Georgia, briefly

peachy

Atlanta:

Paper Plane – go for the cocktails, stay for the steak tartare! The 1960s (Mad Men vibe) decor almost makes you feel like everyone should be smoking cigarettes. Food and beverage menus change often, we happened to be lucky enough to try the panna cotta (divine!).

Brick Store Pub – a short walk from Paper Plane so you don’t have an excuse not to go if you like beer. The list is extensive, bartenders are friendly and happy to let you try something if you’re unsure.

General Muir – Jewish deli in Atlanta, really? Yes and it’s awesome. Melt in your mouth pastrami is a must order if you eat meat!

Wrecking Bar – they brew their own beer here (other options available too). Though I did not eat, I saw some pretty fierce looking charcuterie plates.

Abbatoir – part of the Star Provisions empire. A nice place to stop in for a cocktail and nosh while shopping around the Westside Provisions District.

Miller Union – if you want to experience top notch service and dining, this is the place to go. Menu speaks for itself.

Little Tart and Octane – a match made in heaven, the two share a space in Grant Park. Little Tart serves up the best croissants in Atlanta (and probably beats most other cities too) and Octane shares the same prestige in the coffee world.

Macon:

Mellow Mushroom – reminded me of my favorite pizza joint, Flatbread Company. They are also a chain, but haven’t sprouted up in New England yet. We had the privilege of being served by Michael, their resident beer nerd. Thanks Michael, you are awesome! The pizza is yummy and we couldn’t eat it all so we left with the raddest 70s looking take out box. Oh, and the bathrooms are labeled “brothers” and “sisters”, adorable.

Savannah:

Local 11 Ten – I found this place in a Southern Living article on Savannah and looked forward to reporting back good things. I have nothing good to say. The cocktails were awful, the food didn’t wow me, and the service was the worst I had during my entire trip. We sat at the bar, maybe the table service was better, but I felt unwelcome and there isn’t any excuse for that, EVER.

Coffee Fox – the coffee here is pretty good. I really wanted a pastry for breakfast, but when I looked at their case I was disappointed. Rather than take a chance on kolache, I went to Goose Feathers.

Goose Feathers – people flock to this place, no really, there are lines. I got the sticky bun and now I have cavities in all my teeth. Kidding, but the bun is covered in hard caramel. Once you get through that, it’s golden! Service is fast and friendly.

Brite Space Boston – Donut + Cocktail Pairing with Union Square Donuts + backbar

ebBrite Space Boston is an Eventbrite pop-up space hosting events to engage the Boston community and highlight local makers and businesses. We attended the donut and cocktail pairing with donuts from Union Square Donuts and cocktails from backbar’s Sam Treadway. Josh Danoff and Sam talked briefly about their history; how they ended up in the food and beverage industry, how they found themselves in Union Square, and their plans for the future (a jelly donut for USQ and a new restaurant for Sam). Then, we got to taste, and everything tasted GOOD. Brown Butter Hazelnut Crunch donut and orange juice with Amaretto were my two favorites. Thanks to Sara for putting these stellar events together! I hope the success sparks more like it in the future.

Casa B

casabTucked away between storefronts in Union Square, CasaB could easily be overlooked. The restaurant has two levels, a bright white color scheme on the first floor and a dimly lit and cozy basement. I’m partial to the lower level where you can see the kitchen working. They also have a beautiful wall full of plants downstairs (which I thought were fake and was delighted to find out are real). Drink menus are placed on the table to start, when asked about the wines the server just described their color. I wish I was kidding.

After the drink orders are placed, the food menus arrive. We order rollitos de aguacate, seven layer salad (a special that day), and camarones rellenos de yuca. Complimentary plantain chips here are tasty, the dipping sauce isn’t even necessary. Rollitos were good, especially the prune and cilantro dipping sauce. The presentation of the seven layer salad was artfully done. The server sets down a plate with a clear glass bowl (placed upsidedown) in the center. Inside the bowl you can see all the beautiful layers, once the beauty is acknowledged, the server gently lifts off the bowl and all the layers fall to the plate. It tasted pretty great too, a little overdressed to my liking, but I’m a minimalist with dressing. Camarones rellenos de yuca, sounded more exciting than they were. Dessert was the winner, a trio of ice cream sandwiches, homemade ice cream and cookies. I’d go back for that again and again.

Ballast Point: Calico

Calico Red

Calico Red

Another wonderful offering from Ballast Point, this amber ale is an ESB inspired ale. The calico pours a dark amber color with an off-white head, leaving a wonderful lacing. Caramel maltiness dominates the nose, with just the right balance of pine and citrus to accompany it. The mouth is smooth, with a touch of chewiness, starting off bitter in the front, but balancing out with a slight dry-sweetness in the finish. The carbonation was a little higher than a typical ESB, but I thought it matched the mouthfeel well. This is a great everyday drinker.

Notes: 5.5% ABV | 35 IBUs | ESB/Amber Ale

Dough

doughDough deserves to have lines out the door. People like to line up for things like doughnuts, but this place is the real deal. The Cafe au Lait doughnut is amazing, amazing, amazing! The filled doughnuts always sell out, if you’re lucky enough to get one, savor it.

Aita

aitaAita was a brunch stop on a recent visit to Brooklyn. It’s a swank little restaurant with chic vintage flair, well-curated, not over adorned. The menu has options for every guest. I chose the montecristo, pretty basic, no minds blown. The dinner menu seems to be their focus, next time I’ll get a pasta dish.

Pequena

pequenaMy love for Pequena began when I moved to Fort Greene. It was just across the street and filled with Mexican tchotchkes, how could I resist? Here’s the deal – not everything is great, the servers can be snarly, and the place can get crowded. However, if you are patient, order a regular margarita and the plantain and black bean quesadilla, you will leave happy. The tostadas are also a win, but don’t bother with the chicken.

Dwelltime

dwelltimeGreat coffee takes time, if you don’t have time, this is not the place for you. Though I’ve never stopped in Dwelltime to clack away on a laptop, it seems like a wonderful place to do so (unless it’s the weekend where they don’t allow laptops at the tables). I recently tried the strawberry jam and rosemary scone. It’s perfection! Don’t share it with anyone, you’ll be sorry.

Washington, D.C.

dcA weekend in D.C. condensed:

Pizza Paradiso – This place is solid. The pizza and the beer list are sure to please!

The Fainting Goat – I wanted to be more excited about this restaurant, food was okay.

Ted’s Bulletin – we went for the homemade pop tarts, I liked the donut better.

Oyamel – super Mexican spot, tasty food and modern decor

Bayou – Louisiana cooking, food was heavy, but overall good. If you like Abita, they have lots!

Batter Bowl Bakery – I got the sunny side egg dish and I left feeling hungry. If I spend $10 at breakfast, I should be full.

DC Brau – drink it!

 

 

Table Donkey Stick

tdsCold, tired of walking, and hungry, we found Table Donkey Stick. The restaurant was full, but we managed to get a table quickly. They were still serving the Valentine’s Day menu (a la carte), we ordered a few items and a bottle of wine, all PHENOMENAL.

Kumamoto oysters wrapped with cured pork – heavenly

Cheese plate with sunflower seed bread and honey – they could have just given me the bread and I probably wouldn’t have even noticed the cheese was missing, it was that good

Aged Duck entree and Cheesecake were also great, but the other two were out of control awesome! You must eat here!