Chow Down Atlanta

Okay, I’m getting tired of walking into hip-looking places with mediocre food. Such classic example is Salsa Havana over at Howell Mill Rd. You walk into this nice looking place with brightly-painted walls showcasing local art for sale, cozy pleathered-booths, painted concrete floors, and you’re thinking, wow, the food must be as good as the look-and-feel of the place. Not. My first disappointment came in the form of a cheese dip that resembled what my 10-year old nephew would make at home — bland, store-bought cheese with way too much milk added to it. Add to that the teeth-shattering, almost-stale tortilla chips and you have one of the worst cheese dip-and-chips combo I’ve ever had.

But let’s not stop there. The chicken taco on a hard flour tortilla was quite dry that adding two kinds of grated cheeses on top did not help at all. The mushy, canned peas and carrots side made matters worse — over-cooked gray peas and carrots which was devoid of any flavor (trust me, my pro camera was that good to render the picture so appetizing, but in real life, it didn’t look edible at all). They should have used the frozen kind; at least, it would’ve been bright in color.

Saving graces: the roasted chicken was flavorful, moist, and tender, I give them that; but it was so ordinary tasting. It came with rice and black beans and I admit the black beans were quite good. Probably the only thing worth ordering is the fake boliche. I call it fake because boliche is sausage (chorizo) stuffed beef roast. Salsa’s version is a prime rib stew that was really flavorful with two chunks of prime rib: one was fork-tender and the other one was gnawingly-tough (what is it with this place?) It came with rice, black beans and yucca pieces.

The verdict: totally disappointing. Would I ever go back again — probably not — but if I did, I’d probably get the boliche again. Oh, and to top off one of my not-so-good lunches, the service was soooo slooooow. There were two servers (Howell Mill location) with 3 tables occupied (each with two people each) yet they took their time clearing dishes, refilling drinks, and bringing the check.

Insider tip:
Avoid peak times, else, you’d be in there forever.

The scoop:
Salsa Havana
Two locations (open daily from 11AM):
749 Moreland Ave SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
(404) 624-3105

2020 Howell Mill Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
404.352.3101

Technorati Tags: Salsa Havana, Cuban cuisine, boliche, cheese dip, tortillas, Moreland Ave., Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta

I like going to Figo (and its sister Osteria del Figo) for its inexpensive yet good pasta dishes made with the freshest ingredients. I like it even more that they make everything from scratch, on site everyday. Including the pasta. And with the ability to mix and match items to suit your mood, what’s not to like?

The Caprese was deliciously fresh with red, ripe saladette tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella cheese and sprigs of basil. The pastas are all good — cooked al dente and drained well (read: not watery). My party of four had (left to right pictured above) Wild Mushrooms ravioli, Penne, Pappardelle, and Gemelli. The sauces we chose completed our selected pasta: Pollo on the ravioli, Siciliana on the Penne, Bolognese on both Pappardelle and Gemeli. While I found the Bolognese a little on the dry side (or maybe the Gemelli soaked it up before we were able to eat it), the other sauces were just perfect — hearty and really full of flavor.� The Crespelle we had for dessert was ordinary but how else can you jazz up crepes with nutella? I did like the home-made whipped cream.Expect long lines during peak hours and do try the daily Specials posted on the board. Make sure the pepper shaker they give you is visible as it serves as a table marker and helps with delivering the food to the right table.

Insider tip:
For ambiance, go to the Howell Mill location (Osteria del Figo) — it’s also bigger, too.

The scoop:
Figo Pasta
Four locations: Howell Mill, Decatur, L5P, Buckhead (with Virginia High coming soon)
Average cost of meal: $10

Technorati Tags: Figo Pasta, Osteria Del Figo, pasta, Italian food, daily Specials, Buckhead, Decatur, Howell Mill, Little Five Points

This Thai place in Alpharetta has been open for five years and is operated by an all-Thai staff. It has been consistently popular among office workers around the area wanting a quick, delicious, inexpensive lunch. I came in around noon and no tables were available. In fact, there was a wait of about 10 minutes and people were lining up all the way out the door.

The simple menu consists of mainstream Thai food — mainly stir-fry and curries. There are a few notable items such as the chicken wings that are well marinated and fried crispy and the salads (Larb and the Spicy Sausage salads) but I’d forgo the soups (which I think don’t justify the $3 price tag given the small bowl you get). The main entrees are very tasty with the right amount of spices and made with fresh ingredients. Lunch specials come with a tiny eggroll (literally, it takes two bites to finish it), and steamed or fried rice. Overall, I’ve always found their dishes to be consistent. A good place for cheap and quick eats.

Insider tip:
Don’t let the lunch crowd scare you — the kitchen and service are lightning fast. The service is courteous and very efficient.

The scoop:
Thai Thai
11525 Haynes Bridge Rd. Suite 150, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 777-1306
Lunch: M-F 11am-3pm
Dinner: 5-10pm

Technorati Tags: Thai, Thai food, Thai Thai, Alpharetta, Haynes Bridge Rd., lunch, dinner, lunch specials

From the outside, you’d think this place is just another strip mall food joint: the sign is ordinary and the outside looks like a fast food deli complete with menus posted on the glass walls. But since it was their opening week at the time, I was determined to give it a try. And boy, was I surprised. Inside was a lovely restaurant with shiny maroon concrete floors, muted golden walls, dark wooden tables and chairs, columns, and Grecian style decoration.

The menu is typical Greek — salads, pitas, roasted chicken… nothing fancy and not extensive either. But if you want a quick bite to eat and you’re already in the neighborhood, then this is the place to try. For starters, they give you a free plate of four different kinds of dips: cucumber-yogurt, chili, honey-mustard, and garlic-mayo; with pieces of grilled pocket pita on the side. I’m saying pocket pita here as opposed to the flat doughy pita

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