Bam? More like Eh...

I met my former boss, Bill, at Emeril's last week for lunch. Bill and I like to get together from time to time to explore the different restaurants around Atlanta. We had both been wanting to go to Emeril's so last week we made the plunge.

Walking into the restaurant (which I had to do an illegal U turn to get to...) your first thought is BAM! The place is visually stunning with warm oranges, rusts and wood tones. The ceiling is soaring and the area behind the bar is decorated with this gorgeous basket weave wood design. There is a round floor to ceiling wine rack that separates part of the dining room from the rest. Visually, the place is stunning. So far, I'm impressed.

We get seated quickly and get a U shaped booth on the side of the dining room. I love these booths - they allow you to feel like you're the only patron in the restaurant even if it's full. On the table are 4 plates (which I now think are just place holders) with a green trim and Emeril's name on top. Problem was - they were dusty! Not to worry, as soon as we sat down the bus boys came and took the plates away. I was flummoxed - what am I going to eat on???? What was the purpose of the plates to begin with? On top of this little curiosity, the table was set wrong. The forks were set tines down and the serrated edge of the knife faced the spoon rather than the plate. Now, if you set the table at my grandmother's house you would know that the serrated edge of the knife faces the plate because the knife is protecting the spoon from the fork on the other side of the plate. Why the fork has it in for the spoon always baffled me, but I could always see that it would be an unfair fight with the fork having tines and the spoon just being all rounded. But I digress...


I ordered the gumbo and a muffaletta with cajun potato salad. The service for the gumbo was quite impressive. They brought it out in it's own separate soup pan, giving you the illusion that they created this gumbo JUST FOR YOU. It is then transferred into the soup bowl for you to eat. It was a resounding OK. In fact, I think I've made better gumbo and I'm from Michigan. Same for the muffaletta - it was OK. I've had better on the streets of New Orleans. And the cajun potato salad was so overwhelmingly mustard-y that it ended up just sitting on my plate.

Now, I'm a sucker for bread pudding (as you can tell), so Bill and I split the bread pudding. That saved the meal in my opinion. Generally, I'm partial to chocolate - but this bread pudding was just as good.

So, I may go back to Emeril's just to sit in the bar, soak up the beautiful atmosphere and have some more bread pudding!

Cheeseburger in Paradise

OK, Canoe isn't paradise - but on a nice sunny day like it was last week it certainly feels like it. My coworker and I left the office behind for a rare lunch out (well, it's rare for her - I go out to lunch quite often). We lunched at Canoe, which is located on the Chattahoochee river - one of the best views in town. We were seated at a table by the window overlooking the gardens of the restaurant.

Canoe has a great seasonal ever changing menu. Every time I go there they are featuring different items. But one standby is always there - the cheeseburger. I have eaten other things at lunch at Canoe, but I am always drawn back to the cheeseburger.

So, I got the cheeseburger. It did not disappoint. Again, got it medium rare and it was juicy and good and wonderful. The fries were even really good. Altogether a much better burger/fry combo than Houston's.

I love Canoe and will definitely be back again and again.

Table for One?

Just because you're eating alone doesn't mean you have to settle for fast food. Pull up a chair at the bar in Houston's. I have recently been re-introduced to "bar eating" as I call it by a good friend of mine. So when I was alone for lunch the other day and was not feeling like fast food, I went into the nearest Houston's and took a seat at the bar. I felt a little out of place as everyone else there seemed to be regulars with their regular orders, their regular beverages, etc. Even though I was an outsider I got good and friendly service. I ordered the cheeseburger. (You may notice I order a lot of cheeseburgers for lunch at fancy restaurants - I have a thing for good, huge, medium rare cheeseburgers and fancy restaurants do them the best). The cheeseburger was very, very good. Nice and greasy, dripping down my hands. The french fries were less than satisfactory. They were skinny fries. I am not a big fan of skinny fries. I like big, fat, crispy steak fries - or crinkle fries.

So, I ate the cheeseburger and left the fries. Well, I left MOST of the fries.

Next time I'm alone at lunch - look for me at the bar at Houston's.

But They Seemed Like Such Nice Girls

After my function at the Capital City Club we trotted to the Ritz Carlton Lobby Lounge in Buckhead. Now, I love this place. I come here every once in a while because the people watching is really to die for. One time I watched a late 20-something internet millionaire (well, that is what he looked like to me – think dork of the highest order) being led upstairs by two very well endowed and very undorky blonde women. Fifteen minutes later, the women came downstairs – the man was nowhere to be found. I’ll let you deduce the rest.

Anyway, the place is absolutely hilarious and if you’re looking for some quality, upscale people watching and you have a little extra dough – go there. And look for me – I’ll be at the bar with my jaw hanging open.

Country Clubs in the South

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a function at the Capital City Club here in Atlanta. I have been to their facilities many times before. The pours are always fantastic, the food is always mediocre and the company is always overdressed. But if you ever get the opportunity to visit the Capital City Club, don’t worry about the quality of the food. Make a beeline for the table and make sure you take the cherished seat in front of those divine homemade saltine-like crackers. I believe they are made from 99% butter. They practically melt on your tongue. Anyway, fill up on those and leave the overcooked chicken on the plate.

Finally! A good meal at Il Pasticcio

I travel to Savannah, Georgia a good bit for business. One of my good friends is in LOVE with Il Pasticcio - a chic italian place on Broughton - so we always have at least one dinner there. Up until now, I have been completely unimpressed by the food. Lets start with my natural biases - I think that expensive mexican and italian is ridiculous. I mean, how expensive is spaghetti for the love of God? So, Il Pasticcio already had one strike against it. I also don't like heavy Italian foods and stay away from the white sauces - my friend always gets the four cheese ravioli in a white sauce - if I ate that I would immediately grow two extra chins. And I'm not interested in that look.

In contrast with the restaurant, I have always like the bar area at Il Pasticcio. They have a great selection of wines, the bartenders are cute and friendly and the atmosphere is very cool. They have a great prosecco there that I just adore.

So, I was unsurprised when he suggested that we take our group there last night. At least I knew I had the prosecco to look forward to. I ordered the Penne Pasticcio and asked them to add some red pepper flakes to make it a little spicy (sound familiar?). They brought my food and I was expecting the same blah fare that I have had there so many times. Boy was I surprised - this dish was actually really good! Reminiscent of the light Italian meal I had at Valenza. So - yeah - I now have a go to dish at Il Pasticcio.

I have to give props (or complain?) about the waiter. He was very, very attentive considering we had 16 people in our group. He made sure I never had an empty glass of prosecco - even bringing my glass to the bar, and outside. Of course, I didn't actually order any of these drinks, but they kept coming.

So, Il Pasticcio - I'm not dreading the visit the next time I'm in Savannah.

How you doin?

So, I have been to Padriac's all of three times. Once with a bunch of girls for trivia, and twice with a friend of mine. For two of those times I thought the place was fine. A fun little pub with upscale food and a cool clientele. My last visit totally changed my mind. A friend of mine complained that the vibe there was a little, well, testosterone filled - like a fraternity party at 2am. I poo poo'ed him and made him go back. We took seats at the bar - ordered some drinks. A man sat on the other side of my friend - heavily, loudly, grumpily. I looked at this obvious display of anger. He turned to me, looked me in the eye and asked me "whaddyou lookin' at?". Did I mention that he was a big, bald man around 40 and I'm a 5'4" girl? What the fuck? Where did that come from?

I had to go to the bathroom - so I got up and went. Unmolested, I might add. I got back and my friend said some guy came in - tossed my chair aside so he could order his drink and then walked away. The whole place was, well, angry.

The food there has been decent, the service friendly and nice. The patrons? Surly as all hell!

I'll be back if I feel like picking a fight! (or using my free pitcher that we won at trivia...)

Possibly the Best Burger in Town!

This past Monday, my friends and I met up at Food 101 for our monthly girls night. I have always liked the menu at Food 101 and appreciate the modern southern sensibility that it brings. I also really like the atmosphere - dark and cozy. I've never had bad service there either - so all these things add up to me having a great night.

Food 101 serves Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, which is one of my current favorites. So, of course, my friend and I split a bottle. Then when everyone else arrived we were seated and set forth with the ordering. I splurged and got the kobe beef cheese burger with brie on top. It is probably the best burger in Atlanta. I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. It comes with onion rings on the side, and if there is one thing that Food 101 does not do well it is onion rings.

Usually I get the bread pudding, which is truly to die for but I was full on kobe burger so I passed. Next time I go, and it won't be long, I'll get the bread pudding.

See you there!

What happened to Mix?

My friend and I were at his house trying to decide where to eat in the Brookhaven area. I came up with the idea of going to Mix on Dresden. I was at Mix about a year or so ago with my monthly girls night and it was pretty good. So, we loaded up and headed over. As we were getting out of the car in front of the restaurant the valet informed me that Mix was closed and a new restaurant, by the same owners, Valenza was there instead. My friend and I exchanged glances and said - aw, what the heck.

We went in and I immediately noticed the place had gotten an overhaul. What was previously a slick, sleek, hip, slightly cold, restaurant was now a slightly warmer and semi-hip version of a tuscan villa. They added some rough hewn wood and painted the walls ivory to warm up the place.

My friend and I were seated in a nice booth by the wall. We ordered a bottle of wine (Santa Margherita) and checked out the menu. We ordered the fritto misto to split as an appetizer. It included calamari, prawns, cod and lemon. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the cod was! I also enjoyed the fried lemon slices - but that is no big surprise.

I ordered the cappellini. I asked them to add some red pepper flakes to make it a little spicy. They did a great job and it was brilliant! There was just enough of all the ingredients, including parmesan, to make it a really wonderful and simple dish. My friend ordered the ravioli at the suggestion of the server and it too was exactly what he wanted. Do we finally have some decent Italian in Atlanta????

All in all, if you're looking for a quiet, slightly romantic spot, Valenza is a good bet.

I'll definitely be back.

Thrive - go soon!

A friend of mine and I hit Thrive, the new restaurant in downtown Atlanta, recently. It is in a slick space on the corner of Spring and Marietta. I love going downtown - it makes me feel as though I'm living on the edge - which sometimes you are. Thrive's space is really beautiful, though the tables in the center are placed way too close together for my taste. The cocktail waitresses wear skirts so short you wonder if they're risking arrest on the city streets.

The menu at Thrive is interesting. Part sushi, part southern cooking. Not very often do you see a volcano roll and a macaroni and cheese entree on the same menu.

The choice of wine by the glass is pretty anemic, though they have plenty of bottles available. My second glass of wine actually seemed watered down - I don't know what was up with that.

My friend and I split sushi. I don't love sushi but sometimes eat it if I'm in the mood. This sushi was fine, nothing spectacular.

I say go soon to Thrive because it seems to me that there is a pretty good chance that this slick little restaurant will not last.

I'll go back if I'm in downtown for lunch.

Official Apology to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

I'm sorry, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I know you are used to people swing dancing in the aisles. I remember the mid-90's when swing dancing was all the rage and you were uber popular. I'm sorry your most recent gig was at the Ferst Center on Georgia Tech's campus to a group of 990 stuffy professors (and 10 cool people). I'm sorry that they sat on their hands during the entire performance and then golf clapped between songs (were these the same people that were at Churchill Grounds????). Yes, it's a nice venue, with great acoustics and a wonderful intimate feel, but you deserved to have some people dancing! Your performance was incredible - Scotty, your voice is as silky smooth as ever. And the horns were fantastic - especially your lead trumpet player. I loved that you played 90 minutes straight with no intermission. But I apologize for the crowd and the weird NPR-like guy who introduced you.

I'll definitely come to see you again! Hopefully it will be somewhere that I can dance!

Malaya - Nicest People in the Restaurant Biz

I love spicy food. And I'm basically lazy. So, I love take out. The other day the mood struck me for some thai food and I remembered Malaya - one of the few malaysian restaurants in town. Don't love malaysian food? Don't worry - they have a menu full of thai, chinese and malaysian options. I got the spicy coconut soup and the spicy basil chicken (thai hot). The food was great and they provided generous portions. The soup alone could have been a meal. But what always gets me about this place is how NICE they are! The service is great and very friendly (they gave me free dessert ball things...). I noticed that they've added a bar area since the last time I was there, which was a nice addition.

I promise not to forget about Malaya again!

Send in the Clowns - Don't Bother, They're Here!

As I mentioned before,I'm in Nashville, TN for a conference. Today at lunch instead of eating the usual bland conference food, I skipped out the side door to find one of the most famous BBQ joints in town - Jack's. Jack's is a no-nonsense place with rolls of paper towels on the table. I got in line and decided on the beef brisket sandwich with green beans and macaroni and cheese for sides (it was overcast and kinda cold out - screamed for comfort food). No sooner did I sit down with my food and a tiny bowl of the incredibly good vinegar based bbq sauce, then in came a troop of clowns. In full regalia - big red hair, rubber noses, full face paint the whole nine yards. They got in line and shortly after they came in a group of Naval officers in their dress blues got in line. The juxtaposition was too much! Only at Jack's (this is really when I needed my camera).

Anyway, back to the food. The beef brisket was wonderful and tender. I should've gotten a plate rather than the sandwich - the bread just got in the way of the flavor. The green beans were, well, grean beens - but I like green beans so I was happy. The macaroni and cheese was better than average - not as good as my mother's (this is one of her specialties) but good nonetheless.

I can't promise you the same kind of show I got when I went in there - but I definitely recommend Jack's for lunch if you're in downtown Nashville.

Like Cheers, But Even More So

At Cheers everyone knows your name, at Nashville's The Palm everyone knows your name, your favorite country music star, where you grew up and how you like your steak - even if you're not from Nashville!

I'm in Nashville at a conference and The Palm is very near my hotel. Having never been to The Palm in Atlanta I decided to check it out. Now, I warn you - I'm not a big steak eater so if you're looking for a review of their red meat you will be disappointed - turn back now!

I took a seat at the bar and was bombarded with my share of "darlin's" by the bartenders. I'm originally from the North and this might turn some people off - but I liked it. It was a friendly "darlin" - not a "hey what are you doing later" darlin.

I started with a glass of wine - I give them credit - they are not stingy with a pour. After a couple minutes a man sat two seats from me - everyone called him by name, came by,and shook his hand. I found out after not very long that he was not even from Nashville. WTF? They knew what he drank, knew his business companion, etc. Craziness. Same for the guys who sat to the right of me. Huh? I was there less than an hour and a half and was not crazy talkative and the bartenders were calling me by name when I left. Wow! They know how to make you feel at home.

The atmosphere is cozy, with caricatures on the wall. I had actually been expecting something a little more upscale, but it made sense after a while. I mean, this is a steak house - den for men. I ordered a caesar salad to start and on the recommendation of the bartender (who looked just like my college boyfriend - minus the acne) I got the lump crab meat. The salad was so-so. But remember, this is a meat joint so it's my fault for ordering salad in the first place. The crab meat, however, was very, very good - and I'm not a huge seafood eater.

I learned that Kenny Chesney, Rich (from Big and Rich), Jessica Simpson and all other manner of celebrities had been there recently, so if you're in Nashville celebrity spotting you might want to pop into The Palm.

Me? I'll be back if for no other reason than they didn't charge me for my second glass of wine - Thanks, T!

Move Over Mel... Kingsized is in Town

I have been a huge fan of Mel and the Party Hats for, well, just short of forever. I love a good cover band and who can deny the allure of a man wearing a skirt made entirely of neckties?? Mel has the miraculous ability to sound just like whoever he's covering from Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails to Annie Lennox. It's a beautiful thing. Add to that a guitarist who can sing Jesse's Girl and you have the equation for a great evening.

However, tonight I found a band that may toss Mel and his merry band out of the top spot in my heart and mind. Kingsized! Now, I have to admit that I saw them perform at Nikolai's Roof almost two years ago. They were performing for the local swing dancing club in a room that was reminiscent of a 1980's cruise ship. Pardon me for overlooking how awesome they were under those circumstances.

Apparently that performance stuck in my head enough that when I saw they were performing at the Candler Park Festival this year I decided I simply must attend.

In a word Kingsized is AWESOME! I'm not sure if they do all covers or if they have original material that just feels period. Either way, I really dig their full bodied sound - they have a full band plus horns and an awesome backup singer. The front man is full of charisma - as a front man should be. They covered songs from Michael Buble (Feeling Good), the Beatles (Live and Let Die), Elvis (A Little Less Conversation) and Bruce Springsteen (Born to Run).

Look for them at the Variety Playhouse on December 1st. And look for me - I'll definitely be there.

Hey - is that the guy who did my nails?

After dinner at Enoteca Carbonari I went to Churchill Grounds. I had just read that it was voted best jazz club in atlanta - I like jazz and had never been so figured I'd give it a shot.

The outer bar area was bright and bustling - lovely atmosphere. Great location (just outside the Fox Theater). We went into the jazz club and again - the room was beautiful. Set up nicely with candles on each 2 person table. The place was only 1/4 filled and everyone was lined up in front of the stage. We took a table in the back, ordered our drinks and began to have some quiet conversation. The minute we start talking we get dirty looks from the front row folks. I'm thinking "what? is this church or something?" My friend informs me that some people think of jazz as on par with great classical music and that we should be quiet. This makes me mad b/c we paid our money just like everyone else and we weren't being loud. The people in the front row were rapt with attention - I think there was going to be a final exam at the end of the night!

Anyway, I turn my attention to the stage. There sits a petite Asian lady playing the piano and an Asian man on the guitar. Needless to say, this was not what I was expecting for my $10 cover and $10 per set at the Best Jazz Club in Atlanta.

It will be a long time before I go back there.

Enoteca Carbonari - Always Reliable

Last night I went to dinner at Enoteca Carbonari in midtown. I made reservations ahead of time and requested a seat on their patio. Patio may be a bit generous - it is a narrow space with five two person tables crammed in - but I always prefer to eat outside, so I was happy.

The atmosphere at Enoteca Carbonari always reminds me of my honeymoon trip to Spain where we ate in small wine bars and ate tapas. It's dark, cozy and bustling. I love it.

I got a glass of wine at the bar. Here is my only complaint about this place - the bar service is miserable. The first time we were there we tried to pay cash *gasp* for our drinks. It took no less than 10 minutes for them to find change for a $20. They had to go next door to Baraonda, I believe. I felt like I was in one of those debit card commercials. Last night they couldn't find the right bottle of wine, had to open it, etc. Just a trying experience.

We were seated out on the patio and had a perfectly nice waiter. We requested to speak with the waitress we had previously so that she could recommend a bottle of wine for us. She came over and helped us pick something out - she always gives good recommendations (she's a blonde woman with an eastern european accent if you ever make it there). The only problem was the wine was room temperature. Our waiter was more than happy to chill it for us while we waited for our dinner.

Dinner consisted of the olive tasting, 2 meats and 3 cheeses. The bread they bring you before your meal is very, very good. Their selection of meats and cheeses, while small, has some nice variety. From what I saw, they were missing a blue cheese but I'll forgive them that.

The meal was relaxing and our waiter did a nice job with timing. He didn't rush the food to us and he didn't rush us out of there.

All in all, another good visit to Enoteca Carbonari

Yup, I said it!

Dom Perignon is O-ver-ra-ted!

Stoney River Steakhouse (http://www.stoneyriver.com/locations.cfm) in Cumberland Mall holds a champagne tasting every Thursday evening in their bar. My fellow Michigan State alumni, Lee Schulman is Managing Partner and gave me the inside scoop that tonight they were offering glasses of Dom Perignon. The champagne hound that I am, I marked the date on my calendar and counted the hours.

After a long drive (long story), I arrived at Stoney River to my first ever glass of Dom Perignon. I sniffed, I swirled, I was ready to rave - but I was underwhelmed. This stuff is supposed to be the king of all champagnes. There were not nearly as many fine bubbles as I would have expected and the champagne had a faint fruity aftertaste. As champagne goes, I would have much preferred a glass of the yellow label Veuve Clicquot.

The restaurant is nice, though. Slightly overpriced for a steakhouse attached to a mall. But for drinks, I love it. They have a great patio, a wonderful fireplace with some cozy chairs, and play some great music.

For dinner my two friends and I shared some lump crab meat, shrimp and tempura lobster. All of them were very, very good. For dessert we had blondie brownie, ice cream with hot fudge. It was heaven - definitely the best part of the meal.

Mourning Misto

OK, I don't have a cute little camera that I can sneak into restaurants to take pictures of the food, ambience, hot waiters - yet! Until then, you'll just have to trust me.

I live on the NW side of Atlanta and LOVED Misto. For those of you who are not familiar, Misto was the Italian concept of Chef Ryan Aiken of Raging Burrito fame. He loves fusion - so when you see a Thai Chicken Ravioli with Peanut Sauce on the menu you should not be surprised - or disappointed.

I arrived with my friends at Saba on a beautiful Friday night in early October. I was glad it was nice out because I much preferred the rustic picnic tables lit by big christmas lights to the crowded, too bright, take out atmosphere inside. Now, I should admit that I'm a bit jaded because I arrived with memories of all my good times at Misto fresh in my mind. *sigh*

I emailed ahead and asked the restaurant what their corkage fee was (I have recently fallen in love with a certain wine which I can talk about later) - they informed me they would waive it just to get me in the place - I was sold (even with the walk up ordering system, which I generally detest for a Friday night out).

We arrived at Misto, drink in our bellies and hungry! We ordered the fried ravioli appetizers, the pumpkin ravioli (my order from my Misto hangover) and the thai chicken ravioli with peanut sauce. I had asked specifically before arriving if the bread was still as good as it was at Misto. I was assured it was - and they were not lying. The bread is amazing. Make sure to ask your waiter for some olive oil. This alone made me ridiculously happy!

The fried ravioli was a bit disappointing, but then I've had fried ravioli in St. Louis where they claim it was born. Just ask them! My dining companions liked it, so maybe I was being too picky. That happens.

The pumpkin ravioli itself was exactly how I remembered - just a little pumpkiny, a little spicy - overall yummy. The sauce had been reduced to an olive oil based number; not the brown butter based goodness that they used at Misto. I wanted what I had at Misto so was disappointed.

One of my friends was willing to share some of the thai chicken ravioli with peanut sauce - I don't generally love the combo because when I go thai I go spicy, but it was alluring and made me wish I had ordered one of the many fusion offerings which I am guessing are a strong suit here.

Overall, I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend a stop by. It is located in Emory Village and their website is: http://www.saba-restaurant.com/. The prices are reasonable and if you email ahead you can bring your own wine, which for us was a great idea. The service was good even though it was a walk-up. The people who brought you your food were very friendly and personable.

I'll be back - look for me!