Chow Down Atlanta

Remember Genki in Buckhead? Well, they gave up half of their space to this new Italian restaurant/wine bar. Decor is the usual Buckhead type bar/restaurant — yellow walls, dark woods, shiny floors, cozy booths, not to mention a humongous patio which is great for people watching or catching some rays. They have a pretty long wine list and the usual beers (including Fat Tire).

I was surprised by the pizzas which are actually pretty good — the crust is sweetish, thin, nicely charred. The pizza sauce is very good: fresh, not runny, not paste like. I had the Margherita (they use ricotta cheese but I prefer mozzarella), Pepperoni (I like that it wasn’t salty), and Cheese.

The Meatball Stomboli is also very good. I love its yeasty dough filled with lots of mozzarella cheese.

The Cheese Ravioli with its creamy sauce is also a good choice. The pasta is perfectly cooked, just the way I like it — right in the middle of al dente and mushy.

This is another good addition to the area.

Insider tip:
Valet parking and street parking.

The scoop:
Villa Vino
3188 Roswell Rd
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 228-3934

Technorati Tags: Italian, Buckhead, Fat Tire, bar

Teela is a new venture from former Eros owner Nik Panagopoulos who aims to bring fun food — tacos — this side of town.  The new digs is nestled inside Sandy Spring’s City Walk which is a huge upscale plaza with a big Kroger, bars, restaurants, and shops. Lots of parking spaces, too. Teela sits on one end close to one of the exits.

The Trios starter at $8.50 is a great way to sample the appetizers at Teela. It comes with a bowl of salsa, guacamole, and queso. I particularly loved the fresh, warm tortilla chips dusted with nacho seasoning that adds and extra oomph to an otherwise ho-hum chip and dip combo.

I sampled many tacos during my visit. The Brisket had chunks of fork-tender meat simmered in a blend of Mexican spices.  The Fajita Steak is quite possibly the best in the menu, with thick, juicy slices of flavorful steak. The Fried Chicken, Bang Bang Shrimp, Mushroom, and Pork Carnitas are all equally good. Tacos are smallish so 2-3 can make for a filling lunch (or dinner).

Enchiladas come two to an order but I requested two different kinds for mine. The Mole Chicken and and Fajita Steak were both good — tasty, with huge chunks of meat.

Overall a great place and fun place, complete with a funky patio — great for meeting people for drinks and a quick (and a cheap) bite to eat.

Insider tip:
Menu can be found here.

The scoop:
Teela Taqueria
227 Sandy Springs Pl NE
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 604-9893

Technorati Tags: Tacos, Sandy Springs, Mexican, Bar, Roswell

Ok, so I’m back and hungry at odd times of the day. I never have jet lag but food lag is a great enemy. I seriously need to decompress — two weeks of eating fattening food nonstop can’t be all good. Need to eat healthy for a week at least. Where’s self-control when you need it? I have yet to upload all the (hundreds of) pictures I took. I’m afraid I’ll be hungry again when I look at all those mouth-watering European food pictures so I may hold off on that for a couple of days. Self control. I did camp out at mom’s house all day yesterday eating home-cooked meals so that’s a good start, right? (Plus an evil side trip to Jake’s to satisfy my sister’s major sweet tooth.) Eating mom’s cooking plus watching dvds all day at the parents’ house is pure bliss. So give me a day or two to get back into the groove.

Chloe.

Aside from the super fresh veggies, hard to find Asian goods, Mexican dry goods, and Korean ready-to-eat foods, one of the best things about Buford Highway Farmer’s Market is the new Eastern European aisle where assorted deli meats and cheeses, as well as fresh pastries, are now available. My current favorite is the oh-so-delicious Farmer Cheese Blinchiki. One piece sets you back $1.25. These blintz are addictive. The crepes are eggy and filled with creamy farmer’s cheese and sweet golden raisins. Great for breakfast or a mid-afternoon snack. I get a dozen at a time!

Buford Highway Farmer’s Market
5600 Buford Hwy NE
Doraville, GA 30340
(770) 455-0770

Technorati Tags: ethnic grocery, Doraville, farmer’s market