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Inman Park Restaurant Week, Atlanta, GA March 8-14

Mar 4

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Mediterranean, Prix Fixe, Taste of, atlanta, mexican | 1 Comment

Restaurants are really hurting for business in this rough economy. And one way they’ve found that seems to bring in business is having a restaurant week for their neighborhood. Such is the case with Inman Park. You may recall they had their restaurant week nearly 6 months ago back in September.

In case you’ve somehow missed the drill, it is 3 courses for $25, well, for the most part. See the breakdown below.

Out of the 13 participating restaurants, I really like the menus for Shaun’s, Wisteria, and Sauced. However, at only $15, The Albert’s menu seems very generous for what you get. And of course, Zaya is including most of their menu options in the prix fixe menu.

Here’s the breakdown in pricing along with links to the menus:

$15
Fritti
Pure Taqueria
North Highland Pub
The Albert

$25
Fritti
Parish Food & Goods
Park’s Edge
Rathbun’s
Sauced
Shaun’s
Sotto Sotto
Wisteria
Zaya Mediterranean Cuisine

$35
Kevin Rathbun Steak
Sotto Sotto
Wisteria

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Cypress Street Pint and Plate, Midtown, Atlanta, GA Review

Feb 24

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Burgers, Midtown, Pub, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta, bar | No Comments

Cypress Street Pint and Plate, you let me down. I’m the go to person in my group for restaurant / bar recommendations and without giving it a second thought recommended Cypress Street Pint and Plate in Midtown for a recent group outing. I had been to Cypress Street Pint and Plate before, and thought the food, service and atmosphere were all decent. Did I mention we were taking an out-of-towner here?

I’m guessing this must be an after work crowd that frequents Cypress Street Pint and Plate, because for a Saturday night, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as I would have expected it to be. It was by no means deserted, just not very crowded for a midtown pub.

If you’ve not been to Cypress Street Pint and Plate, there is the centrally located bar which is surrounded by booths that would accommodate groups of 4 to 6. There is another room off to the side that accommodates large groups, which we were seated in. It was absolutely FREEZING in here the entire evening. Most of us kept our coats on the entire time as it was too cold to take them off. Not exactly how you want to spend the evening. And I don’t know what was going on with the smell but there was a highly offensive smell on one side of the room (like a baby’s diaper). And there weren’t any babies or kids in the restaurant.

Cypress Street Pint and Plate’s beer selection is ok, but by no means the quality of say a Taco Mac or Porter Bar, but not bad I suppose. Along with about 9 beers regularly on tap and a selection of beers by the bottle, Cypress Street also offers 5 beers on tap that change out weekly. They have a menu of these on their website, but it is not updated regularly, and neither is the food menu. Of the 5 beers that were on the list, they were out of the one and only that I and several others in the group had our eye on – the Tommyknocker Imerpial Nut Brown Ale, made with chocolate and maple syrup. I settled on the Left Hand Stout, a dark, milky beer which I’d had before. Good choice if you want something with a slightly coffee finish to it.

We started out with some appetizers – french fries, onions rings and hummus. The price is small and so are the portions. Five bucks each for both of these options. Don’t worry about filling up on these if you are in a group, it’s just not gonna happen. You are really better off saving your $ and ordering sandwiches or entrees rather than apps. Sandwiches come with your choice of a side and are plenty filling.

The food seems to be reasonable, except for their highly touted meatball sliders. These were awful! I forced myself to eat 2 but just couldn’t eat the third, it was disgusting. The description sounds so good – meatballs (how do you screw those up?), caesar dressing, arugula, parmasean cheese. The taste (which I find difficult to articulate) was terrible and at 9 bucks for 3, hardly a bargain.

Really none of the sliders are are bargain. I’ve also had the buffalo chicken sliders and although these were tasty, I just don’t feel justified the $3 a piece. It would be nice if you could mix and match as they have cod, shrimp and chicken as well, but unfortunately you must order 3 of the same for $9.

Others had burgers and sandwiches which I sampled and thought were quite good. The Philly Cheesesteak, Maytag Burger, and Chicken Picatta Sandwich were the highlights of the evening. At about $9 a piece these are a better value as the sandwiches alone offer more in terms of meat / filling than a slider and sandwiches include a side.

So, it wasn’t all bad. The service was actually pretty good. When we arrived for our 8 PM reservation and our table was all set up. They don’t take reservations unless you have 8 or more in your party. We had 10. Now, here’s one thing I have to give Cypress Street props for. Although it clearly states they don’t do separate checks for large parties, our server gladly volunteered to do that without us even having to ask. I don’t know about you, but it is a pain in the arse to separate out what your share is from a large check, especially after you’ve been drinking all night. Kudos to them for doing this.

817 W Peachtree St
Atlanta, GA 30308
404 815 9243
Website

Cypress Street Pint & Plate on Urbanspoon

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Bone’s Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Feb 12

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Atlanta visiting, Buckhead, Romantic, Steaks, atlanta, steakhouse | No Comments

Bone’s restaurant celebrated it’s 30th birthday last year. That’s quite a milestone, especially given the fickle Atlanta restaurant market. Many restaurants are lucky if they see their 5th anniversary, quickly becoming just a flash in the pan. Bone’s restaurant has built it’s solid reputation on top-notch food combined with superb service.

I was attending a wine tasting dinner at Bone’s courtesy of Artesa Winery. So, while the majority of the menu was pre-selected, I was lucky enough to chose my steak: Filet or NY Strip. I went with the NY Strip. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Although I’d never been to Bone’s before, I surmised that probably not much has changed as far as the interior in it’s 30 years of existence. I’m certainly not dinging them for this. After all, it is still a classy place, just not super trendy, and a young hipster crowd you won’t find here indeed. I inquired at the host stand as to where my wine tasting would be, and was ushered to the private room. It wasn’t a minute after seating that a server asked if I would like anything besides wine to drink. Shortly after that we were brought gigantic seafood platters.

Bone's Seafood Platter

These seafood platters were full of crab legs and claws, lobster tails and jumbo shrimp. With the shell stripped away, this is exactly how I like to enjoy seafood, with all the hard work done for me. The jumbo shrimp and lobster tail were terrific, however the best tasting morsels were the crab claws. Plump and sweet, I could have made meal out of these alone. And I certainly went a little overboard, devouring 3 on my own. I could have easily eaten 1 more, but, knowing the best was yet to come, I did want to save room for it.

Bone's Beef Carpaccio

Next up we were treated to beef carpaccio salad. Given that Bone’s is a steak place, it wasn’t something I would have chosen to order, as I was about to be chowing down on a big slab of meat, but I was pleasantly surprised. No doubt the carpaccio salad was selected, as it would pair well with Pinot Noir we were sampling. But it was a lovely presentation, with the mix of shaved parmasean and arugala. I ate most of it and even though there was quite a bit of meat on the plate, I didn’t feel overly stuffed and knew I’d still be able to enjoy some of my steak.

Now, had I ordered the filet, I think I would have eaten it all. But the NY Strip was just too big a portion with all I had eaten previously. It was perfectly prepared, medium just as I had asked. Every morsel was delicious, especially with the exceptional Cabernet that accompanied it.

And don’t forget the sides. If there’s one thing that steakhouses do well besides, well, steak, it is the side dishes. I am always amazed at how they can take the simplest items, like potatoes, spinach, or mushrooms and turn them into these amazing vittles.

Bone's Mushrooms, Potatoes, Spinach

All were exceptional but the spinach really did stand out. I was tempted to ask them to wrap that up for me with my steak, but didn’t want to appear too greedy as I was the only one who asked for my food to be boxed. But I guess that’s what happens when you are in a room full of foodies.

For dessert, we all ordered something different, from pecan pie, cheesecake, chocolate cake and creme brulee. They must’ve all been damn good, because not one of us even stopped to snap a picture before digging in.

3130 Piedmont Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
404 237 2663
Website

Bone's Steakhouse on Urbanspoon

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Pura Vida Tapas, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Feb 9

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Cuban, Restaurant Reviews, Tapas, Virginia Highlands, atlanta, cook like a professional chef, culture | 1 Comment

Pura Vida is a Costa Rican expression that means “Pure Life” or “Life is Great” The Food at Pura Vida happens to be great too. The menu is all tapas (nothing is over $10) which I think is not only a good choice for group dining but it is also a great date spot. Not to mention Chef Santiago, was a Cheftestant on Top Chef this past season. And in my opinion, was booted off waaay too early!

The food is so fresh and flavorful. And Pura Vida has such interesting pairings of ingredients. Think mahi-mahi and chorizo skewers with banana mustard. Or how about this – hearts of palm coated in a coconut vinaigrette with dates, Serrano ham, and tres leches yogurt? Those were some of the first flavors I ever tasted at Pura Vida. Everything I’ve ever had was phenomenal. However, based on the menu I wouldn’t recommend that you take a “meat and potatoes” crowd to Pura Vida.

If you can’t figure it out, Pura Vida is one of my Atlanta faves and has been for several years. Last year, I went there about 3 times in a period of about 2 months.

One one of those visits, we began with a Pisco Sour. If you aren’t familiar with a Pisco Sour, Pisco is is a type of liquor from Peru and the Pisco Sour (made with egg whites and bitters) is the unofficial drink of Peru. Having visited Peru the prior year, and having many, many of these I was really looking forward to having one again. They were ok, but certainly not going to make you a Pisco Sour lover. So, we moved onto wine. I hear they make a mean mojito, which I’ll be sure to check out on my next visit.

Although all “meals” are technically tapas, some lend themselves more the “appetizer” side and some are more the “mains” side. On all visits we tend to place an order for a couple items to start and a couple to share for our main meal. Some starters were the malanga root chips (bottom left), shrimp coctel and calamari (bottom right).

The shrimp coctel (yes, that’s how they spell it), is delicious and one of my favorites with it’s diablo sauce and butternut squash squares, is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. And the calamari is a unique presentation (unfried) and very fresh to be served that way. The root chips had a great, flavorful cremini mushroom sauce too, which surprisingly was not too heavy or filling and would be an excellent choice for sharing with a large group.

We also tried a trout ceviche, which didn’t excite me too much. However, I would love to try the tofu ceviche, for which Chef Santiago got high praises for while on Top Chef and is now featured on his regular menu.

Duck Confit, Steamed Coconut Buns

Duck Confit, Steamed Coconut Buns

For the second order placed, we decided to order the steamed coconut buns, which didn’t disappoint. The light, fluffy, and yes, steamy buns pair well with the pork belly inside. And the duck confit was also equally matched with plantains. I would never have thought those two ingredients would be such a pleasurable flavor but they were.

Pura Vida Goat Mofoguno

Pura Vida Goat Mofoguno

And on another visit we tried the goat mofongo. If you are a lamb lover, don’t be afraid to give this one a try. The taste is somewhat similar. I was told by our server that it is one of the most popular dishes that regulars like to order. And, after sampling it, I can see why. The slow cooked goat with coconut and banana is oh so tender, slightly sweet and spiced just right with a couple drops of diablo sauce which accompanies your meal.

For dessert, don’t miss the house made ice cream. Even if it’s cold outside, this is a real treat. We had the banana ice cream and it is amazing how much the flavor comes through. The chocolate flan brulee as it’s called, is also tasty and great with a glass of red wine.

The service here has always been top notch too. It seems much more authentic and a cut above other tapas bars like Elclipse di Luna and Loca Luna. Pura Vida is less noisy, the service is better and the food is a much higher quality.

Want to be able to cook some of the dishes son the menu? They have cooking classes once a month with different menu features.

Extras: There is free parking on the side street adjacent to the restaurant. And it is located very close to Fernbank, so it is a great choice for date night at Martinis and Imax.

656 N Highland Ave.
Atlanta, GA_30306
404-870-9797
Website

Pura Vida on Urbanspoon

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Siam Square Thai Restaurant, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Feb 3

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta, culture, thai | 3 Comments

My first visit to Siam Square Thai Restaurant was back in the fall of 08 for a friend’s birthday. Our group of 6 visited on a Saturday. What immediately struck me about the restaurant was how beautifully decorated it was, almost begging you to forget it is in a strip mall. I love the stained concrete floors . They really add a nice touch. Candle lit tables make for a romantic evening at Siam Square, but it also works for groups too.

Since I like hot and spicy foods, I always tend to just stick with water for my drink as I know I’m going to drink a ton of it. Siam Square flavors their water with cucumbers which is extremely refreshing. So, on that first visit, I did have the spicy chicken and it was extremely flavorful. Since returning, I’ve sampled the drunken noodles – perfectly spiced and definitely hot enough to clear out those sinuses.

On my most recent visit, I had my favorite of all meals. First we started out with basil rolls and winter rolls. Winter rolls are fried basil rolls. What I liked about these was not just the fried part, but the sauce was more sweet than the regular basil rolls. Definitely a standout among the appetizers. We also tried the papaya salad. I don’t know if they made a mistake, but this is crazy hot. There should be some sort of warning just how hot and peppery this salad is. It was like eating a tsp of wasabi. Still tasty, but could have gone a little lighter on the heat.

For our entrees we had two terrific dishes: the green curry peppery catfish and the masaman curry with beef. If you like to share your meals so you can sample a couple different dishes, this is a great combo. One is hot and the other is pretty mild. The catfish was the hot one chock full of catfish nuggets, bell peppers and and eggplant, it was absolutely delicious. They also had lightly fried basil leaves that added yet another dimension of flavor and quality to the dish. And the beef masaman had a great flavor combination that runs circles around almost any other masaman curry I’ve had.

Our server was excellent! He was always around if we needed something but not pushy. Overall the staff seems very attentive about accommodating everyone’s special requests.

Siam Square is definitely a hidden gem in the Windy Hill area. While the prices are a tad higher than other Thai spots in Cobb (Lemon Grass, Fuji Hana), the quality cannot be matched by these other establishments.

1995 Windy Hill Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(770) 333-1700

Extras: I’ve been there for lunch and it is a great spot if you need to get in and out quickly.

Siam Square Thai Cuisine on Urbanspoon

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Wisteria, Inman Park, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jan 27

Posted by in American, Atlanta visiting, Dates, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic, Southern, Wine Selection, atlanta, travel | 2 Comments

Whenever I have a friend visiting from out of town, I’m torn with the decision: take them somewhere new to me or go to a restaurant I’ve frequented before and know to be good? I was downtown with my friend Mike as we were attending a trade show. And I really didn’t want to subject him to the chain restaurant hell that plagues downtown Atlanta. I chose to leave that for the other trade show suckers and patronize an independent establishment.

This time, I chose to take my chances and visit Wisteria Restaurant in Inman Park for the first time. Mike asked me what kind of food it was. I said Southern food and noticed he got pretty quiet. After a short cab ride from our hotel, we were dropped off at Wisteria. Once settled inside, he breathed a sigh of relief, admitting he was a little frightened when I said it was Southern food. To him, the term “Southern” conjured up visions of the movie Deliverance. He’s a Yankee, y’all, but I don’t hold that against him.

Wisteria couldn’t have been more the opposite. With it’s brick and faux finished walls, dim lighting and tall ceilings with exposed ductwork, it was the perfect restaurant for us on that absolutely frigid evening. This was the second week of January with snow and temps in the teens.

We ordered drinks – Mike (Vodka Gimlet), me (House drink called Patrice made with tequila and champagne) and proceeded to enjoy a leisurely dinner. Mike mentioned how well he found the drink to be made, as he shared that although it is a pretty simple drink more often than not he’s had it made poorly. I was equally pleased with my concoction as well.

As it was a Thursday evening, the restaurant wasn’t particularly crowded. And I’m not sure why, but they sat us about 3 or 4 tables away from the front door. I should have asked to be moved, but for whatever reason didn’t, and every time that door opened, I regretted it.

Moving on to appetizers, we chose the Ahi Tuna and the Mussels. The Ahi Tuna came on “flatbread” but I’ve come to find out the term flatbread seems somewhat open to interpretation. This time the flatbread seemed like more of tortilla chips than anything else. Actually it really didn’t matter that much as I was only using the chips to scoop the tuna onto my plate and then eating it with my fork. The avocados, micro greens and citrus horseradish vinaigrette all added to making it one delicious app.

The mussels were another great choice and perfect for sharing as well. I am a little jealous of Mike though, he seemed to pick out all the huge ones. As a tip, if you’ve finished your bread before they bring the mussels, ask for more, you’ll need it. While I like the crostini bread that comes with the mussels, it does nothing to soak up the broth. I did, however pile up some of the tomatoes on top and eat it that way.

The wine list is daunting. There’s so much to choose from and the descriptions just make you want to order everything. Not being in the mood nor mindset to pour over a verbose wine list, we asked our server to make a recommendation on a bottle. She mentioned a Sangiovese that was on special for $32 a bottle. Usually, when I hear “special”, I interpret that as “we’ve got to move these quickly” But after having a taste, we loved it and settled on that for the evening. The hostess even poured it into a decanter for us – nice touch!

Wisteria Molasses Pork Tenderloin

Wisteria Molasses Pork Tenderloin

I sort of had my mind on the molasses rubbed pork, especially after the seafood apps, I was ready for some meat. I still cannot for the life of me get used to the fact that I’m now being asked how I want my pork done. I thought it was always well done but if I’m remembering correctly, our server did ask me if I wanted it medium or medium rare. Huh? I said medium well. Maybe medium rare pork is hip right now, but I’m not ready to be eating medium rare pork just yet.

I found the entree to be decent but not a standout, definitely not compared to our apps. The apples, onions, molasses sauce didn’t really have any punch to them and didn’t really come together well in that dish. The pork was perfectly fine, but just didn’t blow me away.

Wisteria Fried Catfish

Wisteria Fried Catfish

Mike seemed to be pretty pleased with his catfish. I had a bite and definitely thought the flavor combo in his dish (green tomato, okra and spicy crawfish ragout with remoulade) worked better than in mine.

Although I was pretty stuffed, I did want to have a taste of dessert, 3 in fact: creme brulee, bread pudding and pumpkin cheesecake. Wisteria offers 3 tastings for $10. My least favorite was the pumpkin cheesecake, pretty blah. The creme brulee was a step up and pretty solid. But I was most impressed by the bread pudding. Not something I would normally order as it is just too sweet for me, our server said it is probably the best dessert on the menu and I did thoroughly enjoy the couple bites I did have.

Wisteria Desserts (L to R) Pumpkin Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Bread Pudding

Wisteria Desserts (L to R) Pumpkin Cheesecake, Creme Brulee, Bread Pudding

As I watched the snow falling outside, and felt all cozy on the inside, I was very pleased that we had trekked out to Wisteria. I love that Atlanta has cool little pockets of neighborhoods like Inman Park and has hidden gems like Wisteria planted throughout them. It is just a shame the out-of-towners don’t bother to seek them out, as many are just a short cab ride away from downtown.

Wisteria Restaurant
471 North Highland Ave.
Atlanta, GA. 30307
404 525 3363
Website

Wisteria on Urbanspoon

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D.B.A. Barbecue, Virginia Highland, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Dec 9

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Good for Groups, Restaurant Reviews, Southern, Virginia Highlands, atlanta, outdoor dining, wings | No Comments

D.B.A. Barbecue stands for “Doing Business As”, although owner/ manager Matt Coggin originally wanted to name the restaurant “Kermit” after a legendary Blues singer. Walking around D.B.A. Barbecue, you’ll notice some of the decor lends itself to the New Orleans Jazz theme. Even the music (courtesy of Matt’s iPod), on certain days, may be playing jazz. I had the pleasure of meeting Matt recently when he invited me to check out D.B.A. in the Virginia Highlands.

D.B.A. Barbecue Owner, Matt Coggin

D.B.A. Barbecue Owner, Matt Coggin

D.B.A. opened in June at the Virginia Highlands Festival. Since then, D.B.A. Barbecue has gone through some changes including a revamp of the menu and a new chef. Drew Kirkland, the new chef, brought with him a smoker along with greater experience than prior chefs.

On the recent Saturday night when I visited D.B.A., the smoker was doing it’s thang and the pleasant aroma was wafting around the parking lot as I made my way into the restaurant. Earlier in the day I went on a 6 mile hike, so as a treat, I was looking forward to chowing down on some barbecue and sipping on a cold beer. But, to my surprise, there was a full bar and decent, if not intriguing cocktail list. I chose the Sweet Tea Vodka and Glen chose the Watermelon Mojito. Something about sweet tea and barbecue just go well together and this drink hit the spot. If you like martinis and pickle juice, they have a drink for you too.

Looking around, I noticed the nod to New Orleans with the paintings Matt picked up at Jazz Fest, one wall painted with the Abita beer logo and another wall sprinkled with record albums of some of the jazz greats. I also loved the touch of using the mason jars for lights.

D.B.A. Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

D.B.A. Barbecue Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

I went a little crazy with appetizers, sampling the corn muffins, bacon-wrapped shrimp, deviled eggs, and boiled peanuts. Of the four, the clear winner was the bacon-wrapped shrimp. The 5 large shrimp sat on a bed of house made coleslaw and were topped with spicy bbq sauce – absolutely delicious. One surprise was the coleslaw is like getting an extra side thrown in and the red onion adds a great flavor overall to it. If you have more than 2 in your party, you’ll need 2 orders guaranteed.

D.B.A. Barbecue Boiled Peanuts

D.B.A. Barbecue Boiled Peanuts

The corn muffins were wonderful, as well; soft, sweet and with real corn pieces, I could have eaten them all. But keep in mind, the dinner platters are pretty large, so, think carefully, before spending $1 per roll on these (total 4 in an order). If you want a snack in addition to the shrimp go for the boiled peanuts. At only a buck, they are your better value vs. the rolls.

Had I been on my own, I would have probably ordered a platter with 2 meats. But we chose to order the sampler platter ($40) which comes your choice of 4 sides and a large portion of all meats: beef brisket, smoked turkey, pulled chicken, pulled pork, wings, spare ribs and baby back ribs. You better have at least 4 people in your group if you order this baby.

D.B.A. Barbecue Smokehouse Platter

D.B.A. Barbecue Smokehouse Platter

Of the selection, my favorites were the beef brisket and pulled pork. They were the juiciest and most flavorful of all items in the offering. However, the ribs were a close second, with a very meaty selection. I’ve been to some barbecue joints that have don’t offer much meat on the bone, which leave you feeling like you got the shaft, but this was not the case at D.B.A.

Oh, and the wings – as soon as I bit into them I was transported back to the days when Chinese restaurants used to include a chicken wing with your take out order. Remember that? I always loved the crispiness of the skin on these which is duplicated at D.B.A. Definitely out of the ordinary and available as an appetizer as well.

There are 3 sauces to choose from: Regular, Spicy and Mustard. The Regular is sweet and tangy. The Spicy was good though not as hot as I would have expected, perhaps I’m just used to eating very hot and spicy. However, it did the trick on my wings. My least favorite was the mustard – called Verley’s (made by one of D.B.A.’s customers) – pretty bland with no umph to it.

D.B.A. Barbecue Sides (Creamed Corn, Fried Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, Collard Greens)

D.B.A. Barbecue Sides (Creamed Corn, Fried Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, Collard Greens)

For sides, we chose, collard greens, creamed corn, fried corn on the cob, and potato salad. Although I ordered 2 corn sides, I don’t regret it as each served a purpose: the creamed corn had a sweet taste as you would expect, but it was balanced by the pepper and had a slight char to it as well. And the fried corn on the cob, was amazing too- much better than the so-called fried corn on the cob I had here. Again, if you don’t order the shrimp as an appetizer (you’re crazy) then you should definitely get the coleslaw as a side.

I’m not much of a collard greens fan, but Glen loved them. Perhaps it is the bacon and ham hock used when they cook them. Sorry Vegans. And the potato salad was decent, not overly creamy as far as potato salads go.

I know that the staff knew I was there to review the restaurant, but putting that aside, I observed very friendly interaction with all diners. I really do like visiting restaurants when the staff seems to genuinely happy to be there and enjoy their work.

1190 N Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
404 249 5000
Website

Extras: Free parking on site – a rare find in the Highlands.

D.B.A. Barbecue on Urbanspoon

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Ritz Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Holiday Brunch

Dec 2

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta, breakfast | No Comments

As true with most cities, weekend Brunch is a pretty big deal here in Atlanta. While I do love a good brunch, this time of year I instead tend to celebrate my own form of weekend hibernation: Sleep until the sun is high, then find some eggs and bacon fried.

However, somewhere in these light shortened days, there is a special Holiday and the Ritz Carlton, Buckhead could get anyone, even Scrooge, in the Holiday spirit. The Buckhead Ritz Carlton creates a very special brunch 4 weekends during the Holiday Season, and I was invited to attend the kickoff celebration this year.

So what makes the Ritz’s Holiday brunch so special? The hotel is festively decorated for the holiday season as well musical entertainment and caroling by the Dickens Singers. Santa is even walking around to spread cheer (no, not high-end mall Santa, the real deal P’Tree Kringle) and need I mention Photo Op?

But, it’s the food that makes this such a great occasion. I arrived at noon for my reservation, and started off with coffee, fresh squeezed OJ and champagne. I don’t drink champagne too often, but this was so tasty, I had to inquire as to the brand which is called Mumm of Napa Valley. (Think Mummosa.…Mmmmm)

Ritz Carlton Buckhead Brunch Buffett

Ritz Carlton Buckhead Brunch Buffett

I like the layout of the offerings. This isn’t your traditional buffet with only 1 or 2 rows of food. This spread keeps going and going. First there’s a station where traditional omlettes and waffles are made to order, along with an offering of pancakes, bacon, sausage and breakfast potatoes.The bacon was extra crispy, but not too salty which was perfect for me. And the breakfast potatoes had onions and peppers too. I sampled a little but didn’t want to overdo it as I knew there were much more tasty treats to be had than these perennial brunch favorites.

Ritz Carlton Buffet (Bread and Cheese)

Ritz Carlton Buffet (Bread and Cheese)

Meandering through the rooms of food stations, I passed by the fresh fruit area, bread and cheese area which all looked quite tasty and made my way to the fresh seafood (oysters, crab, shrimp, caviar). Apparently, the caviar was quite popular, as diners couldn’t seem to get enough of it, but I can’t comment as I’m not much of a fan. But the crab and shrimp on the other hand, I very much enjoyed. The large portions were fresh and hit the spot. No need to feel ashamed: Servers here will never judge you on how many oyster, pincher, tail shells stack up before another fresh plate is available.

Ritz Carlton Salad/ Vegetable Buffet

Ritz Carlton Salad/ Vegetable Buffet

Next, was the salad / vegetable station. This shouldn’t be overlooked as there are many goodies to be found such as prosciutto wrapped asparagus, beet salad, and cranberry rice among many other fine offerings. I had to have 2 helpings of the beet salad as well as the sweet potato salad they were so tasty. Don’t miss the carrots either. I haven’t had carrots this good since I ate here.

Ritz Carlton Buckhead Buffet Carving Station

Ritz Carlton Buckhead Buffet Carving Station

BUT, the gold mine is the carving station. Not only is roast beef and suckling pig available, but on my visit I had Muscovy duck breast with buttnernut squash puree, salmon wellington, as well as striped bass. The beef was tender and juicy. The fish was flaky. And the duck breast was paired well with the squash and one of my favorites. This carving station does not reward just the first lucky guests, rather I noticed staff constantly bringing out new juicy cuts. So everyone, regardless if your seating time is 11:30 AM or 3:30 PM, gets the same delicious cuts throughout this brunch.

Ritz Carlton Buckhead Dessert Buffet

Ritz Carlton Buckhead Dessert Buffet

I’d be remiss in my review not to mention the dessert. I love the little dessert tastes the Ritz offers. This way you get to taste a variety of dishes. Glen’s favorites were the pistachio pudding and carrot cake, while I loved the key lime pie and mango cheesecake.

Holiday brunch is available Sundays through December 20th from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Ritz Carlton, Buckhead. Cost is $58 for adults and $28 per child.

3434 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30326
404 237-2700

Heads up: They only validate parking for valet. The self-parking is run by an independent company. So, if you park yourself, the walk is farther, and they cannot validate the parking which is about $4 hour.

The Cafe (Ritz-Carlton) on Urbanspoon

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Dogwood, Midtown Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Nov 9

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Atlanta visiting, Downtown, Midtown, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic, Southern, atlanta | No Comments

I’ve never been much of a fan of Southern Food. And I’m even more of a skeptic about what’s called “upscale Southern” as Dogwood Restaurant has been dubbed. To me, Southern food can be found and hole in the wall type of places. So, I put off visiting Dogwood Restaurant for quite a while.

Part of the reason I was enticed to visit Dogwood was their promotion I found on the Groupon site. They were offering $35 off of the meal, for the cost of $15. Waiting until the last day possible to use the certificate, we headed out to Dogwood on a rainy Saturday evening.

Dogwood Upstairs Seating

Dogwood Upstairs Seating

Located on Peachtree Street, just a couple blocks south of the Fox Theatre, Dogwood is a very pretty place. Inside, neutral colors are abundant throughout the restaurant. We were seated downstairs against the wall, but had I seen the upstairs prior to being seated I would have insisted on sitting up there as it seems more private and away from the noise of the open kitchen.

Our server, although very pleasant, didn’t waste anytime touting their wine special that evening. The special that evening being a red, available for $55 (bottle only). She gave us a taste (only a small one that we both had to share) but neither of us cared for it that much. We each picked one by the glass, averaging $10 a glass. If you don’t want to buy a bottle, there is a limited selection by the glass – one per variety.

Our server had shared with us her favorite appetizers, which also happened to be the most expensive ones. Coincidence? Perhaps. We went against her recommendations and didn’t order the foie gras or the lobster cake. Instead, we ordered grits and the pork belly with pickled collard green relish.

Dogwood Sherry Cream and Scallop Grits

Dogwood Sherry Cream and Scallop Grits

There are 3 types of grits but we chose the scallops with sherry cream. Although I’m not a fan of grits, I still did want to give these a try to see if “upscale Southern” isn’t just an oxymoron. I liked the sweet sherry but not the grits. It wasn’t the consistency, but the saltiness that I didn’t care for. I understand that they have a tasting of all 3, which if you have a group may be a good option as the other options are pork and sweet tea and pimento cheese and ham.

Dogwood Pork Belly

Dogwood Pork Belly

I’m not sure why, but for some reason I had in my mind that the pork belly would be served in a bun – perhaps like a slider. I suppose it was because the description says it comes with collard green relish and mustard, so I just assumed there would be some bread – but it was Atkins friendly. The 4 pork belly on skewers were decent, don’t get me wrong, but at only about 1/2″ square, hardly worth the $7 price tag.

We also gave the Acorn Squash Soup a try. With parmesan, pecans and maple creme fraiche all working well together making a very tasty soup – our meal was starting to look up. And the red wines were starting to open up with the progression of our food.

As for mains, Glen immediately choose the flat iron steak with fingerling potatoes and lobster. It was the only thing that appealed to me. Nothing else on the menu seemed all that interesting – trout, salmon, swordfish, short ribs, chicken breast. So, I revisited the small plates menu and settled on the mussels. I had seen them be delivered to another table, so I knew they were a generous portion.

Dogwood Flat Iron Steak

Dogwood Flat Iron Steak

Glen’s steak was delicious, cooked medium and with a great chimichurri sauce. And the potatoes with lobster were terrific. I wasn’t expecting such large pieces of lobster, which was a nice surprise. Glen shared a couple perfect bites (a piece of steak smothered in chimichurri sauce, lobster and cilantro) with me.

Dogwood Mussels

Dogwood Mussels

My mussels were tasty as well, no regrets on my part for not ordering an entree. They were made with smoked tomatoes and sage which gave them an overall smokey flavor which I very much enjoyed. Not only were they tasty but they were large and they pulled apart from the shell effortlessly, quite the opposite of the mussels at Dolce.

Although we had sampled a variety of food by this point, the portions weren’t huge, leaving us room for dessert. There were only 3 options – a chocolate / peanut butter cake, a strawberry almond bread pudding and another option that escapes me right now. But we chose the chocolate cake which didn’t disappoint. Rich, but not too rich, it was a delightfully sweet ending to our meal.

565 Peachtree St
Atlanta, GA 30308
404 835 1410
Website

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Food Network Star Hosts Cooking Event in Dalton, GA

Nov 2

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Books and Information, Prix Fixe, Recipes, Romantic, Taste of, cook like a professional chef | No Comments

If you are a fan of the Food Network show Chopped and Chef James Briscione then you won’t want to miss this. Chef Briscione, Food Network star and winner of the show Chopped, has teamed up with the city of Dalton to host 2 cooking classes; the first was in October and was a huge hit! The second in November. Although this is a cooking class, Dalton has made a culinary event out of it and it will be offered as a weekend package for guests. See highlights below. For a detailed itinerary, click here.

In addition to the class and dinner with Chef James Briscione, highlights of the culinary weekend escapes include:

    · Wild Game Dinner and cooking classes
    · A four-course dinner at Planet of the Grapes, Dalton’s local gourmet restaurant and wine bar
    · Visit the newly restored Historic Freight Depot for a catered lunch by Oakwood Cafe
    · Wine tasting at Dalton’s Downtown Wine Festival

Class size is limited to 20 couples and the first will be held the weekend of November 6-7. Tickets are available for couples or singles.  Packages start at $325, including hotel accommodations, classes, meals, events and on-site transportation.  Discounts apply for booking two tickets. For reservations and ticket information go here.

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