FOODIE IN FLIP FLOPS

We love to eat at the square in Decatur and when our friends, Brian and Katie recommended the chef's counter at No. 246 we wanted to give it a try. There are four bar stool spots overlooking the kitchen which you definitely need to reserve seeing it is limited seating. You get four course meal of the Chef's choosing for $50 and if you like you can opt for the wine pairing which we did. They did ask us about dietary needs and restrictions before serving our first course. A beautiful radish plate greeted us as we were seated. I love fresh and crispy vegetables, especially with a cashew butter. It was very palate cleansing. The first thing to come out were fried shrimp heads. They were delicious, lightly battered and the fresh lime brightened up the shrimp. How pretty is that fennel salad!?! It was just as tasty too. The shaved fennel and grapefruit completely balanced each other out. It was drizzled with a light vinaigrette. I totally cheate...

L'Thai Organic is a great restaurant with two locations, one in Smyrna, the other in Tucker. They really do focus on quality,  serving organic vegetables, grass-fed beef, hormone and antibiotic-free chicken. They also have a large selection of organic wines.  We ordered soups to start. Luke had the Won Ton Soup and thought it was very good. I had the Tom Yum with Shrimp and it too was very good.  Luke had the Roasted Chili Chicken sauteed with snow peas, onions, and bell peppers. It was flavorful with a bit of spiciness without it overpowering the dish. For my entree, I had the Chili Chicken with Green Beans. I had them add broccoli to boost my veggie intake. It was delicious, loved the chili sauce and that it was gluten free. We ordered very similar dishes, but we have eaten here several times and have always enjoyed other items on their menu. Yes, L'Thai is a bit more expensive than your average Thai restaurant because the portions ...

Sushi House Hayakawa is in my opinion the best and most authentic Japanese restaurant in the Atlanta area. It is located in an unassuming strip plaza on Buford Highway north of 285, so worth the drive.  We started with a little octopus appetizer. The octopus was tender and tossed in a sesame-soy dressing. The flavor was bright and well balanced. We also ordered the Squid. It too was very tasty with a soy lemon sauce and then topped with Bonito flakes. We ordered a variety of items and everything was wonderful as usual. The fish is always so fresh and perfect ratio of fish to rice. We like to order the Chef's choice of sashimi. It always has a nice array of different fish and a great way to try a couple of  things you wouldn't necessarily order, plus how pretty is that presentation!! The atmosphere is very plain and typical with rice paper decor, light wood and the only color being red throughout the restaurant. The ser...

It had been awhile since I had seen my friend Hannah, so we decided to catch up over drinks and dinner. I love Argosy, it's probably my favorite bar in town. It is so beautiful on the inside with dark heavy wood, soft lighting and a tall, vast ceiling. It is a big space and seems to always have a crowd of people. Everything I have ordered or tasted here has been excellent, food and drinks included.  Hannah ordered the boiled peanuts and she liked them. I have never been a fan of a soft peanut so my opinion does not count. I ordered the Trio of Beets and it was delicious. It had roasted beets, pickled raw beets, and beet chips served on greens with whipped local yogurt and topped with a lemon thyme vinaigrette. I would definitely order that again. Hannah ordered the Pig 'n' Grits. The grits had a nice rich, creamy flavor and the pork nice and smoky. The apple jalapeno fennel coleslaw was delicious too! The Roasted Chicken is...

When I heard Kevin Ouzts was opening a restaurant in Krog Market, it couldn't open fast enough. I had always been a fan of his meats from the Spotted Trotter and knew he would deliver in his new restaurant. Apparently I was not the only one excited because he raised over $100,000 through KICKSTARTER to help fund his new venture.  We knew our friends Brian and Katie were big fans too so we made plans to visit soon after they opened.  I knew this restaurant would be heavy on the small bites and it was. The menu had some very unique items. To start, we ordered their version of a Shepard's Pie. It had golden beets and goat cheese inside of puffed pastry, served with a quince paste and bites of lemon cream. I rank this high on the creativity scale however, it did not deliver.  We had to sample the Charcuterie, and of course all of it is made in house. The duck prosciutto stood out the most for me, it was delicious. The item in the middle that ...

I have been hearing such good things about the new eclectic southern BBQ spot on Roswell Rd. in North Buckhead.  I definitely put it on the top of my must try lunch list. It is husband and wife owned with a simple menu and decor. They try to source their ingredients locally and label vegetarian and gluten-free on their menu. Two huge bonuses for me!! Unfortunately, 521 was love and hate. Luke had the Brisket Sandwich on a Holeman and Finch Bun with a baked sweet potato. The brisket was very tough and pretty much tasteless, very disappointing. The potato was good but hard to mess up a baked potato. One of my favorite places to order a salad is at BBQ restaurants. I know it sounds weird but I love the fresh greens with the smoked meat and creative dressings. It goes together so nicely. My salad was deliciousvwith different types of tender lettuce, firm crunchy corn, and cherry tomatoes. Another bonus is they serve hormone-free chicken! It had great smoky fla...

I am glad Holeman and Finch finally came to their senses and put the burger on the menu all of the time. I always wanted to try their burger but the timing never worked out right. Our friends Eddie and Hali hadn't tried the Holeman and Finch burger nor my favorite Atlanta burger at Bocado so we went to both places the same night for the comparison.  We ordered the Sliced Edwards Surry Ham. It was great for sharing and delicious with a nice smoky, cured flavor. It was nice starter. We ordered the Black Butter Veal Brains. Yes, I said veal and feel bad for eating it, but wanted to try the brains. The brains had great flavor with onion, butter, capers, and lemon flavor. However the consistency is just what you would think, mushy and gelatinous, hard to get past that texture.  We also ordered the Sapelo Island Clams. They came in a great broth of fennel, white wine, and parsley. Nice and clean pronouncing the brininess of the clam it...