Chef and owner Michael Falduti, Jr., says the tomato has dual significance for him. Coming from an Italian family, he notes the popularity of the little red fellows in Italian dishes, but quickly adds that tomatoes are a Southern food as well. He grew up in Macon, so his roots are an interesting blend.

His restaurant is a similar blend. He calls it a friendly bistro by day with upscale fine dining by night. And he hopes to give middle Georgia residents surprising twists along the way.

“I’m just trying to introduce the food that’s been out there but people have been afraid to try,” he said. “I take my food as art. If it’s not cooked where I would eat it, I won’t serve it.”

Falduti, most recently executive chef at Gregory’s (now Marco) in Macon, got his start as a line cook at the Leo’s. He left Macon for a degree in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, S.C., and an apprenticeship in Paris. He took his degree to Las Vegas, where he trained and worked with French chef Andre Rochat and food superstar Emeril Lagasse.

Now Falduti is looking to carve out his own piece of the Macon restaurant pie, and he’s convinced he’s positioned to do just that.

“This is the best spot I could ever imagine for a restaurant,” he said of his location just off Estes Rd. in Bolingbroke. The growing area between Macon and Forsyth doesn’t have anything like it.

The Red Tomato is a white farmhouse with a large front porch, where table seating is available. By day the interior is bright, and by night it is lit with low lights and candles. The décor is clean and friendly, with white distressed-wood chairs and tables.

My parents and I visited The Red Tomato on a Friday night. The menu was only the beginning, as we were presented with as many entrée specials as there were menu entrees. Entrées are served with the vegetable du jour, mashed or roasted potatoes, and a choice of three salads: house, Caesar, or spinach.

The soup du jour, butternut squash, sounded good, but unfortunately, by 7:15 p.m., they had already run out of it. I opted for the alternative, crawfish bisque. It was delicious. Served in a generous bowl, it was spicy and flavorful with lots of chunky pieces of crawfish. I didn’t want to fill myself up too quickly, but the soup was so good that I had to finish it.
We shared an appetizer of black-eyed pea cakes, served with bacon cornbread and a Vidalia onion vinaigrette. My mom, who loves black-eyed peas, said, “This is a first. It’s like nothing I’ve ever had.” Other appetizer selections included crab cakes, smoked salmon, mussels, and a roasted stuffed Portabella mushroom.

The house salad so intrigued us that we all ordered it. Featuring mixed greens, seasonal fruits, candied pecans and a light, creamy bleu cheese vinaigrette, it was an instant hit at our table. We agreed that it was a good blend of tart, tangy and sweet flavors. It was served with tasty dinner rolls.

Coming off the excellent appetizers and salads, we had high expectations for our entrees. My mom and I ordered two of the specials. Hers was trout stuffed with goat cheese, spinach, and tomatoes in a lemon butter sauce. She found the sauce too heavy on the lemon, creating a very tart flavor that affected the entire dish. I loved the idea of the dish but agreed about the sauce. If the lemon had been toned down a bit, it would have been perfect for me.

I ordered the filet mignon topped with crabmeat and a light cream sauce. The crabmeat and sauce were a good complement to the filet, which came in four large medallions. All of our portions were definitely larger than similarly-priced fine restaurants I have visited. My steak, however, was chewier than I had hoped. I ordered it well done, but I expected a filet to be more tender.

Asparagus was the vegetable du jour, and it came as part of a beautiful presentation with the entrée. It was cooked, but still crunchy as I like it. My potatoes were well-seasoned and roasted to perfection with an evenly softness inside.
My dad ordered pan-seared Ahi tuna from the menu. This is not one of my favorites, so I left the verdict up to him. He said the tuna was very high quality (our server said it was indeed sushi-grade), and it was a thick cut. The searing meant it was only lightly cooked on the outside, so most of the inside was raw. He said he would recommend it for sushi fans.
Other entrees on the menu included bouillabaisse with mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops; a pecan-crusted chicken breast with maple syrup butter sauce; and shrimp and grits served with bacon and sliced tomato.

We were stuffed when it came time for dessert, but we decided to try the Black Forest cake and the pineapple sorbet. My dad wanted the apple turnover a la mode, but they had run out of it. Other options included cheesecake, a cinnamon roll with ice cream, and two types of crème brûlée.

Our flavorful but light desserts were a nice complement to a rich meal. The sorbet was wonderful, with bits of pineapple throughout. The Black Forest cake was a chocolate cake with a jelly-like cherry filling in the middle and fluffy white icing on top. The cake and plate were drizzled with chocolate and cherry syrups, and the huge slice was moist and light.
The Red Tomato is a family affair, and Falduti welcomes families to eat with him. He said he will prepare special dishes for children upon request ¾ just about anything depending on what he has in the kitchen. His love of food stems from large dinners at his house, where his mother cooks for about 20 people every Sunday. He gratefully acknowledges the help of others in starting and running his restaurant, from his sister Michelle, who serves as maitre d’ at night, to his dad, who “stays around day and night to chaperone the business.” He said he couldn’t have done it all without the support of his sisters Maria and Debbie and the work of his sous chef, Mike Vinson. But each customer also plays a part.

“Everybody is special,” Falduti said. “If you’re sitting in my seats, you’re family to me.”
I hope to return to try lunch soon. Michael Falduti and his team are cooking up some original tastes that I haven’t found elsewhere in Macon.

VITAL STATS

Cuisine:
Lunch Café/bistro style
Dinner Continental
Price Range:
Lunch under $10; dinner entrees from $16–$28
Reservations: Preferred for dinner
Alcohol: Available

Child Provisions:
Highchairs available. No children’s menu, though special requests are honored for child-friendly dishes such as grilled cheese sandwiches or child’s portions of chicken or pasta.

Special Provisions: Catering; banquets/parties; special requests for dishes honored with advance notice. This is a nonsmoking restaurant.

Hours:
L. Tues.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
D. Thurs.–Sat. 5:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

The Red Tomato
7248 N. Alexander Court
Bolingbroke, Georgia 31004
(478) 994-6336