Dining in Paris and The French Paradox

Having just returned from a 10-day trip to Paris and still being a bit dazed by it all, I will post some observations while they are still hanging around somewhere in my brain! First of all, let me go pour myself a glass of champagne.... Ah, that's better. And speaking of champagne, Bob and I flew Air France non-stop out of Atlanta since I read the champagne (and all other beverages) are free! Oh, and the first checked bag is free as well. None of the Delta nickel-and-diming-you to death routine. Next I would like to give a shout out to Dr. Jim Braude of www.ourhomeinparis.com for amassing a wonderful collection of Parisian apartments that are in lovely neighborhoods and well-appointed. Ours was in Le Marais and was just downstairs from the one Jim Morrison rented on his final visit to Paris. He was found in the bath tub, as anyone my age would know, dead from a heart attack. Or at least that was the story! The kitchen was just so French with its black and white marble backsplash and old wooden floors. A tall pair of casement windows with black iron decorative railing on the exterior added to the charm. If I could figure out how to post a photo, I would. Wait....maybe I can.....

Since I did some reading this morning on WebMD regarding cholesterol, my mind starting going to the French people and their dining particulars. My doctor recommended that I never eat cheese, for example, but a cheese course exists on just about every French menu. And there are an abundance of fromageries with delicious, fresh cheeses all over the place. The French folks looked pretty healthy to me, so I thought about the French Paradox that we Americans heard about a couple of decades ago when everyone flocked to the package store for red wine. Here are some observations from me to you: *The beverages of choice for the French are wine, water, and coffee. Take heed, all you Baptists reading this! Not once did I see anyone drinking sweet tea. Interestingly enough, there are quite a few Coca Colas served in glass bottles with a glass of ice. Not one sighting of a Pepsi though! The tap water in Paris is very good and most always we were served a carafe of water at the table. *A basket of fresh, sliced French bread is served with every meal....sans le buerre. When I asked for butter, I was looked at with amazement and told that it was in the food. Now that took some getting used to! *French fries are a standard side item with most meals. I won't use the term entree because that is actually an appetizer in France. I suppose if you call them pommes frites it seems less like a fried food side. I do not know what they are fried in but it would be my wild guess that it is a healthier type of oil than what would be used in the U.S. *Fresh cheese is usually listed as a dessert option, but I ordered it a couple of times with wine before a meal. The brie at Ma Bourgnon in the Place des Vosges was terribly strong and when I mentioned this to our server he pointed to the mustard in a jar on the table. "This is the way we eat it." I asked to take it home and then threw it in the trash outside our apartment. *Speaking of cheese, I tossed some in our buggy at the Monoprix (the grocery store chain) and looked around for crackers. Around and around....until I found some. If memory serves correctly, I found only one selection of crackers, just above some Ritz Bitz. Apparently they don't eat crackers with their cheese! *The French do not consume much processed food as there are open air markets everywhere with wonderful produce as well as fromageries for cheese, boulangeries for breads and other baked goodies, wine shops, boucheries for fresh meats and sausages. It is very common to see folks strolling down the street carrying a fresh loaf of French bread. Those of you who know me will understand just how envious that makes me! *Long lunches and late dinners are the rule in Paris. Again, with lots of wine and almost always dessert. Servers do not bring a check to the table when you are still halfway through the main course as is standard practice in the U.S. I am a slow eater and was continually startled at the tables of diners that arrived before and lingered after we were gone. *The French people go to outdoor cafes to smoke. A lot. Thank goodness they cannot smoke inside the restaurants. It makes me wonder about the lung cancer rates there. Maybe all that wine and coffee inhibit cancer cells? *The streets of Paris are flooded with people. People walk a lot there and even if they take the Metro there are lots and lots of stairs to navigate down under. We visited a lot of restaurants and had some truly wonderful food. I will post some reviews soon (before my brain decides to delete and make more space for other things). The FB

Silversea Cruise on Silver Spirit, Western Caribbean

To celebrate Bob's retirement, I booked this cruise on the Silver Spirit departing from Ft. Lauderdale on January 3rd for 7 nights. Since this was Bob's first cruise and only my second, I wanted to make sure I found something that would be a pretty sure bet to be a pleasant experience. When I ran across a nice deal on vacationstogo.com, I booked a mid-ship veranda suite, Room 918, which is on the pool deck. The Silver Spirit carries 540 passengers which was more appealing than one which accommodates 10 times that many.

We flew into Ft. Lauderdale on Monday for a Tuesday embarkation, just in case we ran into weather issues in the north Georgia mountains. It was a smooth entry from the cruise terminal onto the ship in the early afternoon and our butler greeted us in our suite. I loved the location as we were just down the hall from the entrance to the pool deck and the Panorama Lounge. Most of the room attendants were from the Philippines and were quietly eager to please. The bathroom was the star of the suite with granite counter tops, walk-in glass shower, and tub large enough for two. Down the hall was the closet and then the sleeping area with narrow vanity, followed by the living area. There were mirrored walls in the sleeping and living areas which had 2 flat-screen tv's embedded in them. The balcony consisted of two wicker-type chairs, ottomans, and a table.

The pool deck became our go-to venue for mid-day when the ship was at sea or, for example, when we docked in Guatemala. I am glad we didn't book an excursion there since the comments were mostly negative. One of our fellow travelers described his tour as a "jungle walk" before which they were told to watch out for snakes, spiders, and animals. We were glad we opted for lunch and drinks on the ship that day! The port there was mostly industrial and we were the only cruise ship there as the container ships loaded and unloaded cargo. Our ship was also the only one docked in Belize and we had to board tenders to get ashore. The shops and restaurants on the water were closed due to lack of other cruise ships, but we had the name of a restaurant that we wanted to try. We found a cab driver who took us to the Bird's Isle, which was truly a place where the locals go. My snapper was fresh and it was fun to experience the local flavors.

Back to the ship. Since I dislike getting out early for breakfast, we ordered room service most mornings. Our butler was very timely and I called for coffee sometimes when I woke up earlier than planned. Bob ordered the omelets a few times, and when we ordered the waffles and pancakes they arrived cold. We learned to stick with such things as oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, and pastries. I didn't realize that most of the restaurants were by reservation, so we really were at a disadvantage for dinner. The main restaurant did not require a reservation and was quite good on our first visit. We wanted to have a special evening at Le Champagne and our butler tried hard to get us a table. On the night when he succeeded, we found out that the theme was "A for Asparagus" and the main dish would be caviar, which neither of us eats. Since there is an additional $200 per person charged for this venue we decided to opt out. We went to the BBQ on the pool deck but the wind began whipping and we decided to go inside. Then our butler informed us that he had secured reservations the next night for "Hot Rocks", also on the level just above the pool, where you cook your own food. Sorry, but we'd had enough of dining outside on the windy seas and if I'd wanted to cook my food I'd have stayed home!

One thing we did enjoy was the daily quiz and the crossword puzzle from the Library. We won the prize for the Quiz on two occasions! There was a daily Team Trivia contest, but we learned it was important to start early and get on a team. One afternoon we decided to wander into the Panorama Lounge for a cocktail and then learned we were sitting in a team's "spot". The Bar on level 5 became the place we went for a pre-dinner drink and the servers were eager to learn our names. It was decorated in an Art Deco style and the same crowd seemed to wander in just as if one was at a local cocktail lounge.

There were many times when I wandered through the corridors and never saw another person, so this ship really does deliver in the space per passenger ratio. The Observation Lounge on Deck 11 hardly ever had anyone there during the times I visited. The Captain had his family on board and could be seen playing with his grandchildren by the pool during the day, which held a certain charm. The international crowd was well-dressed and I have never seen so many women who wore heels with their bathing suits to the pool!

We went to the Casino on a couple of nights and played Blackjack. The dealers were mostly from Romania and were very tolerant of novice players such as myself. I did manage to win money, however, on each of the three nights I played! It was fun to go on the one formal night and pretend to be in a James Bond movie, given all the men in tuxedos.

Overall, we had a great cruise and most of the shortcomings were due to lack of planning on my part. In the future I will book the restaurants and pay more attention to the shore excursions although the point of this trip was relaxation. And when in the Caribbean in January, my goal is to get away from winter and simply enjoy the great weather on the ship. Can't wait for the next cruise!

Al & Stella's Clearwater Beach, Florida

I just had to write about this little gem of a place in Florida as the owners are transplants from Italy and the food is about as authentic as one could get this side of the Mediterranean. Bob and I had concert tickets to see Diana Krall in Clearwater and stayed at the Sandpearl resort on the beach. Just a half-block from the hotel was this restaurant that I had learned of from Chowhound. It would almost be worth driving back down there just to eat here- it is that good!

The daughter came to our table and told us all of the pastas except for the penne, I believe, are made in-house. She explained that penne is generally served al dente and if fresh it would get too mushy in some of their preparations. We could hear from our table the pounding going on in the kitchen, presumably of the veal. So, hearing this, Bob had to order veal cutlets and I ordered the sauteed grouper picatta. My dish was perfectly scented with lemon and doused with capers. The pasta was incredible and I am not a huge lover of pasta, probably because I've eaten too much bad dried stuff. Had we not scheduled a taxi for the ride to the concert, I would have most certainly boxed my leftovers for the fridge in our condo at the Sandpearl. I wanted to try dessert and the daughter recommended the Torta Della Nonna, which is an authentic Italian dessert otherwise known as Grandmother's Pie. It had a shortbread crust with a baked lemon filling, topped with toasted pine nuts, all dusted with powdered sugar. Scrumpy! The recipe is online and I can't wait to make it with the Meyer lemons I bought last week. I promise to report back if I do!

Now just take me to Italy to eat....FB

Bistro Niko Atlanta, Ga

Ooh la la, so I couldn't wait until I ate here three times to post about this great new restaurant in Atlanta! Bistro Niko is operated by the son of Pano Karatassos, a longtime restaurateur in Atlanta and the expertise shows in every detail, from service to food. I only have eaten lunch there, but I suspect the dinner crowd is much like the well-dressed, chic Buckhead crowd that flocks here for lunch in a very bustling piece of Peachtree just north of the Grand Hyatt.

Bob and I were staying in hotels during both lunch visits, so we entered from the street side and you actually are walking into the bar. However, the maitre`d stand is on the back side where there is, presumably, a parking lot or valet stand. The room nearest this entrance and across from the kitchen has a very French bistro feel with its tiles, art, and light fixtures. It is bright, noisy, and has tables for diners. The other dining area has booths and is darker and cozier. The bar area also has booths lined up against the windows for a view of Peachtree. In addition, there are cafe tables on an outdoor terrace for those like me who love to dine al fresco, weather permitting. There is some awkwardness in the hostess' decision-making regarding seating, however. We asked for a quiet table but we were placed in a booth in the center of the restaurant with booths to the left and right of us. She then put a family of five, including an infant seat, in a booth across from us. To the father's credit, he asked to be moved to a banquette in a more private area where there would be less intrusion to those around them. Not to mention there was no place for the infant carrier in the booth!

I think this place is filling the gap for those Buckhead and Brookhaven residents who were used to having lunch at Brasserie Le Coze because the menus here is very similar to that of the now-defunct BLC. It is now repositioned as FAB in midtown, but that would be another blog. Oh, it may already be, I forget. The requisite skate wing is on the menu and of course some wonderful French bread and perfect butter. And the FB loves her French bread and butter! I ordered fish both times I lunched at Niko and both were perfectly prepared. Desserts were very good and rich, as one would expect in a Parisian-styled bistro.

I read that many of the accoutrements were brought in from France and the architecture, particularly the ceilings, reflect this style. We made reservations for lunch and are were glad we did. It gets packed. And if you go there in jeans or sweats, you will be very under-dressed, as this is the place to be seen in your Atlanta-chic best. And that goes for the men as well! FB

Zanzoni's Grill Clarkesville, Ga

Just don't go. Trying to kill some time last week, I wandered about the Old Clarkesville Mill, noticing a completely empty restaurant. Shouldn't this have told me something?? I decided to sit down, waste a bit more time (and money), and order lunch. My Caesar salad topped with chicken had an odd taste from the first bite, so I wondered if it was from the stuff that restaurants spray on lettuce to take away the brown. Having kids who worked in food service was helpful to learn these dirty little secrets. The Romaine was chopped in perfect little pieces in which every one had a rib. Now how does that happen? Where are the ends of the leaf that are darker green? The three chicken strips had fake grill marks and were obviously the frozen kind that were simply heated in the kitchen. They tasted weird and fake. Yuck. As my friend, Didi, said, "And you wondered why nobody was there?"
It would be great if someone came in there and had really great burgers with handmade milkshakes perhaps. You know.....bowling food! And, God forbid, beer perhaps?

Natalie Jane's Clarkesville, Georgia

Wow, it has been a very long time since I have posted anything here, so it's time for me to get "rear in gear"! Lord knows I haven't been sitting at home twiddling my thumbs! Having recently learned that Natalie Jane's will be undergoing some exciting, new changes, Bob and I went for lunch last Saturday. Not sure about everything, but they will be turning the back room into a bar and will feature craft beers- woohoo! It is about time someone discovered this market in our sleepy, little town. I like Natalie Jane's for its quirky, slightly hip, attitude toward the food and service. She has a knack for taking ordinary menu items and creating new versions with subtle, simple changes. For example, Bob ordered the chicken salad sandwich which featured smoked chicken instead of the usual and it was a great twist on a standard. Unfortunately, the tortilla chips which accompanied were greasy and disappointing. My fries that came with my smoked turkey sandwich tasted suspiciously like tortilla strips, so we figured they came from the same tired grease. The sandwich came on wheat berry bread with a feta cheese spread and caramelized onions. Very tasty and more than I could eat.

But now for the best parts! Our server brought over the wine list which formerly was heavy on local Blackstock vineyard wines. He explained that the wine list is being revamped and current bottles had been reduced. This was music to our ears, so we ordered a very drinkable Washington State chardonnay for a mere $16 per bottle. Natalie has catered a party at my house, so I am very aware of her talents with sweets. We ordered a peanut butter gelato that had been dipped in chocolate and drizzled with caramel. Can you say OMG?? Of course, this dessert called for more wine and we settled on the Blackstock Viognier which was acceptable since it is a bit sweet. Our waiter resealed the remainder of the bottle so we could take it home. Isn't this new law great? Now if Georgia would only treat its citizens like responsible adults and allow Sunday alcohol sales....and Natalie would keep pecan pie on her dessert menu.

Social Resto Cafe and Bar Atlanta, Ga

I had done some homework prior to a brief overnight stay in Atlanta and definitely wanted to give this place a try. It was within walking distance of the hotel (The Ellis on Peachtree downtown) but I wound up driving the six blocks to W. Peachtree Pl. There is a parking lot just down from Social that was pretty deserted on this Friday, July 3rd, so I took my chances after a fellow who was cleaning a car there seemed to know the score. He told me my car would be safe for the duration of our lunch. And safe it was. Luckily I saw the man a couple of blocks down the street and tipped him for the tip!
The room is a soaring two level, lofty space with natural wood and white painted brick walls. It was deserted at 12:30 on a Friday, but since it was July 3rd the business crowd may have been enjoying a long holiday weekend. There were only two other occupied tables, so we had plenty of choices. We decided to go upstairs to a nice table by the window, looking out onto the tree-lined street.
The menu at Social has an international feel since one of the owners is from France and the other is from Tunisia. Most of the wines and beers are from Europe and are priced very reasonably. My companion ordered a bottle of Printhie Chardonnay from Southeast Australia and was a bargain at $31 (the wine, not my friend). In fact, we ordered another bottle to share with desserts and since the Georgia law now allows you to recork the leftovers, we took it back to the hotel.
I ordered the Pasta of the Day, which was Papardelle with chunks of Mortadella sausage and fresh summer squashes, tied together in a cream sauced laced with fresh basil, thyme, and sage. I could have licked the bowl! Seriously, this may have been the best pasta dish The FB has ever tasted. It was quite humorous when I asked our server if they would share the recipe. He said in a lighthearted way that it was simply pasta with yellow squash and zucchini. In my own inimitable style, I pressed him harder and he went off to the kitchen. When he returned he was able to share the particulars about the cream sauce. Now that's better....
My dining companion ordered the "ham and cheese sandwich with fries". This was no ordinary ham and cheese. First of all, the fries were hand cut Pommes Frites and the sandwich was served on a homemade roll spread with roasted garlic and fresh tomato sauce. The filling was Soppressata with Fontina cheese. When he wasn't eating my pasta, "R" managed to finish most of his sandwich because as he said, "For some reason I keep wanting to go back for one more bite".
Exactly! And isn't this what makes food so interesting?
For dessert, we wanted to go back and try the cold strawberry gazpacho that was the Soup Du Jour. The Spanish Flan with caramel seemed to be calling our names, too. Keep in mind that we were still sipping that Chardonnay, so we were curious as to how these finales would pair with the wine. The wine won. The cold, pureed soup needed possibly a Viognier and the flan was far too sweet. In fact, we left half of both desserts.
I hope this restaurant makes it because it has the wonderful feel of a neighborhood restaurant that one would visit at least once or twice a week. Great food, nice wine list, friendly owners is a nice combination for this town with a penchant for glitz and visibility. Unfortunately, just the characteristics that make Social appealing could possibly be its undoing in this fickle place called Atlanta.

FB

The Sunset Terrace at The Grove Park Inn- Asheville, NC

July, 2008
We arrived at the hotel a bit later than planned, thanks to the ill-navigated trip by the FB. Let us just say that taking a detour through the Cherokee Nation in the Smokies on July 4th weekend isn't a great idea.....So ......FINALLY...... we arrived at our destination and were famished because there is no food on the two-laned Blue Ridge Parkway that winds up and down at 35 MPH in the Smoky Mountain National Park. Can you believe that? That sign that said "Last Gas Station!" should have been some kind of subtle hint.
The Sunset Terrace beckoned because of The View. Amazing, amazing view. Unfortunately, we got the server (let's call him Sal, shall we?) who should have been a performer at Six Flags over New Jersey (I'm sure there is one). He actually came over to our table, said he wanted to light our fire and proceeded to light the candle. Then he gave us the spiel about wine only being good for a toast (or something). We ordered the filet mignon with mashed potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise. The filet was pretty good although not quite the best beef in North Carolina, as was claimed by Sal. I don't think Morton's in Charlotte needs to fret over this one. The sauces, however, were quite good when blended with the giant bowl of potatoes on the table. The asparagus was flaccid and smothered with a too-thick yellowish concoction.
The wine list saved the day. Our Stag's Leap Petit Syrah was the perfect way to savor the ambiance of this beautiful place. Even though Sal did give us the same spiel.....again....about the toast business. We overheard the same thing at the table next to us. Is the Cristal Pistol hiring?
FB

The Attic - Clarkesville, Georgia

July, 2008-
I have finally gotten around to evaluating this place that has become a staple in the Clarkesville Square area. After several management changes and very few menu changes, The Attic continues to draw a nice crowd even on a weeknight. Now that they will honor a reservation on the day you call, diners no longer must endure an hour-long wait for a table. I called for a 5:30 reservation and pointed the hostess to the table that I wanted by the window. I asked Trey, our personable server, to bring me a glass of the Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay for starters. The wine list here is perhaps the weakest part of this place because the only two choices by the glass are Sycamore Lane and the K-J. Just as my companion and I were sipping our wine it began thundering and raining.....and the sound on the building's tin roof made for a very romantic atmosphere. The building is a great venue for a restaurant and the black curtains add to the dining room's mystique.
I decided to order the Stuffed Pork Chop with blackberry sauce since it has been quite some time since I have eaten it. The stuffing consists of prosciutto, spinach, and fontina cheese. My friend ordered the Tres Chicken which is just as it sounds- each of the three pieces are prepared differently.....blackened, grilled, herbed. My chop was tasty even if it was a bit overcooked. The chef (?) ....cook, more likely.....has a problem with overcooking meat although the elements of the dish work very well together. The sweetness of the blackberries are great with the cheese and salty prosciutto. The chicken entree seemed to beg for some sauce of some kind- bring on the honey mustard! We ordered a bottle of the Kendall-Jackson which tasted fresher than the two wines by the glass that we ordered at the beginning of our meal. Those opened bottles tend to have a long life here in Habersham County. But, there are worse places to linger.

The Rocky Branch Grill- Clarkesville, Ga

May 2008
After many months of anticipation, my Beautiful Pregnant Daughter and Granddaughter decided to sample this place, which has had many incarnations in the last fifteen years or so. It was a glorious day in the mountains and we asked to be seated on the patio. (We noticed while walking through that the tables and chairs were exactly the same ones used by the previous establishment that was Nancy's on the Soque.) Now, I remember when this patio had an arbor with wisteria covering it, and the back of the patio was surrounded by trees and brush. All of that is gone. Now it is a bland two-level deck with metal tables and umbrellas. All of that would be fine and dandy if the food was something to be anticipated. It is not.
Since I had saved this review in a draft and have now come back to it, I will try my best to recall this lunch......let's see now.....I do remember ordering the so-called "Wild Field Greens" with the Tuscan White Bean Soup. Sounds pretty romantic, right? How romantic is tearing open one of those plastic bags of baby lettuces that you get at Ingles and pouring on some dressing? Yep, top that with a few slices of red onion (which was a special request) and there you have it. On to the soup. Shouldn't the cook (I won't use the term chef) taste a soup for seasonings prior to serving? Has anyone here even heard of seasonings? What about salt?
Call me crazy, but one of my little idiosyncrasies when dining is that I like to have utensils at the table. Perhaps the table of church ladies next to us would agree because we all had to ask for them. I know....picky, picky....
Save your money and go to Ingles.

The FB

The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

What can I tell you? Go. Just go. And better yet, go with someone who is going to pick up the tab! And if you are reading this (you know who you are), thank you!
We ordered the tasting menu with the wine pairings.
Just do it.
FB

Bluepointe - Atlanta, Georgia

This flashy restaurant, part of the Buckhead Life group, is just across from Lenox and Phipps and is quite a site to behold! It certainly has one of the most "metro" bars in town. Sipping a martini here is de riguer for the Brookhaven/north Buckhead crowd. Since my dining companion and I sipped our drinks across the street at the Ritz-Carlton, we attempted to proceed directly to our table. I say "attempted" because our reservation must have landed on the moon somewhere! Since it was not crowded yet at seven o'clock, we were seated without a problem on the upper tier.
Our server came to take our drink orders and I told him I would like an oaky chardonnay. He suggested Pouilly-Fuisse, which I love mind you, but it was not the OC. The FB loves her P-F, though, and was a happy girl!
The menu is highly Asian although there are some steaks on there. I decided to order the Korobuta Pork Tenderloin which came with shitake mushroom and wild leek spring rolls. My companion ordered braised Beef Shortribs in Masaman Curry. I had the Bluepointe Salad to start and it was quite good with the white port reduction and lemon oil dressing. Lurking underneath the buttery Bibb lettuce were shaved white truffles and bits of wonderful Parmagianno Reggiano. We enjoyed a great bottle of Pinot Noir with dinner and it was perfect! I could have eaten more, but I knew to save...
I ordered my pork medium rare and that was the way it came. Several thin slices of pork on the plate with the rather hard-to-eat spring rolls. My date's short ribs were divine! Yes, I had a bit of rib-envy....although neither of us were able to eat it all.
Now for the best part! The dessert menu arrived and I had to look no further than the first selection....the Molten Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Ice Cream. Made with Valrhona chocolate, the cake's exterior was deliciously sugary and crisp. Then the oozing center! And the ice cream! I must have uttered one too many OMG's because my companion gently pushed the plate in my direction to finish. Perfection on a plate.
Now, ladies, here is the hard part: the restrooms are located upstairs. I really think this is a test of sobriety in heels because if one can make it down the steps, then you just might be ok! Bad design....bad joke....where is the elevator?
FB

Buckhead Bread Company - Atlanta, Ga

2/17/08 Sunday Brunch
After sleeping like a baby (and the girls complained that I coughed and snored all night long!) I was ready for a great brunch....and that's exactly what I had at the Buckhead Bread Co. Yes, you always have to wait for Sunday brunch there, but sipping a great cup of coffee before breakfast is exactly what the FB likes to do in the morning! While my Fidgety Friend kept jumping out of her chair every five minutes trying to hurry our table, I sat happily letting the caffeine serve its intended purpose. After a twenty minute or so wait, we got our table in the rather large diner-style restaurant on Piedmont. My FF and I decided to split the breakfast sandwich which was a panini-style concoction of shaved Black Forest Ham, melted brie, and marinated apple slices. It was heavenly with a side order of the breakfast potatoes and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. It just doesn't get much better than this....
I stopped on the way out at the bakery to pick up two large loaves of crusty French bread, muffins, and apple-walnut pastries. This is The Place to get those things which you can't get at home!
FB

Glen Ella Springs - Turnerville, Georgia

2/10/08
My Slightly Older Sister (SOS) was visiting me for the weekend and, it being Sunday in Habersham County, just about the only place to get dinner with wine would be Glen Ella Springs. It was also my birthday celebration so we were not going to do without our favorite beverage! As of now, you must bring your own wine to Glen Ella but all that is about to change. They will soon be opening a tasting room for Habersham Winery and will be able to sell wine from not only that winery but also from other local wineries in northeast Georgia. This also brings brown-bagging to an end soon at Glen Ella which is great news for them and partially great news for those of us who live in the northern end of the county. Although our dinner tabs will be higher, we will be able to purchase a bottle of wine without having to trek 20-30 minutes to the Super Ingles or convenience store.
Now, back to my story....we were escorted by Ann, Chef David's wife, to our table in the dining room filled with the usual Sunday night suspects. Seated next to us were neighbors of mine and at the other end of the dining room were former neighbors who had moved away but missed this place so badly that they had come back!
Chef David came out of the kitchen to greet us and tell us about the specials. My SOS informed him that this was a birthday dinner and he immediately said he was going to prepare us a special dessert. The specials that evening were tomato basil soup and sauteed mahi-mahi. I don't know about most people, but the term "mahi-mahi" automatically conjures up an image of a big ol' piece of dried-up fish. I know the menu quite well and generally enjoy trying the specials so I asked my sister if she would care to split the fish. Giving me a big sideways glance (she obviously had channeled my image) she reluctantly agreed. We each ordered salads- hers was the spinach with dried cranberries, walnuts, and feta, and mine was a basic caesar. I sat there with salad-envy for a few minutes until our entrees arrived. Served on separate plates were perfect portions of our half-entrees. One bite into the perfectly cooked, juicy, flaky mahi-mahi and I knew we hit it right. On the side were garlicky mashed potatoes and sauteed broccoli and zucchini. We enjoyed our chardonnay and chit-chatted with fellow diners. There is a comfort level to this place so that you almost feel as if you are eating in someone's home. And then out came David with a custom-made Strawberries Romanoff complete with candle for me! Their ice cream is homemade and chef made a delicious sauce with the strawberries, Cointreau, and a hint of cinnamon. Perfect ending to a perfect meal! Even better, my SOS picked up the tab! Did I say I love birthdays?
FB

Twist - Atlanta, Georgia

2/17/08 Late Afternoon Lunch
I love Twist! We passed up the sushi bar as you enter to go back in the bar area to sit. There are serpentine curves everywhere and the coolest projection screen I have ever seen for TV. Hundreds of metal beads (think of a seventies doorway) reflect the huge TV image- which happened to be the Daytona 500 when we were there. We sat at a high bar table in front of a long, curvy upholstered bench. As this was the middle of the afternoon on Sunday we had our choice of seats.
Although we waited just a tad too long for our drinks considering that the place wasn't that busy, our server was pleasant and informative about the menu. This place is a tapas bar which is the reason I like it. You get to eat a wide variety of items from the menu and you don't feel like you are overly stuffed afterwards. We ordered french fries, hummus with flatbread, mini-burgers, tempura shrimp, and fried artichokes. The tempura shrimp was light, airy, and wonderful! The little hamburgers got a kick from the jalapenos in the meat and were also very good. The fries were crisp and plentiful. My Beautiful Daughter kept the plate of hummus in front of her, but it tasted pretty ordinary as did the fried artichokes.
I will definitely come back here for a fun, casual meal the next time I am at Phipps!
FB

The Tavern at Phipps - Atlanta, Georgia

2/16/08 Cocktails and Dinner
This is hard for me to believe, but I had never been to The Tavern and wanted to go. My Slightly Younger Sister (SYS) wanted to meet us there and arrived first. Luckily, she was able to score four seats at the lively bar while we waited for a table outside (you know I love to eat outside!). My friend ordered pomegranate martinis- one for me and one for her- and they were yummy and slushy. Coincidentally, I had bought a pink trench earlier at Lenox so my cocktail matched my jacket! I love when that happens....
Then, the unthinkable.....a girl next to my SYS lit a cigarette! My sister pointed with her thumb down the line of us and said "my niece is pregnant- would you mind not smoking?" to which the bartender retorted, "this is a bar, what do you expect!" Surprisingly, the girls moved down but later smarted off to my friend (who is not pregnant) "maybe you shouldn't be drinking cosmos while you're pregnant!" A little misunderstanding, but funny!
We got to our table on the patio in the corner and my friend orders a second round of those pomegranate martinis- would someone remind me to never drink more than one funky drink? This one was watery and sticky and yucky. I just wanted a beer- you guessed it....a SweetWater 420 on draught. Ahhh....much better! Not being very hungry, I decided to get something called the Tavern Chips which was billed as a cross between nachos and flatbread. What??? To make matters worse, I ordered them topped with crab meat! Had I completely forgotten my lunch? How much crab does one need in a day in landlocked ATL anyway? I barely tasted them when they arrived and they were nothing but cold tortilla chips with various toppings.
The company was great, though, and there were presents to open, so the night was salvaged. I think this bar would be a fun place to have a drink, but no one at our table was impressed with their food. The best news of the evening was that my SYS picked up the tab! I love birthdays!
FB

The Clubhouse at Lenox Square, Atlanta, Ga

2/16/08 Afternoon Break
At precisely 3PM during our afternoon of shopping the girls reconvened on the patio at The Clubhouse to reenergize. That, of course, means an ice cold beer- A SweetWater 420 draught to be precise. And french fries....split amongst three people means the calories are eliminated! My Beautiful Daughter, being seven months pregnant, ordered a Buckler non-alcoholic beer. It is always amusing to see the looks from folks who thinks she is guzzling the real thing! It is actually amazing that so few bars and restaurants stock NA beer so she was appreciative. And we were appreciative for having a Designated Driver....aka my BD!
If there is a better place for people watching in Atlanta, I don't know about it. Seated on the patio here you will find the gamut from families to fashionable couples to gangsta-rapper types. And I love to watch the array of folks just walking by outside the railing. There is a portion of this area that is covered so you can sit outside even if it is raining.
Although I did not eat a meal on this visit, I have had an incredibly good hamburger here. Our middle-aged server was pleasant and efficient.
I will be back again....
FB

Dantanna's - Atlanta, Georgia

2/16/08 Lunch
It was my birthday weekend in Atlanta with the girls. We knew we would be shopping at Lenox and wanted to peruse some shops Around Lenox (go to Tootsie's but forget Blue Genes). After having my brows done by Aric C., the self-proclaimed "best pluck in Atlanta" who is now holding court at Tootsie's boutique, we walked next door to Dantanna's for lunch. Now, I had read about this sports bar on Trip Advisor and City Search- who are these people that raved about this place? First of all, it was pitch dark inside (maybe better at night with lights on?) but we were wanting to eat on the patio anyway. It was a mild February day in the big city and I love nothing better than to lunch outside. There were numerous flat screen TV's perched atop the railing and I hope they were waterproof because they had no protection from the elements or the sun. Our slow-talking waiter was either intimidated by three rather talkative ladies or else had the personality of a Plymouth Comet (I drove one of these in high school at the time I met my former husband- it was a photo finish in the personality contest). But I digress....I felt the need for a shot of vitamin C in the form of a screwdriver since I was suffering from a sore throat and cough- that was not going to halt my weekend, however! My OJ and Absolut tasted very little like orange juice and became very watery toward the end. My friend ordered a glass of Four Vines Chardonnay (the house brand) so I got a glass also to finish my lunch. Lunch, by the way, was a salad topped with crab, avocado, and fresh berries. It actually was quite good and something you would expect to eat at the Nordstrom Cafe. The ambiance was a rather shabby array of lightweight metal tables and chairs, and there was a large group of guys resembling a wedding party smoking cigars and drinking beer. OK, I know this is a sports bar! Guess I need to try this place during football season.....
FB

Cheers to New Beginnings!

Hello, Everyone!

Welcome to my world of talking about food, restaurants, wine, travel, and life in the northeast Georgia mountains. I hope to share information and experiences about great meals, bad meals, fun places, wineries, new hot spots, good tables, great views, events, and just about anything that relates to food and wine. I love to try new places so I will be bringing you my opinions and I hope to hear yours. Please know that I am neither a restaurateur nor a writer, but simply one who appreciates a wonderful meal whether it is served in someone's home, a fine dining establishment, or a barbecue joint! Let's talk about it all.....

FB