My first visit to Siam Square Thai Restaurant was back in the fall of 08 for a friend’s birthday. Our group of 6 visited on a Saturday. What immediately struck me about the restaurant was how beautifully decorated it was, almost begging you to forget it is in a strip mall. I love the stained concrete floors . They really add a nice touch. Candle lit tables make for a romantic evening at Siam Square, but it also works for groups too.

Since I like hot and spicy foods, I always tend to just stick with water for my drink as I know I’m going to drink a ton of it. Siam Square flavors their water with cucumbers which is extremely refreshing. So, on that first visit, I did have the spicy chicken and it was extremely flavorful. Since returning, I’ve sampled the drunken noodles – perfectly spiced and definitely hot enough to clear out those sinuses.

On my most recent visit, I had my favorite of all meals. First we started out with basil rolls and winter rolls. Winter rolls are fried basil rolls. What I liked about these was not just the fried part, but the sauce was more sweet than the regular basil rolls. Definitely a standout among the appetizers. We also tried the papaya salad. I don’t know if they made a mistake, but this is crazy hot. There should be some sort of warning just how hot and peppery this salad is. It was like eating a tsp of wasabi. Still tasty, but could have gone a little lighter on the heat.

For our entrees we had two terrific dishes: the green curry peppery catfish and the masaman curry with beef. If you like to share your meals so you can sample a couple different dishes, this is a great combo. One is hot and the other is pretty mild. The catfish was the hot one chock full of catfish nuggets, bell peppers and and eggplant, it was absolutely delicious. They also had lightly fried basil leaves that added yet another dimension of flavor and quality to the dish. And the beef masaman had a great flavor combination that runs circles around almost any other masaman curry I’ve had.

Our server was excellent! He was always around if we needed something but not pushy. Overall the staff seems very attentive about accommodating everyone’s special requests.

Siam Square is definitely a hidden gem in the Windy Hill area. While the prices are a tad higher than other Thai spots in Cobb (Lemon Grass, Fuji Hana), the quality cannot be matched by these other establishments.

1995 Windy Hill Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(770) 333-1700

Extras: I’ve been there for lunch and it is a great spot if you need to get in and out quickly.

I just would like to keep it my secret. I’m beyond those ITP bars where everyone is packed in like sardines and you have to elbow your way to the front of the bar to order a drink. It’s so great to find a place where you haven’t spent 20 bucks (parking + cover charge) before you even make it inside the door.

This particular Saturday night when me and 3 friends went to Dixie I didn’t go there with any sort of agenda. My expectations were low – I just wanted to have a couple beers and hang out with my pals. I had just had dinner next door at Blue Moon Pizza and since it was only 8:30 we decided why not have a drink at Dixie Tavern?

As it was early, there were only handful of patrons in the bar, but as the night progressed it got somewhat more crowded. It seems to be a mix of young (early 20s) and those in their mid 30s. Around 10:30 the band went on, and I was surprised at just how good they were. Appropriately named, ASPHALT GRUNGE, the band played music from the 90s – Fuel, Better than Ezra, etc, etc. Their sound is great and they are really talented. This was a much better experience than my Wild Bills visit a couple weeks prior.

The have Blue Moon, Stella, Newcastle, and many other good beers on draft. Food is ok, but I would eat somewhere else first – RuSans, Blue Moon Pizza, and Siam Square Thai are all nearby.

Dixie Tavern
2319 Windy Hill Road SE
Marietta, GA 30080
(770) 690-0090

The meats were great quality. I tried everything every kind of beef they had, lamb, sausage, chicken – everything. It was all good. The only thing I really didn’t care for was the fish (salmon) which was a little dried out. But, hey, you aren’t here for seafood are you?

Even if some in the group are not meat eaters, the salad bar has plenty to fill them up. And, at the time of this post, if you just do the lunch buffet it is $9.95 and believe me, you won’t even miss the meat. If you do want to have meat though, it is 10 bucks more. The dinner price is around $35 per person.

1927 Powers Ferry Road SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 850-1540
www.salgrosso.com

Glen and I had tickets to an event at the new Cobb Energy Center later that evening and both of us were craving some Thai food. So, we decided to stop by the Red Elephant. It was early on a Saturday evening, about 6 pm, so it was no surprise the place wasn’t completely packed

I can’t remember what this place was before the Red Elephant, but the owners have done a great job of putting some nice touches into it that make it seem more authentic. And, although the space isn’t huge, they have done a good job to make the most of it without going overboard.

Not only is the food prepared excellently, the presentation itself is terrific. We started off with some fried dumplings. I think it was like pork sausage in a fried dumpling with a sweet and sour sauce. All the flavors complimented each other well. It was presented on a tray with 3 separate sections – each with its own dumpling.

For our entrees, I had the spicy lamb basil and Glen had chicken with mushrooms and pineapple. Both were equally tasty. I can’t believe how affordable the lamb was – $15 for 2 good size chops. I’m looking forward to going back to try the Panang curry.

If you go, be aware that they do not serve alcohol here.

The only downside: The nonstop ABBA soundtrack

3000 Wind Hill Road Southeast
Marietta, GA 30067
770-980-1890