Atlanta Restaurant Blog

Atlanta Restaurant Reviews, Food News and Recipes from a Real Foodie

Posts Tagged Seafood

Chequers Seafood Grill Dunwoody, Atlanta, GA, 4-Course Prix Fixe Meal for $25

Jan 29

Posted by in American, Perimeter, Prix Fixe, Seafood | No Comments

Chequers Seafood Grill is offering a special preview of it’s 4-course meal to Atlanta Restaurant Blog readers. The 4-course meal is regularly $32, but you can get it for $25 on Tuesday, February 2nd, Wednesday, February 3rd, and Thursday, February 4th.

Menu:

ROASTED CRIMSON BEETS
gorgonzola, pears, candied walnuts, watercress, walnut vinaigrette

CHIVE CREPE
wild mushrooms, goat cheese, baby spinach, red wine syrup

SEARED SCALLOPS
pappardelle noodles, braised short rib, roasted root vegetables,
fig demi glace

CHOCOLATE BUTTER SCOTCH TART
sweet and sour cherries, sea salt, sweet balsamic syrup

If you end up going, please leave a comment and let me know how it was.

236 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE
Atlanta , GA 30346-1402
770 391 9383
Website

Tags: , ,

McCormick & Schmick’s Reel to Reel Promotion

Jan 6

Posted by in Seafood, atlanta | No Comments

McCormick & Schmick’s is doing a promotion which gets you discounted movie tickets. Here’s how it works: for every entree purchased at McCormick & Schmick’s you can get a movie ticket for participating theaters for only 5 bucks. The deal is nationwide and at the time of this post has no end date.

For Georgia the current participating theaters are:

Regal (United Artists) Perimeter Point
Regal Atlantic Station 16

Tags: , , , ,

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Kennesaw, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Nov 24

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Restaurant Reviews, Seafood, Steaks, kennesaw, steakhouse | No Comments

Nearly 45 years ago, Ruth Fertel, a single mother, mortgaged her house and invested her life savings to buy a restaurant named “Chris Steak House.” Shortly after taking ownership, Ruth added her name to the restaurant, becoming Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The Ruth’s Chris empire has expanded to well over 100 restaurants spanning several countries.

Although Ruth’s Chris had humble beginnings, the cooking styles, recipes and overall hospitality and top-notch service are still evident when visiting Ruth’s Chris Steak House. I felt that immediately when walking in the door. Originating in New Orleans, many menu items have a Cajun-style influence to them – shrimp cocktail with Creole remoulade or bread pudding with whiskey sauce. The New Orleans influence is even more evident in the lunch menu with items like French Quarter Steak Skewers and Chicken La Louisianne.

Ruth\'s Chris Kennesaw Dining Area

Ruth's Chris Kennesaw Dining Area

I had been to Ruth’s Chris once before and remember it being a fantastic and pleasurable meal. So, I was pretty thrilled when I was invited to check them out for the debut of the Kennesaw location of Ruth’s Chris. Open just over a week, the restaurant was fairly busy on a Wednesday evening when I visited. Most tables seemed to be comprised of business diners, with a few couples scattered in the mix.

The appetizers at Ruth’s Chris are comprised entirely of seafood. You can find the usual suspects – calamari, shrimp cocktail, and stuffed mushrooms. But I decided to veer away from that and order the Crab Cakes and the Ahi Tuna.

Ruth\'s Chris Ahi Tuna and Crab Cakes

Ruth's Chris Ahi Tuna and Crab Cakes

The steaks aren’t the only things that get delivered on a sizzling plate – the Crab Cakes were delivered the same way. These were full of lump crab with not much else and no iota of filler or breading. My only recommendation is to leave them on the sizzling plate and eat off of that. Otherwise, they will tend to get cold rather quickly. Still tasty, mind you, they are just much better when hot.

The Ahi Tuna is equally as delicious served atop a ginger/ mustard sauce. I love sauces, but I would go easy on this one. Don’t drown your tuna in it; otherwise the sauce will tend to overpower the tuna. In fact, I would ask for the sauce on the side, was I to order that again. Then gently dip the tuna slice in the sauce, so as to enhance the tuna NOT overpower it.

Ruth\'s Chris Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Ruth's Chris Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Up to this point, portions seemed decent – not huge. But that all ended after the appetizers. We ordered the Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato Salad, which were split between the two of us. At the recommendation of our server, we had them split it in the kitchen and deliver it to us. Nice thick pieces of mozzarella sat on fresh sliced tomatoes. Again, the dressing was little overpowering here, I’d ask for it on the side.

For mains, there truly is something for everyone with seafood selections, lamb, chicken, but of course, steaks are the stars at Ruth’s Chris. They only serve USDA Prime steaks, which are only 2% of the steaks produced in the country. These steaks are cooked at 1800 degrees to lock in the flavor, and then served on sizzling plates to ensure that the meat stays hot the entire meal.

Ruth\'s Chris Ribeye and mushrooms

Ruth's Chris Ribeye and mushrooms

The two steaks we sampled were the Ribeye and the Tournedos and Shrimp. The Ribeye was huge and had excellent marbling. Steaks can be complimented with a sauce of your choosing – blue cheese, Au Poivre, Bearnaise, Hollandaise, but I prefer mine just as they are with Ruth’s Chris butter toping and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest.

Ruth\'s Chris Tournedos - Filets and Shrimp

Ruth's Chris Tournedos - Filets and Shrimp

The Tournedos with Shrimp are two small 4 oz filets that come with jumbo shrimp on top. The filet was melt in your mouth tender and the shrimp sweet and full of flavor. The side dishes are large and one will most likely be plenty for two people to share. Potatoes come in 7 varieties, and the standout is the sweet potato casserole with pecan crust. The slightly sweet side was a compliment to the buttery steak.

Ruth\'s Chris Side Dishes

Ruth's Chris Side Dishes

While there is no shortage of au gratin, creamed or cheesy sides, I took a pass on these as I felt they would be too heavy with all I had eaten up to this point, so I opted for the simpler sautéed mushrooms. Simple, yes, but they weren’t lacking any flavor. And they were huge. Ruth’s Chris doesn’t do anything in small way. Had I not had such a filling start to the meal with two starters and the salad, I would have chosen a more rich side like creamed spinach or potatoes au gratin, which are specialties here. But there’s always next time.

When they wrap up your food at the end of the evening, and I say when because it is inevitable, not one group left without taking some food home, they refer to it as a food souvenir rather than a doggy bag. We were no exception, with half of our steaks wrapped and most of the side dishes as well.

Ruth\'s Chris Apple Crumb Dessert

Ruth's Chris Apple Crumb Dessert

Ruth\'s Chris Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Ruth's Chris Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

But we still had to have a bite of dessert. The Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake and the Apple Crumb Tart were colossal and individually more than two people could eat. So, after a couple delicious nibbles we had to pack those up as well.

If you are a coffee lover, don’t miss the French Press coffee at Ruth’s Chris. Served in individual carafes, it is such a treat to have this freshly brewed coffee. My intent was to have one cup as it was already 9 pm, but it was so wonderful, I ended up having 3 cups, hence, here I am at 1 AM writing this article.

It’s nice to have a restaurant like Ruth’s Chris in Atlanta and even closer to us OTPers in Kennesaw. You probably know Ruth’s Chris isn’t cheap. But once in a while, it is worth the splurge to have a steak so high in quality, you’re reminded why you’re a carnivore and prepared so well, it just melts in your mouth. Everyone that we encountered seems to not only be well versed in the menu and professional, but genuinely proud of where they work.

Extras: They are open Thanksgiving Day from noon until 9 pm and are offering a 3-course meal for under $30 per person.

620 Chastain Rd
Kennesaw, GA 30144
www.ruthschris.com

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse on Urbanspoon

Tags: , ,

Waterstone Grill, Acworth, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Oct 29

Posted by in Acworth, American, Dates, Restaurant Reviews, Seafood | 1 Comment

Downtown Acworth has been going through a renovation over the last couple years. Several notable restaurants are located there, including Henry’s, The Old Mill, Fusco’s Via Rome, and my most recent discovery the Waterstone Grill.

Full disclosure: Waterstone Grill invited me to review their restaurant. I had the pleasure of chatting with owner, Joanne Tubo and learning about the history behind the historic building. Turns out, Joanne and her husband own the buildings on either side of the Waterstone Grill. In fact, Waterstone Grill was once home to Henry’s before they moved a couple doors down a bigger space.

Joanne told me they spent 2 years completely renovating the space. And it shows from floor to ceiling. Beyond the dark woods prevalent throughout the intimate restaurant, you’ll see stamped ceiling tiles, brick walls, and against the back wall, a beautifully tiled drink station. Architecture lesson: the space was once an alleyway and converted into a building using the walls of the exterior buildings on each side, the term being an infill building. When you visit, note the different styles of brick on each side of the restaurant.

Shortly after being seated, Jackie, our server for the evening, suggested we do a tasting of Waterstone’s house wines. I obliged thinking, “how good is house wine?”, especially at only $5 a glass, but I was pleasantly surprised. Of the whites, the Sauvignon Blanc was the best, and of the reds, the Merlot was a clear winner. The brand, called Foxbrook, is one I’ve not heard of and Joanne told me they aren’t available for retail, one of the reasons she chose the brand.

Waterstone Zucchini Rolls

Waterstone Zucchini Rolls

Our complimentary rolls included not only regular rolls but a zucchini muffin type of roll as well. These were slightly sweet and very moist. I like that they offer something a little different than average rolls. I’m not the only one who likes them this much – they’ve become so popular with regulars, that the AJC has published the recipe in a recent issue.

Soup of the day was Crab Bisque and Jackie didn’t have to twist my arm much to give it a try. It was creamy, a tad spicy, a chock full of crabmeat. Hands down, some of the best crab bisque I’ve ever had. Now Glen went for the French Onion soup. His mom has a special recipe she prepares every Christmas that I just love and this tasted just like it. FOS can be tricky as it is pretty easy to over salt it, but this was the perfect balance of sweet onions, gooey cheese, and flavorful broth.

Waterstone Grill French Onion Soup

Waterstone Grill French Onion Soup

Although my soup was small, it was very filling, and I could have quite easily jumped into the main course, but I absolutely had to try a couple appetizers: calamari and bacon wrapped shrimp with spicy bbq glaze. Be warned: the glaze is pretty hot, so if you don’t like too much heat, I’d avoid this app.

Waterstone Calamari

Waterstone Calamari

As for the calamari, when I saw that there was a lot of friend peppers within it, I thought the peppers were there as an extender, but once I started eating I found the calamari was complimented by the peppers. It came with a marinara and a soy ginger dipping sauce. I really didn’t care of the ginger sauce – it seemed to have too much soy and not enough sweet to it.

Waterstone Calamari

Waterstone Calamari

At this point, we had had quite a bit of seafood, and perhaps it would have been a good idea to try a steak or chicken dish, but we just couldn’t resist the scallops with potatoes au gratin or sesame trout. When I saw our dishes come out, I knew we’d made the right choice. My scallops, 6 of them altogether were cooked just right and the orange scented cream sauce paired well with the scallops, which I later found out is one of both Joanne and Jackie’s favorite dishes.

Waterstone Sesame Trout

Waterstone Sesame Trout

The trout was a huge portion; the 2 large pieces could easily feed two. And it is coated in both white and black sesame seeds. I found it to be tasty as Glen did, cleaning his plate. Our sides (yellow rice and potatoes au gratin) were winners too, not just there to take up space on the plate.

For dessert, we sampled the crème brulee and the blueberry and lemon pound cake. You can’t go wrong with either one of these desserts, although I’m slightly partial to the pound cake. The combination of tart blueberries with the sweet lemony cake is delicious.

Waterstone lemon-blueberry cake

Waterstone lemon-blueberry cake

I kept a rolling total of our bill in my mind – $75 for everything. That included wine, 2 of the each: soup, appetizers, entrees and desserts. Beautiful atmosphere, great service, tasty, moderately priced food and free parking! Good luck finding all of that ITP.

Waterstone Grill is open for lunch and dinner everyday but Sunday. I can’t wait to visit again and try the Pear, Walnut, and Goat cheese salad along with their Smoked Gouda Risotto – a bargain at under $4 a piece. And they have a martini menu that has nearly 10 specials including a Snickerdoodle martini.

Extras: On Saturdays get a bottle of house wine for $10.

4849 North Main Street
Acworth, GA 30101
770 974 4899
Website

Waterstone Grill on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , , ,

Atlanta Grill, Downtown Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Oct 16

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Atlanta visiting, Downtown, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic, Seafood, Southern, Steaks, atlanta, outdoor dining | No Comments

The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta located Downtown recently extended an invitation to me to dine at their restaurant, Atlanta Grill. I stayed overnight at the Hotel as well. I’ll have a full review of the hotel, services and highlights of my stay in a follow up post. But Atlanta Grill is a standout in it’s own right and deserves a separate review.

This recent evening, the weather was absolutely perfect for outdoor dining with low humidity and temperatures in the low 70s. So, even though the interior of Atlanta Grill is beautiful, I just couldn’t resist sitting outside. Atlanta Grill’s patio overlooks Peachtree Street and provides some pretty nice views of the nearby buildings. Of course, there was the occasional street noise, but it didn’t stop us from enjoying our dinner one bit.

Atlanta Grill Rolls

Atlanta Grill Rolls

Just after being seated, we were introduced to Silvio, the restaurant’s resident Sommelier. Although he really knows his stuff, he is completely humble about his knowledge, wanting to make suggestions never forcing his opinion on guests. The wine list is very diverse and I could have easily spent 30 minutes perusing it looking for the perfect wine, but we thought why not let the expert pick out our wines for us. He made some great choices that really opened up as we ate our meals. But more on that in a minute.

The menu isn’t huge, but has some standouts. It is mostly seafood and steaks with a couple southern favorites thrown in, a nod to the old south. A recent addition, is the Smokehouse dining options. The Smokehouse items are salmon, ribs, chicken or beef brisket. I hear that Chef Bennett Hollberg, Chef de Cuisine at Atlanta Grill has a real passion for smoking foods and it was his idea to add the Smokehouse options to the menu.

Atlanta Grill Ox Tail Ravioli

Atlanta Grill Ox Tail Ravioli

I had seen the Ox Tail ravioli on the online menu and decided I couldn’t miss that dish. The pasta was so fresh tasting. I’m not sure if it is made in house, but it sure tasted like it. The meat, while tender, was a tad on the salty side. Glen’s Arugula salad, although simple, topped with radishes and pecans, was light and flavorful. He was wise to choose something that wouldn’t fill him up as the best was still yet to come.

Atlanta Grill Salad

Atlanta Grill Salad

Silvio paired my ravioli with a Pinot Noir. And Glen had a Chardonnay. I’m not usually a fan of white wine but I did like this one as the oaky taste that tends to be apparent in most chardonnays was missing from this one. In case you were wondering, the brand of chardonnay is “ZD” and it is from CA.

When our server mentioned the special of the evening, an 8 oz filet with lump crabmeat on top – I was sold. Glen, although interested in the special as well, ordered the shrimp and grits. I was a little surprised, as I would have expected him to prefer the trout (with apples and walnut chutney) or halibut (in tarragon fennel broth), but being the good southerner he is, he went for the shrimp and grits.

Between the rolls, appetizers and entrees, this was plenty of food for the two of us, especially if we had any intention of eating dessert. But as sides aren’t included with meals, I at least wanted to sample a side dish while I was here. As one would expect of a steak and seafood restaurant, sides included mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and asparagus among a couple others. Portions are large and one is plenty for two people. So with little discussion, we both agreed on asparagus.

Atlanta Grill Filet and Crab

Atlanta Grill Filet and Crab

My filet was cooked medium and was extremely tender. I almost didn’t need the knife. The crab was delicious as well, not just thrown on top, but baked on top (see the slight browning on top of the crab).

I really love that the Atlanta Grill isn’t stingy with the crab portion as sometimes restaurants can be – no crab shortage here. The meal, although simple, was very flavorful, probably what happens when you have fresh, quality food and know how to cook it right. And, while I did enjoy the wine reduction sauce, the meal can certainly stand alone.

Atlanta Grill Shrimp and Grits

Atlanta Grill Shrimp and Grits

Glen’s dinner was equally as delicious. I’ll admit, when he placed his order I thought to myself “shrimp and grits, really?” I have had shrimp and grits plenty of times, but never tasted any quite as unique as these. Aside from the fact that the shrimp were large, fresh and cooked perfectly, there was a hint of spicy tomato mixed in the grits that gave it an overall sweet and spicy taste. Wondering why the grits are green? It is the avocado cream sauce mixed in! Glen’s Chilean Pinot Noir went very well with his meal as to be expected.

As for my wine? Well, it was like liquid velvet – all 3 glasses! Good thing I wasn’t driving home. All great recommendations from Silvio. I really appreciated the fact that he gives guests a choice of two or three wines that will pair well with their meal rather than forcing them into the one of his choosing.

I almost forgot to mention the asparagus. Not a slight at the asparagus, just because there’s so much to say about the food. This jumbo asparagus was crisp and buttery at the same time.

Atlanta Grill Cheesecake

Atlanta Grill Cheesecake

By this time, we were pretty full, but the assistant manager, Jason Schmalz suggested that if we were too full for dessert, that we place an order to be delivered to our room later. The cheesecake we selected was to be delivered to our room about 2 hours later. Besides the beautiful plating, it was creamy, sweet and just enough to fill us up without feeling gluttonous.

If you haven’t been able to tell by now, there’s a BIG emphasis on unparalleled service at Atlanta Grill. Staff works together to provide an outstanding meal and experience, all while making it seem effortless. Looking around I could tell there were several groups celebrating special occasions, and Atlanta Grill was certainly a great choice for it.

181 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
404 659 0400
Website

Atlanta Grill on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , , , , , ,

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 | 2 Comments

Marietta Fish Market

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 Zucchini Fries

MFM Oysters Bienville

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

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 Crab Cakes

MFM Shrimp and Scallop Surpeme Pasta

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

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

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

MFM Cannoli Dessert

3185 Canton Rd
Marietta, GA 30066
678 354 6416
Website

Marietta Fish Market on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , ,

Wahoo! Decatur, Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Apr 14

Posted by in American, Decatur, Restaurant Reviews, Seafood | No Comments

Wahoo! Grill in Decatur is another one of those restaurants that has been on my radar for quite a while, but I had never made it there. That is, until a recent visit this past weekend. Glen and I had a date night. I gave him a couple choices of restaurants I wanted to try and he picked Wahoo! Grill. I think he was a little disappointed to know that it wasn’t in the Decatur Square as he was looking forward to walking around there.

Wahoo! Decatur Grill

Wahoo! Grill

Wahoo! is pretty difficult to find as it seems pretty far off of the beaten path. Not only that, but it isn’t a pretty sight from the outside. Given all of this, you would think there is no need for valet parking right? Wrong. Unless you are one of about 15 -20 cars to snag a spot on one of the two side streets you will need to valet.

We got the last side street parking spot, and Glen (an Atlanta native) was able to demonstrate his parallel parking prowess. But, on to the restaurant. We walked in, and were seated right away, (thanks, call-ahead seating). Wahoo’s policy is not to take reservations for small parties but they do allow call-ahead seating. Actually, the place wasn’t busy at all, so I’m sure we could have just walked in and been fine.

The layout of the restaurant is kind of interesting as they have 3 different seating areas. The main restaurant seating is the most boring. It is small wood tables which give a view to the open kitchen. Nothing exciting about that. If you go, get a seat on the enclosed patio. It was a brick floor with views of outdoors and the outdoor patio. When the weather is nice, definitely sit outside on the patio – very quaint and charming. On my visit it was a bit too cold for that.

While I did like the look of the enclosed patio, I did find it pretty noisy. There was one especially loud group in close proximity to my table. Wahoo! is better for a small group 4 to 6 people than for couples. So, our waiter, although very pleasant, was a bit of a low talker. So, we had to strain to hear him over the boisterous groups nearby.

Wahoo! Calamari Appetizer

Wahoo! Calamari Appetizer

For appetizers, I was torn between the calamari and the bbq shrimp which I heard was so good. Our waiter convinced us to try Wahoo’s calamari, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was a perfect blend of sweet and spicy with the hoison sauce and pepper that was blended together. And, the portion was perfect for sharing.

I went with the signature dish, Wahoo, which comes in medallions and is supposed to be similar to Swordfish. There were a couple specials on the menu that night: some sort of pasta and a fish called Hebe, which our waiter described as a sweet tasting Hawaiian fish. Glen opted for that as it was supposed to come in a thai sauce.

Wahoo Fish

Wahoo Fish

It was quite a while from when our appetizer and rolls were finished before we got our meals. Perhaps the kitchen was backed up. I sipped on my waiter-recommended Californian Pinot Noir while waiting for our meals. They do have a good selection of wines by the glass (all between $7 and $11.50), but I should have followed my instinct and gotten the Chilean Cabernet which I think I would have enjoyed a bit more.

So, we finally got our entrees and eagerly dug in. Immediately, I could tell my fish was overcooked. It just had that kind of dried out taste to it. I kept trying to sop up the pomegranite sauce to mitigate the dryness. Glen thought his Hebe fish was ok, but nothing woohoo about it. He also commented that there wasn’t anything thai about it either. The side of veggies that came with the meals was pretty bland and unexciting.

Hebe Fish Special Wahoo Grill

Hebe Fish Special Wahoo Grill

We finished our meals and asked for the check. I had heard the coconut cake was not to be missed. But after the mediocre meals, we just decided to leave without sampling any desserts. The prices seem pretty reasonable with the most expensive entree being about $17, so I was surprised to see that the Glen’s special was $24. Definitely not worth the price. Why do restaurants tell you the specials but not the price of the specials? I hate having to ask, as it makes me feel cheap.

However, we were able to get out of there with an appetizer, 1 glass of wine, and 2 entrees for around $60, which is fair. The bottom line: If you live not too far and are looking for something a little different from the norm than it may be worth checking out. But don’t drive out of you way to visit Wahoo!

1042 West College Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
404-373-3331
Website

Wahoo! a Decatur Grill on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , ,

C&S Oyster Bar, Vinings Atlanta, GA Restaurant Review

Feb 20

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Atlanta visiting, Dates, Good for Groups, Restaurant Reviews, Romantic, Seafood, atlanta | 2 Comments

I had been salivating over C&S Oyster bar ever since I first heard of them opening in Atlanta. I admit I was pretty jealous of Glen as he had been to C&S Oyster Bar on at least 3 business dinners without me. But I finally got to tag along on one of them and visiting C&S Oyster Bar was the highlight of my week. The downside of it being a business dinner? I wasn’t able to take any pictures, which is a shame because the presentation was beautiful.

The only thing that knocks them down a few pegs in my book is the valet parking. I mean, come on, this isn’t Buckhead. They are located in a strip mall that is anchored by a grocery store. I think the valet parking is a little over the top. Especially given the fact that this is a busy strip mall, I think its ridiculous for the valet to take up so many primo parking spots. The parking lot was just about full on the Thursday evening when I visited, so I can’t imagine how it must be on a weekend night.

But putting all that aside, once you get inside, and sip on a cocktail, you’ll forget you even are in a strip mall and feel like you’ve been transported to a 1920s speakeasy. There were 4 of us dining at C&S and it was a celebratory dinner for a project that had just been completed at Glen’s work, so I could almost hear the cha-ching as our gluttony continued on during the evening. Yeah, this is definitely a great place to go on an expense account.

The chef that evening started us off with an amuse bouche of Tuna Tartar. I quickly decided if that was the amuse bouche than I was in for a treat for my meal.

We all agreed that oysters were a must and started off with the a la carte option. Really like that they have this available. You can pick and choose which oysters you’d like to add to your order instead of ordering 6 of one kind and 6 of another, etc. Oyster selection, which varies from New England to Washington, were all extraordinary. I had some from New England and decided to try the Kumomoto ones from Washington which our waiter, Barrett described as tasting like cantaloupe. I don’t know if they tasted like cantaloupe but it was definitely a different taste with a sweet beginning and salty end. I highly recommend giving them a try on your visit to C&S Oyster Bar. Barrett even was gracious to bring us a palate cleanser of sorbet after our oysters.

Our sampling was not limited to oysters, oh no, we sampled about 4 different bottles of wine as well. Two whites and two reds. Glen and I are more red wine drinkers and our dining companions stuck with white wine. I did taste some of the second bottle of Pinot Grigio and it was amazing. Kudos to Barrett for being able to recommend some great wines.

So here’s how our entrees paned out:

  • Lobster Tails – Our dining companion liked them but would have preferred if the shell had been cut back a little to get the meat out. She struggled with that. I don’t blame her, especially with the $50 price tag.
  • Flounder stuffed with crab – That was my entree. I was torn as I really love Chilean Seabass but Barrett convinced me I would not be disappointed and I wasn’t. I loved the caviar butter sauce that it was in too. Really was a nice balance to the flounder.
  • Tuna steak – Glen’s dish. I didn’t have a taste but he said it was delicious.
  • Whole fish – I’m talking head, tail, and all. Cannot remember the name but our waiter described it as the “wolf of the sea” Dining companion #2 had this and cleaned his plate. Enough said.

I will say that although we consumed a lot of food I felt full, but not overly so. It seemed like a light meal overall. Not wanting to skip dessert, we got 2 orders of key lime pie. Dessert portions (at least the key lime pie) are large enough for 2 to share, but not gigantic to the point that you cannot possibly finish. I have to mention that one of my pet peeves when dining out is to have coffee with my dessert and we were done with dessert by the time the coffee came to the table which was a slight disappointment as everything else had been on point the entire evening.

The bottom line? C&S Oyster Bar is a great place for both business dinners and to celebrate a special occasion. Definitely for the seafood lover in you.

3240 Cobb Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30339
770-272-0999
Website

C&S Seafood And Oyster Bar on Urbanspoon

Tags: , ,

Red Lobster vs. Captain D’s

Jan 30

Posted by in American, Books and Information, Cheap, Seafood | 1 Comment

Battle of the Seafood Giants: Red Lobster vs. Captain D’s

Well, Red Lobster and Captain D’s are really duking it out. As the economy continues to go down the toilet, businesses are really hurting, but the restaurant industry in particular. So, the competition for your money is getting even more fierce with Captain D’s assault on Red Lobster.

Several months ago, Captain D’s began airing commercials in which they compare their food to Red Lobster’s. Commercials are filmed in the parking lot of a Red Lobster. They show people walking out of the restaurant and the assumption is made that they dined there. A spokesman approaches the so-called diners and asks how much they paid for their meal.

In a table nearby, some assistants set up the table with lots of food, showing diners what they could have gotten at Captain D’s for about half of the price. Red Lobster went so far as to issue a Cease and Desist order but Captain D’s has told them to Kiss Their A** (well, in a nice way). They issued a press release stating that they aren’t doing anything wrong and refuse to cease. They even started a website – irefusetoceaseanddesist.com with the press release as well as more information.

I honestly don’t think there is any comparison from Red Lobster to Captain D’s. I’ve been enticed by Captain D’s commercials before and duped into thinking I was going to have a tasty seafood dinner. But it was all bait (no pun intended) and switch. I don’t know where they get the food they use in their commercials, but clearly it did not come from any of their restaurants near where I live. I don’t know where they hide the actual seafood, but mine was mostly bread and not much more.

The last time I was in a Captain D’s I was suckered in by their seafood platter that had crab cakes and slew of other things for under 7 bucks. It was disgusting. Not to mention all the flies in the restaurant. Somewhere, between shooing off the flies and digging through the bread on my plate searching for seafood, I decided to swear off Captain D’s forever!

And yes, I know Red Lobster is not a 5 star restaurant, but I still think they serve excellent food and have always without fail, had consistently good service.

  • Is their any comparing their hot, delicious biscuits to Captain D’s Hush Puppies?
  • Their coconut shrimp, or shrimp scampi to Captain’s D’s wimpy not to mention unhealthy fried shrimp?
  • Their stuffed rainbow trout to Captiain D’s bland tiliapia?

Captain D’s and Red Lobster have roughly the same number of restaurants in the US and overseas – about 600. Red Lobster has slightly more. You may wonder why Long John Silver’s isn’t in the mix somehow. With more than 1400 restaurants, they are much bigger than either two, so most likely don’t feel the need to compete for more business.

My advice? Brown bag it a couple times and then treat yourself to Red Lobster.

What are your thoughts? Is Red Lobster really comparable to Captain D’s?

Tags: , , ,

Blackstone Vinings, Atlanta, GA, Restaurant Review

Jan 22

Posted by in 5 star restaurants, American, Romantic, Seafood, Steaks, bar, steakhouse | No Comments

I remember when they were building Blackstone and I couldn’t wait to go try it. A high end, non-chain Steakouse OTP? You bet I was ready to visit Blackstone. My first experience was pleasant. Been back to Blackstone 3 more times over the course of several years. Every time I was pleased with the food. Three times I had steak and it was cooked exactly like I wanted it. My last visit I couldn’t resist having the Sea Bass, one of my favorites. It too, was cooked perfectly.

It is nice to have a restaurant like Blackstone close by without having to drive to Buckhead or Midtown. Three out of four times the service was really good. On my last visit, though, our waiter was, how should I put this, a little slow. I ordered a glass of wine and he came back 3 times to ask me which wine it was that I ordered. I’m about 50% sure I got the one I ordered. Oh well, it tasted good. ;D

I like Blackstone just fine and would definitely take someone visiting from out of town there. But personally when I want to go out for dinner, I want to experience something a little different than your typical steak and potatoes.

4686 South Atlanta Road
Vinings, GA 30080
404-794-6100
Blackstone

Tags: , , , , ,