We grew up eating here and it’s been our regular back-up plan when nothing else appeals. The steaks are always cooked perfectly. The roasted chicken is delicious. The salads (I’ve heard) are fantastic. But there’s one best kept secret here: the burgers. They’re phenomenal. Go now.
Houston’s
3321 Lenox Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 237-7534
Remember the rambunctious Chef Paul Luna of the Eclipse di Luna and Loca Luna fame? Well, he’s back — now more humbled, more determined, more helpful, and, well, more behaved. His new mantra is to offer the most affordable food to everyone, and I mean everyone: from the students, the homeless, the druggies, to the dealers. He’s got one happy place where everybody is welcome. But it doesn’t stop there. His ultimate goal is to teach inner city kids how to cook, not only to gain basic skills, but to provide them with an opportunity to experience something different and worthwhile. Refreshing and admirable.
Lunacy Black Market is in a converted loft that is eclectic yet impressive with shiny hardwood floors, comfy couches, and mismatched tables and chairs. The no-frills lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads, and fries. Prices start at $1.75 and nothing is over $3.75. Yes, you read it right. Sandwiches for less than two bucks. And made with the freshest ingredients that are all sourced from neighboring Sweet Auburn Curb Market.
Having just eaten a complete meal a mere 10 minutes prior to arriving, we decided to just order everything on the menu and share. Well, not exactly everything since we had to skip the shrimp in deference to my good buddy EZ who only eats kosher. But I had to draw the line at pork. And no, he didn’t eat it. All the sandwiches are very good. They are smallish, a 4-inch square of freshly-baked bread, but filled with meaty goodness. Two should fill you up nicely. The house-made, roasted for hours, pork sandwich is the best, very tender, and flavorful. The potato fries are sweet and crispy. I didn’t taste the salad but my two companions said it was great, with the cheese and walnuts adding texture and flavor.
This is an incredible place for cheap but really wonderful eats. And it’s so close to school — a little over a mile which is really walking distance. The entire staff is extremely friendly.
Insider tip:
The dinner menu has prices in the $5 range which includes a whole fish.
Metered street parking only.
Now accepts credit cards.
The scoop:
Lunacy Black Market
231 Mitchell St. SW,
Atlanta, GA 30303
404.736.6164
Technorati Tags: Paul Luna, downtown, Atlanta, cheap eats
Lenox Square Grill is like a breath of fresh air. It gave mallers another dining option. Tired of eating the same food at the same places while at Lenox, our hyper mother decided we needed to give it a try . We ate there three times in one week. Then we came back for more the following week. LSG is part of the group that brought us Tavern at Phipps, Joey D, and New York Prime, to name a few. Occupying the space that was once The Clubhouse, the ambiance is just a tad more casual but with the same clubhouse look and feel. Yes, the same. Nothing in the decor has been changed. But gone is the stuffy feel. It is still classy but in a more down-to-earth kind of way.
The menu is extensive which is not surprising since they are open from 7 in the morning until 2AM. I already have a (current) favorite in the Giant Barbecue Beef Rib. My mom and I have eaten it twice. It is a huge slab with fork-tender meat and melt-in-your mouth fat. It is slow-roasted for 8 hours. What is not to love? By the way, I do not like my meat swimming in barbecue sauce so I always get this with barbecue sauce on the side.
The blackened True Southern Catfish comes with two beautifully pan-seared fillets that are seasoned well, fresh tasting, and tender. For $10.50 with two sides, you can not beat its value.
The Barbecue Beef Rib sandwich is meat cut from the Giant Barbecue Beef Rib so if you do not want to mess with bones, this is a good choice. It comes bathed in just enough barbecue sauce. The meat is cut into long cubes which adds more texture than the usual pulled meat. The egg bun is soft and buttery.
The Lenox Country Dinner comes with two country-fried, boneless pork chops that were just delicious. They are very lightly battered and fried golden. The chops are so juicy and tasty. It came with two sides and a giant biscuit that was fresh from the oven. The biscuit is not your usual southern variety. This one has a sweetish soft crust and an airy, yeasty inside. The sausage gravy, which I am not a fan of, is surprisingly good, with lots of sausage chunks.
We have tasted many sides. The creamed corn is outstanding, made from fresh whole kernels. Creamy and sweet. I get an extra order of this every time. The coleslaw has just the right amount of mayo and is not overly sweet. Both the collard and turnip greens were soft, yet not mushy, and not offensively bitter. The sweet potato fries are consistently crispy and not oily. The fried okra is battered lightly and fried golden.
I was feeling famished one visit so I also got a side of Challah French Toast with my meal. I would not order this again — it was a bit over grilled so the bread became hard. It also lacked more of the custard batter that make French toast what they are, and I could hardly taste the cinnamon even though the menu specifically said they use cinnamon batter.
It is great that there are more dining choices at Lenox Square now and you never have to go far or drive away from the mall. Food is good, prices are very reasonable, portions are big, and service (and management) are both exceptional.
Insider tip:
Live music at night.
Covered patio is also heated.
The scoop:
Lenox Square Grill
3393 Peachtree Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 841-2377
Technorati Tags: diner, Buckhead, Lenox Square, American, Southern
I’ve enjoyed Chef Jay Swift’s continental cuisine back when he was still at Rainwater (Alpharetta, now closed). Now in Midtown, his take on farm-to-table comfort food is refreshing.
The menu is divided into the day’s dishes, as well as the current seasonal offerings. On a recent visit, all I wanted to eat were the small plates. My first of three started with the Crispy Brussels Sprout salad which came highly recommended by our server. These are small sprouts, flash-fried, served with North Georgia apple slices. This salad was really delicious. I loved the crispiness of the brussels sprouts whose slight bitterness was countered by the tart apples and the sweet apple cider reduction then tempered by decadent creme fraiche.
The Slow Braised Lamb Cheeks was the one thing I really wanted to eat that evening and I was not disappointed. The lamb cheeks were so tender and tasty. The reduced braising sauce was so dense and intensified in flavor. The accompanying diced, root vegetables provided some crunch, while the smoked bacon provided smokiness and a tiny hint of saltiness to the sweetish sage jus. It was reminiscent of braised brisket but with more character. Delicious.
I love risottos so getting the Champagne and Oyster Mushroom Risotto was a natural choice. The oysters were fresh and the light dusting of batter gave them a bit of crunch while still retaining their original softness. However, the risotto wasn’t as creamy as I wanted it to be. It was also more on the runny side, with the grains separating from each other. While I don’t like gluey, clumpy risotto, I also don’t prefer it to be soupy.
I was able to taste other dishes my friends ordered. The Pan Roasted Duck Breast was just divine, served at the perfect medium-rare temperature in some tangy berry sauce. The Veal Schnitzel was ever so tender with only a thin coating of batter. The spätzle that came with the dish was perfectly prepared, with the Swiss chard, and farm egg, all rounding up this great dish. We were all curious about the Mac ‘n Cheese so we talked someone in the big group to get it with his meal. Good choice, it was creamy and just plain good.
Service and food are all top notch.
Insider tip:
The floor-to-ceiling, glass-walled kitchen is an exciting sight to see, visible from any part of the restaurant.
The scoop:
4th & Swift
621 North Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
(678) 904-0160
Technorati Tags: Jay Swift, American, Midtown, Old Fourth Ward
We were next door getting fitted for dresses for my sister’s wedding and decided to have a late lunch here; not because we like it but because it was a mere few steps away and I was beyond starving. I don’t think they changed the decor all that much from when this place used to be Rock Bottom Brewery. I do like the new patio with a working fireplace.
We were given several menus. The regular one was two-foot high and 5 pages long. It would take a good 10 minutes just to read everything on it. The Oktoberfest menu, available for a limited time, was more navigable. The Festbier Combo was actually pretty good and came with an assortment of appetizers. The fries were crisp and golden with lots of garlic bits. The garlic taste might be a little overpowering to some but I love garlic and these fries had lots of them in taste and in appearance. Two skewers with grilled bratwurst, knackwurst, and Hungarian sausage also came with the combo. The sausage was excellent in flavor with the charring from the grill giving it additional smokiness. The bratwurst and knackwurst pretty much tasted identical and although they weren’t all that bad, they weren’t all that good either. I did notice a snap in every bite, however. I loved their version of pretzels. They were fat, soft, and doughy inside. A few dips into the beer mustard and you’ve got an excellent snack.
The Fresh Mozzarella pizza caught my eye so we had to get it. What a disappointment when it came out with small globs of what they call fresh mozzarella. It didn’t even taste like fresh mozzarella at all. While the crust is chewy and thick, which was okay, the pizza sauce was almost non-existent. The only taste you get is crust, bland cheese, and basil.
The Beef Short Ribs entree was huge. The ribs were fork tender but tasted blandish on its own. The mushroom jus was added at plating instead of cooking them in it. It would have been so much better if it was the other way around. The mountain of sauerkraut mashed potatoes was a good touch and tasted quite good. The braised cabbage had a good sweetish hint. A hearty meal if there ever was one.
I have been to another GB location and was never blown away by the food. GB is kinda like a last resort when it comes to choosing a place to eat. It was there, it was convenient, so we went.
Insider tip:
Plenty of parking across the way or you can use the parking deck.
The scoop:
Gordon Biersch Brewery - Buckhead
3242 Peachtree Road NE
Buckhead, Atlanta, GA 30305
404-264-0253
Remember the famous Peasant chain of restaurants? You’d be surprised to find out that one of my very first jobs as a teenager was as a server at Mick’s. It was such a coveted job among teenies that I delved into it with such gumption as someone trying to win the Presidency. My mom, the best supporter one can ever have, bought me several hundred dollars worth of pricey uniform — six sets in all. For the days I would have been working. Guess how long I lasted on the job? Two days. I had a new found respect for servers after that.
While the Peasant group has been sold and none of its member restaurants still exists, one last hurrah remains in the form of Peasant Bistro, located across from the Georgia Aquarium, and owned by two ladies who wanted to keep the name and group alive. My parents and I met my wonderful aunt for lunch a few weeks ago and was astounded by everything about it. The place is beautiful — modern but with a romantic feel, thanks in part to the curved staircase that provides the focal point (the romantic part); and the exposed smooth, white brick walls, and dark planked floors (the modern part). I know it’s a cliché but it really transforms you: from the harsh environment of downtown, to this elegant, cozy place.
We started out with the Calamari and Fried Green Tomatoes. The Calamari was okay, but didn’t really make a lasting effect on me. They were, at least, fresh and not chewy. I still think Murphy’s Calamari is tops. The FGT were pretty good, with the creamy goat cheese and red pepper sauce elevating this Southern staple.
I love beets and I always get it whenever I see it on the menu especially when goat cheese is involved. Simple and good.
Their version of Shrimp and Grits, which my dad, my aunt, and I all got was pretty straight-forward. It had fresh, plump, big shrimp on a bed of creamy cheese grits with a few pieces of andouille sausage in a tomato cream sauce. It’s a good sized entree. Flavor-wise, it was spot on, though, I would have liked it to have a bit more spiciness.
The Grilled Pork Chop was a clear winner. It was well seasoned, perfectly cooked, tender, and with lots of juices oozing out. The Sweet Corn Bread Pudding was a surprise hit. It had the consistency of a hard quiche inside but with a hardish, bread-like crust outside. There were lots of whole kernel corn incorporated in it, too, that provided a little hint of sweetness.
Overall, I like the 5-star feel you get while dining here, but without the pretension. Prices are quite reasonable for the portion size and quality/taste of the food (entrees average $12).
Insider tip:
Fantastic service
Valet parking is $5.
The scoop:
Peasant Bistro
250 Park Ave West NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 230-1724
Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Downtown, Peasant Bistro, Peasant Group, Southern, American food
For the first time ever, the moon and stars were aligned properly that I was able to attend a supper club this past weekend. I’ve been turning down opportunities for over a year now so I was so excited because this time, I could actually go. This one is for the prelude to Staplehouse.
Staplehouse is a new venture from Ryan Hindinger who is Chef de Cuisine at Muss & Turner’s which is set to open in the near future. With the meticulous assistance of his lovely wife Jen, sous chef Ben, and sommelier (and avid supporter) Ryan Turner (the T in M&T), Ryan showcases his kitchen prowess by offering intimate dinners at his home where folks can preview what to expect at Staplehouse when it finally opens.
I had a wonderful time at Ryan and Jen’s. The 6-course meal was absolutely fantastic. To read about the meal in detail, go to Foodie Buddha where he captures the evening in great detail.
After undergoing a multi-million renovation, The Georgian Terrace, an Atlanta institution, now sports a more grand, more modern appeal while still retaining its Southern feel.
Included in the face lift is the beautiful Livingston restaurant and bar headed by Chef Gary Mennie. The stylish space includes snakeskin-covered furniture, chrome and leather seats, and floor-to-ceiling windows, among other things. A revolving door was retained from the original design and now stands as a stationary place to showcase wine bottles. It seems out of place, really.
On a recent visit with a regular lunch buddy, we decided to get items from three sections of the menu. We started off with the Wellfleet Oysters Gratin. Served on a bed of rock salt, whole peppercorns and star anise, the oysters are plump, fresh, and briny. The spinach, cheese, and bacon added just a tiny hint of flavor and texture. Great execution on this simple dish.
Next, we went with the Pick-3-for-$15 martini lunch: peeky toe crab salad, white truffle chicken salad, and grilled hangar steak. While the presentation was superb (using stemless martini glasses), the flavor of each item was lacking. As my friend, I also noticed a considerable amount of lettuce in each serving. The peeky toe crab was under-salted which focused on the taste of the mayo instead of the crab. Sad. And such a waste. The white truffle chicken salad tasted about the same. I did like the texture of the chicken which was grilled before being tossed in dressing. The hangar steak was cooked perfectly but sadly, I couldn’t discern any stand out flavor. Meh.
For our mains, we went with the Georgia White Shrimp and a good ol’ burger. First off, five medium pieces of steamed shrimp doesn’t justify $14 in my book. Especially if it’s devoid of any flavor. Although fresh, the shrimp’s simplicity couldn’t be saved by the bland fava bean puree. The bits of ham hock did add a tiny hint of flavor but not enough to elevate the dish. I was totally disappointed with it.
The burger was mediocre at best. I wasn’t too keen on the crumbly, flavorless, dryish bun. Honestly, I’ve had better fast food burgers. Worse, I bit several pieces of hard rock salt in the patty. This just didn’t do it for me.
Overall, a disappointing meal — both in taste and in value. I was hoping Chef Mennie would be more inventive with the food. I’m pretty sure his menu is a work-in-progress.
Insider tip:
Complimentary valet parking — however, you must have your ticket validated.
The scoop:
Livingston Restaurant + Bar
659 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 898-8316
Technorati Tags: Georgian Terrace, hotel restaurants, bar, Midtown, Atlanta
I come from a family of big appetites (thank heavens for good genes or we’d have ballooned popped by now). After eating a plate of fried chicken, collard greens, biscuits, and muffins last Saturday, we had the audacity to keep our reservations at Shaun’s an hour later. But we never made it. The Inman Park Festival was in full force and no valet, available lot, nor parking spot is in sight. Since mom didn’t want to walk in the area late at night (she’s paranoid like that), we ended up at KRS instead. Where there’s valet.
We were surprised to get a last minute reservation for 7:45pm on a Saturday night and even more surprised to get seated right at once, nabbing a great booth in a restaurant where not a single table was empty when we came in. The vibe was cool and upbeat, the crowd, a gamut from the hip to the oldies.
Since we just had dinner, we decided to go light. We started with the Roast Mixed Beet Salad with Sweet Grass Dairy goat cheese and candied pecans. This is one of my favorite salads and I almost always order it whenever it’s on the menu. The version here is simple and pretty straight-forward — big cubes of red and yellow beets, dollops of creamy cheese, candied pecans. I love the contrasting tastes and textures. It was a good sized salad and possibly good enough for two if you’re having a heavy entree.
My mom got the Bone-in Smoked Beef Rib (her favorite). The smoked rib was literally fall-of-the-bone tender and served in an au jus which is delicious: slight, slight hint of sweet, salty, peppery. This is oh-my-gosh-this-is-so-good at every bite. She never tires of it and neither do I.
My sister and I each had the Prime Japanese Waygu Beef Burger: twelve ounces of heavenly meat, ground as you order, and served medium rare. You can’t get any better than this. Well, not really. The meat itself is top-notch, no doubt, but the reason we’re ranking this No. 2 is because of the bread. It was on the dry side and not enough sweetness to cut through the meaty taste. Which is why H&F is still king. H&F bread on Chef Kevin’s burger meat? Well, that would be a dream.
Side notes:
Mom and sister got the Chocolate Mousse and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake for dessert. Both were good but it’s evident that desserts are not the major strength here.
Service was impeccable. We had a great kick out of a Hillary Duff dead-ringer for a server who gave us nothing but the best service. My medium burger was delivered medium-rare. No biggie there, I ate it all. Sister’s burger had to be taken back twice (her medium rare was delivered well-done, and very rare on the second try) but the manager handled it so well we didn’t mind the 45-minute wait. Kudos to him for the excellent treatment we were given (just so you know and I must say this, I always dine out anonymously). To top it off, valet had our car ready for us as soon as we stepped out the door. Fantastic.
Insider tip:
A few feet away from Rathbun’s.
They have Anne Amie wine!
The scoop:
Kevin Rathbun Steak
154 Krog St NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 524-5600
Technorati Tags: steaks, Inman Park, American food, Atlanta, Kevin Rathbun
The Vietnamese stall inside Super H Mart in Johns Creek closed two months ago. A new European stall has opened in its place. My curiosity got piqued when I saw gulasch on the menu board. I mean, gulasch in a food court? I’m so there. But what really won me over was the picture of the bread dumplings next to the gulasch. When I was in Prague last year, I ate bread dumplings 3-4 times a day. The entire week! Bread, in an form, is my absolute weakness.
So I ordered a couple of things — the gulasch and the frikadellen. I should have known it wasn’t gonna be authentic after I found out that the Korean grandmother hostess was none other than the cook. She is the nicest, sweetest grandmother, though, and fed me like a starving granddaughther who hadn’t eaten in days. She also kept pushing food at me from the kitchen, just like a real grandma.
The gulasch, as expected, tasted more Korean than Czechoslovakian. It was really Korean stew, if anything else. It did taste bold and flavorful, and the meat pieces were very tender. Unfortunately, the bread dumplings are only for photography purposes as I learned they’ll never have it available. She gave me steamed rice instead (although I could have very well gotten fried rice).
The frikadellen (German meat patties) were as delicious as the German version — meaty with spinach, carrots, and a bit of cilantro (for that Korean touch). All meals come with a side of salad (and soup if requested; she gave me both).
This is a good place to eat homecooked European meals with a touch of Korean. Meals start at $5.95 and portions are huge. Other menu items include pasta bolognese, schnitzel, Asian noodles, fried rice, fish, chicken tenders. Where else can you order gulasch (or any European dish) with fried rice?
Insider tip:
Located inside Super H Mart in Johns Creek (141/Peachtree Parkway)
The scoop:
O My Food
10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd
Johns Creek 30097
(678) 474-0315
Technorati Tags: Super H Mart, Johns Creek, Italian, Chinese, German, Eastern European, Korean
