Atlanta, GA

[JLK]

Hello all. I'm heading to Atlanta this weekend and looking for a dinner spot for Saturday night. Three ladies, low-key girls' night out (one had a baby this year so she's psyched to get out of the house, but not exactly planning to dance atop the table).

Home base will be the Dunwoody area. Price isn't really a determining factor - we're not looking for cheap eats, but don't feel a need to go fancy either. While the three of us love margaritas and all kinds of Latin food, that's not a must. A lively atmosphere would be nice, but we'll be fine so long as we avoid stuffy and formal.

Vague, yes. But we're open minded. I look forward to any recs you can share.

[bettyjoan]

Hello all. I'm heading to Atlanta this weekend and looking for a dinner spot for Saturday night. Three ladies, low-key girls' night out (one had a baby this year so she's psyched to get out of the house, but not exactly planning to dance atop the table).

Home base will be the Dunwoody area. Price isn't really a determining factor - we're not looking for cheap eats, but don't feel a need to go fancy either. While the three of us love margaritas and all kinds of Latin food, that's not a must. A lively atmosphere would be nice, but we'll be fine so long as we avoid stuffy and formal.

Vague, yes. But we're open minded. I look forward to any recs you can share.

My no-questions, hands-down, first-out-of-my-mouth-always recommendation is Holeman & Finch (in Buckhead). Lively atmosphere, check. Delicious food, check. Smaller, more affordable, shareable dishes, check. GREAT cocktails. Not Latin, but it is my absolute favorite restaurant in all of metro Atlanta. It's our default location for special occasions (but have no fear, it is the farthest thing ever from stuffy and formal) and out of town guests. Downside is that it's small and they don't take reservations, but with three people, you could snag a seat in the bar or wait for a table while sipping something tasty. SOOOOO worth it. Ask leleboo, she will tell you.

The best margaritas in town are supposedly at Agave (in Cabbagetown), but I cannot vouch as I have not yet visited. My personal favorites for Mexican and margs are Holy Taco (in East Atlanta Village) or Nuevo Laredo (off the beaten path a little, off I-285).

Let me know where you wind up!

[mame11]

Hello all. I'm heading to Atlanta this weekend and looking for a dinner spot for Saturday night. Three ladies, low-key girls' night out (one had a baby this year so she's psyched to get out of the house, but not exactly planning to dance atop the table).

Home base will be the Dunwoody area. Price isn't really a determining factor - we're not looking for cheap eats, but don't feel a need to go fancy either. While the three of us love margaritas and all kinds of Latin food, that's not a must. A lively atmosphere would be nice, but we'll be fine so long as we avoid stuffy and formal.

Vague, yes. But we're open minded. I look forward to any recs you can share.

I decided to chime in when I saw you like all kinds of Latin food. There is a wonderful restaurant in Atlanta that focuses only on the cuisines of Latin America. In May I had a birthday celebration at Tierra after a visit to the Botanical gardens and it was a highlight of my year which has included dinners out at restaurants coast to coast! It's a really unique restaurant. The food is lovely and well seasoned, they have a full bar as well. The menu changes weekly so it is somewhat seasonal. (hard to be seasonal in the US when you are serving the food from tropical countries year round) The back patio (covered) was a very nice place to spend a spring evening.

[bettyjoan]

Speaking of dining outside of Atlanta proper, my husband and I had the good fortune of eating with the Four Coursemen last month. You can read about them here: http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/supper-club-confidential, or on their website: http://www.thefourcoursemen.com/, but basically it's an underground supper club in Athens, Georgia (about an hour and a half northeast of the city, and home to my undergraduate alma mater, the University of Georgia).

I have a full post about it (with photos) here: http://troublewithtoast.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/the-four-coursemen/. It was an absolute blast! If you travel in/around Atlanta with any frequency, definitely get on their mailing list and they'll email you when reservations open up (they try to have dinners twice a month, but it just depends on what else they all have going on).

First course: "Oyster Po'Boy on a Half Shell' - served with a demi sec sparkling wine.
Second course: "Slow-cooked Salmon with Apple and Grana Padano Ravioli, Thyme, Saffron Beurre Blanc, Celery Leaves" - served with an Italian Sauvignon blanc.
Third course: "Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon Lardons, Vanilla Brown Butter, Brazil Nuts" - served with a California Pinot noir.
Fourth course: Roasted Tri-Tip Beef with Red Wine Poached Egg, Arugula" - served with a Ridge (California) Zinfandel.
Fifth course: "Orange and Lavender Steamed Pudding with Honey Creme Anglaise" - served with a French blanc de blanc.

The suggested minimum donation was $60, which I felt was more than fair. It was such a nifty experience, both food-wise and socially. I mean, the communal nature of dining sometimes gets lost in traditional restaurants, so for me, this was a welcome change of pace and a way to really share the joy of food and drink with other like minds. A very cool experience!

We've dined with the Four Coursemen two more times since this experience (including last night), and we continued to be impressed. The food is great, the wine pairings are spot-on, the atmosphere is fun, but more than anything, the folks behind the magic are just the gosh darned NICEST and most hospitable people you will ever meet. We brought friends from Manhattan last night, and they were blown away.

For those who might be interested, they are doing a pilot on the Cooking Channel (which I don't get - BOOOOO) on Monday night at 9 PM. You can read more about it here: http://www.thefourcoursemen.com/of-interest/watch-the-fourcoursemen-television-special-on-cooking-channel-november-22nd/. Let me know if you watch it!

[mame11]

So, in case anybody is interested here is the latest on Peter Chang in Atlanta... I'm going the first weekend. Hopefully I won't miss him! :) :lol: :lol: :lol:

[johnb]

Looks like this weekend is "just" a Grand Opening preview-type event - from the sound of this interview, the actual restaurant won't be formally open till January/February.

http://blogs.ajc.com/food-and-more/2010/12/15/peter-chang-the-enigmatic-chef/

When is everyone coming to visit?

I made it to Hotlanta on Sunday (on very short notice), to do a lot of shopping, most notably for a new iMac to replace my 7 y.o. trooper, so slipped by the place just after noon. They were just getting the day underway; few customers at that point. PC was out of the kitchen, and we saw each other and did our usual greeting--the last time I had seen him was the lunch with Trillin in Charlottesville nearly a year ago. He looks pretty much the same, but is wearing a more proper chefs outfit with a really high toque these days. Seems well and looking forward to working his new place. He did confirm, as I suspected, that he also expects to have a place in C'ville open in time for Chinese New Year. He says he will mostly stay in Atlanta, and will leave day-to-day in C'ville to his crew, visiting several times a year. If I get a schedule I'll post it.

He whipped up some things for me and they were really good (I was alone). The "small fish" dish is a new one (to me) and has some similarities to the famous roasted fish, but made with tiny little whitebait-type fish. No bamboo net however. Snow pea leaves were about the best I can remember. The place itself is fine--they appear to be using the decor and furnishings left by the previous occupant, which would explain how they got it together so fast compared to what I had expected. Just a few Chinese touches here and there.

Worth a stop for anyone who has a chance to get to Atlanta. About 10 min. drive from Perimeter.

Betty--next time I make it down I'll give a shout. The kids have just bought a house in Cumming so I see many trips coming up.

[mame11]

Reposting:

Well that was awkward. I went this evening with some friends after bragging about how amazing the food would be for the past week. The food did not live up to my memories. I have had better versions of many of the dishes we ordered tonight at Hong Kong Palace and Sichuan Pavillion. More importantly one of my friends made an interesting observation, all of our meat main course dishes had the same texture regardless of preparation (whether fried, dried or stir fried). I am sure the food is great, we may have just overwhelmed our palates with fire. ( the Dan Dan noodles at Peter Chang's were the bomb.)

However, what concerns me, and concerns me greatly, were the space and service issues. JohnB, is it possible the former tenant, Olives, left their fixtures behind? I think they did. Why? Because the artwork and table settings are decidedly not Chinese. In fact the table was set with a fork and spoon. We had to, literally, chase down servers to get chopsticks. And it is a huge space. I mean huge, two floors with a parking lot the size of a baseball field.

The servers, bless their hearts (as we like to say in the south), were completely overwhelmed and unprepared. The menu, which is fabulous in many ways, is not numbered in a method that makes sense. Each section (Appetizers, Chef Specials, American Chinese, Tasty China Dishes, et al) begin with the number 1. So if the Server asks for a number you can't just say #1. You have to say #1 and what section. It's clear the server missed our request for pork belly because what was delivered was not the dish we ordered, even though they were both pork. We tried to clarify the situation with the servers but they did not seem to understand. One even said "all the dishes look the same." The servers had tried to serve the dishes to each of us individually instead of putting them in the middle even after we said we were eating family style. Oh and earlier in the meal there were two servers, one who announced she was the translator. It would help if the translator servers could teach the anglo servers a bit about Chinese food and culture.

Sadly I do not feel compelled to go back during this visit to see if I can have another experience. I'd rather go to Buford Highway to have what I know will be great food at one of a myriad of mom and pop places. Perhaps the hype wasn't a good thing for the disappearing chef.

ETA: JohnB and I were posting at the same time.

EETA: before anybody jumps on me... I had an expert with us at dinner, a real life Chinese person. It was her opinion that the textures of the meat dishes were all the same. Interesting...

Reposted because I took down the whole post after I read the interview BettyJoan posted ... but JohnB quoted it while I was taking it down... so back up it went. With a caveat that I'll try it again in the Spring.

[johnb]

Well that was awkward. I went this evening with some friends after bragging about how amazing the food would be for the past week. The food did not live up to my memories. I have had better versions of many of the dishes we ordered tonight at Hong Kong Palace and Sichuan Pavillion. More importantly one of my friends made an interesting observation, all of our meat main course dishes had the same texture regardless of preparation (whether fried, dried or stir fried). I am sure the food is great, we may have just overwhelmed our palates with fire. ( the Dan Dan noodles at Peter Chang's were the bomb.)

However, what concerns me, and concerns me greatly, were the space and service issues. JohnB, is it possible the former tenant, Olives, left their fixtures behind? I think they did. Why? Because the artwork and table settings are decidedly not Chinese. In fact the table was set with a fork and spoon. We had to, literally, chase down servers to get chopsticks. And it is a huge space. I mean huge, two floors with a parking lot the size of a baseball field.

The servers, bless their hearts (as we like to say in the south), were completely overwhelmed and unprepared. The menu, which is fabulous in many ways, is not numbered in a method that makes sense. Each section (Appetizers, Chef Specials, American Chinese, Tasty China Dishes, et al) begin with the number 1. So if the Server asks for a number you can't just say #1. You have to say #1 and what section. It's clear the server missed our request for pork belly because what was delivered was not the dish we ordered, even though they were both pork. We tried to clarify the situation with the servers but they did not seem to understand. One even said "all the dishes look the same." The servers had tried to serve the dishes to each of us individually instead of putting them in the middle even after we said we were eating family style. Oh and earlier in the meal there were two servers, one who announced she was the translator. It would help if the translator servers could teach the anglo servers a bit about Chinese food and culture.

Sadly I do not feel compelled to go back during this visit to see if I can have another experience. I'd rather go to Buford Highway to have what I know will be great food at one of a myriad of mom and pop places. Perhaps the hype wasn't a good thing for the disappearing chef.

ETA: JohnB and I were posting at the same time.

EETA: before anybody jumps on me... I had an expert with us at dinner, a real life Chinese person. It was her opinion that the textures of the meat dishes were all the same. Interesting...

Not jumping. Others have reported the same thing, notably on the 285 foodies board (the Atlanta equivalent of Rockwell), but all of it based on the special opening dinner Saturday night. I didn't have enough food to make an overall judgement, other than that what I said above, that what I had was good. But several folks who I respect have now said the same as you. I would say that this may be the typical thing that happens when a restaurant is getting started. Clearly this new place is a step up for PC in terms of size and sophistication, and we know what that can lead to. A month or two from now should tell the tale. Meanwhile, enjoy Buford Highway. BTW when I last had them the tamales at the Mexican stand inside the Buford Highway Farmers Market were spectacular.

[johnb]

just read the interview BettyJoan posted and it is interesting... he is technically not open yet so this could be considered training period... in that light the service issues make sense. I withdraw my comments.

Ha. Now I've gone and posted your redaction. Sorry. But not to worry. I'll add that when I was there there was a lot of shouting from the kitchen and it's clear there are organizing issues to be dealt with. Just restates the point. It is a new operation and a lot of debugging is needed. We have to wait a month or two and check back in.

[mame11]

Ha. Now I've gone and posted your redaction. Sorry. But not to worry. I'll add that when I was there there was a lot of shouting from the kitchen and it's clear there are organizing issues to be dealt with. Just restates the point. It is a new operation and a lot of debugging is needed. We have to wait a month or two and check back in.

My Chinese friend was listening to the yelling in the kitchen tonight. I reposted my original comments with a new postscript.

[johnb]

My Chinese friend was listening to the yelling in the kitchen tonight. I reposted my original comments with a new postscript.

This is getting confusing.

What did your friend hear being said (assuming it is fit for a family website!)?

[mame11]

What did your friend hear being said (assuming it is fit for a family website!)?

sadly I didn't ask... too busy catching up with friends.

[ol_ironstomach]

We made it a point to visit Peter Chang's new place on Sunday for an early dinner, despite a widespread sense of residual fullness from the Christmas Day feasting. That's what leftover containers are for, right? I ordered an array of tastes, but saved the Sichuan peppercorns for one of the later mains.

The new place really does look as if they'd bought an intact restaurant (formerly Olives) lock, stock, and barrel, and merely added some decorative Chinese lanterns and knotwork to hang from the walls along the the obligatory photographs of Chang by the entrance. He's pared the display down drastically compared to his previous haunts: there are two photographs of Chang, plus two covers from Atlanta magazine, and finally (and largest of all) a collage of Calvin Trillin's New Yorker article. The tables are set with spoon and fork, but not chopsticks. It looked to me like there was still a lounge piano with a player system on the upstairs landing. Mandarin-speaking floor staff wearing chi pao glided by. The overall effect is tidy, if a bit haphazard. The menu covers are misspelled "Peter Cheng", and there's a mysterious '2' in Roman numerals next to the Chinese, which makes you wonder if Tasty China or some other place is nominally Chang 1.

The "Peter rolls" and "bubble pancake" are as good as ever. Even better, the "pork belly in chili garlic mud" (cold app #6) and "Shanghai tofu skin rolls" (cold app #7) were loaded with flavor. My favorite dish of the night was the "Jianghu duck" (specialty #9), rich and almost porky slices of duck breast with snow peas, leeks, and finely chopped pickled vegetables. "Dry fried green beans" (vegetable #13) were also nicely done.

Less impressive were the potstickers (snack #2, fried) and "crystal shrimp" (specialty #6), both good but otherwise unremarkable. The additional page of current specials listed a bunch of pork intestine dishes that I had no interest in, but also two meatball dishes. We ordered the dish of two lion head meatballs, which arrived in the "red" style, big as grapefruits in a bowl of broth and cabbage. The texture was soft and had a nice crunch from the occasional bit of water chestnut but could have been even airier, but the letdown was the broth, which leaned too far toward sweetness for my tastes.

I've loved his Sichuan fish dishes in the past, but "braised fish under chili oil" (Sichuan #2) was disappointing. I liked the fish itself (well, once ladled over rice), but the soup component lacked the complexity I expect from Chang's peppercorn dishes, and it really needed some sort of flavor other than chilis to power up the coarse bean threads at the bottom. Will have to try #1 next time instead.

[mame11]

The new place really does look as if they'd bought an intact restaurant (formerly Olives) lock, stock, and barrel, and merely added some decorative Chinese lanterns and knotwork to hang from the walls along the the obligatory photographs of Chang by the entrance. He's pared the display down drastically compared to his previous haunts: there are two photographs of Chang, plus two covers from Atlanta magazine, and finally (and largest of all) a collage of Calvin Trillin's New Yorker article. The tables are set with spoon and fork, but not chopsticks. It looked to me like there was still a lounge piano with a player system on the upstairs landing. Mandarin-speaking floor staff wearing chi pao glided by. The overall effect is tidy, if a bit haphazard. The menu covers are misspelled "Peter Cheng", and there's a mysterious '2' in Roman numerals next to the Chinese, which makes you wonder if Tasty China or some other place is nominally Chang 1.

The "Peter rolls" and "bubble pancake" are as good as ever. Even better, the "pork belly in chili garlic mud" (cold app #6) and "Shanghai tofu skin rolls" (cold app #7) were loaded with flavor. My favorite dish of the night was the "Jianghu duck" (specialty #9), rich and almost porky slices of duck breast with snow peas, leeks, and finely chopped pickled vegetables. "Dry fried green beans" (vegetable #13) were also nicely done.

So it seems, based on your review, that our server really did mess up. We had ordered the cold pork belly dish but they brought a disgusting (seriously) fried pork dish.

Was the service laughable when you were there or did you feel like they had started to figure things out? I still have no desire to return but... I can be persuaded in the Spring if it is still around.

Where else did you eat while in the ATL?

[ol_ironstomach]

Was the service laughable when you were there or did you feel like they had started to figure things out? I still have no desire to return but... I can be persuaded in the Spring if it is still around.

Where else did you eat while in the ATL?

Service wasn't particularly well-organized but was at least everpresent, so plates were cleared and drinks refilled fairly promptly. One of the advantages of showing up early enough that there were only one or two other tables to cover.

Not much else to report. Around Alpharetta, Field Goods has closed. We had some really good "regular" Punjabi take-out; the scene there has burgeoned in recent years thanks to the influx of a large number of Indian engineers working in the local high-tech corridor, as the local Netflix top rental list will attest to.

[tentimesodds]

Heading to Atlanta for a certain low-brow event in early April. Will be staying near CNN Center, arriving on a Friday night and leaving Tuesday morning. Am in need of non-fancy, not-classy, incredibly Southern grub--fried chicken, bbq, anything of that ilk, as well as some good sports bars to watch the NCAA Final Four. Basically any hole in the wall that is so good it's required. Thanks in advance...

[bettyjoan]

Heading to Atlanta for a certain low-brow event in early April. Will be staying near CNN Center, arriving on a Friday night and leaving Tuesday morning. Am in need of non-fancy, not-classy, incredibly Southern grub--fried chicken, bbq, anything of that ilk, as well as some good sports bars to watch the NCAA Final Four. Basically any hole in the wall that is so good it's required. Thanks in advance...

For sports bars, you cannot go wrong with Taco Mac (and I believe there is one in Phillips Arena, which is right near CNN Center) - lots of TVs, decent food, and the best beer selection I've seen basically anywhere. It's a local chain, but one that I really enjoy.

As for the other...will you have access to a car?

[tentimesodds]

For sports bars, you cannot go wrong with Taco Mac (and I believe there is one in Phillips Arena, which is right near CNN Center) - lots of TVs, decent food, and the best beer selection I've seen basically anywhere. It's a local chain, but one that I really enjoy.

Excellent. I saw that place on a quick google search, but couldn't tell if it was any good. Though I think if I lived near a place that had a beer-drinker's club it would be bad news.

As for the other...will you have access to a car?

Yep, we will have a car during our trip. We're driving from here, getting in on a Friday (and likely to be too tired to do much of anything, so looking for something near our hotel, which is next door to Philips Arena) and leaving early Tuesday morning, so we have lunches on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and then dinners on Saturday and Monday to worry about. Though the Final Four will be on during both dinners so we may have to head to Taco Mac or its ilk. I should also say that we are looking at Atlanta as a possible city to move to, so we are checking out lots of neighborhoods and areas (Buckhead, Virginia-Highlands, possibly Decatur, and any others that you might suggest!) so we are open to lunching out there.

Thanks very much for your advice.

[mame11]

Excellent. I saw that place on a quick google search, but couldn't tell if it was any good. Though I think if I lived near a place that had a beer-drinker's club it would be bad news.

Yep, we will have a car during our trip. We're driving from here, getting in on a Friday (and likely to be too tired to do much of anything, so looking for something near our hotel, which is next door to Philips Arena) and leaving early Tuesday morning, so we have lunches on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and then dinners on Saturday and Monday to worry about. Though the Final Four will be on during both dinners so we may have to head to Taco Mac or its ilk. I should also say that we are looking at Atlanta as a possible city to move to, so we are checking out lots of neighborhoods and areas (Buckhead, Virginia-Highlands, possibly Decatur, and any others that you might suggest!) so we are open to lunching out there.

Thanks very much for your advice.

If you are thinking about moving to Atlanta, please remember that downtown is barely a residential area (even though one of best friends lives not from your hotel). However, there are tons of great urban places to consider in addition to the three you've listed.

I love, love, Serpas and the neighborhood in which it is located, the Old Fourth Ward. My friends swear by the Rathbun restaurants which are in Inman Park, another fabulous neighborhood, and the Old Fourth Ward (they are neighboring neighborhoods).

I highly recommend checking out the Westside as well... mostly because one of my favorite spots is Star Provisions. I love grabbing lunch at Star Provisions, it's an affordable luxury.

In Decatur there are great options for lunch. However, my favorite isn't on the old square. Farm Burger is really a special place with great, affordable food.

In Buckhead I am partial to Souper Jenny's and can't wait to try her new place Jonah's Magical Attic, which is just around the corner.

However, no trip to Atlanta where you are considering a move should be complete without a trip to Buford Highway. For AMAZING Vietnamese go to Chateua De Saigon @ 4300 Buford Highway and have the betel leaf wrapped beef rice paper rolls. I love this place so much I know the address by heart!

Atlanta is a completely different city than it was 10 years ago. I would say it is worthy of consideration for a move. It has something for everyone.

p.s. no southern food recs from me because I'm from Memphis and nothing can compare to Memphis Soul Food. I've never actually had soul food in Atlanta. However, I have had Fat Matt's BBQ and people like it. :-)

[bettyjoan]

Excellent. I saw that place on a quick google search, but couldn't tell if it was any good. Though I think if I lived near a place that had a beer-drinker's club it would be bad news.

Yep, we will have a car during our trip. We're driving from here, getting in on a Friday (and likely to be too tired to do much of anything, so looking for something near our hotel, which is next door to Philips Arena) and leaving early Tuesday morning, so we have lunches on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and then dinners on Saturday and Monday to worry about. Though the Final Four will be on during both dinners so we may have to head to Taco Mac or its ilk. I should also say that we are looking at Atlanta as a possible city to move to, so we are checking out lots of neighborhoods and areas (Buckhead, Virginia-Highlands, possibly Decatur, and any others that you might suggest!) so we are open to lunching out there.

Thanks very much for your advice.

The thing about Taco Mac is, they're all over the city, so you can't help but live near one. Yes, it's challenging for the wallet and the waistline, but we really love "our" local TM and the great folks who work there. If you love beer (and we definitely do), it will totally ruin you - every time we travel and try city X's "best brewpub" or whatever, we find ourselves saying, "It's no Taco Mac..."

I definitely second NCPinDC's suggestions, though if you're looking for hole-in-the-wall type places, then Serpas, Rathbun's, and a lot of restaurants in the Westside area won't quite fit the bill. I absolutely ADORE Farm Burger in Decatur. For BBQ, I'd go with Fox Brothers over Fatt Matt's - if it's nice weather, they have lots of outdoor seating, and you will leave smelling like a meat smoker.

As for the potential move, the kind of cranky thing about Atlanta is that it is VERY spread out and there is practically no public transportation (unless you live within a pretty small radius, IN town). Commuting can be challenging, though there are lots of carpools and ridesharing. Where you work should play heavily into your decision about where to live. Also, if you have school-aged children, there are counties that are having MAJOR funding issues with education, and then there are others that have maintained good schools and teachers. Clearly, as with any major relocation, there is a lot to consider.

Minus 3 years for law school and 3 years in DC, I have lived in Atlanta ever since I was 6 years old. If you'd like to get together and chat while you're in town, I'd love to meet you (I get very excited when DR folks come through town)! We are always up for a get-together at Taco Mac. PM me if you're interested in setting something up...

[dc_kat]

Does anyone have any Atlanta recommendations more recent than 2008? I used to live there and am going back for a visit but it's been 11 years yikes! I am hoping for a great little neighborhood place maybe in the North Highlands area.

[John William G]

In the Atlanta Highland area, my daughter, who lives in Atlanta and is visiting me today, recommends Rosebud (American) and Pazole (Mexican).

[johnb]

Does anyone have any Atlanta recommendations more recent than 2008? I used to live there and am going back for a visit but it's been 11 years yikes! I am hoping for a great little neighborhood place maybe in the North Highlands area.

You may find some useful information on 285foodies.com, the main Atlanta foodie web site these days.

[bettyjoan]

Highland Avenue is a longer stretch than people think, but here are some reliable places -

On the Inman Park side of Highland - Fritti (pizza), Parish (New Orleans/Cajun), Highland Bakery (breakfast)

In the "middle" of Highland - Belly General Store (bagels), Murphy's (American - good brunch, so I hear)

On the Morningside side of Highland - Rosebud (quirky American, cranky Tweeting owner), Alon's (market/sandwiches)

Tragically, I find that area to be full of mediocrity. If you have a particular cuisine in mind, I can try to recommend something less neighborhood-specific.

[bookluvingbabe]

Heading back to Atlanta for a few days in November. I'll be staying at the new Loews Midtown.

I'm a little obsessed with trying Flip Burger.

Aside from that, I'm open to suggestions. I'll have two dinner free. I can cab if I need to.

Thanks!

[bettyjoan]

Heading back to Atlanta for a few days in November. I'll be staying at the new Loews Midtown.

I'm a little obsessed with trying Flip Burger.

Aside from that, I'm open to suggestions. I'll have two dinner free. I can cab if I need to.

Thanks!

What dates will you be here? I'd love to meet up if you're game.

Hate to discourage your obsession, but I really don't think Flip is worth the significant cab ride. Neither location is particularly close to Midtown. But, if you insist, stick with the original on Howell Mill Road. OR, even better, use one of your evenings to go to Holeman & Finch and stay till 10 PM to get the very famous (for good reason) burger.

You are VERY close to Empire State South, the newest venture from award-winning chef Hugh Acheson. You are also a short cab ride (or maybe even a bus?) from the Westside area, which houses a lot of restaurants that are hot right now - Antico Pizza, Miller Union, Bocado, etc.

Then, of course, there are some standbys - 4th and Swift (Old Fourth Ward), Cakes & Ale (Decatur), Rathbun's (Inman Park-ish). Goodness. I should probably ask you for more parameters. :-)

[ktmoomau]

Anyone have any thoughts on Woodfire Grill? I will be in Atlanta for the Chic-fil-a bowl and some sightseeing over New Years. My Hubby grew up there for a bit, but hasn't been back in a while. Trying to decide on where I need to eat. Empire State South looks good, will put that on the list. I have never been to Atlanta. He keeps telling me a trip to the Varsity is a necessity.

[bettyjoan]

Anyone have any thoughts on Woodfire Grill? I will be in Atlanta for the Chic-fil-a bowl and some sightseeing over New Years. My Hubby grew up there for a bit, but hasn't been back in a while. Trying to decide on where I need to eat. Empire State South looks good, will put that on the list. I have never been to Atlanta. He keeps telling me a trip to the Varsity is a necessity.

Still haven't been to Woodfire Grill, but all reports are that it is still excellent.

Big questions about Atlanta, always - 1) Where are you staying, and 2) Will you have a car?

[ktmoomau]

Still haven't been to Woodfire Grill, but all reports are that it is still excellent.

Big questions about Atlanta, always - 1) Where are you staying, and 2) Will you have a car?

We are staying at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Convention Center, but I am sure we will have a car because I think the fam is staying out in Buckhead.

[bettyjoan]

We are staying at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Convention Center, but I am sure we will have a car because I think the fam is staying out in Buckhead.

Okay, Empire State South is not too far from you, and it is getting HUGE buzz right now. I still haven't been, but everyone I know who has would recommend it. A couple of local publications have rated it the #1 restaurant in Atlanta for 2011.

Woodfire Grill has lost a bit of its "it" factor, but it is still regarded as a great restaurant in Atlanta. It's a little less desirable in terms of location.

You will be pretty close to the Westside area of Atlanta, which houses a ton of really good places - Miller Union jumps to my mind first, but Bocado is also excellent, and Abbatoir and JCT Kitchen are reliable.

My favorite place in town is Holeman & Finch (in Buckhead), no questions asked.

If there's anything in particular you're looking for in terms of genre or atmosphere, let me know and I'll see if I can narrow it down.

[ktmoomau]

Okay, Empire State South is not too far from you, and it is getting HUGE buzz right now. I still haven't been, but everyone I know who has would recommend it. A couple of local publications have rated it the #1 restaurant in Atlanta for 2011.

Woodfire Grill has lost a bit of its "it" factor, but it is still regarded as a great restaurant in Atlanta. It's a little less desirable in terms of location.

You will be pretty close to the Westside area of Atlanta, which houses a ton of really good places - Miller Union jumps to my mind first, but Bocado is also excellent, and Abbatoir and JCT Kitchen are reliable.

My favorite place in town is Holeman & Finch (in Buckhead), no questions asked.

If there's anything in particular you're looking for in terms of genre or atmosphere, let me know and I'll see if I can narrow it down.

Awesome, thank you!

[ktmoomau]

We arrived Thursday and headed to the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. The hotel was nice, but still kind of getting its legs under it. But no complaints and the location was really good. This whole trip Matt still hadn't completely recovered from a stomach bug, so we tried to grab things that seemed to fit his stomach's mood.

We went around the corner and ate at Tin Drum Cafe a little quasi-Asian chain, which was great since we wanted something quick on our way to the World of Coke and the aquarium. You order on little screens and they bring things out to the table. He got a faux General Tso's chicken- it was breaded chicken with mango and broccoli. I am not a big fan of a lot of Americanized Chinese dishes, but actually liked this version probably because it was not really trying to be Chinese, it was like how Boston Legal wasn't really a show about the law. I got spicy spaghetti, spaghetti, chicken, snow peas, green peppers, onions, jalapenos in a spiced broth that was a little spicy and savory I can't really tell exactly what was in it, but again I liked it. I actually think this concept would do really well in this area, pretty neat little franchise actually. It wasn't fine dining, but for a quick bite of something non-burger/sub/pizza/wa-ho it was good. And they had dietary conscious menus, which was nice.

The Taste It section of the World of Coke was pretty fun. I like being a tourist when I am a tourist, and the first part of the tour with mandatory movie and stupid song that they want stuck in your head was annoying, but I liked the exhibits at the World of Coke. I should have headed the FourSquare warning not to try Beverly, an Italian soda with bitters and grapefruit, but since I normally like both things I tried it, bad move. I loved Frosty Melon Fanta, I wonder if you can find it at Asian groceries?

The aquarium was neat, although at this point I am kind of an aquarium junkie so the bar is pretty high. What was really worth seeing were the huge manta rays and whale sharks in the huge tank. I found the aquarium here a little smelly compared with others, I think it may have been bad fried fish scents carrying from the cafe.

That night we went to Empire State South. We sat at the bar and had very nice service. I felt bad it was the first time I ever sent back a drink, but it was so bitter, and after the bitters earlier at the World of Coke I just couldn't do it, although from the ingredients I couldn't tell it was going to be so bitter. But they made me another that was very good. We had Crisp Pork Belly creamed kimchi rice grits, pickled daikon, peanuts, NC Catfish pickled cippolini: cauliflower rice grits, Treviso, crisp pig ear, Sweetbreads with barley and beef heart with greens and stick toffee pudding. Everything tasted spectacular. I really liked the beef heart which was incredibly well done, flavorful and tender. I wish they had a current menu up so I could describe it better, I know it had a few other ingredients. The catfish wasn't fishy and was served on these creamy rice grits that I adored. The sweetbreads were crisp and flavorful. If you go here, do order the more exciting offerings, they do them so well that you will like things you wouldn't necessarily know you would.

The next day we went to Table 1280 by the High Art Museum. They had bread from Bakeshop Bakery you start with that is so good! I wanted to stop by Bakeshop itself, but it was closed for the holiday. I had a cubano sandwich with Virginia Ham and wonderful thin sliced roast pork that they crisped a bit on the grill. I really enjoyed my sandwich, although it was bit greasy with all those ingredients, but good. We also got a salad with peas, green beans, poached egg and watercress that was really good. We were here for lunch, but the wine selection looked nice if Matt had been feeling better I would have headed back after the museum for some wine.

That evening Matt stayed in and I ventured out with his parents to a place they liked in Buckhead called the Atlanta Fish Market. It reminded me of a GAR restaurant mixed with Oceanaire. The food was fine, fish was fresh and cooked well, but it wasn't anything to seek out.

The next day we went to Slopes for BBQ. My husband raves about Slopes to the point I have considered getting it shipped in for him from time to time, so off we went. I got a platter of chopped pork and ribs with potato salad and green beans. The meat was tender but had nice smokey flavor and wasn't dry. I actually liked the ribs better than the meat, but Matt is a pulled pork only type. Not growing up in a BBQ area, I tend to not have any strong BBQ preferences except what tastes good to me. The potato salad was a little bit saucey, but good and the green beans were just the way I like them, "Southern Style." The sweet tea was Georgia sweet so I mixed it half and half with unsweetened. All in all it was good bbq and I am glad we went. There are probably other places that are good and closer, but the Hubby loved it and I really enjoyed it!

That night we ate at the Georgia Dome during the game, big mistake. The Chic-Fil-A sandwiches were steamed to death, popcorn to salty, the only good choice were the sugared nuts.

The next day there wasn't a lot open for lunch since it was New Year's Day so we ventured back to Tin Drum Cafe because it was open and Hubby didn't feel like making calls or traipsing anywhere as he still wasn't feeling great. I got mandarin fried rice with chinese sausage, peas, carrots and bean sprouts. A little bit bland until you add some soy and/or sirrachia then it was better. You can add in additions to any dish and that might not have been a bad idea as it was a pretty simple fried rice. I liked the veggie spring roll and thai basil roll.

That night we needed somewhere quick before we headed to the airport so we stopped in Cypress Street Pint and Plate which was near our hotel. This is a great joint with very good glorified bar food. I had meatball sliders and fries, Hubby had soft pretzels with mustard dip. There was a lot on the menu that looked good, like the pizza with short rib. And they had a huge beer list. Lots of televisions with different games on.

All in all it was a great trip. I wish I could have checked out more of BettyJoan's wonderful suggestions! The menus everywhere looked so good.

[hillvalley]

I need a recommendation for dinner. It's for two couples, one in their 60s and one in their 90s so noise is an issue.

They are looking for restaurants similar to Proof, Black Salt, Palena, etc.

I think they would like the Village Highland area but am not sure so suggestions throught the city would be helpful.

[Joe H]

You've just described the perfect reason for going to Bacchanalia http://www.starprovisions.com/ $85 prix fixe-this is Atlanta's best restaurant, a Beard winner and worth every penny. Ambience would be generally similar to Palena's back room. A great restaurant that will score brownie points if it is in the price range.

[bettyjoan]

I second the Bacchanalia recommendation, though if they find it too pricey, my next suggestion would be Canoe. It's a little farther out there (but still in Atlanta proper), but it is a lovely setting, right on the Chattahoochee River. It's a little brighter (literally, as in more light) than a place like Proof or Palena, but it is quite elegant and I didn't find it to be overly noisy when I went for brunch (which is a much noisier meal overall).

When you say "Village Highland," I assume you mean Virginia Highland - there are some great restaurants in that neighborhood, but none are jumping to mind that meet the criteria you mentioned.

[bettyjoan]

That evening Matt stayed in and I ventured out with his parents to a place they liked in Buckhead called the Atlanta Fish Market. It reminded me of a GAR restaurant mixed with Oceanaire. The food was fine, fish was fresh and cooked well, but it wasn't anything to seek out.

For seafood in Atlanta, it used to be that Atlanta Fish Market (a part of the Buckhead Life Restaurant Group) was the only reliable option. We got an Oceanaire at some point, but since it was located in a shi-shi office building and had ridiculous prices, it didn't offer any real competition.

Enter The Optimist, the latest from Chef Ford Fry of JCT Kitchen Fame. Took my folks here on Friday night before Father's Day - but my super hip dad had already been twice! The space is fabulous - beachy and laid back but still upscale. There are two areas - one is the very airy raw bar, which serves small plates and oysters and such, and the other is the more formal restaurant. Biggest non-food/drink complaint - the chairs in the restaurant are so very uncomfortable - I had a sore back for the rest of the weekend. Service was a little spotty, but generally available and helpful. Cocktails were good, and the wine list was surprisingly accessible. For apps, we had oysters, a fried crab roll, and the "angels on horseback" (fried oysters, pickled mushrooms, and pork belly). We had four different kinds of fish for entrees - tile fish, skate, grouper, and halibut - and everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The pickled ramps with the tile fish and the sauce with the halibut were particularly notable. We got shoestring fries, gnocchi, and carrots for sides, and they were all very good - the fries come in a HUGE portion, but somehow they disappeared (along with the tasty malt vinegar aioli they came with). Desserts were a disappointment all around, which was a bummer after hearing such great things about the pastry chef. We tried the chocolate "pop tart," the blueberry pie, the grilled pound cake, and the grapefruit tart. I didn't try the pound cake, but everything else left me cold - they were technically perfect (for example, the crusts/pastries on everything had wonderful texture), and they were presented beautifully, but there wasn't a whole lot of flavor to speak of. The grapefruit tart, for instance, didn't taste like grapefruit unless you actually landed on a piece of the candied grapefruit garnish.

The Optimist can get spendy (granted, we ate way more than we needed to), but I think that the seafood is definitely worth it. It is really nice to have a place in Atlanta where a fish-lover can get a special meal.

[bettyjoan]

Cakes & Ale has been regarded - both locally and nationally - as one of the top restaurants in Atlanta, and I finally got to try it out last weekend (sis was visiting from San Francisco, which always calls for a celebratory dinner). Granted, I only have one experience on which to judge, but based on that, I would say that C&A's reputation is absolutely deserved. The whole evening was spectacular! The menu is relatively small, but it focuses on local, sustainable, and seasonal food. We started with some house-brined olives and rosemary-roasted almonds (I did not try either, as they are not my cup of tea, but everyone else raved), then moved on to arancini (perfectly fried, but a little undersalted - pretty much the only complaint of the night), then enjoyed a fantastic brandade, and then refreshed with two delicious salads (fig/melon/prosciutto and burrata/tomato/sorrel vinaigrette). For entrees, I opted for a lamb dish with both roasted leg AND crepinette, served with fresh lima beans and a garlicky potato puree. Amazing! Both iterations of the lamb were cooked and seasoned perfectly, and it was the first time I ever ate all of the lima beans on my plate before in my life. Mom had a duck leg with polenta that she wolfed down without hardly sharing, and dad and hubby both enjoyed a perfectly cooked swordfish with roasted eggplant and other veg that I cannot remember. Sis had a roasted half chicken with cotija cheese and Mexican-style corn on the cob - dark and white meat all done perfectly, with delicious crispy skin. Cocktails were hard core but delicious, and I found the wine selection (both by the glass and by the bottle) to be well-suited to the food and within a decent price range for a higher-end restaurant. For dessert, our table tried both a "black forest" devil's food cake with cherry mousse, and a bourbon pineapple upside down cake with salted caramel sauce and gingerbread ice cream. I was so smitten with the latter, I didn't even taste the former - I didn't want to ruin the lovely flavors that were bouncing around in my mouth. SO good. Service was fantastic throughout - the server read our table well and interacted with us a lot, and he totally got me in terms of wine selection and brought me something I thoroughly enjoyed. At the end of the meal, after we had already paid and started to wrap things up, my mom mentioned to the server in passing that we were also celebrating mine and hubby's wedding anniversary, and he said, "Hold on a sec!" and came back a moment later with flutes of bubbly for us all. We were not expecting ANYTHING, of course (and I don't think we needed anything else to drink at that point, haha), but what an incredibly thoughtful gesture. It really made an already unforgettable meal even more special.

Wow, that was a long write-up, but the bottom line is that I would highly recommend Cakes & Ale to anyone traveling to Atlanta. The restaurant is in downtown Decatur, but it would be relatively easy to get to from nearly anywhere in the city.

[John William G]

bettyjoan I am very glad to see your post about Cakes & Ale. I'm going to Atlanta in two weeks, and my daughter just told me that she made a reservation for us there. I'll probably try some of the things that you recommended.

[bettyjoan]

John William G, lucky you! I hope you enjoy your meal. They change their menu nearly daily, based on what's available, but I really don't think you can go wrong at a place where the execution is so good.

If you need any other recommendations or info for your trip, feel free to let me know!

[ol_ironstomach]

A quick shout out for the Alpine Bakery & Trattoria west of Alpharetta. Lunch is what you'd expect on an Italian-American menu, with large portions and somewhat better than average execution. But the bakery is the real reason to make the trip to this location in an otherwise nondescript strip mall. Enormous wedges of cake. Elaborate cheesecakes. Ridiculous cupcakes. And cookies.

The pignoli are excellent but too precious at almost $20/lb, especially when the amaretti can be had for $12/lb and are terrific. Very good "mini" sfogliatelle which were hardly mini, and even better: a "lobster tail" which was basically a cream horn, except made with sfogliatelle pastry.

Dining in the northern suburbs reveals an interesting property of the local restaurant scene. Given a predominance of bland strip mall commercial real estate in all but a few historic town centers, more than a few establishments have turned to elaborate interior designs and blocked out exterior windows, making sitting down to dine an immersive experience that shares nothing with the forgettable neighborhood outside.

[ktmoomau]

I think that is the bakery that MK's parents loved to get their holiday cookies that they rave about to this day.

[genericeric]

After a pretty long day, headed to The Spence, helmed by Richard Blais on Saturday night.

Having been to a number of 'celebrity' chef restaurants, this was the first where the chef was doing more cooking than posing for pictures that I've seen - Blais was working hard on the line throughout our meal.

The menu, as even our waiter pointed out, is confusing but this server was helpful in navigating starters vs entrees, etc.

I was a bit disappointed in my food to be honest. Started with the bone marrow, topped with tuna tartare, all topped with quail egg. The marrow and tuna went well together, I just could have done without the egg, and didn't really understand its purpose on a plate that already had the richness of the marrow. For my main, I had the beef tartare appetizer. This was more of a matter of personal preference but there was a pickling spice in some of the onion within the tartare that overpowered the dish for me - I didn't care for it. My wife's food, however, was excellent. She had the pork leg, which was excellent in a homey way. Her asparagus salad with freeze-dried strawberries and goat cheese was definitely the star of the evening. Desserts - carrot cake and orange cake, were excellent.

The real highlight of the evening for me were the cocktails. I don't remember specifics (hence the good cocktails) but they were inventive without being showy for the sake of it.

$130 for two with apps, mains, desserts and drinks, including tip.

[Lori Gardner]

Atlanta board hasn't been updated in awhile. I'm looking for a recommendation for one dinner - in the city, not too expensive (entrees in $20 - $30 range) and great food (obviously). Any suggestions?

[bettyjoan]

When you say "in the city," where do you mean? Atlanta is not as small and compact as DC, so there are lots of little neighborhoods with unique food offerings. If you tell me where you are staying and how far you're willing to travel for yumminess, I can definitely give you some recommendations.

[Lori Gardner]

i will be at the convention center. don't mind taking a cab if it's not too far.

[bettyjoan]

Blech, that is a restaurant wasteland, unfortunately, so a cab to somewhere will probably be required. My faves - Holeman & Finch and Cakes & Ale - are probably a bit too far. I would recommend heading over to the Westside area and trying either Miller Union, The Optimist, or Bocado. Let me know if you need anything else, and definitely let me know how it turns out!

[jiveturk21]

Newnan

I think that Newnan is considered an outer suburb of Atlanta, so I am posting this here. Even if it is not, I don't think that we have a thread on middle-of-nowhere-Georgia, so it would go here by default.

Zaxby's. Order at the counter place that "specializes" in chicken, mostly tenders and wings. The tenders were OK, the crinkle cut fries were actually very good, the cole slaw was terrible and the Texas toast was gross.

Chick-Fil-A. Yes, these are all of the place now, but we went twice while in Newnan (lots of kids and the play places keep them occupied) and I would say that both exceeded what I have tasted in the DC area. There is nothing different on the menu, but imagine the fries fresher, the chicken crisper and the service even nicer.

Taco Mac. The food pretty much was dreadful. But, they have a huge beer list (maybe 200+) and the liquor selection (High West, Blue Coat, etc.) far exceeded everything else in the area. And, my High West Rye on the rocks was only $5 per generous poor.

Speedi Pig. This is in Fayetteville (I think), but close by Newnan. Best barbecue that I have had in a long time (please note, I am not an expert on this). The smoked chicken wings and onion rings were outstanding, everything else was good to great.

Marco's Pizza. Kids wanted pizza and this is, I'm told, the best pizza in town. It sucked.

Hooters. The food tastes the same as here, the waitresses are much more attractive though.

Publix. No real reason why I am putting this here other than the fact that I was surprised that almost everything seemed to cost 10-15% more than our Wegman's.

[aaronsinger]

I thought I remember stopping at a well-known BBQ place in Newnan, where the BBQ wasn't amazing but the Brunswick stew was excellent. That was a number of years ago, however, and I don't recall the name.

[darkstar965]

I was in Atlanta for a few days this past week and wanted to share some brief thoughts on a few places since I've been as guilty as anyone for not doing more recently to keep Intrepid Traveler threads updated and useful.  Haven't been able to find much for some other cities to which I've been travelling (like Pittsburgh, about which I need to post based on a recent visit).

Anyway, on this trip to Atlanta, I was able to visit:

- FarmBurger, a small local/regional (Dunwoody, Decatur, Buckhead and Asheville, NC) chain that uses grass-finished beef.  I tried the location in Buckhead since it was close to my hotel.  Love that they use grass-finished beef since that's still pretty unusual in the US.  That said, the beef needed more seasoning.  Sweet potato fries and mac and cheese were very good, as were the burger toppings. Nice patio seating out front.

- Octane Coffee is a mainstay in ATL's coffeehouse scene. I visited the Westside location, which isn't yet configured to do pourovers so any brewed coffees are french press only.  This right near a supposedly very good Italian restaurant called Bocado. Octane is both a roaster and retailer. Espresso drinks very well done.  Plenty of space with good wifi and better-than-average baked goods.  I'm guessing a local friend is right in calling this Atlanta's best coffee shop. I also think DC has a better coffee scene by a good margin if that's true.

- Holeman & Finch.  Buckhead. Thanks to BettyJoan, I "discovered" this place a few years ago and went back this week. Just as I remembered.  A friend and I ate at the bar after a long day of meetings.  We had 4 or 5 small plates and the one I best remember and most enjoyed was the mini sophisticated "pulled pork" sandwich. Cornmeal fried oysters were good but would have been even better if a more lightly breaded and crisped. Other dishes were all good though I'd have liked a bit more in the way of other-than-pork options.

- Daddy D'z BBQ Joynt. In Grant Park on a sketchy-looking lot.  As they say on their website, "We Ain't Pretty, But We're Good"  I'd have to agree with that.  Went here on a local friend's recc and ordered what turned out to be a unexpectedly huge combo plate with 4 giant pork ribs and BBQ chicken with some collards and mac & cheese.  Sides were fine.  Ribs very good; better than most we have here but not at KBQ's level or even Urban on a good day.  This may be ATL's best BBQ. I can't say. But I'd go back. Serious hole-in-the-wall decor (or lack thereof).

- Chateau Elan.  I'd be curious to know if BettyJoan or other Rockwellians have been here since I think this may be the first mention of this large, and over-the-top property about an hour north of Atlanta in Braselton, GA. From the outside, the property's buildings and grounds are beautiful in a kind of "poor man's Biltmore" sort of way.  I can't comment on the inn or the vineyard tour (both of which get some good reviews on other websites).  But, will encourage any pondering Rockwellians to avoid the main restaurant here (called Cafe Elan) at any cost.  Ridiculously overpriced with entrees in the high 20s/low 30s range and a kitchen that seemed to really lack even basic cooking competence.  Caesar and greek salads were oddly composed with non-traditional ingredients that seemed more reflective of confusion than of innovation.  A French onion soup came out cold and in a half-full bowl, topped with gloppy, white cheese without a hint of any heat or browning.  Fish dishes were overcooked and sadly small.  Really felt like a ripoff in most every way.  And, without getting into a ton of detail on a few different wines we tried, I'll just say that this estate/castle/chateau vineyard doesn't make a very convincing case for a Georgia wine industry.

[bettyjoan]

I think "poor man's Biltmore" is a perfect descriptor of Chateau Elan.  I have never been to either, but reports from trusted friends confirm that your experience is more of the rule than the exception.  Too bad.

Yay that you still love H&F - I miss it a lot.  I don't know what is on their menu now, but they do tend to be pork-heavy.  However, I have had many vegetable preparations there that were truly remarkable.