Good Eats: Mundial & Intrepid Diversions bring you: Valentine’s Day* *on a budget.

So here we are. On the cusp of probably one of the more stressful holidays for couples and singles alike.

I don’t know what all my readers are planning but I am into the classics on obligatory romantic holidays. Dinner and a movie? Yes please.

Colin Lamphier of Intrepid Diversions and I have teamed up to bring you our recommendations for dinner and a movie this Valentine’s Day. We have a two part series coming your way, first up – dinner and a movie at home. Make sure you visit his website to check out his recommendations for movies that are sure to win you major brownie points (especially the men). I loved, loved, LOVED his selections! Which dance? You tell me!

Both of these movies can be found on Netflix – so here are a few at home dinner options for you to impress your sweetie. The first is a recipe if you’re adventurous and the second is a take out option that will leave your significant other marveling at your gourmet skills without you having to clean up any mess!

Take Out Option (Atlanta)

Christopher’s To Go is a freakin’ miracle.

This is how it works (pretty much) – you can look at their website, pick the store you want to pick up from and you can order fresh meals that are made by their Founder & Executive Chef who is a Michelin rated French Chef. Their concept is to bring his quality of gourmet food to peoples homes at an affordable price. Which they do. They’re amazing.

They’re offering a special Valentine’s Menu at $39.95 a person. Those of you in Atlanta: THIS IS A STEAL and I can promise you from experience that their food is ace. You can place your order by 5 p.m. on February 12th and pick up all day on February 14th.

Here’s the menu:

First Course
Deviled Quail Egg
Crab Mango Salad
Prosciutto Dried Fig Skewered

Second Course
Asparagus Mousse Graved Lax
Braised pistachio, dill and meyer lemon oil

Main Course
6 oz Grilled Beef Tenderloin

-OR-

6 oz Steamed Wild Caught Salmon

Served with lobster stuffed portabella, sautéed carrot, Sunchokes and Endive. Lobster Red Wine Sauce

Dessert
Gluten Free Chocolate Mousse Cake
w/ a vanilla sauce

-OR-

Paleo Chocolate Truffle
w/ a coconut sauce

Honestly how can you go wrong? For $39.95 you’re getting a four-course gourmet meal that you can enjoy in your home with pretty much no clean up.  It leaves more time for cuddling and telling your gushing boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband/whatever “Anything for you!”

You can also feel good knowing that you’re serving your sweetie food that is healthy, organic and the containers they come in are also recyclable or fully compostable! How well rounded are you? You single? Oh. Sorry.

Anyways.

You can order by calling 678-860-1000 or visiting www.christophestogo.com.

Honestly if you’re in Atlanta I wouldn’t suggest going any other way. If I wasn’t heading to Savannah on a romantic getaway with my dog, I’d be ordering this for 1. Don’t pity me. This would probably be the single greatest Valentine’s Day of my life. I’d definitely go with the beef tenderloin and the chocolate truffle. Yum.

But for those of you not in Atlanta who may be a bit more adventurous here’s a recipe I think you should try instead. It’s simple but impressive.

Carbonara.

Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish from Lazio, Rome, based on eggs, cheese, bacon, and black pepper. Spaghetti is usually used as the pasta; however, fettuccine, rigatoni, linguine or bucatini can also be used.

Traditional carbonara is NOT the type you see in restaurants with a thousand extra veggies and peas and a ton of extra cream. The dish originally came to fruition when food shortages after the liberation of Rome in 1944 were so severe that Allied troops distributed military rations consisting of powdered egg and bacon which the local populace used with water to season the easily stored dried pasta.

#TheMoreYouKnow

So not only will you impress your date with a delicious meal, you can wow them with this little known fact. You’re welcome.

Pasta Carbonara

Photograph from snipview.com

Ingredients

• Salt
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1  ounce (about 1/3 packed up) of grated pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving (Definitely grate your own! There is a difference in flavor!)
• 1 ounce (about 1/3 packed cup) grated Parmesan
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 package of pancetta (can be found in your local grocery store)
• 12 oz of spaghetti (about ¾ box)

Instructions

1. Place a large pot of lightly salted water (no more than 1 tablespoon salt) over high heat, and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with hot water, and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.

3. Set the water to boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the pancetta, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Add pasta to the water and boil until a bit firmer than al dente. Just before pasta is ready, reheat pancetta in skillet, if needed. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute or so.

5. Empty serving bowl of hot water. Dry it and add hot pasta mixture. Stir in cheese mixture, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess. Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper.

You’ll notice there’s no garlic in this recipe.

You’re welcome. Again. Man, you all owe me.

For dessert you should also keep it sexy and classic – just like Patrick Swayze.

Nobody puts Baby in the corner.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
These can be done the night before if you’d like!

1 package of ripe strawberries
1 container of dipping chocolate
1 roll of wax paper

What’s awesome about this is that 90% of grocery stores will have these items RIGHT next to each other. It’s like they want you succeed. Follow the instructions on the chocolate. It usually involves gradually heating the chocolate in the microwave, dipping the strawberries in the chocolate and placing them on a plate that is covered in wax paper. Once you’re done, put the plate in the refrigerator and let the chocolate harden.

Once you’re ready to serve, remember to remove them from the wax paper and put them on a plate. Presentation is everything!

I hope everyone enjoys their at-home Valentine’s Day! Make sure you leave a comment on Colin’s site to let him know which movie you went with and be sure to tweet me at @_goodeats to let me know what you ended up eating!

Buttermilk Kitchen

Buttermilk Kitchen
4225 Roswell Road Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30342 | 678.732.3274

Parking |Yes
Hours | Tuesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday 8 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

First and foremost, I’d like to dedicate this review to my GPS – Mz. Garmin. That raggedy hot mess brought me all sorts of half ass backwards ways around Atlanta, but eventually got me to where I wanted to go. Thanks. I guess.

I’d like to think my natural state of cynicism means that you can trust my reviews. It’s not that I can’t be impressed. It’s that when I am impressed you know it’s a pretty solid endorsement.

I got to Buttermilk early, around 9 a.m. (they start weekend brunch at 8 a.m.) and decided to take a seat at the bar versus getting a table. The inside is so adorable I wanted to make fun of it for hours. I mean…this place is country kitchen meets hipster paradise meets my Mom’s kitchen. The hostesses seemed to be able to get out of the wait staff uniform, which are denim shirts and bowties. The ladies don’t wear bowties but they do look like Taylor Swift doppelgangers. Okay, not all of them. Just one.

I loved these flowers so much.

 

Needless to say, I was in love with the place. And bitter. I don’t like falling in love so quickly. Taylor Swift should write a song about Buttermilk Kitchen.

Anyways.

I was quickly greeted and offered coffee (yesssssss, please) and then spent a good 10 minutes struggling over the menu. It wasn’t fair. The struggle wasn’t even between two things; it was between all items on the menu. Pumpkin pancakes with candied pepitas, mascarpone and cognac ganache? Or maybe the basic two eggs, biscuit and breakfast potatoes? Then again there’s the chicken biscuit with house pickles and roasted red pepper jelly that I have been coveting from a distance for ages.

The brunch menu.

 

I went with the two eggs (I take mine over easy), a biscuit and breakfast potatoes. I figured if I couldn’t make up my mind I might as well stick to basics.

My breakfast – fried eggs, biscuit & hashbrowns.

 

Now, Buttermilk Kitchen actually has a mission statement and I love it:

Buttermilk Kitchen’s mission is to nurture people through food by use of sustainable, local ingredients. A kitchen where most everything is made in-house from scratch, paying tribute to its name, “buttermilk” which refers to the liquid utilized after butter was churned; carrying out the philosophy of letting nothing go to waste.

We use local and organic products whenever possible and always the highest quality seasonal ingredients available.

We proudly feature Holeman & Finch artisan bread, Batdorf & Bronson coffee, fresh dairy products, cage-free eggs, local and organic produce, all-natural preservative free meats, local grass-fed sausage, and other products of the finest quality.

My food came out freaky fast to the point of suspicion. I bit into a potato thinking, “if it came out this fast it probably wasn’t freshly made” and proceeded to embarrass myself in front of my server. It was so hot. Not hot like, in the microwave hot. Hot like, out of the oven hot. The outside of the potato was crunchy and the inside fluffy…it was so good. Schooled by a potato. 10+ life points to my server for pretending like he didn’t witness all of this happen.

The potatoes were tasty, salty (the right amount) and rosemary-y. If you’re not a fan of rosemary maybe go for the grits instead.

My eggs made me want to hug the guy next to me. I don’t pretend to be able to taste the difference between cage-free vs caged eggs. I don’t even know if it’s supposed to affect the taste or it’s just a nice way to let the damn chickens live. But for a simple egg, it was so tasty. They weren’t swimming in oil or grease, which can always bring a breakfast to a screeching halt.

The biscuit was perfect and made me second-guess my choice…maybe I should have just gone for the chicken and biscuit. I could have put butter or jam or honey on this thing but I chose to just eat it as is. It was so flaky and so buttery inside I didn’t want to mask its taste with anything else.

Biscuit lovin’.

 

Aside from the food, which was great – I really appreciated the fact that the atmosphere here was light. You think you’d be greeted with this really uptight feeling just because it sort of looks like a hipster paradise but everything and everyone is so relaxed. People aren’t there to make an event out of brunching in the way that has sort of given brunch this bad reputation. They’re simply there to eat really, really good food with friends and family.

Mason jars for days. Obviously.

Oh, and my favorite part? My server somehow knew that I was going to need a coffee to go. It’s the little things like that that will set you apart from other establishments. I took him up on the offer and left Buttermilk Kitchen feeling well fed and GOOD. I wasn’t bogged down by grease ridden, heavy processed breakfast food. I left feeling full and energized. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that way leaving a restaurant before. I’ve spent a lot of time in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Providence and Boston trying to find a breakfast place that I could say was my “favorite.” I can say without hesitation that Buttermilk Kitchen is my first (in all of my 20 odd years of eating out) favorite breakfast place.

I’ll be back, and I’m coming for that chicken biscuit.

The view from the bar.

Zinburger

Zinburger
3393 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30326

Phone | 404-963-9611

Hours | 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily

I was invited to Zinburger to try the winner of their third annual Zinburger contest – The Honolulu Baby Burger. It’s priced at $12 and will be featured at all nine east coast Zinburger locations from September 15-21^st.

The Honolulu Baby Burger consists of a Certified Angus Beef patty with charred pineapple, volcanic fire roasted red peppers, swiss cheese, mayo and a Hawaiian favorite  – SPAM – all between two oven roasted bronzed buns.

All right, so let’s get this out of the way. The first time I heard about this I was slightly horrified due to the – you guessed it – SPAM!

I haven’t ever had SPAM. All I know about SPAM is that it’s creepy looking when it comes out of the tin with all the bright Mad Men type colors. But hey, if this burger beat out all the rest then I was willing to try it.

The burger came out and the first thing I noticed was that visually, the SPAM didn’t look anything like I thought it would. It just looked like Canadian bacon and it had a similar texture. The sweet from the pineapple and pepper combined with the salty of the SPAM and the savory from the burger patty?

ohmylifeshutthefrontdooritwassogood.

I ate SPAM and lived to tell the tale.

Of course, because Denise (of We Like 2 Cook) is a terrible influence she bullied me into ordering other menu items so we could get an idea of what the rest of the menu was like.

So, we ordered the Ahi Tuna sandwich ($10) which comes with coleslaw, avocado, tamari soy glaze & mayo, the Almost Famous Veggie Burger ($9) which comes with smoked mozzarella, avocado, pea shoots, tomato and mayo.

Both of these sandwiches were on point. The ahi was cooked rare, just like it should be and they definitely don’t skimp when it comes to the amount of tuna you get, which is always a nice change.

Side note: I hate, hate, hate when I spend like, $13 on an “Ahi Tuna App/Entrée/Whatever” and you get it and there’s like, two effin’ pieces on the plate the size of an return address label. So the fact they didn’t skimp is HUGE for me.

The veggie burger was “shut the front door” good. I really love vegetarian dishes but I tend to avoid veggie burgers when I go out. They’re usually paper-thin patties that you can still taste the freezer burn on. Not these! Thick, not at all dried out – these are made in house and fresh daily and you can tell.

Since the burgers are a la carte, we took it upon ourselves to get the truffle fries and zucchini fries. Both were outstanding.

By the end of the meal, we were stuffed…but our waitress convinced us to try one of their milkshakes.

Okay. If you insist.

We split the salted caramel milkshake and let me tell you, it made me blush. It was so good. Honestly – this is embarrassing to admit but I can see myself going back JUST to get a milkshake to go.

The whole experience there was top notch. From the atmosphere, the décor and most importantly the food.

I would highly suggest stopping in at Zinburger the next time you are in the neighborhood. Let us know what you think by tweeting us at @_GoodEats!

Disclaimer –I was invited as a member of the Atlanta Food Bloggers’ Society to enjoy a complimentary meal in exchange for an honest and transparent review. The above review is 100% my own opinion and is no way influenced by the restaurant. 

Foodie Spotlight: Maria Lawton

Maria Lawton

 

This weeks’ Foodie Spotlight is on Maria Lawton, author of “Azorean Cooking, From My Family Table to Yours” – the best selling Azorean/Portuguese cookbook on Amazon.com!

I have been a fan of Maria’s for awhile now, but it suddenly dawned on me when I saw her make a cameo in a Portuguese Kids short that she would be the perfect person to feature on Good Eats: Mundial! Duh.

Maria is an Azorean-American who emigrated to the United States from the island of Sāo Miguel (one of the nine volcanic islands that makes up the Azores) with her family when she was six years old. Just like many families, including my own, they settled in southeastern Massachusetts.

Azores.

What was wonderful about this interview was that without provocation Maria was able to clearly articulate the feeling and passion around food and community that inspired me to create Good Eats: Mundial in the first place. And although I’d like to think it’s something special to us Azorean and Portuguese people, I know it’s a commonality among people worldwide!

Hence…Good Eats: Mundial.
Mundial – the Portuguese word for “global” or “worldwide”
Get it now?

Maria Lawton’s Contact Information:

Website | The Azorean Green Bean
Facebook | Azorean Green Bean
Twitter | @azoreancookbook
Instagram | @azoreangreenbean
Cookbook | Azorean Cooking, From My Family Table to Yours

Azorean Cooking: From my family table to yours

One of the most common questions I get here in Atlanta (when I’m whining about the lack of Portuguese/Azorean food) is “What IS Portuguese/Azorean food? Describe it to me!’ – How would you describe it to the folks down here in Atlanta?

What most people don’t realize is that the Portuguese were such great explorers and were able to bring spices from our provinces in Macau, China; Goa, India and Mozambique, South Africa. We were blessed with fusion cooking long before it became a trendy thing in the cooking industry. Beef seasoned with cinnamon (India) and the spicy malagueta pepper (South Africa) could be found in my mom’s kitchen, from a recipe handed down for generations.  Also through several centuries we were invaded and ruled by the Moors, Flemish, Romans, Germans, Norwegians and the Spaniards with each bringing their way of cooking as well as traditions. So it’s no wonder that recipes from these countries are sometimes so similar to recipes my mom and grandmother would make. Also the name “Farm to Table” another trendy term… is nothing new for us. We lived off the land and ocean and we ate what was in season with absolutely nothing going to waste.

When and why did you decide to write “Azorean Cooking, From my Family Table to Yours?”

I decided to write this cookbook several years after my parents and my grandparents passed away; I longed for my Mom and Grandmother’s cooking. The funny thing in all this is that I never cooked with my Mom. I am the youngest of three daughters and it was my two older sisters that took turns cooking with my mom. I would either be outside with my Dad planting vegetables or tending to the grape arbor or I would be upstairs in our three family home with my grandmother baking. She would bake something everyday, and if she wasn’t baking bread it would be something sweet. With leftover bread she created the most delicious bread pudding. She would also deep fry slices of leftover day old bread. She would dip them in a mixture of eggs and milk and then once fried, she would sprinkle sugar on top. No this is not French Toast! This is a whole new level of fried slices of homemade bread. Other times she would bake cakes or make puddings. Each day after coming home from school I would kiss my Dad and run upstairs to see what wonderful surprise she had for me.  My mom was the amazing cook. We had the smallest galley shaped kitchen but from that tiny kitchen came out the most delicious meals. The wonderful memories I have of eating as a family and sharing these meals together are filled with so much love, laughter and pure joy.  I never thought at that time to sit down with them and get their recipes. I never thought I would lose all of them so close to each other. But as the years passed, I wanted to recreate my childhood memories with my own family. Now I have three daughters and I want each one of them to know the traditions and recipes of their ancestors. I don’t want them to ever forget where part of their family is from.

Freshly made Portuguese Rolls. The picture is from Maria’s Facebook page, Azorean Green Bean.

What is your favorite Azorean dish to cook and what is your favorite one to eat? 

I think this might be a trick question! One thing about me is I love to cook and I love to eat. So I wouldn’t cook something I wouldn’t like to eat!! My favorite soup depends on the day. I love turnip greens soup (one of Dad’s favorite too) or kale or collard greens with cabbage. Then in the Fall I especially love pumpkin soup with a bean puree. Then there’s the watercress soup I love in the Summer. I think I’m listing all the soups. Then I love rice pudding. I have nominated myself as the sweet rice pudding expert. I love it so much that when I was young I would ask for rice pudding to celebrate my birthday instead of cake. I love it SO much that I have three recipes for rice pudding in the cookbook. One recipe belonged to my Mom, it’s a very dense pudding. You can actually take a knife to it and hold it in your hand. The second recipe is my from cousin Lauriana which is creamier than my Mom’s and last but not least a recipe from my Aunt Lilia which is the most decadent and creamiest of all. All different textures, but all amazing flavors.

Pictured above is rice pudding – or as we call it at my house sweet rice/arroz dolce. The hatch marks you see are cinnamon and the picture is from Maria’s Facebook page, Azorean Green Bean.

What was one of your most memorable experiences from when you went back to Sao Miguel to learn family recipes?  

I love the fact that cooking creates so many memories just by aroma alone. When writing my cookbook it was sometimes a very emotional process. When I’m cooking I’m also recreating food memories. The aroma sometimes can be just incredibly powerful and overwhelming. It has the power to take me back to a place filled with love, as if I’m in my Mother or my Grandmother’s kitchen. That is exactly what happened when I was cooking with my elderly Aunt Inez. She is my Dad’s baby sister. She was teaching me how to make a fish stew recipe and all of a sudden the aroma was so overwhelming, all I could do was cry. The aroma took me back several years. It was one of the last times my Mom had made this dish, and I felt like she was there with me cooking.  It was a very powerful experience and one that I would have over and over again as if she was guiding me along though this journey.

These pictures from Facebook are of Maria in Sao Miguel. The first is her kneading dough for sweet bread, the second pulling it apart to portion and the third is it going into the oven. The green thing on top? A kale leaf to keep the top of the bread from burning!

These pictures from Facebook are of Maria in Sao Miguel. The first is her kneading dough for sweet bread, the second pulling it apart to portion and the third is it going into the oven. The green thing on top? A kale leaf to keep the top of the bread from burning!

These pictures from Facebook are of Maria in Sao Miguel. The first is her kneading dough for sweet bread, the second pulling it apart to portion and the third is it going into the oven. The green thing on top? A kale leaf to keep the top of the bread from burning!

The coast of Sao Miguel.

Which recipe would you suggest someone starting out with when they take home “Azorean Cooking, From my Family Table to Yours?”

I have to say our recipes are very simple and easy. They can be a little time consuming but never difficult. Right now we’re dealing with an over abundance of tomatoes so I would suggest page 68. Tomato Sauce with onions and poached eggs would be fantastic. Then with Fall coming page 12 has the Pumpkin Soup and on page 60 is an amazing Roast Beef dinner that’s a perfect pairing for Fall. Then for dessert., you have the rice puddings on pages 82 through 85. Then another childhood favorite on page 92, Milk Tarts! Trust me once you try one you’ll want another. Just remember I have given you fair warning!

* * *

After my interview, I mentioned to her that I was in Atlanta and often times felt extremely homesick. Sometimes living in the South feels I’m in another country where no one speaks my language or gets it (haha). I never realized how disconnected I would feel from home and often crave comfort in the form of Portuguese dishes from my childhood.

She told me that her oldest daughter is in the South now and when she goes to visit she often makes dishes from home. However, Maria reminded me that a lot of her favorite dishes growing up included very ‘Southern’ ingredients like fried pork belly, cabbage, collard greens and even dumplings in soup. It’s all about what you make of your surroundings!

Our ancestors were navigators and explorers before some guy named Columbus ever made his accidental landing on the New World – and Maria is keeping that adventurous spirit alive by making a collection of our history available in a cookbook.

Now, what will I cook first…?

Alma Cocina

The chic interior of Alma Cocina.

My entire meal! A chicken milanesa torta, plantain chips and a diet Coke.

A view from the bar into the patio “outside.”

Alma Cocina
191 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30303

Ph: 404–968-9662

Lunch:
Monday – Friday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Dinner:
Sunday – Thursday 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

I recently started a new job in downtown Atlanta (side note: yay!) and the first thing I did was set out to find a lunch destination that was a bit more refined than Chic-Fil-A (sorry, not sorry).

Alma Cocina is a name I’ve heard tossed around…it’s a part of the Fifth Grouper restaurant group which includes South City Kitchen (review here), Ecco, Lure, La Tavola Trattoria and The Original El Taco.

I am always nervous about trying restaurants out for lunch. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re going to end up fired because some place advertises lunch and yet takes over an hour to get it to you.

I walked in to Alma around 12 o’clock – prime lunch hour. There was plenty of room at the bar but the dining room was quite packed. I took a seat and was promptly greeted by my super friendly and up beat bartender.

In my opinion lunch should only take between a half hour and 45 minutes. Most offices either grant 30 minute or an hour breaks, so that time frame expectation seems reasonable to me. I noticed they had a “rapido” lunch menu so I ordered the following meal combinations:

Chicken Breast Milanesa Torta with pickled peaches, piquillo peppers, arugula and ghost chile aioli  with a side of plantain chips and a diet coke.

Total: $10

Now, from the pictures above you can see the portions were not skimpy. I have no idea why anyone would spend $8 on a meal at Chic-Fil-A when they could spend $10 and get what I did!

The sandwich was a huge surprise. The chicken was perfectly cooked, insanely crunchy on the outside and moist inside. The combination of sweet, spicy and savory was a treat from start to finish and the plantain chips were the perfect substitute for fries or chips. They were a perfect compliment to my sandwich without making me feel guilty for inhaling them all.

From start to finish, I was done in 40 minutes…and that was me taking my time eating and also having a catch up call with my best friend from home!

The bartender was prompt and attentive without making me feel rushed, the food was awesome and the price was definitely right. Needless to say, I’ll be back for lunch and very much look forward to returning after 5 p.m. when I can try grown up drinks and maybe one of their FOUR different ceviches!

I’ll be sure to let you all know if I’m equally impressed with dinner. Although if lunch is anything to go by, I’m not worried.

Improv Atlanta

Atlanta Improv | Comedy Club & Dinner Theater
56 E Andrews Dr NW
Atlanta, GA 30305

Ph: 678-244-3612
E-mail: info@theimprovatlanta.com

Hours: Depends on the show! Check out upcoming shows here.

I didn’t realize I loved comedy clubs until I moved to Hollywood and had my first experience at The Laugh Factory. Some of the comedians I saw that night had me in tears (in a good way) and some were just plain terrible. I loved the whole thing. So I absolutely jumped at the opportunity to check out Atlanta native Andy Sandford at Atlanta Improv as well as try some of their menu.

When you walk in you tell the host how many are in your party and they promptly bring you into a gorgeous dining room packed with beautiful mahogany (?) tables in front of a stage against a ‘brick’ background. There isn’t such a thing as a bad seat in the house, promise!

About the food:

Doors open an hour before the 8 p.m. show – so if you want to eat before the show you can. However every time I’ve gone I’ve ended up ordering a couple minutes before the show starts and eating through it.

From what I experienced tonight (and the last time I was there earlier this month) you need to keep an open mind when experiencing both the comedian and the food! As far as the food goes – you’re going to get everything you ordered but it’s not going to come out in any comprehensible order. Unfortunately I had the same server tonight that I did the last time – so I don’t know if this was him or the norm of the venue in general.

On our table:

• Wings – Medium
• Improv Nachos – Tortilla chips topped with ancho-chicken, roasted peppers, garlic lime grilled chicken, sweet corn, cheese sauce, cheddar cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, jalapenos and scallions
• Spinach Dip – four cheese with tortilla chips
• Spicy Memphis Burger
• Buckhead Burger
• Grilled Lamb Pops – lamb chops, blackberry balsamic reduction, wild mushroom polenta

You can check out the rest of the menu here.

The wings were great – I like dry wings over ones that are sopping wet in sauce and the chicken was all white and not terrifying. And don’t act like you don’t know what a terrifying chicken wing looks like. You know.

The nachos are not for the faint of heart. You can split them between two people but you’re probably better off splitting them between four or more. They’re delicious but even our table of 6 couldn’t eat it all knowing we had so much more food coming.

I would pass on the spinach dip next time around. All I could taste was spinach and no cheese…it was kind of like eating cream of spinach with tortilla chips. I wasn’t too disappointed though…like I said, there were a TON of delicious nachos still available.

My burger was great – two pork patties topped with pulled pork, coleslaw and pickles. Excessive? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely.

My friend said he liked his Buckhead Burger and I did manage to snag a bite of the lamb. It was cooked really well – it melted in my mouth and had a great flavor.  I was surprised to find lamb done that well there. I say that because let’s be real – at any venue like this you have to wonder, what do they consider themselves first and foremost? A comedy club or a restaurant? Thankfully, Atlanta Improv decided not to pick one over the other and just do BOTH things extremely well.

In addition to what I mentioned above there are salads, wraps, sushi and other dishes that I can’t wait to come back and try!

The show:

Andy Sandford was perfect. I really needed a laugh this week and he totally delivered. Of course, I can’t speak to any past or future performers but here are some rules of thumb for Improv Atlanta and you know, life:

When they say no phones – they mean it. Don’t be a tool. 

Andy didn’t call anyone out but I did watch Jeff Ross call a woman out three times before throwing her out of his show and calling her a not so nice word. It started with a C and ended in a “WHOAAAA!”

Stand-up comedy isn’t a concert. They deserve your attention and respect. So put down the damn phone. You’re not subtle. If I can see you, the comedian can see you. With that said:

That’s why I don’t have pictures of my food. Honestly if I’m telling you it’s good food I hope you trust me and go try it for yourself! Do you really need another picture of a plate of nachos?  If I can’t convince you without pictures I’m a shitty blogger.

I really hope I’m not a shitty blogger.

Be Flexible.

I say this because I’m an uptight mess – but I learned that at any comedy club (not just this one) you need to be able to go with the flow. No, you can’t move your seat. Yes, you might get apps and entrees at the same time. And yeah, waiters are moving around you during the show. Just chill. Have a drink (I suggest the Laugh Out Loud) and enjoy!

There is a two drink minimum.

If you have a problem with this I don’t know what you’re doing at a comedy club. Go home you wet blanket! Kidding! Sort of. If you really can’t or don’t drink I’m sure there are ways around this…and by ways around this I mean ask your server if two plates of nachos can count instead 😉

Both times I have really, really enjoyed my time at Atlanta Improv. Checking their line up has now become a part of my weekend routine for sure.

Honestly, I think this would be a great first date location…or any date. Or any time. I just really like Improv Atlanta. Kudos to them for doing the comedy club/dinner experience the right way. I can’t wait to come back!

Disclaimer: I was invited to attend today’s show and have my meal comped in exchange for an honest and transparent review of my experience tonight.

How do you know I’m being honest and transparent you ask?

I was too nice up there. What I should have said was: DO NOT ORDER THE SPINACH DIP FOR REAL.

Smokebelly

Smokebelly BBQ
128 East Andrews
Atlanta, GA 30305

Ph: 404-848-9100

Hours

Sunday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Before checking out Jeff Ross at Improv Atlanta, we headed to Smokebelly BBQ to grab a couple of drinks and some food.

I guess before I go into my long winded experience here, I’ll save some of you the trouble: it was meh. 

It was good. I mean, I ate everything. My drinks were good. But there was something so fundamentally blah about everything there that just weighed funny on me.

Maybe it’s because Smokebelly is attempting to bring this idea of BBQ to a notoriously uppity part of Atlanta (whattup Buckhead) to people who no matter how Southern they claim to be would probably eat ribs with a fork and knife.

The decor? Beautiful. The entire establishment is a well thought out design meant to evoke that ever so popular hipster/rustic/but chic feeling. Yeah, you have exposed brick and wooden tables, but the tables are so new the wood is shiny to the point where you can see your reflection in the top. All the patrons were in the same sundress and all the men bought their khaki shorts at the same store. Everything about it felt cookie cutter and forced.

I ended up getting the Chopped Brisket Sandwich and a side of the Sweet Corn and Edamame Succotash, my friend got the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac’n’cheese.

The pulled pork sandwich was dry and although the menu boasts about the BBQ sauces on your table, ours had none. We asked our waiter but he seemed to forget and at that point we were already so disappointed we didn’t feel the need to fight it.

The mac’n’cheese was lukewarm, and nothing about it seemed creamy…or enticing. It reminded me of the left over mac’n’cheese on the stove that’s congealed but you eat it anyway because you’ve drank a half a bottle of wine by yourself and anything seems appealing (or is that just me?). When I pull up a bite of mac’n’cheese I want to see that ooey-gooey cheese trail follow my fork!

For a perfect example of this, check out my pictures of the mac’n’cheese at TAP.

The brisket sandwich was okay. I enjoyed the flavor but they betrayed the one consistent pattern I’ve seen at all phenomenal BBQ joints: the brisket was smothered in BBQ sauce. Was it tasty? Err, yeah. Salty, but good. But brisket should stand on its own. Then if you want to add the BBQ sauces that were supposed to be on our table, so be it.

My sweet corn and edamame succotash was good…the first bite wasn’t the same as the last. All the oil had seeped to the bottom of the bowl, so I ended up not finishing it. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I love edamame! And I know what they’re probably doing is trying to create fun and new exciting sides for BBQ…but if you can’t get that right, then stick to a classics and give me the option for some collard greens (there’s no option for that on the menu).

Instead they had “Smokey Braised Kale” – I mean really? Can you pick a trendier food than kale?!? Just…give me collard greens!

Service was slow and disorganized. We got our food and drinks without too much of a wait, but our conversation was constantly interrupted by no less than three different servers approaching our table asking if anyone had seen us yet, did we need anything? I guess +3 points for being attentive and -5 for not having an organized section system worked out for your servers!

Our waiter, although friendly, mumbled. We asked a few times for him to speak up (we couldn’t hear him!) and he just…didn’t. And the outdoor patio was not loud at all. Then when we decided we didn’t want any starters he asked us three more times “are you sure?” Listen man, I know you’re aiming for the ideal check here, but pestering us won’t change our minds!

All in all, it wasn’t the worst experience. If you go, you’ll enjoy your food, you’ll enjoy the drink and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the people watching as much as we did. I just expected more than “it’s okay” and was disappointed.

If you want REAL BBQ there are a thousand other places you should hit up first – and you’ll need to leave Buckhead to find them.

Attack of the Killer Tomato Fest

Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, 2014
1 – 5 p.m.
The Goat Farm
Atlanta, GA

This past Sunday, I attended my first ever Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival at Goat Farm and Art Center.

There were top-notch chefs and mixologists from all around Atlanta who turned out to show us their best tomato themed dishes and drinks. The event was held to support Georgia Organics and The Giving Kitchen.

This is will be a post of lessons. Yeah, we ate a lot of great food but I don’t know if I could even tell you about EVERYTHING that I ate! I’ll do my best…one thing I can do for sure though, is give you tips for next year.

Unfortunately, it was a bit rainy out that day…but I guess I would take that over 100* heat.

We showed up right at 1 p.m. when the event started and didn’t get through the gates until 1:38.

The AKTF volunteers were doing the best that they could to move everyone through as quickly as they could but they didn’t have a streamlined process to really make it efficient.

So here we go:

Lesson 1

If the event starts at 1, show up at 12.

This means you get to avoid parking two blocks away, you avoid ending up at the end of a three person wide line, and you get a chance to sample ALL the food you paid to sample.

You don’t want to rush, you want to enjoy every second of your four hours there.

Lesson 2

Don’t bring a large camera.

I mean, I know bloggers who did but I honestly don’t know how they managed to take pictures and eat, and wade through those crowds. Your iPhone will suffice.

If you’re not a food blogger, snap a couple of quintessential pictures and then put your phone away for the rest of the day. Trust me when I say you’re going to want 100% of your energy and focus on your food and not on your camera. There is just too much to try!

Lesson 3

Bring a friend.

You’re going to need someone to hold your bag, hold your beer, hold your plate, hold your spoon etc as you try to slurp down your tasty treat in the middle of a crowd of 50 people who have forgotten their manners.

Lesson 4

Remember your manners.

Thank the chefs who are making your food. Yeah, they’re doing this to help support a good cause and get their name out there…but they’re busting their asses in hot barns to feed our grubby selves. Just say thanks.

Speaking of “thank you” don’t forget your “excuse me’s.”

This place was crowded…hundreds of people were crammed into barns and alleyways to get a taste of what these chefs had to offer. There’s room for everyone though…and if someone is in your way and they don’t realize it? Just try “excuse me.”

Shout out to my horribly cliché foodie rockin’ the neon pink track jacket who thought it was appropriate to (literally) punch a food sample out of my hand after elbowing me into the table to get a bite.

Just because you paid $80 a ticket doesn’t mean you get to treat everyone around you like garbage. Get a grip on yourselves. You ALL will get to try the food! And that $80 went to charity so just stop.

Oh and I almost forgot: once you have your food, move on. Don’t stand in front of the table eating. Shimmy to the right so everyone else can grab and go too!

Awareness of oneself is the key to not being the token d-bag. Sigh.

Lesson 5

Don’t let Lesson 4 scare you.

99% of everyone there was delightful and polite. There’s just always that person who ruins your life for a good 5 minutes. All Lesson 4 is doing is trying to stop you from being that person.

Lesson 6

Create a strategic plan of attack.

The volunteers handed me a program when I walked in. I took a quick glance at it and promptly shoved it in my purse and shouted “WE NEED TO FIND BEER.”

Bad idea.

That program had a list of all the chefs, mixologists and their dishes. It didn’t tell you where everything was located but it was easy enough to put it together once you were in a room/barn. I would have been way better off reading through the list and checking off plates I wanted to try. I also would have been way better off taking a look at that list after I thought I was done trying things. I was So. Not. Done.

We left around 4 p.m. once the sky opened up. I was stuffed and didn’t want to end up soaking wet, which was a good call. That was a shower that just didn’t stop for the rest of the evening.

Lesson 7 (the most important one)

Try everything. 

Not sure if you like gazpacho? That one dish look a little funky to you? Can you not pronounce anything in the description except “tomato?”

Who cares. Eat it. Just eat and drink all the things. Yeah, you’ll find a dish or two that isn’t quite up your alley but more often than not you will be PLEASANTLY surprised. So don’t be shy and try ONE of everything! You might surprise yourself.

All in all, crowds aside, I had a blast at AKTF and I can’t wait for next year!

My pictures can be found on my Facebook page, but don’t be fooled: I ate and drank a lot more than pictured.

To learn more about The Giving Kitchen click here.

To learn more about Georgia Organics, click here.

Fado Irish Pub

Fado Irish Pub
273 Buckhead Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30305

Ph: (404) 841-0066

Hours:
Monday – Friday: 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
Saturday: Early – 3 a.m.
Sunday: Early – 12 a.m.

I won’t lie, my time in Boston has made me a bit skeptical of any place that calls itself an Irish pub. There might be one place in Boston that calls itself an Irish pub that is half way decent. I say one not because I know which one it is but I assume that city has to have one and I happened to miss it. For the most part they’re mostly just grody establishments that serve over priced Sam Adams and cheap imitation “Irish” foods and frozen fries. Ugh.

Anyways. I digress.

Fado Irish Pub in Buckhead was an extremely pleasant surprise. I headed there after the Atlanta Food Blogger Society Annual Meeting – drinking and eating with food bloggers is always a good time!

I wasn’t planning on blogging. I just wanted to eat…but I was so pleasantly surprised by my experience I couldn’t help it!

I shared the Chicken Curry Chips ($7.95) – super flavorful and such a pleasant change from the usual dry, flavorless fries I’m used to in pubs. I wish I hadn’t had been sharing!

The Greek Tacos ($8.95) come three to an order and are small. They were just okay. Essentially you’re eating three mini gyros that happen to be in flour tortillas. The meat was dry – and although it wasn’t a huge disappointment I don’t think I’d order them again.

The Smoked Salmon Bites ($8.95) were served on a crisp boxty “blini” with capers, onions and a light horseradish and lemon sauce. They come four to an order and were absolutely delish! My hesitance in ordering seafood at a pub was quieted when Denise and Erica raved about their order. I had to follow suit. Best decision EVER.

I’m so glad I didn’t let my unfounded hesitance stop me from trying Fado out!  I know where I’ll be watching the final game between Germany and Argentina. For sure. #LetsGoGermany!

Horseradish Grill

Horseradish Grill
4320 Powers Ferry Road NW
Atlanta, GA

Ph: 404-255-7277

 Oh, dear loyal lovely readers. It has been too long. Between unexpected health complications and emergency trips home – this entry has been embarrassingly delayed. But I couldn’t not write about the amazing experience I had at Horseradish Grill on May 6^th.  My apologies that I couldn’t share this amazing experience sooner.

 When I pulled up to the restaurant, I was a bit surprised that my first impression wasn’t “this is a barn” (as the name hints). In fact it reminded me of my grandparents house in Jamestown, Rhode Island. Nothing about it screamed “restaurant!” it simply looked like a house. A house that was hidden by beautiful, blooming and well cared for gardens.

Once I went inside and all of the Altlanta Food Blogger Society members there settled in, we were greeted by owner Steve Alterman. He thanked us all for coming and then began to describe how he runs his business – which was the smartest and least “business like” model ever. I loved it.

He treats it like it’s his home and he’s having guests over for dinner. It’s that simple really. What do you do when you’re having a dinner party?

1. You clean your house.
2. You ask your guests what their favorite foods are…what they’d like to eat that night.
3. You take the time to prepare them a meal you know they’ll love.
4. When they arrive, you greet them warmly – offer them a seat and pour them a drink.

 At this point I knew I was in for a phenomenal night.

 The Menu for the Evening:

First Course

Pimento Cheese Grit Fritter, Country Ham Aioli, Homemade B&B Pickles (Uhm…)
Fish fry and Garlic Chips, Alabama White Sauce (Excuse you?)
Fried Green Tomato, Goat Cheese, Spiced Pecans, Remoulade (So done. But don’t stop.)

Second Course

Shrimp and Grits (OMFG)

Third Course

Braised pork belly, cornmeal pancake short stake, rhubarb red onion jam (You shut your mouth when you’re talking to me…)

Fourth Course

Pan seared scallop, Carolina gold rice middlins with skillet scallions, fried Savoy cabbage with barbecue vinaigrette, black eyed “peanuts” (Is it too soon to say I love you?)

Fifth Course

Wood grilled HRG dry rubbed rib eye, parmesan fries, smoked garlic corn sauce (I think I see the light…)

Dessert Tasting

At this point I blacked out.
No I kid.

Pecan pie, chocolate cake, sweet potato crème Brule

This blog entry could go on for fifteen years. I’m still dreaming about the shrimp and grits – a mildly spicy surprise that brought 10 rambunctious and slightly buzzed (I kid. Sort of.) food bloggers to silence.

I’m still in awe over the garden that they keep in the back of the restaurant, where they grow their own herbs and vegetables that are used daily in their meals. A garden that got me SUPER SUPER homesick. It reminded me so much of my grandparents garden it hurt. It’s the highest compliment I could pay a garden, really…

As a new comer to Atlanta, I knew that Horseradish Grill had a reputation; it was a “name”. Too many times reputations turn out to be just pieces of memories– and the reality is much less impressive. Not the case here.

They have the recipe down to a T. Phenomenal service, fresh ingredients and a passion for food made right.

I can’t wait to get back over there for brunch one of these days…those grits are just calling my name.