Chow Down Atlanta

I took a short road trip a few weekends ago when the weather was just beautiful to the southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The purpose: Dillard House. To eat. The city of Dillard is in Rabun County which is less than two hours northeast of Atlanta. Two miles more north and you will find yourself on the state line of North Carolina. The scenic drive is breathtaking and the views of the smoky mountains in the beginning of fall, more so.

Dillard House is deeply rooted in history. It was built in 1917 by Carrie and Arthur Dillard. Modern day Dillards have built on to the restaurant and developed the grounds to accommodate a hotel, cottages, chalet, stables, petting zoo, and business center, plus provide numerous on site activities. But what really attracts people to come in droves is their restaurant.

Family owned and operated since 1917, the Dillard House Restaurant serves family-style, all-you-can-eat dining all year round. There are two dining rooms. The main house which is huge and the Dillard Hall. The hall is a small house fitted to accommodate a few dining tables for patrons who come in between meals — say, 30 minutes or less before the next meal is served, or during the one-hour lull between breakfast and lunch. Rather than let people wait for the next service, they are ushered to the adjacent hall where they can already enjoy the next meal to be served. Brilliant, if you ask me. The menu changes but on our visit looked like this:

I cannot remember all the meal prices but lunch (which we ate) was $21.95 per person. Each meal includes four to five meats and about a dozen sides. All the meat and veggies are grown in local and surrounding area farms. Every single menu item is made fresh, in-house, using only the freshest ingredients.

What they do is bring all the food to the table and they replenish each item as needed or requested. Overall, the food was okay. There were some favorites and not so favorites. The barbecue chicken was very good; tender, moist, flavorful. The fried chicken was good but not fantastic. The country style steak was tasty and much better than the fried chicken. For the sides, I really loved the stewed harvard beets that still had a lot of crunch in them, the cream corn was creamy and had lots of whole kernels, the waldorf salad was refreshingly light, the acorn squash souffle was sweetish and not very mushy, and the yeast rolls were divine. There were also housemade jams and jellies and the blackberry one is superb (had to take home bottles of it). Dessert is a strawberry cobbler that even the non-dessert eater like me, loved it.

Overall, the food is good, although, not in the so-good-let-me-drive-two-hours kind of way. Still, you must experience this place at least once. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. A nice respite from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta.

Insider tip:
Both the homemade lemonade and sweet tea are fantastic.
The country store right outside the restaurant sells homemade jams, jellies, and the country ham they serve.
Reservations taken for parties of 15 or more.
1-800-541-0671 or 706-746-5348

The scoop:
Dillard House Restaurant
768 Franklin Street
Dillard GA, 30537
706-746-5348
Open 7 days a week and all holidays.
Breakfast: 7:00-10:30
Lunch: 11:30-5:00
Dinner: 5:00-8:00

Technorati Tags: Dillard, ayce, family-style dining, Southern

Remember the famous Peasant chain of restaurants? You’d be surprised to find out that one of my very first jobs as a teenager was as a server at Mick’s. It was such a coveted job among teenies that I delved into it with such gumption as someone trying to win the Presidency. My mom, the best supporter one can ever have, bought me several hundred dollars worth of pricey uniform — six sets in all. For the days I would have been working. Guess how long I lasted on the job? Two days. I had a new found respect for servers after that.

While the Peasant group has been sold and none of its member restaurants still exists, one last hurrah remains in the form of Peasant Bistro, located across from the Georgia Aquarium, and owned by two ladies who wanted to keep the name and group alive.  My parents and I met my wonderful aunt for lunch a few weeks ago and was astounded by everything about it. The place is beautiful — modern but with a romantic feel, thanks in part to the curved staircase that provides the focal point (the romantic part); and the exposed smooth, white brick walls, and dark planked floors (the modern part). I know it’s a cliché but it really transforms you: from the harsh environment of downtown, to this elegant, cozy place.

We started out with the Calamari and Fried Green Tomatoes. The Calamari was okay, but didn’t really make a lasting effect on me. They were, at least, fresh and not chewy. I still think Murphy’s Calamari is tops. The FGT were pretty good, with the creamy goat cheese and red pepper sauce elevating this Southern staple.

I love beets and I always get it whenever I see it on the menu especially when goat cheese is involved. Simple and good.

Their version of Shrimp and Grits, which my dad, my aunt, and I all got was pretty straight-forward. It had fresh, plump, big shrimp on a bed of creamy cheese grits with a few pieces of andouille sausage in a tomato cream sauce. It’s a good sized entree. Flavor-wise, it was spot on, though, I would have liked it to have a bit more spiciness.

The Grilled Pork Chop was a clear winner. It was well seasoned, perfectly cooked, tender, and with lots of juices oozing out. The Sweet Corn Bread Pudding was a surprise hit. It had the consistency of a hard quiche inside but with a hardish, bread-like crust outside. There were lots of whole kernel corn incorporated in it, too, that provided a little hint of sweetness.

Overall, I like the 5-star feel you get while dining here, but without the pretension. Prices are quite reasonable for the portion size and quality/taste of the food (entrees average $12).

Insider tip:
Fantastic service
Valet parking is $5.

The scoop:
Peasant Bistro
250 Park Ave West NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
(404) 230-1724

Technorati Tags: Atlanta, Downtown, Peasant Bistro, Peasant Group, Southern, American food

My dad’s office was literally two blocks away so eating here when we were younger was a regular thing when we came to play at his office. It’s been about a couple of years since I’ve been at Mary Mac’s so I talked a friend into joining me for lunch last week. I remember when Mary Mac’s was just a tiny space. Over the years, they’ve added a room here, a room there, and now they just about occupy the entire block. By the way, be very careful when crossing the street in these parts — we almost got killed twice, and while crossing on a crosswalk, too!

The one thing I love the most about this place is the service. They are all so warm and hospitable. So proper and professional. I surmise these wonderful people have been serving here for many years. I don’t think there’s anyone here under the age of 40.

First the bread basket. I am a certified breadaholic. I love soft, moist, yeasty rolls and sweetish corn bread. Unfortunately, such is not the case here (anymore). The rolls, while warm and freshly baked, didn’t have the yeastiness southern cuisine is known for. The corn bread was also a tad on the dry side. You’ll need to slather a good amount of butter to compensate.

We started with an order of Mudbugs. These are big, plump crawfish tails battered lightly in cornmeal then fried golden. The crawfish had a good bite and not too chewy. The chunky tartar sauce is a bit too mayonnaisey so I suggest you dip them in cocktail sauce instead.

My fried pork chops were moist and tender, fried perfectly, and had a thin, crisp batter, but was just a bit undersalted for my tastes. The creamed corn was absolutely fantastic. They use fresh corn with light cream. Delicious. However, I was quite disappointed with my collard greens. They were offensively bitter. Don’t get me wrong, though, I love bitter vegetables and always order bitter melons from Asian restaurants. If you haven’t eaten bitter melons before, don’t. Really. It’s an acquired taste and I don’t know anyone except me and my mom who actually like the stuff. But if you must, then take baby steps and get bitter melons in black bean sauce. But back to my collard greens. I’ve eaten a fair share of collard greens in my life and I never fail to get it whenever I’m in a southern restaurant including here. The collard greens here were uneatable. And I don’t remember them being that bad here. A bit more vinegar while cooking would have solved the problem and my addition of copious amount of pepper vinegar couldn’t save this one from anything. Oh well.

My buddy’s Chicken and Dumplings doesn’t even sound appetizing to me. Maybe because I have never, ever tasted a good Chicken and Dumplings. The starchy, chewy, sticky dumplings just don’t do it for me. And I still don’t know what possessed my friend to order this awful excuse for baby food. Incidentally, my mom made homecooked baby food for us. So yes, we were spoiled. So I was already prejudiced before his food ever came and I wasn’t surprised because I was right all along. I still have not found a place that makes good chicken and dumplings.

I still love this place. I have fond memories here. And it’s an Atlanta institution. We never fail to bring out-of-town guests here all the time. If you haven’t been, you have to try it at least once.

Insider tip:
All-you-can-eat lunch special available to parties of 3 or more.

The scoop:
Mary Mac’s Tea Room
224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
(404) 876-1800

Technorati Tags: Midtown, Atlanta, Southern cuisine

A couple of years ago, I went to the new location of Boudreaux’s Cajun in Lawrenceville. It was the sister eatery of the famous one in downtown Duluth. There, a Rico Cunnington was managing the place, and occasionally dabbled in the kitchen where he learned how to cook everything on the menu. While the stint was short-lived, as was the restaurant, he opened his own place right after to do what he loves to do: cook. With a big influence from him mom, Nette, a Filipino who cooked for 20 years at the old Lanier Inn, Rico aims to serve an international-flavored cuisine. You’ll see mostly cajun dishes on the menu with hints of southern and Filipino influences here and there.

I practically ate off the entire menu on my first visit and I could honestly say everything here is good. First, the famous Nette’s Lumpia, a Filipino-style fried egg rolls is a must try. Rico’s version is laced with cilantro and celery, a nice touch and a deviation from the original version. Still, the requisite filling of minced pork, carrots, and spices are all there, fried to a golden crisp, and served with a side of sweet and tangy sauce for dipping.

The winner among the appetizers, however, is the Fried Eggplant. Slices of tender, Asian eggplant are dipped in a light cornmeal batter, fried golden, then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It is quite light, with a good play on crunch and squishy.

The Fried Green Tomatoes is an exact replica of the eggplant and while good, just not as great as the fried eggplant. Still a good choice for an appetizer, however.

The soup of the day was Gumbo. It was delicious. There were chunks of fresh okra, tomatoes, huge pieces of chicken, Andouille sausage, and tiger prawns, then topped with freshly steamed Jasmine rice. The broth was bold with the perfect balance of spices. A big bowl is good enough for sharing, although I have no problems finishing this on my own.

I requested for a Mojo Pork Cuban Sandwich, and while not on the menu, was readily available upon request. The marinated, slow roasted pork was just delectable. Tender and tasty. It came with house-made potato chips and mojo dipping sauce. Absolutely wonderful.

My friend, who didn’t want to eat anything heavy, opted for the Fish Salad. Fish salad, you may ask? This one’s simply fantastic. Fresh white fish and crab are minced into a salad (think tuna salad but a hundred times better) then served on half an avocado, with field greens, fresh blueberries, cashews, and drizzled with Rico’s own syrupy balsamic vinaigrette. The combination of flavors were just amazing.

Stuffed after eating everything in front of us, Ms. Nette insisted we try her cakes, baked from scratch daily. Without any chance to say no, she placed a slice of carrot cake in front of us. This may very well be, the best carrot cake I have ever had. The cake is so incredibly moist with lots of fresh carrot bits. The cream cheese icing is light and not too sweet. Even a non-dessert person like me loved it. I can just imagine how the other cakes tasted. There was Red Velvet, Lemon, and Hummingbird at the time.

This no-frills eatery serves the most refreshing dishes made in the premises from scratch and with love. Do be sure to call ahead as the place have erratic hours, and, most times close for catering.

Note: Our total bill came to $40 before tip which included 2 sodas and the carrot cake. A bit much for lunch but we wanted to try as many items as we (or in this case, my stomach) could handle.

Insider tip:
Located on the corner of Woodward Crossing and Mall of Georgia Blvd in the Ivy Creek Plaza.
Patio dining available.

The scoop:
Rico’s World Kitchen
2720 Mall Of Georgia Blvd
Buford, GA 30519
(770) 831-7484

Technorati Tags: Creole, Filipino, Southern, Cajun, Buford, Mall of Georgia, lumpia

For the first time ever, the moon and stars were aligned properly that I was able to attend a supper club this past weekend. I’ve been turning down opportunities for over a year now so I was so excited because this time, I could actually go. This one is for the prelude to Staplehouse.

Staplehouse is a new venture from Ryan Hindinger who is Chef de Cuisine at Muss & Turner’s which is set to open in the near future. With the meticulous assistance of his lovely wife Jen, sous chef Ben, and sommelier (and avid supporter) Ryan Turner (the T in M&T), Ryan showcases his kitchen prowess by offering intimate dinners at his home where folks can preview what to expect at Staplehouse when it finally opens.

I had a wonderful time at Ryan and Jen’s. The 6-course meal was absolutely fantastic. To read about the meal in detail, go to Foodie Buddha where he captures the evening in great detail.