Chow Down Atlanta

First things first: tapas literally mean appetizers which originated from Spain. Because they’re appetizers, you get cute little plates of dishes which are designed to be shared and are usually eaten while consuming alcoholic beverages. In any case, Blue Grotto attempts to bring the tapas experience to diners opting for a lighter, yet filling fare.

The inviting interior complete with comfy couches, netting, and subdued funky lighting is enough to make you feel at home and linger. Coupled with really great service, you’re bound to have a good experience. However, my girlfriends and I must have come (Sandy Springs location) on an off day as all the tapas we ordered weren’t nearly half as good as previous reviews have been.

The Fried Calamari was very disappointing. All I could taste was oil and breading. They should have just called this Fried Flour Rings. The Chicken Satay was just okay and I fault the chef for attempting to make a Thai dish that he’s probably not familiar with. Next, the Grilled Shrimp with grits was just so-so; nothing fantastic although the shrimp was fresh. I found the hummus to be more on the dry side; and the Spicy Spinach and Artichoke dip tasted store-brought. The Paella didn’t really make an impact either, as I found it bland and forgettable overall.My verdict: Blue Grotto is the type of place you’d go to with lots of friends because then, your mind will be occupied with interesting conversations rather than focusing on the mediocre food.

Insider tip:
Open for lunch Mondays to Fridays

The scoop:
Blue Grotto Tapas Bistro
Two locations:
Sandy Spring Location
220 Sandy Springs Circle Suite 205
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: 678.705.6688

Johns Creek Location
3495 Peachtree Parkway
Suwanee, GA 30021
Phone: 770-888-9986

Technorati Tags: Blue Grotto, tapas, appetizers, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek

Trinidadian family owned and operated, this island fare restaurant opened late 2004 and has created a permanent imprint in the Atlanta dining scene. Borne out of frustration for lack of (decent) Caribbean restaurants in Atlanta, the Lawrence family decided to take matters into their own hands and opened a charming restaurant on Medlock Bridge Rd inside the Regal Cinema plaza. The result is a labor of love. Mom (as I have fondly called her) prepares authentic homemade dishes from scratch using fresh ingredients both found locally and from Trinidad and beyond; while son Dale (with brother Deion whom I’ve both known forever being a few years ahead of me at GSU) manages the operations.

While every single item on the menu is absolutely delicious, the most popular ones tend to be the pelau and roti. Pelau is probably the one dish that epitomizes Trinidadian cuisine and described as flavorful rice blended with meats and vegetables. Soca’s pelau is just that — fork-lickin’ good, hearty, and full of flavor. The rice is cooked perfectly, moist and savory; while the accompanying caramel chicken was, oh so fork tender, with the most amazing blend of spices. Mom told me to get the plantains for my side as she knows exactly what goes well with any dish. The sweet plantains had just the right amount of bite, not mush and soggy, though ripe enough.

The Caribbean roti (pronounced row-tea) which resembles a burrito is a huge flour pancake enveloping different fillings such as curry chicken with potatoes. The curry chicken is the best curry you’ll ever taste — melt-in-your-mouth chunks of chicken simmered for hours in perfectly-seasoned curry sauce — a real comfort food. Teamed with the not-your-usual baked mac ‘n cheese, it makes for a filling lunch.

A perfect period to any meal, the homemade (by a close friend) mango pie is to die for. In fact, I’m no longer allowed to attend any parties without bringing a whole pie (or two). It is not overly sweet, with the right amount of tartness and a consistency between cheesecake and mousse. Add to that the special crust and you have the most delectable dessert.

For the more authentic tastes, I highly recommend the ox tail stew available on Fridays only (they ran out within a few hours of opening), the Callalloo soup (spinach-okra puree), and the curried goat.

Insider tip:
Kids menu available. Menu items include dishes for the hard-core and for the less adventurous as well. Whole Mango pies available for purchase.

The scoop:
Soca Caribbean Cafe
website: http://www.socacafe.com/index.html
9700 Medlock Bridge Road
Duluth GA 30097
Telephone: 770.476.0042

Technorati Tags: Soca Caribbean Cafe, Caribbean cuisine, pelau, roti, mango pie, oxtail stew, goat curry, callalloo, Medlock Bridge Rd., Regal Cinema plaza, chicken curry, Duluth

Opened just two months ago, Aroy-D is already attracting a lunch crowd. And with the humongous space they have, any lunch crowd can be accommodated. For a strip mall restaurant, I was really surprised to see how big the place is — with a good-sized beverage bar and a separate large sushi bar. Speaking of big, the portions are ginormous!

The menu consists of Thai staples and sushi items/combos. I settled for my favorite Gai Pad Gra Pow (minced chicken sauteed with basil leaves) which is the first thing I look for in any Thai restaurant. Here at Aroy-D, they have a funny name for it: Chicken Ka Proud. I give them major points for serving it with a fried egg automatically. None ever do. Saved me time from ordering. The dish was superb, tasty, with just the right amount of seasoning. I would’ve loved it more to be on the spicy side, but hey, you can always adjust that by asking for the condiment set (dry peppers, chili sauce, jalapeno slices in vinegar). I also give them points for using minced meat as most Thai places have gone to using slices of chicken instead.

Another favorite is the Thai barbeque chicken. Aroy-D gives you half a chicken that tastes more Americanized than I wanted it to be. The sauce tastes like, well, ordinary barbeque sauce with no hint of Asian flavoring whatsoever. A little addition of tamarind to the sauce would have elevated this dish to great heights. It came with shrimp fried rice which was flavorful. Read the rest of this entry »