Atlanta Restaurant Blog

Porkman’s Table: Atlanta’s Newest Supper Club

I love all the secret supper clubs popping up all over town. On Easter Sunday, the Mr. and I attedned the Porkman’s SUpper Club. Headed up by Ben Portman, this supper club brings together a fun group to break bread over one of a kind food. One of the longest running and most well known [...]

porkman's table atlanta underground dinner

Naan Stop: Indian Fast Casual in Downtown Atlanta

Are you a Naan believer? You’ll see this question printed on staff T-shirts at this Indian fast casual restaurant in Downtown Atlanta. Naan Stop opened about 7 months ago by brothers Neal and Samir. They believe that their mother makes the best food and wanted to share it with others, believing Indian food could be [...]

Pier 213, Marietta, GA Restaurant Review

Located just off the Marietta Square is a new seafood spot: Pier 213. We were invited to try sample the food at this new casual dining spot. Taking over the space that was formerly a Chinese restaurant, the decor is completely redone. With a counter area up front for ordering, there’s a shotgun layout to [...]

Yard 54: Atlanta’s First Brunch Club

Atlanta is no stranger to supper clubs. But an underground Brunch Club…well, that’s a new thing. Welcome Yard 54. This new brunch club, set to launch mid April, is the creation of James Martin and Rawle Fraser. James is the founder of the Burger Coalition and Rawle is the chef at Muss and Turner’s. The [...]

The Drafting Table, Downtown, Atlanta, GA Brunch Review

The Drafting Table is the reinvention of the Hill Street Tavern, located Downtown in the Pencil factory lofts. Parking is easy with a garage adjacent to the property at no charge, and an entrance into the Drafting Table from the garage. The Drafting Table has been open only a handful of months and has just [...]

Chow Bing: Fast Casual Chinese in Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta, GA

May 6th, 2013

Malika

Usually I hear the words “healthy” and “restaurant” together and roll my eyes. The two words often mean, bland, boring food. So, it was a good thing I didn’t know that’s what Chow Bing, the new restaurant from Gary Lin, of R. Rice Wok is focused on. Chow Bing meats are all natural and humanely raised without antibiotics or growth hormones and the seafood is sustainable. Gary has also made great efforts to source most of their vegetables, whenever possible, from local suppliers.

Mr. Lin has chosen to open Chow Bing in the Old Fourth Ward. It is located in the Pencil Factory Lofts, next to the Drafting Table. The bar is to the right when entering the restaurant with some tables on the main leve. However, I prefer the upstairs seating which provides some street views.

I’ve had Bubble Tea before, but never boozy Bubble tea. Apparently the mango is very popular as it was nearly out when we arrived. But I mixed that with some honeydew tea and rum and it was delicious. Of course, non-alcoholic Bubble Tea is available if you prefer.

Sweet Siracha wings

For starters, we chose wings and the lobster wontons. The lobster wontons (pictured above with Bubble Tea (are like crab rangoons. We did have good portions of lobster but they were overshadowed by the cream cheese. The wings are our better option. They are meaty and come with a just enough sauce to add to the wings, not globbed all over them to mask the chicken. Gary sat down with us and told us his choice to buy organic meats since they not only taste better but aren’t laden with water and other fillers. This was definitely clear when we sampled our wings: Sweet Siracha and General’s (General Tso).

Chow Bing Beef Bowl with Noodles

Entrees are a choice of wraps or bowls. A bowl can be rice or noodles. Choose from the bowls on the menu or make your own mix. We sampled the Shrimp with spicy cilantro and the 5 Spice Beef. Both were only around eight bucks, but were chock full of tasty protein, not just 95 percent noodles like at many other restaurants that offer noodle bowls…ehem…Noodle Midtown. Vegetarian? Not to worry make your own wrap or bowl from the fresh veggies. No matter what you get, you’ll want to add the Broccolini to your order.

Chow Bing
349 Decatur Street
Atlanta, GA 30312

Kids Cooking Camp

May 2nd, 2013

Malika

Each week-long camp is packed with activities including cooking classes, gardening and chickens 101 to learn where the food we eat comes from. The lesson plans are designed to promote a healthy interest in food and positively influence kids’ decisions about what they eat.

They’ll learn such things as:

· Facts about food allergies and food safety to promote awareness

· Math, science and technology objectives integrated with basic chef skills

· Sustainable farming and food production, and

· A focus on nutrition and the importance of physical exercise in addition to meal planning and food preparation.

Lunch for the chef-students is included and the camp is for kids ages 6 to 16 who will be placed into age and skill groups for the week. There is a limit of 24 students per session this year.

Session 1 – June 10-15, 2013 – $120 per child; Early Bird $99 until May 10, 2013

Session 2 – July 15-19, 2013 – $120 per child; Early Bird $99 until May 10, 2013

The classes run Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. On Friday, class is from 9 a.m. to noon, culminating with the kids cooking lunch for their parents or grandparents.

Follow this link for registration: http://harvestonmain.com/cook.php

Michelle and Danny Mellman founded Harvest on Main in 2009, a highly successful lunch and dinner restaurant that showcases local, sustainable food in Blue Ridge and The Cook’s Farm, a downtown Blue Ridge cooking school located on a one-acre model farm to show what sustainable food service production encompasses in the Blue Ridge Appalachian foothills. This month they’re opening a bakery-café focusing on fresh breads, community-supported agriculture and fresh, local product.

The Cook’s Farm Agri-Cultural Center provides fresh organic produce and herbs for the restaurant as well as chickens for eggs and bees for honey. It also includes an outreach program for local schools, food banks and home-schooled residents and provides produce to local families in need.

Chef Mellman is a nationally acclaimed, James Beard-nominated chef who has honed his culinary skills for 30 years, managing and cooking in kitchens from Pennsylvania to Florida, France to Australia. His wife and partner, Michelle Moran, is a longtime culinary journalist and the former editor of Gourmet Retailer and Gourmet Business.

CONTACT: Michelle Moran of The Cook’s Farm (239) 992-2404 or HarvestonMain@gmail.com .

Cinco De Mayo Atlanta Restaurants

May 2nd, 2013

Malika

Not sure where to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year? I’ve put together a list of some of the top Mexican restaurants around Atlanta. There’s probably one in this list nearby for your Cinco de Mayo Celebration.

Buckhead, Midtown, Perimeter and Grant Park- Tin Lizzy’s
Party at all the Tin Lizzy locations. They’ll have multiple bars and lots of festive music. And of course the Buckhead location has one of the best patios for margarita sipping!
3639 Piedmont Road
Atlanta, GA 30305

Downtown
No Mas!
Located in the heart of historic Castleberry Hill in downtown Atlanta, No Mas! is an award winning 350 seat Mexican Restaurant.
180 Walker St. SW
Atlanta GA 30313
404-574-5678

Virginia Highlands
Pozole
Pozole is sponsoring the Annual Virginia Highlands Cinco de Mayo Celebration & Block Party. Note that this party is on Saturday, May 4th. Party is starts at 2pm. There is a $5 cover, $10 after 6pm. There will be drink specials and live music.
1044 Greenwood Ave (at N Highland Avenue)
Atlanta, GA 30306
678-973-4779
Pozole Website

Atlantic Station

Rosa Mexicano will host a Boozy Mexican Brunch, including their Mezcal Bloody Maria and Pasión Picante Pitcher, plus a selection of authentic brunch dishes. Starting at 12pm with a live DJ, mariachis, sombreros and cervezas, menu highlights will include:

Fried Eggs and Carnitas Hash: Pork carnitas and ancho chile potato hash, fried eggs, habanero mustard jam
Cinnamon-Cascabel Chili Stuffed French Toast: Chile crusted brioche bread filled with Mascarpone, topped with caramelized plantains
Mexican Cobb Salad: Grilled chicken, chorizo sausage, Cabrales blue cheese, avocado, cherry tomatoes and habanero pickled onions with an avocado-dill dressing

The Original El Taco
Wonderful chips and salsa and margaritas in a beautiful atmosphere. Great place to party for Cinco de Mayo!

Westside
Nuevo Laredo
I have to mention Nuevo Laredo as it is a staple as far as Atlanta Mexican restaurants go, but I can’t imagine how crazy busy this place is going to be on Cinco de Mayo.
1495 Chattahoochee Ave
Atlanta, GA 30318

Taqueria del Sol
Lots of delicious menu items like salsa trio starter (verde, asada and fresca), the shrimp corn chowder, the Memphis taco (smoked pork, jalapeño cole slaw, tequila BBQ sauce), the fish taco (poblano tartar sauce and pickled jalapeños).
1200-B Howell Mill Road
Atlanta, GA

Druid Hills

Red Pepper Taqueria

They offer lots of organic ingredients in their food and unique combinations. Think shrimp and kale tacos. For Cinco de Mayo, they’ll have $3 Red Pepper Margarita and $2 El Jimador Blanco shot

2149 Briarcliff Road

Atlanta, GA 30329

Northeast
Pure Taqueria
103 Roswell St
Alpharetta, GA 30004

Decatur
Raging Burrito
Raging Burrito has a great patio. So, seems to be perfect if you’ll be in Decatur for Cinco de Mayo.
141 Sycamore St
Decatur, GA 30030

Sandy Springs

{three sheets}

three sheets celebrates Cinco de Mayo on Saturday May 4th beginning @ 4pm by spiking it’s homemade salsas with tequila and vodka! Besides the trio of spiked salsas; including, Pineapple Mango Salsa with Tanteo Tropical Tequila, Tomatillo Salsa with Absolute Cilantro Lime Vodka and Pico de Gallo Salsa with Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila there are also $5 signature Margaritas.

· Date: Saturday, May 4
· Time: 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

6017 Sandy Springs Circle
Atlanta, GA 30328

Teela Taqueria
City Walk at Sandy Springs
227 Sandy Springs Place
Suite 506
Sandy Springs, GA 30328

Perimeter
LaBotana
Cheap, cheap cheap. Kind of a hole in the wall, but with decent food and drinks. Maybe it won’t be totally packed on Cinco de Mayo.
2071 Savoy Dr
Atlanta, GA 30341

About Gregg Jarahian

Writing and photography by Gregg Jarahian, Marketing and Social Media professional for Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits. He’s fond of libations, tasty food and friends to share them both with. Follow him @TowerATL.

About Malika

Malika is the author of Food Lovers' Guide to Atlanta and the founder of Atlanta Restaurant Blog. She is also a Digital Marketing and Social Media Consultant.

Porkman’s Table: Atlanta’s Newest Supper Club

April 30th, 2013

Malika

I love all the secret supper clubs popping up all over town. On Easter Sunday, the Mr. and I attedned the Porkman’s SUpper Club. Headed up by Ben Portman, this supper club brings together a fun group to break bread over one of a kind food.

One of the longest running and most well known supper clubs in Atlanta is Push Start Kitchen. Portman worked with these guys before going out on his own. Together with a couple friends, Portman whips up some tasty courses paired with libations for his “Fight the Fright” Sunday dinners at his Midtown home. The idea behind “Fight the Fright” is that Sunday evening can start to be a tad dreadful when workers think about the looming work week. Here, you can enjoy a lovely evening of unique treats while meeting a great group of new folks.

We had a Vichyssoise – a classic french dish however ours included a sous vide egg and blue cheese crutons for a slight twist. Dinner consisted of Monkfish over leek risotto. This was accompanied by pickled onions, mushrooms, charred cauliflower and an herbed salt.

Cocktails here are as intricate as the courses. Think a rum cocktail with thyme and earl grey ice cubes. We also had a pear cocktail which seemed to be the clear winner of the table. Then it was on to a girl scout inspired cocktail: Thin Mints and gin. It sounds weird but it was a perfect pairing with dessert. Speaking of dessert it was a chocolate spear with Nougat ice cream plus peanut biscuit and caramel foam. Yum!

Our motley crew featured two graduate students: one from Germany, one from Montreal, a corporate attorney who’s passion is climbing mountains and two other very well-traveled foodies. Most dinners feature four courses and run about $50 per person. The groups are small, maxing out at eight people, so sign up for their email list so you can be in the know about the next dinner.

Extras: They cater too. So, if you want unique cuisine, hire the Porkman’s Table.

The General Muir: Schmear Tactics

April 24th, 2013

Malika

The Misfit Foodies go mishugina (crazy) for the new Jewish Delicatessen, The General Muir! Chef Todd Ginsberg joins Ben and Jennifer Johnson of the West Egg Cafe for another popular and tasty venture. Ginsberg, a Jersey boy with a dream of opening a deli has moved on from Bocado where his Double-Stack Burger gained notoriety.

What’s in a name? The USS General C. H. Muir, AP-142 transport ship was launched November 24, 1944. The General Muir takes its name from this ship, boarded by Holocaust survivors, Jennifer’s mother and grandparents, arriving in New York following World War II. Hanging on the walls are photos of the owners’ ancestors. The restaurant honors and continues their food traditions.

Counter service or table service? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, cocktails, coffee or dessert? What a wonderful array of choices. I gathered with the Misfit Foodies for dinner at The General Muir. A few of them were gathered at the bar where we remained until more of our group arrived. Careful thought can be seen in the design of the bar and the libations. Fine wine and beer are available, however the house cocktails are not to be overlooked.

Whaddya have? Well, it’s not that kind of deli. Everyone was warm and courteous to us. What I had was Matzo Ball Soup; herbs, vegetables, schmaltz, that would make your bubbe (grandma) proud. Getting this item right, I looked forward to the rest of my meal. Our table shared Deviled Eggs, Chopped Liver, Poutine made with gravy, cheese curds, pastrami (best ever), assorted pickled vegetables and baskets of bread. This was an excellent beginning. Appetizers plus the Double Burger Stack; red onion, pickles, lettuce, Russian dressing, American cheese, onion roll, fries, alone was worth the trip.

A fellow Misfit offered up a taste of Brisket. I wanted more flavor and I almost didn’t care as the Brisket was incredibly tender. The Double Stack was just as good as at Bocado. Skillet Crisped Trout with farro & celery salad, Jerusalem artichoke puree and sauce didn’t disappoint either. We loved the roasted duck which came with mashed rutabaga, pastrami, braised cabbage, roasted jus. Let it be known that each of us cleaned our plate.

You could visit the General Muir for desserts and coffee alone and not be disappointed as we found out with our dessert sampler. As if that weren’t enough sweets, we were sent home with super sweet stick buns for breakfast in the am.

The General Muir
1540 Avenue Pl B-230, Atlanta, GA
Emory Point
(678) 927-9131
thegeneralmuir.com

BIO:
Writing and photography by Gregg Jarahian, Marketing and Social Media professional for Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits. He’s fond of libations, tasty food and friends to share them both with. Follow him @TowerATL.