My love of Atlanta Culinary Tours is no secret. These guys put together fantastic tours at extremely reasonable prices. So far, they’ve invited me to attend two tours that introduced me to a plethora of restaurants I’d never before visited, even though I’ve lived in Atlanta for decades. The Sweet Auburn Curb Tour exposed me to so many cool vendors  and I learned about the history of building. And the Norcross tour introduced me to many restaurants that I would love to revisit. So, when ACT told me they were starting up a Roswell tour I just knew it was gonna be awesome.

I have always been a fan of the restaurants in Roswell. If you’ve not been they’ve got a lovely downtown area that are lined with wonderful, cozy restaurants. On this particular the day, the weather was perfect and many Roswellites were soaking up the sun in many of the patios that line the streets of the downtown Roswell area.

On the ACT’s Roswell tour, we visited five restaurants.

Rice – This cute little Thai spot in a renovated house was the first and the favorite of all our stops. I loved learning how Chef and Owner, Kris, bought the house on a whim and decided to open a restaurant with no formal training. The Thai shrimp and sticky rice pudding we sampled were divine. Can’t wait to go back and have a proper meal. Fact: The artwork that adorns the walls in the restaurant was done by Chef Kris and his wife. He even has a painting hanging in the High Museum.

Table & Main – This was the restaurant I most anticipated visiting. I thought the meatball we sampled was forgettable. With the glowing reviews the restaurant has received, I just didn’t feel this menu item lived up to my expectations.  General Manager, Ryan Pernice told us about how they incorporated some of the original wood and other decor pieces found around the house in the design of the restaurant. It is a very pretty space and has a inviting patio. Table & Main takes reservations for only a set number of tables each night leaving a good portion of the restaurant open for walk-ins. If you have to wait for a table, you can always play a game of corn hole, while you wait!

Artisan Foods Bakery and Cafe - Beignets! Seems like I’ve had plenty of these lately. I’m not complaining, though. These were warm and fresh, and so soft on the inside. We had a sample of coffee with a sugar rimmed glass that went perfectly with the beignets.

Oli & Ve – Amazing to find out that this place has 48 different kinds of oils and vinegars. While we could only sample a handful, we did identify some favorites: Harissa, Blood Orange and Espresso. We were even treated to some ice cream topped with Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar – Yum! Some in the group were smart to grab some of the oils and vinegars as gifts.

Fickle Pickle – Proprietor Andy Badgett greeted us and treated us to some of his favorite items from his long-standing Roswell restaurant. Of course, we had to start off with their famous Cajun Fried Pickles. I enjoyed them, but I enjoyed the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich even more. Made with a tomato jam that is mixed with onions and garlic and topped with Arugula and cheese, even the small sample was quite filling.

In addition to the Roswell Tour ($32), Atlanta Culinary Tours takes you to some of the highlights of the Inman Park / Old Fourth Ward restaurants ($39) on that tour and even tours Atlanta’s Chinatown ($28) in yet another tour. I attended complimentary as this was a tour for media. Most tours visit five to six eateries and last about three hours. Looking for something different for a date other than the typical dinner and a movie? This is terrific option. I highly suggest you take a tour with Atlanta Culinary Tours, but book quickly as tours fill up fast.

Benihana had their first ever Sushi and Sake class in Atlanta this July. The class size which consisted of about 24 attendees took place at Benihana’s Alpharetta location. So pleased that I was invited to attend.

First things first, we ordered a drink. Our choices were the Blue moon Saketini, Mojito, Pomegranate Shochu or the Mango Saketini. My friend, Kim, had he Mojito and I chose the Pomegranate Shochu. Shochu is a liquor that seems to be gaining popularity in Japanese restaurants of late. It is a barley based liquor, often thought of as an alternative to Vodka.

We met our table mates and chatted for a while and then were brought a tray of sushi samplers. I had totally assumed we would be making the sushi and then feasting on what we had made. So, this was an unexpected pleasure to be treated to these sushi favorites before hand. The platter consisted of:

• Alaska Roll
• California Roll
• Caterpillar Roll
• Crunch Roll
• Philly Roll
• Rainbow Roll
• and Shrimp Lovers

After we were finished eating our Sushi, we were introduced to the chef at Benihana who would be instructing us, a couple managers who would be working their way around the tables to make sure we were on the the right track with our sushi-making abilities as well as the Beverage manager who gave us a brief introduction to sushi. We were also each given a tray with all the necessary food items to make our sushi rolls, a sushi mat and cutting board.

Some tidbits about sushi:

• Most common form is Nigiri (pressed sushi rice and topped with sliced fish or seafood)

• It is completely ok to use your hands when eating sushi

• Rice for sushi must me made each day or it doesn’t hold up well

• When making sushi you should always use short grain rice

• It is the vinegar in sushi that helps it stick to the nori

Next we watched the chef as he constructed the California roll and rolled it in the mat. Getting the roll just right is slightly tricky. The most common problem was not rolling it enough to make sure each side was completely covered in rice. Otherwise when you lift it onto the cutting board the insides will fall out. And the trick to cutting the sushi is dipping your knife in water before you make each slice.

Lucky for us, that was the hardest roll to make of the evening. Next up was the Nigiri, which is just a piece of fish laid over rice. My “syllabus” for the “course” says “If sushi is art, then nigiri is finger painting.” Lastly, we created a spicy tuna hand roll, which is simply like a bouquet.

Here’s what I created during the class. How’d I do?

It was a fun night had by all. I learned some new things about sushi, got to meet some cool people and most importantly, I ate well! The class is only $35 (full disclosure – I attended for free to review) but well worth the money for what you get. The platter of food is a great start which is accompanied by a complimentary cocktail. Then you get to taste 4 different types of sake AND all the sushi you make yourself is yours to take home as well. Benihana even gave us all lunch certificates for two to come back.

The recipe for Joe’s hummus and Baba Ganoush is a family recipe kept under wraps. We, of course, sampled that and the stuffed pepper and lamb ribs recommended by him as well. I usually enjoy hummus more than Baba Ganoush, but there was a unique smokey flavor to the Baba Ganoush that made it irresistible. And the stuffed pepper was so tasty, I was a bit bothered I had to share it with Mr. ARB. The lamb ribs, meaty and juicy were served up with a side of cilantro lime slaw that shouldn’t be missed.

We also sampled the mushroom flatbread and the artichoke. Both of these were just exquisite, the mushroom flatbread being one of the highlights of our meal. I only wish I had ordered a glass of white wine to enjoy with them. The wine list is carefully chosen to pair with food, however we were too busy enjoying our cocktails to swap to wine.

Mixologist Shawn dazzles guests with unique drinks like the Jalapeno Margarita, and Cucumber and Basil martini. There’s even a dessert drink: Andes Candies (see the video below for how to make it). He is also skilled at wine pairing recs, turning us onto a Malbec to compliment our veal and lamb dishes. And only $28 a bottle was extremely reasonable for this Malbec.

Lamb is really the star of the show here. Veal is good, but the lamb chops were the better of the two. I wasn’t crazy about the risotto served with the lamb chops, but the house made grits are to die for. Love ‘em. Get yourself over to Basil’s patio pronto before it gets too hot to really enjoy it. And don’t forget to get an Andies Candies from Shawn for dessert.

Basil’s Website
2985 Grandview Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30305

R. Rice, a Thai and sushi spot located in Sandy Springs, has been open about a year. The restaurant is located a couple doors down from Uncle Julio’s Mexican Restaurant. With lots of businesses nearby, R. Rice does a pretty good lunch business. However, they have a terrific dinner menu which we were invited to sample.

Although there are lots of specialty Martinis, I started my meal with a sweet Thai Iced Tea and paired my sushi with a glass of Riesling instead of Sake. Our group of four decided to order several appetizers and entrees and simply share everything.

Beginning with the Tofu and Calamari, our meal was off to a solid start. While the Tuna Pizza was quite tasty and didn’t skimp on Tuna at all, it was the Fried Soft Shell Crab that was the unanimous favorite at our table. The King and Queen’s Crown, (crab meat encased in a crown of avocado) was a close second.

Even though there were four of us sharing, choosing what to order was a difficult decision, because of the many tempting options. I’ve had Pork Katsu and Chicken Katsu, but never Grouper Katsu, so I knew I wanted to sample that as well as the Masaman Curry. Both were huge portions. The Grouper was perfectly done and the sauce complimented it perfectly, not too overpowering. The Masaman curry was equally tasty and plenty large enough for lunch the next day.

For sushi, although there are perennial favorites on R. Rice’s menu, we chose the standout items, like the Hawaiian roll, a shrimp roll with a Ginseng Honey sauce. It was lovely, but the flavor and texture of the American Dream roll with Tuna, Eel, Scallop wrapped into soybean paper was heavenly. And how pretty is this Lollipop roll with cucumber wrap?

We also talked to the owner, Mr. Lin, who gave us quite an education about sushi. He shared with us how passionate he is about providing quality sushi to his guests. Many restaurants will pack rolls full of rice to save on cost, according to Mr. Lin. He doesn’t do that, instead offering quality sushi in generous portions.

The food was outstanding and the pricing is reasonable. Specialty rolls and dinner entrees are all around $12. The pretty decor fits the bill for a casual date night or group outing. Would you like a $25 gift certificate to sample R. Rice? Go like my Facebook page and tell me what your favorite sushi roll is by writing on the Facebook wall. One entry per person please. Enter through May 2. I will select the winner using Random.org. I will let the winner know via Facebook on May 3.

R. Rice Website
1140 Hammond Drive
Sandy Springs, GA

I was quite surprised to hear that the Underground Market would not be so “underground” anymore, changing names to The Atlanta Nosh and moving to Atlantic Station with much promotion around it. Atlantic Station invited me and several other bloggers to The Atlanta Nosh debut. In addition to entry, we given several coupons for tastes at different vendors.

Here are some of the highlights:

Who says Beignets are just for dessert. The Beignets from Yay!Yay! come stuffed with your choice of shrimp, crawfish or roast beef. The combination of sweet and spicy are superb. Hope to catch these guys again real soon.

Feeling adventurous? Give their mealworm cookies a try.

Sarap Filipino Fusion
I’d just had some Filipino Barbecue on a recent trip (post coming soon) and completely fell in love with Lumpia (a Filipino type of spring roll). So I was thrilled to get to have it once again. I also tried their Empanada and curry noodles. Yummy!

The Trinidadian food of Nellie’s Iron Pot was one of my favorite finds. I grew up eating this West Indian food. The authentic drinks of Sorrel and Mauby were just like I remember. And the spicy Doubles (chickpeas in naan) and Pholourie (fried and spicy dough) was delightful.

Sweet and savory rolls with beef or chicken and even Curried Collards with Pumpkin from Caribbean Pantry.

Fried Gyoza from Eat Bowza

There were lots of organic, vegetarian and gluten free items to be found, like this taco from Pure Abundance. I thought it was pretty bland, but there were lots of others who seemed to love this spot.

If you have a sweet tooth, there’s a bevy of dessert items for you to choose from. Cupcakes, Cake Pops, and Mini Pies and Tarts and more can be found here. Don’s Famous Pies hooked me up with Lemon Meringue and Pumpkin Pecan Pies and I also had a lovely Meyer lemon/Coconut Mascarpone cupcake from Iced as well as an Espresso Pie from another vendor whose name I can’t remember right now.

Whew! Did I really eat all that? Some of the vendors will be there on a regular basis and some will rotate out. That’s what makes each visit unique – you never know what you’ll discover – Venezuelan Arepas, Filipino Lumpia, Brazilian Truffles, Ethiopian Doro Wot, Senegalese Lamb Sliders and more.

Atlantic Station is rather large and The Atlanta Nosh can be a bit tricky to find. When I attended there wasn’t much signage. It is located near Dillard’s off of Tower Street. Walk down the set of stairs to the large fenced space and that’s where you’ll find the Atlanta Nosh.

The Atlanta Nosh is every Sunday from Noon to 3 and they begin serving booze at 12:30. Entrance to The Atlanta Nosh is $5 and tastes range between $1 and $5. Most vendors only accept cash but I did notice a few vendors accepting credit cards with a $10 minimum purchase. If you plan to go often buy a season pass for $35 which allows you entry an hour before everyone else.

The Atlanta Nosh Website