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

Downtown Restaurant Week begins on Monday July 26th and lasts for 2 weeks ending August 8. Special dining promotions of three-course dinners are available for $25.00 or $35.00 per person, plus tip, plus tax*.

There are no passes to buy, coupons to carry or cards to punch. You simply attend the restaurant of your choice during Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week and select from a special three-course dinner menu. For a list of restaurant and their menus, click here.

I’ve studied the menus and my top choices are:
Peasant Bistro (Shrimp and Grits or Short Ribs)
Trader Vic’s (Seafood with prawns, scallops and mussels / dessert – bananas with sweet creme and rum sauce)
Thrive (Starters include Chicken and potato pot stickers, dessert – Grand Marnier creme brulee)

Click here for special parking information during restaurant week.

Damn, Macy’s Culinary Council puts on some good events…is what I thought after recently attending their cooking demo / meet and greet / book signing with Chef Marcus Samuelsson. I had an early flight the next morning and nearly skipped the event entirely, but I’m so glad I didnt. The event took place last month at the Macy’s North Pointe. The next one is this Sunday at Lenox Mall featuring Tyler Florence. To reserve your seat for this event, click here.

Honestly, I didn’t know who Marcus Samuelsson was until I got the invite to attend the event. But, I’m so glad I got to meet Chef Samuelsson recently. Chef Marucs Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia but was adopted by a Swedish couple and raised in Sweden and spent most of his early adult life in Europe. He learned to cook from his Grandmother and it has been his passion ever since. He then decided to move to America and work his way up the culinary ladder. He now is partner at the one of the top restaurants in New York City.

He was featured on Top Chef Masters, has his own show on Discovery Home Chanel, The Inner Chef with Marcus Samuelsson, and was Guest Chef at the White House under the Obama Administration, where he planned and executed the administration’s first state dinner for the first family, Prime Minister Singh of India and 400 of their guests.

I love his candor, humility and the energy and passion he has for what he does. During the course of his cooking demo, he called on stage kids and those he felt had an aversion to what he was cooking. I think all were pleasantly surprised by how tasty the food was (even those that don’t like vegetables or fish). If nothing else, they were captivated by his charming personality and comical demeanor.

Chef Samuelsson cooked smoked salmon, crabcakes and fried chicken (see pic below) for us. Not only was the event a live demo but samples were available for everyone in the audience to taste. Another thing that was really great was the fact that it was a small audience, probably just 75 people.

Chef Samuelsson is set to open an additional restaurant called Red Rooster and the word straight from him is that he expects it will open around October.

Random Facts about Chef Samuelsson:

• His mother loved Elvis movies and wanted her kids to be quiet when they came on, so she would give them chocolate if they promised to behave. So, as a result, he always looked forward to Elvis movies.

• He thinks dark meat chicken is better than white meat (woohoo! me too!!)

Cooking Tips:

• When buying seafood, always ask for sushi-grade. It doesn’t cost more, but it is the best cut

• Blend buttermilk with coconut milk when making fried chicken

• Fry chicken in a mixture of peanut oil and grapeseed oil for a unique taste

Some quotes from Chef Marcus:
“You should always over-deliver”
“If you do your best at something, good things will happen”

Me and Chef Marcus Samuelsson:

A couple months ago, Lindsey over at Adventurous Tastes posted on how easy and affordable it was to prepare mussels. I, like Lindsey, always thought that mussels were very complicated and took a long to time to prep and cook. But after reading Lindsey’s article and finding out some more information on mussels, I think I’ll be incorporating them into my cooking regimen a little more.

Caught by sailors for almost 900 years, mussels are an eco-friendly, sustainable choice, available all year long.  Mussels are also really good for you too. They are low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, vitamin C and iron. And an average serving contains only 90 calories.

How to Choose Mussels

Cultivated mussels are thin, with light black-to-brown shells; they have higher meat content than wild mussels. Mussels are sold in mesh bags or can be found loose on the ice at the seafood counter. Cultivated blue mussels are harvested year round – even through the winter – so they’re always fresh when you see them in the store.

An easy way to tell if they are fresh is to use your nose – they should smell like the ocean, fresh and salty. You don’t have to eat them as soon as you get home, depending on the date you usually can buy and store the them in your fridge at home for a few days before eating.

How to Cook Mussels

Before you start cooking, you should always give your mussels a quick rinse. Cultured blue mussels are pre-cleaned so that’s really all you need to do. The fresh water will cause the mussels to close. If there are any that don’t close give them a quick tap, if they still don’t close simply discard them.

Cooking

• Place a little bit of water in a pot, just ¼ cup is often enough to provide the steam. Note you should never boil mussels as you would pasta.
• Turn on your heat to high.
• Add the mussels to the pot and  put on the lid.
• When the steam is coming out from under the lid, peak and if the  mussels are open they are done!
• This will take 5 to 10 minutes depending on how much liquid you use, the strength of heat, the weight of the pot and the amount of mussels you have.
• Tip the contents into a bowl and serve with some fresh crusty bread – it’s that simple!

A few Tips

• In place of water, you can also use wine or beer or other liquids to steam the mussels and add some unique flavor. Throw in some chopped garlic or onions to add more flavour.
• A general guide for how many mussels to cook is a pound per person.

Mussel Recipes I like

Grilled Curry Mussels

Steamed Blue Mussels in White Wine

Pumpkin Lasagna with Mussels

You guys, I know Marlow’s Tavern is a chain and I usually avoid chain restaurants as much as possible, but I love Marlow’s. Food and service are consistently on point and prices are reasonable. And not only that, but in addition to the favorites customers have come to love, they also add other goodies based on the season.

From now through Monday, July 26, Atlantans can get a taste of America at all Marlow’s Tavern locations with their limited edition Red, White and Brew Menu. Marlow’s locations are offering a “Red, White and Brew” special. During this time, all six locations of Marlow’s will feature special dishes and beverages suited for celebrating summer. This is also the season for grill masters to show off their skills in Marlow’s First Annual Grilling Contest. Menu and more deets below.

I was invited by Josh Calvin, Marlow’s Kennesaw Manager to check out some of the menu offerings with some of my peeps. I tried the Watermelon Margarita (see pic above) and it was cool and refreshing just like you would expect it to be without being too fru fru. Definitely could please a man just as easily as a woman. I know cause Glen liked it too.

Too hot for the beer cheese soup, I really wanted to give the fiery deviled eggs a try (pimento cheese, bacon, and fiery sauce – yum), but alas none of my peeps wanted to give it a try, so we opted for the flatbread of the day which was loaded with arugula and tomatoes. Very fresh and perfect for sharing (see pic above).

Next, I tried the watermelon, feta and arugula salad. I’m on an Arugula craze lately – I can’t enough of this stuff. No feta was in my salad but that was just fine with me. The fresh basil, ginger and balsamic drizzle were a perfect pairing and I didn’t miss the salty feta at all. Again, another cool choice for the summertime.

My friends did get the Red, White and Blue burger (pic at top of the page) as well as the Glazed chicken. I didn’t try them but they both cleaned their plate and said they loved it. Now Glen ordered the skewers which came with Swordfish and shrimp. I thought the Swordfish was average but the Jumbo shrimp were cooked perfectly. I am trying to eat all the seafood I can before it gets crazy expensive with the Gulf disaster.

I tried the Lamb Burger, which wasn’t a summertime addition but something I hadn’t yet tried on the menu. If you like Greek / Mediterranean food, you will definitely love this burger. It comes with a ton of feta cheese and an olive spread. I did order sides of the chili rubbed corn on the cobb and the potato salad. Nothing says summertime like these perennial favorites, but Marlow’s was able to put a tasty and spicy spin on these favorites.

But it doesn’t end there. Marlow’s Tavern even has a dessert to celebrate The Red, White and Blue – Strawberry Shortcake with blueberries of course!

The “Red, White and Brew” menu includes the following dishes, which are offered daily during the four weeks:
• Beer and cheese soup – a light beer soup with garlic, thyme, provolone, Swiss and a Parmesan pretzel crisp ($6)
• Fiery deviled eggs – pimento cheese, applewood smoked bacon, fresh herbs and fire cracker sauce ($2/$5)
• Backyard “Brat” Melt – grilled beer bratwurst, glazed Vidalia onion, red peppers, Creole sauce and Swiss cheese on marbled rye with housemade potato salad ($10)
• Red, White and Bleu Burger – red pepper, Vidalia onion, Maytag bleu cheese on toasted onion bun served with American fries ($9)
• Watermelon, Feta and arugula salad – with fresh basil, ginger and balsamic drizzle ($6)
• Marlow’s grilled skewer – Pacific swordfish, jumbo shrimp, sweet herbs, garlic, black peppered pineapple, red onion, red peppers, mango apple chutney and chili slathered corn on the cob ($17)
• Honey glazed grilled chicken – honey mustard and Meyer lemon blazed, served with loaded fingerling potatoes and chili slathered corn on the cob.
• Sweet berry shortcake – balsamic glazed strawberries, raspberries and blueberries layered with buttery biscuit and vanilla scented mascarpone cream ($6)
• Chili slathered corn on the cob – secret seasoning, chili butter and fresh parsley ($3)

The “Red, White and Brew” menu also features the following specialty beverages to complement the menu items:
• “Summertime” Watermelon Margarita – Herradura Reposado, fresh watermelon syrup, mint, house made sour and fresh lime ($8)
• Tommy’s Favorite Sangria – Savida Sangria, the freshest seasonal fruit and Agave nectar ($8)

During this special Red, White and Brew promotion, the restaurants will also host the First Annual Marlow’s Tavern Grilling Recipe Contest. Interested grillers can enter their favorite recipe at www.marlowstavern.com or fill out an entry form at one of the six tavern locations. Entries will be accepted from June 16 through July 27. Executive Chef John Metz will review all recipes and determine the winners by August 15, 2010. Winners will be notified by phone or email at this time. No purchase is necessary for guests to enter this contest, and entries are limited to one per person or e-mail address. The first prize winner will receive a Big Green Egg and his/her winning recipe will be featured on Marlow’s Tavern’s fall/winter menu. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the winning menu item will be donated in the winner’s name to Special Olympics Georgia.

Atlanta’s Pacci Ristorante announced today that it would be joining the relief efforts in the wake of the devastation caused by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill with its “We Cook While They Clean” fundraiser.

Beginning Wednesday, June 23, $1 from every seafood dish on the Pacci lunch and dinner menu will be donated to the Gulf Relief Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to providing relief to the fishing community of the Gulf Coast and their families. For more information on the Gulf Relief Foundation visit www.gulfaid.org.

“We Cook While They Clean” will continue until fishermen are back in their boats. Seafood dishes at Pacci include calamari with spicy aioli; mussels and clams in anisette cream with heirloom cherry tomatoes; halibut with roasted alba mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, grilled corn and corn butter; and sea scallops with wild mushroom risotto and sweet pea nage. Pacci has been a leader in the Atlanta community with its commitment to sustainable fishing practices and its relationship with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, which certifies seafood suppliers from sustainable fishing environments and provides a unified message concerning the conservation of ocean resources through sensible seafood choices.

“We wanted to support those who have been most affected and displaced by this oil spill, especially those fishermen who we rely on everyday in our restaurants,” said Executive Chef Keira Moritz. “We are coming together and making an honest commitment to these fishermen,” she adds.

866 West Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta Georgia 30308
678.412.2402
Website

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

7 days. 12 restaurants. 3 courses. $25 per person. That’s about it in a nutshell.

For one week only, some of the Atlanta’s finest restaurants will offer a special $25 prix fixe dinner menu! It is open to anyone – you don’t have to be a Yelper to get the deal. Check out the menu’s below. My top choices are Shaun’s, Steel, and Toulouse. I really feel all 3 of these restaurants went above and beyond to offer great menu choices. And what a great opportunity to check out Four Season’s Park 75!

See below for the menus:
ATMOSPHERE: http://www.yelp.com/bi…
1. Soup of the day OR House salad: Mesclun salad with marinated tomatoes, black olives, parmesan cheese, and vinaigrette
2. Hanger steak with frites OR Trout, vegetable medley, caper lemon butter sauce OR Steamed mussels, white wine and shallot cream broth, frites
3. Creme brulee OR Lemon sorbet

BOCADO
1. Hearts of Romaine salad OR English Pea Arancine, lemon-truffle marscapone
2. BOCADO Burger stack with fries OR Blackened tuna “BLT”
3. Macerated Strawberries OR Chocolate Pudding

CANOE
1. Smoked salmon with potato cake and goat cheese OR Silver queen corn soup
2. Garden vegetable pasta OR duck and beef burger
3. Valhrona chocolate and salted caramel grotto OR caramel popcorn ice cream

HAVEN
1. Spring salad OR Caesar salad
2. Roasted Scottish Salmon OR Ashley Farms Chicken n’ Dumplings
3. Warm Chocolate Brownie OR Seasonal Cheesecake

LA PIETRA CUCINA

Menu coming soon!

PARK 75
1: Summer tomato gazpacho with crab avocado salad OR Butter lettuce wedge, Benton’s bacon, blue cheese crumbles, green goddess dressing
2. Pan seared halibut, wilted spinach and tomato salad, caper and yuzu dressing OR Wood grilled tenderloin with truffled potato salad, Park 75 steak sauce OR Vegetarian option available upon request
3. Chocolate crunch cake with concord grape ice cream OR Strawberry rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream

PARKER’S ON PONCE
1: Parker’s house salad with mixed greens, peppered bacon, toasted pecans, and dried cherries in gorgonzola vinaigrette OR Hearts of romaine Caesar salad with cornbread croutons, white anchovies, and shaved parmesan
2: Ashley Farms oven roasted, naturally raised chicken, haricot verts, oven roasted garlic mashed potatoes, au jus OR Rigatoni with seared eggplant, fresh tomato, basil, garlic, and smoked mozzarella OR Grilled 8oz NY Strip served with a loaded baked potato
3: Bananas Foster cheesecake with glazed sauteed bananas OR White chocolate bread pudding with cranberries and Maker’s Mark caramel sauce

SHAUN’S:
1: Local tomato gazpacho, dijon mustard ice cream OR Organic iceberg wedge, applewood smoked bacon, Maytag blue cheese
2: Berkshire pork schnitzel, Vidalia onion salad, peanuts, parsley OR Georgia shrimp and grits, Berkshire pork belly, poached egg, Creole sauce
3: Vanilla bean cheesecake, cornflake crust, blueberry compote OR Sticky toffee pudding

STEEL:
1: Beef Tataki with medallions of grilled tenderloin & razor thin jalapenos and dressed with yuzu-garlic soy sauce OR Tuna Tower with sticky rice, avocado, lemon, crabmeat & spicy tuna drizzled with wasabi
2: Vietnamese “Shaken” Beef tenderloin wok sautéed with garlic and onion, with mixed greens & cherry tomatoes with wasabi mashed potatoes OR Sake and Miso Sea Bass served with miso wasabi sauce & grilled asparagus OR Maki & Sashimi Platter: our mt. fuji & firecracker with tuna, salmon & yellowtail sashimi
3: Vegan Strawberry “Cream” Layer Cake: layers of moist vegan yellow cake and sweetened strawberries topped with light and fluffy frosting OR Banana Egg Roll: bananas in cognac and chocolate with vanilla ice cream

THE MELTING POT: 4 Locations
Appetizer: Creamy cheese fondue to share. Your choice of Classic Cheddar, Traditional Swiss, Spinach and Artichoke, Fiesta Cheddar or Wisconsin Trio cheese.
Salad: Your choice of House, Caesar, California or Spinach Mushroom Salad
Entree: Your choice of “Signature Selection”, “Pacific Rim” or “Vegetarian” entrée- each accompanied by homemade dipping sauces and an array of fresh vegetables. Your choice of Court Bouillon or Bourguignonne cooking style included.

TOULOUSE:
1: Baked goat cheese wrapped in phyllo dough with poached apples OR Cold strawberry soup
2: Wild mushroom ravioli with gorgonzola, arugula, cranberries & pistachios OR Seared scallops in a rosemary-citrus reduction OR Buffalo meatloaf with rosemary smashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms
3: Flourless chocolate cake OR White chocolate banana bread pudding

For more info click here

Ray’s Killer Creek Restaurant located in Alpharetta, is part of the Ray’s Restaurant group which also includes Ray’s In The City and the flagship restaurant Ray’s on the River. It had been about 10 years since I’d eaten at Ray’s Killer Creek. So, when I was invited to check Killer Creek out, I was more than happy to oblige.

Killer Creek is located off Mansell Road near North Point Mall and there is overkill in the amount of chain restaurants that abound in this vicinity. So, it is a welcome change that Ray’s Killer Creek sets itself above the rest. Having said that, prices are a bit above other restaurants in the area. And servers are decked out in jackets and ties. Business casual dress code is noted on Killer Creek’s website, but I saw many patrons who ignored that request. Killer Creek even has it’s own wine cellar. See pic below.

I could have done without the valet. Come on, this is Alpharetta guys, not Buckhead, but whatever. Walking inside the freestanding restaurant, I immediately noticed just how big the restaurant is. The bar area is rather large, even equipped with live entertainment. And the dining area is ginormous too. As I looked around I could see mostly couples and families who seemed to celebrating special occasions. There was also a wedding reception going on outside.

This is a steakhouse and as such, you definitely need to bring your appetite. But, don’t completely skip the bread. Killer Creek offers a nice selection: sourdough, raisin and the cracker variety. I couldn’t resist 2 pieces of the sweet (but not too sweet) raisin bread.

Moving on to appetizers, I was dead set on steak for dinner so chose, seafood for appetizers: the Crab Cake and Ahi Tuna. The Crab Cake was full of lump crab meat and what I’d expect at a restaurant of this caliber. The Ahi Tuna was another good appetizer choice with the dark pink center in contrast to it’s pepper crust, making a pretty presentation as well as a tasty one. Both were $14 each.

We also opted to split a salad, choosing Rays Chop-Chop salad made with hearts of palm, eggs, olives and of chickpeas . I know that salads are very large so we split it. Our server was kind enough to accommodate our requests for different dressings on each half. Truth be told, I thought the salad was ok, but if I had to do it again, I’d forgo the salad to save more room for my steak.

In the past, my preferred cut of steak was always a filet. I found them to be tender, flavorful and just the right size (usually an 8 oz portion) for me. But over the last year or so, I’ve lost the taste of filets in favor of the more flavorful Ribeye. It is just too bad ribeyes tend to come in such large portions. For steaks, we chose the New York Strip and the Ribeye which was a special that evening. This was a 20 oz Ribeye served with a side for $40. Note that there is still a great selection of seafood offered including shrimp, scallops, salmon, and a couple other selections.

Our steaks were prepared medium, just as requested. Had I just tasted my New York Strip, I would have been quite pleased . But we just couldn’t help but share. And the ribeye far exceeds the strip when it comes to flavor. I think it’s my new cut of choice. And, hey, if two of you both like ribeyes but don’t have a big appetite, they are perfect for sharing.

We tried two of the desserts at Killer Creek as well: cheesecake and the peanut brittle-like shell with ice cream in the middle. The cheesecake was spot on – as good as any cheesecake I can remember having, but the peanut-brittle-ice-cream-thingy dessert was amazing. I really only expected to have a little taste of it as I was pretty stuffed, but we mopped that sucker up in a hurry.

1700 Mansell Rd
Alpharetta, GA 30009
770 649 0064
Website

I think that one the hardest hit industries in these economic times is the restaurant industry. Prices are going up for EVERYTHING, but consumers are cutting back on spending, especially anything that isn’t a necessity. So, restaurants are hit with a double whammy: they must pay more for food, but patrons are dining out less and less. I’ve noticed that more restaurants are offering specials and I definitely get more BOGO free coupons for restaurants than I ever have before. Even the fancier, 5 star restaurants are not immune this.

The Buckhead Life Restaurant Group is having restaurant week promotion of sorts. The promotion is known as $25 for 25 days. It began May 6th and runs through May 31st. Each Buckhead Life Restaurant Group will be offering a 3 course farm to table meal for $25.

This is a great opportunity to try some 5 star dining without paying the 5 star price. They offer 3 course meals, all priced at $25. Each restaurant has 3 menus, changing from one week to the next. After looking at all the menus many do not change that much from week 1 to week 3.

To see full menus follow this link:
$25 for 25 Days

My top 3 choices after reviewing the menus: VENI VIDI VICI, Atlanta Fish Market, Pricci, – in that order. Veni Vidi, Vici for the Shrimp and Calamari appetizer, the Pork Milanese entree, and the Four Cheese Cheesecake for dessert, Atlanta Fish Market for the Blackened Mahi Mahi, and Pricci for the Pork Scallopine. Enjoy!

Other Resources:
America’s Most Wanted Recipes
Secret Restaurant Recipes
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