Chow Down Atlanta

Murphy’s has been a family favorite since I was a teenager. Located in the hip neighborhood of Virginia Highland, Murphy’s has been consistently good with their food and service for over 25 years. Despite having eaten here countless of times, we never tire of the food. I’ve tried almost every item on the menu and though I have my favorites (and not-so-favorites), I can honestly say you can’t go wrong with any items. My top recommendations include: Grilled Pork Chop (thick, smoked, very juicy, very flavorful but only available in the summer), Braised Beef Brisket (fall-of-the-bone tender and delicious), Shrimp and Grits (light but packed with flavor), Flash-fried Calamari (fresh and perfectly battered), and the North Georgia Trout (clean, refined taste). For brunch, try the Corned Beef Hash (the mustard gives it a kick), the Cheesy Grits (also available as a side to entrées), and the Eggs Virginia Highland (a great veggie option).

The desserts are also all good but opt for the seasonal items. Once in a while, they have this amazing Carrot cake that is so moist and insanely good. The tiny portion of Vanilla Panna Cotta has the perfect sweetness and consistency. It is part of their Trio of desserts but can be ordered a la carte for $1.50. Murphy’s also has a bakery offering freshly baked cookies, cakes, and assorted breads.

Fall is a particularly exciting time here when the famed Crispy Pork Shank makes a special repeat appearance. A massive piece of meat, it looks intimidating, to say the least. The product of many hours of cooking — flavored and tenderized by boiling, dried, then fried — the result is a super crispy outside and extremely tender inside. Believe me, you will make a favorite out of it. Vegetables available in season are included; at this time, lightly sautéed napa cabbage are available as a side. If there is one thing on the menu that you must try this Fall, this one is it. Case in point: on a recent family dinner in early December, our table of 8 ordered 8 pork shanks. Yes, it’s that good.

Scoutmob offers a 50% discount to Murphy’s. But hurry, this offer expires in a few days.

Murphy’s
997 Virginia Avenue NE,
Atlanta GA 30306
404.872.0904

Technorati Tags: Murphy’s, Concentrics Restaurant, Virginia Highland, Altanta

My mom found this place on her own last month and she’s been back every week. With us in tow. This neighborhood bar is a collaboration among well-known folks. It’s a cozy place with great, inexpensive food, and a semi-extensive beer menu to boot.

Beef Brisket with Saffron Risotto. A must try. The fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef has a sweetish glaze. The risotto is to-die-for: creamy, perfect texture, saffrony taste. The red pepper sauce is a little rich which works perfectly with the beef and risotto.

Spicy Spaghetti. My mom’s favorite. Lots of tender seafood atop al dente pasta in a spicy red pepper sauce. Delicious.

Braised Beef Napoleon. Tender, pulled beef brisket atop ciabatta bread. Housemade savory steak sauce. Crispy fried onion strings. This isn’t your typical sandwich. It was so good.

Fish ‘n Chips. Two large pieces (or more) of beer battered cod. The fish is so clean tasting. Oh, and the seasoned fries are amazing.

Korean Short Rib Taco. Meh. There isn’t anything Korean about this. It is cloyingly sweet. Stick with the sandwiches and entrees instead.

Overall, a great addition to the neighborhood. Large portions, inexpensive food (entrees average $13), great ambiance, and fantastic service.

Napoleon’s Grill
2836 La Vista Rd
Decatur, GA 30033
(404) 321-5000

Technorati Tags: American, Gastropub, Decatur

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

Technorati Tags: American, Buckhead, Lenox, steaks, salads

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