 Seafood Stew
Really more of a creamy soup or bisque, this bore little resemblance to any seafood stew I’ve ever seen. But, it wasn’t bad and there was a spoonful or two of what I believe to be crab. I won’t call them chunks, but, there were small pieces of crab to be had.
Mussels with tomato sauce, ouzo, and garlic
With no hint of ouzo flavor and mussels that can only be described as “well-done”, I wasn’t fond of this dish at all. But, my honey said it was (and I’m quoting) “fine”. Mmm, a dish that deserves all the praise the word “fine” can offer.
And, this massacre-in-a-bowl is Greek Paella. I actually feel for the lobster. I’m sorry it had to give its life for this dish. Well… half its tail to be honest. It gave the rest of its life to someone else’s Greek Paella. My honey enjoyed this, but, I had trouble looking at it. And, I was less than eager to taste it. It deserves all the praise that the word “fine” can offer once again.
Mykonos Taverna… eh… it’s fine.
Mykonos Taverna
2901 Clairmont Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
404 638 6770
Hazy skies and mild weather made for a pleasant walk around Piedmont Park this weekend. Diverse art, a handful of local musicians, demonstrations and festival food were among the festivities. But, even if you didn’t make it out this weekend, you can still check out many of the artists’ websites.
A list of artists for AAF 2009: Atlanta Arts Festival Participating Artists
3 varieties of Pine Street Market’s salami
Chorizo Salami, Picnic Salami & Petit Paprika Salami (left to right)
Picnic Salami
Whole peppercors add the spice to this basic salami with some garlic.
Chorizo
Rich with paprika, garlic and some spice, we’d love even more heat.
Paprika
A hint of bitterness from the high content of paprika and wine provide interest.
While the Chorizo and Picnic Salamis were our favorite, they all exceeded our expectations. As with all salami, the fat content is high. So, we enjoy the small sizes that work well on a cheese platter. Our only criticism… we’d love to see more heat. We both have memories of the chorizo and picnic salamis being spicier when sampled on site at the market. And, we’d love to see that heat in our next purchase. With the picnic salami, it’s easy to see how one particular salami could end up with fewer peppercorns. I hope we’re luckier next time.
Pine Street Market
4A Pine Street
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
404 296 9672
Fox Brothers: Best Overall BBQ & Best Cornbread
Who’s got the best BBQ in Atlanta?
(Check out my first Best BBQ list posted on April 16, 2008)
Many of the originals have stood the test of time. A handful of new additions have been added to the rotation. While every restaurant on this list is a winner, Fox Brothers deserves the top spot with dozens of visits that have been nearly flawless. Not only does the BBQ always exceed our expectations, but, the atmosphere and staff are tops. And, the true test of a winner? When we think of BBQ, we think of Fox Bros. I can say without doubt that 9 out of 10 times we crave Fox Bros. over all the rest.
Fox Bros Bar-B-Q — BEST OVERALL BBQ, Best Cornbread & Best Patio for a BBQ Restaurant
Outstanding ribs, chicken, beef brisket, brunswick stew, mac & cheese, collard greens, turnip greens, and onion rings — And, they offer a white BBQ sauce for their chicken. White BBQ sauce consists of buttermilk, herbs, and spices. It pleasantly complements their spice-rubbed smoky chicken. We also enjoyed the watermelon margaritas with fresh watermelon juice this summer. Not too sweet, they’re sooo easy to drink.
Fox Bros. BBQ
1238 Dekalb Ave
Atlanta, Ga 30307
404 577 4030
Thompson Brothers BBQ — Best Brunswick Stew & Best BBQ Sauce
Outstanding Brunswick stew & BBQ Sauce — Both rich with sweet and savory spices. And, they burst with originality and incredibly unique flavor characteristics. Great ribs, chicken, collard greens & an amazingly good pineapple upside down cake.
Thompson Brothers BBQ
2445 Cobb Parkway
Smyrna, GA 30080
770 818 9098
Sam’s BBQ1 — Outstanding chicken and ribs
Sam’s BBQ1 (Lost Mountain BBQ)
4944 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA
770 977 3005
SmokeJack — The Best BBQ Beef Ribs
Great KC & Memphis Style BBQ pork ribs, corn pudding, collards, & cheese grits
Beef ribs that remind you of The Flintstones, doesn’t necessarily speak to quality. But, here the food is enormous and delicious. We also love the variety of spice rubs and sauces. Each version of BBQ sauce has something to like. And, one of them is sure to please you. (A pasilla pepper sauce for the brisket, a KC style bbq sauce for the ribs, and the pulled pork has a Carolina mustard sauce)
SmokeJack
29 South Main Street
Alpharetta, GA 30004
770 410 7611
Swallow at the Hollow — Best setting — Outstanding ribs, cabin bread, mac & cheese and baked beans
Also, country music fans can appreciate the regularly scheduled music events.
Swallow at the Hollow
1072 Green Street
Roswell, GA 30075
678 352 1975
Wyatt’s BBQ — Great ribs, Southern Style Cornbread, & collard greens. And, the BEST sweet potato cobbler! (Ok, it’s the only sweet potato cobbler I’ve ever seen or tasted. But, it’s a real winner!)
The ribs are full of smoky flavor, tender and delicious. The Southern cornbread is one of the best in Atlanta, the collards are rich, beefy and tender, and the sweet potato cobbler is out-of-this-world-good! Super-rich with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon & clove, it’s a meal.
Wyatt’s BBQ Diner
1674 Memorial Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30317
404 371 0311
Daddy D’s — Outstanding ribs, chicken and collard greens
Also, one of the best cornbreads. With a unique sweet cakey appeal, we look forward to Daddy D’s cornbread as much as we do the ribs.
Daddy D’s
264 Memorial Dr
Atlanta, GA 30312
404 222 0206
Fat Matt’s — Great ribs
In our experience, we see a bit more charring at Fatt Matt’s. This gives Fatt Matt’s additional bonus points and a higher mark than Maddy’s. But, Fatt Matt’s & Maddy’s are very similar.
Fatt Matt’s Rib Shack
1811 Piedmont Ave
Atlanta, GA 30324
Maddy’s A Rib & Blues Joint — Great ribs
The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender. But, they have a steamed quality that puts them under the rest for us.
Maddy’s A Rib & Blues Joint
1479 Scott Blvd
Decatur, GA 30030
Old South BBQ — Great ribs, onion rings and hush puppies
Old South BBQ
601 Burbank Circle (Windy Hill Rd)
Smyrna , GA 30080
770 435 4215
Pig-n-Chik (original location) — Best pulled pork and peppery potato salad
Incredible reliability, consistency and flavor make their pulled pork the best in the city. With charred edges, a pink ring indicative of good smoke cookery, and a core of moist & tender porky meat. Sometimes it nearly melts in your mouth. To savor it properly… eat it on site. Once, it’s dished up the moisture has a tendency to dissipate. We would never take it to go. And, they have a Brunswick stew deserving of an honorable mention title. It’s loaded with chicken, pork, and black pepper.
Pig-n-Chik
4920 Roswell Road (inside the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center)
Atlanta, GA 30342
404 255 6368
KC Pit BBQ — Relocated
Outstanding BBQ Chicken — Great Ribs, burnt ends, and sweet potato casserole
234 Hilderbrand Rd. NE
Sandy Springs, GA 30328
404 459 6497
 Fish & Chips at Ri Ra Irish Pub
(thick-cut chips are an option)
Ri Ra’s fish & chips were a huge hit with us. This batter-fried haddock was fried to a deep golden brown with super crisp edges. The dense batter was everything we were looking for in a traditional “Fish & Chips”. The dense batter had a unique eggy quality that achieved a rich crisp crust. I don’t doubt its authenticity. We often see a lighter (and usually significantly greasier) battering. That doesn’t make it true or authentic. It just makes it common. As a matter of fact, given the size of Ireland… I’d guess that there is more than one way to prepare a “Traditional Fish & Chips”. I’ll choose this version any day of the week. If they are able to maintain the quality we saw on this visit, we’ll be very happy. Tempered with the knowledge that this is only one visit, it is still the best Fish & Chips we’ve eaten in Atlanta… by a mile. We’ll eagerly sample this for weeks to come to test for consistency. It’s a tough job, but, someone’s gotta do it.
Given the option of regular fries or the crispier thick-cut traditional chips, it was no choice at all. I can’t imagine ordering anything other than the thick cut chips. They were devoured by both of us. The picture (above) does not do the chips justice. They were super crisp with great flavor; and, they were properly salted. The Irish Remoulade was new to us. But, that didn’t stop us from dipping both fish & chips in the spicy remoulade. Is this traditional? It’s a mystery. And, quite frankly, I could care less. It was so addictively good that the tartar sauce went untouched.
Irish Soda Bread (Brown Bread) with Guinness Honey Butter
Simple, delicious & moist. Traditional Irish soda bread consists of whole wheat flour, buttermilk, bread soda, and salt. The addition of sugar is common in Northern Ireland. All other ingredients were added over the years by Irish immigrants. (Probably by loving wives trying to keep their hard working husbands happy with some simple luxuries.) Guinness honey butter… traditional? No. But, once you’ve tried it… it will be a requirement!
Irish Manhattan (Bushmills Northern Irish whiskey makes a kickass Manhattan) & Fresh Peach Margarita (not Irish… but fab… I’m a girl and I’ll order it again… you just watch me)
Seafood Pasty (September’s Special)
It’s not much to look at. But, well-stuffed with shrimp and salmon, it was enjoyed. And, more than one nibble was stolen. We’ll be ordering it again this fall & winter. I’m sure of it. In an ode to Ireland, the rice & asparagus were boiled and boiled… then boiled some more for good measure.
We finished the meal with a Bailey’s & chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream. Deadly rich, dense, and chocolate-y, it is more than enough to share. And, I dare you to finish one on your own. (If you prefer the type of mousse that is reminiscent of eating chocolate flavored whipped cream, this is not for you.)
The Verdict: Loved it! The atmosphere was welcoming, our server was incredibly friendly, the surroundings were gorgeous, and the food was great on this visit. We can’t wait to go back… is tonight too soon? Self-billed as an Irish Bistro with a fusion of Irish & American pub food. They make no promises to be 100% traditional. Why should they?
Rí Rá Irish Pub
1080 Peachtree St
Atlanta, GA 30309
404 477 1700
Current Front-Runner: JCT Kitchen & Bar
The Best Fried Chicken in Atlanta
The Contenders:
JCT Kitchen & Bar
The Best Fried Chicken in Atlanta? Maybe. It is definitely our current front-runner. Dishing up near-perfect chicken puts them in the lead. But, the quality and care that goes into the chicken is equally distributed to the other elements of the meal. Every item on the plate is a star in its own right. Fabulous collard greens? Yep. Garlic green beans? yum. French Fries? near-perfect. And, turnip & potato gratin. (Sunday Supper Sides: Mac & Cheese? Ridiculously Decadent. Corn? Dished up with melted cheese and perfectly crisp diced bacon. Squash casserole? mmhmm. And, more.)
The Busy Bee Cafe
Just a nose behind the leader… This long time favorite boasts incredible consistency and a deep dark golden brown crusted piece of chicken. Yet, miraculously the interior is always moist and juicy.
Greenwood’s on Green Street
Solid Performer… Well-seasoned breading with plenty of pepper and fried to a crisp shell… But, the addition of honey is applied with a heavy hand creating a bit of random sogginess. And, sometimes, there’s just way toooooo much honey.
Watershed
Their offering has a hint of smoke, quality chicken and other ingredients. But, we’ve experienced soggy breading on one occasion and an issue with greasiness on another.
The Colonnade
Always very crisp and freshly fried… usually great, but, on occasion a bit salty (possibly from the brining?) Their sweet potato casserole is noteworthy. It’s incredibly rich and sweet with flavors of cinnamon & clove. We treat it as a dessert.
Gladys and Ron’s Chicken & Waffles
Tasty… two meals in one
Mary Mac’s
When it’s good, it’s really good. But, we’ve experienced consistency issues.
(Sweetwater brined) Fried Catfish
The Best Fried Catfish in Atlanta? Oh yeah!
Sunday Supper @ JCT
Another visit to JCT (first review here), and, we’re rewarded with another perfect filet of fried catfish. Without a doubt, this is the best fried catfish in Atlanta. Perfectly crisp exterior, moist flaky interior, and a brine that improves this poor underappreciated catfish. I don’t see how it could get any better than this. The rich plate schmear of sriracha and homemade mayo isn’t even needed. It’s a nice kick to your tastebuds. So, I’ll take it! And, it adds another rich (SUPER RICH) layer of flavor to an already perfect filet of fish.
The Best Fried Chicken in Atlanta? The debate continues.
Black Skillet Fried Chicken with Honey Drizzle
Flaky layers of crisp breading crumble with each bite. The light drizzle of honey enhances all of the rich, savory goodness that is fried chicken. A heavy hand with the honey could turn this into a cloyingly sweet mess. But, the light touch of honey magnifies the comfort food elements and elevates them to a new level.
Buttery mini biscuits with honey butter & vanilla apple butter and deviled eggs start the meal
Farm Stand Salad
Corn with melted cheese and crisp diced bacon, mac & cheese, and squash casserole
Rolled chocolate sponge cake with fluffy buttercream finish this meal
The desserts and sides may change slightly from visit to visit. One dessert was a strawberry cake. A chocolate layer cake appeared on one visit. And, a lovely rolled cake appeared on this visit. But, they all glimmer with top-notch ingredients.
JCT Kitchen & Bar
1198 Howell Mill Road, Suite 18
Atlanta, GA 30318
404 355 2252
I must confess… I’m not a fan of the Cracklin’ Cornbread. Gummy bits of cracklin’ clinging to my teeth is a bit of a turn off for me. The flavor payoff required for me to fight the unpleasant texture was just not there. The addition of fried pork rind to an already fat-rich cornbread resulted in an excessively greasy bread with a lingering off taste imparted by the twice-cooked pork skins.
These ribs were fine, but, ultimately forgettable. The sweet bbq sauce tasted of ketchup and little else. The sauce is improved by the addition of tabasco dispensed from a red plastic bottle that at first glance we thought was another bottle of ketchup on the table.
The quality of the bbq ribs varied significantly from one order to the next. Note the ribs in the rear of the photo above, they are extremely dark and overcooked. When compared with the other order of ribs, they are almost unrecognizable. They appear to be leftover scraps. The pork was fine. But, the beef was extremely dry. Also, we’re not fans of the meat-chopped-to-teeny-tiny-shreds.
The brunswick stew was rich with canned creamed corn… and not in a good way. The whole stew appeared to have been given a go-round in a food processor. The texture was similar to a coarse baby food… sadly, reminiscent of bad grade school cafeteria food.
Verdict: I can’t imagine stomaching a second visit.
Greek Island Wings
Fried crisp and drizzled with a vinaigrette loaded with Greek spices. On their own, they were a huge hit with us. But, the dipping sauce tipped the scale. This is finger food at its best. The dense dipping sauce made of finely pureed feta, sour cream, oregano and lemon will guarantee a return visit.
Lemon Crusted Grouper
This is a dish I could eat regularly. Simple food… prepared well. Baked grouper lightly breaded with lemon scented bread crumbs and served with orzo tossed with just enough creamy sauce to coat it. Fresh tomatoes and spinach add a nice little punch.
Athens Kouzzina
(2 locations)
2205 Pleasant Hill Road
Duluth, GA 30096
770 813 1369
Bandeja Paisa
The deep golden brown and ultra-crisp bits of pork and pork skin should speak for itself. This was a decadently rich meal that was consumed (devoured) in silence. Oh yeah, and that crispy fried sausage didn’t suck either. If you want to consume a day’s worth of calories in one sitting… this is the meal for you!
Arepa Paisa
Arepa Paisa
This arepa filled with shredded beef, fried bits of pork & pork skin and avocado takes the best of the flavors from the bandeja paisa platter (above) and jams them into a fluffy carbo-loaded wrapper… what could be better… or more addictive. Love… love… love it.
Arepa de chocolo con queso
The arepa de chocolo con queso brought back memories of Florida. We first discovered these cheese filled arepas at the Metro Zoo (before the hurricane)… where smiling ladies would grill them before your eyes on a metal grill then wrap them in foil. Perfect for nibbling as you hike around the zoo. Later our addiction had us searching out every art & food festival for the small carts dishing up these tasty grilled corn cakes. This is a long time favorite (possibly my all time favorite street food). And, Las Arepas de Julia does them up right.
Verdict:
Las Arepas de Julia definitely qualifies as one of my favorite OTP restaurants…
We will be back… ASAP!
Las Arepas de Julia
4044 Lawrenceville Highway
Lilburn, GA 30047
770 559 4094
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