ATX Kitchen12000: The Place to Be During a Heat Wave -- Ice Cold Sangria and Excellent Savoy Spinach Burrata Salad

I'd been to the former space for ATX Kitchen12000 but this newly renovated space is amazing -- it's open, airy and has decent food and live music. ATX stands for Atwater Crossing and not sure about the 12000. I liked the Sangria Rojo that was just what the doctor ordered for this heat wave. The space had a very community feel, complete with euphoric applause and cries from patrons whenever a train passed right by the restaurant.

My favorite dish was the Savoy Spinach salad, that included the sweetest strawberries, fennel strips, perfectly candied walnuts, the creamiest burrata in a balsamic dressing. I don't usually comment on the flavor of spinach but that spinach was something else, as were the berries and the combination with the creamy cheese. It was definitely a winning combination, especially for the Spring/Summer.

Now for the not-so-good. The hamachi sashimi were sliced way too thick (more like bricks) and without much flavor. Thing is, you're not going to do much to enhance the natural flavor of the fish, then the fish better be darn good quality sashimi, which this was not. It was average quality but not great. I could barely taste the yuzu koshu (paste made from chili peppers, yuzu peel and salt, which is then allowed to ferment) nor did the guacamole it sat on do much for the dish. The pickled radishes added some welcome tanginess but overall bland and too thick. Wouldn't get it again.

The Peach Brulee Caprese sounded so promising but alas, it wasn't a winner. The greens would have been better as arugula (rather than spinach) and the peaches weren't sweet or ripe at all. The cherry tomatoes were ok and the cane de cabra, which tasted like a type of stronger goat cheese, didn't complement the other elements all that well. There was magical explosion of flavors or textures as with the Savoy Spinach salad. 

The biggest dud was the flatbread special, which came with olives (cheap canned, chopped up olives you'd get at Papa John's -- I think they could do better), artichokes, goat cheese and spinach (they use a lot of spinach). The crust wasn't bad but the pie was far too dry and bland. I had to pimp it for breakfast the next day with an oozing fried egg although it still wasn't fully salvaged.

Service was good and the owner/manager dropped by to ask how the food was and in typical njeats fashion, I didn't hold back. She seemed a bit taken aback but then took the feedback graciously. It helped them to give honest feedback, right? Anyway, will definitely return as it seems like the perfect place for a hot, summer evening after a long week's work. Ahhhhhhhhh.