This sexy steakhouse opened last month in Philips Arena downtown. The idea is that patrons can enjoy fine dining while watching their Atlanta team, or special event in Philips Arena. RED has tiered seating to ensure that all have a terrific view of the action going on below them. In order to enter RED, patrons must have a ticket for the game taking place that evening.

RED is open before, during and after games and shows at Philips Arena. Since I was attending the Hawks game that evening, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to visit RED. Arriving about an hour before start time, the restaurant was just starting to fill up. With the bar and kitchen in the center of the restaurant, the seating is all around these two focal points.

Besides pricey steaks, the menu features burgers, pizzas, and a mixture of starters and sides. I sampled one of the signature cocktails, however, I was a bigger fan of the beers and switched to that after my cocktail. We began our meal with a berry salad with balsamic dressing, crab cakes and the “Pow Pow” rock shrimp. All were good, but the shrimp was by far the best item we sampled all evening. It was crispy, flavorful and a large portion for sharing.

Staff was very quick to bring out our starters, but I believe they got pretty backed up when we ordered our steak (we shared as it was large and >$40). The manager came around to explain they were working out the kinks. By this time, the game was well underway. And, although we could have sat there with a terrific view, we chose to go to our suite to watch the game.

Overall, I think RED is a good concept. It is a pain in the ass to get to a restaurant and wolf down a meal then drive to Philips Arena for a game starting at 7:30, especially on a weekday. And, let’s face it, they do have upscale food kiosks at Philips Arena, but I don’t exactly enjoy getting my fancy Italian dish from Veni Vidi Vici and trying to enjoy it while cramped in my small seat eating it out of a paper container.

RED solves this by offering a nice environment to enjoy a fancy meal without the pressure of wondering if you make it to your destination on time. I just think they need a bit of time to work out issues with the kitchen and polish the staff a bit more. In the meantime, stick to beer and the starters and you’ll have a tasty and fun evening!

1 Phillips Dr
Atlanta, GA 30303

They come packaged in a plastic cup and sealed with plastic as well. This makes it easy to store and serve. I kept them in my fridge for just over a week and they were still very fresh.

To serve, simply turn the Torta over, pop it out on your desired serving plate, surround with crackers, crusty bread or assorted vegetables and you’ve got a quick and tasty dish no one will be able to resist. I may or may not have eaten two all by myself.

These Tortas are combinations of layered soft cheeses. Choose from Crab and Artichoke garnished with Sundried Tomatoes, Smoked Salmon with Ginger, Sesame, and Wasabi, Maine Lobster with Roasted Corn and Basil, and Shrimp Provencal garnished with Roasted Tomatoes Zucchini, and Basil. They are available at local grocers, and retail for only $3.99.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some tidbits about sushi:

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

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

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

• When making sushi you should always use short grain rice

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basil’s Website
2985 Grandview Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30305