Chow Down Atlanta

My sister has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone I know. Last month, her childhood best friend Brigid gave her a box of French macarons from this place and in the process, tipped us off to Maison Robert’s new location near Chamblee. Needless to say, we’ve been back every week — me for the bread, the sister for the sweets.

The short and sweet: absolutely delicious macarons, fantastic baguettes, delectable flourless cakes, rich cheesecakes, flaky and buttery croissants. And one of the best sandwiches I’ve had.

Surprisingly, I don’t have any pictures of the macarons because we eat them faster than I can take pictures. But Sean has a beautiful one here.

Check out more pictures from Broderick here.

Insider tip:
Closed on Sundays.
Croissants on Saturdays. Call ahead to reserve.

The scoop:
Maison Robert Fine Chocolates
5256 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30341
(770) 454-6442

Technorati Tags: French, sandwiches, bakery, chocolatier, Chamblee

Had the pleasure of tagging along for the second time with FoodieBuddha on his Sandwich Tour. On this stop: Sawicki’s. Mr. Buddha sums it up here and he has nice pictures to boot.

I do want to add that I tried their cupcakes: Root Beer and Red Velvet. The root beer cupcake was just divine — moist and cakey and the icing was just deliciously creamy. The red velvet was a little dry.

More on ’s site.

Insider tip:
Sawicki’s has fresh meat and seafood including veggies straight from the farm.

The scoop:
Sawicki’s Meat Seafood and More
250 W Ponce De Leon Ave
Decatur, GA 30030
(404) 377-0992
Tuesday - Thursday, 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, 12:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.

Technorati Tags: sandwiches, meat shop, deli, cupcakes, bread, veggies, Decatur

Sometimes, a foot-long just won’t do. Many times, I want to sit down and enjoy a great sandwich made with house-made bread and top notch ingredients, all concocted by a top notch chef. And just like the saying goes, good things come to those who… travel. Yes, this place is far. Very far. Even for me. But it’s worth every gallon of gas.

Chef Christophe (Au Pied de Cochon), is a friendly man who knows his game. He concocts French comfort food using nothing but the best ingredients. In fact, most everything he uses is made in house. The bread, too, courtesy of Chef Baker Jenny who tends the front of the house.

On my first visit, I was literally floored by the Croque Madam — slices of delicious ham and emmental cheese were sandwiched between homemade honey French bread, grilled to perfection, and topped with a perfect sunny-side up egg. It was so good that the only thing keeping me from ordering another one was the plate of macarons calling my name. I chose fries for my side and although good, could have used another 30 seconds in the fryer. No matter, the red aioli sauce that came with the fries was very good. Price tag: $7.95.

But the piéce-de-résistance here at Cafe Gourmandises is the Kobe Burger. Resembling a thick slice of meatloaf, the meat is first-rate and so tender and juicy with just a hint of seasoning — just enough to bring out the natural flavors of the meat. It comes out perfectly cooked medium and garnished with field greens, thin slices of fresh tomatoes, caramelized onions, mushrooms, blue cheese, crispy bacon and the chef’s spicy-sweetish mayo all in a fresh-made baguette that’s almost a foot long. Really delicious. I thought all the garnishing will over-power the meat but it didn’t. In fact, it brought out the flavor of the meat even more. And once you see someone having it, you’re gonna want one for your self. Four more orders were brought out right after ours. It’s a steal at $13.95.

My lunch companion’s fries were superb this time. They were so crisp on the outside and soft on the outside with that real potato taste in every bite. My warm stuffed grape leaves were also fantastic and I loved the light drizzle of balsamic vinegar on it.

Aside from the usual hot and cold gourmet sandwiches, Cafe G also serves quiches, escargot, calamari, lamb skewers, salads, and crepes (both sweet and savory). And if you have a sweet tooth, then make sure to leave room for the assorted desserts they offer daily — mini cakes, tarts, brûlée, macarons. The macarons ($5.95 for 6) are so yummy with a chewy outside and creamy filling.

I really love this place; a French cafe without any pretensions. The place is welcoming, albeit sparsely furnished, and the the warm vibe and delicious food are addicting. Despite the distance, it’s my new favorite lunch hangout.

Insider tip:
Go north on Peachtree Industrial Blvd past McGinnis Ferry Rd. (from 285 to PIB: once you cross Pleasant Hill Rd, it’s about 6 miles).
There is a very nice patio for dining al fresco.
Fresh homemade bread available for sale. Call for availability.

The scoop:
Cafe Gourmandises
686 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Ste 200
Suwanee, GA 30024
(770) 945-6554

Technorati Tags: French cafe, sandwiches, soups, salads, quiche, Suwanee, Peachtree Industrial Blvd, French pastries

As you may already know, the Atlanta Sub Tour over at FoodieBuddha’s is on full swing. I had the pleasure of joining FoodieBuddha (and JS) for a stop at Muss & Turner’s. More than anything else, the company made my hike to Smyrna worth every mile driven.

More pictures here.

Technorati Tags: sandwiches, gastropub, Smyrna

I have an obsession with bread and bakeries. Some people smoke; I eat bread. I spend at least $50 on bread (specifically bread loaves, baguettes, and croissants) every single week. My favorite bakeries are Star Provisions, H & F Bread Co., and the numerous Vietnamese and Korean bakeries peppering our city. Last weekend, I’ve discovered a new bakery to add to my weekly haunt.

Swiss Alpine Bakery is a true French bakery and cafe. It is owned and operated by a French couple — grandma tends the front of the house, and grandpa bakes in the back. They have an array of freshly baked pastries, croissants, baguettes, tarts, eclairs, tiramisu, cakes, and petit fours. The chocolate croissants are fabulous — buttery and flaky. The baguettes are just perfect.

They offer homemade sandwiches, salads, and soups for lunch. I had the chicken salad on baguette and the French onion soup. The chicken salad had chunks of chicken and apples to give a sweet crunch. It was really a good sandwich with the freshest lettuce and tomato slices.

The French onion soup was neither spectacular nor ho-hum. It had lots of onion slices and the broth was very flavorful. It just lacked the oomph I was looking for. Nevertheless, it was still good.

Pastries range from $3-4, croissants are about $2, baguettes are $2.10 apiece, tarts are $3.75 and $4, the sandwiches are $6.95, soups are $4.95, and salads are also $6.95.

Insider tip:
Located in the Ellard Village shopping plaza on the corner of Holcomb Bridge and Barnwell.

The scoop:
Swiss Alpine Bakery
8400 Holcomb Bridge Rd
Alpharetta, GA 30022
(770) 643-1100

Technorati Tags: bakeries, French baker, French bakery, sandwich, soups, salads, Alpharetta

I like this gastro pub in that they serve real food. Not tapas, sides, or your typical bar food, but substantial, creative meals you find in nice restaurants. Not that this place isn’t nice. It is. I popped in for a quick lunch the other day and remembered I haven’t written about this place yet. Lunch menu consists of “designer” deli sandwiches made in their real kitchen with high-end ingredients by a real chef.

My chosen sandwich this visit was their Insult to Philly. This huge creation came on a grilled, buttery hoagie roll then topped with slices of Wagyu (American Style Kobe) Kamado roasted beef, sautéed sweet onions, red peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and melted Swiss cheese with rosemary balsamic au jus. They said the balsamic au jus takes 60 hrs. to make! The roast beef was a little bland to me but the other ingredients made up for it. I particularly liked the sauteed onions that were sweetish and cut the monotony of the beefy taste of the sandwich. The au jus was really good that I had to ask for more. Overall a good sandwich.

My lunch date’s Basic Beef with shaved Wagyu rare roast beef, Swiss cheese and rosemary aioli on hand country white bread was also good. Again, the beef was a little bland for my taste but the rosemary aioli was a good spread for it.

We both got the day-old barley-leek soup with chunks of bacon. This was a fantastic soup. It was brothy more than creamy but you can still taste the creaminess in it. Superb.

Verdict: I like my sandwich meat a little tastier so when you remove the other ingredients and get it in between two pieces of bread with nothing else, it still makes for a tasty sandwich. Our total bill for lunch was a little bit over $35 (with 2 sandwiches, 2 soups, a diet Coke, a bottle of sparkling water, and 2 bags of chips). Kinda pricey for a regular lunch but bear in mind that we had Wagyu-style beef and housemade soup.

Insider tip:
The fries are a must try although there has been an instance where I’ve had them very soggy.

The scoop:
Muss & Turner’s
1675 Cumberland Pky SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(770) 434-1114

Technorati Tags: Mus & Turners, Smyrna, gastro pub, waygu beef, sandwiches, lunch, dinner

Gasp — I spent close to $100 at Souper Jenny today. That’s for 2 lunches at $14 each (my sister loves this place), 2 tubs of soups to-go, a peach bread, and a personally-signed Jenny cookbook that set me back another $22. It’s to add to my ever-growing collection of never-opened, mostly autographed cookbooks.

My sister’s lunch

My plate

There were free cupcakes today (we ate 2 each) and a book signing for Jenny’s new cookbook. Lots of people. As always. And if you don’t already know, they have amazing soups, sandwiches, and salads. All freshly made each morning. With the best and freshest ingredients. You get two items with soda/water/ice tea for $12. Good deal.

The scoop:
Souper Jenny
56 E Andrews Dr NW
Atlanta, GA
30305-1316
Phone: (404) 239-9023

Technorati Tags: Souper Jenny, lunch, lunch deals, brunch, fresh daily, Buckhead, sandwiches, soup

I love bakeries and specialty food markets. I place Star Provisions on top of my list followed by H&F Bread Company, and Alon’s Bakery. While I do believe that Star Provisions has the best baguettes in the city bar none, the ones at Alon’s are pretty good contenders. On a recent visit, I got these amazing Chocolate Chunk Pecan bites for $7.99 a pound. These are like chocolate chip cookies but on steroids. They are simply heavenly. I also got some chocolate croissants (again, Star Provisions’ croissants are better), a loaf of sourdough bread, and a slice of some chocolate cake that I forgot what it’s called (delicious, nonetheless). I also got some house-made chocolates but I couldn’t resist and finished all half a pound on my drive home.

I grabbed a quick lunch of Chicken Pesto sandwich that was really delicious. I’m not a fan of pesto but theirs is so mild and tasty. It was the first time I’ve had this sandwich and I was really impressed with it.

Alon’s is a good place to get artisan breads baked on the premises, assorted hand-made chocolates by the pound, cookies, pastries, cakes, salads, sandwiches, cheeses, and other specialty food items.

Insider tip:
There’s a coffee bar inside.

The scoop:
Alon’s Bakery and Market
North Highland: 1394 N. Highland Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306 - 404.872.6000
Park Place: 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30346 - 678.397.1781

Technorati Tags: Alon’s Bakery And Market, Dunwoody, Highland Avenue, Perimeter, specialty market, gourmet market, bakery, lunch, sandwiches

I opened the door, stepped in, and heard angels singing. The smell of yeast and fresh-baked bread enveloped my entire body. I’m in bread heaven.

I. Love. Bread. I can live off of bread alone. That and chocolate. Seriously, I would rather eat bread than dessert. And I’m known to eat bread for dessert. Star Provisions is my favorite bakery. They have the best baguettes in Atlanta, chocolate croissants, and the no-longer-available chocolate cupcakes. But now, I’ve found another favorite.

H&F Bread Company supplies bread to big brothers Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House which are both next door. Its popularity started at the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market where they would sell out in an hour or two. Back then, it was the only way to get a hold of their baked goods. Until now.

H&F Bread Company reminds me of the bakeries in Europe where you can get fresh-baked artisan breads and pastries, as well as cheeses, house-made spreads, and homemade jams and preserves. It is literally bread heaven.

Chef Robert’s lunch menu offers sandwiches and soups that change daily. My $14 lunch consisted of turkey and brie on a croissant with apple butter and a bowl of crab bisque. The sandwich was very good and very filling. I love the slight sweetness that the apple butter provided to the shaved turkey breast and soft brie cheese. The croissant is just perfect — it is buttery and had just enough flakiness yet it also had a soft, doughy inside. The crab bisque was smooth and velvety and delicious. It is a pricey lunch but the servings were huge and it was worth every penny.

I wanted to bring a piece of this heaven with me so Joshua, the resident bread keeper, told me to just have a go and pick everything I want. I did. $46 dollars worth of bread. And a tub of house-made pimiento cheese, a small bottle of fig jam, and a small bottle of peach preserves. These should last me a week (*wink*).

Insider tip:
I can’t bake to save my life so this tip is all new to me: Joshua told me that to re-invigorate an old baguette, simply wet your hands, touch the baguette all over, and reheat at 325F for 10-15 minutes. Cool!

The scoop:
H&F Bread Company
2255 Peachtree Rd. NE
Suite H
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-350-8877

Technorati Tags: Holeman & Finch, bakery, Restaurant Eugene, Buckhead, Peachtree Rd.

Lottafrutta is this cool sandwich place a few blocks from Georgia State in Auburn Avenue. It’s been one of our favorite places for a quick bite to eat whenever I’m on this side of town (which is about twice a week). A couple of years ago, you wouldn’t want to walk around Auburn Avenue. But they’ve really cleaned the place up. It’s beautiful here now with lots of quaint houses and quirky townhomes.

Lottafrutta serves grilled sandwiches on Latin bread. They’re wonderful. The sweet bread is soft, grilled panini-style, and filled with ham, turkey, or veggies. Or get it the way I do: Just Veggin’ with Turkey — creamy havarti with avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, and sprouts with a slices of oven-roasted turkey. It is just so delicious. Each sandwich comes with a tiny tub of chulpe (grilled corn, Ecuadorian style). It’s crunchy and very appetizing.

Then they have these fruit cups that are just equally amazing. My two favorites are the Limonatta and the Cremolatta. If you have a taste for tart stuff, then Limonatta is for you. It has slices of cantaloupe, coconut, cucumber, watermelon, pineapple, mango, and papaya with fresh lime juice then sprinkled with spicy chile guajillo. You get this sweet-tangy tastes with a hint of spice. No worries, it is not spicy at all, with the heat more akin to paprika. On the other hand, if you want all sweetness, then go for the Cremolatta with slices of grapes, watermelon, strawberry, papaya, and cantaloupe then topped with a generous amount of homemade cream. Both delicious and both great accompaniments to the sandwiches. The fruit juices and the ice pops are also irresistible.

Lottafrutta is one sandwich place you must, must try. Grilled sandwiches are only $6.25 (they are good-sized), fruit cups start at $4.75.

Insider tip:
Open during the week at 7am for breakfast. Try the Cuban coffee — awesome!

The scoop:
Lottafrutta
590 Auburn Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30312
(404) 588-0857
M-F: 7am-5pm
Sat/Sun: 9am-5pm

Technorati Tags: Lottafrutta, Inman Park, fruits, grilled sandwiches, Latin bread, limonatta, cremolatta, frutta cups, salads, breakfast, brunch, Cuban coffee