“… Man was never meant to BECOME an oyster.”
This is so true. We just want to eat them.
Fact of Life #1001 = Oyster shots are rarely appetizing.
This one was particularly unappealing and hard to swallow. The scent of bay seasoning was quite strong. And, that’s one big swallow of bay-scented Bloody Mary mix and vodka. We were rewarded for our efforts by the sweet and delicious oyster at the bottom.
Boudin Balls
So very good, the tomato-y tarragon tartar sauce that reminded us of thousand island dressing was completely unnecessary. We would have preferred a caper-y remoulade. Would that stop us from ordering these again? No way, they’re still one great thing to put in your mouth.
Oyster Po’boy
Delicately fried oysters on toasty bread, what’s not to love?
Oyster Loaf
We’re not sure why this is called an “Oyster Loaf”. We think of an oyster loaf as a po’boy type sub sandwich on a flaky, yet chewy New Orleans style roll(loaf). And, the menu goes on to describe it as an “oyster BLT”. So, we think it’s safe to say that this is an oyster BLT on white toast.
Whatever you want to call it, fried oysters and crispy bacon are a heavenly combination. This was one delicious sandwich.
Both the po’boy and the oyster loaf (oyster BLT) came with a generous mountain of super fat, super crispy fries. We gobbled up each and every last one of them. They were just that fabulous.
Hours
Hugo’s Oyster Bar
10360 Alpharetta Street
Roswell, GA 30075
770 993 5922
Hop Alley Beer Flight
Tank Breaker, Low Country IPA, Andechs Weizen, & Mo Sleeper
The Tank Breaker… LOVED it!
We really did. But, we’re two lightweights with very short attention spans. Next time, we’ll try to focus on the why. Worth the drive to Alpharetta? Without a doubt, it is.
Next time, we’ll try the Foxapotinmus.
Love Child No. 3
American Wild Ale, Boulevard Brewing Co.
Oaky, sour, tart cherry only lightly hinting at fruity sweetness, dry, and funky… But, its funky in a really lovely way. It’s one of those indescribable “Why am I loving this so much?” way.
Crispy Pork Belly & Collard Greens With Bacon & Mushrooms
Pork belly… was it crispy on the outside with tender, buttery insides? Oh, yes.
It’s not easy to upstage crispy pork belly. But, those collard greens succeeded with honors. Simply put, they were outstanding. Crispy chunks of smoky bacon were everywhere. You can’t see all the bacon. But, it was there. The taste of it was vividly present in every bite we took. Balanced by the complex flavor of the bitter greens, it’s hard to imagine a better version of the dish.
Pimento Bacon Burger
It was a mountain of all things melty, rich and delicious.
Sweet Potato Fries With Sugar & Cinnamon
These would have made a better dessert. But, they were served super crisp and piping hot. We had to eat them. What else could we do?
We’ll be back, there’s no doubt about that. Next time, we might just try that 50/50 burger. Half and half, grass-fed beef and bacon? That has to be good.
Hop Alley Brew Pub
25 South Main Street
Alpharetta, GA 30009
770 696 2097
Sampler
Brisket, Ribs, Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken & Sausage With Collards & Cheesy Mac
It was all quite good (except for that sausage). The meats were very smoky, tender and paired with a sauce that lets the flavor of each meat shine. The sausage had good flavor, too. But, it was unpleasantly dry. So dry, it was hard to swallow.
Chicken & Ribs With Cheesy Mac & Collard Greens
The tender, smoky ribs, pulled pork and pulled chicken were our favorites. If we were in the area, we’d happily visit again. But, for us, with Fox Bros BBQ down the street. We wouldn’t make a special trip.
Rich & Smoky Hot Sauce
Psst, it’s better than the barbecue sauce.
Wanna buy a t-shirt?
There’s a handful of tables for outside dining on pleasant days.
Hours:
Tuesday thru Saturday — 11:00am to 8:30pm
Big Shanty Smokehouse BBQ
3393 Cherokee Street NW
Kennesaw, GA 30144
770 499 7444
Deep Fried Stuffed Avocado
Keepin’ it weird…. but, it is weirdly good.
This giant ball of deep fried avocado is stuffed with cheese and shredded chicken. Swimming in a sea of cheesy, smoky chipotle sauce, it’s simultaneously awesome and ridiculous. Love it!
Chuy’s
118 Perimeter Center West
Atlanta, GA 30346
770 351 7777
Espresso Escape Sundae
We’re not sure why they call this an intense dark sundae. The espresso chip ice cream paired with milk chocolate-y fudge lacked dark chocolate appeal. It was topped with a dark chocolate square. We can only guess that that’s the deep dark intense part. Or, maybe they used the wrong fudgein the making of our sundae? We just don’t get it. For this new outlet mall, it’s a decent sweet treat spot. But, we wouldn’t make a special trip for it. That’s for sure.
The sundaes appear to be much more generous in the photos. Was ours skimpier than the picture? By far. Then again, with the outlet mall discount, the real price is $7.58. So, I guess along with the price, they downsize the sundae size.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Outlet & Ice Cream Shop
915 Ridgewalk Parkway
Woodstock, GA 30188
770 591 7281
400 Pound Monkey English-Style IPA
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Rich in color and taste, there’s a pleasantly bitter caramel, a touch of deep dark honey, malt, and light, refreshingly bright hops.
Very nice, well-balanced and incredibly drinkable…
Left Hand Brewing Co.
New Belgium Ranger IPA
“Beer Is Proof That God Loves Us and Wants Us To Be Happy.”
..or
“Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine, a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.”
The second definitely has the ring of Benjamin Franklin to it. But, we’ll happily go on loving both… and maybe a cocktail every once in a while, too. We like to be happy. Life is short.
Cheesy Bacon Egg Burger With A Side of Super Crisp Fries
We’re definitely happy. And, that’s why we love brunch.
One person chooses lunch…
Chicken & Waffles
…The other chooses breakfast.
(Clearly, there was no beer for the sleepy breakfast eater.)
Chicken & waffles was a great way to start the day. Two giant strips of fried chicken breast top a crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside waffle covered in syrup. Next time, we might choose to ask for the syrup on the side. Sometimes, we like to do our own drizzling. Make no mistake, there will most definitely be a next time.
That fried chicken was really fabulous. It was super crisp, yet not too thickly breaded with a moist and tender white meat inside. Two great big pieces of fried chicken breast make this dish easy to share and guarantee a crispy bit with every bite.
Local 7
(The Local No 7)
2316 Main Street
Suite A
Tucker, GA 30084
770 674 1782
Sailor’s Crutch
(London Dry Gin, Lemon, Falernum, Lillet, & Soda)
Refreshing and light, it was a lovely start to the meal.
Begging To Be Drunk
Decisions, decisions…
Oysters & Pearls
Kale Caesar
It might not appear this way. But, this was a mountain of freshly dressed baby kale littered with just the right touch of dressing. Copious amounts of finely grated cheese melt at the touch of your tongue.
Perfectly Sweet, Tender Leaves
Braised Short Rib With Nasturtium Blossoms & Leaves
(On a bed of puree of celeriac root)
Rich, buttery baby green beans added to the decadence. With all of this cool weather and rain, it feels like fall. And, this meal suited our mood to a tee. Peppery, summer blossoms paired beautifully with this fork tender beef that was gorgeously pink inside.
The Juicy Lucy…
…& Thrice Cooked Fries
Scale is a funny thing. These big, fat (CRISPY) fries make the burger look tiny. It was far from that. It was quite large and thick. The hefty thickness allowed the interior to remain touched with pink and juicy. And, more important than the size, this burger was full of flavor.
From bun to pickle to beef, this was a burger we didn’t want to put down.
It’s hard to see. But, there was a gorgeous sear on the exterior of that burger.
So good…
Hemingway Fizz
(Rum, Lime, Maraschino, Grapefruit Juice)
This was a sweet, summery finish to end the meal.
The Spence
(TheSpenceATL.com)
75 Fifth Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30308
404 892 9111
Uni, Ikura, Unagi Avocado Roll, &
Salmon Roll Topped With Salmon Roe
More, please…
…Soon
Kang Nam
5715 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30340
770 455 3464
Guava Goddess
(Synergy Enlightened)
Not as good as Mystic Mango, but, the guava really works in this kombucha. It’s pleasantly tart and refreshing. The sweetness of the guava provides balance to that hefty kick of acidity.
Quite nice, really.
Synergy Drinks
Whole Foods
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