Chow Down Atlanta

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

We were originally going for some cult burgers. But before I can even step out of my car in the parking lot, I got a text and then a call from Broderick: “It’s CLOSED!!!” I could not believe my eyes. And ears. So we ended up at The Porter in Little Five Points. One thing about this area is that it is quite difficult to find parking space. We did manage to snag one a couple of blocks away. I love cold weather but the blustery 18°F weather made it painful to walk to and back.

I remember when this place used to be Bridgetown Grill (they had those awesome pineapple bread straight out of the oven!) It has evolved a few more times but the place looks exactly the same, save for a few knickknacks as decoration. As a beer bar, they have pages and pages of all kinds of beer available. I am not a big drinker — three sips of wine or alcohol literally knocks me out (yeah, I know, I am a cheap date). But Broderick liked his Belgian and my sister loved her German. Do not ask me what they were. I can not tell you. I did find something that looked delicious in print: Hitachino. It has 12.5% alcohol content. I hate to imagine what that will do to me.

Let me just say that all the dishes that Broderick and my sister picked were fantastic. As for me, well, I must have been wearing a “Hate Me” sticker on my forehead…

The duck prosciutto with poached eggs and greens (sorry, not a salad fan) was really great. The duck was very tender with a saltish flavor that went well with the egg and greens.

The Belgian fries were outstanding. The garlic in the oil used was quite pronounced but not in an aggressive kind of way. The charred onion mayo dipping sauce was creamy and oniony. Better eat these fries while hot and crispy as they became soggy as soon as they cooled.

My not-so-good luck started with the mains. Broderick and I both wanted the pork chop but since he called first dibs and they only had one left (it was after 10PM after all), I had to choose something else. A clear winner, the center-cut pork chop was thick and juicy and perfectly grilled. It had a clean, simple salt and pepper flavor all the way through. The pasta and mushroom provided texture and the pan jus made it a really great dish.

My sister’s Kraut and Beer Brats was also good. The homemade bratwursts had a nice snap to them. They had a slight herby taste that I really liked. The sauerkraut could have used a little more acidity but it was a good accompaniment, nonetheless.

So just my luck, the half-pound cheeseburger that I got was a total let-down. Although cooked medium in the middle, it had a hard, dry, dark, well-done crust on the outside. It was also flavorless. Even the good, soft and buttery tomato focaccia it came in could not save this failure. (For the record, that side salad of greens and pickled beets went to my sister.)

Now for the best part… Totally disappointed and still hungry, I decided to get their banana crepe. Visions of Paris and the crepes we got there from the street and cafes at every visit played in my mind. I just knew it was going to be good. I mean, how hard is it to mess up crepes?

I wanted to cry so bad when it was set in front of us. What came was what looked like banana slices swimming in dark brown gooey soup. Banana soup? Did they think I would not notice that this (insert your favorite expletive here) does not even look remotely close to a crepe? I felt so offended. It was so gooey. It was sickeningly sweet. It. Was. Not. A. Crepe!!!

I hardly have disappointing meals. In fact, I can only think of one in the last couple of years. And now this. You know, to me, you only get one chance to make a first impression.  Especially if it costs me $60.  I had to make a 2AM run to Krystals just to erase the memory from my mind. And mouth.

Many thanks to Savory Exposure for the pictures.

The Porter
1156 Euclid Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 223-0393

Technorati Tags: Little Five Points, beer, beer bar, gastropub

I just want to let you know about this awesome, fantastic, amazing hotdog at H&F. The hotdog is made in-house. It is juicy, tasty, fresh-tasting and does not have that salty, cured meat taste. I would have loved a more snappy casing but the taste pretty much compensates for that. The bun is buttery and soft. The pickled peppers and onion topping are like relish on steroids: fresh, crunchy slices and has the perfect sweet-sour taste. Really nice! Grab one tonight!

The scoop:
Holeman and Finch
2277 Peachtree Road
Suite B
Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone 404.948.1175
Fax 404.969.3034
Hours of operation
Mon – Sat 5:00pm to 1:30am
Sun – 12:30pm to 3:00pm

Technorati Tags: H&F, gastropub, Buckhead

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

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Buckhead, brewery, pub food, beer

I am impressed by what looks like hole-in-a-wall places, especially when it does not look nor feel like so when you step in. Such is the case here at Kozmo — a new gastro pub deep in the heart of suburbia. It’s in a strip mall with tight parking many miles away from the nearest major highway.

The decor is suggestive of Buckhead and Midtown with its usual minimalist take — clean whites, contrasting dark booths, splashes of wood, open kitchen, shiny concrete floors, huge boards plastered on the wall. The focal point is a large wooden communal table complete with Starck’s Emeco bar stools. The clientele, however, is typical of the affluent area: the more matured, more polished, more reserved crowd.

Food wise, it’s top notch. The House Poutine is simply incredible and one of the best versions I’ve had in town. Theirs come layered to ensure the fries stay crisp. Au jus, fork-tender flaked short rib, cheese, and fries are arranged neatly from bottom to top. It is a gigantic portion good enough for sharing. I love the layering effect (as opposed to the “pile-on-high” results found in nachos) and more so that they don’t skimp on the flaked short rib which is so flavorful.

The burger is a great contender to the popular versions in town. It is hand-made with a brisket-sirloin mix that produces a tender, juicy, thick patty. The Alon’s brioche is buttery and soft and gives a sweetish hint to the fatty meat — a perfect combination. The sparse amount of lettuce and thinly sliced tomato guarantee the flavor of the meat to shine. Delicious. The side of macaroni-and-cheese is a grown-up take on the kiddie favorite. Twisty macaroni shells are drenched in creamy Parmesan, mozzarella, white cheddar, and bleu cheeses. This is definitely not what your momma used to make.

Tuesdays is Fried Chicken night. And it is in your best interest not to miss it. They do run out so do hurry. Three pieces of lightly battered yet crispy fried chicken are tender and moist with flavor all the way through. It’s not a massive portion but with two good-sized sides, this $8.99 dish is enough to get you filled. My chosen sides of garlic spinach and coleslaw are both fantastic. The spinach retains its crunch and the garlic lends a flavor. The coleslaw is crisp and creamy but not so that you feel like you’re eating mayo. You can tell they only use fresh and quality ingredients here.

The Short Rib Pappardelle is scrumptious. The stewed-for-hours short rib is fork tender and the flavor is bold and hefty. The house-made sheets of fresh pasta allows the meat to mellow, sopping up all the sauce for a great-tasting dish.

Dessert wise, everything’s made in house. The chocolate chip cookies with ice-cream is a simple choice but big on taste. The cookies are mounds of soft, chewy short-bread infused with chunks of chocolate. They were so good and fresh out of the oven that I didn’t want to waste a minute by photographing them.

Drink wise, well, I’m not much of a drinker. But even the non-drinker that I am found the White Sangria pretty weak. No kick, no taste of wine, and more like a watered-down fruit juice with wine-infused bits of fruits. But I am curious to try their Kozmojito and the Kozmorita on my future visits.

This is a real gastropub in the true sense of the word. Food is amazing, decor and ambiance are top notch, and prices are very reasonable. Although lunch and dinner have the same price points, the one most expensive item on the menu, the Flat Iron Steak and Fries will set you back a mere $14.99 while the burger weighs in at $8.99. Truly a great benefit to the folks who live in the area.

Insider tip:
Be sure to join their Lunch Club: buy 5 lunches and the 6th one is free.

The scoop:

Kozmo Gastro Pub
11890 Douglas Road
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(678) 526-6094

Technorati Tags: Kozmo, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, gastropub, bar