Chow Down Atlanta

So… you guys miss me yet? I’ll be back in town soon. For now, here’s something to check out if you haven’t already: the Chloe Burger. Ok, I made that up. It’s not on the menu although I honestly think it should be. It’s the $6 burger with jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, smoked paprika mayo, pepper jack cheese, and a fried egg. Sounds sloppy? It is. And you’re gonna need tons of paper towels to eat it. Is it good? Let me just say a couple of shakes of salt on the burger would have made me swoon. Because, you see, no amount of topping on a blandish burger can compensate. Just saying.

Oh, and get the homemade potato chips with dip on the side. Put them in your burger for crunch. Not a fan of crunch? Then get the sweet potato fries. You can thank me later.

Read more here.

Farm Burger
4108 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 378-5077

Technorati Tags: burgers, Decatur, grass-fed

They stayed crispy the entire lunch hour. They weren’t greasy. They were salted perfectly. They were the best. Comes with a choice of dipping sauces like these: garlic aoli, bacon & tarragon mayonnaise, cucumber-dill yogurt, and more.

Everything else takes a backseat.  Including my friend’s amazing squash soup and this:

More chatter here.

Leon’s Full Service
131 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 687-0500

Breaking news: I am interrupting my much enjoyed laziness to actually write a post and tell you about this one ridiculously amazing dish we had at Steinbeck’s.

I present to you… the Chinese Breakfast*. Yes, at an Irish pub, no less. In Decatur (Oakhurst). Imagine two thick slices of the most delicious braised pork belly that was just exquisite. They had a nice crisp on the outside and a buttery, tender inside. These, plus grilled fresh leeks atop perfectly cooked, fragrant, white, Jasmine rice drizzled with a soy-sesame oil concoction. But it doesn’t stop there. A beautiful sunny side up egg completes the dish. It. Was. Dreamy. *swoon*

But wait. There was this other surprise… the House Burger. Delicious. Enough said. Go see for yourself.

**Props to Troy (via @AsianCajuns) for the inside info. Troy, you had me at pork You guys rock!!! ~C.

Insider tip:
*Chalkboard Specials rotate every week. Call or check website for availability.

The scoop:
Steinbeck’s
659 East Lake Dr.
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 373-1116

Technorati Tags: Decatur, bar, gastropub

“The combo plate comes with a nap.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll make room for you.”
“On one of those benches.”

Apparently, they do not know who they are dealing with.

My meal: Rib Combo. Plate. Beef rib and sliced brisket. Mac-n-cheese and collards. And a Diet Coke.

I was anticipating a platter with humongous portions with the way they were talking to me. So although the plate that came had substantial serving sizes, it was a piece of cake for me. Of course, I can out eat everyone I know. But that is just (little ‘ol) me.

The brisket was glorious. The fibers detached from each other without any effort. Its smokiness was addicting. The beef rib (sans bone) had a nice crust. Both are fork tender. And very, very flavorful.

The mac-n-cheese is simply to-die for. The cheesy, sweet cream oozing out of every rigatoni is just so good. I could eat a whole platter of it. The toast was buttery and soft. The collards are silky and not at all mushy, although, it was a bit on the salty side for me. Seeing it untouched, I was offered to replace it with something else (they use a very bold chicken stock but the kitchen will be appropriately notified, I was told). With the meal almost over, I settled for a banana pudding instead. I am not a dessert person but all I can say is that it was good and creamy, not too sweet, and not too rich.

I had the pleasure of having lunch with the lovely, lovely, lovely Amy (yes, that is three lovelies for you) after weeks of trying to get our schedules in sync. She had a pulled pork sandwich and a side of mac-n-cheese. The pulled pork was as good as the other meats. It was tender and juicy and just as tasty.

Overall, a great lunch. Great barbecue and great mac-n-cheese. The sauces are both good — there is a vinegar-based one and a sweet one. Combine them both for a good kick. I cannot wait to come back and try all the other meats and sides. Incidentally, I demolished everything on my plate. As usual.

Insider tip:
Located at the old spot that used to be The Epicurean restaurant.
Menu here.

The scoop:
Community Q BBQ
1361 Clairmont Rd
Decatur, GA 30033
(404) 633-2080

Technorati Tags: Decatur, barbecue

Southern Sweets has been providing desserts to many restaurants in Atlanta since 1992. I stopped by on a recent trip to YDFM for a quick bite to eat. I’ve loved their moist, delicious cakes for a while now and my favorites include Red Velvet, Golden Chocolate, and their Chocolate Sour Cream pound cake.

Their deli offers an extensive list of made-to-order sandwiches using only fresh ingredients and house-made bread. On this recent visit, I wanted to go Southern so I chose the Ham and Pimiento Cheese sandwich. This big sandwich really hit the spot. The bread was freshly baked, the cheese pimiento was creamy and cheesy, and the lettuce and tomato were crisp and fresh. I’ve had a good number of sandwiches here and they’re all pretty good.

A solid place for a quick bite to eat and satisfy a sweet tooth.

Insider tip:
Sandwiches start at $5.65 for a half order and $7.50 for a whole one. Fresh made soups available daily. Cake slices are $5.20.
Located across the street from YDFM on Rio Cir.

The scoop:
Southern Sweets Bakery
186 Rio Cir
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 373-8752
Open daily from 9am-6pm
Saturday 11am – 5pm

Technorati Tags: bakery, cakes, sandwiches, deli, Decature