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After a week of being under the weather, it’s time that we get things back up to speed.  Fortunately, today is Friday, and that means another edition of Inside The Chef’s Kitchen.  Since this is still a new feature, I’ll point ya’ll to the introductory post so that you can familiarize yourself with what this is all about.

For this installment of the weekly interview series, we scored some time with Georgia native Keira Moritz.  Moritz, who hales from Valdosta, currently runs the show at both Pacci Ristorante and AltoRex Lounge.

In addition to having a vibrant and warm personality, Moritz knows her food.  Her prowess in the kitchen helped Pacci land on Esquire’s list of best new restaurants in 2009.

If you want to go visit Keira, all you have to do is make a reservation!  If you see her walking the floor, don’t hesitate to say hello. I’m sure she’ll charm you with some of her Southern hospitality.  And with that, welcome to ITCK!

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There is something unsettling about working on the internet at 30,000 ft.  Maybe it’s the inordinate amount of pre-pubescent children that are wailing in my ear or the 40-something behind me who doesn’t know how to chew with his mouth closed (what’s he eating anyway?).  Okay, enough with the kvetching, I can’t expect a chill session at Octane Coffee.  Still, I persevere (I know – poor me .. right?).

Yesterday, a small group of us skedaddled over to Pacci Ristorante at the Palomar Hotel.  While this was my first foray into their Sunday brunch, I already have several meals there and an impromptu chat with head chef Keira Moritz under my belt.  Though I’ve had the desire for some time to inspect the brunch offerings, our jaunt yesterday was most certainly motivated by the little special they have running.  Though I think it ends August 30th (meaning you only have one more shot), Pacci is offering up a flip for your brunch promotion.  The specifics are simple: if you order from a select menu (roughly eight items), you have a chance to get a free meal.  When you’re all wrapped up, the chef will show up table side and flip a coin.  Call it correctly – you walk out there sans check.  Get a run of bad luck? No biggie, the worst that happens is that you are only responsible for what you’d have to pay anyway.  A heck of a deal, especially for those of us that have found our way into a game of credit card roulette during a Vegas binge (or two or three).

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My head is spinning.  Yesterday, I visited Verde Taqueria for lunch and the soft opening of  Five Seasons Brewing Company for dinner.  Both events were forgettable to say the least.  While Verde was disappointing, Five Seasons was infuriating.  Needless to say, I planned on using those experiences as the basis for my next two posts.  However, you never know what you’re gonna get out of an evening with Adam [the guest blogger dude].  Thus, I find myself writing a post that was anything but planned.

After serving time over at Five Seasons, Adam and I left the crew and headed back to our neck of the woods.  As it turns out, Adam spent last weekend at the Palomar with his lovely wife.  He enjoyed his meal at Pacci Ristorante and his time at AltoRex, the Palomar’s outdoor bar.  Given the hotel’s proximity to Adam’s domicile, his previous experience there, and the beautiful weather, we elected to stop in for a few drinks over at AltoRex.

After a handful of libations and a few cringes (the Hawks were getting a beat down), my sad culinary day took a sharp u-turn.  Throughout the evening, I noticed a young woman darting about the bar.  Dressed in a chef’s jacket and a pair of black pants, the woman was clearly up to something.  Adam informed me that she was the Executive Chef of Pacci, the hotel’s flagship restaurant.  And here’s where it got interesting! [more after the jump]

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