Cliche Pun on Book Title

March 13th 2010

the grange/aka The Marlay

I went to The Marlay tonight, a bar which until recently was called “The Grange”. This has been one of my favorite bars in Decatur for a while now, but I’m not a huge fan of the name change. It’s still the same place, and I do kind of love that the name change was spurred by a trademark dispute.

They had a bunch of special Irish beers on tap leading up to St. Patty’s Day. If you’re looking for a fun bar to celebrate, I can pretty much guarantee they will have a big celebration.

I like going to the Marlay because they have a good beer list (not as good as brick store/the porter, but definitely decent), the food is good (killer fries), and I like the ambiance. I especially like coming here in the summer for the patio.

(Image from the Marlay website, from February 2010- think I’ll save the patio for summer)

Food I recommend: the fries, burger, brisket plate and any of the beers- especially Rochefort 6 (trappist ale).

Posted at 1:27am and tagged with: atlanta, pubs, the grange, the marlay, two column,.

March 9th 2010

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Lunch, spring break edition, at Dewey’s in Destin, Fl.

Posted at 4:37pm.

March 2nd 2010

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OK Go with another awesome music video. I happen to LOVE Rube Goldberg machines.

Posted at 5:21pm.

February 13th 2010

sushi house hayakawa

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Sushi House Hayakawa is the best sushi I’ve had in Atlanta, and some of the best sushi I’ve had in my life. The fish is incredibly fresh and presented beautifully. I went with a group of friends a few weeks ago, and I think everyone enjoyed it. Also- for the quality you’re getting, the prices were very reasonable. My sashimi platter was somewhere in the $24 range.

I also tried the Ikura Don (roe) that people had raved about. The roe, which came on top of perfectly cooked sticky rice, were large and exploded in your mouth (that’s what she said). Reminded me of bubble tea.

Speaking of bubble tea, I haven’t had any in a while. Does anyone know a good place around here to get some.

Posted at 4:44pm and tagged with: atlanta, buford highway, sushi, two column,.

February 13th 2010

iberian pig

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I went to the Iberian Pig on a Saturday night, and the place was slammed. I will attribute some of my issues with service and the crowds to the fact that I went with a large group.

I ordered wine, which ended up being a safe bet. Our server accidentally brought us a glass of Sangria, and let us keep it. It was *not* good. I don’t think they soaked their fruit overnight, so it just tasted like sugary wine.

I tried a bit of the charcuterie and was favorably impressed. If I ever go back, I’m sticking with that. My friend ordered a salad which sounded amazing, but was teeny tiny.

I had two different tapas dishes. One, a fried goat cheese dish, was terrible. Waaaaay over-fried and tasteless. The other- pork cheek tacos, was delightful. So, I guess it’s just a bit hit or miss at the moment.

Summary: if you’re looking for Tapas in the Decatur area, this is about the only option, and it’s not terrible. However, I’d go to Taqueria del Sol over this place any day of the week.

Posted at 4:38pm and tagged with: atlanta, decatur, iberian pig, tapas, two column,.

February 13th 2010

repast

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Overall Repast was a fine restaurant. Not great, not even really good, just fine. I think their biggest problem is bad management.

We had a hard time finding the place, walking from the parking garage (it looks like we weren’t the only ones.) A waiter let us in through a side door.

There was no ambient music playing, and we could hear kitchen noises- not pleasant, especially as the woman at the table next to me was fighting with her mother. They charge you for water, and they don’t tell you ahead of time, which I didn’t appreciate.

In addition, they were out of two different wines I tried to order by the glass, and my waitress tried to force the expensive glasses on me. After all that, she forgot to ever bring my wine. I had a cocktail, the Manhattan, and it was undrinkable. So. Bad.

I do have to say, the food isn’t terrible. But at the prices they’re charging, it should be better. If my meal had cost $15 less, I would have been much happier. Glancing across the menu, I couldn’t find one dish that sounded really good. They just have strange combinations on their menu. I’m not a picky eater, but I had a really hard time finding something to order that sounded appetizing.

I ended up with a butternut squash soup (average) and a steak with foie gras and black truffle agnolotti. My steak was undercooked, and the pasta was the best part of the dish (but I only got about 3 agnolotti).

I will give them credit for having vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Ultimately, until I hear Repast is “Under New Management”, I’m not coming back.

food- 15

decor- 14

service- 6

Posted at 4:34pm and tagged with: atlanta, repast, one column,.

February 13th 2010

cakes & ale (update)

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I’ve been back to Cakes & Ale twice in the past two months, and it continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I’ve heard there might be plans to expand the restaurant into the (now vacant) boutique space next door. I’m torn, because I love the intimate feel of the place, but would also love to be able to get in there more often.

Favorite things to order:

the arancini appetizer
the soups (they had an amazing one with candied marcona almonds)
the phatty cakes for dessert
the pineapple habanero gimlet (no longer on the menu, but if you ask for it, they’ll still make it)

I recently talked to a friend who dined here and didn’t enjoy it. For her, it was the lack of selection that killed the place. I would say, due to the fact that they change their menu seasonally and keep things local (they grow their own veggies), the menu is limited. Picky eaters might have a hard time here. But I promise, everything on the menu is delicious. Chef Billy Allin spent time in the kitchen at Watershed and Chez Panisse in Berkeley. He doesn’t mess around.

Posted at 4:12pm.

February 13th 2010

ormsby’s

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Ormsby’s is a new bar in West Midtown located under the Room & Board furniture store.

I don’t think it will be possible to truly get a feel for this bar for a while, at least not on a weekend. I’m glad they’re getting a lot of business, but the crowds are annoying to me. I love the concept of Ormsby’s, love the focus on craft beer and love the games (esp the vintage arcade cabinet). But until the buzz dies down, I’ll be sticking with Twain’s in Decatur. Similar vibe, much bigger space.

(protip: free parking garage next to the building)

Posted at 4:04pm and tagged with: atlanta, beer, ormsby's, west midtown, two column,.

February 13th 2010

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Leon’s Full Service has recently changed their cocktail menu to the winter season. Leon’s is one of my favorite bars/restaurants in Decatur, and part of the reason I love them is their cocktails. Their mixologist is one of the best in the city (alongside Holeman & Finch and Cakes & Ale). The picture is of my “adult root beer” or something like that (forgot the exact name). Perfectly delicious.

Posted at 4:01pm.

February 13th 2010

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I went to Canoe a few weeks ago with Brian and my friend Amanda. I was up in East Cobb for the night and wanted to go out to dinner. In East Cobb, there are NO good places to eat, so if I want good food, I head over to Vinings. I had never been to Canoe, but its reputation precedes it. Canoe has 26/26/25 from Zagat, and it’s a go-to place for nice evenings.

The menu had lots of delicious-sounding options, and I loved everything I had. It is a bit on the pricy side (my mom was thanking us for bartending her party), so I wouldn’t recommend it for an average night. The landscaping is beautiful, and people often have weddings here, except recently Canoe was hit hard by the rain and had some issues with flooding.

We sat in the bar, but still got excellent service. The wine list, in particular, is fabulous. When I was in Napa this summer, I spoke to a winery that told me the only place they distribute in Atlanta is at Canoe. But don’t be scared, I was still able to get one of my favorite bottles (a Qupe Syrah) for just $30.

Canoe is a bit of a hike from downtown, but if you ever find yourself craving an elegant meal in northwest Atlanta, I would definitely recommend stopping in Canoe.

Posted at 3:55pm.

chocolate bombe dessert

lemon ricotta cheesecake

mussels, scallops and black sticky rice

ceviche