NEIGHBORHOOD NOSH
Sidney's Italian5755 Clarion Street, Cumming, 770-886-8999
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/15/2007
There's a bit of a family dynasty taking shape at Vickery Village in Cumming. The retail and restaurant area of the community is home to two restaurants and one art gallery with blood ties.
The fact that her brother was already running Cinco Mexican Cantina didn't stop Chari Harlan from opening the doors to Sidney's Italian about a month ago.
 Phil Skinner/ajc staff | |||
| Here's a towering slice of Sidney's chocolate cake. Other dessert choices include tiramisu and house-made cannolis. | |||
 Phil Skinner/ajc staff | |||
| Sidney's Cioppino is a fresh seafood medley in a roasted garlic marinara sauce over pasta. A specialty is the four-inch high lasagna. | |||
|  | ||
|
MOST POPULAR STORIES
EMAIL THIS
PRINT THIS
MOST POPULAR"When my brother signed a contract for the new Cinco, my parents moved here and my mother opened Bonnie Flood art gallery," said Harlan. "And I thought the area was in desperate need of an Italian restaurant. So my partner Bill Christie and I took a space. Then I bought a flat above the stores and golf cart and became part of the village."
Harlan was also adamant that her menu stand out. "One of the first things I insisted on was marinara sauce that didn't give you heartburn," she said with a laugh. "I've had some that give you heartburn before you even leave the table. We're lucky to have a great chef who does wonders with fresh tomatoes so the sauce isn't acidic. We also have a very tiny freezer so our fish, steaks and veal are always fresh."
Convincing Italian
Harlan wasn't even sure she liked Italian food enough to serve it in a restaurant. "Frankly, it's not my favorite food in the world, but our chef has changed my mind," she said.
Start with an antipasto of meats, cheeses and olives or a platter of fried calamari, scallops and shrimp. Mussels are finished in a wine and marinara sauce; a crab cake sits on a pool of Creole Dijon. Soups and salads are also available.
The signature item is the four-inch-high lasagna, made fresh daily, with layers of cheeses, meat and the house-made marinara. Other traditional dishes include spaghetti and meatballs; fettuccini Alfredo; linguine with sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli in a roasted garlic olive oil sauce; and rigatoni with sausage and mushrooms.
Seafood selections start with shrimp with olives and capers over linguini; grilled salmon with a citrus and honey glaze; red snapper with mushrooms, tomatoes and a white sauce; and blackened salmon. A roasted garlic and wine sauce tops the New York strip; the filet sits in a brandy reduction with shiitake mushrooms. Other meats include veal or lamb chops, veal picatta or parmigiana; and chicken marsala. In addition to the set menu, there's a daily fish special that may be giant shrimp, scallops or sea bass.
The to-die-for dessert is a 10-inch tower of chocolate cake. There's also tiramisu and house-made cannolis.
More options
Too tired to drive over to Sidney's? If you live within a two-mile radius, they'll deliver your order on their golf cart.
During the week, the doors open at 6 a.m. so diners can drop in for bagels and coffee and order a to-go lunch. On weekends, the early menu extends to egg sandwiches, eggs, bacon, ham and more.
From the bar
Sidney's wine list has a global pedigree, with bottles from Italy, New Zealand and Washington state leading the way. Pours are available by the glass, half or full bottle. Domestic and a few Italian beers are in the bottle.
The restaurant also has a humidor for those who want to end the meal with a cigar on the patio.
Name trivia
Who is Sidney? "My dog," Harlan said. "If people don't like that answer, I tell them there's a small town in southern Italy called Sidneeze."
Become a fan of accessAtlanta on Facebook »
Get the latest news on ajc.com and wsbtv.com
Best of the Big A »
- Nominate: Best soup
- Vote: Best Thanksgiving-to-go
- Winners: Best place to bike
