Tag: Atlanta

There is this great farm to table restaurant that I got to visit in Atlanta recently called JCT Kitchen. It’s located in an area that use to be old factories and now it is being transformed to a popular hangout.

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The restaurant inside is beautifully decorated with reclaimed wood, flowing curtains, and cozy lighting.

The choices that the chef had on the menu the day I visited were unique and not found at many restaurants I visit. Everything from rabbit to swordfish,  no matter what type of protein you prefer there is something for everyone on the menu.

My table started off with a few appetizers. We started with the deviled eggs. These delicate eggs came out topped with thin slices of country ham and drizzled with olive oil. The filling was extremely creamy and fluffy. The ham added a slight salty taste.

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The other snack that came out was the toast. This is a very vague name to be sure. What this dish contained was a toasted slice of baguette topped with out of the ashes (which is goat cheese), celery and a fresh apple salad. The cheese was so creamy with a slight tang. The celery added crunch and the apple salad offered a sweetness that counter balanced the cheese.

The final starter was the Stracciatella. Stracciatella is a buffalo cheese. They make this cheese fresh. It comes with African squash and a hazelnut drizzle. It is served with a fresh flatbread. This cheese too was super creamy and had a mild, light taste. The squash had a savory taste that paired well with the cheese. The flatbread was soft and had a great taste from the light grilling they did to it.

One of the most popular dishes at JCT is their fried chicken. I was able to try one of the wings because one of my dining partners ordered this dish.  The breading on the chicken was extremely crispy; I love that with fried chicken. That crispy outer layer helps seal in the juices and flavor. As soon as I took a bite the juices just flowed out. The chicken was cooked perfectly. The flavor that the chef captured in this chicken proves why this is their most popular item.

I ordered the Gulf shrimp for my dinner. This was their version of shrimp and grits. The shrimp were chopped up into pieces, which made it a little easier to eat. These shrimp were mixed with red mule grits and shrimp bordelaise. They also added a generous amount of cheese in the grits as well. That cheese made the grits really creamy and salty, which was the perfect accompaniment to the fresh shrimp. The dish is rich so I was not able to finish the whole thing.

We shared a few sides around the table. The macaroni and cheese is a must try. This cheesy goodness was blended with bacon. That crispy, salty bacon flavor was fantastic with the cheese. They cooked it in the oven to create that wonderful crispy top layer.

The other side was the Brussels sprouts. These were paired with apples from Georgia and tossed with chili honey. They were roasted to create those crispy edges on the Brussels sprouts. The sweetness of the apples offset the bitterness from the sprouts.

The food I got to enjoy was extremely filling. Because of that, I had no room for dessert. That was a bummer because many of the desserts sounded wonderful. I would definitely come back to JCT and would bring more friends with me. Check them out at www.jctkitchen.com

Enjoy!

T

Located in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood of Atlanta is Murphy’s, a restaurant that had been feeding residents and visitors for 35 years. They were packed inside so it was a good thing I had a reservation.

To start off the wonderful evening with friends, I ordered a Sangria. It was full of fresh fruit and had the right amount of sweetness.

The artisan cheese plate was the perfect appetizer to share with the table. They served as assortment of cheeses, including warm ficelle. On the side they served fresh strawberry jam. It paired perfectly with the ficelle. I ate it on top of the crispy, warm buttery bread. It was almost like having jam and cream cheese for breakfast.

For my starter I ordered the Mexico City Tortilla soup. The broth was very savory and loaded with fresh chicken breast pieces. Mixed throughout were tomatoes and creamy avocado. They crush corn tortilla chips on top for a little crunch.

For my main dish I got the grilled Atlantic Salmon. The salmon was flakey and cooked to a perfect medium. They put a sweet bourbon maple glaze on the outside. I could taste the maple and it surprisingly went well with the taste of salmon. They also served a warm lentil salad underneath the salmon. It helped soak up the extra maple glaze and it tasted great.

Now the main part of my meal was delicious but I could not wait to dig into all the desserts we ordered. The first one I tried was the Key Lime Pie. The crust was a combination of coconut and graham crackers. The filling was tart and creamy. They topped it off with a fresh sweet cream and toasted coconut. The flavor was perfect and you would think it came from Key West.

The second dessert was the Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake. The cheesecake was sweet, soft, and creamy; exactly how cheesecake is supposed to be. They covered the cheesecake in a bourbon based caramel sauce. It added richness to the cake.

The Apple Bread Pudding was a nice subtle dessert. They used pieces of fresh apple mixed between the bread. When it baked together the apples and bread became one. They drizzled a crème anglaise all over the pudding. They also served it with homemade vanilla ice cream. The ice cream was creamy and full of vanilla essence.

The last dessert was the richest – the Mocha Cake. This was a flourless chocolate cake. In between the layers of cake was an espresso mousse. Now if that was not enough rich flavor, they covered the top with a layer of chocolate glaze. There was no way that one person could eat this whole slice of cake. It was just so rich and heavy. The combination of chocolate and espresso paired perfectly on my taste buds.

The food and desserts at Murphy’s were fantastic. I would recommend that everyone visiting Atlanta to check them out. www.murphysvh.com

Enjoy!

T

There is a really cute restaurant in Atlanta that I had dinner at with friends – Bartaco. It is located in a cute area with lots of trendy restaurants and shops. The best part is our Uber driver actually suggested it to us.

This was not a typical Mexican restaurant. It was a fusion of Mexican and a hint of Japanese influence. Everything came in small dishes or bites so you could order a lot to share.

Since we were there to have a fun time, we all got a cocktail. I went with the red sangria. It was slightly sweet and had a slight taste of allspice. It was loaded with chopped up apples and peaches. I just wish it did not have so much ice.

The table started off with the guac+roja+verde. The guacamole was really fresh. There were nice chunks of avocado throughout. The roja salsa had a major kick of heat. I was not expecting that. The verde salsa had a fresh feeling that was full of flavor, no heat with this one. They served full size round tortilla chips. They were like flat taco shells.

I ordered their chicken soup. This was not a chicken tortilla soup. This was a classic, hearty chicken soup. The broth had a wonderful savory flavor. It was loaded with shredded chicken, pieces of potato, and fresh corn, right off the cob.

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I did order a taco (which they have several options). I went for the Baja fish. It was the perfect size for a few bites. The fresh fish was cut into strips and lightly breaded. They fired it up until crispy. On top of the fish they served a cole slaw that added a super crunch. There was also a slight sour taste to the slaw that complemented the sweetness of the fish and the tortilla shell.

I was so excited to order a side of the grilled corn. Two cobs came out and were covered in cayenne pepper and cotija cheese. The corn itself was super sweet. The cayenne did not really add any heat. The cotija cheese added a lot of tanginess, which paired perfectly with the sweetness from the corn.

We could not pass up dessert. We shared a few around the table. The churros were amazing. These were fresh made and were piping hot when they came to the table. They were covered in sugar. The first bite was like WOW! I could have eaten a dozen of these. The cinnamon and sugar encompassed every inch of the churro. They were also accompanied by a chocolate sauce. I tried it with the churro and it was good, however, this churro was perfect just with the sugar and cinnamon.

The second dessert was the key lime pie. They served this in a jar which was a unique presentation. I really liked seeing the layers of the pie with the graham cracker crust at the bottom. The key lime filled most of the jar. It was extremely smooth and creamy with the best tart, tangy flavor. They topped off the pie with fresh whipped cream that was light and fluffy.

The last dessert out was the horchata. This is like custard. It was really creamy and sweet. It was topped with a salted caramel sauce. The first taste of the sauce was bitter. But once I went back for a second taste that bitterness went away.

Bartaco was amazing. I am so glad that our Uber driver suggested it and that we listened to him. I would recommend everyone check them out. One side note is they are a cashless restaurant so make sure you take a credit or debit card.

Check out all their wonderful food options at www.bartaco.com

Enjoy!

T

There is a popular restaurant in Atlanta that was always booked solid when I tried to visit – Two Urban Licks. I was excited that during my last visit my group was able to get a reservation.

The restaurant was bustling with patrons and wait staff moving back and forth all over the place. While we waited for our table, we grabbed a drink from the bar. They had infused vodkas above the bar that looked refreshing. They also had several quirky named cocktails.

     

I went for the Peruvian Pirate. This concoction blended rum, key lime and Persian lime juices and Aji Amarillo chili simple syrup. This cocktail was not sweet at all, which is unusual for me to try since I tend to prefer sweeter drinks. There was some heat to the drink from the chili simple syrup. It was not overpowering it just gave a kick at the end.

When we were taken to our table, I was in awe of where our seat was. We were seated right in front of a huge “Living Wall”, which is a wall of fresh greenery plants.

There was also a waterfall that trickled all the way across the table. It had a kind of calming effect.

Once again since I was at dinner with a group of people, we ordered a bunch of appetizers for the entire table to share. We started off with a Caesar salad. The Romaine lettuce was still in large pieces so it made it a little difficult to share. They added a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and the spicy chili dressing on top. And a Caesar salad would not be complete without crunchy croutons.

The salmon chips were very impressive when they came out. The chips were a large homemade potato chip that was loaded with smoked salmon that was flaked apart. Drizzled on top were a chipotle cream cheese sauce, capers, and red onion. The sauce added creaminess and went surprisingly well with the smoky flavor of the salmon. The capers added saltiness while the red onions added crunch.

Up next was the shaved calamari. The calamari was lightly breaded and had a sweet and spicy taste. They served it with a wasabi aioli. The aioli had a interesting flavor, almost like horseradish, but I preferred the calamari plain.

The empanadas are a must try. These were not your typical empanadas. The pastry dough was stuffed with BBQ brisket. It was cut in half and topped with a garlic crema, feta cheese, and fresh pico de gallo.

The brisket filling was fantastic. It was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. It was truly the star! The pico de gallo and feta were nice additions but not necessary at all. The crema added an additional layer of flavor to the meat.

The hush puppies were not what I was expecting. These are not your typical hush puppies that come with fish and chips. These were made with ground up rock shrimp and pork belly that created a filling that had the texture of mashed potatoes. On top of the hush puppy was cabbage unagi and kimchi aioli. It was a pretty presentation.

I really did not eat the cabbage unagi. I focused on the hush puppies themselves. The filling was sweet and creamy. The outside breading added a crunchy texture. After tasting a few bites, I realized that these hush puppies were very similar to a potato croquet.

For my main dish I ordered the Halibut. The flaky piece of fish was seared so that the outside skin was crispy. The sauce they poured over it was a Thai chili miso butter. It added a rich taste that was both sweet and salty.

They also served a generous amount of fresh vegetables on the plate that included fresh baby bok choy, shishito peppers (not spicy at all), fairy tale eggplant (a small size eggplant) and baby corn. The bok choy tasted great with the miso butter. The peppers added crunch. The fairy tale eggplant was something new for me. They had a sweet, creamy taste and the skins were soft. The baby corn was just a fun addition.

Everything that I ate at Two Urban Licks was amazing. I am so glad I got to try a little bit of everything. It was a lot of food so I did not get to try dessert because I was so full. I highly recommend you check them out if you are in Atlanta. Visit their website at www.twourbanlicks.com

Enjoy!

T

 

 

 

I was visiting Atlanta for work and I got invited out to a dinner at AG inside the Ritz Carlton in downtown Atlanta.

Luckily since there was such a large party, we got a private room all to ourselves. It was decorated almost like an old fashion parlor with hunter green plaid wall paper. The shelves were filled with liquor bottles. All that was missing were the cigars.

     

While the group looked over the menu the waiter brought out these delicious biscuits. They were loaded with cheddar cheese and bacon pieces. They were still warm. The cheese made the biscuit creamy and the bacon added crunch and saltiness.

They served a honey butter along side the biscuits. It melted as soon as I spread it over the warm dough. It had an amazing sweet taste that complemented the saltiness of the biscuit.

I started off the meal with the She Crab soup. It paired perfectly with the biscuits as well. The creamy based soup was loaded with crab claw meat that had a sweetness to it. They drizzled sherry around the top of the soup. It added a rich taste to the soup, plus there was a hint of Old Bay throughout.

     

I had a hard choice when it came to picking my entree. The steaks looked and smelled wonderful. The salmon looked extremely fresh. I went for the Saint Jacques Scallops. The four jumbo scallops were pan seared and covered in a tangerine red wine reduction. The scallops were placed on top of leek and Reggiano risotto.

The scallops were soft and tender. They had a creamy texture to them. The risotto was amazing. It was extremely creamy and it was not too rich even though it had all that cheese. It was a good pairing with the scallops.

Since I was there with a large group of people, all the sides were ordered to be shared around the table.

(1) Truffle Fries – these has an earthy flavor to them

(2) Mashed Potatoes – these were smooth and creamy potatoes that had a hint of the cream they used to whip them up.

(3) Asparagus – these were grilled up with a slight smoky taste.

(4) Mac & Cheese – a homemade classic full of cheese and a crispy layer of cheese on top.

(5) Brussels Sprouts – these were crispy from cooking and had a wonderful sweet taste to them, not bitter at all.

There was so much food the entire table was full. So unfortunately there was no room for dessert. I would for sure come back even if it was just for something sweet. You should check them out at www.ritzcarlton.com

I would recommend a reservation because they got really crowded.

Enjoy!

T

 

Several years ago when I visited Atlanta for the SEC championship basketball game I checked out a place called Park Bar. So when I recently went back I was excited to get to go back. It was just like I remembered when I walked up and saw the green awnings.

What I had forgotten about Park Bar is their huge selection of bourbons and whiskeys.

     

I decided to go for an old fashion with 1792 bourbon. The bartender made it perfectly. It was smooth and had a garnish of a cherry.

To start out, we ordered the Savannah Spuds for the group to share. These were NOT typical loaded potato skins. These potatoes were loaded with a soft melted cheese sauce (almost like a queso). On top was a giant pile of pulled pork BBQ. The sauce they used was sweet and it complemented the saltiness of the cheese.

They had several burgers to choose from. I went for The Cumberland. This burger was covered with a bourbon-bacon jam and melted brie cheese. The burger was extremely juicy. The ground beef was so fresh it fell apart as I took a bite. The bacon-jam added both a sweet and salty element. The brie cheese was super creamy and complemented the taste of the jam. This was the best burger I have had in a long time. It came with some grilled asparagus but after eating that burger the asparagus was an afterthought.

By the look of the crowd, Park Bar is tremendously popular in Atlanta. Check them out at www.parkbaratlanta.com They are worth a stop by.

Enjoy!

T

If you have read any food magazines lately they always seem to be talking about the food scene in Atlanta, Georgia. Sweet Auburn Barbecue is one of those hot spots to try.

It is located within a cute neighborhood of newly built apartments and older homes getting modern updates.

When I walked in the door I got an urban, hipster vibe with the décor and layout of the restaurant.

 

But the smell reminded me of a good, old Southern BBQ joint.

I started off with one of their creatively named cocktails. The “Hands Off My Tikis” sounded fun and delicious. It was a tropical drink made with Sailor Jerry Rum, Goslings Black, Rum Haven, Royal Combier, pineapple juice, orange juice, and lemon. The best part of this drink is it is actually served in a tiki glass.

It’s probably just my imagination but the drink tasted better because of the tiki glass. The drink was sweet and it was loaded with alcohol. One was plenty.

The table ordered a few starters because we were all really hungry from a long day of work. We got a plate of seasoned fries. They brought us a few dipping sauces on the side, which included their homemade ranch dressing. The fries were fresh cut potatoes that were slightly sweet.

The bucket of cornbread was next out. It actually did come in a galvanized bucket. The cornbread was made with jalapeños and cheddar. It came with a side of sorghum butter. it added a little sweetness to the bread. I recommend putting it on as soon as the bread comes out; this way it has time to melt. Although there are jalapeños in the bread, it was not very spicy.

The last starter was the pimento cheese wontons. These were my favorite as well as everyone at the table. The crispy wonton noodles were stuffed with a salty and creamy pimento cheese.

It had a sharp taste at first bite and as I chewed the creaminess took over. I also tasted a hint of bacon mixed in. At the end there was a richness to the overall dish.

It was accompanied by a bacon marmalade and sweet Thai chili sauce. When I took a bite of the wonton with these sauces, it added a different level of flavor. The bacon marmalade added a smoky taste, while the Thai sauce added a slight heat plus sweetness. It really complemented the robust taste of the cheese. I highly recommend this starter, you will not be disappointed.

For dinner I ordered the pulled pork bowl. This dish was unique to me. It was pulled pork on top of stone ground cheddar grits, pickles, and scallions. Their house made BBQ sauce was drizzled on top. On the side there were two pieces of buttery Texas toast.

Breaking down the components, the pork was thick and juicy. It had a slight smoky flavor and was extremely tender. The only thing I wish the pork had was a little more bark on the outside.

The cheddar grits were amazing. They were very creamy and soft. When the grits and pork were eaten together, they made perfect harmony. All the flavors worked together, even though one might not think creamy cheese and tangy BBQ sauce would work. While I liked the entire bowl, I felt the grits were the star of the dish.

If you want a side they need to be ordered separately. However, they are the perfect size for sharing. That is exactly what we did with the skillet green beans.

These were fresh garden green beads that kept their crunch. They had a smoky, grilled taste to them. They were cooked with red onions that added sweetness. This was a great, fresh side dish.

While there are tons of restaurants to choose from in Atlanta, perhaps I can help marrow down your search by suggesting Sweet Auburn Barbeque. Check out their menu at http://sweetauburnbbq.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

 

The Silver Skillet is an institution in Atlanta having been around since 1956.

 

Very little in the appearance has changed; when you walk in you feel like you are in the 50s. That could be the appeal to Hollywood since many different television shows and movies have filmed there. You can visit their website for complete list, it’s impressive.

They have many classic diner breakfast items on the menu; I went for an omelet because I had not had one in a while. I was excited to see that I could get American cheese with ham in my omelet. I find the creaminess of the American cheese tastes so much better with eggs than cheddar. The omelet was much larger than I expected it to be, so it was a good thing I was hungry. A southern diner breakfast would not be complete without a side of grits. Just add a little butter and some salt and pepper to taste to complete the perfect pairing with the eggs.

Silver Skillet is a must visit in Atlanta. They are open in the morning for those early birds but they close around 2:00pm, so don’t get there too late.

Visit them on Facebook or at their website: www.thesilverskillet.com

Enjoy!

T

I knew Glady’s Knight was a Grammy award winning legend but I never knew she was a restaurant entrepreneur in Atlanta.

I love fried chicken – which I have written about on multiple occasions and waffles are a great breakfast food – I had honestly never had the 2 put together until I tried them at Glady’s Knights. This visit re-emphasized to me the importance of trying new things.

The chicken wings that they serve are truly jumbo wings. These are not the typical wings that you get at a bar when watching Sunday football. The breading on these wings is light but when fried up, it creates a nice layer of crunchy goodness that locks in the juiciness of the chicken. I’m not sure how they get the chicken that juicy but it is pure perfection.

The waffle was just the way I like it – crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. It would be perfect just on it’s own however, I was there to try something new. I took a piece of the waffle along with a piece of the chicken and drizzled both with the warm maple syrup. What a combination! Each component worked so well together. I know I am late coming to the party but I can’t believe  I never tried this before. It was the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

I recommend this pairing to anyone who has never had it before. And if you get a chance, try it at Glady’s Knights.  gladysandron.net

Enjoy!

T

Being stuck in traffic in Atlanta is a terrible thing. It’s even worse when you are hungry. If both of these things happen and you are near Midtown then stop into The Highlander.

This fun bar/restaurant (which you have to be 21 or older to get into) is a great place to grab a bite to eat. They have a large assortment of burgers and sandwiches, plus an array of comfort food like beef stroganoff.

Since it was a chilly day when I visited I decided to try their Jerk Chili. My server mentioned that this is one of their best items on the menu.

I also took his suggestion on an appetizer to try. They have a unique take on mozzarella sticks. Their cheese is wrapped in fresh pasta noodles and then deep fried. It creates a nice crunch that you normally do not get with mozzarella sticks. But be careful, they are hot when they come out.

   

Another great call out for The Highlander is that they are open till the wee hours of the morning, so you can stop by for some late night munchies.

Visit their website to see the menu and all of the activities they have going on: www.thehighlanderatlanta.com

Enjoy!

T