Cliche Pun on Book Title

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

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:37:47 -0500

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

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

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:21:46 -0500

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

sushi house hayakawa

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:44:00 -0500

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.

iberian pig

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:38:37 -0500

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.

repast

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:34:25 -0500

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

cakes & ale (update)

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:12:26 -0500

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.

ormsby's

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:04:20 -0500

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)

Leon’s Full Service has recently changed their cocktail...

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:01:50 -0500

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.

I went to Canoe a few weeks ago with Brian and my friend Amanda....

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:55:00 -0500

chocolate bombe dessert

lemon ricotta cheesecake

mussels, scallops and black sticky rice

ceviche

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.

New Openings in Atlanta

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:45:39 -0500

New Openings in Atlanta:

I just started reading this blog (Tomorrow’s News Today) and they have great tips and news on openings, closings, and deals around Atlanta. Exciting news: we’re getting a Nordstrom Rack in Buckhead and a CB2 in Midtown.

Atlanta magazine takes a look at the past decade in Atlanta dining

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:33:53 -0500

Atlanta magazine takes a look at the past decade in Atlanta dining:

I love Christiane Lauterbach, Atlanta mag’s dining critic. And usually, I agree with her completely.

Neil Gaiman, an author I happen to adore, has an amazing library...

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:52:45 -0500

Neil Gaiman, an author I happen to adore, has an amazing library in his house. Click the photo above to see more pictures. I absolutely plan on having a massive library in my house someday.

choose your own adventure

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:45:10 -0500

choose your own adventure:

A beautiful and fascinating look at how the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books guides readers through choices.

Last fall I participated in Channel 11’s Metromix Meals. I...

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:42:59 -0500

Last fall I participated in Channel 11’s Metromix Meals. I was assigned to review Serpas. Now you can laugh at me as I overshare about my experience on the local morning news.

"When I buy an audiobook on CD, it’s mine. The license agreement, such as it is, is “don’t violate..."

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:25:25 -0500

“

When I buy an audiobook on CD, it’s mine. The license agreement, such as it is, is “don’t violate copyright law,” and I can rip that CD to mp3, I can load it to my iPod or any number of devises—it’s mine; I can give it away, I can sell it; it’s mine. But when you buy an audiobook through Audible, which now controls 90 per cent of the [downloadable] audiobook market, you get a license agreement, not a property interest. The things that you can do with it are limited by DRM; the players you can play it on are limited by the license agreements with Audible. Audible doesn’t do this because the publishers ask them to. Audible and iTunes, because Audible is the sole supplier to iTunes, do this because it’s in their own interest….

Anyone who claims that readers can’t and won’t and shouldn’t own their books are bent on the destruction of the book, the destruction of publishing, and the destruction of authorship itself. We must stop them from being allowed to do it. The library of tomorrow should be better than the library of today. The ability to loan our books to more than one person at once is a feature, not a bug. We all know this. It’s time we stop pretending that the pirates of copyright are right. These people were readers before they were publishers before they were writers before they worked in the legal department before they were agents before they were salespeople and marketers. We are the people of the book, and we need to start acting like it.

”

- Cory Doctorow

My favorite Atlanta restaurants

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:29:04 -0500

My favorite Atlanta restaurants:

People often ask me for restaurant recommendations. (Which makes sense, given that it’s a hobby of mine…see: this blog). So, I compiled a list on Yelp of my favorite Atlanta restaurants. There’s a variety of places, both in neighborhood and price range. Feel free to continue to ask me for advice, but if you want a list of places I love, this is it.

Pictures from my dinner at Miller Union

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:44:23 -0500

decor at Miller Union

fried grits appetizer

farm egg appetizer (halfway eaten)

poulet rouge entree

braised rabbit entree

Pictures from my dinner at Miller Union

feast

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:40:37 -0500

This is a hidden gem in Decatur. I have now been to Feast three times, and apparently never blogged about it. Rectifying that situation now. I was there last night for dinner, and it was one of the best restaurant experiences I’ve had in recent memory.

The host/bartender/manager (I’m not sure what his official title is) always greets me so warmly when I walk into this place. I love actually feeling welcomed into a restaurant. Feast is in an old brick building that was formerly an ice cream parlor and a radiator factory. The exposed brick and ceiling beams showcase the building’s history, and beautiful hanging lights and the wood-burning oven in the corner make the space feel warm and cozy.

Every time I’ve come, I’ve had excellent service. Last night was no exception. We were 15 minutes late for our 9pm reservation, and it wasn’t a problem- even though the restaurant was having a small concert that night. The concert actually added an interesting vibe to the restaurant. The owner apparently knew the band, and all of her friends came to the show. This made my mom and I feel like we had stumbled into a neighborhood bar where everyone knew each other. It was a really fun atmosphere. The owner even came over to our table and chatted with us for a few minutes.

Let me rhapsodize about their wine list- it’s suberb for a restaurant of this size. My favorite part about it- they have a whole section of wines by the glass or bottle that are $6/glass, $20/bottle and a section that is $7/glass, $25/bottle, as well as a full wine list. They also have some interesting beers on tap (Left Hand, Brooklyn, Ommegang). I can go on and on, but just check out their website.

The food is so, so good. I literally cannot express how happy my mom and I were last night. We had the crab dip appetizer (lemony and cheesy all at once); a spinach salad with baked brie, pecans, apples and a vanilla bean dressing; and a small plate (basically an entree without any side dishes) that was a trout filet stuffed with artichokes, fennel and lemon and drizzled with citrus butter.

I can’t wait until the next time I go here, and I want to take everyone here. The best part- our entire dinner, plus a bottle of wine, was less than $60, including tax and tip.

food- 26

decor- 25

service- 24

Miller Union

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:20:00 -0500

I visited Miller Union earlier this week with my family. It’s the current darling of the Atlanta foodie scene, and I have to say, I was underwhelmed. The decor by ai3 (they did FLiP and a slew of other new Atlanta joints) was beautiful, but felt very austere. I think they should ditch the tablecloths and some of their other “fine dining” accoutrements.

Miller Union is the marriage of Steven Satterfield (who most recently worked at Watershed, the venerable southern restaurant in Decatur) and Neal McCarthy (a well-known restaurant manager, recently at Sotto Sotto in Inman Park). The service was friendly, but a little slow for our 9pm Tuesday-night reservation. I expect a lot more attention when dining at off-hours.

I wanted to try the dishes I had read about, so we ordered the fried cheese grits and the farm egg baked in celery cream as our starters, the poulet rouge and braised rabbit as our entrees, and the herbal ice cream trio for dessert.

The fried cheese grits were bland. I liked that they were using the stone-ground grits that Watershed uses, but there was no zing in this dish. My former employer- The OK Cafe- does a much better version. The farm egg was good, but it wasn’t the promised “orgy in my mouth” that I had read about on some food blogs. It would be a great brunch dish, but tasted much too breakfast-y for 9pm.

The entrees were sumptuous, and I have to give recognition where it’s due. If I go back to Miller Union, it will be for the braised rabbit over grits. It was creamy, rich and everything I look for in a main course. The poulet rouge involved several small cuts of chicken with crispy skin baked on top. It came with a side of vegetables, and again, Satterfield’s Watershed training showed in his skillful preparation of the veggies. We cleaned the plate.

I had read several people’s account of the herb ice-creams as surprisingly good, and while I found them interesting, it’s not something I’m going to crave. The herbs were thyme, rosemary and sage. I think the dish would be better with smaller portions of the ice creams (I couldn’t even finish mine- three full ice cream parlor scoops…I was expecting quenelles). And I also think adding some food coloring to the dish would help…the only way to tell the flavors apart was the small sprig of each herb placed atop each scoop. Again, an interesting dish, but not one I’d recommend. My mom and brother hated it.

Ultimately, I think Miller Union lacks soul. There were some good dishes here and there, but I didn’t get a great feeling from my visit, and ended up liking Wednesday night’s restaurant much better.

food- 22

service- 21

decor- 17

Shaun's

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:06:00 -0500

I went to Shaun’s with a friend of mine earlier this semester, and entirely forgot to blog about it. I think that kind of sums up my feelings about Shaun’s. I had read the reviews before going, and most of the food bloggers in the city seem to have a mixed reaction, or a love-hate relationship with the restaurant. I can safely say, after visiting twice (once on an average night, and once for the Sunday night pasta special) that I’m pretty ambivalent about the place. I like the atmosphere and the location, but the food just doesn’t deliver.