Short Trip to San Francisco Part I

Last month I had the opportunity to tag along for a trip to one of my favorite cities, San Francisco. I love when I have traveled to a city enough times to no longer feel obligated to see any tourist attractions. Its a nice release to give myself permission to just wander and do or eat whatever I want!

We started our weekend at Cavallo Point the location of our wedding in 2011. It was so nice to be there and relax, have some wine on the porch and look at the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We had a light lunch at the Farley Bar and our dinner at the Murry Circle restaurant who catered our wedding dinner as we reminisced about that great day.

Saturday we headed into the city and started off the night with an amazing dinner at Canteen. Canteen is almost like an incorporated supper club. The chef has two seatings each night at 6 and 8. The menu is 4-5 courses pre-fix with wine a la carte. When we arrived I was thrilled to see the restaurant was located in what used to be the diner like breakfast space of the old art deco Commodore Hotel. This was the first hotel that I ever stayed in when I visited SF. It had been about 16 years since I had been in the space. It is now a dorm for the San Francisco Institute of Art. It was so interesting to see the transformation. The lobby is now the dorm lobby and common area and the bar is currently closed.


Commodore Breakfast Space as I knew it!

Stepping inside we were one of about 20 people lucky enough to have a seat for the night. The chef prepped our food behind the diner style counter. Smells of the warm dinner rolls (which I heard were legendary) wafted through the air.

Our dinner was amazing. Such care and detail was taken with each dish. We had an appetizer of smoked lamb with butter beans. The lamb melted in your mouth and was balanced in richness by the beans. The second course was an English pea soup filled with lump dungeness crab. This was light and fresh and tasted like spring. The entree was halibut crusted in hazelnuts and mustard. To finish was my favorite a rhubarb shortcake with homemade cakes and tart and tangy rhubarb, perfect for the nice spring night.

To extend our evening, we walked up Nob Hill to the Fairmont Hotel. In the basement is the classic and kitchy Tonga Room. It was packed with tourists, locals, wedding parties and bachelorettes. This was so entertaining. For about $20 you can position yourself in this Tiki paradise to people watch, dance, and drink something with rum out of a whole pineapple. I had not been here in over 10 years and its still as entertaining as ever!



http://tongaroom.com/

Night on the Town NOLA (Day 2)

Saturday consisted of a great tour of the Garden District from Free Tours by Foot. This group all over the US allows you to take a walking tour for free. You are expected to tip the tour guide. We rounded up well past 20% of the value of a typical walking tour, all in all we still saved money.  The Garden District was a long walk Saturday morning from the French Quarter, but the bus system made a short trip back to downtown. The St. Charles streetcar line was disrupted due to Super Bowl construction, but for anyone visiting this spring I highly recommend the ride!

All this walking worked up a great appetite. I had planned a nice night out. We started off our evening at the Waldorf Astoria Roosevelt Hotel. This hotel was originally built in 1893 as The Grunewald. It was taken over by the Fairmont in 1965. When it was the Grunewald it held a club called "The Cave" which is thought to be one of the first nightclubs in the US. The hotel and its bar were a place to see and be seen. During Hurricane Katrina the hotel was damaged and condemned. Not until 2009 was it purchased by the Waldorf Astoria line of hotels. It was restored to a blend of art deco grandeur including its famous nightclub and bar space  now open as the Sazerac Bar.  While according to our cocktail tour from Friday, the Sazerac was invented by a pharmacist whose shop was located near Galatoires in the French Quarter, this bar holds a reputation now for having one of the best in town. They offer the modern version (think Prohibition era) made with Herbsaint and Rye Whiskey as well as the original version featuring 1840's French Cognac. While the older version packs a punch to your wallet at seventeen dollars, it is fun to compare and contrast the flavors.

For dinner we headed Uptown through the Garden District to a quiet residential street. Good thing I had heard about the lack of visibility for our dinner spot or I think we would have driven right by. Gautreau's Restaurant has been serving New Orleanians for over a decade. Its star chef Sue Zemanick has received the James Beard rising star award for the past 4 years running.  When you walk in the door it is a surprise after all the hype to see the small butcomfortable dining room. Looking around it seemed everyone from families to couples were enjoying themselves. They all seemed to know each other and the staff seemed to know them. (I take this as a sign of a good restaurant, especially at this price point). This place felt like a hidden gem among the flashy super star restaurants all over town. The menu was to the moment with perfect pairings of regional and gourmet. We started with the Duck Confit over a white bean salad and the kale and quinoa salad. Both were fresh and flavorful, but not over sauced. you could taste the individual flavors of the dish. These were the perfect compliments to the fall weather. As our entrees we couldn't resist the filet I had read so much about and also had to try the special rack of lamb crusted in pistachios. The meats were tender and juicy. The steak rested on top of ricotta gnocchi and melted in my mouth. The crunch and salt of the pistachios complemented the earthy lamb. Entree Heaven! We vowed to make room for dessert and selected the brown butter pear tart with marscapone fig ice cream. Sweet and tart this was autumn in your mouth! While I wish I could share some of these with you there are occasionally some places that are too nice and too intimate a setting to take pictures. This was one of those nights. So you will just have to dream of the flavors and rush the next time you are there to get a reservation!

Getting into the Spirits in New Orleans (Day One)

Two weeks ago, I was lucky enough to tag along on a weekend trip to New Orleans. I am not sure how this city has escaped my attention or my stomach for so long. Most people I know have made this short trip down experience the food, the fun and the music. I couldn't wait to see what the city had to offer.

We arrived mid day on a Friday and settled into our quarters for the weekend. The cute little Hotel Mazarin located right in the French Quarter. The even provided free bottled water, wifi, and breakfast each morning. The hotel was the perfect location and easily walkable to everything I wanted to see and eat!

We made our way toward St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square taking in the typical tourist sights along the way. Around each corner, it seemed there was another great little bar, coffee shop or restaurant waiting to be tried. I had a mission. I wanted to start my vacation out in true French Quarter style with an original Muffuletta. Central Grocery was established in 1906 as a grocery store and became a deli for the Sicilian  truck farmers who sold their produce at the Farmer's Market. The sandwich was invented by by Salvatore Lupo the original owner of the grocery. The traditional New Orleans muffuletta is stuffed with ham, salami, various cheeses and marinated olive salad.  While I have never been a big fan of this sandwich (too much bread not enough cheese and meat) this version won me over. My mouth is watering thinking about it as I write! The olive salad and fresh sliced deli meats paired with super soft sesame bread really make it.

We decided the best way to get to know the city was to take a tour. I was looking for something besides the typical history or ghost tours that I had experienced in Charleston or Savannah so I sought out culinary based tours and found a perfect match! The Cocktail Tour is lead by culinary historian Elizabeth Pearce. She got her start in the food world as the curator of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum and writes a monthly drinking column Neat with a Twist. She takes pride in sharing not only the history of the city but how some of its signature libations tell the stories of the development of its culture and people. Elizabeth was energetic and full of great information. This wasn't a tour where you stopped into promotional bars and got a free shot of something here and there, she has prepared homemade classic versions of three special drinks and one liquor for us to sample. We each received a small messenger bag with individually labeled cups. When we arrived at the perfect location or at the right "moment in history" we were instructed to sample. This model of touring provided more ability to see and hear the city as well as a much higher quality of drinks! We sampled the St. Charles Hotel Punch, a sazerac the official drink of New Orleans, and a Hurricane (made with real fruit juice not some over sweet mix) To round out our night we each got a share of praline liquor. We spent about 2 hours walking about 1 mile through the French Quarter. I feel like this was the perfect way to get a feel for the Vieux Carre and to kick off a great Friday night.



Enjoying Empire State South

Last night I finally got the time to celebrate Mother's Day with my family. My mother and I have a recent tradition of honoring special occaisions with attending a cooking class together. This time I planned a perfectly themed night. We started with dinner at Empire State South and ended with her present, Hugh Acheson's new cookbook A New Turn in the South, which recently won a James Beard award for best American cooking, and reservations for an Atlanta Community Food Bank cooking class with Chef Acheson himself!

I have to admit this one will be a treat for me as well! If you have not experienced one of the ACFB cooking classes, you should give them a try. They are typically hosted by Cooks Warehouse as a part of their quarterly schedule of classes. They showcase some of Atlanta's best chefs, prizes, enough food to call it dinner, and wine tastings. As an added bonus the proceeds go to the food bank itself. What a fun way to give back!

Although he has turned over the reigns of Executive Chef to Ryan Smith, Chef Acheson's strong influence is present in the tasty menu. After his recent James Beard wins, the dinning room was again packed with guests. We were looking forward to all of the great takes on traditional southern flavors.

 To start, we chose the In Jars an amazing selection of tasty spreads presented in miniature mason jars. The choices included pimento cheese with bacon marmalade, smoked trout, boiled peanut hummus, ricotta with sauteed mushrooms, and a selection of house made pickles. The waiter laughed as we picked up the jars to scrape out every last bite saying, "that is how we know people like them."



In Jars



For our next course we tried several of the Beginnings, a mixed green salad with duck bacon and a house made cheese puff, a warm vegetable salad with goat cheese, a fried shrimp salad with foraged greens and the farm egg served almost like bi bim bab over rice. The flavors were rich, but not over powering. These were imaginative takes on salads with a southern spin.

Fried Shrimp Salad





Mixed Greens

 

Warm Vegetable Salad



Farm Egg

For our entrees we chose the pork loin with a light gravy. It was served with beans and roasted vegetables. We also enjoyed the duck over farro with a mustard mustard sauce presented in an iron skillet. Finally we tried the trout paired with Asian greens and mushrooms. The duck was rich and set off by the spicy grain mustard. The pork was light and flavorful. At first I was skeptical of  gravy in the summer, but this presented more as a light sauce. The trout was enclosed in crisp skin and perfectly moist. We added a side of collards and creamed field peas. I could have eaten three bowls of each of these. My mother, who prides herself on her collards, conceded these were some of the best she had tasted!


Trout



The Duck




Pork Loin

For dessert we chose the blueberry tres leches cake served with blueberry sorbet and a peanut brittle side, the chocolate and sassafrass creme brulee, and the ginger snap and creme cookies that were melt in your mouth good. Our dinner was a great way to celebrate my mom and for our family to enjoy some of our favorite southern flavors in a new way.



Freight Kitchen and Tap

Earlier this spring I had the day off and a growling stomach. I decided to head out to Woodstock to check out Neel Sengupta's Freight Kitchen and Tap. With little traffic during the day, I made it up there from Decatur in less than 30 minutes. I was delighted to see the cute downtown area and even more excited to try out the great food and drinks. First the restaurant is full of ambiance. Located in an old train depot, you are able to walk through the large doors, and across the original wood floors. The inside is at the same time modern and rustic. You can really get a feel for what it might have looked like back in the day, but more than appreciate the cool bar, and cozy nooks for guest dining.

Then you peruse the menu, the culinary team of Chef Kyle Shankman and Bar Manager Chris Pease have developed tastes that appeal to everyone, but are far from ordinary. The beer list got my attention as I was able to choose from a great selection of rotating local and regional draughts as well as some favorite and unusual bottles.

For lunch the appetizers such as house made pickles, pimento cheese, and poutine caught my eye. We were wooed by the soup a hearty pork and green chile bowl that melted in your mouth. According to the menu and my taste buds, the pork was roasted 8 hours! The flavors were set off with citrus sour cream a perfect way to start our meal. For the main course we sampled two of the sandwiches. I couldn't resist the "Stake" sandwich a rich filet of beef sliced and served on a warm baguette with grilled tomato and blue cheese dressing. We also had to try the burger (a measure of any good restaurant). We opted for the "Steam Engine" basted in BBQ sauce and topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms, swiss and cheddar; paired with the sweet potato fries it was a hit.

Overall Freight delivers in flavorful food, unique drinks and charm. I cannot wait to head back up to Woodstock to enjoy the dinner menu and take on some of their house cocktails!

Sneak Peek Dinner at The Lawrence

Just after Christmas, we drove home 4 hours from Asheville, NC and rushed to pack for our 7 am flight to Los Angeles all to be ready to experience a sneak peek of The Lawrence.  Now in a soft opening phase and hosting seated dinners to build the buzz, over the holidays Scoutmob and The Lawrence hosted a series of four dinners to expose Atlanta to their concept. 


The Lawrence is housed at 905 Juniper in the old Beleza/ Cuerno spot once owned by Richard Ullio. Upon entering the space had been white washed, the bar was still unstained, and there were only candles to light the evening in the dining room, but the kitchen was hustling. 


This new concept comes to Midtown in an interesting collaboration between Patrick La Bouff  of Dinner Party Atlanta, Darren Carr and chef Shane Devereux partners with La Bouff from  Top Flr (Midtown) and Sound Table (O4W) , the chef de cuisine will be George Brooks (formerly at Rathbun's). Behind the bar as beverage directors The Lawrence features the amazing and friendly Eric Simpkins (DrinkShop/Trois) and T. Fable Jeon. Also according to Liza Dunning of LuxeCrush Atlanta,  the King of Pops brothers are investors in this property. 


So what do you get from such an interesting mash-up of young Atlanta culinary talent? A great night out, fabulous creative cocktails, thoughtful food, and a warm welcome from the whole team.


As we were seated, we were presented with our agenda for the night showcasing several of Simkin's cocktails and great wines along with small plates from throughout the menu. 

The menu

We eagerly sampled two cocktails along with some bar bites which came out of the kitchen in a self-serve style. The group encouraged guests to mingle in the space, ask questions of the busy chefs, and to get a feel for the concept. Our first cocktail featured Rye, brown sugar, maple, coffee and creme and was an excellent way to warm up on a very cold night. The second cocktail was my highlight of the night. It was a bright blend of Gin infused with jasmine tea (yes handmade) and paired with homemade cranberry jam, lime and sparkling rose. Who knew bartenders made their own jam? 

Our drinks were complemented by the small plates of pickled eggs, crispy hogs ears (yes they were good), house made beef jerky and a shot of creamy mushroom soup. 

Pickled Eggs

As we moved into the next courses, we were offered a sampling of some unique yet approachable wines ranging from a modern riesling to a rich Monastrell.  The small plates started with a beet salad, followed by house made fish sticks served with chick pea frites and stewed tomatoes, as Chef Devereaux explained this dish, he called it comfort food from his childhood dressed up.  The entree samples included a potato gnocchi with chicharrones, the flavors were rich and the textures a great contrast. The final entree was rabbit schnitzel, this was delicious with charred tomato and fennel salad. 

Beet Salad

Fancy Fish Sticks

Gnocchi

As we ate dinner, I had a chance to talk to La Bouff about the name. He said he was happy to have been able to select it and be supported by his partners. The Lawrence refers to St. Lawrence who as I guess good Catholics know was basically grilled to death. The tiny symbol on the menu is a little grill and St. Lawrence is known as the patron saint of chefs and cooks. A fitting name I would say with this collaboration. As La Bouff and Carr made their way around the room it was evident they are excited about this place. The took the time to explain their concept and welcomed us as return visitors with a swag bag for each guest including discounts for the year of 2012 and a gift certificate. 

For dessert, we enjoyed a slightly Asian flavor of rice pudding with coconut milk and cilantro. For someone who always prefers savory to super sweet this dessert hit the spot and cleared my palate for the final drink of the night, a chai buttered rum. For this Simkins made his own compound butter filled with brown sugar and slowly melted it into each drink. Talk about a hand crafted cocktail. I was glad the post holiday diet didn't start until the 1st! The evening ended with many leaving and some of us having time to talk with Simkins and get a chance to revisit our favorite drinks of the night. The headache on the 7am flight was well worth it. 

I am looking forward to their full opening and to returning soon to The Lawrence!

Wolf Mountain Sparkling Wine Class

The highlight of my Mid-May started with a tempting email from Wolf Mountain Vineyards. We joined the wine club there after a fall tasting and have been consistently impressed with the wine and the events offered to club members. May's treat was a special class on the making of their award winning sparkling wine. They make the one of the only true méthode champenoise wines in this part of the country.  This year their Blanc de Blancs took a gold medal and the Brut Rose took a silver medal at the 2011 Tasters Guild International Competition.

We headed off to Dahlonega on a beautiful morning, and were greeted with a complementary tasting in the tasting room then whisked off the the newly opened sparkling cellar. The space was cool and well decorated. We were seated at tables and offered a sampling of cheese and fruit to prepare for the class.

We worked our way through the making of each of the sparkling wines produced at Wolf Mountain. The brilliant Blanc de Blanc, the smooth Brut Rose and the slightly sweeter Demi-Sec. Each of the wines produced a crisp taste and finite bubbles that tickled your nose. The lesson continued with the ingredients for each wine, an overview of the process of riddling, and finally the moment we were all waiting for, making our own wine!

Each couple was able to choose their favorite sparkling wine and make a bottle to take home. We chose the Blanc de Blanc for its crisp light taste. We entered the room, selected our bottle, were able to remove the temporary cap to discharge the yeast built up from the fermentation, and quickly add the proper dosage to create our blend. The bottle was then re-caped by hand and ours to take home. I am waiting for the perfect night this fall by a fire to pop the top on the bottle!

Lunch awaited the guests after our class. We were treated to a delightful early summer buffet including salmon wellington, fruit, cheeses, encrusted chicken, and fresh salads.

For dessert I had to try the pound cake, chocolate covered strawberries and profiteroles!

Our day at Wolf Mountain once again was a great escape from the city. We are eagerly awaiting the fall harvest festival in October!

Miller Union

Lured by meeting Chef Satterfield at my cooking class this week, I finally made it over to Miller Union! This westside restaurant has been popular for a year bringing in rave reviews as well as big names looking for a great meal. I met friends for a drink on the patio after a long day and was determined to stay for dinner.

The drink menu was well developed featuring a number of house specialty cocktails in the now popular old school/classic cocktail style. I tried the Artichoke Spaceship. I am not really sure about the name, but I am sure about recommending this drink. If you have been reading recently you will know by now I have been on a bourbon kick the past few months. Assuming I may need to move on to more refreshing drinks soon, I settled into what I thought would be one of my last rich drinks of the season.  The Artichoke Spaceship was surprisingly light, and crisp. The bourbon was offset by bitters and lemon juice. It was served up and garnished with what I think was lemon or orange peel. Delicious. The wine list and other available spirits is enviable. I am looking forward to working my way through the drink list.

As an appetizer we tried the feta snack. We were not sure what we were getting and were pleasantly surprised. This mixture of feta cheese, buttermilk, olive oil, course salt, and fresh pepper made a fantastic dip for carrots, and red a black radishes.

I convinced a friend to stay for dinner. Moving inside, we were lead to a cozy two top. While the restaurant does have many tables, it is divided into several rooms making it much easier to have a conversation. The decor is stylized and classic.  For dinner we started with the butter lettuce salad topped with green goddess dressing. The dressing was flavorful and creamy, the greens were fresh and included fennel a favorite of mine,  but overall the salad was a little less inventive and layered than I had expected.

The entrees  were perfect. My friend gave the house made sausage a try. It came out over pureed rutabagas and we added a side of the best brussels sprouts I have ever eaten. The sausage was spicy and rich.

My entree was the duck. I guess along with bourbon, duck has been a winter staple for me (lucky me!) The duck was seasoned perfectly, served medium over a bed of farro with apples and pecans and along side a celery root puree. The sweetness of the apples played well off the flavor of the duck and the celery root puree lighted what could be a heavy dish. I will be back for this one before the menu changes to spring!

Miller Union is the perfect place to dive into Atlanta's growing batch of farm to table restaurants. Chef Satterfield is doing it right. The food is amazing and the prices are reasonable. I would recommend taking a trip over to this Westside gem. 

Atlanta Update H&F Bottle Shop (from Food & Wine)

A great article on the soon to open Holman & Finch Bottle Shop. I can't wait to get my hands on some of their crafty cocktail ingredients!

http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/mouthing-off/2011/2/7/fw-exclusive-inside-atlantas-hf-bottle-shop

Update: H. Harper Station




Photo borrowed from Food &Wine

  Last night was cold, and my parents were coming into town for dinner. I decided to take them to H. Harper Station for some warm comfort food, and because its only two streets over from my house!

I started dinner with a fabulous drink, by far the best one I have tried. It was called a Bufala Negra and was made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, basil, brown sugar, balsamic, ginger beer. It was warming, but not heavy and had a wonderfully complex flavor.

My parents started with the relish plate, and I again couldn't resist the deviled eggs or pimento cheese. We also were tempted by the salads. I enjoyed a roasted root vegetable salad with roasted beet, shaved radish, petite lettuce, goat cheese, parsnip chip,  and a roasted carrot vinaigrette. My parents loved the BLT salad which featured amazing blue cheese, pecans, cherry tomatoes and was served on a small half head of lettuce. We commented on how creative and beautiful the presentation was.

Our entrees were even better than my last dishes. My dad had the gumbo which was served in a smooth broth with sausage, mussels, crawfish and okra. The flavor was delicate, unlike most heavy gumbos I have tried. My mom had the Night Trains, mini pulled pork subs served with cole slaw and Zapps chips. I couldn't help myself, it was cold and I had heard how great the Bacon and Eggs Fettuccine was. When it arrived it had a poached egg on top, peas and mustard greens throughout, firm pasta, and great bits of smoky salty pork belly. Although I couldn't hold it all, I am looking forward to having this for lunch today.

Each time I have tried H. Harper Station, the food has been better. I can't wait for my next trip, I am thinking the pimento cheese grilled with tomato soup is sounding good! Sorry for the lack of pictures on this one. More to come.

Craving Cocktails at H. Harper Station

On a cold Friday night a few weeks ago, I ventured out to H. Harper Station. They had a soft opening the previous Sunday, and I was curious to see the next restaurant to fill the long vacant Atlanta & West Point rail station in Reynoldstown. Walking in the decor had changed some from the look of Depot, the previous tenant. New retro green milk glass chandeliers and trendy Edison style filament light bulbs hung over the tables and an entertaining small plate prep area was located at the end of the lengthy bar.

Surprisingly, we were seated immediately at 8 pm on a Friday night. I assume that there is much more of a wait now, but reservations are available online at Opentable. We perused the cocktail menu and were pleased to see many old fashioned drinks along side some inventive takes on the classics. The bar was well stocked with numerous choices for rye, gin, bourbon, wiskey, bitters, and housemade mixers. I chose the amulet, Hendricks gin with apricot brandy, dolin dry, grapefruit, and pernod. My date chose an old fashioned. My cocktail arrived in a cute old fashioned champagne style glass, a nice touch to the retro drinks.

The menu ranged from small bites to larger plates with a lean toward the southern. We started with the relish tray, for two. A nice plate arrived featuring pimento cheese, pickled veggies, and deviled eggs. This seems to be popular at restaurants today, but I can hapily say the pimento cheese stands out as one of my favorites, and the deviled eggs were delicous, different from many I have tried (in a good way).

Next we chose to diversify our order and had the parsnip and fennel soup along side the chicken salad sandwich, and the Springer Mountain chicken and mushrooms. The soup arrived thick and creamy. Much better texture than I expected from the ingrediants. This was so warm and flavorful. A perfect start to a comfort meal on a cold evening.

The chicken salad sandwich was fine, but nothing to write home about. We southern women are particular about our chicken salad. The chicken and mushrooms however was perfect. The chicken was roasted and served under a puree of rosemary infused pumpkin and over carmelized onions, carrots, mushrooms and toasted pumpkin seeds. The flavors were rich and distinct and the texture of the smooth onions with the pumpkin seeds was perfect. This was the confort dish I was seeking.

Overall H. Harper Station is somewhere I will return. Next time, I think I will plan to plant myself at the bar and enjoy a few more of ther great cocktails, while trying out a few more items on the menu.

Fabulous Fall Dinner with Staplehouse

I have been waiting for months to get a seat at this dinner table! Prelude to Staplehouse is a supper club of sorts hosted by Chef Ryan Hidinger  and Jen Hidinger. Ryan attended the Art Institute here in Atlanta after high school before returning to his home in Indianapolis to begin a career as a chef. That career took him from top restaurants in Indiana to Atlanta where he worked at Bacchanalia, Float Away Cafe, and finally Muss and Turners. Today the Hidingers are working on a new restaurant concept Staplehouse, which will feature fresh ingredients, craft beers, and a great bar. They hope to have great food in a comfortable atmosphere with a reasonable range of price points. The Prelude to Staplehouse dinners have quickly become one of the hottest tickets for Atlanta foodies. The moment an invitation goes out, hopefuls respond to the email invite and cross their fingers for one of the 10 seats. They have been hosting formal five course dinners, and some family style three course meals on an almost monthly basis. I tried for two months to snag a seat, responding three minutes after the email came out to no avail. Then finally I grabbed two spots for the October 24th family style dinner!

We arrived at the cute house in Grant Park for the reception and were greeted warmly by Jen and introduced to the other guests for the evening. Mostly Atlantans, the crowd ranged from younger folks to slightly older couples, but we all had an interest in food and wine. Ryan was hard at work in the kitchen, and the smells were amazing. The menu for the night was to be served family style and paired with wine and beer. They served a fennel apple salad with hazelnuts, grain mustard and goat cheese, a roasted loin of boar with caramelized apples, onions and sage, and finally the best homemade pumpkin pie I have ever eaten (sorry mom).

The fennel and apple salad was crisp and fresh, topped with goat cheese, nuts, and bacon (yes please!). It had the perfect balance of clean crisp texture and a rich fall  flavors to complement the cozy meal.  The boar loin was something I had not experienced. I have eaten wild boar several times in Italy and here in Atlanta, but typically had seen it served stewed or as a part of a ragu or bolognese sauce. The wild boar loin was tender, lean and ultra flavorful. It was served atop caramelized apples, onions, and sage with other fall root veggies. The meat was not too rich, and without knowing it was boar most would have though it was a heavenly marinaded pork tenderloin.

Finally the dessert, the pumpkin pie had a homemade crust, a real pumpkin filling (no canned pumpkin here) and was topped with a maple syrup whipped cream. This was paired fantastically with a pumpkin ale. The flavors washed together to create the perfect ending to a great meal.  For some great pictures of the food taken by Jen as well as recap of the meal, check out their blog.

Ryan and Jen were such gracious hosts, welcoming us to their home, and sharing their fantastic food. Ryan took time to tell us about his concept, his cooking style, and the plans for the new restaurant. Today another dinner invitation came out, but sadly I will be out of town. So now, I wait poised over my gmail for the next invitation, and am eagerly awaiting the opening of Staplehouse.

Upcoming Foodie Fest

The Taste of Atlanta Festival will be held next weekend October 23rd and 24th in Midtown (Tech Square). What a perfect way to spend a weekend! The event will feature over 70 restaurants, celebrity chefs and a wine, beer and cocktail experience. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of the event. Kids 13 and under are free with an adult admission. Plus there is a $75 VIP option with access to more food and the drinks!  This is a great way to get exposure to all the culinary delights Atlanta has to offer!

By Popular Demand: Merideth's Favorite Spots in Atlanta

Several friends have asked recently for recommendations on my favorite places to eat in Atlanta. Since that was the original point of this blog and since I have spent most of my time here recently pining away for France in print, I now am obliged to share my top picks for eating out in Atlanta. I may go back and edit this from time to time. There is no guarantee here that you will like my restaurants, or that I indeed have what you would call a sophisticated palate, but here you go.

Favorite All Time Restaurant: Sotto Sotto. I choose this little Italian restaurant every time I can for dates, birthdays and special occasions.

Favorite Italian: Sotto Sotto

Second Place: Almalfi (OTP) located off Atlanta Rd. near Roswell Square, this family style Italian place is a hidden out of the way gem.

Favorite Mexican: Nuevo Laredo Cantina- I don't think you can graduate from Georgia Tech and not learn to love this place. Their salsa is perfect, the brisket is amazing, and they have a delicious mole sauce.

Second Place: Mi Barrio- Located on Memorial Dr. near Oakland Cemetery this small hole in the wall wins points for authenticity. I have been told it is one of the few places inside the perimeter to get good tamales.

Favorite Buford Hwy ethnic: Panahar Bangladeshi Cuisine- they are always friendly and the food has a rich combination of herbs and spices that stand out differently from Indian cuisine.

Second Place: Hae Woo Dae- this no longer secret Korean BBQ hole in the wall has an amazing selection of meats for grilling and other traditional Korean rice dishes.

Favorite Breakfast/ Brunch: Babette's Cafe I can't pass up the tenderloin Benedict on fresh bread with amazing Hollandaise sauce, or the french toast which is to die for.

Second Place: Flying Biscuit Some may argue they are not as good since they went chain, but I still love some love cakes, and you cant beat the biscuits at the Candler Park location.

Favorite Southern Food: The Farmhouse at Serenbe Making a small trip south of Atlanta is well worth it for authentic and flavorful southern food in a picturesque setting.

Second Place: Horseradish Grill or Murphys These Atlanta staples still hold a place in my heart for my favorite southern food done well and with a gourmet twist. The BBQ appetizer and fried okra at HRG and the pork shank and meatloaf at Murphys take my vote, and you can't beat either for their amazing desserts.

Favorite Sandwiches: Toscano and Sons The perfect little out of the way Italian sandwich shop and market of Marietta Street. They know how to do a panini with only fresh Italian cured meats and cheese on authentic bread.

Second Place: Cafe Lily (grilled cheese, lunch menu only) Bar none, the best grilled cheese in Atlanta. Perfect in Fall with the tomato basil soup!

Favorite Romantic Date: Atmosphere Bistro This special little place is tiny, cozy and has a fabulous French menu. Cuddling up at the fire on the outside patio also makes for a nice night.

Second Place: Amuse- Again French food, but this one swings south toward Provence. Amuse is another tiny house with a great menu and cozy charm.

Favorite Casual Date Night: Young Augustines This is my new favorite hang out on Memorial Drive. They have amazing gourmet pub style food with an inventive beer menu as well as bocce ball courts!

Second Place: Iberian Pig If you haven't tried this place on Decatur Square yet, you need to. This Spanish style restaurant is the only place in Atlanta to serve Iberico pork. Their menu is a mix of tapas, flatbreads, and main entrees. They also have a great wine and cocktail list.

Favorite First Date: Rathbuns Consistently one of my favorite places to eat in Atlanta. Kevin Rathbun and friends know how to cook! The atmosphere is nice, and the food delicious. Be sure to try to ask for one of the booths along the wall. They are great fro cuddling and for people watching, plus the main floor tends to be noisy.

Second Place: Shauns Out of the way but not off the map in Inman Park Shaun's has clean southern style cuisine. With an emphasis on the ingredient, you can't beat the hanger steak with duck fat fries, or their shrimp and grits served in what looks like a fish bowl! They also have played host to my family's Easter brunch for the past 3 years, amazing.

Favorite Steak: Kevin Rathbun Steak This place knows how to do steak, and you pay for it! Its pricey, but mouthwatering good. The atmosphere is a modern masculine with dark woods and mood lighting. The food is out of this world. For a girl who loves steak and has eaten at some of the best places in Manhattan, this is still my favorite place to indulge in red meat!

Second Place: Bones The Atlanta boys club standard. I first went here in high school and was impressed with the professional waiters with crumbers! This place is an institution. They know how to cook steaks and cater to the business crowd.

Favorite Cocktail: Holman and Finch I followed Greg Best from his days as bartender (mixologist) at Restaurant Eugene to H&F. This more laid back restaurant lets his interest in experimental food and meats shine. They are famous for the cocktail list and the burger!

Second Place: Ecco (elderflower gin martini) and Leon's  Ecco is known for its wine list and its great food, but I swoon for the Elderflower Martini. It actually won an award from Bombay Gin for best cocktail. Ask the bartender to see the bedazzled gin bottle trophy! Leons is a great laid back hang out in Decatur. They have a fun menu, bocce ball, a great patio and some tasty hand made cocktails.

Favorite Burger: Abittoir  I have written this one up in the past. I keep going back and bypassing the whole wonderful menu for this burger! Made of pork, it is the perfect blend of flavor and juiciness.

Second Place: Highland Tap In the dark basement bar of Highland Tap lives one of Atlanta's best burgers. Sirloin burger made old school with your choice of toppings and some killer onion rings to boot.

Favorite Tacos: Matador Cantina With two locations one in Oakhurst and one within walking distance from my house in Glennwood Park, Matador holds its own in the quest for tacos. I love the Texas and the Carnita the most!

Second Place: Taquiera del Sol If you are willing to wait in line, then you can experience some of the most creative taco flavors in Atlanta. They may not be traditional but they are good. A margarita or two helps to pass the time in line.

Favorite Pizza Antico Pizza Nepolitano With their ingredients, chef, and even the ovens imported from Naples Italy you can't beet Antico for authentic Italian style pizza. Take your own wine and eat in the kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action. Save room for the cannoli.

Second Place: Fritti- A sister to Sotto Sotto Fritti offers an authentic thin crust selection of pizzas with one of the best Italian wine lists in Atlanta.

Favorite BBQ: Fox Brothers Located on Dekalb Ave. this BBQ establishment was a newcomer to Atlanta and is holding their own against some stiff competition. I recommend the pork, and the Tomminator tater tots covered in Brunswick stew covered in cheese. The fried pickles are also addictive.

Second Place: Harolds BBQ- So old school they don't have a website. They are located at   
171 McDonough Blvd SE Atlanta. Best Brunswick Stew in Atlanta. If you want to eat lunch with the guys from the Capitol pull up a seat here. They are in a bad location, with an old interior and little parking, yet always full. I think this speaks volumes about their food!

Favorite Thai: Surin of Thailand- A long time favorite of mine, seems to be less crowded these days which is fine with me. My favorite here is the Pad Prik King.

Second Place Northlake Thai- A sister to Eurasia Bistro in Decatur, this one is out of the way and located in a Kroger shopping center, but its worth the drive and a try. They have Panang Curry nailed!


By Neighborhood
Midtown: Ecco, Top Flr, Tierra, Noon
Decatur: Iberian Pig, Watershed, Cafe Lily
Inman Park: Sotto Sotto, Parish, Rathbuns, Shauns
East Atlanta/ Grant Park/ Cabbagetown: Six Feet Under, Agave, Young Augustines, The Earl
Buckhead: Horseradish Grill, Grand China

Paris Day 3: Chateau O Champagne Cruise

When planning for Paris, a wine tasting seemed to be in order. As we searched, we came across rave reviews for tastings with Chateau O. They offer several styles of tastings, from longer more extensive wine tastings, to tours, to chocolate tastings. We had planned on taking a Seine cruise on the Bateau-Mouches so when we saw Chateau O offered a cruise with private champagne tasting we were sold! The boat departed from just behind the Eiffel Tower which was easily walkable from our hotel. We arrived at the docks and kicked off the evening with a glass of rose at their bar. Yes even the boat docks have bars and cafes.

The boat arrived around 6:30. The weather threatened rain, but the overcast skies were a welcome reprieve from the hot weather of earlier in the day. As we boarded with the other couples we were delighted to find we would be hosted in a private cabin with exclusive access to the bow of the ship. So not only did we get to sample champagne, but we were not crammed into our seats with all of the other tourists who frequent these tours. With 4 other couples we tasted 4 extraordinary champagnes as we made our way down the Seine past the Ile Saint-Louis and back to the Eiffel Tower. This was a perfect way to see the city. Our sommelier was knowledgeable about the champagnes, and the city but was careful not to interrupt the tranquility and romance of the cruise itself. I certainly plan to try other outings with Chateau O when I return to Paris.

East Atlanta Beer Festival

This Saturday is the annual East Atlanta Beer Festival. While tickets just sold out, you can still come to the event to drink and experience one of Atlanta's most interesting neighborhoods. I have lived in East Atlanta since 2003 and have seen the shops and bars in the village change many times. Today there is an eclectic mix of food and drink. I hope you will all take the time to visit a great part of town and to support the local bars and shops in my neighborhood.

Mi Favorita Margaritas ( My Favorite Margaritas)

Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow and that calls for margaritas. There are plenty of places to drink them around Atlanta, but in my humble opinion a good margarita here is hard to find. About 5 years ago a friend of mine made margaritas for a dinner party. She had taken a cooking class at Nava in Buckhead.  The chef had shared the Nava margarita recipe. Since that day, I have been perfecting the recipe to my taste and have become sort of a margarita snob.

Here is my version of this classic and pretty easy recipe:

1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (blood orange is really good too)

1 1/4 cup tequila (I prefer Don Julio Anjeo, but your favorite will do)

1/2 cup Cointreau

**1 cup of simple syrup (see recipe here)

** instead of simple syrup, you can substitute one cup of Splenda powder. Place this in a measuring cup, then add water. The Splenda powder will dissolve. Add enough water to bring it back up to one cup.

For other places in Atlanta to buy pretty good margaritas check out my favorites list:

1. Agave
2. Nava
3. Taquiera del Sol
4. Nuevo Laredo
5. Lupe