A new Goldberg’s Bagel & Deli opened recently in the Toco Hills shopping center, so I figured I’d stop in for a bagel. It seems like it’d actually be a great place for a sit-down lunch. I was very happy with my everything bagel and lox cream cheese, except for the fact that there was WAAAAYY too much cream cheese on it. Luckily I was eating it at home and could scrape about 3/4 off. They have a good selection of bagel flavors and about 6 cream cheese flavors.
Cliche Pun on Book Title
eat. drink. be merry.
Two weeks ago my friend Rob and I went on a Buford Highway adventure. I’m embarrassed that I haven’t explored Buford Highway (Atlanta’s authentic Asian community) more thoroughly, and vowed to do so this spring/summer. I figured a good place to start would be Quoc Huong (known for the best banh mi in town).
It’s a stark little shop that probably does more lunch business than dinner. We were one of only 3 table filled on a Tuesday night. The decor is absolutely nothing to look at, but it’s clean. AND CHEAP! Dinner for two came to about $15 plus tip. We each tried one of the $2.50 bbq pork banh mi. Great sandwich! The meat had a nice sweet bbq flavor to it that was nicely offset by the pickled veggies. Top that off with a great sauce on crunch baguette and I’m a happy girl.
We also had these shrimp spring rolls- perfectly good.
And boba, or bubble tea. It wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it’s been FOREVER since I’ve had one, so I was a happy camper. I usually get the mango flavor. (for those who don’t know, bubble tea is like an amazing fruit smoothie with tapioca pearls at the bottom. you get a large straw that you can suck the peals up through. that’s what she said.)
Next, we decided to swing by Super H mart to look around. I had never been in one, but Rob grew up in Hawaii (with lots of Asian products) and studied abroad in Russia, so he was able to guide me through the merchandise.
Although neither of us could figure out what this was.
They sell every cut of meat imaginable, and much better cuts than what you’ll find at your average Publix. They also sell whole pigs, if that’s your thing (I could see the teeth, and I started laughing like a lame tourist).
grrrr!
My takeaway included some wasabi peas, mango candy, kimchi, mochi, and some frozen pork buns.
The buns were probably the best purchase. Wrap in a moist paper towel and pop in the microwave for 1 minute, and it’s delicious:
So, who’s ready for the next adventure? Korean BBQ? Chinese noodles? Pho?
Mikkeller is one of my absolute favorite breweries, mainly because their beers are always fascinating. In fact, I can’t think of a Mikkeller I haven’t enjoyed. This is one of their best-known beers, Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast. It’s a stout made with coffee, and while a lot of people are brewing this style, I’d venture to say Mikkeller makes one of the best.
For the adventurous readers, I would also recommend Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Brunch, which is made with some of the most expensive coffee in the world. Kopi Luwak (civet coffee) is made from coffee beans that have gone through the digestive tract of a small weasel. Thus, the beer’s nickname: weasel.
Both beers were available at Ale Yeah! the last time I visited.
I don’t think I ever posted the results of the great cookie experiment. We found a website with this idea (oreo inside chocolate cookie), and we had to try the mad genius for ourselves. DELICIOUS. The first batch we made spread out a lot, but the quick addition of a Silpat made everything all right.
(For those who don’t know, baking cookies on a silicon mat keeps them from spreading out and getting thin)
I rarely send anything back to the kitchen unless it’s god-awful or cooked wrong. I usually assume it came out as the kitchen intended, and if I don’t like it, that’s bad ordering on my part. Or I just won’t go back to the restaurant. I think the last thing I sent back in memory was a salad that was absolutely drenched in dressing. I got a replacement with the dressing on the side, no problem.
It’s been around forever, and somehow I had never stopped in. Krog Bar is tucked away in the same complex as Rathbun’s, and is owned by the same people. It’s a small space, but I liked that it felt like a secret. It wasn’t very crowded on a Tuesday night, so I had no problem getting a table. About half the space is a patio, so if the weather’s bad, it might be tough to get a spot. On the other hand, when the weather turns nice, I’d love to camp out here on the patio for an evening.
Fun wine list where I didn’t recognize a single bottle. They offer everything by the glass, so it’s easy to try a couple different wines. The menu is entirely small plates and I’d recommend just ordering a few things and sharing. I especially liked the flatbread and the charcuterie plate.
Good spot for: parents in town or night out with friends.
Note: they don’t take reservations.
I eat this yogurt almost every morning, so I’m excited to see it with 0% fat and some new flavors.
New flavors include: cherry pomegranate, blueberry acai, mango guanabana, & strawberry goji. Yum! I tried the strawberry goji this morning and it tasted like candy. Which sounds gross, but it worked really well with the yogurt.
If you’ve never had this brand of yogurt before, I definitely recommend it. On its own, the yogurt is very sour. But it’s the thickest, richest yogurt available.
I thought I was kind of over the “upscale southern” food trend. But then I went to Local Three. Housed in the former Joel space, the owners have completely transformed the restaurant from a hall of European elegance to a modern barn with velvet Elvis portraits on the walls. The place is a bit hard to find, but was packed when I visited on a recent Friday night.
The thing that struck me the most was our server. She was upbeat, friendly, and helpful. It’s sad that this is so rare that it’s worth commenting on, but she was truly a delight and made our meal that much better.
After perusing their beverage list, I decided to start with an Old Fashioned. The amount of Bourbon they offer (at least 30 bottles, including Pappy Van Winkle) was a good signal that they take their cocktails seriously.
We also ordered one of our favorite bottles of wine, Quivira Sauvignon Blanc. Local Three has a well-curated wine list with some hard-to-find bottles.
We started with the crispy brussel sprouts and the chicken liver pate. Both were excellent. The sprouts were roasted, I think in duck fat, which gave them a rich flavor and a nice texture as well. This was one of the best versions of chicken liver pate that I’ve ever had, mainly due to the house-made marmalade spread on top of the liver. Yum! Apparently they change up which fruit they use fairly often.
(Also note the adorable vintage salt & pepper, they had a different set on each table)
We also had a perfectly nice salad of winter greens. But the standout of the night had to be our North Carolina Flounder with linguine, shaved garlic and lobster butter. The fish was perfectly cooked and lightly breaded. The linguine with lobster butter was one of the better pasta dishes I’ve had at a restaurant. Silky pasta lightly coated in a super rich sauce…I’m salivating just thinking about it. The restaurant was kind enough to split our dishes onto two plates without making a fuss or including an extra charge.
I want to go back and try the Chicken Pot Pie- it’s been getting a lot of buzz as one of the best versions in town. They also have a great cheese plate and a charcuterie plate playfully called the Notorious P.I.G. If you come in for brunch, $18 gets you a pass into the famous $1 Million dollar kitchen for an all-you-can-eat buffet. The placemat is a map of the kitchen.
Considering everything up until this point was great, we opted to have dessert. We chose the chocolate pudding cake with Captain Crunch ice cream and salted caramel.
A perfect end to a nearly perfect meal. Local Three has earned itself a spot on my “favorites” list.
Our meal total came to about $80, but at least half of it was alcohol. Appetizers run from $3-11 and mains are between $10-25. They also appear to have a nice private room for a special occasion. I’m considering it as an option for a graduation dinner :)
Rooster14 makes some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever bought. They’re big, come in a distinctive ice cream scoop shape, and are slightly salty, giving them a unique flavor. If you need to bring a quick gift to someone, I definitely recommend a box of these!
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