of soup, labna. … A popular breakfast item is glutenfree pancakes made with coconut flour, no starches, bananas, vanilla beans.”

The farm-to-table concept involves ordering food daily in small quantities. Catherall said, “I have never seen a cooler as small as Simona’s, which means the prep is done each day and all day and not stored or frozen. Daily, she scrutinizes what’s going on in the market.”

Edery talks of continuing her childhood habit, growing up in a kosher home and soaking all vegetables in cold water and vinegar, now carried on in Posh.

What we went crazy over:

Meze: from scratch hummus (not too sweet or salty); matbucha “heat” with roasted tomatoes and red peppers; and baba ghanoush, chargrilled eggplant.

Gulf snapper inspired with tamarind, Thai chili, jasmine rice, snow peas. The flesh was a succulent rose-colored pink. We ate everything but the orchid.

Charred Brussels sprouts salad with matchstick apple slices on a swirl of goat cheese. All the flavors worked, with the apple providing the “crisp and calm.”

Bronzino: two nice sized portions marinated with skin on, served under preserved lemon slices and over polenta.

Those familiar with authentic Israeli food laud Café Posh for its delish and warm shakshuka with house baked laffa.

Although I am not a shakshuka fan (of anyone’s), Posh’s reputation follows as one of the best in town.

Edery concludes, “Our food is alive. It is a transfer of energy. In a way, it’s simple and sophisticated, and you leave here without a food ‘hangover.’ We go light on the salt, sugar and cream, as one can always add it, … and soon I am going to take Ryan on a culinary tour of Israel to get the tastes firsthand.”

Café Posh has a full bar, all three meals, brunch and catering. It is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. “To Go” is done only at lunch. “Once new customers try us, some come twice per day, every day, or once per week; and they all come back with friends. I can also pick out the Israeli diners because they never look at the menu. … I look forward to engaging the new Buckhead community as well as our older customer base.”

One-hour parking is complimentary during the day (until 5 p.m.), $3 valet at night. “To Go” spots are available.

Café Posh is located at 3150 Roswell Road, 404-303-7303.