One-Eared Stag for Brunch

Last weekend, my husband and I felt we needed to venture out for a proper Sunday brunch. Looking for something a little more interesting than the usual french toast institutions and we were super excited to see that One-Eared Stag, one of my favorite dinner spots, serves a delicious brunch. One-Eared Stag opened last year in Inman Park, John Kessler gave it a great review here. I really like the innate "southernness" of the place; maybe "new southern" would classify it correctly. 

We started brunch with a kimchi bloody mary. At first, I wasn't sure if the bitterness of the cabbage worked in the sweetly, salty, tang of a bloody mary, but one more sip and I was sold. I like the new layer of flavor, combined with the spiciness that defines kimchi.



 As a sort of appetizer, we ordered the black pepper biscuits with peach marmalade. I've never had a black pepper biscuit before, but I am going to make them this way every time from now on! They were so good, especially with the sweet tart flavor of the peaches on top.



For our main courses, we shared the hanger steak with chimichurri over potato hash with fried eggs, and fried chicken and waffles with sorghum syrup and marrow butter. It was honestly hard to choose which was the favorite. The fried chicken and waffle were cooked to perfection. The chicken's golden crust was crunchy and salty, the meat was almost buttery, which was a gorgeous compliment to the sweet sorghum syrup and bready waffle. The steak was equally delicious, set off by the parsley and garlic in the chimichurri, and the creaminess of the runny egg yolks.

The best thing about One-Eared Stag, aside from the great food, is that the menu changes on a regular basis, dependent upon local, seasonal produce. (You can expect to see that amazing fried chicken on the menu on Sundays and Mondays, regularly.) Nothing excites me more than a Georgia restaurant using food grown in Georgia!

Crane Creek Vineyards

I first visited Crane Creek Vineyards last fall, and was completely charmed by the unpretentious, scenic vineyard. Since last fall, I have been back three times! I cannot get enough of the relaxing atmosphere and the light, refreshing vinos.
Crane Creek Vineyards is located in Young Harris, Georgia, which is a short 2 hour drive from Altanta, or if you're staying in the mountains for the weekend, just 45 min from Blue Ridge. Seated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the vineyard's lovely grounds make the trip worth the car ride.
Being a wine novice, I get excited to soak up some wine knowledge, and at Crane Creek, the staff are great teachers. The full tasting, which can include up to 15 varietals, is only $3 a person! A super good value for an informative lesson on native Georgia grapes and the wines they can produce. Crane Creek grows 8 different grapes, including two native American varieties, Catawba and Norton.
On to the wines! My new favorite is the Seyval Blanc, with its light, crisp, green flavor reminding me of my trip to Barcelona. The Hellbender red varietal, which is made with the Norton grape, has won multiple awards. Sweet Sally, named after a beloved vineyard dog, is a wonderful white dessert wine made from the native Catawba grape. Last September, when it was about 90 degrees out, we bought a bottle of Sweet Sally and sat around the vineyard enjoying the view and the last of the summer heat.
The vineyard is laid back, and family friendly. You can order a glass of wine and the soup of the day, or a block of cheese, and sit out on Adirondack chairs facing the vines whiling the day away. It's a wonderful place to take friends, especially if they are from out of town, and at Crane Creek you have the opportunity to buy truly local wines that are also delicious!

Local Chocolate for Valentine's? Hit up Cacao

While I fully comprehend that Valentine's Day was created to sell cards and things covered in hearts, alongside frightfully overpriced red roses, sometimes it's really wonderful to receive a little gift from someone you love, right as the winter doldrums start taking their toll. Since this item is on my Valentine's wish list, I wanted to share the goodness.
Cacao Laboratoire opened in 2009 as the storefront of Chef Kristen Hard's chocolate company K Chocolat. Chef Hard had sold her artisan truffles wholesale for 5 years before opening the delightful Inman Park boutique, sharing those truffles with the general public. The chef spent years researching chocolate, mainly from the Caribbean, and is now hailed as the first southern bean-to-bar producer.
So, as I'm sure you've realized at this point, this is not a quantity-over-quality-Whitmans-box-o'-chocolates type of place. Each piece of chocolate is carefully conceived and handcrafted. They are precious, but the outstanding flavors are worth it. They are special treats to be savoured with a cup of tea, or a mug of coffee, or after a delicious meal.
Favorites so far have been the: Lemon Curd, not the first chocolate-citrus combination that comes to mind, but is wonderfully bright tasting; the Fig Preserve and Balsamic, the fig comes through first with a delicate sweetness, and then you get the faint tang of the balsamic; and also, the Blueberry Beet, which is very subtle, sweet with the slight spice of the beet coming through at the end.
If you're thinking chocolate, I recommend giving Cacao a look. It's really wonderful to have something locally produced and that is so lovingly created.

Another Awesome Neighborhood Joint: H. Harper Station

The Fox Confessor

Reynoldstown is a small neighborhood just south of Little 5 Points, and it now also happens to be my neighborhood. I spent my entire childhood in the suburbs of Atlanta, a short 20 minute drive from the city, but never knew that Atlanta had these amazing unique communities all over the city.
Reynoldstown began as a community of freed slaves after the Civil War, who worked for the railroad. The neighborhood is named after Madison and Sarah Reynolds, one of the first families to settle in the area. The community has deep, southern roots and the residents are proud to be a part of such a rich, historical district.
Reynoldstown suffered alongside the decline of the railroads in the 1950s, but currently it is undergoing a revival. Old homes, like mine, are being repaired and loved, and best yet, great businesses are moving in. There's Wonderroot, a local arts co-operative, and there's hope of Eye-Drum coming, as well. It is also the home of the Trees Atlanta amazingly eco-friendly headquarters.
About a month ago, H. Harper Station opened on Memorial Drive. H. Harper Station is the newest venture from Lush Life Group: Chef Duane Nutter, Reginald Washington and Mixologist Jerry Slater. The old train depot has been respectfully re-fitted with moody lighting, heavy oak and deep comfy booths. The menu is full of local southern comfort food, and there are over 40 signature cocktails.
Some of my favorites on the cocktail menu are: the Amulet, which is Hendrick's Gin, Apricot Brandy, Dolin Dry, Grapefruit and Pernod Absinthe; the Fox Confessor, which is Karlsson's Gold, Muscadine Shrub, Black Pepper Syrup and Peychaud's Bitters; and the Calexico, which is Don Diego Reposado, Pineapple, Jalepeno Syrup, and Aztec Chocolate Bitters. Every drink I have tasted has complex flavor; combining sweet, bitter, sour and fragrant notes together in a clever way.
On the food menu, I'm always a fan of cheese, and I love that their cheese board is from Georgia. We have wonderful local producers of cheese and it's great to see someone showcasing the delicious dairy products. I also enjoyed the country ham plate on the starter menu. My favorite entree has been the pork belly with crawfish over creamy grits. It's not so much bacon that you feel ill after eating it, and the crawfish are wonderfully saucy over the starchy grits. My family loves the burger, which comes with a huge helping of crisp tater tots.
If Reynoldstown is undergoing a revival, H. Harper Station is just the sort of congregationalist that I am hoping we will draw.

Burgers Straight from the Farm

So, with freshly clogged arteries from all the Thanksgiving excesses, I'm thinking what everyone is craving is a hunk of beef! My husband and I went to Farmburger again a few nights ago, and it was just as fantastic the second time around.
Farmburger opened a little less than a year ago in downtown Decatur, and have been cranking out quality burgers ever since. People who know me, know that I don't eat burgers, but over the last couple of years, I have come to make exceptions for the really excellent variety. Farmburger fits that bill.
They only serve 100% grassfed beef at Farmburger, and source as many local and sustainable sides and toppings as possible. Also on offer, a quinoa burger and a chicken burger, two great options for the non-beef lovers. Each week, the menu offers six blackboard burgers of Chef Terry Koval's creation, which are delicious combinations like: house cured-bacon, a sunny side up egg, pepper jack, and salsa verde.
The other burger option is to create your own from a large variety of sustainable and local options. Here's the burger I created this time: 100% grassfed burger, pickled jalepenos, smoked paprika mayo, crispy red onions and Sweet Grass Asher Blue Cheese. The tangy saltiness of the blue cheese with the spicy jalapenos and crunchy onions combined beautifully with the buttery beef. My favorite side has been the fried okra, but the fresh french fries are also pretty tasty.
Farmburger is a model for which other burger joints should aspire: good food, locally and sustainably sourced.

Super Delicious Pan-Latino Sandwich Shop

I have decided that the very long name, Super Pan-Latino Sandwich Shop, is just not long enough. Maybe it should read: Super Heavenly Pan-Latino Sandwich Shop, or Super Amazing Pan-Latino Sandwich Shop. I just can't make up my mind, but I have decided that the food at Hector Santiago's tiny sandwich place is off-the-charts good!
The first time I visited, I went straight for the specials. I had a smoked trout tostada, with trout caviar, dill creme fraiche and habernos. It was salty, tangy, spicy, and even a little sweet from the caviar; a wonderfully balanced sandwich. In addition to the tostada, I added a the salad special which consisted of avocado, jicama, coconut shavings, jalepenos and watermelon. These ingredients seem mildly shocking to the tongue, heat and sweetness combining with the creamy avocado, but they were mixed by a master. I have also had the pork buns, and I really enjoyed the sweet heat of the pork belly marinade on an unbelievably soft, fluffy bun.
I have only been twice so far, but I dream of it each week. The flavors are really inventive and extremely fresh and for under $10 you can have a stand-out Top-Chef lunch in Atlanta! They are open Tues-Fri 11:30-2:30. I suggest going earlier or later, as it can get crowded very quickly. Run, don't walk!

The Shed at Glenwood

One of my favorite restaurants in town is The Shed at Glenwood. I'm always quick to share the restaurant with my friends if they're looking for a fantastic local joint. Chef Lance Gummere uses local produce and meats as much as possible, and often, there are meats that you won't find in other Atlantan restaurants. He is a self-professed lover of fried chicken hearts!
My favorite night, and many others' favorite, is Wednesday night Slider Night. Chef Gummere offers an ever-changing seasonal menu of $3 sliders. On a recent visit, I tried a barbecued goat meat slider. I know a lot of people would be squeamish at the idea of eating goat, but you really cannot go wrong with a good barbecue. The meat was tender and delicious, with a flavor very similar to lean beef. I also recommend the fried green tomato, the white truffle chicken salad, and the chicken liver sliders. I love it when chefs take parts of an animal, which are thrown out by most people, and turn them into something delectable.
If you are a true locavore, I recommend Thursday night's Harvest Night. The Shed selects a variety of farm fresh, local vegetables from which you can choose 4 for $10. It's an excellent value and I've had amazing things like buttery sunchokes and heirloom tomatoes. I think it's one of the best vegetarian meals you can get in the city.
Last, but certainly not least, please save room for the Homemade Ding Dong, (the name of which I'm sure the waiters bemoan endlessly.) The cream center is cold and rich, surrounded by moist chocolate cake, and covered in thick ganache. It's one of my all-time favorite desserts!

Toronto Edition

Pork Ramen Bowl

Toronto has been on my food radar for a very long time due to the fantastic television show, "Made to Order," chronicling the Rubino brothers' adventures in haute Asian fusion cuisine. Imagine my delight when I was able to travel there for work, and finally sample some great food! Unfortunately, Rain, the Rubino brothers' restaurant in "Made to Order" has since closed, but Guy and Michael have opened a new venture called, Ame.
My boss and I cabbed it over to Ame, to have some stellar Japanese food. We started the meal with shitake mushroom tempura, elegantly staked on nails. If you were able to get past the sadistic presentation, the tempura was fantastic: crispy and light and flavorful, all the things that should be tempura. My boss ordered the teriyaki cornish hen, which was nicely cooked, and a fresher take on the sickly sweet teriyaki options normally found, but I loved my pork ramen bowl. The pork was buttery, the noodles were firm, and the broth was deliciously salty. Until I can go to Japan, I really felt that this was the closest I am going to get to great ramen.

Bar Chef Martini Three Ways

After Ame, I left my boss at the hotel, grabbed my Agatha Christie, and headed for BarChef. Recently written up in Food and Wine as one of the best new innovative bars in the world, I could not pass up the opportunity.
When you walk into the dark bar, the first thing you notice is the chemist-like array of bitters and liqueurs lined across the bar and back wall. Frankie Solarik is known for his molecular creations, so I had the Bar Chef Martini Three Ways to start. I will explain it as my barchef, Aaron, explained it to me. The center drink is the classic martini with vodka and olives to act as your base, then proceed to the black olive ice in the spoon to the left, and then back to the center, then proceed to the glass on the left, which is the olive air martini, then back to the center, then on to the spoon on the right, which is your liquidized olive yolk, then back to the center, then on to the glass on the right, which is the rosemary infused vodka martini. This seems a bit pretentious and avant garde all at the same time, and it really is, but I just love it when food and science meet. The olive ice was interesting, but the olive foam was the very lightest essence of olive air, and the olive yolk was an intense burst of oliveness in your mouth! I really loved the finish with the simple, fresh rosemary infused vodka.
Okay, so after that bit of fun, I had to try a simple cocktail as well, and I decided on the Strawberries and Lavender, which is strawberry infused gin, strawberry and elderberry bitter, lavender infused grand marnier, fresh lime, and lavender sugar rim. The cocktail was fantastic! Everything that a cocktail should be: fruity, floral, bitter, sour, sweet, was all there; you could almost taste the flavors individually, and yet they were melded together as well. While I loved the molecular experience, the Strawberries and Lavender displayed the creative process behind cocktail creation.
I can't wait to go back to Toronto!

Unusual, But Delicious Quesadillas

One of my new favorite neighborhood joints is Pure Taqueria. The Inman Park location isn't the original, but it's pretty new, and the food is fantastic. In my eyes, it's hard to beat your local cheap Mexican restaurant. It is the quintessential comfort food; hot and spicy, flavorful and delicious. And while Pure is a little pricier than the local cheap place, the fresh ingredients and original dishes make it easier to rationalize the extra costs.
The margaritas at Pure are great, I like the house margarita as much as the specialty mixes. On the appetizer menu, the fish ceviche is fantastic. The citrus is almost effervescent, and combined with celery for a zesty, crunchy combination. My favorite entree is the chicken quesadilla. At a lot of restaurants, the quesadillas can be a major let-down, they are soggy and unappetizing, but at Pure, it's more like an empanada, with crispy fried dough, then it's piled high with salsa verde and sour cream. It's completely worth every calorie.
If you are in Inman Park next weekend, for the annual Inman Park festival, and feel like some delicious Mexican food, stop by Pure. Just ignore the super loud clubby music they play at night, the food should make up for the auditory discomfort, or better yet, stop for lunch, before they crank it up!

Uncommonly Good Cocktails

Inspired by John Kessler's article, (link posted below; a great read) about specialty spirits, inspired me to go check out Leon's Full Service. I'm always interested in inventive cocktails. The new wave of rare liquors and liqueurs that have been making their way into casual pubs and bars are so exciting. Artisanal drinks are now available to the common man; gone are the days of Pucker soaked Appletinis, much to my delight!
Leon's, a hip garage-like-space in downtown Decatur, has a long, long list of local farms from which they source their menu, but I was interested in the drinks. I had a 'closing argument,' which consists of beefeater gin, fresh lemon, lillet blanc, luxardo maraschino, housemade grapefruit marmalade. It was bittersweet and effervescent and fantastic!
Some great mixologists have educated me recently on the excellent combination of grapefruit juice and gin. I highly recommend it, especially to those, who like me, don't particularly enjoy gin in other drinks. The bitter acid of the grapefruit perfectly cuts through the floral notes of the gin. They make a really fine pair.
So, if you haven't been out for drinks in a while, I highly recommend trying something new and inventive. My 'closing argument' was worth every penny, almost a meal in itself, and an experience to be repeated!

John Kessler's article: Specialty Spirits Run Dry in Atlanta

What's Not to Like About Gastropubs?

Since moving back to Atlanta from New York City, I have been on a quest to find food that is both affordable and amazing. Two years in, and I have not been let down; Atlanta's restaurant scene has improved exponentially since I left. The Porter Beer Bar is one of my favorite haunts. Run by former Seeger chefs, Nick Rutherford and Molly Gunn, the Porter is an amazing jewel shining in the rough. The beer list (though I don't drink beer, I can appreciate the artisanal efforts which go into the making) is hundreds long, and my favorite, they offer several ciders, especially Samuel Smith's Organic Cider, which is dry and appley.
The best thing about Porter is the amazing food at amazing prices. I love their black bean burger, piled high with feta, homemade pickled onions, and a delicious red pepper mustard. The arugula salad is a great combination of spicy, sweet and tangy, due to additions of sweet golden beets and creamy goat cheese.
But my favorite things about the Porter are the seasonal menu specials. A few times back, I had a chicken liver mousse terrine. The liver mousse was thick and creamy, and the bitterness offset by drizzled honey, to be spread on perfectly toasted crostini. Fantastic! I don't even really like liver that much, but this was a success. I really admire chefs who are returning to a holistic food approach: the whole animal is put to use, the ingredients are seasonal, condiments and sides are freshly made, etc, and chefs Nick and Molly go to extra lengths to offer that kind of food on their menu.

Burgers and Blais

When my brother was in town this holiday, we decided to stop by Flip Burger. I have been a fan of Richard Blais, creator of Flip Burger, since my uncle regaled me of his Tang concoctions, once tried at Blais' first Atlanta restaurant, the aptly named: Blais. My uncle also took me to One Midtown Kitchen for a Blais tasting menu, and mostly, I only remember that the experience was wonderful. I mean, who could go wrong with lamb lollipops?
It was a true joy to watch Blais' rise to the top on Top Chef; my husband and I were just devastated by his loss at the end, but couldn't wait to have him back in Atlanta. When we went to Home Restaurant, Blais' first restaurant venture post-Top Chef, we were both disappointed. The portions were huge and clunky, but also the food lacked the innovative Blais hallmarks, so we were just thrilled when he departed from Home and Flip was announced.
I should add a disclaimer here: I don't like hamburgers. In principal, I find it odd to grind something, only to smash it back together. 9 times out of 10, the results are flavorless and fatty. However, there are always exceptions to my rules. Star Provisions' fois gras burgers, for example, are completely amazing.
For our first Flip Burger experience, my aunt, Jeni, and her boyfriend, Justin, took my husband and I there for my husband's birthday. We couldn't have enjoyed ourselves more. Jeni and I both had a 5 Alive cocktail; a delicious, fruity gin mixture, which was a good pairing for my lamburger and fried okra. I finished the meal with the Krispy Kreme and Spicy Chocolate Mole milkshakes (split 2 ways.) The burger was fantastic. A moist, rich burger countered by tart yogurt sauce. The highlight of the meal for me was the Krispy Kreme milkshake. Imagine a delicious Krispy Kreme with a delectable thick, cream finish. Heaven.
I just couldn't wait to share the experience with my brother, who has grown up in fine foodie tradition, and appreciates all manner of food! I posted pictures of what we ordered below.



My brother, who is a pescatarian, had the crab burger and the homemade bread and butter fried pickles. The pickles were so scrummy (scrumptious and yummy!) Golden and crispy, sour and sweet all together!

I went for something non-traditional this visit, the tuna tartare burger with a sous-vide egg on top! The creaminess of the egg and avocado were a wonderful accompaniment to the briny tuna. It was a bit messy in burger form, but fun, nevertheless.

Our dessert treats: the pistachio-white truffle milkshake and the nutella and burnt marshmallow milkshake. My husband is a huge nutella fan and enjoyed this shake immensely. The pistachio was also amazing; it was definitely more pistachio than white truffle, if you're wondering, but the flavors were great together.