Ocean Prime Restaurant is a swanky new restaurant that just opened up in the space that was formerly Sambucca Jazz Cafe. Its downright posh interior reminds me of a Buckhead Life Restaurant though it isn’t part of that group. Ocean Prime is a chain that has several locations throughout the United States, though this is the first one to open in Atlanta.

In the week prior to opening, Ocean Prime had several events for media and bloggers. We attended and sampled a bevy of delicious of cocktails (Cucumber Gimlet = magic!) and appetizers. We loved the Truffled Mac ‘n Cheese, Lobster Bisque and Chocolate Peanut Butter pie the most. Check out Atlanta Restaurant Blog’s video on Ocean Prime below.

3102 Piedmont Road
Atlanta GA 30305

I entered and saw some small aisles with fruits and spices, marinades and other grocery-esque items. There is also a large seating area in the middle of the market and I suspect it gets rather full on weekends. They have a deli and prepare New York sandwiches. They use Boar’s Head meat and also offer homemade sides of chicken, tuna and egg salad. But the most popular item is their BBQ. I sampled the Smoked Beef Brisket and it was divine. It is slow smoked for 12 hours. Owner Tom tells me they are the only place in Atlanta to offer pulled beef brisket. Sandwiches are a deal at only $4.99 each.

The real highlight of the Butcher’s Market is the meat of course. In talking with owner, Tom, he tells me that they cut the meat right there which is not a luxury available at most grocery stores nowadays. At grocers, all meat is pre-cut and pre-packaged. I wish I had visited the Butcher’s Market last month when decided to cook Short Ribs. They have a much better selection than the two sad packages I found at Kroger.

In addition to a great selection of steaks, The Butcher’s Market makes their sausages in house. The selection was plentiful. There was even a ton of bacon to choose from. Pork lovers rejoice.

The prices seem pretty reasonable from what I can tell. I don’t buy steaks a lot but, I’m willing to pay a bit more for a fresher and better cut of meat. Sausages and bacon were about 5 -6 dollars a pound which is just a bit more than what I’ve seen at the grocer. But I can only imagine how much better the taste is when something is made fresh in-house. And bacon without all the nitrates that are found in the packaged variety? Yes, please.

If you have reason to be up in the Marietta/Woodstock area, I highly suggest a trip over to the Butcher’s Market. Stock up on their unique sausages or get a great Ribeye to throw on the grill. After you’ve picked up your meat of choice, stay for a Beef Brisket Sandwich.

14205 Ga. 92
Woodstock, GA 30188
770 288 2437
Website

Killer Creek is located off Mansell Road near North Point Mall and there is overkill in the amount of chain restaurants that abound in this vicinity. So, it is a welcome change that Ray’s Killer Creek sets itself above the rest. Having said that, prices are a bit above other restaurants in the area. And servers are decked out in jackets and ties. Business casual dress code is noted on Killer Creek’s website, but I saw many patrons who ignored that request. Killer Creek even has it’s own wine cellar. See pic below.

I could have done without the valet. Come on, this is Alpharetta guys, not Buckhead, but whatever. Walking inside the freestanding restaurant, I immediately noticed just how big the restaurant is. The bar area is rather large, even equipped with live entertainment. And the dining area is ginormous too. As I looked around I could see mostly couples and families who seemed to celebrating special occasions. There was also a wedding reception going on outside.

This is a steakhouse and as such, you definitely need to bring your appetite. But, don’t completely skip the bread. Killer Creek offers a nice selection: sourdough, raisin and the cracker variety. I couldn’t resist 2 pieces of the sweet (but not too sweet) raisin bread.

Moving on to appetizers, I was dead set on steak for dinner so chose, seafood for appetizers: the Crab Cake and Ahi Tuna. The Crab Cake was full of lump crab meat and what I’d expect at a restaurant of this caliber. The Ahi Tuna was another good appetizer choice with the dark pink center in contrast to it’s pepper crust, making a pretty presentation as well as a tasty one. Both were $14 each.

We also opted to split a salad, choosing Rays Chop-Chop salad made with hearts of palm, eggs, olives and of chickpeas . I know that salads are very large so we split it. Our server was kind enough to accommodate our requests for different dressings on each half. Truth be told, I thought the salad was ok, but if I had to do it again, I’d forgo the salad to save more room for my steak.

In the past, my preferred cut of steak was always a filet. I found them to be tender, flavorful and just the right size (usually an 8 oz portion) for me. But over the last year or so, I’ve lost the taste of filets in favor of the more flavorful Ribeye. It is just too bad ribeyes tend to come in such large portions. For steaks, we chose the New York Strip and the Ribeye which was a special that evening. This was a 20 oz Ribeye served with a side for $40. Note that there is still a great selection of seafood offered including shrimp, scallops, salmon, and a couple other selections.

Our steaks were prepared medium, just as requested. Had I just tasted my New York Strip, I would have been quite pleased . But we just couldn’t help but share. And the ribeye far exceeds the strip when it comes to flavor. I think it’s my new cut of choice. And, hey, if two of you both like ribeyes but don’t have a big appetite, they are perfect for sharing.

We tried two of the desserts at Killer Creek as well: cheesecake and the peanut brittle-like shell with ice cream in the middle. The cheesecake was spot on – as good as any cheesecake I can remember having, but the peanut-brittle-ice-cream-thingy dessert was amazing. I really only expected to have a little taste of it as I was pretty stuffed, but we mopped that sucker up in a hurry.

1700 Mansell Rd
Alpharetta, GA 30009
770 649 0064
Website

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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