Monthly Archives: July 2013

Community Q BBQ

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Community Q BBQ, Decatur

After reading the May 2013 Issue of Atlanta Magazine (better late than never!) and lusting after every page filled with BBQ delight I decided to do something about it and actually go out and try one of their top recommendations. I selected Community Q because it had already been recommended and it was close (convenience always helps). I went Saturday after the lunch rush and I got the meat combo plate. I picked the pulled pork & brisket as my mains and collards & fries for my sides.  My plate of food came quick and hot. The brisket wasn’t cut too thin and was extremely tender. The pulled pork was clean of fat and had great flavor. I tried both sauces the original and North Carolina, I don’t have a lot of experience with North Carolina BBQ sauces but I think I am starting to like them more since it gives the meat a little more zip since they are vinegar based. Both sides were solid and complimentary but after the big portion of meat I couldn’t finish either, I will note that the fries had an awesome seasoning on them though! Overall I was greatly pleased with this choice and can easily predict that I will be coming back in the future.

Rollapalooza

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Rollapalooza, Chicago (Lakeview)

I went here the first night I was in Chicago and while I was famished and would have thought anything was good my friends knew enough to take me to a pretty tasty sushi joint in Boystown. Since I was so hungry I started with the house salad, typically not a Betsy move, but this salad had crack like ginger dressing and started the meal on the right foot. To follow-up I ordered two rolls–The Summer and The Red Dragon. It was still about 90 degrees outside so the avocado and mango did not only compliment the summer roll, which comprised of tuna, but the weather as well. The red dragon included soft shell crab, a favorite of mine, and wasn’t saturated with the mayo sauce, finally a sushi place that understands that dressings don’t mean drownings. Another contributing factor to the sushi being good was that the fish was actually fish, no imitation here! I came hungry and left satisfied can’t ask for a better ending!!

Firecakes

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Firecakes, Chicago (Near North Side)

I had the pleasure of visiting friends in Chicago for a long weekend and I had the luxury to indulged quite a bit. I was walking my friend, Maudie, to work and then planned to wonder around downtown. But we didn’t make it very far before we passed Firecakes. The smell was heavenly and obviously attracts many hungry visitors. Now while I love donuts I can’t say I have an ultimate favorite. I have preferences at chains but when I go to a one of a kind doughnut shop I have to ponder for a while before I pick the one that I will enjoy. But today of all days Firecakes had a strawberry-rhubarb jelly doughnut and once I heard that there was no more decision-making. The tartness of strawberry-rhubarb jelly compared to the sweetness of the doughnut was done right. The ratio of filling to doughnut was awesome and there was just enough powdered sugar on top (it’s a pet peeve of mine when the topping takes a way from the filling). I think my only complaint would be the doughnuts are big so eating or trying many would not be realistic!! Not sure when I’ll be back in Chicago but when I am this will be a stop for sure.

Lunch, best part of the work day

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Deciding on where to go to lunch while at work is often a chore. What’s close? What’s cheap? What’s quick? And while all of those questions are valid I’d much rather ask myself what’s good? I like the following three restaurants because of a few reasons. They all have delicious food, all are in different parts of the city, and all are casual.

Muss & Turner, Smyrna

It was here that I learned about the magic of ‘The Egg’. They are a neighborhood joint with a fabulous menu. They have an egg smoker/ grill and cook some of their meat on it, one in particular is The Bucky Goldstein which a beef brisket sandwich and it is to die for. The brisket is über tender and covered in a Carolina glaze topped with fried onions. It might not help you work efficiently in the afternoon but it will satisfy every taste bud! The next go to sandwich for me is Swifty’s Dream, which has a lot more kick to it because it is slow smoked pork shoulder topped with spicy horseradish slaw. And with every sandwich you get to pick your type of pickle: new, dill, or old; not many restaurants let you pick your preferred pickle but this place aims to please and that they do.

Bantam & Biddy, Midtown

Chicken can sometimes scare me. I can easily blame this on the movie Food Inc. where it showed the horrors of Tyson chicken farms. So when I eat at a restaurant where they focus on the quality of their poultry I get pretty excited. Bantam & Biddy is just this sort of place. I go for the roasted chicken or fried chicken (happens to be GF too!) and to compliment these all-stars they have great cheddar mac & cheese, duck fat fries, and loaded mashed potatoes. I have often wanted to try other things on the menu because it all looks equally delicious but when I crave chicken this is where I come and as we all know sometimes you just can’t override a craving.

6 Feet Under, the Westside

There are several locations for 6 Feet Under but the view on the upstairs outdoor patio is just too amazing at this particular location I don’t think I could go to another. You see all of Midtown and Downtown and since you can’t see the miles and miles of traffic you can actually appreciate the view. Is is a seafood place so if you don’t like things that come from the ocean I would stop reading. The first time I came here my table ordered mouse toes, which sounds totally disgusting but they were delicious. It’s sweet peppers stuffed with shrimp wrapped in bacon, amazing right?! Then I had the oyster po’ boy, my first ever, and I’m not sure I knew what I was getting myself into because the thing was HUGE! It was good but overwhelming after having feasted on mouse toes. The second time and now my favorite thing to order is the blackened shrimp tacos with avocado. Overall this place just has a fun atmosphere and good food. Coming here for lunch or after work should be a no brainer.

Pizza…That’s Amore

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Who doesn’t love pizza? As children we ate it at soccer parties and birthday parties. In college it cured all hangovers. Greasy cheese pizza or a slice loaded with pepperoni is always nice when you want to travel down memory lane but here in Atlanta there are greener pastures compared to the late night or weekday delivery specials.  Before going out and trying a bunch of pizza you really have to ask yourself one sacred question that all pizza lovers ask themselves. Chicago or New York? It’s the yin and the yang of the pizza world and I have never met someone who likes both… it just doesn’t  happen. I myself prefer New York style, why would I want to have to use a fork & knife to eat a slice of pizza? Although there are many pizza places to eat I have found two restaurants that are above the rest.

Antico Pizza, The Westside

Now this is a given, if you were to ask anyone in Atlanta who knows anything about food and ask them were to go to get pizza they would say Antico’s. So I don’t want to be redundant but seriously if want good pizza go here. I would however whisper a couple pieces of advice before sending anyone here. One, the wait can be long, like out the door long. Which means parking can be a problem, however, this is not new issue to the people of Atlanta. And two, seating can be tricky. If you come with a large group prepare to stalk the tables. It is seat yourself but I don’t mind since I want all the attention on the pizza and not how to best accommodate needy people. A cool thing about Antico’s is that they have an open kitchen– so you actually get to watch your pizza as it goes through the arduous process of becoming something delicious!! The pizzas are large enough to share and I typically go with the Margherita, I find the better quality the less you have to put on it to really enjoy it.  The crust is out of this world, it is airy and chewy but still slightly charred. Once the last bite had been enjoyed it was time to get up and pass our seats to the people patiently awaiting our table. And although I was full and very satisfied I was still somehow jealous that they still had a whole pizza to savor.

Sapori di Napoli, Decatur

I stumbled upon this recommendation from a friend in passing and I was very pleased I decided to check it out. They serve more than just pizza but I wanted to see if their Margherita was even close to Antico’s. I went when it wasn’t too busy and they have a parking lot just for their restaurant so I was already happy with the way my night was turning out here before I even had  a menu in hand! When the pizza came it looked amazing; picture perfect melted mozzarella paired with a superb chewy crust that was charred to my liking (crusts are very important to me). I got a cannoli to top off the night but can’t say I was blown away. If you come here stick with the pizza.

As I continue my journey through pizza in Atlanta I may have to update this post but boy will it be hard since these two places both have mighty good pies.

BBQ

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Wanting to find the best ribs is not a new goal for me. It think I have been diving in face first to any rib place no matter where I am since I was about 10. For those of you keeping count that means I have been indulging for 13 years now. From California to New York I have been personally responsible for empty plates with nothing but bones left.

When I first moved here I wanted to check out my  new neighborhood and I thought no better place to start than the BBQ joint, DBA. From start to finish I was loving life. I have been back many times and tried the baby back ribs, the wings, the brisket, the pulled pork, the cornbread, the mac & cheese, and nothing disappoints. They have indoor & outdoor seating, you do have to wait a bit on Friday & Saturday nights but it’s worth the wait or you could just be smart and come on a random Tuesday.

After talking about DBA, I was pointed into the direction of Fox Bros. BBQ, I have since been there three times and every time I just wish I was at DBA. The wait takes forever not matter what time of the day and the service just isn’t as good, it’s like they don’t care since they already have the title of “#1 BBQ in Atlanta”, just a major turn off. I will say that their sauce is good but it has to be since the brisket, ribs, & wings have all come out dry and not at all tender.

The establishment that I am most excited about and frequent for a late lunch is Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. This is where I go when I just want ribs and damn good sides (my favorites include the collards, potato salad, and mac & cheese). This place sticks to what they know. The menu is to the point and by the time you get to the counter you better know what you are eating. The place is small but the food always comes out quick and it is obviously hot & delicious! What more could you ask for?

 

Burgers.

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I don’t think there are a lot of other things in life that I love more than a tasty burger. I love trying new food and exploring different restaurant but give me a burger & a cold beer and I will be one happy camper! After living here for a month or so I started to figure out that Atlanta had many options. Ranging from a hole in the wall place to one that have been ranked as One of the Best Burgers in the U.S. in Food & Wine.

Holeman & Finch

  • Every night at 10pm only 24 burgers are prepared and served. Many come at least two hours before to make sure they are one of the lucky few to enjoy the double patty cheeseburger with house made pickles, mustard, & ketchup. I have had the pleasure of being one of the lucky few to enjoy this creation. I applaud the chefs to sticking to their guns by only serving 24 each night and that no substitutions are allowed.

Bocado

  • Now while I like the idea of exclusivity I don’t always want to wait until 10pm to eat. If you still want a delicious double stack cheeseburger look no further than Bocado. They also have better fries….

Ann’s Snack Bar

  • Ann’s is a no frills cash only sorta place. They are known for their Hood Burger and I would suggest to come hungry because this is not for the faint hearted. The burger is much more than a beef patty and cheese, it is topped with bacon, chili, & coleslaw, along with the standard onions, lettuce, tomato, mustard & ketchup. I managed to defeat this burger once but not sure if my body would be up for a rematch since I’m pretty sure I rolled myself out of the door.

Coming up: I am still midway through conquering all burgers in Atlanta, the one that is next on my list is the Kahuna Burger at Local Three. Now it’s not always on their menu so I plan on having to stalk this place closely within the next couple of months!

Cocktails

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Good mixologists are not a rarity down here is Atlanta. You can go to a plethora of restaurants and bars and find you’re self not only a good cocktail but one that you have not heard of because the one and only bartender serving you created and perfected it. I myself am a gin girl and I like my dirty martini’s, but I have managed to stray away and taste some of Atlanta’s finest. Below are a list of where I think you can get the cream of the crop.

Holeman & Finch, Buckhead

  • I came here for the burger one night, and made sure I got there early, which only means one thing. I had time to kill and this place had great drinks to make the time fly by. It is a guarantee that you will enjoy a well drink crafted here. The Deviled Eggs Three Ways would also be a great way to start your night.

JTC Kitchen & Bar, Westside

  • You will initially come here for the fried chicken and great view of the city at the roof top bar but you will come back for the delightful libations that are made only by the pure enthusiasts.

Leon’s Full Service, Decatur

  • This is a full restaurant (hence the name) but I would stick to the cocktails, snacks, & small plates, I recommend The Glass of Bacon (Genius…right?!) or The Mussels.

Empire State South, Midtown

  • I have only been here for dinner and what went best with the delicious cocktails was the In Jar snack, it is an assortment of dips, which sounds lame but I am not giving the pimento cheese or trout mousse justice.

The Highland Tap, Virginia Highlands

  • This is where I go to get my dirty martini, this Atlanta classic has all the new comers beat!

Hen of the Wood

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I recently visited home and my sister and I spent the day in Vermont; the afternoon in Burlington and dinner in Waterbury at Hen of the Wood. It is a true farm to table restaurant and it was great to see local meat, cheese, and produce throughout the whole menu. I would have to say my favorite course was the cheese course because a) I don’t buy myself good cheese a lot and b) there was a rhubarb butter that was paired with Spring Brook Farm’s Tarentaise and it was a magical duo. The other notable dish was of course the chocolate pot de creme for dessert, which had these chocolate bits on top before the cream that gave it a fun crunch. My sister did a great job picking out a Spanish wine, I don’t always feel comfortable ordering wines from Spain since I am not familiar with all the regions but after trying this one I might have to do some exploring! Once it had time to open up it gave off some solid spicy notes and went well with the duck sausage and polenta we had for starters. If this restaurant wasn’t 1,200 miles away I would be in some serious trouble.

 

Rosebud

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You never forget your first time… eating in a new city. I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Rosebud for brunch that one fine Saturday morning in June 2012. I loved the local focus and flavor, especially since I had been eating hotel food for the past two weeks in Wisconsin. I ate pancakes with Vermont maples syrup (you will soon find it is my weakness) that morning but have since been back and tried the breakfast bowl. Both were great and I loved that the wait wasn’t too painful either time. I only wonder why in a year I have only been there twice considering I live less than two miles away…