Eggplant paremesan never made sense to me when I could have chicken. (Not veal, though.)

But my fairly recent interest in plant-based eating has drawn me to alternatives, so now seems a good time to feature eggplant parm in Friday Food Fight. I’m on a road trip visiting relatives, so this week is another edition of Tampa Bay vs. The World. Our contestants are: No. 246 restaurant in Decatur, a close suburb of Atlanta, and Gusto Italian Restaurant in St. Pete.

GUSTO ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Gusto (Goo-stow) is located in an atttractive brick building on a nondescript stretch of 16th Street North, so it’s tempting to call it a hidden gem. But it sure didn’t fit that description at 7 p.m. on a recent Friday night. The joint was hummin’, filled up mostly with groups of young, tall people. (Aren’t they supposed to be downtown?)

Our server, an affable young man named Roberto, told us that the rush was unexpected, therefore the restaurant was somewhat understaffed. But the vibe was good, even if it the brick interior walls made for a considerable din. We ordered Melanzane Alla Parmigiana ($21.99), plus an appetizer of Polpette (meatballs, $10) and a Small Caesar Salad ($7). I got a Stella Artois to drink ($6).

The starters came out fairly quickly, but the entree took close to an hour to arrive. As busy as he was, Roberto stopped by a few times to give up updates. “I think yours is up next,” he’d say. It was a caring gesture, even though he was wrong a couple of times.

Appearance

You could tell this entree was the product of a hectic kitchen that was focused more on pushing out orders than how attractive they looked. This eggplant parmesan with a side of penne pasta was pretty disheveled. And I didn’t mind a bit. I was just glad it was there in front of me. The two large pieces of eggplant were smothered in mozzarella, and a bulb of ricotta sat in the middle. Plus there were flakes of parmesan strewn about. So no shortage of cheese.

The hefty meatballs were virtually floating atop a pool of red sauce, and covered in parmesan. The Caesar lived up to its description: small.

Taste and Texture

It was worth the wait.

The eggplant itself was the ideal thickness — not so thin as to be crispy, not thick enough to be mushy. The discs were delicately battered, giving the exterior a subtle crisp. The sauce was mild and sweet(ish).

Slatherings of mozzarella can turn gummy when they cool; this version didn’t. The pasta, aptly al dente, was an able sidekick. All the elements blended together splendidly.

The meatballs had an earthy, rustic texture, grainy while remaining moist. I found the Caesar dressing too sharp for my liking so took a bite or two of the salad and left the rest for Bonnie.

NO. 246

Located on the quaint main drag of Decatur, the restaurant is named after its original plot of land, which was numbered 246 in the early 1900s.

Business was brisk for a Monday at 7:30. The capacious interior was elegantly appointed with a retro feel. It was dark — dark to the point that taking photos required a lighting person, Bonnie, who stood up and pointed her cell phone flashlight downward onto the plates.

Our party of seven sat at a long wooden table near the bar. The staff was friendly and helpful. Howell, the bartender, regularly left his post to check on us and offer wine advice. The kitchen was efficient, delivering our meals in a timely and orderly fashion.

The Eggplant Parmesan was reasonably priced at $19, but we had to add $7 for pasta. I wanted penne but our server told us that only spaghetti was available. That made no sense, seeing as No. 246 had all manner of pastas on the menu. But I left it alone.

We also ordered a Meatball ($9) as an appetizer, and a Caesar Salad ($14).

Appearance

The entree was tastefully presented, especially when compared to Gusto’s scattershot appearance. It was, however, missing that lovely bulb of ricotta. The meatball came covered in a big basil leaf, which we moved away for its closeup.

Texture and Taste

It’s never a good sign when you’re eating eggplant parmesan and feel the need to ask for a steak knife (which I didn’t). The problem was the rind, which was tough enough to patch a tire with. Forget cutting it with a fork; even using a butter knife required sawing.

This caused a domino effect. The sawing mushed up the innards. The skin made the bites difficult to chew, which made it difficult to appreciate the blend of flavors, which made me frustrated, which made me want to tap out. I took only a few bites. I do recall a dearth of breading.

Had I to do it over, I might’ve cut around the rind, or cut the rind away — in the dark. But doesn’t that seem like a lot of work to eat eggplant parmesan?

As for the meatball, it had a gentler texture than the competition’s, which was to my liking. The enormous salad spilled over the plate, but I found it under-dressed and rather bland.

And The Winner of the TB vs. ATL Eggplant Parmesan Duel Is …

Gusto Italian Restaurant.

No contest between the two eggplant parmesans. But the wait time at Gusto went beyond what is reasonable. That said, I admired how the restaurant managed to deliver a quality product under pressure. And I appreciated how Roberto was genuinely concerned and tried to keep us updated.

As for No. 246, perhaps the kitchen staff pulled out a particuarly ornery piece of eggplant, because it’s hard to fathom that such a tough rind would be part of the recipe. But the Decatur restaurant gets high marks for service and ambience. It also started us out with several baskets of earthy bread and bowls of spicy marinara.

Finally, I must mention No. 246’s EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) Pudding Cake ($10), served warm with vanilla gelato, which we got for the table. It was divine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our tablemates were well pleased with their meals.

 

cow’s milk mozzarella

EGGPLANT PARMESAN, san marzano, tomato sauce

 

And the Winner Of

good service despite the wait time.