Monday, November 17, 2014

FvF on the Road: Atlanta

The A is one of my favorite places to visit for great company and food. Chronologically, here's a detail of how I ate my way through town.


Killer Grindhouse Burgers - Tarantino-themed burgers (that IS a tasty burger!), fried things, snooty cocktails and boozy shakes. Tell'em Large Marge sent ya! Kitschy decor, friendly service, a nice patio and great food. Perfect way to forget about how much I hate airports. 
 Terrible photo, awesome grub & drank.

Jeni’s Ice Cream - I know, I know. I live an hour from the original. But I can never get there! Hit up the Westside provisions district for a walk and tried the sweet cream biscuits and peach jam flavor. Only in the south, limited edition. 

Sobban - Southern-Asian fusion joint. We drooled over pics of the Korean fried chicken wings with sweet chili ginger sauce that not only lived up to the pics - but outdid themselves. The sauce was the perfect marriage of sticky, sweet and a little heat. I'm usually not one to eat messy foods in public, but I would eat these until downright ashamed of myself. You know, given the opportunity. I had the enormous Pork Chop Donkatsu, which was so delicious that I forgot about everything else that was on my plate. I remember some kind of fruity hot mustard sauce, but that pork chop tho! 




Eleanor’s - A speakeasy! Well, kind of. I'm sure the law knows they're operational, but you have to enter through an accompanying restaurant (Muss & Turner's) and walk through what appears to be the door to their walk-in cooler, keep winding down a dimly-lit hall into a not-much-brighter small bar area. The offerings are simple - wines, a few well-chosen craft beers and a couple of really outstanding cocktails. I ordered the Bad Apple - Bourbon, apple, lemon, maple and cinnamon. Perfection. I really appreciated that while it was crowded, and probably attracts its share of regulars - service was still top notch. 



Chicken Salad Chick - almost 20 kinds of chicken salad. Really! Not for all, but surely for me and my bestie, who've both been known to extol the merits of a well-made chicken salad on the regular. I had the classic, friend had the Sassy Scotty (bacon!).  Skip the soup. Make sure you get the pickles and cookies though. I doubt this concept would fly North of the Mason-Dixon, but I'd love to find some offerings this good in Dayton (besides DLM, and with more variety). 
The Butcher and Baker - Nestled in the cute, trendy area of Marietta Square - we dropped in here for a drink while waiting on our table at Kiosko. Again, a crowded weekend night, but we were still seated quickly at the bar and still enjoyed some good back and forth with the bar staff. Nice tap selection, and the menu looked outstanding. Definitely want to go back here for solids the next time I'm in town. 

Kiosko - Again, Marietta Square. Perfectly sized Colombian restaurant - about 8 tables plus two on the sidewalk. Service was tops and food was some of the best I've ever had. Ever. In any state, city or country. Everything was daydream-inducing good, but I still can't get over how great the beans were. Daytonians, if you think Nelly's is good - you have to go here if in or near the A. 


Marlow’s Tavern (Boozy brunch) - Bottomless mimosas?  sign me up! Probably one of the most well-done brunch buffets at which I've had the pleasure of eating until I hate myself. The mimosas aren't strong, but I definitely got my money's worth at the $15 bottomless price tag. the brunch offerings were vast and impressive. Fried chicken, honey chicken, deviled eggs, creamed spinach, shrimp & cheddar grits, so many different salads and a nice offering of petite desserts. Definitely packs a crowd on a Sunday, and a smidge on the loud side - but totally worth a trip. This will be on my "must" list every time I visit. Plus, the surroundings encourage drunken shopping, which is a favorite pastime.