Make a girl happy for Christmas with a bag or two and some shoes.
Louis Vuitton
The Setting: A free-standing chain restaurant with a rustic theme. It can only be called a theme, because, it doesn’t feel rustic at all.
The Staff: On this occasion, our server was a bit abrupt and distracted. (First Visit… and probably our only visit)
The Food: If I had to sum it up in a few words… not bad for a chain. But, this is definitely chain food. We ordered two meat plates, one with pulled pork and brisket and the other with chicken and hot sausage links. The pulled pork wasn’t bad… not a lot of smoke flavor and a bit dry. But, the brisket had the taste of meat that had been simmering in some sort of broth. I’ve never described bbq brisket this way before. But, the only way to describe it is that the meat was very wet with a texture of corned beef. Oddly, the brisket had more smoke flavor than the pulled pork, but, the texture and wetness of the brisket was very offputting and unpleasant.
The worst part of the meal was served to my dining companion. He ordered the two meat plate with chicken and hot sausages. We expected a quarter of bbq chicken, but, what he got was a finely chopped mound of chicken that was incredibly soft and mushy. I didn’t know it was possible to make chicken mushy. It had the same wetness that the brisket exhibited and it was relatively flavorless. The hot sausages were tasty, but, they couldn’t erase the memory of the chicken.
The meal might have been better if everything wasn’t heavily doused with their original bbq sauce. It’s a very ketchupy sauce that is not to my taste at all. The hot bbq sauce that was on the table would have been better, but, there was too much sauce already on the food to use it.
Star of the Day: None… for the prices we expected better
The Verdict: It will be hard to talk me into eating here… ever again.
Jim ‘n Nicks
1103 Old Peachtree Road
Suwanee, GA
770 255 1717
Once again, The Counter exceeds expectations with perfectly crisp and golden brown sweet potato fries (even more perfect than previous visits… if that’s possible) and burgers nearing perfection. We’ve sampled quite a few burgers and they’ve proven to be impeccably prepared, cooked, and presented on every visit.
Here are a few favorite combinations for our custom built burgers:
beef + cheddar + roasted chilies + roasted red peppers + fried egg
beef + cheddar + baby greens + onion marmalade
beef + sundried tomatoes + grilled onions + peppercorn steak sauce
beef + blue cheese + cranberries
beef + provolone + cranberries + peppercorn steak sauce
chicken + bacon + guac
chicken + black forest ham + gruyere
chicken + pepper jack + Southwest Caesar
We’ve sampled all of their buns (english muffin, regular bun and honey wheat) and they’re all great. The english muffin is tasty, but, not sturdy enough to handle more than a couple toppings. My current favorite is the honey wheat bun.
Milkshake of the month? Eggnog
The Counter
850 Mansell Road
Roswell, GA 30076
678 461 9661
On a recent visit to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market, we found three flavors of ice cream. The Aroy-D brand (Made in Thailand) offers Durian, Jackfruit and Coconut Ice cream. Each flavor uses an ice cream base of coconut milk and sugar before adding a fine dice of fruit. The resulting ice cream has a texture more reminiscent of sorbet than ice cream. But, the unique flavors will have us coming back for more.
Durian — This is a great way to sample this unusual fruit. The coconut milk and sugar significantly mellow what could easily be an overwhelming flavor. The flavors that come through are creamy custard, a hint of cream cheese and an over-ripe fruit flavor. Since this ice cream only has three ingredients (coconut milk, sugar, and durian), we know that the custardy flavor is contributed by the durian. Also, the smell of the durian is quite neutral in this frozen format… making this a great way to experience durian for those who want a gentle introduction.
Jackfruit — This was my personal favorite. The taste of tropical fruit and coconut overwhelmed my senses with the first bite. On the second bite, the taste of pineapple, melon and a hint of banana shine through. Jackfruit makes a perfect companion to the rich creamy coconut milk base. We will definitely be buying this again!
Coconut — Chunks of coconut are added to the coconut milk and sugar base. This flavor is incredibly rich and addictive. This was a favorite by more than one of the testers.
Your Dekalb Farmers Market
3000 East Ponce De Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
The Setting: A charming little shop (and, I do mean little) that serves up some of the best gelato in Atlanta.
The Staff: Super Friendly
The Gelato: It’s all good! You can’t go wrong with your choice of flavor. But, some of our favorites include Violet, Dulce de Lece, Zabione, Pistachio, Bacio, Chestnut, Capuccino, Bacia, Walnut, Fig, Mango, Melon, Kiwi, Limoncello, and Straciatella.
Paolo’s Gelato Italiano
1025 Virginia Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30306
404 607 0055
The Setting: Currently, a free standing brick house conversion, but, soon to be relocated.
The Staff: Friendly and attentive
The Food: This used to be one of our favorite brunch spots… years ago. But, changes have been made since our last visit. We immediately noticed a difference in the coffee. I’m not sure if they’re using a new brand or if it was merely diluted, but, this new coffee is significantly less tasty (bordering on downright bad).
The home fries of my memories were hand-cut, well seasoned and browned crisp in the oven. The new version appear to be battered wedge cut fries. And, I’m guessing they are not made in-house. They’re fine, but, they do not compare to the originals.
Finally, our favorite choice off the menu… Chicken Biscuit Benedict. Similar to our memories, but, the chicken breast and hollandaise were lacking spice. And, the biscuit that serves as a base appeared a bit clunky. It’s possible we just got a bad biscuit, but, taking into account the other changes, I’m just not sure. On previous visits (years ago), the Agnes & Muriel’s biscuits were a reason to visit. Slathered with their homemade dark apple butter (no longer present) that was rich with molasses and spice, they could be eaten as a meal.
We left feeling sad and reminiscent for a place that no longer exists. At least we have our memories…
Agnes & Muriel’s (relocating on Jan 1, 2009)
1514 Monroe Drive
Atlanta, GA 30324
404 885 1000
Will you be out of town visiting family for the traditional turkey, ham and fixings? Or, did you draw the short straw for a family invasion?
Or, my personal favorite… did you take the year off? Avoiding the hassle can be easy in Atlanta with all of the dining choices. Buford Highway and the corner diner are just a fraction of the choices available. Many restaurants keeps their doors open for Thanksgiving. Many people enjoy a hassle-free holiday. And, dining out offers those who prefer to stay out of the kitchen an alternative. Reservations are easy to come by, traffic is nonexistent, and zero effort is required.
We’ve chosen restaurant dining on more than one occasion for the holiday. And, we were shocked to find that we weren’t the only ones. One year, we waited for over an hour at The Colonnade. We watched the line grow longer and longer, stretching its way into the parking lot as we waited. Another year, we chose one of our favorite restaurants on Buford Highway. And, yet another, we dined happily on foie gras, duck breast and creme caramel. That particular Thanksgiving has proven to be one of our all time favorites. A quiet romantic dinner for the two of us held more meaning and memories than hours in the kitchen ever could. Spending hours in the kitchen doesn’t make Thanksgiving any more special. It’s just one of many options available in this great city.
If you don’t have the time, energy or inclination to spend one of your precious days off in the kitchen… go out to dinner. It might be one of your favorite memories for years to come…
For restaurants with availability this Thanksgiving check out OpenTable.com
Royal Tokaji 2000
With a taste of honeyed apricots, this is one of my favorite wines. Incredible depth of flavor, it tastes of sweet nectar, reminding me why wine is referred to as the nectar of the Gods. Sourwood honey, apricot, fresh calmyrna figs, a hint of floral orange blossom, orange zest, a bit of tart pineapple, lychee and melon are the most vivid flavors brought to mind by this amazing wine.
Reminiscent of the best Canadian ice wine, but, their cloying sweetness can be a flaw. Royal Tokaji’s strength is in the depth of flavor. Complex layers of flavor prevent the impression of syrupy sweetness. This wine is decadently rich… nearing perfection in my mind. This is a beautiful example of what sweet wines can be… and what others wish to be.
The Setting: Parish Foods & Goods is housed in a charming two story building jam-packed with character. From the exposed terra cotta bricks to the antique mirror that towers over the bar to worn leather chairs in the entry that scream “sit on me”, Parish welcomes you even before the staff. Warm terra cotta brick and remnants of faded green plaster cover the walls reminding us of the past. While, flashes of red hint at whimsy and drama. Red glass chandeliers hover over a stairway that remind us of the treats below.
The Staff: One of the best restaurant staffs in Atlanta! They’re an incredibly friendly and professional crew.
The Food: In a word… excellent. We’ve yet to find something on the menu that we haven’t enjoyed. We haven’t sampled the entire menu… yet. But, everything to date has been perfectly prepared and service was timed beautifully. On our last brunch visit, even though the restaurant was packed to capacity, our meals were served at the perfect moment… just as we were finishing our first cup of coffee.
Favorites… so far…
Parish Benedict: Delicately poached eggs in a creamy tomato hollandaise with bits of shrimp and crawfish are served with a wedge of crepes layered with ham and cheese. Topped with a handful of pea shoots, this is one of my favorite versions of eggs benedict this city has to offer. (The wedge of layered ham and cheese crepe could function as an entree on its own.)
Savory cheesecake with chicken sausage and crawfish: light-as-a-feather cheesecake contrasts beautifully with the rich sausage, crawfish tails and pecan crust. Served with a mushroom salad that’s topped with slivers of carmelized lemon rounds… what a perfect companion to this lovely dish! The earthy scent and taste of mushroom pair well with the bite of lemon.
Chicken Pontalba: A tender breast of chicken with hollandaise sauce garnishes a pile of perfectly crisp hash brown potatoes with andouille sausage. YUM!
Shrimp and Grits: Small baby shrimp on a bed of rich, creamy grits are drizzled with garlic cream. (Contender for best grits in Atlanta)
Stars of the Day: Everything we’ve tried so far… And, don’t miss the baked goods down below… croissants, tarts and danishes! The chocolate croissants are perfection coupled with their powerful Martinez coffee! Yum!!
Next time: We’ll be sampling the ice cream and sorbet
Parish Foods & Goods
240 North Highland Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30307
404 681 4434
The Setting: A small specialty food shop set in a strip mall. Rows in the center of the shop are filled with cookies, crackers, jellies & jams, honey, baking goods, and grains. There’s a small deli counter in the back. A small section with refrigerators, candy bins and a selection of foreign movies round the edges of this charming little shop.
The Staff: Very friendly and helpful
The Food: There’s a nice assortment of Russian groceries, cookies, breads, crackers, jams & jellies, a deli counter with cured meats and sausages, candy bins, a small selection of baking ingredients, grains, and other specialty food items.
My favorites include the forest honey, pomegranate molasses, European jams, preserved rose petals, hazelnut cookies, wafers filled with hazelnut cream, frozen breads, and European chocolates. On a previous visit, I was able to purchase an assortment of dried mushrooms. These were used to produce the best mushroom stock that I’ve ever made.
Arbat
6470 Spalding Drive
Norcross, GA 30092
770 368 9030
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