restaurant

illegal food – atlanta, ga

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we’ve been on a roll with nrw through the month of may, and last week was no different.  per nathan’s recommendation, seven of us met up in virginia highlands to try out illegal food.  illegal food actually got its start as the first kitchen incubation project at the edgewood game bar joystick.  chef steven lingenfelter gained quite a following from the locals as he reinvented two of america’s favorites:  burgers and fries.  the success at joystick led them to their very own restaurant, and interestingly (and sadly enough) they now occupy the space that once was my beloved bar meatball.  bar meatball had a short life but will always have a special place in my heart.  it was hard to walk into that building knowing that i wouldn’t be having risotto meatballs over mashed potatoes and covered in gravy, but i guess that’s just how life goes sometimes.

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austin – day 1

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as most of you know by now, the andrich family is a big ‘family’ family.  we had the time of our lives when everyone came to atlanta for kari and kyle’s wedding last october, and since none of our parents are turning 60 this year, we figured we’d begin a new tradition in an annual cousin trip.  yep, just like that we instituted the first of these new get-togethers over in austin, texas.  most of us had never been, and with it being pretty much halfway between georgia and california, it seemed like a pretty solid destination.

thirteen of us total made the trip, and that number included phillip.  oooh, our first time traveling together!  and so soon!  yes, yes, we’ve only been together a couple of months, but when you know, you know.  so, it was a very early five a.m. when we woke up, packed our suitcases, and made our way to hartsfield-jackson international airport.  after getting our boarding passes, we shuffled through security with hundreds of other sleepy travelers.  although it was a busy morning there already, it was quiet, so we tried not to be too disruptive as we waited for our plane.

since we’d checked our bags, we relaxed at the gate and coolly walked on that md90 towards the end of the line.  we were on the left of the plane in the two-seat row, a nice cozy setup for a quick two-hour flight westward.  we of course took a few pictures, but none of them had both of us looking our best at the same time, so phillip craftily composed this cropped mashup of the two of us.  hehe.

such a happy couple!

such a happy couple!

it seemed like we had just finished our breakfast smoothies when we touched down in the lonestar state.  with an early flight came an early arrival, and we practically had the whole day ahead of us.  we deplaned and snatched our suitcases from carousel five.  the taxi line was short, so we quickly hopped in a cab with a driver who looked exactly like quint from the movie jaws.  he had a little bit of an oddball demeanor that made for an entertaining ride to san bernard street.  we grabbed the luggage, thanked the driver for his advice, and joined kyle and kari in chinquapin, our massive and funky abode for the next 48 hours.  when you’ve got a baker’s dozen to accommodate, your selection pool is narrowed down pretty quickly.  we got a speedy tour of the common space and then took a stroll up the block to the nearby liquor store j&j spirits.

me, doing about what you would expect me to be doing.

me, doing about what you would expect me to be doing.

okay, yes, it wasn’t even noon yet, but we needed to stock up the fridge for all the cousins who would soon be in town!  the cashier was kind as we perused this quaint shop for the necessities:  seagram’s, fireball, white wine, red wine.  yep, that oughta do it…at least for a rew hours.  kyle and phillip used their big muscles to lift those heavy bags, and it was back to the house we went.

look at our hunks!

look at our hunks!

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the one sushi + – atlanta, ga

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we’ve been kicking nrw back into high gear now that the busy month of april has come and gone.  last week we enjoyed a lovely and relaxing dinner at varasano’s pizzeria in south buckhead, and this week we took it to the neighborhood of brookhaven for a little sushi.  i’ve been madly craving it for a little while now, and even though i wasn’t sure who else would be on board, the one sushi + would be the host for our sweet party of eight.

since their name is a little longer, i am going to affectionately refer to the one sushi + as ‘tosp’ throughout the rest of this post.  sound good?  i thought so, too!  okay, so tosp is kind of hidden here on caldwell road, just off dresden.  there’s always a new restaurant popping up in this little strip of boutiques and eateries, so it shouldn’t surprise me that i hadn’t yet heard of them.  and as it would turn out, tosp used to be a coffee shop way back when.  with a reservation at 7:30 p.m. sharp, i walked in to meet bank, liz, nathan, alison, eric, claire, and phillip at our large table.

i don’t typically think of sushi restaurants as “cozy,” which is how tosp describes itself, and upon walking in, the word “urban” is what came to mind instead.  there are these sizable sheet metal light installations that hang above the dining space and the concrete floor.  the huge window walls let the natural light come in, a good thing because otherwise it would be very dark and sensual in here.  again, cozy definitely isn’t the right characterization, if you ask me, but i was totally digging the dense modern vibe i was getting.

the place settings are clean and crisp.  i love the white plates and bowls because it gets to show off the colors of the super fresh ingredients of their menu.  a good simple contrast to the busy artwork on the walls.

we’d made it halfway through the week, so we all agreed on some adult beverages in addition to our water glasses.  most of the fellas got sopporos and most of the ladies got cocktails.  phillip went with the sake, which he loved, and i also very much enjoyed the novellum chardonnay from france.  mm.

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smokebelly bbq – atlanta, ga

kdavis 5 Comments

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last weekend was relaxing and beautiful down here in georgia, and i spent as much time of that perfect spring saturday outside as i could.  phillip came over to the condo where i was happily chatting with my neighbors chris and suzy and their sweet little pup shorty.  the trees in our courtyard were providing the perfect amount of shade, and the slight breeze kept us cool.  we cracked open some bud lights and caught up on the latest.  it’s wild how much you don’t see your neighbors when the colder months are here.  i felt like i hadn’t visited with those two in months!

as the early evening crept in, i could feel my stomach rumbling.  we weren’t in the mood to cook, so phillip and i were trying to figure out where we should go for dinner.  we knew we wanted to dine alfresco since it was such a gorgeous night, and with that must-have, chris and suzy were quick to recommend smokebelly bbq just down the street off east andrews.  i’d gotten their flyers and coupons in the mail after their grand opening but hadn’t yet given it a visit.  suzy was armed with several suggestions, and since i never turn down good bbq, we knew just where we’d be going.  her fingers were crossed that we would like it just as much as she did; considering she’d been back several times after first going with chris, it sounded like a pretty good bet.

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the pinewood tippling room – decatur, ga

kdavis 2 Comments

after finishing the publix half marathon and full marathon a couple sundays ago, you can bet we runners were ravenous.  we met up with everyone in the neighborhood of decatur at the pinewood tippling room, unexpectedly coming across the perfect restaurant review opportunity.

known by the locals as the pinewood, this spot is a cozy neighborhood bar serving up “extraordinary cocktails and reinterpreted regional fare.”  their space is clean without much fuss, and although they equally support what they call the high-class and “home-spun,” i felt a touch out of place in my running tights and sneakers.  the other customers were dressed to the nines, it seemed, after maybe just having left church service with their family and friends.  perhaps if i were coming on a different day i would have felt a little more comfortable.  maybe that’s why they seated us way in the back…?  nah, i don’t think so.  i think it had more to do with the fact that we were a party of 12 and that was where they had room.  i should have positioned myself on the other side of the table so that i could really take in the ambiance, for i was stuck facing a white-washed brick wall.  oh well!  good thing atmosphere is only one element of a restaurant, right?  sure!

although i probably needed a couple gallons of water to rehydrate my body, i didn’t wait a moment to order a mimosa.  something refreshing and crisp sounded like the perfect ticket, and these glasses were a great balance of orange juice and champagne.  cheers!

mimosas for everyone!

mimosas for everyone!

the pinewood closes at 2:30 p.m. on sundays, so we all had to somewhat hastily make our selections.  with a decently sized brunch menu, though, i don’t think it was hard for many of us.

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salt lake city – day 2

kdavis 1 Comment

okay, my loyal readers.  i know you have been awaiting the dramatic conclusion to our trip in salt lake city a couple weekends ago.  i very much apologize for the delay; i have been a busy bee, per the usual!  if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, i gladly give you salt lake city – day 2.

saturday morning arrived, sunny and beautiful just like friday.  it was our final full day in salt lake city, so to not waste any time, we put on our walking shoes, grabbed our light jackets, and strolled over to bruges waffles and frites for some breakfast.  bruges had been recommended by both my coworker drew and the concierge geoff, and considering their suggestions are almost always a hit, we knew we’d be in for a treat.

i was extra excited for this restaurant because when i think of waffles in the morning, i cannot help but play that scene from shrek in my mind.  gotta love donkey!

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salt lake city – day 1

kdavis 1 Comment

we woke friday morning to a sliver of sunlight sneaking in through the curtains.  we were in luck with beautiful weather that weekend, a great thing considering there was snow back home in atlanta.  sorry, folks!

we freshened up in the suite and rode the elevator down to the lobby.  we had some ideas of where to go and what to do, but we swung by the front desk for a little direction.  we ended up chatting with geoff for about twenty minutes as he gave us the inside scoop of salt lake.  he even helped us out with a local city map!

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after taking up plenty of his time, geoff wished us well as we started out into the morning, heading east on 600 south and then hanging a left onto main.  our destination was apple spice cafe and bakery for some sustenance, and after pushing through the revolving doors and riding the escalator to the second floor, there we were.  the restaurant was completely empty, but seeing as how it’s located in the wells fargo business building, i guess that makes sense that time of day.

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we were warmly greeted by the cashier as we browsed the menu.  but, shoot!  we had just missed breakfast by about ten minutes.  whoops!  i guess we’ll be eating an early lunch then!  we stared down the menu a few minutes more, for we’d both been looking forward to a hot plate of eggs and a mug of coffee.  oh well.  part of being spontaneous is about being flexible, so we just rolled with it.

kyle had the soup and sandwich pairing.  the tomato basil soup was fresh and perfectly warmed when it was served.  he gladly dipped into it the half ham sandwich, a pretzel roll topped with cured ham, havarti cheese, greenleaf lettuce, and their signature sauce.  it was a solid meal, not too filling but not too light.

tomato basil soup.
ham & harvarti sandwich.

i also went with a combination meal because it’s not often a half sandwich/half salad plate steers me wrong.  per the cashier’s recommendation, i tried the pomegranate salad.  at first it sounded a little too summery, but seeing as how it was nearly 50 degrees and gorgeous outside, it actually seemed quite appropriate.  the half size serving was very generous and very flavorful.  the poppyseed dressing was light and slightly tangy, complementing the pomegranate seeds, roasted turkey, and candied pecans nicely.  i scarfed it down quickly.

pomegranate salad.

pomegranate salad.

next up was the blt santa fe.  i love blt’s, and with sprouts, avocado, and bbq ranch, it looked like it could be a winner.  unfortunately, it didn’t wow me like i thought it would.  i liked each ingredient on there, but altogether it wasn’t my favorite.

blt santa fe.

blt santa fe.

as we munched away our meals, we basked in the bright blue skies and welcoming temperature.  the sun warmed by back as we dined on their patio, a pleasant start to what would be a truly great day.

the kessie girl.

the kessie girl.

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leon’s full service – atlanta, ga

kdavis 1 Comment

since we took last week off from nrw, i decided we’d go for something indulgent this wednesday, and indulge we did!  leon’s full service in decatur was the pick of the week, and considering i’d only heard good things, i was excited that we were finally giving it a try ourselves.

the idea here at leon’s is that you are going to have the best part of your day at their tables and that you will be itching to come back again.  they strive to provide only the best service and hospitality in addition to a great meal and equally as great drinks.  after beginning brick store pub nearly 15 years ago, mike, dave, and tom took a new turn when they started leon’s in february 2009.  since then, chef eric ottensmeyer and sous chef robert lupo have been bringing “fun and seasonal aspects to neighborhood pub cuisine.”  the menu has a varied yet modest menu that should hopefully tickle your taste buds in some fashion.  we were a hungry crew that night, as always, so we were ready to dig in!

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the big ketch saltwater grill – atlanta, ga

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this week i wasn’t sure where i wanted to venture to for nrw, and as it turns out, i didn’t venture very far, at least as far as mileage is concerned.  after meeting at my condo, we all made the short walk down roswell road to try out the big ketch saltwater grill.  i pass it all the time on my runs, and since seafood sounded like the perfect dinner choice, we found ourselves gathered around a couple of tables and ready to eat.

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takorea – atlanta, ga

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i perused my list of nrw hopefuls and couldn’t really decide what sounded best this week.  then, in a striking moment of clarity, i remembered good ‘ole hankook taqueria over on the west side.  i have literally only been there once, and it was about four years ago with my old small group, but i remember it being one heck of a place.  i thought it might be a contender, but kyle reminded me about the very limited parking.  eh, that’s right….but!  to keep in the spirit of that line of asian fusion cuisine, we decided on the midtown location of takorea.

takorea is the creation from hankook taqueria chef tomas lee, hence why i didn’t mind coming here in place of hankook.  their idea is to make korean flavors available in a fun and energetic atmosphere by presenting it through traditional mexican dishes like tacos and burritos.  don’t be fooled, though, because the fresh ingredients and components are all asian.  you’ll be easily introduced to your new favorite street snacks, wondering how you lived all those years without these flavors!  sound exciting?  then read on to see how much we all enjoyed it!

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