Oh Hello there!

So many things have changed. But the one thing that remains certain and steadfast is my love for food. SO I am back folks. Get ready.

Parish

My newest pal, aspiring Lindyhopper T. Dooley, and I enjoyed a pre-Dad's garage meal at Parish. Thanks to the Concentric's website we got 50% off our bill:) It's a very cute space, but they try a little hard. The tv dinner concept is cute, and all the different plates and Southern appeal just don't quite feel honest and sincere. The gingham clad staff is cooler than that, and would undoubtedly never be caught  in their cutesy tops. The live music was great, but seemed to be uncomfortably stuck into the front seating area. We also were sat right next to a robust 12 top, so this made for an awkward few moments - when there were plenty of other tables around at 6:30....(pre show remember). 

The food:

heirloom tomatoes & watermelon

heirloom tomatoes, grilled watermelon, mint, capers, pickled watermelon rind,

farmer’s cheese, coffee-balsamic reduction

The tomatoes were really good and fresh and the farmer's cheese was the best part. But I would come back for it, or anything else we had unfortunately...

joe’s bacon and beets

orange, goat cheese, toasted pecans, spicy greens, burnt honey vinaigrette

I am a rebel. Eating oysters all over July, which has no R!

Finally:

organic mushroom cheesecake

pecan crust, arugula salad, smoked creme fraiche

Sadly, nothing was great. Nothing was bad, but nothing was great.

The best thing was probably our drinks - Pimm's cups.

I have heard brunch is their best, so I would try it again. But just not wowed.

Empire State South

On our monthly dinner out MBD and I finally made a point to try Hugh Acheson's restaurant, Empire State South. Hugh has been on Top Chef Masters, and as such, has celebrity status. Even without that I would still have been excited to check out this restaurant.

It has a distinctly beachy feel to me, I loved the ambiance of the restaurant and outdoor seating with Bocce. The wine list is above-par and the service was great. And, we got to meet Hugh:)

First drink: The Delores: Blume Marillen Apricot Eau de Vie, Elderflower, Black Pepper, Lemon Juice, Soda

We started with the oysters. Very fresh, and the presentation ws adorable. House made hotsauce, celery mignonette and cocktail sauce in tiny corked bottles with delish benne crackers.



Next we shared the crispy pork belly with creamed kimchi rice grits, pickled daikon and crushed peanuts. It was in a little skillet and I could have eaten two servings easily.

At this point I couldn't stop with just one more thing, so I decided to forgo the entree special and on our server's recommendation had the summer bean salad with pickled shrimp, ESS whipped lardo, grapefruit confit and amaranth. Not an overdone combo...very very good. Couldn't get a good picture in the lighting. I need a flash on my next phone.

Then the soft poached farm egg with crisp rice, corn, maitake mushrooms, housemade bologna, and bourbon mustard. The dish came out with a ceramic lid which he lifted and the aroma was delish. I love the details of the service and plating here. It's little stuff, not too gimmicky, and memorable.

Cynthia Wong, formerly of Cakes and Ale, is their newly acquired pastry chef, so of course we had to try dessert. I can't remember the specifics, and MB has the pics, but it was ouzo soaked blueberries with buttermilk ice cream on these cookies. YUM. I also tried the "rasentin" - an Italian specialty, wherein your "rinse" the foam and dregs from your coffee cup with grappa to release the aroma and clean your palate. MB thought it smelled like a hobo wine - it was overwhelming, but good. Flamboyant end to a great meal.



West Coast Drool

I was lucky enough to go on my second annual girl's trip to California with my best mom, and we ate and drank ourselves silly. Here is an overview of the mouthwatering excitement.

We arrived around lunchtime, checked into our wonderful hotel and asked the concierge for lunch suggestions. This adorable French bistro/bookstore was walking distance and at the opening to Chinatown. Perfect.

Salade Frisée
Frisée Salad, Warm Poached Egg, Bacon, Petits Croutons, Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette
Tarte Provencale

Crispy Flatbread of Tomatoes, Basil,
Pesto, Olives &Parmesan

Croque Monsieur

To be honest I wanted to come back for dinner. But with more restaurants in one city than you could eat at in a lifetime....I resisted. Books, French food, good coffee. Heaven.

That night we met up with my mom's oldest best friend and two of her sisters at our hotel bar on the top floor, Harry Denton's Starlight Room. After dinner this becomes a club/lounge, and on Sundays has a famous drag brunch. Great drinks, atmosphere and view! We headed downstairs to the attached restaurant.

Scala's Bistro. Two "Top Chef" contestants currently hang their hat here, and the location was perfect:)

Asparagus Salad with Spanish white Anchovies.

Duck Confit - didn't get a picture - ate it too quickly:)

Salty Caramel Ice Gelato with Gingersnaps

DAY TWO

We wandered and wandered. Snacked a little all over. Boudin Sourdough Factory smelled like absolute ecstasy.

Sourdough animals.

We found a cute little wine bar on the water on our way to find the seals and had a olive oil, cheese and wine tasting.

Dinner that night was at 

Le Colonial. French-Vietnamese.

Please check out the pictures of this place. It is otherworldly, and the upstairs feels like a wartime dance hall.

We started with Cha GioChay: Crispy vegetarian "Buddha" rolls with taro, tofu, shiitake mushrooms and jicama with sweet Ponzu. Wrapped each one in lettuce and dipped in the best Ponzu. So delicious, missed the picture again.

Bo Luc Lac: toy box tomatoes and crispy Russet potatoes, Wok-seared filet mignon cubes with sweet garlic-soy sauce over watercress

XaLachBuoi: Baby field greens, ruby red grapefruit, fennel, toasted cashews tossed with citrus vinaigrette

DAY THREE:

We said goodbye to SF and drove through Muir Woods and Sausalito in the rain, taking our time to arrive at our next destination: Sonoma.

We hit Buena Vista Winery, and then into downtown Sonoma to Roche.

Finally, lunch, at The Girl and the Fig.

Cheese and cured meats, olives, fruit with delicious housemade condiments. Delicious cocktail. So it was...delicious.

duck confit (again) flageolet beans, bacon lardons, tomato confit, frisee, dijon mustard jus

They are famous for this and I couldn't resist.

Friday night we never quite made it to dinner after an afternoon of wine tasting. We were so exhausted a nap became....well, Saturday.

NAPA:

I couldn't get a good reservation for dinner at any of the places we really wanted to try on Saturday night, so we hit Bottega for lunch. FAN-FING-TASTIC. We sat outside by a roaring fire and I wanted to order everything.

Green-Egg and Ham Olive oil-poached Delta asparagus, crispy soft-boiled egg prosciutto bits & Cambazola crema

Polenta Under Glass, caramelized wild mushrooms, balsamic game sauce

Potato dough Raviolo filled with spinach & ricotta, black truffles, farm fresh egg yolk, sage browned butter

At this point all I wanted was another stomach. Instead we went back to our hotel and enjoyed the hot tubs and relaxation room, read by the fire, and got a massage. Our big plans for dinner were again defeated by our exhaustion from a day well spent, and we settled for room service. I had come down with a cold and I was so tired, but at least there's plenty to look forward to on our next trip.

OH! Brunch Saturday and Sunday were at The Sunflower Caffe.

They serve a "big ass" mimosa and some fine sandwiches and waffles.

Snacks and drinks at El Dorado Kitchen - truffle fries are to die for.

All in all an amazing trip. We came home with a case of wine, a few memberships, the knowledge of how to remove a Jeep Wrangler soft top, and I think my mom wants to check me into food rehab for duck and egg addiction. But I can't wait until next year!

Krog Bar and Wisteria (Inman Park Restaurant week)

Inman Park restaurant week has concluded, and I only made it to one offering. I have been meaning to try Wisteria, having walked past the cozy spot many times, and finally had the opportunity. I first met MB for a drink at Krog Bar, which for a cool Friday afternoon was buzzing and it was great seeing everyone so excited for Spring and out on the town. In trying to visit more new places, we resisted having dinner at Rathbun's or Rathbun's steak, but a stop at Krog Bar is always good.

Their wine descriptions are spot on, and the half hock of pig is always enticing;)

Next we headed to our 9:30 reservation at Wisteria, knowing it would be packed the last Friday of restaurant week. It was - parking was crazy and it was a mob scene at the bar. And yet - everyone we encounters was rather laid back - just shy of subdued and there to eat at 10 at night, so a crowd that didn't get on my nerves as many a packed house can. We ended up nabbing two seats at the bar earlier than our dinner table was available and ate our meal there. The amount of options for the pre fixe was impressive and we were able to sample a good bit.

My choices:

Arugula and Grilled Apple - 7with honey-roasted pecan dressing and fried onions

This was a good salad. Not too much more to say than that - but it was the perfect first course.

Grilled Center Cut Beef Tenderloin - 8 ounce - 29
sharp cheddar, braised greens macaroni and cheese with a shallot, horseradish jus

The sauce on this steak was delicious and the steak was cooked perfectly. I finished it....which I rarely do. But the mac and cheese was really dry and heavy. I have not been eating carbs the way I used to, so I didn't just tear in to it as I would have months ago - I wanted to savor pasta and cheese and it wasn't worth it for me.

Trio of mini desserts. Not being one to order dessert, I was excited to have the option to try all three.

MB's choices:

Crab Bisque - 7with Calvados goat cheese crème fraîche
This was gone too fast to grab a photo - I will be ordering it next time.

North Atlantic Skate Wing - 20
pan-seared with lemon brown butter over stone ground grits and roasted asparagus spears

She really enjoyed this dish. I have to say I like my southern cuisine pretty subtle, and they delivered there. I will definitely return, and luckily it is today's scoutmob. The food and ambiance are both cozy and romantic, close tables and a good deal of groups makes it ideal for catching a glimpse of what looks good and the bar service was friendly and knowledgeable.



L5P: The Porter, Synchronicity and betrothal

I love Little 5 Points and Candler Park. My great grandparents lived off Moreland for over 30 years, raised 10 children with one bathroom, and then my great uncle lived there until he passed away about 5 years ago. The original Flying Biscuit, Fellini's, Zesto's, and all the people watching of Little 5 is something I fondly remember from my (not too much) younger days, and now I appreciate the neighborhood for totally different reasons. I will never forget walking to Junkman's daughter with my mom at 16 years old and being offered a "dime bag" and my mom reminding them that "back in the day" it actually cost a dime....

My dear friend Veronika, who I have known since before puberty, is an amazing actress and was performing in Exit, Pursued by a Bear this past weekend at 7 Stages. Knowing that the traffic and parking were going to be outrageous I went down early and enjoyed dinner and drinks at The Porter Beer Bar. I am eating more organic and vegan these days, and was excited to eat here for my cheat day, but still not go too crazy.

I had this salad:

                                                          Prosciutto Fava Bean Salad

                                        compressed melon, parmesan, frisee, bacon vinaigrette served over proscuitto

Plus we had goat cheese fritters in local honey and beer and beer and beer. The front has a tiny communal patio, there's a loooong bar but then you keep on going into a light, airy room with a communal feel, old suitcases, beer, beer and more beer. The beer menu is a novella and the food is great. They use a lot of local ingredients and organic veggies, but aren't the least bit stuffy about it and the beignets, which I skipped this time, are to die for. Great option if you're in the 'hood.

The show was awesome. It's a 4 person cast and they were great. I laughed though most of it but it was really meaningful to me at the same time. After I was able to celebrate V's monumental 30th birthday and engagement, so it rounded out the weekend very nicely. Plus I discovered I can make it from my house to L5P on backroads in 35 minutes!

Nancy G's Cafe

My dear friend Jenn and I have been trying to find places to meet for dinner where we can let our dogs tag along. Typically we end up at my house on the patio, but resourceful Jenn located a great little neighborhood restaurant with a very dog-friendly patio. We have only been twice - once with dogs on the patio and once without on a rainy Tuesday at the bar. Both times the food was good, Tuesdays the bottles of wine are half price, and the service was friendly. I love to support any local non-chain restaurant that cares about ingredients, customers and has good special offers - this one definately does.

The  menu is eclectic southern - both times we have split the burger but the Greek salad was great (and huge) and the fried green tomatos were not bad. We plan to visit again and try more of the menu and the brunch looks great. My friend Jan is hosting a charity fundraiser there tonight, and they have live music and a small private event space. Moreover, the dining room has such a cozy, comfortable vibe it's like being in someone's home - and with 5 years under their belt it looks like it may be home for many neighborhood regulars for years to come.