Archive for category Restaurant Reviews

Saba Oakhurst, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Aug 31

Posted by in Decatur, Good for Groups, Italian, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta, outdoor dining | No Comments

Thanks Scoutmob, for introducing me to new restaurants I would have never tried had it not been for your 50% off deals. Such is the case with Saba restaurant in Decatur (Oakhurst). Waiting until just two days before the deal expired, I had reason to visit Saba when I picked up a friend from the Airport. Ok, maybe Saba was a bit out of the way, but hey, 50% is reason enough to visit, right?

I checked out the Saba address and was taken to the Emory location (via my Google Maps app on my phone), not the Decatur location as what the Scoutmob deal was for. The Emory location was empty on this Saturday night, save for one couple with their toddler. As we ordered at the counter – no table service here, I presented my Scoutmob deal. Since it was the wrong location, they politely refused to honor it. Had it been my restaurant, I’d have honored the coupon, welcoming the new traffic and increased business but whatevs.

So, we trekked out to the Decatur location. I did feel sorry for my poor friend, exhausted after a 26+ journey from Taiwan. But he was a good sport. Thank goodness the Saba Decatur location was more alive than Saba Emory. So, lively, in fact, there was a band. Not wanting to scream to be heard, we sat outside. Luckily the storms that had come through the area earlier in the day, carried away some of the heat and humidity when they left.

Made up of pastas and sandwiches, Saba’s primarily Italian menu has some unique offerings like Thai Ravioli with peanut and cilantro sauce as well as Vindaloo Tofu Spaghetti. Saba is great restaurant for vegetarians as there are lots of vegetarian options on their menu.

One vegetarian item I had to try was the Pumpkin Ravioli. It is offered as an entree rather than an appetizer. But I ordered it for the table to share, asking our server to bring it out ahead of the meals. It was a good choice, albeit, almost too sweet with it’s brown butter glaze. It was also a little on the dry side. I would have liked to see more sauce to the dish. But all in all, it was tasty and I was certainly not sorry I ordered it.

Caprese Salad:

We all had salads as well. Although they are technically sides for our meals, we asked that they come out with ahead. The plain salad as well as the Arugula salad ($0.50 upcharge) I ordered, while fresh, had no pizzaz. There was barely any dressing and I was hoping for at least a couple grape tomatoes or something, but nothing except some cheese. Glen ordered the Caprese salad a la carte which was the only salad that was exceptional in any way.

Glen opted for the Thai Ravioli with chicken. It was quite tasty. And not spicy at all as some Thai dishes can be. It is like your basic Pad Thai sauce put with Ravioli instead of Thai noodles. George, our friend, ordered the Wild Mushroom Ravioli in a garlic cream sauce. It was very bland and completely forgettable. I heard him mutter the words “Chef Boyardee” shortly after digging in.

I loved my sausage sandwich. It was huge and hearty – well worth the $8 bucks even without a side dish. I was expecting a sausage link on a hoagie bun or something similar, but what I got was ground sausage with onions and red peppers served up on two huge ciabatta buns. The bread here is insanely delicious and so fresh. I fully intended to save the rest of my sandwich but I couldn’t help but share with my dining companions.

It is kind of a shame Decatur is so out of the way, otherwise I could see myself spending a lot of fun evenings there. I enjoyed my evening at Saba, but it definitely is a neighborhood restaurant (read: if you live in Decatur worth visiting) but not a dining destination in my opinion.

350 Mead Rd Ste E
Decatur, GA 30030
770 906 0070
Website

Tags: Decatur, Gluten-Free, Italian, Saba

Studio Movie Grill, Roswell, Atlanta, GA Review

Aug 24

Posted by in Burgers, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta, margaritas, roswell | No Comments

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Similar to the old Buckhead Backlot theatre, Studio Movie Grill combines the dinner and show concept. Studio Movie Grill opened in the Alpharetta / Roswell area this past June. Studio Movie Grill is great for Roswellites, only about 3 miles down Holcomb Bridge Rd from 400. Unfortunately for me, I missed the opportunity to attend their media event as I was out of town, but Studio Movie Grill invited me back to see a flick and sample their goods on a recent Sunday afternoon. Full disclosure: I was comped the movie tickets and meal as part of my review.

Man it is hot in Atlanta in August! And what a better way to spend an absolutely scorching Sunday afternoon than in a cool theatre, sipping on an ice cold Margarita? They have lots of cocktails at Studio Movie Grill and of course, beer and wine are available too. When you enter Studio Movie Grill, just beyond the ticketing area, you’ll see a bar to your left. It seemed odd to me that people would be hanging out in a bar at a movie theatre in the middle of the afternoon, but there were several patrons doing just that.

We chose to see the new Angelina Jolie flick, Salt. Totally unbelievable but certainly entertaining. But I digress. You have a choice of buying tickets in advance or purchasing them at the theatre box office. Prices are just under $10 after 6pm and only $8 before 6pm ANY day, not just weekdays.

If you are going on weekend night or seeing a recent release, I would suggest getting tickets in advance. As the theatres have tables / bars for eating, you can imagine this takes up some real estate, allowing for less seating. Studio Movie Grill also offers reserved seating. This requires that you pre-purchase a movie ticket and a $12 dining credit. If you go this route, you’ll be prompted to select your seats during the purchase process.

We decided to wait until we were seated before ordering drinks or food. There’s a button on each table you press to alert servers that you want to place an order. They’ll come around and enter in your order on their nifty hand held device. And don’t worry, they’ll drop your check off plenty of time before the movie is over, so you don’t have to sit there waiting on it or change.

Starting the movie experience off with a margarita, choices were a regular for $8.50 or large for $9.50. It’s a no brainer to order the large. For starters, we chose the Tabasco wings and Thai salad with mint dressing. I thought the wings were tasty and meaty, albeit a little expensive at $8.50 for 5 wings. The salad was a large portion and very fresh.

Although the starters at Studio Movie Grill were enjoyable, I highly recommend the Megaplex burger. With bacon, mushrooms, onions and both cheddar and pepper jack cheese, it was juicy and tasty. Even the dark theatre, I didn’t have to see the cheese to tell it was quality. I was kinda bummed that I was slightly full by the time my burger arrived. It is pretty large and the burger, along with my crispy sweet potato fries would have been plenty by itself to fill me up and keep me satisfied for the remainder of the night.

While it may not be a destination for ITPers, it’s something out of the ordinary for North Fulton / Johns Creek dwellers. Oh, and unbeknownst to Studio Movie Grill, I also visited once before this visit, and was treated with the same friendly service on both occasions.

2880 Holcomb Bridge Road
Alpharetta, GA 30022
770-992-8411
Website

Extras: Kudos to SMG for posting this on their website: “No Children Under Age 2 Will Be Admitted To Any PG-13 or R-Rated Feature After 6:00 PM.” Wish more movie theatres would adopt this policy.

Tags: alpharetta, dinner-theatre, movie-theare, movies, roswell

Publik Restaurant Midtown, Atlanta, GA Review

Aug 12

Posted by in American, Midtown, Pub, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta, bar | 1 Comment

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A group of eight of us did the dinner and a show thingy when Phantom of the Opera was in it’s last run at the Fox Theatre. My old standbys within walking distance of the Fox, Pleasant Pheasant and Mick’s, now closed, I had quite the dilemma. Where can we eat that’s close to the Fox? I found that we had about 2 choices if we didn’t want to break the bank – Baronda or Publik. Rumored to be somewhat of a Gastropub, I chose the latter for our group. And well into the first act of Phantom I was still kicking myself for my choice that evening.

Publik has taken the space of the old bar, Bazzar. It is literally right next door the Fox Theatre. You could not ask for a closer location. You could ask for better food and service, though. I guess the proprietors don’t feel the need to deliver either, as they have somewhat of a captive audience. FYI Publik – just having a good beer selection, doesn’t excuse mediocre food and poor service.

Their online menu lists beer and cocktails, neither or which are current, along with Publik’s food menu. At the time of this post, Publik’s online food menu consists of 4 appetizers, 2 salads, 5 sandwiches, and 5 entrees. Not exactly like opening a T.G.I. Friday’s menu. While it was limited, it seemed there would be something for everyone, especially one guest in particular who was dieting, requiring a small portion of (not fried) protein. Called and made a reservation for eight people for six o’clock the next day, thinking that would be plenty of time before our 8 pm show. So far, so good.

We arrived, at 6:15, and even though we were slightly late they had our upstairs table ready. We were handed a “drink menu” and out of all of us only one had the cocktail menu printed on the reverse side. The others were strictly beer. Not matching anything I saw online, I ordered the ‘Publik Domain’ which, as it turns out, is a fancy name for a Whiskey Sour.

From here, things just went downhill. We were presented with a very limited menu. And you though it couldn’t get more limited than what I described above? For apps, you can choose from chicken or beef skewers, Garden, Ceasar, or Cobb Salad, Crab Cakes or a Charcuterie plate. For mains choices are a Burger, Fish n’ Chips, Ribeye, Chicken Piccata or Vegetable Ratatouille. Nowhere on Publik’s website is there any indication that there is a limited menu on certain nights. Had I known this, I would definitely chosen to dine elsewhere.

Publik Dining Room Before Fox Show:

I asked our server what’s up with the extremely limited menu and she said Publik does that on nights that there are shows at the Fox, otherwise they “can’t keep up with getting all the orders out when the restaurant is full.” WTF? Isn’t there always a show at the Fox? Um…if you can’t handle the crowd maybe you shouldn’t situate yourself right next door to the Fox Theatre.

Since it was relatively early still, 6:30, I begged her to just let us order off of the regular menu to no avail. We were SOL and stuck with the limited, limited menu. She did mention 2 specials – Tuna Burger, and Shrimp and Grits which seemed to appease the group slightly. The Publik server seemed to be pushing for us to order, as if there was some rush to turn the table over. Three of us ordered the Tuna Burger, while others ordered the Cobb Salad, Chicken Piccata, and Shrimp and Grits.

Publik Tuna Burger

I had lusty thoughts for my Ahi tuna BLT from Bocado (seriously that could be a contender for my last meal on earth – it is one orgasmic sandwich) but Publik’s version is like it’s retarded brother – definitely not on par. Tuna burger special was cooked too much. It was completely bland, I could barely taste anything. It not only needs to be cooked less but needs some sort of sauce to liven it up. If Publik bills itself as a Gastropub, then they need to get more creative with sauces. I would have expected more than merely ketchup as a dipping sauce for my fries.

The Cobb Salad was pretty and certainly not lacking in the meat department, but not worth the $11 price tag. The Chicken Piccata was pretty tasty and the artichoke risotto had a great flavor, albeit quite salty. One of my friends didn’t get her Shrimp and Grits until nearly all of us were done with our meals. I suspect our quite ~~frazzled~~ incompetent server forgot to put in the order, but I can’t be sure. At that point, her meal should have been comped. We didn’t ask, it’s just the right thing to do with such poor service (I’m leaving out some other details – snippy attitude, etc, etc). They didn’t offer to comp the meal by the way.

Publik Shrimp and Grits

After my friend wolfed down her dinner so as not to keep us from being late, we asked for the check, since our server wasn’t going to offer us dessert although we saw other tables getting some. Server said she couldn’t really do separate checks. Somebody please explain to me, why, with all the technology we have, having separate checks is such a hard thing to do.

After being gone for 20 minutes she finally came back with our checks split up properly. Another friend was getting her cash out and our server (pretty impatient at this point) asked her to get her money together so she could ring everyone up at the same time. I fully expected the downstairs to be packed with theatre-goers, trying to settle up before the curtain rose. But I’ll be damned, the place was nearly empty. I’m absolutely befuddled that in this very competitive market, a restaurant with such lackluster food and sloppy service can stay open. Oh yeah – Location, Location, Location….

654 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30308
404 885 7505

Tags: Fox Theatre, Midtown, Publik

Soho, Vinings, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Aug 9

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Perimeter, Restaurant Reviews, Seafood, Vinings, atlanta | 1 Comment

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Soho restaurant opened up in 1997 and is still located in it’s original location, in the Vinings Jubilee shopping center off of Paces Ferry Road in the heart of Vinings. Soho remains one of the few unique restaurants in the area, incorporating Asian, Southwestern and South American influences into its Modern American menu. In my never-ending quest to be trying out new Atlanta Restaurants, I realized it had been about four years since I last dined at Soho. So, I was pretty stoked when Soho restaurant reached out to me, and invited me to join them for dinner.

Settling in to out table, we perused the menu and I settled on a cucumber cocktail which was refreshing and hit the spot on this hot summer day. But if you are a wine lover, do sample at least one glass from the extensive and well-planned menu. If you need help, ask your server as they are quite skilled at offering pairings, at least mine was.

Back in the day, Soho had a menu item I just couldn’t resist and ordered on each visit. The Tuna Two Ways; one was an Ahi Tuna and the other was tempura battered if I am remembering correctly. I have fond memories of that dish. Although the Tuna Two Ways is no longer available, the appetizers menu is loaded with items that make it difficult to choose.

Lucky for me, we had four in our party. If I had the appetite, I would have loved to have sampled everything on the appetizer menu. I so wanted to try the Poke tuna, and lucked out when the Chef sent an amuse bouche of Ahi Tuna over to our table. What a beautiful pink color. It tastes just as good as it looks. And the side of beans isn’t just for show, it’s a great pairing to the tuna.

Being a seafood lover, the mussels and poached shrimp appetizers were also calling my name. Luck was on my side again, as the special that evening was mix of seafood (mussels, shrimp and octopus) in a white wine broth. At only $5, this dish is extremely reasonable for the price. The portion is really good for one, but if you order four appetizers like we did, you can make it work for two. All the seafood was perfectly done, and I know sometimes Octopus can get rubbery or tough, but it was cooked just right. While I was tempted to soak up the broth in bread, I went easy, to save me appetite.

We also ordered the Salmon Thai, Beef Carpaccio and Fried Green Tomatoes. While I liked the Fried Green Tomatoes, I just had a nibble, really focusing more on the other seafood / meat apps. The Beef Carpaccio was was tasty and pretty filling. The use of the shaved Asiago cheese is a nice departure from the usual Parmesan cheese. And the creamy dijon sauce drizzled atop makes for a pretty presentation, but the Carpaccio is tasty enough to stand on its own.

If you are a fan of crab meat and brie, then don’t miss the crab and brie quesadilla. I’ve had it in the past and it’s a winning flavor combo. But instead of that, I chose to order the Salmon Thai which is a little more unusual and complex. It is a piece of Salmon in a thai pesto sauce (recipe available here) with a citrus sauced drizzled over top.

Moist and flaky, this was another hit in the seafood department. The pesto is really Thai in it’s DNA, consisting of basil, mint, cilantro, lemongrass and peanuts. The pesto and citrus flavors both serve to enhance the salmon, not overpowering it, allowing the all the flavors to come through bite after bite. And if you are looking for something light to have, you could totally order this as an entree and add a side of rice (tomato-basil risotto recommended) and it would be perfect. Definitely worth 8 bucks.

My dad ordered the crab cakes and my aunt ordered the chicken, neither of which I tried myself, but they both had no leftovers, and were very complimentary of the meal. Judging by the looks of the crab cakes, they are mostly lump crab sans any unnecessary filler. I did steal a taste of my dad’s tomato-basil risotto that accompanied his crab cakes – so much flavor packed into that side dish.

Steak:

Seabass:

Glen ordered a steak special which he seemed very pleased with. I had a bite and loved how tender it was. It had some South American spices on it, which went well with his rice and beans. I’ve had the Seabass a handful of times at Soho, and this time was no different. It is slightly crisp on the outside and cutting into it gives way to the buttery insides. Yum. It’s always been done exactly right each and every time I’ve ordered it. Oh and I love the Edamame ravioli that it served with it, which I don’t ever remember having in the past. Just like it sounds, it is crushed edamame cooked inside the ravioli – how unique!

Lastly, we were treated to the dessert platter: an assortment of 4 of the most popular desserts at Soho. This consisted of the Peach Cobbler, NY Cheesecake, Strawberry Sorbet and Chocolate Bread pudding. The four of us loved all the desserts, but oddly enough each had a different favorite. My aunt liked the Peach Cobbler the best. Nice that it actually had lots of peach in it. Don’t you hate when you order cobbler and you end up hunting for the fruit bits?

My favorite was the cheesecake. And I found out that Soho has this made specially for them from a local baker who’s originally from NY. My dad found the Sorbet to be the most appealing. Light and fresh, it is the perfect summer treat! And Glen, while usually never a fan of Bread Pudding liked that the best. I will say it is not exactly like traditional bread pudding but more like an extremely moist chocolate cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel.

During the course of our dinner we were introduced to Soho’s friendly owner, Susan Smith. And I noticed her many times throughout the evening, walking around, making sure everything was running smoothly. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to rediscover Soho. If you haven’t been in a while, you are overdue for a visit. And if you’ve you’ve never been, you’re about to discover a hidden gem in Vinings.

4300 Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30339
770 801 0069
Website

Extras: There’s lots of Gluten-Free menu items to choose from

Tags: Fusion, Soho, Vinings

Mary Mac’s Tea Room Anniversary Party and Book Release

Aug 6

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Books and Information, Good for Groups, Midtown, Restaurant Reviews, Southern, atlanta | No Comments

Sometimes us bloggers get all caught up in the latest and greatest restaurant on the scene. We flock there, and happily tweet away as we marvel at something shiny and new. But in our haste, we forget about the truly great, iconic restaurants that have graced Atlanta for many years. One such restaurant is Midtown’s Mary Mac’s Tea Room off Ponce de Leon (pronounced ponts-duh-lee-on) if you live in the south.

Back in the 1940s, there were 16 tea rooms in Atlanta. Although not a place that served tea, these were a fancied up versions of a meat and three. They were centers for neighborhoods where families could go and enjoy good food in the company of friends. Today, Mary Mac’s is the only tea room that remains in Atlanta.

Mary Mac’s has had it’s doors open for 65 years, serving up classic Southern food. Some of the servers have even been there for decades. John Ferrell bought the restaurant in 1994 and runs it with his partner, Hank Thompson. These are truly some of the nicest Southern gentlemen you could ever meet. No wonder Mary Mac’s Tea Room has been patronized by celebrities like Richard Gere, Beyonce, the Dahli Lama and is a favorite of Paula Deen.

I was recently invited to attend Mary Mac’s 65th Anniversary and Book Release party. Mary Mac’s cookbook not only includes 125 of their wonderful recipes, but staff pictures and anecdotes and the history of this fine establishment. Strolling into Mary Mac’s, I couldn’t believe there were already customers waiting for a table at 4 pm. But I guess it is no lie that they serve about 1,000 meals per day.

I immediately spotted owner, John Ferrell, and wasted no time getting my book autographed. Such a sweet man, he offered that if I ever have any questions, I could call him ask. Soon after taking a seat, I ordered a Peach Martini. It definitely hit the spot and I could have easily downed another, but held off as I knew these aren’t no fru fru drinks, but the real deal.

Although servers walked around passing out samples of delicious goodies like tomato pie, squash casserole, and nibbles of other goodies, that was just a teaser. There was an entire buffet spread taking up one wall of the dining room just waiting to be pounced upon. So when John came over and asked me to start things off, I didn’t hesitate and dove right in.

True Southern favorites were on the list – fried okra, salmon cakes, fried shrimp, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken tenders, fried crawfish, ribs and much more. Perusing the recipes in the book, you’ll notice whatever isn’t fried probably contains cheese and butter (measurements in the stick variety) Healthy, this ain’t. But it sure is good.

And what is a Southern meal without Pecan Pie? Absolutely wonderful, but a little piece will do ya. Especially if you opt to have a piece of the Blackberry Jam Cake and delectable banana pudding as well, like I did.

Although Mary Mac’s Teach Room Cookbook contains many recipes from the wildly popular restaurant, there are lots of stories about the history of the restaurants and quotes and features on past and current employees. Highlights in the book:

The pencils and order forms to write your own order are still on the tables, a tradition that will never vanish.
Mary Mac’s “Goodwill Abmassador” Jo Carter aka ‘the back rub lady’ was brought out of retirement to make sure every guest has good time.
Southern Hospitality: owner John has even offered to drop out of town guests back at their hotels.
Mary Mac’s refers to their sweet tea as the “table wine of the south” and it was even mentioned in Travel and Leisure magazine.

“The interesting thing about Mary Mac’s customers is you can’t recognize them. We serve people from all walks of life; the rich and poor, teachers, celebrities, politicians, young and old, black and white.” Quote from Mary Mac’s Tea Room Cookbook

I’m looking forward to trying out recipes for the Shrimp and Grits, Black Eyed Pea cakes, and Turkey and Vegetable Meatloaf.

Get your copy here:

224 Ponce de Leon Ave
Atlanta, GA 30308
404 876 1800
Website

Extras: All first time guest are treated to a sample Pot Likker (you’ll have to go and find out what it is)!!

Tags: Fried-Food, Mary-Mac's-Tea -Room, Southern

Rosebud, Virginia Highland, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jul 30

Posted by in American, Restaurant Reviews, Southern, Virginia Highlands, atlanta | No Comments

Rosebud restaurant was known as Food 101 in a previous life. The name change seems to have been a good move. Rosebud restaurant recently celebrated it’s one year anniversary and on the recent Thursday evening I visited the Virginia Highland restaurant, and it was packed. Under the watchful eye of Ron Eyester, Rosebud restaurant serves up upscale American / Southern food. Full disclosure: I was comped this meal at Rosebud Restaurant as a review.

The wine list is a decent size and there are many wines offered by the glass. I was very impressed with beer list as well. Rosebud has over twenty different kinds of beer available by the bottle. And I’m not just talking Sweetwater 420 or Stella, not that there’s anything wrong with them. But you’ll find unique offerings like Left Hand Milk Stout and Stone Levitation Ale.

Have just said all that, we chose to stick to cocktails this evening. Rosebud’s cocktail list has 6 classics and 6 house cocktails available at $9 a piece. The house cocktails seemed too inventive to pass up. While I had my eye on the AT&T cocktail, a gin and tonic but with house made apricot-thyme gin, my hatred for it’s namesake precluded me from ordering it and I went with the Jackson’s Cup, made with gin, pimms#1, orange-honey syrup and a couple other things thrown in the mix. Glen chose the Fighter Pilot, made with Bombay Sapphire.

These drinks certainly didn’t disappoint. They completely lived up to their dreamy descriptions. Glen did order one of the classics well into the meal, the French 75, which basically tasted a little like a mimosa. So I’d recommend sticking to the inventive house made cocktails.

Rosebud just unveiled a new menu. Some of the previous menu items are still available, however. On my visit, Rosebud was touting it’s Lobster-fest. In addition to a full lobster which is the special of the evening on Thursday, they also have a couple lobster specials: a lobster tail, lobster salad, and a lobster egg roll. While I didn’t want to deal with the messiness of eating a whole lobster, I was in serious need of a lobster fix, and opted for the lobster egg rolls. Great choice as these were chock full of lobster meat in every bite.

Wanting to sample regular appetizers as well, we chose the Eggplant chips, a holdover from the previous menu and a newcomer to the menu, the quail with peach glaze. The Eggplant chips were fried rounds and sprinkled with goat cheese. As someone who doesn’t care for the strong goat cheese flavor, I found these to be pleasantly mild. And the hot sauce that was served alongside was a great addition. As for the quail, I did enjoy it and it is perfectly portioned for two, but it was definitely overshadowed by the lobster egg rolls and eggplant chips without a doubt.

For entrees we chose the twice cooked duck leg and the tuna with lo mein. Both of these are new items on the menu. While the tuna was tasty and cooked rare as requested, the lo mein was quite salty, so salty in fact, that we asked for another side, mushrooms, a much improved side. Chef brought them out himself and apologized for the noodles. My duck leg was served up with some new potatoes and green beans. It had somewhat of an unusual taste – it was like a bitter orange taste mixed with bbq sauce. There was a lot of meat, but can’t say it is something I would order again.

Not to miss out on dessert, we ordered the Mexican coca cola cake and the Rosebud sundae. The cake was moist and tasty but the Rosebud sundae was extraordinary! The sundae is three scoops of ice cream with huge rice krispy treats mixed in on the top. It was absolutely delicious. Oh and it’s ginormous too. We ended up packing up most of it to take home and polishing it off the following evening.

Total cost of the meal before tip was right around $110. Not bad for 3 drinks, 3 appetizers, 2 entrees and desserts. Based on my experience, I recommend sharing appetizers (they are all pretty filling) and around $10 or under. And save room for the Rosebud Sundae of course.

1397 N. Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30306
404 347 9747
Website

Tags: Restaurant Review, Rosebud, Virginia Highland

Cafe at Pharr, Buckhead, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jul 9

Posted by in Buckhead, Healthy, Restaurant Reviews, atlanta | 1 Comment

Although the Cafe at Pharr’s original location is in Buckhead off of Pharr Road, they have expanded to two other locations and are opening up a fourth location in the next couple month in Brookhaven. Full disclosure: I was invited to check out Cafe at Pharr, so this was a free meal.

It was recommended at that I come a bit prior to noon to avoid the lunch rush which was a great idea as the Cafe at Pharr only has a bout 16 tables inside, although most choose to get their lunch orders to go. And by the time I was leaving, almost every table was occupied. And parking is even tighter. I guess there are about 7 or 8 stores in the strip mall and not enough parking spots, so if you visit during the lunch rush, you may have to park on a side street and walk over, but there seemed to still be plenty of street parking available.

I met owner, Johnny (see pic above), a short while after walking inside. This guy is bursting with energy and so proud of his establishment. Opening their doors in 1993, I think they were ahead of the curve a bit. You see, Cafe at Pharr serves pretty healthy and fresh food, not exactly in vogue back in the early 90s. They even make their bread fresh EVERY day!

Johnny made me up a sampler of their chicken salads (all white meat) which are the most popular entrees. I tried the traditional, curried and walnut. My favorite was the curried (what can I say, it’s the Indian in me) but the others are quite tasty too. And while they are very flavorful, they are not chock full of mayonnaise. You can get them all in the form of a salad or sandwich. I tried both and don’t have a preference for one of the other. I do love the croissants at Cafe at Pharr but the salads are so fresh and that asian dressing is quite addictive.

The prices are reasonable considering that everything is made of scratch and fits the clientele – mostly local office workers and Buckhead Betty’s that do lunch. Sandwiches are around $7 and salads are around $9.

If it is meat you crave, don’t fret. The Cafe at Pharr also offers smoked turkey, ham and roast beef sandwiches. But the chicken salads are their signature item. I also love that Cafe at Pharr also gives you their signature yogurt rolls as a small dessert after your lunch. If you haven’t checked out Cafe at Pharr yet, give them a try. Staff is super friendly, and you won’t leave feeling like you are about to pop.

316 Pharr Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
404 238 9288
Website

Tags: Buckhead, Healthy, lunch, sandwiches

Haven Restaurant, Brookhaven, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jun 29

Posted by in American, Dates, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic, Seafood, Southern, atlanta, outdoor dining | No Comments

I had heard about Haven Restaurant located in Brookhaven for several years, but never made it over until a recent Thursday evening. Thanks to owner Michel Arnette for having me in to try Haven out, though I don’t know why they would need me to review them as Haven Restaurant had quite the crowd going on on this weekday evening. Haven Restaurant has been around for 7 years in the mostly residential area of Brookhaven.

I’m not too familiar with the Brookhaven area and it can be tricky to find if you haven’t yet invested in a GPS like me. You see the street sign from Peachtree says Brookhaven one one side and Dresden (which is where you need to turn) on the other. Needless to say I got pretty turned around. But I digress… Pulling up we drove by Haven’s sister restaurant Valenza and noticed it had quite the crowd as well. We decided to forgo the valet, and park ourselves across the street.

The friendly hostess greeted us and gave us the option of indoor or outdoor seating. It is truly beautiful inside Haven, but it is also quite noisy, so we chose outside seating. On this, one of these last few days in May of low(ish) humidity, we took advantage of Haven’s welcoming patio.

Although the mussels are extremely popular on the menu, according to Haven’s owner, Michel, we were kinda musseled out having had them twice the previous week. I would like to go back and have them at some point though, as the smoky tomatoes and chipotle really piqued my interest.

Instead of Haven’s mussels we opted for the crab cake, fried oysters and with little arm twisting from Michel the other wildly popular appetizer, truffled potato hay. These are like crispy little potato sticks with some parmesan cheese thrown in. They are highly addictive and a huge portion – maybe not the best combination if you only have 2 in the party. This is a great and affordable (only $5) appetizer if you’ve got a group of 4 or more.

The crab cake was tasty and served with some grape tomatoes as well. I thought this would be my favorite appetizer, but I actually enjoyed the fried oysters more. They weren’t simply served by themselves. Nope. Haven’s fried oysters come with fried pickles on a bed of creamy lemony grits. While the oysters themselves are tasty, the side dishes only serve to strengthen and compliment the dish.

We put in our appetizer order but not the entree order as we were taking our time deciding what to order. Looking around at the other diners, this seems to be groups of couples and friends in their upper 40s. Not too many gen exers like me here. But the one thing that struck me is how many of the diners seemed to know each other. I saw table after table of customers that at one point or another during the evening recognized someone they knew and were giving them a hug. Not to be excluded, I ran into an acquaintence myself. A true wine connesseiur, she was able to recommend a terrific Shiraz to pair with my dinner.

So, yes, moving onto dinner. After seeing the mussels appetizer come out, I was actually tempted to order it as my main, but then thought I really should order some meat, and went for the duck breast. Glen ordered the Halibut, which was delicious. I loved the crispy outside texture and the flaky tender inside. The pesto broth and shrimp were nice additions as well.

And I was blown away by the portion of the duck breast. It was sliced into medallions and usually when I get a duck breast it is half the size of what I was presented at Haven. Now I’m wishing I hadn’t been such a glutton, and had packed some up to take home with me. The rhubarb included as a side was a sweet and perfect accompaniment to my duck.

Still loving that that lemon flavor that was apparent in the grits, we opted for the lemon cheesecake with strawberries. Definitely a standout as far as desserts go, and is a big enough portion for two to share.

I love the atmosphere at Haven. No wonder it is consistently on OpenTable.com’s top 10 list of hidden gems. I think some regulars are going to be a little annoyed about the word spreading about “their” spot. I saw many diners giving hugs to the hostess as well as Michel, so they’ve definitely become quite popular in the Brookhaven community.

1441 Dresden Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30319
404 969 0700
Website

Tags: Brookhaven, Haven, Southern

Tierra, Midtown, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jun 16

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Caribbean, Latin, Midtown, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic, atlanta, outdoor dining | 1 Comment

Wow Tierra Restaurant in Midtown is hard to find, I wondered as I drove on Piedmont Rd looking for Tierra. Fortunately for me, I called and spoke to one of the owners and she very nicely guided me in the right direction to Tierra Restaurant. After talking with Tierra’s the owners, Dan and Ticha Krinsky, I found this is a common occurrence with patrons getting lost trying to find them. It is located in a bright yellow building on Piedmont Ave not far from Monroe in Midtown. Tierra recently added a new sign so they area easier to locate as well.

The good news with Tierra is that once you do find them, you can park yourself – no valet to deal with (a definite plus in my book). Upon entering the small (inside has around 15 tables, outside about 8 tables) Midtown restaurant, I was immediately struck by the cozy charm of the restaurant and friendly attitude of the staff. I was invited to check out Tierra Restaurant recently, and was very fortunate to have beautiful weather allowing me to sit on the outdoor patio.

The menu features a mix of tried and true favorites with a little mix up bi-weekly, as well as specials that are changed quarterly. It is Dan and Ticha’s way of keeping things interesting and including seasonal ingredients in their menu. For starters, we went with the Pionono (a beef filled pastry wrapped in a sweet plantain). This is a signature dish, never leaving the menu and the chef duo even prepared it on a recent Fox 5 Good Day Atlanta show. This was the highlight of the evening. It looks simple, but when you take a bite, you can taste the complexity of the flavors all working together for an extraordinary appetizer.

If you are a wine lover , then you’ll appreciate the well-planned wine list. Most wines are Chilean with a handful from Argentina. All whites are available by the glass and as are many reds. We chose one Cabernet and on Malbec, both excellent accompaniments to our entrees. But if you aren’t sure, servers can help make a recommendation.

Next up for entrees we went with the pork medallions as well as the trout. Our server said the medallions are a favorite on the menu and Glen ordered those. I went for the trout with a avocado sauce which just sounded light and perfect for a summer evening. I was really surprised by how tasty the pork medallions were. They were juicy and the chipotle mashed potatoes that accompany the dish gives it that extra zing that just makes is superb.

I did enjoy my trout as well. It was huge portion and cooked perfectly – flaky and tender. I wish I had ordered the chipotle mashed potatoes as my side. The plain white rice is bland in comparison. If you order the trout when you visit or anything that doesn’t come with the chipotle mashed potatoes make sure you get a side order – they are divine.

I did order a side of the Swiss Chard cakes. It sounds so unusual, but it was so delicious. It has a great balance of the Swiss Chard as well as the “cake” part. Not too doughy and not to vegetably either. And it comes in a white bean and onion mix. I highly recommend getting a side to share. The three cakes are a great portion for two to share. And, you know, if you are vegetarian you could order 3 sides and put together an extremely satisfying meal.

We wrapped up our meal with Tierra’s Award-winning Tres Leches cake. Oh Em Gee, this is insanely good. There’s definitely a reason it has won awards. It is moist as you would expect Tres Leches to be and sweet but not sickenly so. The portion was the perfect size for two to share. And when your server asks if you’d like a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream on the side, don’t even think about. Just say yes. Trust me, if you think the cake is good by itself, one bite with a dab of dulce de leche ice cream is heavenly.

It may be a bit difficult to find Tierra Restaurant, but it is worth the trouble. The staff and owners are so warm and friendly, but beyond that I can’t express how high the quality of the food is. I love the complexity of the flavors. Biting into their food, you can tell the owners put a great deal of thought and planning into a well-crafted menu. Tierra Restaurant is a hidden gem if ever there was one.

Extras: There is a special menu the week of 7/4 to celebrate Argentina Independence day (7/9).

1425 Piedmont Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
404 874 5951
Website

Tags: Latin, Midtown, Tierra

Lobby Bar and Bistro, Atlantic Station, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jun 3

Posted by in Atlanta visiting, Midtown, Restaurant Reviews, Southern, atlanta | 2 Comments

Lobby Bar and Bistro has been around for quite some time, located at Twelve, the hotel in Atlantic Station. If you haven’t heard of it before, Lobby is a Concentrics restaurant, part of the One Midtown Kitchen, Two Urban Licks, Parish, Tap,etc empire. It seems to have gone through a slight name change from Lobby at Twelve to Lobby Bar and Bistro. Not sure if this is to coincide with the return of the original chef Nick Oltarsh.

I had never visited Lobby before, but was excited to check it out when I was invited to a Media Lunch recently. Perhaps it is the name, but I never thought about dining in the lobby of a hotel. I guess I was thinking more of a Holiday Inn rather than a swanky hotel like Twelve. But upon entering Lobby Bar and Bistro all prejudices were removed. It is rather pretty and the “lobby” name is somewhat of a misnomer. True, there are tables in the front to sit and chat or have drinks, but the dining area is set back with more of a restaurant feel than sitting in a hotel lobby.

The guest list for the media event was rather large, and we were seated in the private room all the way in the back. I loved the wines set along the wall of the room. It makes a dramatic impact. As we waited for everyone to arrive, I perused our set menu – gumbo, chicken and waffles, pizza, salmon, shrimp and grits. Nice! Glad I brought my appetite.

We started with the gumbo, made with andouille chicken, rice and scallions. It sounds like a pretty simple dish, but I was amazed at the complexity of the flavors. And it had the right amount of spice and wasn’t the least bit over-salted as gumbo can sometimes be. This was definitely a surprise as gumbo isn’t something I would usually order. I would include the picture I took at the Lobby Luncheon, but it really doesn’t do the gumbo justice. Just go have it, trust me.

Next up were the Chicken and Waffles as well as Ahi Tuna. As big of a deal as chicken and waffles are in the south, believe it or not, I’ve never had them. The combination of crispy fried chicken with the sweet maple syrup covered waffles sounds great. They were good, however the Tobasco sauce that was supposed to be included never came through as promised, albeit a tasty offering.

Oh, how I loved the Ahi Tuna. You know how they say you eat with your eyes first? Well, this is one dish that exemplifies that. It is so colorful – pink tuna, green avocado, orange slices – yum. And the taste? Wonderful, so many fresh ingredients, especially loved the inclusion of hearts of palm in the dish.

Pizza was the next item on our menu. I think ours was a hybrid of the margherita and traditional pizzas on the regular menu. I know ours had basil, zucchini, and onion, but was definitely meatless. The ingredients were extremely fresh and the portion is great for sharing.

Entree choices were Salmon or Shrimp and Grits. I was sitting across from fellow blogger, Amy, so we decided to get one of each and share. Me: Salmon. Amy: Shrimp and grits. I found my salmon to be cooked perfectly flaky and not the least bit dry. This can be a problem especially when serving a big group. But the preparation was perfect and the creamy lemon sauce was a refreshing departure from other restaurant offerings.

As for the Shrimp and Grits, I must admit, I’m not a fan of grits. They just seem so bland. I tasted the shrimp and they were properly spiced and tasty, but alas the grits just didn’t do anything for me. I will say, that the shrimp were plentiful and enough to fill you up without having to use the grits to make up for it.

And of course, don’t forget to save room for dessert. The lemon tart was excellent – a perfect compliment to my lemon-sauced salmon, but the pistacio-topped eclair was a standout.