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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)!!

Mary Mac's Tea Room on Urbanspoon

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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

Rosebud on Urbanspoon

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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

Haven on Urbanspoon

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Yelp Eats Restaurant Week

Jun 17

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Italian, Prix Fixe, Seafood, Southern, atlanta | No Comments

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

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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.

Lobby at Twelve
361 17th Street Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30363-1078
(404) 961-7370

Lobby at Twelve on Urbanspoon

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Haven Restaurant Patio Party, Brookhaven, Atlanta, GA

Apr 20

Posted by in Buckhead, Southern, outdoor dining | No Comments

The weather is warming, flowers are blooming, it’s time for HAVEN’s annual patio launch party! Join the staff of HAVEN and Chef Stephen Herman on Thursday, April 22 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. for a gathering on the patio.

There will be  complimentary hors d’oeuvres and HAVEN’s new Qualitini Martinis – refreshing cocktails crafted with organic vodka and antioxidant-rich acai berry juices. The Joe Gransden Trio will provide musical entertainment for the evening. Reservations are not required, and dress is casual. For more information about HAVEN, visit www.havenrestaurant.com or call 404.969.0700.

1441 Dresden Drive
Suite 160, Atlanta, GA 30319

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Dogwood Restaurant, Atlanta, GA Grits Bar Coupon

Feb 23

Posted by in Midtown, Southern, atlanta | No Comments

If you have ever been to Dogwood Restaurant you know that one of their signature items are their grits. And their grits bar, which is a sampling of each of 3 types of grits is something they really tout. Examples include grits with pimento cheese, ham and cheese grits, grits with scallops and sherry. You get the idea.

If you enjoy Dogwood Restaurant. Or Grits. Or Both. Here’s a coupon for a free grits bar with purchase of 2 meals. Expires April 2010.

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Whistle Stop Cafe Reopens

Feb 22

Posted by in Southern, kennesaw | No Comments

The widely popular (at least in Kennesaw) Whistle Stop cafe has reopened once again. You may remember it caught on fire some several months ago. It’s new diggs are right along Barrett Parkway, at the corner of Barrett and 41. This is located in the large strip mall where Floor and Decor is located.

I sent some of my cohorts over to check it out and report back to me. They said the food is the same quality and the decor is pretty much the same but just a much larger space. This is good, because the Whistle Stop was always crowded and if you didn’t get there by 11:30, you’d almost be guaranteed that there would be a wait.

1200 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway
Kennesaw, GA 30144
770 794-0101

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Special Menus and Prix Fixe Menus at Top Atlanta Restaurants

Feb 1

Posted by in Prix Fixe, Seafood, Southern, Steaks, Sushi, atlanta, steakhouse | No Comments

As Atlantans continue to tighten their purse strings, restaurants have turned up the heat on the price wars, vying for your business. Here are some top deals going on in February.

Lobster Feast at Atlanta Fish Market (Buckhead)
All week 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Lobster Feast – $29.95. Choose from “steamed and cracked” or “twice baked” Excludes Tax and Tip. Offer valid through February 11, 2010
Website

Goldfish (Dunwoody)
$5 Fresh Catch of the Day
All week 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Excludes Tax and Tip. Offer valid through February 12
Website

Prime (Buckhead-Lenox)
1/2 Price Steaks
All Week
5:00 PM – 6:15 PM
1/2 Price Steaks. Excludes Tax and Tip. Offer valid through February 12, 2010
Website

Dogwood (Midtown)
Three Course Prix Fixe Meal for $25.00
Tuesdays Only 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Menu is salad, entree (chef’s choice) and dessert. Excludes Tax and Tip. Cannot be combined with other offers. No sharing or substitutions. Offer valid through February 23
Website

Nava (Buckhead)
Three Course Prix Fixe Menu for $29
All week 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Excludes Tax and Tip. Menu Description: Flavors of the Yucatan. Offer valid through February 11

If you take advantage of any of these offers, please comment and let me know how it was. :-)

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Wisteria, Inman Park, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jan 27

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

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

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

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

We ordered drinks – Mike (Vodka Gimlet), me (House drink called Patrice made with tequila and champagne), both around $10 each, and proceeded to enjoy a leisurely dinner. Mike mentioned how well he found the drink to be made, as he shared that although it is a pretty simple drink more often than not he’s had it made poorly. I was equally pleased with my concoction as well.

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

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

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

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

Wisteria Molasses Pork Tenderloin

Wisteria Molasses Pork Tenderloin

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

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

Wisteria Fried Catfish

Wisteria Fried Catfish

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

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

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

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

Prices at Wisteria Restaurant are extremely reasonable, with appetizers around $8 and $9 and entrees hovering around the $17 – $19 price range. Portions are pretty generous too.

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

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

Wisteria on Urbanspoon

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