Posts Tagged marietta

Marietta Greek Festival, Marietta, GA

May 11

Posted by in East Cobb, Family, Festivals, Taste of, Wine Tasting, culture, marietta, outdoor dining | 2 Comments

If you look forward to the Atlanta Greek Festival every year, the good news is you can now enjoy two Greek Festivals every year. Of course there’s the huge Greek Festival that takes place in September in Decatur. But if you live in or close to Cobb County, you should definitely check out the Marietta Greek Festival which is located in East Cobb.

Truth be told, my expectations were low. I hadn’t heard about the Marietta Greek festival as very little advertising was done. And I just stumbled upon it driving around. From what I could see from the outside, there wasn’t much going on at the Marietta Greek Festival. But, I thought that it was a nice day to be outside walking around so, I would check it out.

Once inside, I couldn’t help getting some of their yummy Greek morsels. It was a lot of food and very reasonably priced. The church tour was interesting – not boring at all as I suspected it might be. I loved the dancers and if nothing else was astounded by the Greek Colesseum they have on the grounds.

The Food
The food was pretty tasty at the Marietta Greek Festival last year. I sampled the chicken and pork kabobs. The chicken was white meat and marinated in olive oil and other spices which I enjoyed pretty well. But the kabobs were way better, they had much more flavor and were a bigger hit than the lamb at the festival. All the dishes come with rice and spanakopita (pastry stuffed with cheese and spinach).

Save room for dessert as there are so many goodies at the Marietta Greek Festival to sample. I tried to Baklava, which was excellent, but there are lots of other tasty treats like special cookies and pastries to enjoy as well. They have greek wine, but it was not pleasing in any way. I would skip that and just enjoy a soft drink.

The Entertainment

Greek Dancers

I was amazed at the entertainment. I really wasn’t expecting much, but it was actually quite enjoyable. In addition to Greek bands which perform, there are also dancers. They vary in age from quite young at the kindergarten level to young adults. Don’t worry about seating as there is actually a Greek colosseum in the ground of the church that allows for great views of the dancers. This in itself is pretty spectacular to see.

Church Tours

Marietta Greek Orthodox Church

The Church Tours of the Orthodox church take place during all three days of the festival. I took the tour last year and was really glad I did (and not only because it got me out of the heat for a while). A guided instructor takes small groups of no more than about 20 people through the church and gives them a brief history and some information about the Greek Orthodox Church.

It is great to get inside and to see their beautiful, rich designs and learn about their history at the same time. It was intriguing and at only 20 – 30 minutes short enough to prevent me from getting bored as I tend to do quite easily with these things.

Extras:
If you have kids under the age of 12, stop by on Friday evening (May 14th) for free food. From 3 to 6 PM kids under the age of 12 eat for free.

Cooking Demonstrations
Located in the Agora Marketplace West lobby
Various times Friday, Saturday and Sunday – Times posted in the lobby.

Admission is $2.00, but Visit their site (see link below) to get FREE admission for 2.

May 14, 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
May 15, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
May 16, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Holy Transfiguration
Greek Orthodox Church
3431 Trickum Road
Marietta, Georgia 30066
770.924.8080

AT WORK WARNING: OBNOXIOUS LOUD MUSIC WILL PLAY WHEN YOU CLICK THE LINK BELOW
Website

Tags: Greek, Greek festival, marietta

Tassa Roti Shop, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Apr 19

Posted by in Caribbean, Restaurant Reviews, buffet, marietta | No Comments

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Tassa Roti Shop is a small restaurant located along Powers Ferry Road in Marietta. I suggested Tassa Roti Shop to Glen for a lunch spot as he works just around the corner and lunch options are few and far between.

So, we checked out Tassa Roti Shop on April Fools Day, which as far as weather goes, has got to be one of the most beautiful days in Atlanta this year. Arriving at Tassa Roti Shop right at noon, we beat the lunch rush, just barely. With three in our group, we sent one outside to the deck to secure the last patio table available.

The owner, welcomed us in and asked if it was our first time. When we nodded, he explained to us all the different food items on the buffet – Chicken (Jerk, Stew and Curry), Curried Potatoes, Calaloo (spinach-like with okra and onions I believe), slaw, rice, beans, and of course Roti (Caribbean Naan) is in a cooler next to the buffet. There is a menu to order from but I don’t think anyone bothers with that, at least not a lunch time. Price for the buffet is $7 or $8 per person.

Another reason to arrive early at Tassa Roti Shop is that the buffet area is quite small and really only allows access for 1 person at a time. So, you can imagine how backed up it can get if there is a big crowd. Situated next to the register with pans that are three deep, it also is somewhat difficult to reach the back items. Perhaps they will move the buffet in an area that is more accessible for patrons.

I tried all 3 types of chicken and found the stewed to be the best and most flavorful. The curried chicken was a close second, but I think it could have been a tad more hot (spicy). I also loved the Calaloo. I love it when something that is really good for you tastes really good too.

If you feel even more adventurous try some of the condiments located just above the buffet. You’ll see one that resembles salsa but beware – it is hot. I really enjoy the achar – less spicy made with either mango or lime. Just try a dab of the condiments to start out in case you don’t care for them.

If you’d like to try some traditional drinks, try Mauby if they have it. It is not very sweet but has a great flavor. If you are in the mood for something more sweet, try the Kola Champagne (it is non-alcoholic) soft drink.

The owners were extremely warm and friendly asking us how our meal was and if we needed anything. I think us OTPers have finally found a place the ITPers will trek out to the burbs for.

Extras: Restaurant is CLOSED ON MONDAYS.
Parking is limited, so if going with a group you should carpool.

224 Powers Ferry Rd
Marietta, GA 30067
770 977 3163
Website

Tags: Caribbean, curry, marietta, Trinidadian

Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse and Buffet, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Review

Dec 29

Posted by in Brazilian Steakhouse, Cheap, Good for Groups, Restaurant Reviews, all you can eat, steakhouse | No Comments

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So Glen brought me a slice of heaven a couple weeks back: aka a big ass piece of flan from Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse. He and his coworkers discovered Picanha Steakhouse and Buffet recently which is located in Marietta near Powers Ferry and Terrill Mill Road. Think of it as the poor man’s Fogo de Chao – it is about 1/4 of the price of Fogo de Chao or Sal Grosso down the street. Oh, they also have about 1/4 of the selection.

We arrived on a miserably cold and rainy Saturday afternoon after dropping off a friend who lives nearby. Picanha was deserted save for one large group of Brazilians (about 10 of them in the all). The restaurant isn’t huge probably about 15 tables in the dining area. And don’t think it is going to be decked out in the same fashion as Sal Grosso down the street, Picanha is pretty bare bones. My apologies in advance for the poor pics as they were taken with a cell phone.

First we hit the salad / vegetable buffet. Salads looked fresh with options like caesar, tomato, onion and cucumber or chicken salad. But moving on to the hot section was an utter disappointment. The choices here were severely lacking. We were limited to white rice, black beans, okra, vegetable rice dish, and a couple other indistinguishable offerings.

Picanha Vegetables and Meats (sausage, drumstick, chicken hearts)

Besides the fact that nothing was labeled, you could immediately tell which where the most popular items (white rice and okra) as there were slim pickings of both left the first time I went through the line. My second time around the Picanha’s buffet, the rice was replaced but the okra had about 10 lonely pieces left- tsk tsk. On the bright side, at least you don’t have to worry about filling up on the buffet like at the higher end churrascarias.

Picanha Buffet Oven

Don’t expect to see any servers wandering around with huge skewers of meat. They do things differently at Picanha. Separate from the buffet near the register, you’ll see the ovens with skewers of meat. There’s a server behind the counter and you indicate to him what you want: Top Sirloin, Bottom Round, Garlic Steak, Pork Sausage, Chicken Drumstick and Chicken Hearts were on the menu on my visit. The plates for meat are very small, only enough for about 2 different cuts of meat at a time, which I’m guessing is their attempt to avoid waste.

I tried everything, even the chicken hearts. The best item was the Bottom Round, we had a perfect slice – juicy and cooked just right without too much salt. Definitely the highlight of the meal. I found the Top Sirloin and Pork Sausage to be nicely cooked but pretty salty. I used my rice and beans to mitigate the salt factor. The Garlic Steak was extremely fatty, but salt proportion was normal – I guess one health risk at a time.

Now this was my first time sampling chicken hearts – there was a plethora of salt and spices on them, so it was difficult to discern the actual organ flavor but they looked and tasted like meaty mushrooms. I’d love to taste them at a restaurant that let’s their true flavor come true.

For the amount of meat available to chow down on, prices are reasonable. Cost is $10 Monday through Friday. Weekends are $13. There’s no difference between lunch and dinner, all the same cost. The buffet only (excluding meats) is about $7, although given the pathetic offering I don’t know why anyone would choose that. Although the staff was friendly, it would have been nice if they told us a soft drink was included with our meal after we all opted for water.

It seems that Picanha Steakhouse started off with a bang and that some of the quality has slipped. I think for the price, offering 5 or 6 meats is fine. My only real quibble is with the offering and replenishment of the vegetables. As inexpensive as those items are, they could provide more of a variety and replace them more frequently. I hear Sabor do Brazil down the street has better quality and I’ll be checking them out soon enough.

1360 Powers Ferry Rd
B-165
Marietta, GA 30067
(770) 226-0434

Extras: To die for flan worth trying.

Tags: Brazilian Steakhouse, buffet, churrascaria, marietta

La Strada Italian Restaurant, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Dec 4

Posted by in East Cobb, Family, Good for Groups, Italian, Restaurant Reviews | No Comments

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When West Cobb Magazine asked me to review La Strada restaurant in East Cobb, my first thought was “Wow – I haven’t eaten in there in forever. I wonder if La Strada is still as good as I remember?” So, I did what I usually do before visiting a restaurant. I went online and checked out their website to get a general idea of what their menu is like and a sense of what I’d like to order. Judging by La Strada’s basic website, I jumped to the conclusion that food would be average. Full disclosure: this was a free meal as I was reviewing for West Cobb Magazine.

La Strada owner, John Lefkaditis

Upon entering, I was greeted by John Lefkaditis, the current owner, who bought it from the original owners 7 years ago. His warm and friendly demeanor immediately let me know this was a family restaurant that wants to turn every guest into a regular. I learned that in it’s 21 years the restaurant has gone through several iterations from originally being a house, to a pool hall, an Ernie’s Steakhouse, to the restaurant we now see as La Strada.

La Strada Interior

Being seated in a cozy table at the back of the restaurant, I felt free to take pictures without the flash being a nuisance to other diners nearby. The decor, hasn’t been updated in quite a while. John said the regulars seem to like it and he doesn’t want to mess with what works. He recently updated the booths which was a major change for them, but a necessary one.

La Strada Bruschetta

Before looking at the menu, we were brought some garlic bread with an minced olive spread, which I quite enjoyed, surprising, as I don’t usually care for olives, but this was quite tasty when spread on top of the garlic bread. Note: this is different than the image above, which is Bruschetta.

Our server, Dee, who’s been at La Strata just under 2 years, recited to us the 4 appetizer specials and 4 entree specials that evening without having to consult a cheat sheet once. As she touted the stuffed shrimp, we gave that a try. And I knew I wanted to try the calamari, of which they have 2 offerings – 1 is the traditional ring calamari with red sauce, but I found myself leaning to the more unusual calamari steak, which, in it’s appearance is like a thin fried chicken cutlet.

La Strada Calamari Steak

The shrimp stuffed with crab, scallions, onions and garlic and topped with melted mozzarella cheese was fantastic. If you like shellfish and are a fan of crab cakes, this is a great choice if available, as you not only get crab but shrimp too. I had mixed feelings about the calamari steak myself. It comes with a lemon sauce that is VERY strong. It grew on me slightly, but I think because it is was not what I was expecting, I was a little disappointed. I would recommend the more traditional calamari to anyone.

At this point, John, popped over once again to see how our dinner was. I kept my eye on him most of the evening, and watched as he chatted up patrons, which seemed to be almost entirely made up of regulars. After speaking to John for a while, I learned that he worked for the revered Buckhead Life Restaurant Group as a manger at several of their restaurants (most recently Kyma) for years before buying La Strada. So, obviously he knows what he is doing.

La Strada Lamb Shank

That being said, we took his recommendations on dinner and each tried one of the specials. Originally, I intended on ordering the Steak Pizzaiola – a NY Strip topped with marinara sauce. But when I heard about the lamb shank Osso Bucco special, I just couldn’t resist. And, Glen went for the veal chop special.

La Strada Veal Chop

My lamb shank didn’t disappoint. The huge shank had tender, juicy meat, nearly falling off the bone – no knife necessary. I chose the risotto as a side, but you have a choice of potatoes if you prefer. Speaking of huge, Glen’s veal chop was gigantic. Although he arrived at the restaurant with an appetite, he barely made a dent in this chop, amazing as it was. I highly recommend ordering anything veal here. If there isn’t a veal special, the stuffed veal parmigiana, sounds like a great choice – topped with prosciutto, eggplant, marinara sauce, and mozzarella.

La Strada Zuppa Inglese Dessert

La Strada Chocolate Cake

After having our remainders boxed up, we truly had no business looking at a dessert menu, but we did anyway. Believe or not, this was the hardest decision of the evening – and usually it is the easiest. As to be expected the true Italian classics are on the menu – Tiramisu and Cannolis. I’m sure the Tiramisu is good, but I just couldn’t handle a rich dessert like that at this point. So, I asked for a lighter suggestion and was told about the Zuppa Inglese – the Italian version of the English Trifle. As promised, this was light and small enough to be the perfect finish to my meal. I did also have a taste of the Cioccolato at Forno – a flourless chocolate cake. It was superb – the decadent chocolate filling pairing well with what was left of our red wine.

In my chat with John, I found out that he hosts monthly wine dinners and wine tastings. “How do you spread the word?”, I asked, as it obviously wasn’t noted on their website. He said it is almost like an underground event – not something they promote. Only regulars are in the know. As one of the customers was leaving he shouted at John “See you next Thursday!”

Ah! I finally began to understand, La Strada isn’t about hype or mega advertising. They are just about being a family-oriented restaurant who has built a loyal following by providing friendly, thoughtful service and consistently good food. Prices are very reasonable, with most under $20. Go. Try. Become a regular.

2930 Johnson Ferry Rd
Marietta, GA 30062
770 640 7008
Website

Extras: The restaurant offers gluten-free pastas and rice.

Tags: East Cobb, Family, Gluten-Free, Italian, marietta

Cafe de Paris, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Nov 12

Posted by in East Cobb, French, Restaurant Reviews, breakfast, marietta, outdoor dining | No Comments

Located in a strip mall in East Cobb, Café de Paris is a welcome refuge from the chain restaurants and fast food establishments that are abundant along the Johnson Ferry / Roswell Rd area. I visited this quaint French restaurant on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch. Tucked away in the corner of the Woodlawn Commons shopping center, Café de Paris is attached to a European style home décor store –C’est Moi, both owned by the same people.

Upon entering, you’ll notice the blackboard stand near the front door that lists the 3 or 4 specials of the day. There’s also a display of various canned and packaged foods for sale – with things like monkey bread mix, tri-colored pasta, pancake mix, syrup and the like several of the items imported from France.

Cafe De Paris Goods

The laminated menus are located near the register where you place your order. If there is a line when you enter, go to the counter and grab one of the menus, so you can peruse it as you wait in line. Once your order is placed and paid for, grab a seat and your meal will be delivered shortly.

The menu at Café de Paris is comprised on omelets, salads, sandwiches, and quesadillas (yes, quesadillas in a French restaurant). You can also choose a half and half combo consisting of your choice of 2 of the following: soup, salad or sandwich. It appears breakfast is served all day or at least through the lunch hour.

Cafe de Paris Quiche Lorraine

As it had been many, many months since I had had quiche, I ordered the quiche of the day- Quiche Lorraine and the soup of the day – Lobster Bisque. We also sampled the chicken salad sandwich melt. My cohorts and I were starved (we had skipped breakfast) and I was a bit concerned that the quiche Lorraine and the chicken salad melt weren’t going to sustain us for very long, but I remained satisfied well into the evening hours.

In my experience, true French food tends to be very rich but served in small portions, so the diner doesn’t feel gluttonous, and Café de Paris was no exception. My cup of soup and the small piece of quiche was served with a side of fruit, a welcome change from the normal carb fest at most other lunch spots.

Cafe de Paris Chicken Salad Sandwich Melt

My Quiche Lorraine was decent and had a fair offering of ingredients – ham, spinach and swiss cheese. But sandwiches are the real winner here. I sampled the chicken salad melt and it was divine. I’m a chicken salad addict myself, but the melt, served on thick toasted slightly sweet wheat bread was excellent. It had a slight lemon flavoring in it as well, which added another dimension of flavor.

I had the chance to sample all three of the featured soups that day: Lobster Bisque (which came with my meal), Tomato Basil and Lemon Artichoke. I felt the bisque was decent but a tad too sweet and creamy. I prefer my bisque to be a little more spicy as opposed to sweet.

“The Lemon Artichoke soup is what we are known for”, which the owner / manager, Jim (I only caught his first name) proudly extolled as he set the soup in front of me. It is definitely a bold flavor. It was not like anything I’d ever tasted before.

Cafe de Paris Lemon Artichoke Soup

And, to be honest, on the first sip, I didn’t care for it, as both the lemon and artichoke flavor is extremely strong, but it actually grew on me and I was loving it by the end. While in line, I heard 2 customers talking about it as well with polar opposite opinions, so it appears to be one of those dishes you either love or hate.

Café de Paris is open from 8 am until 9 pm every day but Sunday, when they close at 3 pm. The café also has dinner entrees like Steak au Poivre, Lamb Chops with Mint Pesto and Shrimp Carbonara all priced at under $14. Lunches are around $8.

Service was pleasant and quick. The majority of customers look like soccer moms out to lunch with their girlfriends, in between shopping and errand running. Although the atmosphere lends itself to the Parisian-style long, leisurely lunch, with the quick service it is possible to get in and out within your lunch hour. So, if you work in area, Café de Paris should be on your short list of lunch spots, a definite escape from the ordinary.

1100 Johnson Ferry Rd
Marietta, GA 30068
770 977-4945
Website

Tags: Bistro, East Cobb, French, marietta, Quiche, soups

Cobb County Restaurant Week, Marietta / Smyrna, Atlanta, GA

Sep 17

Posted by in American, East Cobb, Good for Groups, Italian, Prix Fixe, Southern, Steaks, Vinings, atlanta, marietta, steakhouse | No Comments

Not to be outdone by restaurants Inside the Perimeter, with their own restaurant weeks, Cobb County is having its own Restaurant Week. Beginning September 19th for one week, special restaurants in Cobb Country with be offering 3 course meals for $30, or lunch for $15. Of course, this doesn’t include tax, tip or alcohol.

Some participants are Aspen’s, Maggiano’s and South City Kitchen. Menu offerings look good, but the $30 price tag seems steep, considering restaurants ITP offer 3 course meals for only $25.

Participating restaurants along with their prix fixe menus can be viewed here.

Tags: Aspens, Cobb County, marietta, Prix Fixe, Smyrna, South City Kitchen

Houlihan’s BOGOF and Serpas $10 off Deals Expiring Soon

Aug 29

Posted by in East Cobb, atlanta | No Comments

Here are 2 deals expiring within the week you should take advantage of:

1. Houlhian’s Buy One Entree and a S’mores Fondue Dessert and Get one entree free. You’ll need the coupon below. Expires 9/7/09

2. Serpas – $10 off your a meal of $20 or more. You’ll need to print and fill out the coupon below. One per table. Expires 9/6/09

Tags: BOGOF, East Cobb, Houlihan's, Inman Park, marietta, Serpas

Aspen’s Steakhouse, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Dining Deals

Jul 22

Posted by in American, Cheap, East Cobb, Seafood, Tapas, bar, marietta, steakhouse | No Comments

Aspens Steakhouse in Marietta, is offering some great deals. If you haven’t been there lately you may want to check them out. These deals are good until August 31. It looks like deals are good only at the Aspens East Cobb Location, not West Cobb.

Early Bird Specials:
Discounted menu entrees as low as $11. Available before 6 any day of the week and all evening long on Sundays and Mondays.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays:
$5 small plates

Tuesday:
50 cent oysters in the bar area

2942 Shallowford Road
Marietta, GA 30066
Phone: (678) 236-1400
Aspens

Tags: Aspens, Cheap, East Cobb, marietta, Oysters, Tapas

Marietta Fish Market, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jul 7

Posted by in American, Atlanta visiting, East Cobb, Family, Good for Groups, Restaurant Reviews, Seafood, marietta | 3 Comments

Marietta Fish Market

The Marietta Fish Market had a highly anticipated opening in Marietta in December 08. Started by the folks who brought you the Marietta Diner, there are obvious similarities between the two, most notably the enormous dessert portions. Seeing the throngs of diners since it opened, I thought I’d let them die down and work out any kinks before I visited the Marietta Fish Market.

So, it wasn’t until a recent June evening that I was able to sample the Marietta Fish Market. It is an oddity to have a restaurant offering valet service on a stretch of road mostly marked by fast food establishments, gas stations and outdated strip malls. There is some self-parking available, but by early evening (about 5 pm) most of it becomes valet territory. Driving by more times than I can count, and seeing the crowds at the Marietta Fish Market, it is apparent parking is a huge issue.

The most recent Father’s day found me there with my dad along with my brother and a couple others. My Dad refuses to go anywhere for dinner later than 5 pm. What is it with old people and eating early? To be fair, MFM was already starting to fill up at 4:30 when we arrived. Although I could tell the Marietta Fish Market is a big place, once inside I saw that they truly do have a huge amount of seating and a large waiting area: thank goodness because they need it.

Walking though to the dining area, I immediately noticed the display case of fresh seafood, reminiscent of another popular fish market in Atlanta. There are 4 dining areas: the bar area with high top tables, the outdoor patio, dining area with large booths for big parties and the second dining room with tables and chairs mostly accommodating groups of 4. Obviously expecting many more visitors than they could handle, they setup a couple large plastic tables and folding chairs on this Father’s Day.

I’m not sure why, but the hostess sat us at one of these “picnic-like” tables even though there were plenty of booths available when we arrived that could have much more comfortably sat our party of 5. I’m certain it can’t because the booths were reserved since they have a “no reservations” policy. So, 3 out of our party of 5 were seated.

They asked the names of the other 2 to join us, assuring they would bring them to our table when they arrived. But when our companions arrived and gave their name at the hostess stand, they didn’t make the connection, and were never brought to our table. It is always a shame when restaurants try to be a cut above by offering these perks only to drop the ball.

Although not overly impressed with the service by this point, I have to cut them some slack as it was a busy evening for them with it being Father’s Day. So, I overlooked this and was eagerly anticipating my dinner. Shortly after sitting down, our server brought us bread – a nice thick challah with a cream cheese spread. I loved the cream cheese but wish it was served on the side as it wasn’t evenly distributed on the bread.

Much like it’s sister restaurant, the Marietta Diner, the menu goes on and on and on….There’s so much to choose from, if you are like me, you’ll want to peruse the menu online before visiting the restaurant because in addition to the regular menu there are a list of daily specials to choose from as well.

MFM Zucchini Fries

MFM Oysters Bienville

We began with the zucchini fries and the Oysters Bienville. It is pretty apparent that the Marietta Fish Market doesn’t do anything in small portions. One appetizer would have been fine for our group of 5. The zucchini fries were terrific and the ranch dipping sauce was a nice touch. Please do yourself a favor and limit yourself to 1 appetizer. The oysters were ok, but I felt there was too much parm cheese and crumbs, which took away from the oysters. Having known that, I would have ordered the oysters on the half shell instead.

MFM Gumbo and Seafood Bisque

Moving on to mains: we all varied when it came to menu selection. As an aside, I really appreciated the fact that you can get a cup of their tasty soup with your meal – Seafood Bisque, Gumbo or Clam Chowder. So here goes:

Crab Cakes
Seafood Paella
Shrimp and Scallops Supreme
Chicken Tenders
Daily Special: Grouper pasta with shrimp

MFM Crab Cakes

MFM Shrimp and Scallop Surpeme Pasta

While my dad loved his crab cakes, he is not as picky as I am. I tasted a small piece and thought they were decent but certainly not anything outstanding. The shrimp and scallops in my meal were huge and there were lots of them too – no skimping here. Part of the appeal to me was the addition of artichokes in the pasta. While I enjoyed it and then again and again as 2 more leftover meals, I thought it was a little too cream heavy. I didn’t taste the chicken tenders or grouper pasta but they were well-liked by our other companions.

MFM Seafood Paella

Without a doubt, the star of the table was the Seafood Paella. While I’m not a fan of paella, this is one incredible dish. From the presentation to the generous portion of lobster, shrimp, scallops, mussels, it is very impressive. No wonder it was featured on The Food Network. Although the folks at Marietta Fish Market may not like this, this meal could easily be split between 3 or 4 people.

To be honest, I was getting rather full from the fries, oysters and soup by the time my meal arrived. The problem with seafood? Doggie bags and seafood don’t go well together. I ate as much as I could but still had plenty to take home. From the portion standpoint, it would be nice if there were half portions available. My brother who can definitely put a hurting on any buffet, still had to pack up most of his paella.

Leftover Paella

For the portion of food offered, the prices are extremely reasonable. Most entrees range from $17 to $20. But if you want to go for specials the the Seafood Paella, it will be more like $25, although well worth it. The quality is top notch too, very fresh.

I kept my eye on the servers and they were all busting their butts everywhere I looked. There was no slacking on this evening. By the time we were leaving, around 6:30 pm, the waiting area was packed with what must have been 40 -50 people. It was pretty noisy in the restaurant and most tables seat 4 to 6, so this is definitely not the place for a romantic date, but more a family atmosphere.

It is hard to see all those yummy cakes and pies and not order something. But just keep in mind, portions are huge. If you really want to try something smaller, I recommend the cannoli – small but still delicous!

MFM Cannoli Dessert

3185 Canton Rd
Marietta, GA 30066
678 354 6416
Website

Tags: marietta, Marietta Fish Market, Paella, Seafood

Presto Colombian Bakery / Restaurant, Marietta, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Jun 22

Posted by in Cheap, East Cobb, Latin, Restaurant Reviews, culture, marietta | No Comments

Presto Colombian Bakery

Tucked away in a strip mall near Sidelines, you would never know the Colombian Bakery had such delicious meals. Glen turned me on to the Colombian Bakery after his co-worker took him there. While the restaurant is geared towards a Spanish speaking crowd (menus are in Spanish with English descriptions in parantheses), the staff really does do their best to accommodate non-Spanish speaking customers.

I’ve now been to the Colombian Bakery a handful of times. After ordering off the regular menu and the lunch special of the day, your better value is the lunch special. I love it when they have the whole fried fish (head, tail and everything). It is real deal at $6.99.

Colombian Bakery Empanadas

My most recent visit was with a group of 4. To begin we had the beef empanadas. Delivered quickly to our table, these crispy snacks were perfect in size, whetting our appetites but not leaving us too completely full to enjoy the feast that was to come. And the cilantro sauce that comes with it ads a pleasant degree of spiciness. If you can handle a little heat, don’t miss out on this.

While there was somewhat of a language barrier in the beginning, I think I’ve learned enough about ordering here that I can get by. Just know that the specials come with a choice of soup and either potatoes or maduros (sweet plantains).

Colombian Bakery Fish Soup

On my visit the soup was either chicken or fish soup. Fish soup = fish, shrimp and squid. Even though I was going to have fish for my meal, I still ordered the fish soup. And while I enjoyed it immensely, it would be nice if salad was an option as soup isn’t always my first choice on a hot day.

Colombian Bakery Whole Fried Fish

I’ve now had the whole fried fish twice and highly recommend it, although you’ll have to work for your food. By work, I mean separating the meant from the bones. As you can see form the picture above, you really do get the entire fish. head to tail complete with eyeball, which I ate swallowed on my most recent visit. While it seems like a huge portion of food, once you really start cutting into it you’ll see it isn’t nearly as much “meat” as it appears. Start in the back, dig in with your fork and go to work.

Colombian Bakery Chicken

The other daily special was chicken. I almost never order chicken when I go out to eat as it usually seems rather boring, but I did have a taste of the chicken at Presto and it was tender and juicy. Surprisingly it wasn’t spicy as I had suspected it might be.

If you want to get a true sampling of Colombian food order the Bandeja Paisa. At $11.50, it is well worth its price. The huge plate consists of a chorizo link, grilled beef, fried pork skin, fried sweet plantains, one corn cake, red beans and rice, an avocado half and a fried egg. Whew! Got all that?

Another one of my favorites is the Arroz Con Camarones (Shrimp and Rice). The huge portion of rice has lots of carrots and peas and has a rich tomato, onion and garlic flavor. And they don’t skimp on the shrimp. There are about 10 – 12 medium sized shrimp included. Definitely enough for 2 to share.

Extras: They have unique fruit drinks worth trying. Think Mango, Papaya and other tropical flavors. I assume they come in concentrate as they are offered mixed with your choice of water or milk. My favorite is the Guayaba, sweet but not too sweet, very refreshing on a hot summer day.

1392 B. Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30062
770 973 2196
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