Good Eats: Cakes & Ale: Still Decatur's Finest

Paid another visit to Cakes and Ale last weekend. Hard to believe it had been four months, but time does fly. Once again, Cakes & Ale demonstrated their understated brilliance and I left as happy as ever. Half a dozen visits and I can find nary a miss in any bit of food they've served me in that time.

What Cakes and Ale does so well is that they pack wonderfully seasonal and fresh flavors and textures into all their dishes. This visit, a simple house-confit of tuna with farm egg and veggies salad just sang. 
Crispy beans and red potatoes tossed in a house pesto with a perfectly cooked farm egg with moist-fatty tuna was just delicious.
The menu featured a half dozen main plates that showed a leaning toward the coming fall season. When chef Billy came out later in the night we joked about being ready for fall weather and food; hence his menu starting to lean in that direction.


The quail dish was simply one of the more satisfying dishes I've had lately. Well-seasoned and succulent quail over silky and decadent polenta topped with eggplant, onion, fresh figs, and a drizzle of aged balsimico. I freaking loved this dish and my mouth is watering now as I write about it.

My wife opted for the gnocchi with braised lamb, green tomatoes and pecorino fresco. It, too, was rather sublime and a wonderful nod to the coming fall season. Again, you may not need me to tell you, but Cakes & Ale is the real deal and a treasure in the still-developing Decatur dining scene.