Alma Cocina - Restaurant Review

Dining in Downtown Atlanta hasn't always been an easy thing to do.  Typically when we someone at work who wants to take us out to lunch we end up driving to the Highlands or into Midtown where we have more options and, honestly, better food.  (We do have our favorite 2 or 3 places we can pick from within walking distance of the office, but they get old if those are your only options.)

This is starting to change and in just my two years working smack in the middle of Downtown Atlanta I've seen new dining options come in and take over some of the vacant spaces that dot the streets.  I'm 100% supportive of new restaurants opening downtown.  I'm supportive of anything new coming into our downtown area with the hopes that it becomes much more of a destination.

Logo from Alma Cocina website

A Fifth Group restaurant (love me some South City Kitchen) and my new favorite Mexican restaurant, Alma Cocina, opened earlier in 2012 in the One Ninety One Peachtree Tower, right on Peachtree Street.  It's just a few blocks from the office and the Peachtree Center MARTA station and food court, a great location for foot traffic.  There are also about 5 giant hotels in a 3 block radius so that should help them, too.

We had lunch at Alma Cocina yesterday right in the middle of lunch hour.  It wasn't super packed and our table of 7 didn't have trouble getting seated.  We were also out of there in exactly one hour, a huge bonus, with time spent chatting after the check came.  For those two reasons alone, this will be added to my short list of Downtown Atlanta lunch restaurants.

The staff was very friendly and helped us with a few odd requests on the menu.  There website says they are introducing "Atlanta to a refreshing new approach to contemporary Mexican cuisine" and I couldn't agree more.  The atmosphere isn't your typical Mexican restaurant and you shouldn't expect the menu to have numbered combo meals for $6.  Those restaurants server their purpose, but I always seem to head home with a tummy ache.

Alma Cocina is definitely different - check out the menu.  We started with two orders of the Salsas & Chips Samplers and devoured them.  The salsas were obviously not from a can and the plantain chips with the tortillas were delicious.  For lunch I ordered the Fried Avocado Taquitos which came with two taquitos and black beans and poblano chile rice.  I may have finished my meal before anyone else at the table.  The tortillas was thick and light so they didn't overpower the flavors inside.  I could have eaten the crispy cotija cheese that was between the fried avocado and the tortilla without anything else on the plate.  Everything worked so well together, I've been thinking about the taquitos for about 24 hours now.  I wish I had taken a picture to share, but that's not really appropriate at a business lunch.

Overall, all 7 of us enjoyed our meal, which is a difficult thing to do, especially at a fancy Mexican place, without margaritas (you know, we had to go back to the office and be productive...)

I've stopped in for a cocktail after work a few months back, but never had their food.  I'm sad I waited this long to make it there.

*Alma Cocina did not provide any compensation for this review.  

Treehouse Restaurant and Pub: Restaurant Review

Source: Treehouse website

I bought a Living Social deal for Treehouse a couple months ago because I love the patio  It's such a great place to have a glass of wine or couple of cold ones with friends so when I saw the deal pop up one day I had to grab it.  Stephen had never been so I was excited to get to share it with him.  The picture above, from their website, is of the restaurant in the winter or fall.  In the warmer months the plastic isn't up on the sides and the roof isn't there.  It is a wide open patio with colorful umbrellas at each table.

We tried to eat at Treehouse twice before we actually got to dine, third time is a charm!  They do not take reservations and the seating is pretty limited for such a fun neighborhood place so it fills up fast.  If you're thinking about a Friday or Saturday night, plan ahead and get there early.  We went on a Monday evening after an afternoon rain shower rolled through and we had no problem getting a table.  We had to wipe off some water from the chairs, but we aren't picky people.

For starters we ordered the mussels, of course.  The server who dropped them off told us we would love them and he was right.  They are served in a Sambuca and cream sauce, new to us, and we soaked up every drop of it after eating all of the mussels.  For the first time, the right amount of bread was brought out to us - plenty!  From there I ordered the Blackened Grouper Reuben and Stephen ordered the English Club Burger.  My Reuben came with a TON of coleslaw on top.  So much so that after the first half I tried to wipe all of it away so I only had the blackened grouper on the bread.  I was disapointed that once I removed the coleslaw the grouper didn't have much flavor and I didn't finish the second half of my sandwich.  Stephen's burger was great and he ate every bite.

We love dining out and it's even better when the service where we are spending our money is great.  This was the case at Treehouse.  The atmosphere is super relaxed and casual and so are the servers.  However they aren't so relaxed that they aren't attentive or responsive.  Every server we saw and interacted with was friendly and had a smile on his or her face.

Another great thing about Treehouse is dogs are allowed on the patio.  While we were there three dogs came out to eat with their humans.  I'm not sure Mabel would enjoy the experience but I think Goose would be easy to eat with since he's so quiet and scared in public.  Silly boy.

Overall, Treehouse was a great experience.  While my meal wasn't my favorite, the atmosphere was great and Stephen's burger was good.  We'll definitely give it another shot and I'll pass on the grouper sandwich.

Birdcage BINGO!

Last night we welcomed home one of Stephen's friends who spent the past year in China teaching English.  (Let's discuss that really quick - could you go to another country where you didn't speak a lick of the language and dedicate a year of your life?  I know that it was something that never even entered my consideration set.  I admire people who can get up and do something so out of the norm.)   He got to the house around dinner time and I was craving some food so we decided on Mellow Mushroom Pizza for dinner.  Let's be honest, I'd probably eat Mellow Mushroom 2 or 3 times a week if I was allowed, by my waistline.  Pizza isn't on the wedding/running diet.

There are a bunch of Mellows in the area so we had to make a decision on which one for the evening.  We had the Downtown location, the Midtown location and the Buckhead location - we ultimately went with Midtown because it had a good parking lot and I wasn't in the mood to try to figure out the parking lot situation Downtown since I've only walked to that location from my office.  This is when our night got awesome.

Wednesday night at the Midtown location is Birdcage BINGO.  What is Birdcage BINGO you ask?  Well, it's BINGO but with drag queens!!!  Yes, you read that right.  I had no idea this happened.  The hostess warned us as we walked in that there would be profanity and drag queens and if we weren't comfortable with that we could sit outside or choose another restaurant.  We were absolutely interested in participating and we grabbed a table.

My BINGO card

The night was hosted by, Ruby Redd, of course a drag queen.  She was hilarious.  While calling out the names drawn she would tell stories or give her opinion about the subject.  There was not a lack of profanity or inappropriate comments, which was refreshing.   Every participant was given a BINGO sheet with three different game options - Gay Atlanta, Dead Divas and Super Heros/Villains.  The audience selected the Super Heros & Villains for the first game and off we went.  If you look at my picture above, that was the game on the far right.  Yep, I WON!  I won a pitcher of Bud Light for another day and I got to pick a prize out of the "grab bag".  I love winning, a lot.  I was so happy.

After the first game was complete and my prizes presented it was time for three other drag queens to perform for us for tips, all to be donated to charity.  It was such a fun evening.  The second game, Dead Divas, didn't go as well as the first and by the time someone yelled BINGO, I only had two boxes marked off.  Oh well.  However, the winner of game two was Stephen's friend!  Yep, the only table of straight diners won both games.  If I'm going to lose to anyone, it should be someone at my own table.

At the end of the night, all participants are asked to write the name of their favorite Atlanta charity on the back of the score card and turn it in (which is why I don't have a better picture of my score card in good light - I tried to make it brighter for you).  The charity with the most votes after a given time (I forget how long) will get a donation.  How great is that?  I really like when fun events help charity.  Our table all wrote down Habitat for Humanity since Stephen is so close to the group.

Events like Birdcage BINGO are great fun and companies like Mellow Mushroom who embrace the gay community are even better, in my opinion.  I'm sure 90% of the restaurants in Atlanta would shudder at the thought of hosting a drag queen BINGO night but from what I understand, Mellow Mushroom has been hosting for a long time.  Bravo, Mellow Mushroom.

Empire State South: Restaurant Review

I've heard a lot of good things about Empire State South and Executive Chef Ryan Smith.  So many good things that I tried to get it to be the restaurant for our wedding night with family before we headed over to the brewery for the reception.  (I was shot down faster than you can can say "no").  I'm glad we decided on Cypress, but I would have loved to share Empire State South with my family.

The restaurant is an urban take on souther dining.  The interior is comfortable and our large group of eight felt like we belonged right away.  The bar is enormous with plenty of seating for everyone.  We spent our first 30 minutes at the restaurant at the bar for cocktails before being seated for dinner.  Here is one of the three complaints that I'll have about the restaurant.  The beer menu, while interesting and unique, was too interesting and unique.  I'm a beer (wedding reception at brewery) fan, so are a few of the people in my dinner party.  Maybe one of the beers on the menu, it wasn't a short list, was something that I recognized as having tasted before.  It seemed pretty pretentious to me.  No beers on tap either.  I can get past that, I can get past not wanting to have Bud Light on your menu, but there are plenty of other microbrew beers that are more common than what was on their beer menu.  Also, our bartender was s.l.o.w.  We were the only ones at the bar and it was 6:00, so before the dinner rush, and it took quite a while for some of us to get our cocktails.  So much so that I ordered my second drink from the table, knowing it would take as long to get it, but I'd have water at my seat to hold me over until it was delivered.

The cocktails were also very unique and my Pimms Cup was perfect.  I really wish I could drink that cocktail like I drink water without getting drunk.  It's so good.

Once we were seated in the dining room that is deceivingly large, we ordered our round of drinks and then our appetizers.  We had two dozen of the oysters and an order of the In Jars.  Both were wonderful.  The oysters were a little fatty, so they weren't the hard, skinny ones you sometimes get and the homemade sauces were perfect.  The In Jars spreads couldn't have been more unique and wonderful at the same time.  I would recommend that Snackie to anyone in a large group.

The menu features local fare and really focuses on southern tastes.  I had the GA Trout and I'm so glad I did.  Our server even recommended it as one of her favorites, year round.  The Tomato Buttermilk Ravioli was also a huge hit at our table and I with I could have had a bite.  The other favorite at the table was the Smoked Duck Breast.  I don't think you could go wrong with any of those entree choices.  Click here to see their full dinner menu.    You will notice that there isn't a beef option on the menu, a disappointment to two of the gentlemen in our group.  If you have a steak eater in your group, you won't find that on the menu.  I was a little surprised, but I was fine with my trout.

Only one of our eight ordered dessert, the Chocolate and Cherries, but it was plenty to share among all of us.

There is outside seating for dining, some high top tables for mingling and even a bunch of adirondack chairs in the "grass" around the bocce court.  We tried to get a game in but as soon as we threw the jack the rain started.  Thanks Atlanta weather.

Overall the evening was fantastic.  The food was delicious and the atmosphere delightful.  Our server was attentive and quick with drinks and our water glasses were never empty.  The hostess team was beyond accommodating as well, a nice touch.  Now that I've dined at ESS do I still wish it was our restaurant for our wedding night dinner (or rehearsal dinner for a more traditional wedding), probably not.  The menu isn't cheap and the beer selection would have thrown off a few people looking for something a little familiar.  And I have steak fans in my family.  It was a wonderful dinner and I can't wait for a reason to head back.

Victory Sandwich Bar + Emporium: Restaurant Review

I'm not sure I've mentioned how much I love Inman Park restaurants.  A few weeks ago when we dined out at two Inman Park Restaurant Week participating restaurants it was almost impossible for us to pick which two.  One worked out well, the other was delicious, but not the right scene for us.  Well, I just found yet another Inman Park restaurant that I'm obsessed with: Victory Sandwich Bar.

Located just off of what I would consider the main intersection of Inman Park, North Highland and Elizabeth Street, Victory is a large one room restaurant and bar with a great patio.  On my first trip to Victory it was a gorgeous night and there wasn't a single seat available outside.  Inside the feeling is ver industrial, but also welcoming because of the friendly staff.  I've not met a single employee at Victory that wasn't helpful or friendly.  Guests don't have to wait to be seated, find a table, someone will be with you shortly, with a smile.

The menu is great for those nights or afternoons when you're not ready for dinner or you've already snacked before heading out and it's also great if you're in the mood for a variety for dinner.  The menu is made up of 11 sandwiches, each just $4.  And that's $4 including tax.  They aren't the massive sandwiches you'll find at a chain restaurant, they're fit in the palm of your hand size.  Great if you're looking for a snack and 2 or 3 would be plenty for a full dinner.  Each comes with chips.  I had The Mulligan (smoked ham and pimento cheese) and it was amazing.  I wish I had ordered two, but two sandwiches after a full dinner isn't really on the wedding "eat right" diet.  The menu also has sides and snacks that range from Potato Salad to Hummus to Spicy Sesame Ramen.  Each look delicious and I didn't hear any complaints from any of the friends I was dining with.

Another fun part of the menu is the drink menu.  They have your typical bar offerings and then the Vics Picks which include my favorite, the Slushie, a frozen Jack and Coke.  It's a spiked slurpee!!  From what I could tell, and I didn't try all the offerings, but the bartenders seem to have a heavy hand and pour drinks that customers want to drink.

My first trip I walked out with a bill less than $6.  My second trip with two drinks and the Hummus was less then $15.  Did I mention the ping pong table in the back, I don't think I did.  Yes, there is a ping pong table.

The super casual restaurant is open from 11am to 2am every day.  Drinks aren't served on the patio after 11pm.  I'm not exactly sure the reasoning there... but I don't think there will be a problem for anyone.

Check it out.  It quickly became a restaurant that I've recommended to several people and has already entered the short list of suggested places for a Friday or Saturday night out with friends.  And because of the proximity to so many of my favorite restaurants it could easily be the second stop of the night, probably the last.

Oh, and a second location is coming soon to Decatur on Church St- a perfect fit for the Victory vibe.

Souper Jenny Grilled Cheese Night: Restaurant Review

If anyone has asked me my favorite lunch place in Atlanta I have answered Souper Jenny.

I was first introduced to Souper Jenny my first year in Atlanta and I've been obsessed for the past 8 years.  I love the daily menu, the cozy atmosphere inside the restaurant and the food.  OMG the food.  I haven't had a single thing there, in 8 years, that I didn't absolutely love.  Jenny (because I assume she's there every day, I like to think that at least) serves a variety of soups every day along with 2 or 3 sandwich options and one or two salad options.  For lunch you can do the lunch special and make your own combo.  I love it.  CASH only people!  On a cold day nothing is better than the Everything Veggie soup which is my all-time favorite.

While I've been going to Souper Jenny for years for lunch I've never been for Grilled Cheese Night.  Thursday nights are the only night that the restaurant is open when they serve grilled cheese sandwiches with their soups.  I've been dying to get there on a Thursday night and last night we FINALLY made it.

Of course I got the Everything Veggie soup and added their fancy grilled cheese sandwich for the night, two cheeses with slices of pepperoni with a bit of marinara for dipping.  Stephen got the chili soup and our other friend got the tomato soup.  Every single one was delicious.  I could have sat there and dined for years.  Stephen even made the comment, "well, we don't have to worry about what to cook for dinner on Thursday nights anymore, we're always coming to Souper Jenny."  I couldn't agree more.  Another great thing about Souper Jenny, most of the soups are guilt free!  She even notes Weight Watchers points if you need to track those.  The cooler is also filled with plenty of gluten free desserts to take home.

On a regular day, during lunch, there is normally a line out the building and it's difficult to find a table.  (TIP: get there early or after 1:00 if you don't have time to wait in line.)  Thursday night it wasn't crowded and we didn't have to wait in line behind more than 2 other guests.  The staff, as always, was cheerful and very helpful.  Without the line out the door we had a chance to talk to the two behind the counter and they were FANTASTIC.  They are there every Thursday and I can't wait until next week to go back.

The biggest surprise for Grilled Cheese Night was the all you can eat Smores!!  For $10 look at what you can get:

This was plenty to feed the 3 of us (when the pictures was taken, we'd already make a few smores - we couldn't resist!).   It was the perfect dessert for the perfect meal.  Why don't more restaurants do this?  Screw fondue, this was SO much better.  We cleaned each plate that was in front of us - all the soups, each sandwich and then all of the smores.  We were offered a refill on some of the smore items, but we definitely didn't need more so we declined.

Souper Jenny's owner, Jenny Levison, has recently opened a second restaurant in Buckhead - Cafe Jonah and the Magical Attic.  I can't wait to get there,  I hear it's amazing.  It was even mentioned in this month's Southern Living Magazine!

Coast Seafood and Raw Bar: Restaurant Review

Last night I had a work dinner at Coast Seafood and Raw Bar in Buckhead at 111 W. Paces Ferry RD NW, right at the corner of W. Paces and E. Andrews.  I'd been there before a few years ago when the place was Home and I loved it.  I don't get out in Buckhead too often so the past 2 years that Coast has been open, I didn't even know it existed.

While it's been open for 2 years, it has only been in the past week that I've heard people talk about it.  Not just one or two, but quite a few people.  When I was asked where we should go for dinner, Coast it was.

Coast is a Here To Serve Restaurant (Strip, Shout, Twist, Aja, Goldfish, Prime...) so I expected it to be on par with the other restaurants.  The atmosphere is very casual, more than I thought it would be, especially on a Thursday evening in early March.  The wait staff and bar tenders were in shorts, t-shirts and tank tops.  Once inside it expected to walk out the back door and find the ocean or a lake.  It's very beach-y casual with hard wood floors, wooden stools, fish hanging from the wall and bright, light colors.  Nothing stuffy about this place.  The outdoor patio was huge and perfect for a large group or a couple of friends.

The wait staff as a little slow and that's going to be my only complaint of the evening.  The bartender inside was great, but as the night went on, the drinks came out slower and slower as the place filled up.  We ordered an appetizer at the same time we ordered our entrees and one of the gentlemen in our party ordered a side salad to start.  His salad came out way in advance of our appetizer, and it was the wrong salad the first time.

The appetizer was great, we had Mussels... have you met me?, but we didn't have napkins or silverware on the table yet.  Our food came out after we had finished the appetizer and it was cleared, perfect timing, but they didn't all come out at once.  Not a big deal, but it's always awkward waiting for one person to get their food before you can start eating.  My plate was extremely hot, which always makes me a little nervous that my food was sitting under a warmer somewhere.

Once we had our food, we didn't see our server very often and my water went empty more than once.

I'm not one to discount a restaurant based on the service (see my post on LaGrotta...), I believe that bad servers will be worked out of the system on their own.  A good restaurant can over come bad service with great food.  And the food was fantastic.

The Mussels were delicious and the broth was one of the best I've had in Atlanta.  I wanted more bread to soak it up!  For an entree I ordered the Boston Lemon Sole which came over a bed of mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach in a lemon caper butter sauce.  I would have liked more capers, but the dish was perfect.  I ate every last bit of it.  I almost ordered the Shrimp and Grits so I'll have to go back to try those, too.

The rest of the food around the table looked great and all dishes received good reviews.

I have a feeling Coast will be a hot spot once it's really spring and summer hits.  The patio will be packed all the time.  Prices aren't too bad for a Buckhead restaurant and the atmosphere was different than what you'll find in the area.

I highly recommend Coast Seafood and Raw Bar to anyone looking for a nice, reasonably priced, casual dinner.  I'll definitely be giving them a second try with the service.

La Grotta Ravinia - Restaurant Review

It's great to hear about a restaurant with great food and great service.  Stephen's mom raved about her experience at La Grotta Ravinia and told us we had to go.  I was even more excited when we had a $50 off coupon given to us.  We made the reservations for Saturday evening when they have live music and we used it to celebrate our Valentine's Day.

La Grotta Ravinia is located by the Perimeter Mall in the Crowne Plaza hotel.  It's quite a drive for us, but with the raving reviews that we'd heard, we made the drive.

Right off the bat we were questioning the good service that we were told so much about.  There was a line to check in at the host desk and the hostess looked like the was absolutely lost and terrified by the 6 people standing in front of her.  We had an 8:30 reservation and I'm not sure we were sat until close to 8:45.  I'm not sure what time the other people's reservations were for, but our table was definitely not ready when we got there.  They should work on their hostess, she's the first impression that customers have of a restaurant.

From there, sadly, our night didn't get much better.  We were sat at a nice table by the window and we could see the dance floor and the "band".  Our waters were filled pretty much immediately, and that's where the good service stops.  With our water came a plate of olive oil, no bread for 10 min.  Also, for at LEAST 15 min nobody came by to tell us about any specials, to see if we wanted anything else to drink besides water, or to even tell us he'd be right with us.  We were probably 3 minutes from getting up and heading across the street to Maggiano's at the mall.  When the waiter finally he came by, he said "are you ready to order?"  No apology for the wait, no explanation of the menu or the specials, just a question.  Olive Garden does it better than that, and the only have ONE person waiting on a table at a time.  We ordered our food and we didn't see our waiter again until it was time to get the check.

While the service was horrible, our food was outstanding which makes the bad service hurt even more.  I want to love the restaurant and recommend it, but not after the experience we had.  I ordered Veal Marsala and it was probably the best I'd ever had.  Stephen had Grilled Chicken and enjoyed every bite.

When we were done with our food, I actually spoke to the Saturday night manager.  He apologized for the service but tried to explain it by saying that each table has 2 waiters so it was understandable not to see our 1st waiter too often.  Well, that front waiter didn't do his job.  I would have loved a glass of wine while I waited and I would have loved to hear about the specials.  I saw another waiter at another table talk about specials (I couldn't hear) for quite a long time.  Disappointing.

The manager did give us two desserts on the house (one was accidentally put in a to go box, so they brought another one for the table.)  It made it all a little bit better, but we didn't really want dessert, I would have like a good dining experience.

I'm sure our experience was out of the norm.  All the reviews I've seen have been positive, but I couldn't ignore our horrible service and having a blog, I had to share.  We'll never go back to La Grotta Ravinia again and we won't recommend it to our friends, those in town or those closer to the restaurant.  We have plenty of great restaurants in town when we feel welcome and like they are glad we are there to dine.

Final review - 2 out of 5 stars.  So disappointed.  The 2 stars are for the food.

Tierra - Restaurant Review

One of my favorite parts of living in a big city is the food.  We have so many different food options in Atlanta that I could eat at a different restaurant every night of the week for months and never repeat a meal.  Some of the restaurants are horrible (Rise Sushi) and I'll never try them again while others quickly enter the standard rotation (Parish).  Eating out is one of my favorite past times, but behind cooking at home.  When we head out to dinner we really want it to be great.

For well over a year I've been hearing great things about Tierra, a tiny little restaurant by the Botanical Gardens and Piedmont Park.  I drove past it all the time when I lived in Midtown and never went in.  One of the girls at the office has many times raved about Tierra and has called it her favorite place in Atlanta. In a city of such great food, you take these statement seriously.  Not only have friends recommended Tierra but it's constantly been recommended by Zagat and other publications in the city.  It's been on my list of places to try for quite sometime.  While checking one of my favorite, local blogs I saw that Tierra is closing it's doors in February.  WHAT?  How could a restaurant with so many positive reviews have to close?  Especially one that's been open for over a decade?  Tierra had a deal on ScoutMob expiring over the weekend, so I made reservations for Friday night before our trip to Vegas.

What a tiny place!  There were close to 20 tables squished into what looked like a living room of a house. We were bumped several times by other diners or the wait staff as they moved past our table.  I can get over that, it's what makes some of the locally owned restaurants so charming.  We ordered our appetizer, mussels of course, and I had a beer.  The menu had some interesting things listed on it - a 2nd basket of bread would be $3 and to split an entree you'd be charged $4.  I understand the split entree charge, but $3 for a basket of ciabatta bread, that seems a little over the top.  We make that at home and it definitely doesn't cost that much.  It was a little bit of a turn-off to see that noted, but we had an appetizer coming, no need for a second basket.  I will say, it was delicious and cooked perfectly.

The mussels appetizer was sub-par.  They were definitely fully cooked, probably a few minutes too long.  There was corn in the broth that added an interesting, new texture to mussels.  Still, TopFlr has the best mussels in town.  They've beat out some pretty great restaurants!

For an entree I had the Sauteed Flounder and Stephen had the Grilled Pork Medallions.  By the end of our meal, both plates were 100% clean.  The food was exactly what we expected it to be.  Absolutely recommend both dishes.

Every entree on the menu was above $20, some closer to $30.  That seemed a little steep to me - not even Parish is that expensive.  The food was delish.

It's sad that Tierra won't be around for much longer, but to be honest, if I hadn't been buy in the year that I've lived nearby, I probably wouldn't go back again.  BUT, I do recommend that you try it before it's gone forever.

Alfredo's Italian Restaurant - A restaurant review

There are a bunch of restaurants in Atlanta that are in weird parts of town but have amazing food.  Most of these restaurants have been around for decades and have survived the changing neighborhoods.  Alfredo's Italian Restaurant definitely fits into this category.

We ventured to Alfredo's on Cheshire Bridge Road for a friend's birthday.  It's long been known in Atlanta as having great Italian food so I was excited to finally have a reason to venture that way.  If you're not from Atlanta, Cheshire Bridge isn't the nicest road.  You pass quite a few adult only businesses on your way to Alfredo's.

Walking in the door was what I imagine walking back into 1975 time would be like.  The restaurant opened in 1974 and I'm not sure the decor in the place has changed since then.  I'd be willing to bet some of the maps on the wall are even out of date.  There is wood paneling everywhere and the tables and booths are extremely close together.  The wait staff must be the original staff too, or at least most of them are originals.

I was with a large group of people, so what I'm about to say in my review could have been impacted by that, however, we had two different servers for our two tables so it shouldn't have been a problem.

The services was S-L-O-W.  When we complained that our entrees were taking over 45 minutes to come out, we were told it's because we ordered an appetizer for the table.  That just doesn't seem right.  The other table, of double the number of people had appetizers as well and their food came out in a timely manner.  I think our waiter knew quite a few regulars in that evening and spent time with them vs. with us.

The entrees, however, were delicious.  The servings were generous and were exactly what I expected from a restaurant that has been serving Italian food longer than I've been alive.  Notice I said entrees, the appetizers weren't good at all.  We got stuffed mushrooms and mussels, neither of them were finished by the table of 6.  The mussels didn't seem cooked properly and the mushrooms were too loaded down with spices and were very slimy.  We should have passed on the apps and had them bring around another basket of bread - divine.  Also, be ready to smell like garlic.  The word on the street is that the cooks walk around the dining room with sautéed garlic each night before the dinner rush to spread the garlic aroma.  It's not a bad smell, but you can smell the garlic before you walk in the front door.

The big surprise of the night was that they gave each table free desserts for everyone.  I'm not sure if that's what they typically do for birthdays or if they realized that we were unhappy with how long our dinner took.  They were yumm-o.

The overall experience was tainted for us because of the slow service.  Will I go back to Alfredo's, probably not.  It was too stuffy, not in a fancy way, in a 1970s way, for me and I can find good Italian food closer to home without the 60 year old Italian waiter who seems to think I'm not important.

Park's Edge: Restaurant Review

It's been called one of Inman Park's best kept secrets, and I have to agree with that.  And it's a secret because unless you knew where you were going, there is no way you'd find Park's Edge.  The restaurant is tucked back off the main road, down a one-way street that seems to dead end more than once on your way to the parking lot.

I expected to be able to see more of a park from the patio, but I saw some cars and an old train track.  There wasn't much a view.  Was I missing something?  I went to Park's Edge for Sunday brunch with one of my friends for her birthday.  We met at 12:15 so we could take advantage of the bottomless mimosas or bellinis that started at 12:30 (silly GA law).  Our server was great and had the orders for the drinks in before 12:30 so right on the dot we had drinks at the table.

The menu has a wide variety of items that cover the range from sweet to savory.  I started my meal with the soup of the day, a corn chowder.  It was fantastic.  Down to the very last drop.  Instead of slices of bread to the table before our entrees came out, warm biscuits were delivered to the table.  If you're keeping track, before my meal actually came out I'd already had a biscuit and a hearty bowl of soup.

For my meal I ordered the Breakfast Croissant ($10).  It seems a little pricy but you've never seen a breakfast sandwich this large.  After all of my appetizers I was only able to finish half of the croissant.  My friend ordered the Demi's Chocolate Chip Seasonal Berry Pancakes ($11) with bacon.  The berries were blueberries on our morning.  I had a little bit of order envy when I saw her serving platter size pancakes come out of the kitchen.  She wasn't able to finish those either.

The atmosphere was nice, very calming colors and music and the wait staff was always around when needed but never too overbearing.  Our drink glasses were never less than half full before a second glass was placed on the table for us.  We had to tell her to cut us off.  The dining room was packed for a Sunday brunch, but with a ScoutMob deal, it's what I expected and we knew to make reservations.

As I've mentioned in another post, Sunday brunches are my favorite meal of the week, especially when they're with people I love.  Park's Edge is definitely a great place to bring a friend, date or visiting family. I can't wait to go back for dinner.

Farm Burger: Restaurant Review

Most weekends the best part of Sunday morning is waking up past 10:00, staying in bed a little bit longer then heading to brunch with friends.  

This past Sunday a big group of us headed to Farm Burger in Decatur.  Atlanta seems to be the home to Frozen Yogurt shops and Burger restaurants.  I'm not complaining at all - I love them both.  

Besides being plentiful, the burger places that are opening are organic and the meat comes from grass fed cows.  Here is the official statement from Farm Burger on their website:  

Farm Burger wants you to think about your burger - what it is and where it's from. Our burgers are made from 100% grassfed beef that is dry-aged and ground fresh. Our cows are raised on the sweet grasses of the southeast, and never fed antibiotics, hormones, or grain. Our menu is seasonal and sourced from local farms. Our space is convivial and comfortable - because eating is a celebration to be shared. Our food makes ethical eating easy.

The menu definitely stays true to that statement.  As you build your burger, or chose from the few set burgers on the menu, you can add items such as oxtail marmalade, roasted bone marrow or pork belly.  Not items you'll find on the menu at Burger King.  The roasted bone marrow actually comes out in the bone.  Mabel spend the evening with the bone that night.  She's never been happier. 

I had a burger with gruyere cheese, local bacon and a side of french fries.  I should have upgraded to the sweet potato fries, but the regular ones are what fries should be - fresh cut and salty.  The burger was fantastic.  You have two choices when ordering, medium or well done.  Mine came out close to medium well and Stephen's was well done even though he'd ordered medium.  That's really the only complaint that anyone at our table had on the food.  Our meat temperature wasn't always consistent with how we ordered it.  The best part about the burgers being so fresh was that you're not super sleepy after you finish your meal.  

One note - get there early or plan to wait in line.  Some of our group tried to go on Saturday and the line wrapped around the building.  We were there at opening (11:30 on Sunday) and there was a line right away and seats were scarce once people started moving through the line.  

Farm Burger is a fantastic place for a burger, especially one a little outside the box.  There were tons of families on Sunday morning and the atmosphere is very welcoming to everyone.  The patio at the Decatur location was fabulous.  We'll be going back again.  Our burgers cost $12 each, so it's not an every weekend trip, but definitely a great option for a lazy Sunday morning with friends.  

JCT Kitchen: Restaurant Review

source: JCT Kitchen website

I've only heard good things about JCT Kitchen.  Not just from one person, but every person I've ever asked.  That can only mean good things, right?  I'm not quite sure why I've never been.  It's definitely top of mind when I try to think of a good place to eat.  Shame on me.

Yesterday we had a rep lunch at work and she took us to JCT.  It's such a cute place.  The dining room is one big room, sectioned off with floor to ceiling curtains creating smaller spaces for tables.  The windows are also floor to ceiling, filling the room with natural light.  There is a bar right inside the front door and also a bar upstairs (we didn't go upstairs, so I can't comment on that bar).  Similar to Parish and Rosebud, JCT has a modern, southern atmosphere (exposed brick walls, large black and white pictures, white trim) and the food is similar as well.  I'm so glad we have really nice southern restaurants to bring guests when they come to town.  And who am I kidding, for me to indulge my shrimp & grits or fried chicken cravings.

There are two things you must get at JCT, the Truffle-Parmesan Fries and the Sweet Corn & Vidalia Onion Chowder.  We ordered the Fries for an appetizer for the table and each of us had a bowl of the soup to start.  OMG.  The fries are delicious.  I think anything with Truffle oil is delicious - come on, you know I'm right.  The appetizer serving of the fries is HUGE, plenty to share among 5 people.  The Soup was also delicious and quite rich.  Corn chowder has to be one of my favorite soups if it's done right and JCT Kitchen does it right.  It was just enough to hold us over until our food came.  All 5 bowls were empty by the time the server came to clear the table for the entrees.

The most popular dish at JCT Kitchen is the Springer Mountain Fried Chicken.  How do I know that?  It was sold out by the time we ordered.  It wasn't even 1:00 yet.  The chicken comes with mac & cheese and some green beans making it the perfect southern meal.  I wish I had been able to try it.  Next time, maybe.  Some of the table ordered the dish but substituted the entree chicken with the chicken used on the Fried Chicken Salad.  They said it was still delicious.  It's the breading that really makes the dish anyway.  Their servings were huge and they were forced to take boxes home.  Forced... like they were forced.  They got to eat it again for dinner.  That's fantastic.

I ordered the Shrimp & Grits that was topped with crisp bacon (heck yes!), a fried, poached egg and butter.  There was lots and lots of butter in the dish.  It was pooling up on the grits.  It doesn't get better than that, if it's what you're wanting, and I was.  I couldn't finish the full meal, I think I was full from the soup and fries by that point, but I did my best.  I left only 2 shrimp and only a little bit of the egg.  I've mentioned before that Shrimp & Grits is how Stephen and I determine the quality of a restaurant which is why I ordered the meal.  It was fantastic.  The grits were a little bit more runny (because of the butter) that I would prefer, so my favorite grits still rest with Parish, but I'd have no problem recommending this meal to anyone dining at JCT Kitchen.

We were too full for desert, but I'll make sure to try some next time.

My dad and my step-mom are coming to Atlanta for Thanksgiving and I'm trying to figure out where to take them for the other meals before the big turkey dinner.  Now there is a race between Rosebud, Parish and JCT.  Not sure who is going to win just yet.... all three get 5 stars from me.

Caribou Coffee - Grown-up Grilled Cheese

There is a Caribou Coffee in the food court in my office building.  I'm a frequent visitor.  Basically everyday close to 3:00 I head downstairs with one or two girls from the office.  There is nothing like a mid-afternoon coffee break to get you though the last 3 hours of the day.

We participated in their summer 'buy 7 get one free' deal and got two free drinks.  The ladies behind the counter are beginning to know my name and what I want.  And they know when to expect us to show up.  There is also a Starbucks in the building but they don't participate in the fun promotions that all other Starbucks Coffees do and their people aren't as nice.  Take that Starbucks, I'm drinking my coffee from Caribou.

source

The new offering at Caribou is their Grown-up Grilled Cheese sandwiches.  Who doesn't love a grilled cheese sandwich?  NOBODY.  They are the 2nd easiest sandwich to make, behind a PB&J, and far more satisfying.  Well Caribou has taken it to another level.

There are 4 options of grilled cheese

1. Three Cheese Classic with cheddar, Monterey Jack and fontina cheese
2. Gouda Turkey Pesto
3. Italian Chicken Melt
4. Aged Cheddar Roast

I went with the Gouda Turkey Pesto.  Carrying it back to the office in the bag was torture, it smelled so good.  I wasn't disappointed with the sandwich in any way.  It could have been a disaster, being made at a coffee counter, but it was the opposite of a disaster, it was a grilled cheese masterpiece.  The perfect amount of each ingredient and no secret additions.  Just goodness all around.

On Fridays they have a 1/2 off deal at our location.  You know where to find me.  

Le Giverny - Restaurant Review

We surprised Stephen's grandma the other night when we showed up at dinner.  For the big event we dined at the French restaurant, Le Giverny Bistro.  The restaurant is actually in a hotel, The Emory Inn, for those of you who go looking for it.

The website is pretty informative and we were excited, as always, to try someplace new.  Being in a hotel threw me because I tend to stay away from hotel restaurants, I get enough of those when I travel.  The dining room was packed, but I must say, our table was the youngest table in the room.  Stephen and I had to be the youngest people in the room, next to his mom.

Our server was knowledgeable when it came to the menu, but I learned later that she didn't know anything about the wine menu when first asked.  A little unexpected for such a nice and expensive restaurant.  We ordered a few appetizers, the favorite being the warm brie in a honey glaze with grilled flat bread.  (I looked on the online menu and it's not listed for the official, French name.)  It was absolutely delicious.  We've had baked brie with bread and apples before, we'll be adding honey next time.

For our entrees we each went with something a little different and everyone enjoyed their meal.  I had the Truite Grenobloise, fresh rainbow trout with almonds, capers and asparagus.  It was my first time with trout and I enjoyed it.  I also love anything with capers.  The asparagus wasn't good however, it was very twig-like and over cooked.  I prefer mine to be green and crisp with a crunch to them.  Stephen had the salmon and was pleased with his choice.  The plate was clean at the end of the meal.

The desserts were split between the four of us with some coffee.  A great way to end the meal.  Le Giverny has fantastic food, but in terms of atmosphere, there are plenty of other great restaurants in Atlanta with a better atmosphere.  It also annoyed me that before 10:00, what I'm pretty sure was closing time, a waiter came out of the kitchen into the dining room, untucked his shirt in front of the tables (showing skin, not in a good way) and then walked around to all of the tables collecting the candles and blowing them out.  Now I worked in a restaurant for years in college and I understand the urgency one might feel to begin closing duties - but I'd never do them as blatantly as this gentleman did BEFORE the dining room was closed.  And just because the dining room is closed doesn't mean the tables still eating should have to see some guy cleaning up the room.  It made me feel very rushed.

If you're looking for good food and don't care about the atmosphere, it's delicious.  If you're looking for a place to take your grandmother or grandfather, it's perfect!  Would I recommend to any of my friends, not likely.

Rosebud

Last night after date night at the gun range (more on that later) I headed over to a restaurant in the Highlands that I've been wanting to try for a long time, Rosebud, with Stephen, Jessica and Richard.  It is located across the street from the Yoforia that Stephen and I hit up about once a week and I've been asking to go forever.

We arrived around 8:00 and the place was pretty packed.  We were lucky there was a table for us, in the future we'll make a reservation to make sure.  It feels a little bit like Parish in Inman Park, but more country vs Cajun. There are walls of exposed brick, a big iron pig at the front window (we named it Rosebud), a pretty big bar and tons of little rooms.  I was surprised at how big the place was.  I'm pretty sure there is a patio too, but it was the first chilly night last night so we didn't venture that way.

The beer, wine and cocktail list is impressive, we each ordered a drink and then we ordered our food.   The menu isn't extensive but each of us found several entrees that we wanted.  They have set specials for every night of the week and that's what I focused on.  Last night's special was Spaghetti with Lobster Meatballs.  YES PLEASE!  To hold the meatballs together they used some sort of scallop paste.  It was delicious.  Stephen went with the shrimp and grits and almost licked the casserole dish clean.  Yep, his meal came out in a full casserole dish.  Speaking of presentation, everything was beautiful.  Richard and Jessica both got a chicken sandwich and there wasn't much left of either of those when the check came.

Rosebud isn't a cheap date, and it's not overly priced at all, but well worth the cost of the food.  My meal had lobster meatballs and was less than $20.

I can't wait for an official date night so I can ask to head back to Rosebud :)

Are you still wondering about date night at the gun range?  Here's the deal:

QuickShot Indoor Range near Emory has date night on Thursday night where two people shoot for the price of one.  Shooting can be expensive if you have to buy the range's ammo, so this is a deal!  Gun rental and your eyes and ears are included in the cost.  They get ya with the ammo cost.  The four of us went to shoot, Jess and I shot my .38 special and the boys shot their guns.  I liked sharing with another girl - less pressure.  My accuracy is getting better.  Practice makes perfect!

QuickShot is also the only indoor range inside the perimeter - bonus!  Bonus 2x - homemade cookies.

Restaurant Review: Loca Luna

Last night Stephen's mom took us out to dinner to Loca Luna on Amsterdam Ave.  It used to be located right by my apartment on 6th in Midtown but that location looks condemned right now.  Will I ever head back to Loca Luna?  Probably not, unless it's with a group of people and it's more of a social event rather than dinner.

Let me start by saying, we may have picked a bad night - I'm not sure.  Tuesday night's are $18 all you can eat so the kitchen and serving staff might not have giving their best effort.  However, when I'm paying money for dinner, I expect to get good service.  Last night that was not the case.  We were sat inside, by a giant fan, and it took close to 5 minutes for anyone to come by the table to greet us and take a drink order.  That was our first meeting with Lucas.  Because we were using a Living Social coupon we weren't able to take advantage of the $18 deal but we could only order items on that menu, at full price.  It was another 10 minutes before Lucas came back to take our order, and he still didn't have our drinks with him.

Twenty minutes after sitting down we finally had our drinks and we put in our order.  When the food came out it was good, but could have been a little bit warmer.  I have a feeling it was sitting in the back ready to go when it was ordered.  The flavors were fantastic, but not fresh.  We had the steamed mussels and we had 3 that weren't open and 2 that didn't have a mussel in them at all.  If we had the all you can eat menu this wouldn't have been a problem, but we were paying full price.  The best part of the meal was the mojito - it was delicious.  I also want to note that nowhere on the website does it say that Tuesday nights have a special menu and coupons aren't accepted - that would have been very helpful information, especially with there is a Living Social deal AND a Groupon for them floating around out there.

The service was horrible.  I believe it came down to our server not caring at all about his job or our evening.  Very disappointing.  The atmosphere is great and in a good location with plenty of parking, but the service killed it for me.  Because there is a chance that I'd get the same server again, I don't want to go back.

Overall, I give Loca Luna a 2 out of 5 stars.  The two stars being for atmosphere and the drinks.  The service and food left a lot to be desired.

Bocado

Last night I got home from work and was able to start reading the 2nd book in the A Song of Ice and Fire book series (Game of Thrones).  I'm still shocked that I'm reading a fantasy series, but it's not as far out there as Lord of the Rings or something like that, so I'm okay.  At least it isn't yet.

Later in the evening Stephen called with plans to head out to Bocado with a friend so the friend could test out the place as an option for a date night.  First off, I'm glad he's thinking far enough in advance to test out a place or two before taking a date out.   Bocado is a pretty trendy place.  The decor is very modern and open with low back chairs at the bar and a lot of white.  There is the main dining room with multiple tables, a long bar and a patio with a few more tables.

The drink menu is extensive and not a single drink on the cocktail menu was familiar to me.  Between the three of us we tried 5 different cocktails and each was very distinct and delicious.  Some of them even have egg whites...really?  The dinner menu leaves a lot to be desired.  If you're heading there for dinner, check out the dinner menu before you go so aren't looking for more options.  The cocktail menu is longer than the dinner menu.  There is a larger variety of small plates, but be prepared that Bocodo seems like a place for drinks, not eating.  The drink prices were pretty reasonable for a trendy place.  About $10 for a cocktail and $6 or $7 for a beer.

Not sure if I'll head back, but I will say it was quiet enough to be able to talk to your friends while drinking.

Top Flr

Let me start by saying - I love this place.  I drive by this place every day on my way to work because it's at the end of my street.  I've been dying to go since I moved in to my apartment in January.  It always looks like it has a good group of people inside and it looks like a cool vibe.  I was 100% correct on both AND the food is amazing.

We started with an appetizer of mussels and a side of their mac n cheese.  A direct quote from my date, "the mussels are divine."  Yes, I gave him crap for saying that the rest of the date, but he was right.

And the mac n cheese - definitely a top 3 in the city.   Then it was time for our main courses.  I had the Pan Seared Halibut and Stephen had the Duck Confit Pizza.  Now in all honesty, I don't think we could have made a bad decision, but both entrees we selected were delicious.  I wanted dinner to last all night the food was so good.

The place was packed and service not the best, but I'll give the place a pass because the food was so amazing and I was with great company.  We each had a drink before we got our table and we had another with dinner.  The wine list is pretty expensive, but worth it.

If you've made it to the end of this post, then you know I was on a date with a new guy, Stephen.  We met Friday at the Braves tailgate, he's friends with my friend, Micah.  We hung out a few times before our date when I was sick, but last night was the official First Date.  It went very well, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Sweet Georgia's Juke Joint: Restaurant Review

Working downtown Atlanta has its benefits.  The office close to all of the sporting events in the city and we have tons of places to walk for lunch.  Most of the lunch places are fast food type restaurants, but as busy as our days are, that's what we need most of the time.  The downside is that downtown Atlanta has some pretty rough areas and a lot of nice restaurants have closed.  They city is going through a revitalization, but change doesn't happen over night.

Two blocks away a new restaurant opened two weeks ago, Sweet Georgia's Juke Joint.  I was a little skeptical because it is across the street from Hooters and Hard Rock Cafe and I didn't want another large chain.  Boy, was I pleased!

My boss and I went to lunch with two magazine reps, two of the best ladies to lunch with, by far, and met at SWJJ.  The food is labeled as "deep south" cuisine,  indeed it is.  On the menu you'll find a lot of pimento cheese, fried foods, catfish and crawfish.  We started with the house-made pimento cheese spread and black-eyed pea hummus along with the southern starter (fried green tomatoes with goat cheese) for appetizers.  Both were delicious.  Plenty to share between four people.  The starter went much faster than the spreads, but I think that was because we didn't get enough flatbread to go along with the spreads, but the

My Big Ol' BLT was just that, huge and full of bacon, lettuce and tomatoes.  And this isn't your Denny's bacon, it was thick-cut, perfectly crisp bacon in every bite.  My side item was their aged white cheddar macaroni.  I think you can tell a lot about a restaurant by their southern mac n cheese.  It was very tasty, but probably wouldn't rank in my top 5.  Looking at the other sides around the table, the servings are small, but probably the correct portion size for southern food.  The other entrees were all given great reviews as well.

The most interesting thing about the restaurant has to be the atmosphere.  The far back wall is set up for a live band with the full drum set and key board still set up.  While we dined, at lunch remember, there was a sax player playing live music for us.  A very nice touch for a lunch.  You can tell the space transforms at night for a dance crowd.  There is a 2nd floor DJ booth and there is a shelf around the entire dining area that must be used to hold drinks once the tables are gone.  It will be interesting to see the crowd Sweet Georgia draws at night.

I will be adding the Juke Joint to our list of options for lunch.  I'm thankful for a sit-down restaurant within walking distance to the office!