Botekim Bistro is the latest Brazilian restaurant to hit the scene in Marietta. If Buford Highway is our Chinatown, then the Delk Rd / Powers Ferry / Terrell Mill area is our Brazilian Eatery mecca. Within that area are a handful of Brazilian restaurants, some are Churrascarias and some are not. Botekim Bistro is not. It already has glowing reviews from the AJC, Creative Loafing and others.

I chose Botekim for my Birthday dinner, opting for a low key evening out. The space is not much to look at from the outside. However, it is pretty inside with hardwood flooring and exposed duct work. We started the evening with two of Botekim’s cocktails – the Scottish Mule and their version of a Margarita. Both were overly sweet. But the wine list is quite nice. So skip the cocktails and focus on the wine. There are some unique wines like Pinot Gris or Douro that you won’t find elsewhere.

For starters we chose the Yucca fritters and the Sausage with toast points. Both were delicious and the highlight of our meal. The Yucca fritters are like a pastry filled with savory ground beef. The sausage was perfectly done and had a wonderful smokey flavor. Both of these appetizers were $8 and if you have a large group the sausage app is where you get the most bang for your buck. Drive ITP and you’d get half that size for the same price. My only regret is not having a glass of red to savor with that sausage.

We noticed that there is a prix fixe menu available: 2 courses for $19 or 3 courses for $24. So we opted for the 2 course option (apps were part of that offering) and got the Flounder and Shepherd’s Pie for our entrees. The Flounder had a sauce with shrimp, capers and other goodies that was just delicious and I wouldn’t hesitate to order it again. I ordered the Shepherd’s pie because one of how much Cliff Bostock of Creative Loafing gushed about how delightful it was. He must’ve tasted something very different than what I had because most of what I tasted was salt. It did have a nice flavor but was completely overpowered by the salt.

We were quite full and got our dessert to go, but I wish we would have skipped it altogether. The flan was super tiny a way too rich for what I was expecting. Totally not worth the money. I’d definitely stop in again if for nothing else than those tasty appetizers. The service was another highlight, with the owner making recommendations and checking in to make sure each table was enjoying their meals.

1410 Terrill Mill Road
Marietta, GA 30067
678 402 7584
Botemkim Bistro Website

Odysseo by Cavalia is a show that combines the acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil with horses. With all the publicity around Cavalia, it would be hard to not know about it. Nevertheless, here’s my take on it, should you be on the fence about catching the show before it’s last performance later this month. I just saw it myself this past weekend.

During weekdays the show is at 8pm. On Saturday, there’s a choice of matinee (3pm) or evening (8pm). And on Sunday there is a 2pm show. Usually my preference would be evening but having Mr. ARB’s daughter with us, we opted for the Saturday matinee. Adult ticket prices start at $70 and go as high as $229 for the ultimate VIP experience.

Image Courtesy of Cavalia.net

We got what is called the Rendez-vous package. This included center stage seating, access to a lounge area before the show and during intermission, a buffet lunch with open bar, dessert at intermission, tour of the horse stables at the end of the show and souvenir calendar. Oh and parking was included as well- bonus!

As with Cirque shows, the acrobatics and music were phenomenal. Add to that they majestic and well-trained horses and you are in for a real treat. The stage was even transformed into a lake near the end of the performance.

If this is a treat or present for someone that loves horses and it isn’t a stretch to spend over $200 on a ticket then yes, go for it. I eavesdropped on many patrons who were thrilled with the experience. The convenience of only parking once (not having to park somewhere else to eat) and having a short stroll into the lounge for a buffet is nice. I found the food on the buffet to surpass any expectations I had – Jumbo shrimp, Couscous, Chicken Satay and Arugula salad were just a couple items on the buffet.

On the other hand, the lesser priced tickets still offer good viewing options. So, keep that in mind when buying tickets. The VIP package is more about the food and the convenience than having much, much better seating. You could buy the $70 tickets and eat at an inexpensive restaurant nearby and spend right around $200 per couple. And unless you really love, love, love being close to horses and perhaps smelling them too, the Horse lover package which includes front row seating may not be for you.

Kid policy: Although I did see a few kids walking around, I don’t think this show is really meant for kids under 12 or 13, unless they have a love of horses. You can take them and spend the money, I just don’t think they will fully appreciate it. I know the two screaming toddlers near me did nothing to enhance my experience.

Fun facts about Cavalia:
There are 11 different breeds of horses used in the show.
It takes 1-3 years to train the horses used in the show.
It takes 1 month to dismantle the stages / tents and set up in another city.
The average age of horses in Cavalia is 8 1/2 years.

With the exception of a couple weekday engagements, it looks as though Cavalia is only available on weekends through January 22 before moving to Miami. To purchase tickets to Cavalia visit the Cavalia website.

Disclosure: My tickets for Cavalia were at a discounted rate.

Earlier this year, I toured some place I’d never been – The Sweet Auburn Curb Market. For some place with such a variety of foods and vast cuisine, it was a wonder I had never been there before. It was all thanks to Atlanta Culinary Tours inviting me to attend. Beth and Dave of Atlanta Culinary Tours were kind enough to invite me to join them once again. This time it was for their inaugural restaurant tour of Downtown Norcross.

I’m not at all familiar with Norcross and having just driven on some of the main streets like Jimmy Carter Blvd. I wasn’t too impressed. So, I was excited to see what ACT had in store for us, as I know that they thoroughly research neighborhoods before putting them on their tours, being careful to select those destinations that have real gems.

Remembering from last time how much food we had to eat, I made the smart decision to skip breakfast even though the tour didn’t start until 2 pm. It was indeed wise, as this tour had nine stops instead of the normal six. Our tour started promptly at 2 and we were off for proper British tea at Taste of Britain. Proprietor Edna Berkshire has owned the store for most of its existence, carrying lots of British goodies, snacks and gifts. I just love the creamy tea they served us, and the scones were just lovely. They even had some Cadburry chocolates for us too. And if you’ve never had the ones from England, they are world of difference between the regular Cadburry’s we get here in the good ‘ol USA.

Next we visited Bleu House Market. Besides sandwiches and homemade side dishes like pasta and other vegetables, you can get lots of other prepared foods to go. We were treated to the Bleu House Special – a chicken salad croissant as well as their home made brownies. These homemade brownies are extra sweet – topped with a brown sugar crust.

The next two stops were rather quick as we had a schedule to maintain. After all this noshing, it was time to indulge in an adult beverage. And Mojito’s had us covered with their special Mojitos. So light and refreshing on this sunny day. Can’t wait to visit again and sample some Cuban cuisine. Then we strolled over to 45 South, a coffee shop that serves breakfast and lunch. Their coffee went well with the spicy chicken sausage we sampled.

Italian was next for us and Paizanos hooked us up with some potent Sangria and fresh and tasty Margerita pizza. Don’t fret if you are wondering where the meat-centric dishes are. Our next stop at Zapata afforded us plenty of meat. They don’t serve tacos or burritos as they say they are more authentic Mexican. We had a dish called Molcajetes which has chicken, beef, shrimp, cheese, peppers and onions in it. The dish is served up piping hot wit the strips of meat hanging off the side.

I think my most favorite of all the stops was the Norcross Station Cafe. While I did thoroughly enjoy the Portebello stuffed ravioli, it was the history of the building that really impressed me. The Norcross cafe used to be an old train station. The owner has some pictures on the walls of when it was still operated as a train station as well as other memorabilia from that era. In more recent history he shared with us that much of the restaurant seating is from church pews. And in 1993 when the restaurant opened there were people protesting as it would be one of the first restaurants in Norcross to serve alcohol. Really? Times certainly have changed.

Every town needs a good tavern and Norcross has got it in the Iron Horse Tavern. We sampled some delicious smoked salmon from the Tavern. Dog owners will be happy to know their patio is pooch friendly. Our last stop on the tour is Dominick’s Italian restaurant. They are pretty famous for their garlic bread and after having some, I can see why – apologies to those who had to hang around me later that evening. And their huge calamari and marinara sauce were the perfect end to our tour.

It was so much fun to explore a new part of town. These tours are terrific ways to sample several restaurants in an area. Even if the drive is lengthy, you can still make an afternoon of it. Priced extremely reasonably at only $39, you get so much value with these tours. Oh and what a fantastic idea for a date. Once again – huge thank you to Atlanta Culinary Tours for having me tag along on this Norcross tour. Want to book a tour with them? Here’s the link: Atlanta Culinary Tours.

In the week prior to opening, Ocean Prime had several events for media and bloggers. We attended and sampled a bevy of delicious of cocktails (Cucumber Gimlet = magic!) and appetizers. We loved the Truffled Mac ‘n Cheese, Lobster Bisque and Chocolate Peanut Butter pie the most. Check out Atlanta Restaurant Blog’s video on Ocean Prime below.

3102 Piedmont Road
Atlanta GA 30305