Hot Dish Review

This place has great buzz. Over the years I have perused Haven’s menu online, salivating over a pork dish here, a salad there, and many of the small plates. So, it seemed the perfect place for PG and I to dine during her visit from LA. We both like to sample several dishes, tapas style.

However, upon examining the online menu earlier today, I realized the seasonal changes had eliminated my favorite accompaniments of sweet potato and fig (Ok, that’s not entirely true, figs and pecans garnish the bacon wrapped trout). Gone was the salad with goat cheese and frissee. Still, I had hope. Its convenient location and my relentless curiosity sealed our fate. We threw on our party dresses and headed to Haven.

The space mirrors the design of almost every modern Atlanta restaurant that’s opened in the last five or six years. Warm lighting, exposed brick, and dark wood were not unique but undeniably inviting. Reminded me a bit of The Shed at Glenwood. Haven is surely a definitive trendsetter in Brookhaven.

There is something to be said for consistency. Chef Stephen Herman has run the kitchen since the restaurant’s opening in 2003, drawing a loyal neighborhood following that has embraced his fresh, earthy approach, with a subtle Southern accent.

It was Friday night. Prime time, but there was one table available, near the semi-open kitchen, upon our unreserved arrival. The dining room was busy, the staff in absolute control. In fact, the service was completely on point.

PG ordered a glass of 14 Hands Merlot and I got an old favorite, the Dynamite Cab, $9 each. The wine list isn’t terribly creative, including recognizable names like Trefethen, Steele, and La Crema. Idiot proof.

We were all ready to be disappointed. Not finding a single item on the small plates list that intrigued us, PG and I opted for entrees. After much questioning of our ever-patient server, she finally chose the halibut. Being the duck junkie that I am, I was leaning towards ordering the bird. I asked if the skin was crispy and our server said the magic words “the fat is rendered, then the skin is pan-seared and crisped”. Bingo!

A basket of bread with sweet unsalted butter, good wine, great conversation. Dining with PG is always fun…two pisces food snobs!

Our entrees came out and they were lovely. Her thick chunk of halibut was served in a tomato water with local squash and a bean salad. Very light and summery. There was only a mere hint of tomato in the broth. A drizzle of pesto gave the mild fish a necessary dash of flavor.

My Sonoma duck breast was cooked medium and sliced thinly, fanned out around its accompanying braised red cabbage and brandied cherries. Almost German-style, the red cabbage imparted a hint of sweetness that works so well with duck. And the brandied cherries (brandied cherries!) made this one of my favorite duck dishes ever, almost as good as the now-defunct Globe’s Moroccan spiced duck with dried fruits and spicy yogurt sauce. There was literally no fat beneath the crispy skin of my duck at Haven….no small feat.

The dessert list didn’t thrill us with cheesecake, brownie, creme brulee and such. We chose the peach cobbler with blueberry ice cream. A huge individually baked dish was plenty to share, not too sweet, its crispy crust holding up well beneath the delicious ice cream. Good stuff.

Having watched him expedite orders all evening, we chatted with chef Herman after our meal, very nice guy. (For the record they had no idea who I was, the meal wasn’t comp’d, and no, I’m not being paid for this post!)

The verdict? I was thoroughly impressed.

1441 Dresden Drive 404-969-0700

TCBY does it the old-fashioned way, full of preservatives and sugar! Although the new breed of frozen yogurt stores claim to have live active cultures, implying that other brands do not, TCBY does, in fact, contain seven active probiotics in their product. Yoreka only lists two types of live cultures in their yogurt.

The main difference between TCBY and Yoreka is the taste. TCBY tastes more like soft-serve ice cream whereas the new brands (and there are many!) have that tangy yogurt flavor. TCBY has more sugar, about 18 grams in a 4 oz. serving, although the no sugar added flavors have only 6 grams (I guess from naturally occurring lactose). Yoreka has 18 grams of sugar in a 5 oz. serving.

With the additional sugar comes more calories…..about 30 per oz. for TCBY, 20 per oz. for Yoreka and similar brands.

My issue with Yoreka, Yogurberry, and the others is I don’t think the tanginess works as well with sweet toppings like chocolate chips or fruit. Personally I don’t like fruit toppings on my yogurt, always opting for dark chocolate chips and mixed nuts at TCBY. That is the combo in the photograph, on top of white chocolate mousse and coffee yogurt. It usually looks a lot prettier but there was a new guy at the TCBY who clearly doesn’t care about aesthetics.

Last year TCBY began using environmentally friendly insulated paper containers rather than styrofoam. Problem with that is the yogurt melts quickly, turning into a soupy mess. Can’t they just recycle?

The lower calorie count and some intriguing toppings like mochi continue to lure me to the new-fangled yogurt chains on occassion, but my loyalty still lies with good old-fashioned TCBY!

Change is good, but it’s good to know some things never change. Often, when restaurants “improve” a recipe, they ruin its integrity. Surin’s beef salad is an old favorite. BH and I used to get it to go while at work, taking a break from the rigors of designing.

Last week I had a craving for it and stopped by Surin on North Highland for an order to go. I always request it without cucumbers and with a side of rice to soak of the spicy juice under the lettuce leaves.

Thin slices of beef are arranged on top of chopped romaine, with red onion, scallions, tomato wedges and cilantro. It is a traditional dish, one of only a few Surin actually makes quite spicy….as good as ever!

When the limo arrived B and I were still rushing around getting ready for the concert. It didn’t surprise me that LC was in it. Crap, no champagne. We took a few beers for the road and proceeded to the Cooper compound, chatting and laughing all the way!

A quick stroll around the grounds of the compound just made me want to hang out there all afternoon but we were on a tight schedule. Bad Company at Chastain at 8pm.

The three of us, the Coopers, and their friend W got in the limo and sped off for a quick dinner at Meehan’s in Sandy Springs. On my last visit I only had Guinness. This time we would eat a proper meal.

It was hot outside. B ordered a Corona with salt and lime…..sounded so good me and LC got on the same train. Refreshing! Our server brought out a big bag of salt and vinegar chips for snacking.

B followed JC’s lead as they each tried the tuna tostada appetizer. Personally, I never order tuna, but I found one of her chips on my plate. A thick slice of seared tuna and a generous layer of guacamole decorated a tortilla chip. Only about eight of the chips rested on a bed of lettuce, drizzled with sriracha cream sauce. I took a bite….so good! I would order this. Seriously.

I believe W had a reuben and DC ordered the fish ‘n’ chips, but I wouldn’t bet on that.

Me and LC split an order of fish tacos and a grilled chicken BLT. Grilled fish, lettuce, and some salsa and sour cream were folded into three flour tortillas. Tex-Mex just isn’t right without guacamole and jalapenos so I was left a tad bit disappointed, but he loved ‘em.

Much better was the sandwich. Several of my favorite words came together on its menu description….bacon, avocado, smoked gouda, chipotle mayo. With the option of sweet potato fries as a side, I was sold! We didn’t care for the submarine-type roll it came on, would have been better on toasted wheat.

Only complaint about the fries, there was no dipping sauce. This dilemma always reminds me of Heaping Bowl ‘n’ Brew, the ground-breaking restaurant that opened in East Atlanta probably eighteen years ago. Theirs was my first experience with sweet potato fries….crisp shoestrings, sprinkled with cayenne and black pepper, served with a sweet and spicy cranberry dipping sauce. The best!

Meehan’s food is not gourmet but it is definitely several notches above standard bar-fare. I would gladly return and try the tortilla soup or one of their specialty burgers like the Farmstead Burger made with bison or the turkey burger with smoked gouda (again!), and cranberry-Vidalia marmalade (maybe they should serve that as the dipping sauce for the sweet potato fries!).

No time for dessert, we jumped in the limo and headed to Chastain where JC put our a plate of plums, grapes, cheddar cheese and red and white wine.

B and I had a great evening thanks to all the Coopers!

Yesterday I was shopping at the Ansley Kroger when I walked by the bakery department and was subjected to this garish display….yellow cake and cupcakes decorated with day-glo frosting.

What is the flavor of yellow cake? Yellow is not a flavor. The flavor of red velvet cake is red, I suppose. At least brown cake is chocolate. Why would anyone want to eat a flavorless sponge covered with bright green goopy frosting? Why?

Cake is so low-brow. Whenever I eat something that’s gonna add to my girth, it better be worth it. Like Babette’s dried cherry tart, for instance. Or authentic gelato in Europe.

I think Marie Antoinette had a perfect solution for the hungry peasants when she said “Let them eat cake”.

How many white chicks would get excited about red beans and jelly candies? Not many. But when I read about the new Asian dessert place called SunO Dessert in the Sunday Paper, I was practically giddy! Ten minutes later, I was there.

Shaved ice, in original, strawberry, chocolate, or mango flavor, is the main component of SunO’s desserts, which are then flavored with syrups, fruit toppings, dry toppings, and jellies to create endless variations. Creamy, chewy, crunchy, slimey, and even grainy or salty come together to create a dessert that is uniquely Asian. Like the Thai Jewels at Spice Market, the varying textures are weird and delicious at the same time.

On my visit I tried to recreate my favorite Vietnamese dessert since SunO uses many similar components….original flavor (vanilla) shaved ice with condensed milk as my syrup, topped with red beans, lychee fruit and “rice cake”, the round gummy candies called mochi at the many new-fangled yogurt shops in town. The container was enormous but the product is light as air, costing me $5.50.

Vietnamese desserts with red beans are traditionally made with crushed ice and coconut milk. Shaved ice, however, is dry. That’s why many of their options have several syrups. I ended up requesting extra condensed milk on mine.

Many of the crazy concoctions on the menu are clearly Americanized, like the Dirt o’Oreo made with vanilla shaved ice, Oreo crumbs, crushed nuts, chocolate syrup, condensed milk, and gummy worms.

SunO also makes many of the same combos in crepes shaped like cones. Flavored, sweetened teas are offered as well as a mysterious thing called a Wheel Pie. It looks like half a bagel, either vanilla or green tea flavored, filled with vanilla or chocolate custard or red beans. I’ll be having one on my next visit!

In true Asian form, the writing and English translations on the website are pretty funny. It reminds me of a catalog I received when I was designing clothes that had items like panties made into the form of a rose called “The Joy of Panties in Flowers”. Classic.

The confusion, however, is not so funny when trying to decipher the nutritional information. There are 98 calories per 112 grams. Nowhere does it state how many grams are in the different sizes offered.

There are four locations in Atlanta, the newest on N. Decatur Road near Emory. The space is decorated with giant photos of the desserts, all in day-glow Japanimation color. Seating is limited to the benches along the window sills with no tables but surely they will add more since it just opened.

I do wish they offered coconut milk as a syrup, but anytime I can get an Asian dessert with red beans without venturing twenty miles is a treat!

You might think I would be sick of guacamole and margaritas by our fourth day in Cabo, but you would be wrong. Even now, back in the states, I am craving a decent taco, looking forward to exploring some authentic tacquerias on Buford Highway!

After our appetizer tacos at O Mole Mio, B and I were strolling down a side street contemplating eating more when we were corraled by a dodgy guy offering free tortilla soup and sangria if we went to MigueLocos. Free soup you say? We followed him.

Thankfully he wasn’t a knife-wielding psychopath. We chose a table on the sidewalk with a view of the vibrantly painted interior of the restaurant with its kitschy yet inviting Mexican decor. It was obvious that most of their guests were American as English was spoken fluently.

A big bowl of tortilla soup was delivered, as promised. I thought it was quite tasty. B got the complimentary sangria which was pretty good. My margarita was perfect. Guacamole, chips, salsa, and queso with jalapenos were next. I dove into the gooey cheese, scooping it onto a corn tortilla. Everywhere we went the guacamole was great and MigueLocos was no exception.

No longer hungry but craving something fiery, I ordered the shrimp diablo. Really fresh and succulent, the shrimp were in a spicy sauce. Although I wouldn’t label it fiery, it was delicious.

My experiences with food in Cabo San Lucas were certainly consistent. Many dishes were served in a sauce and nothing was very hot and spicy. The corn tortillas were somewhat bland. I’m not sure if this is simply typical of the Baja region or if the food is dumbed down for American consumption. That would be a shame since most people these days are really seeking an authentic experience when travelling. Perhaps it’s the influence of shows like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations or Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods, both on the travel channel. I can promise you we were not offered pig brain tacos or fried grasshoppers in Cabo!

Aha! Now I have confirmation that my guacamole recipe is authentic!

Before B and I arrived at Capella Pedregal, I emailed my grocery list to the personal assistant of the residences. In addition to groceries, guests could also request snacks to be made by the assistant in their residence, including guacamole.

Naturally, I was curious to see if they used the same ingredients and method as my now-famous kickass guacamole, the recipe given to me by a Mexican cleaning lady twenty years ago.

When we arrived our refrigerator was stocked with goodies….eggs, queso, strawberries, Corona Light! The assistant explained that, due to the residences being nearly fully occupied, they would be unable to make the guacamole. They did, however, provide the ingredients: ripe avocadoes, tomatoes, a white onion, cilantro, jalapenos and limes. No garlic or mayo, honey!

I made a big batch on our third day after lounging around the pool. Chips and salsa to-go from Don Manuel’s completed our afternoon snack on our balcony, overlooking the breathtaking resort.

Heaven.

Each time B and I ventured out from the resort we passed by O Mole Mio. Ranked #43 in Cabo on tripadvisor.com, there were some good reviews on their tacos. Plus, the place was decked out in Mexican art like ornate silver crosses, colorful pottery, and most prominently, Catrinas, skeleton figurines in a variety of colorful costumes used to decorate homes during the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

It sounds gruesome but it is, in fact, a time for families to remember those that have passed and honor the spirits of the dead.

I was really hoping to find authentic Mexican food on this trip but it was becoming increasingly evident that most of the establishments, especially on the main street, cater to tourists. O Mole Mio is one of them. Their specialty is mole, the complex Mexican sauce traditionally made with chocolate and spices. Not a fan of mole, I did not succumb to the temptation to order it anyway as I often do (it’s made with chocolate people!).

B and I arrived early and took a table by an open window. Two seconds later she was shopping. Did I mention all of the artwork in the restaurant was for sale? We ordered margaritas and continued shopping, pondering our selections while sipping the salty tart cocktails.

The chips, like everywhere in Cabo, were extra thick, served with the standard pico de gallo and requested habenero salsa. We ordered two fish tacos and one beef to share. Can’t go to Cabo without having fish tacos! Kids with bowls of mini bobble-head animals came to the window as we waited for our food. B and I had already bought several of these by the marina and proceeded to add to our collection.

Our super-friendly server brought out our tacos. Grilled fish was enveloped by soft corn tortillas, a mound of guacamole on the side. Good but not outstanding. The beef was flavorful, but again, the tortillas couldn’t compare to the ones in Playa del Carmen.

B purchased a couple of silver crosses and a hand-painted vase. I found a really cool Madonna made of metal and paper on wood and couldn’t leave without a Catrina dressed in an aqua gown carrying a yellow purse.

Located on the gorgeous Capella Pedregal resort, Don Manuel’s is the centrally located restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. B and I tried all three meals during our stay.

With a candlit view of the infinity pool and ocean beyond it, the tranquil atmosphere set the stage for a relaxing dinner. Again, we enjoyed perfect weather as we chose a table in the bar area, listening to a duo playing acoustic guitar. I tried the spiced sangria while B ordered a glass of red wine. The fruit in the sangria was nice but the cinnamon and cloves were excessive.

Moving to a table on the patio, B and I split the Pacific red lobster soup to start. Our server brought out warm rolls and butter along with two pretty ceramic bowls with big succulent chunks of lobster and chewy hominy resting in the bottom. He then proceeded to pour a tomato-based broth over the top. Despite the tomato we both loved it….one of the best dishes overall during our vacation!

We shared the trio of tamalitos, or mini tamales, each with a different flavor, roasted duck, lobster, and huitlacochee….three of my favorite things! Unfortunately, neither of us could distinguish which was which, perhaps because they were small and could not contain much filling.

Most disappointing was the huitlacochee, one of my favorite delicacies. A fungus that grows on corn, huitlacochee is indigenous to Mexico and has an unctuous mushroom flavor and is nearly black when prepared. Three dollops of sauces did little to jazz up the drab steamed masa.

We got a bowl of arroz con leche (rice pudding) for dessert. Creamy and spiced with cinnamon, it was a perfect rendition of this traditional Mexican dessert.

With a full menu of Mexican dishes I would surely give Don Manuel’s another try if I’m ever lucky enough to return to Capella Pedregal!