Chow Down Atlanta

J Christopher’s

Chloe — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:07:54 +0000

J Christopher’s has been one of my go-to places whenever I crave for breakfast. I like that you can expect the same good, quality food every time you visit. Service may be spotty at times and some locations just have it bad. But for quick breakfast stops, I head on over to this place especially now that they’ve expanded, the 2-hour waits have vanished.

I’ve been going to this place since 2000 so I’ve tasted everything on the menu. They’re all good. The skillets are fun because you get everything on one plate and, well, because they’re served on hot skillets. Now how cool is that?

But yesterday was the very first time I’ve ever tasted their Blueberry Crunchcakes. They are so wonderful. It’s like eating pancakes with a slight crunch thanks to the addition of crunchy granola. While I’m no fan of crunchy pancakes and I hate waffles because of the crunch, these crunchcakes are different. The texture is so unique. And the taste is amazing. You have to try it for yourself. It’s really, really good.

Insider tip:
Open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch daily from 7am until 2pm. Their Tuna Melt is worth a try.

The scoop:
J Christopher’s
Several locations

Technorati Tags: J Christopher’s, brunch, crunchcakes, skillet breakfast, Atlanta

home

Chloe — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:29:51 +0000

I wasn’t too keen on dining at home by famed chef Richard Blais too early in the game but my sister insisted we check it out as early as possible. home Restaurant and Bar, the newest venture of H2S restaurants, focuses on Southern flavors and a farm-to-table concept. The farm-to-table ideal uses local farmers to bring in the freshest fruits and vegetables (including meat and dairy) directly from their farms and on to the table. The guaranteed short distance these ingredients travel before hitting the pans (or plates) means better tasting food.

The scene

Our reservations were for a mid-week evening a few days after it opened. I usually try to go during mid-week whenever I’m trying out a (fine dining) restaurant for the first time to avoid harried servers and slammed kitchens. But on this very day, the place was packed. Not a single table was empty.

I have always loved Seeger’s old home. But home has made it more hip, more cozy. The bar area has these comfy love seats with pillows strewn all over. A nice place for a tete-a-tete before a meal; or just the perfect spot to hob-nob with friends. There’s an ample-sized bar from which you’re also able to eat a full meal in comfort. With a flat screen spewing out Top Chef episodes to boot.

But the main dining room is what makes home, well, feel at home. It doesn’t have a stuck-up feel to it. The upstairs area is as cozy with only a handful of tables. And a reminder — if you’re going to be seated upstairs in the big table, beware of the low ceiling. We were witness to heads being bumped all evening long. Perhaps they should move the table closer to the glass wall.

The meal

I’m not sure if this is something we share with other people but my sister and I have a passion for reading menus. In fact, reading menus is a favorite past time of ours. On long flights, we arm our selved with books. And menus. Before going to any restaurant, we look up the menus online, print them and read them again and again trying to picture the experience we would get from ordering a certain appetizer or a main entree. We picture the blend of flavors and ingredients and how it would taste like. So we already knew what we would order before we even arrived.

We were given biscuits and a trio of soft butter, stewed okra, and pepper jam as soon as we gave our orders. I love having bread before a meal. Not because of anything but because I just love bread. I found the biscuits a little on the dry side but nothing that soft butter can’t fix. I absolutely loved the pepper jam and also the okras. Nice touches, I thought.

We started out with the Chilled Oysters, the Silken Corn Soup, and the Tomato Soup. The Chilled Oysters came on a half-shell still with its own briny juices and topped with dots of horseradish. I love the presentation of this snack. Most of all, the oysters tasted so fresh with the horseradish adding just a little bit of heat to their coldness.

The Silken Corn Soup with Georgia Shrimp Toast and Lime was a light, frothy soup topped with dehydrated corn and a thin slice of shrimp toast. There was a little sweetness to this soup which was balanced by the saltiness of the toast.

The Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich was also light and frothy. It was very tasty and came topped with a froth of horseradish and a small, thin grilled cheese sandwich. I really liked this soup. It was not as heavy as most tomato soups.

Next came the duck egg and the pancakes. The Warm Local Mushrooms with Grilled Toast and Warm Duck Egg was fantastic. The mushrooms were flavorful and had a nice texture to it. Unlike limp ones which I hate, these still had a bite in them. The duck egg was perfectly soft boiled. We are still baffled how this egg was done. It was served whole (round) but without shell. You can’t poach an egg and still have it come out round. Besides, from the looks and taste of it, it wasn’t poached. And everyone knows how tricky it is to peel soft-boiled eggs.

The Buttermilk Pancakes with Foie Gras Butter with fresh blueberries and blueberry syrup was clearly the winner of the evening. The pancakes, actually, more like blinis were soft, chewy and buttermilky. The Foie Gras butter was divine. It was creamy, buttery, saltish, and had a hint of foie gras. The explosion of flavors (salty, milky, sweet) and textures (chewy, crunchy, creamy) make this appetizer a great one. This is my favorite and I will order it again next time.

For our main entrees, my sister settled on the Florida Black Grouper with Local 5-bean Salad topped with Key Lime and Brown Butter. The fish was very fresh, very tasty, and perfectly cooked: seared on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. The local 5-bean salad was a good accompaniment to the fish but the over-dousing of butter made this dish very rich. I would have loved for the fish to stand out but it was competing hard with the bean salad for taste and texture. In the end, the butter won. Such a shame.

People were raving about the Crispy Fried Organic Chicken with Macaroni and Cheese so I got curious and tried it. I was a bit disappointed with this dish. I got two tiny pieces of chicken which really didn’t justify the price tag. The honey-vinaigrette coating on the chicken totally ruined it for me. Maybe because I don’t like my fried chicken sweet. Maybe I didn’t have a taste for anything sweet that night, entree-wise. In any case, I will never order this dish again.

I’ve also heard rave reviews about the Mac and Cheese. Even the people next to us kept brandishing superlatives about it. My take — I like Blais’ touch — with a tempura-like topping, huge shells, and creamy cheese. But it wasn’t fantastic. For $19, it wasn’t worth the price. I give points for the presentation, though, as the small cast-iron ramekins made it a very appealing side dish. On another note, I had a tiny incident with my chicken. On my second bite, after cutting it open, I saw red blood close to the bone. Now I may not be a (Top) chef (sorry, pun intended) but I know when Chicken is not cooked. Even the juices that came out of it were still pink. I don’t know about you, but I do remember “til the juices run clear” when it comes to Chicken. Our server tried to take the chicken’s side but relented and offered graciously to replace it. He even took it out of my plate and left me to at least nibble on the mac and cheese. He really handled the situation very well.

The accompanying veggies served family-style included mashed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, green beens with pearl onions, and sliced jicamas. I love the texture of the mash with its stretchy consistency. It had this elasticity in it that I’ve never found in any other mash anywhere else. It was also very creamy. The pickled cucumbers were very refreshing with its flawless balance of sweet, salty, and sour. I absolutely loved the stewed jicama slices. I love that they had retained their crunchiness despite being stewed. I love their sweetness which contrasted well with the saltiness of its sauce. The green beans were also good but what I really loved about them is the way they were sliced — quarter inch thin! I also liked the pearl onions that came with it.

For dessert, we got the Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream and the Moon Pie with Coca-cola Float. The red velvet cake was a tad dry to me but the cream cheese ice cream rocks. It was so heavenly. This is something you must not miss when you go.

My moon pie was also a tad dry but the cream filling made up for it. It consisted of two cake-like cookies with a small portion dipped in chocolate sandwiched between a dollop of cream filling. Both the moon pie and the red velvet cake would have been awesome had they been moist. Being the Coca-cola addict that I am, my Coke Float was so awesome. Our server explained to us how it was scientifically created and the result was the best Coke Float ever.

The service

Our server was very attentive but not in the in-your-way kind of thing. He was friendly but not overly so. He handled my chicken issue very well — in a calm and professional manner. His name escapes me for the moment but I will ask my sister and see if she remembers it. I’ll then add it here, for anyone who is as good as he is deserves recognition.

The verdict

Richard Blais’ new project may not be as stellar as I hoped, but it has its own merits and can definitely stand up to the other “big boys”. I had a wonderful meal even though the snacks and appetizers over-shadowed the mains. I am not fan of sweetish entrees and if fish is not your thing, then you’re out of luck. I definitely would come back if not for the duck egg and the pancakes. Those were amazing concoctions. As they would say, inventive. Next time, I’ll even try the much hyped about short rib. Sweet and all.

Insider Tip:
Now open for Lunch and Brunch. Service is impeccable.

The Scoop:
home Restaurant and Bar
111 W. Paces Ferry Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA. 30305
Phone: 404.869.0777
Fax: 404.869.0065
Sorry hours of operation not available.

Technorati Tags: home Restaurant and Bar, Here To Serve restaurants, Paces Ferry, Richard Blais, fine dining, Buckhead

Food find: Snapple Antioxidant Water

Chloe — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:15:38 +0000

Now that warm weather is in the air, I’ve been stocking my fridge with my latest discovery: Snapple Antioxidant Water. With added vitamins such as Vitamin A, B, and E plus electrolytes, it’s literally like water on steroids! But the best thing is that it is so refreshing. Each flavor is so good that it’s difficult to just drink one bottle in a sitting.

This stuff is really great. The flavors are so light unlike regular juices. My favorite flavors: Tropical Mango, Grape Pomegranate, Dragonfruit, and Agave Melon. I can’t wait to try the other flavors. The best part about these Snapple Waters: I can actually beat my soda addiction! Go try one now and let me know what you think~

Technorati Tags: Snapple Antioxidant Water, food finds

Free McDonald’s Chicken Biscuits

Chloe — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:21:44 +0000

Just a reminder that the new McDonald’s chicken biscuits will be handed out next week for free on Wednesday, May 14th from 6-9am at 1404 Spring Street (parking lot of The Center for Puppetry Arts). Rock 100.5 (my newest favorite station) will be on hand to make things lively. This should be fun.

Incidentally, I’ve read good raves about this new comer. Let me know what you think and see you there!

Technorati Tags: McDonald’s Chicken Biscuits, Midtown, free biscuits

What’s in your fridge?

Chloe — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:16:07 +0000

I am starting a series here. Send me pictures of what’s inside your refrigerator and I’ll post the pictures here. Depending on how many pictures I receive, I’m planning on posting them regularly. Maybe once a month to start with. Don’t forget to include your name and email address. Send photos to Chloe@chowdownatlanta.com.

Now allow me to showcase the stuff in my fridge…

In the freezer side, there’s really no frozen stuff as I don’t eat frozen ready-made food. There’s a box of frozen tacos that was left by a friend during a recent potluck party and if she doesn’t claim it in a week, I’m tossing it out. There’s a box of Eggo waffles and pancakes which my 9 and 7-year old niece and nephew ate for snacks when they visited from Boston. I haven’t had the heart to throw them out yet. Sentimental reasons. There are different kinds of ice-cream, all of which are my sister’s, which I don’t touch since I’m not a big fan of sweets in general. There’s also a bunch of frozen edamame and tons of Japanese Yakult (which I’ve been drinking since I was 6 years old!).

In the fridge side, there are no take-out containers as you may notice since I absolutely hate left-overs. I have a big pot of home-made chicken broth (very handy and has lots of uses), and the usual fridge stuff (organic milk, sauces, dressing, condiments, flavored water, fresh veggies, etc) including three different kinds of soda which I’m addicted to. I also have a collection of cheeses and butter. The bottom drawer holds coffee beans from all over the world, as well as my photography supplies: 35mm and 120mm black & white film, and other chemicals that I use for processing my own film and developing my own prints.

So now it’s your turn. Show me what’s inside your fridge.

Technorati Tags: What’s in my fridge

Around Atlanta

Chloe — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:38:55 +0000

A bunch of food events are happening around town. Check them out!

Taste of the Nation
May 1, 2008
Georgia Aquarium
Tickets at $250 and $350

Atlanta Taste for Life Wine Tasting
Maggiano’s Buckhead
May 1
7-10pm
$45

Taste of Sandy Springs
May 4
Heritage Sandy Springs Site
Admission Free ($20 for 10 food tickets)

The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show
Cobb Galleria Center
May 3-4
Tickets $20 or $25 at the door
Appearances by Paula Deen and sons
Cooking shows (additional fee) throughout the day

McDonald’s Chicken Biscuit Celebration
Center for Puppetry Arts
May 14
6-9am
Free Chicken Biscuit Breakfast
FREE BISCUITS!!!

Taste of Alpharetta
May 15
5-10pm
Free Admission (food tickets $1-$3)

HENRIOT CHAMPAGNE DINNER
SERENBE FARM TOUR AND KUDZU SUPPER
WITH MUSS & TURNERS
May 17, 2008
3-8 pm
$160 and $150

Technorati Tags: Taste of the Nation, Taste of Sandy Springs, Atlanta Taste for Life, Kudzu Supper, free McDonald’s biscuits, Paula Deen, Taste of Alpharetta

Toast of the Town Atlanta ‘08

Chloe — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:22:51 +0000

centerpiece of assorted cheeses, crudites, parma ham, etc courtesy of Wolfgang Puck catering

It was an awesome event! If you didn’t go then you missed out a lot. My sister and I arrived a little after 5pm and there were already a good number of people. Come 8pm, the place was packed! We left around 9pm and there were still people coming in.

I was totally impressed at how this event was so well organized: you show your ticket and you get ushered in to pick up your wine glass as well as a notebook and pen so that you can take down notes if you so desire. The notebook has great information in it which included the floorplan, vendors, their table number, vendor information, etc. Once inside, there are rows of tables to sample wine and food. I like that there are several garbage cans strategically but inconspicuously scattered all over as well as numerous servers who are roaming around to dispose of your trash. There are water stations offering bottles of still and sparkling water; and a coffee station just outside the main hall where there are several tables and chairs so you can sit for a bit, kick off your shoes and enjoy a cup of Pete’s coffee. Once you’ve had your fill, there is a table where you can pre-pay your parking before you leave. Really, this is one very organized event. And I like that you don’t have to purchase food tickets to sample food.

The evening was filled with foodies and wine enthusiasts chatting about, what else, food and wine. It was so nice that you can ask the vendors themselves about the wine and get their recommendations on what food goes with which wine. The top restaurants at hand had the most delectable food and desserts. Can you imagine — all these under one roof!

the ceiling lights changed colors all throughout the nightSo if you did miss this amazing event, here’s my Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Not Miss This Event Ever:

Over 100 wines and spirits vendors offering wines and spirits from all over the world
Food, Food, Food!! — from the top restaurants in Atlanta including the beautiful cheese centerpiece provided by Wolfgang Puck Catering
Wine experts to answer any questions you may have about wine
Georgia Aquarium — you get a private viewing of the Belugas, Whale Sharks and more from the very posh Ballroom
Very organized event — from checking in to paying your parking
The opportunity to learn more about different wines, spirits, and food
A fun evening to meet other foodies and wine enthusiasts
Lively music from an amazing band
Pete’s Coffee and Saratoga Water (still and sparkling)
Meeting the chefs and someliers

I’m not really a big drinker but this event was an opportunity for people, especially for me, to sample wines that some or I would not normally have access to or would not even think of trying. And the food — there were so many good food from so many great restaurants! What a fun evening for food and wine.

Now about the food, overall, there were some misses for me but a lot more hits. Notable ones include Seasons 52’s dessert offerings. I give them points for presentation alone, but more for the great taste of each of their mouth-watering dessert.

I was most impressed with Justin’s (P. Diddy’s venture) for their fork-tender, tasty braised short ribs. It had a perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and sourness that tasted like it’s been slow cooked for hours. And their Red Velvet cake rocks! It was moist and had a subtle-tasting cream cheese frosting. I must have eaten dozens of it!!!

Chateu Elan’s Cucumber-Melon Soup with Crab was also a big winner. It was so refreshing and tasty: cubes of crunchy cucumbers and melons in sugar syrup that was slightly sweetish with lumps of crab that provided a little saltiness. It was really good.

I really had fun. This is something you should never miss. See you there next year!

See more pictures in my FlickR account: click here.

Technorati Tags: Toast of the Town, Georgia Aquarium Ballroom

5 Seasons Brewing

Chloe — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:37:19 +0000

I’ve liked 5SB’s burgers ever since I tasted it a couple of years back. Burgers to me is such a comfort food. When I was growing up, burgers were not part of our 3-square-meals diet — mom made home-cooked, elaborate meals — rather, they were considered snacks: a mid-afternoon fare to tide us over until dinner time. Our burger snacks were always of the restaurant variety so I was used to eating thick, juicy, fresh burgers. Now that I’m an adult, I eat all kinds of burgers. Even the fast-food variety. Sometimes.

For a good burger, I usually pop in to 5SB. I like that they use organic or grass-fed meat, though, honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. It sounds so healthy, in any case. I like 5SB’s perfectly-grilled burger. It’s thick and juicy and tasty. I like the golden crispy fries. It’s a perfect accompaniment to a perfect burger. With a soft bun, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and a slice of pickles, it makes for an amazing meal. Or snack.

Another favorite is the Fried French Chicken. It’s not your typical Southern crispy fried chicken. Theirs is baked then lightly fried just enough to make the skin brown. Served on a bed of thinly, grated steamed squash and some smashed potatoes, then drizzled with milky gravy, it is a fantastic meal. The chicken is well seasoned, tender, and juicy. The squash gives a sweetish complement to the saltiness of the gravy while the smashed potatoes just goes with the entire entree.

For beer enthusiasts, 5SB is the place for you; with a vast selection of world-class home brews, there’s surely one (or two) that will keep you coming back. 5SB is a good gathering place to have great food and great beer.

Insider tip:
Their caffeine-free rootbeer is delicious!
Third location near Howell Mill opening soon.

The scoop:
5 Seasons Brewing

The Prado:
5600 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs
404-255-9511

Alpharetta:
3655 Old Milton Parkway
Alpharetta, GA 30005
770.521.5551

Technorati Tags: 5 Seasons Brewing, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, The Prado, organic burger, french fried chicken, beer soup, beer on tap, home brew

I need to get this taste out of my mouth…

Chloe — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:33:59 +0000

Sorry for the absence. I took my 7-year old nephew and 9-year old niece to Orlando. They’re visiting from Boston and they’ve never been to Florida. Five parks in five days straight. From opening to park closing time. Think how many park meals and snacks I’ve consumed. It’s not even funny. Allow me to cleanse my system for a day. Or two. I shall be back soon.

Waffle House

Chloe — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:58:21 +0000

This is my life saver restaurant. Because if everything’s close, WF is open. Well, Buford Highway-slash-ChinaTown is open, too, but if you happen to be on a road trip and it’s midnight on Thanksgiving Day (and I can’t imagine myself on the road during this time, but anything can happen), you’d be rejoicing that it is. Open, I mean.

When I was still a poor college kid in undergrad, my friends and I would eat cheap so that we can spend our allowance on other frivolous things. I’m still a poor college ~~kid~~ lady (grad this time) and I still think WF’s return-on-investment can’t be beat. Waffle House epitomizes cheap eats. I mean, where else can you find made-to-order breakfast for less then 3 bucks? And you’ll be surprised because the food isn’t that bad.

So I came in one day just for kicks. I haven’t been in a long while. I wanted a snack but didn’t want to eat junk. I look at the menu and see waffles. Hmmm, as in Waffle House? So I get one and a one-egg breakfast. I have never been a waffle person. It’s probably the crunch that I dislike. Give me soft (and yeasty) anytime. But I wanted to try it. I mean, they’re not called what they are if they didn’t make it good, right? Besides, they’re around two dollars. With chocolate chips. Nothing to lose (but my $2).

I watched Mr. Cook as he poured the batter in the waffle maker. The makers look like scary implements. So different from the ones I see at Williams-Sonoma. Less than 5 minutes later, I was presented with this:

I slathered some butter, poured some syrup and took a bite. I was stunned! This was the most soft and chewy waffle I have ever had. It had just enough small chocolate chips inside so as not to render it too sweet and a few additions on top for good measure. Really, this is one ~~good~~ great waffle. I take back every bad thing I’ve said about waffles. This was fantastic. It was almost pancake-like with just a tiny, teeny hint of crunch. It was so good I finished it in two minutes flat! And I’m a very slow eater.

Next up, my one-egg breakfast. It was nothing special — just an egg, some toast, and the customary hashbrowns. For $2.40, this is the best bang for your buck. I’ve been to places where one egg costs $3 and I still reel when I think about it.

Did you know the first WF opened in Avondale Estates? They now have over 1500 locations. And they’re open 24 hours all year long. So if you get hungry and nothing is open, you know where to go.

Insider tip:
Most places now accept Visa and Mastercard.

The scoop:
Waffle House
1500 locations

Technorati Tags: Waffle House, open 24 hours, waffles, breakfast