Hot Dish Review

Cafe’ International is quite likely Helen’s most popular restaurant. Its patio by the river is unmatched, but the food has never impressed. The menu of sandwiches served with potato salad and chips reminds me of a picnic, not an international cafe. Spaghetti and lasagna add some Italian flair for the totally unadventurous.

Arriving in the midst of the lunch rush on a gorgeous Saturday, me and my Mom were pleasantly surprised to be seated almost immediately at a choice table, covered with a hideously printed and slightly sticky plastic tablecloth, along the rail overlooking the Chattahoochee. An endless stream of bright pink intertubes floated lazily along, carrying their screaming teenage passengers past the BBQ place, fudge shop, and tattoo parlor.

When in Helen I do like the Bavarians and eat some wurst. Mom and I split a platter containing a knockwurst, a bratwurst, and a smoked pork chop, served with sauerkraut and German potato salad. The meal also came with a side salad that she was craving, a shallow bowl of flacid iceberg with a few bits of cucumber and tomato. Sticking with the international theme, she got the Greek dressing.

Service was friendly and prompt. A warm loaf of dark bread was delivered along with the wurst platter. It’s the exact same bread they serve at The Highland Tap…soft rather than crusty. The brat’s casing had been removed giving it an odd texture, while the knockwurst remained tightly encased, making a popping sound when cut. Both had nice flavor. Overcooked and tough as shoe leather, the smoked pork chop was mediocre at best. Nothing like the ribbchen of my childhood, the pink chops heated with the sauerkraut, making the salty meat super tender. Sauerkraut was standard but the potato salad, which looked like it came out of a can, lacked the vinegary pucker and bits of bacon typical of the German style.

Considering the exorbitant prices of neighboring restaurants, our lunch was a good deal. Altogether, we were quite pleased with our visit to Cafe’ International.

8546 S. Main Street, Helen, GA 706-878-3102

Bhojanic is just around the corner from B’s house, so she has become a regular, especially since the owners have started showcasing live music on Wednesday nights. Gauruv, one of the owners, is a musician, and can often be found sitting behind his bongos, playing with several of the acoustic bands that have performed there.

B’s impromptu dinner invitation was perfect, both because I wanted to wish her happy birthday in person, and also because I thought the spicy Indian food might help relieve the congestion left from the cold I had a few days before. Not surprisingly, I was the first to arrive so I ordered a glass of red zin at the bar and watched the band set up.

Bhojanic’s menu is unique in that it offers a variety of tapas-size plates including the traditional samosas and chat, which is great for those of us that like to try several dishes without getting fat….or going broke.

B came with her friend AV and we took the table closest to the stage. It was getting late and I was ravenous so I took it upon myself to order some naan with tamarind chutney and raita for dipping. Raita, much like Greek tzatziki sauce, is made of yogurt and cucumber…a curious craving for me since I detest cucumber. Weird? Very.

We nibbled on the naan and listened to the band while discussing dinner options, deciding to share one appetizer and two entrees. For our starter we chose the Bhojanic shrimp, five huge ones flavored with tomato, garlic, and Indian spices.

AV wanted to try the chicken tikka masala. I laughed to myself remembering the frozen chicken tikka masala dinner from Ethnic Gourmet in my freezer that I would probably have eaten if I didn’t end up at Bhojanic. B suggested the lamb curry. We all agreed and raised our glasses for a toast to the birthday girl.

Two bowls arrived, their contents piping hot. The three of us scooped a bit of rice onto our plates, adding a spoonful of chicken first. Tender chunks of chicken were bathed in the creamy red sauce, fragrant with cardamom, cumin, and garlic. The lamb was even better with a darker, richer sauce that had a bit more kick….unfortunately not enough to clear up my sinuses!

With a second location opening soon next to Lenox Mall, Bhojanic’s homestyle Indian cuisine is becoming a staple in Atlanta.

1363 Clairmont Road, Decatur 404-633-9233

Riding the wave (pun intended) of trendy fusion tacos, this relatively new spot on the square in Marietta marries Mexican and Asian street foods to create a fun and flavorful menu. Think Takorea and Hankook.

The concept is simple, really. Take a typical Asian meat and sauce, like chicken with peanut sauce, and stick it in a flour tortilla, which unfortunately, is the only kind they have at Taqueria Tsunami. Asian is used here in the broadest sense with a variety of cuisines represented, from Korean to Chinese. Other creative dishes incorporate typical Asian ingredients like fried wontons to re-create Tex-Mex dishes like the nachos we shared on our recent visit with TH, our friend from Louisville, and her man D.

Topped with shredded Kogi BBQ short ribs, queso, fresh jalapenos, lettuce, and corn salsa, the nachos were crisp and light. Some cilantro would have made this great starter even better. We took turns licking the plate. We also tried the avocado cilantro egg rolls, a somewhat decadent combination of fatty avocado wrapped in wonton wrappers, then fried. Nevertheless, neither of these dishes was greasy.

We ordered a variety of tacos for our main dishes, thinking we could share them, but alas, they were pretty darn small. TH’s tiny Thai chicken taco looked lonely in the middle of her big plate. LC got the Baja fried fish taco as expected, along with the Aloha chicken because our server said it was the spiciest one on the menu. He also tried the jalapeno cheddar tots on the side. I ordered the Rich Man’s taco filled with grilled steak and the Rising Sun with Vietnamese pork.

Both of my tacos were tasty but didn’t have much zing. I requested a tiny side of guacamole to add depth. The steak would have been better wrapped in a corn tortilla. I made a mental note that a similar steak taco at Bad Dog Taqueria was superior.

Everyone devoured their tacos and guzzled their beers with smiles. None of us was impressed with the jalapeno cheddar tots that tasted of neither jalapeno nor cheddar. In fact, we concluded that both flavors were in the dip….isn’t that queso? That’s cheating!

Enjoying the balmy Spring evening at a sidewalk table, we felt a few drops of rain as we finished off our tacos. No worries, we would head inside for dessert. All three sweets offered sounded yummy. We ended up getting sopapillas to share and two orders of apple pear empanadas. It was sugar overkill, each plate arriving with a full scoop of vanilla ice cream. But we managed to munch our way through the plate of fried wontons, light as air, sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with honey….not your typical sopapillas. Each order of empanadas was not just one but two fried pies, crispy and full of fruit. We were happily stuffed.

With another location in Buckhead, Taqueria Tsunami is a solid contender in the fusion taco wars. So the next time you’re craving Thai food but your hubby wants tacos, you’ll know what to do.

70 South Park Square, Marietta 678-324-7491

Recently, I was invited to join the Atlanta Food Bloggers Society. Most of the city’s top bloggers are members so I was thrilled to be included!

Our meetings are, not surprisingly, are held at restaurants where we discuss the food and share tips and tricks on blogging. Often, the restaurant is happy to provide a few complimentary tastings to get us started, and of course, to win our favor so our posts will be positive. Ahhhh….delicious bribery.

A recent get-together at Double Zero Napoletana was a small yet diverse group of bloggers, some with their mates. I took LC along for an Italian feast at this newest venture from the Castelluccis.

Much like their Spanish restaurant in Decatur, Iberian Pig, and multiple locations of Sugo, the Castelluccis don’t skimp on servings here. They started our communal table with two beastly pork shoulder roasts called l’arrosto, each with an assortment of accompaniments. Baskets of thin, toasty bread, made out of pizza dough, served as makeshift pita pockets to be filled with pieces of the roast, so tender it fell apart at the approach of our forks. I chose grilled radicchio, apple-almond mostarda, and hot Calabrian chiles to pair with the meat. Chunks of carrot and potato added to the rustic appeal of this dish, easily large enough to share as an entree for two.

Another thing the Castelluccis do better than nearly anyone is provide a warm and inviting dining atmosphere. Wood tables are accented with modern stainless steel chairs. Intimate nooks are created within the large space by burgundy velvet curtains. But the focal point is the dim and sexy lighting achieved with rows of simple clear glass orbs.

My knowledge of Italian wines is minimal so I asked our server for a suggestion. He came back with a couple of tastes and I chose the richer one….from Puglia, I think. As you may know, I rarely eat Italian food. I am guilty of pigeonholing this country’s cuisine into the pasta with marinara category. But there are numerous regions of Italy that do not focus on this Americanized standard. The menu at Double Zero is proof, with a variety of meat and seafood dishes like polipo, for instance….the small plate of grilled octopus with sunchoke-pancetta hash and a vibrant asparagus puree that LC and I ordered was fresh and light with a vinegary zing. No marinara in sight.

As for our main dish, I felt compelled to order a pizza, as did many others. After all, the name of the restaurant refers to the finest grade of flour used in making authentic Neopolitan pizza dough. Grant and Marie of Marie, Let’s Eat! ordered the American, Marilyn of Atlanta Etc. tried the traditional quattro stagione, while our hostess and Atlanta Foodies blogger Becca shared the maiale with her husband. Perhaps even better than my funghi pie, the maiale was topped with braised Nueske’s bacon, mushrooms, goat cheese, arugula, garlic, and fig-onion agrodolce. It was rather sweet but so delicious.

Each pizza was baked in one of their custom-tiled woodburning ovens installed by Italian craftsmen and delivered to our table with a sharp pair of scissors for cutting slices, literally. The crust was thin, crispy, and notably charred, with just enough toppings.

Those that didn’t indulge in pizza raved about their selections as well, including a lamb meatball starter ordered by Leslie from The Food and Me and a mountainous salad shared by Megan of Meals With Megan and her guest, famed photographer Lou Freeman.

No meal with LC is complete without sugar! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have gelato and I was curious about their cannolis after the amazing ones we had at Antico. Made locally by Highroad Craft Ice Cream, we sampled a scoop of pistachio, coffee, and caramel gelato, all of which were a little too sweet and creamy to be authentic gelato, but certainly great for ice cream. Three small crunchy cannoli shells with a light and fluffy filling were delicious, but I prefer the big ones at Antico.

There is so much more to try at Double Zero. The menu is packed with chef Chad Crete’s signature rich and decadent dishes, from the lobster pappardelle to the short rib crespelle.

This blogger dinner was great fun! LC and I really enjoyed getting to know some of my fellow bloggers and their friends and look forward to meeting again soon.

5825 Roswell Road NE 404-991-3666

After three days at Churchill Downs, what more could a girl want than to stop at the casino and off track betting parlor on the way out of town? Having lunch there was just a bonus.

LC likes to make a pit stop at Kentucky Downs on our way home from Louisville, turning what could be a brief six hour drive into an all-day trip. We arrived right at lunchtime and were surprised to find the place completely renovated….and packed. Where there used to be blackjack tables there are now slot machines.

When it comes to gambling, I’m more of a spectator than participator. I’ve been to Vegas literally dozens of times without a single quarter going into a slot. LC, on the other hand, loves betting on the horses. There is, however, a distinct difference between this type of gambling and playing the slots. Betting on horses requires skill, not just luck.

We took a table, one of those traditional wood-grain laminate motel room dinette kind, in the new non-smoking section in front of eight flat screens, each with a different track, and waited for the lone server to come by to take our order. There was a set menu offered, with your choice of soup and sandwich, with a salad and baked potato. Rather fancy if you ask me! LC had the cheddar brocoli soup and the reuben while I tried the chili and grilled ham and cheese.

It was delivered like a three course meal, first the soup, then salad, then entree. My chili contained both meat and beans and had enough kick to keep my eyes open. LC was too distracted by his betting to actually taste his soup, using it later to flavor his baked potato. The salad was fresh and crisp, surprisingly not iceberg.

Both of our sandwiches were piled high with meat and cheese, then grilled. A little greasy, but perfectly acceptable considering our location. Baked potatoes were wrapped in foil, ready to be topped with to-go containers of sour cream and margarine….or soup, whichever the case may be.

We washed it all down with Miller Lites and continued betting until the funds ran dry.

The Kentucky Derby fell on Cinco de Mayo this year….an unfortunate coincidence. LC and I were the only two of our group going to the track for The Derby, however, we wanted to enjoy breakfast with the gang before donning our hats and throwing our (I mean his) cash away.

Our Derby trip hostess TH, a college friend of LC’s, often visits Wild Eggs for breakfast, and suggested we go there. The decor was bright and modern, with a partition cleverly made of plastic eggs encased in glass. We weren’t necessarily in a hurry, but the 45 minute wait for a table was a bit lengthy. The girls enjoyed mimosas and the gentlemen bloody Marys while we waited.

As a regular, TH knew our server well. Once seated, he delivered an enormous complimentary cinnamon roll for us to share, however we had to wait an additional 30 minutes for our coffee. Not a good start.

Folks love to recommend their favorite dishes to me when they discover I’m a food writer. Usually I go with my instinct, but on rare occassions, I take their advice….and then regret it. Unfortunately, my breakfast would prove to be a perfect example of the latter.

Several menu specialties have a Tex-Mex flavor including Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict which TH said was the best thing she ever ate. I was in the mood for a benedict smothered with rich hollandaise so why not try it with a Mexican twist?

The menu described the dish as “green chili cheddar corn cakes, topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream, green onions, and avocado”. Visions of crispy corn cakes, juicy slices of spicy sausage, poached eggs with creamy yolks, and chunks of avocado whirled in my head. I wasn’t sure about the queso sauce, described as “sauce like you put on nachos” by our server so I requested it on the side along with a side of hollandaise.

When the plate arrived, 80% was covered with potatoes. I have no use for potatoes and didn’t realize they accompanied the benedict or I would have made a substitution. Sadly, the corn cakes were thick and dry, there was a tablespoon of very salty crumbled sausage scattered on top, and my poached eggs were overcooked. The bits of avocado could have fit in a thimble and the queso was disgusting but, of course, there was no hollandaise. I had to wait another ten minutes for that. It was impossible to hide my dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, another damn cinnamon roll came out.

Like the horses racing by us at Churchill Downs, much of the food we ate was also a blur. We enjoyed decent boxed lunches from Lotsa Pasta on Oaks Day. During The Derby itself, LC and I got a lobster roll at one of the snack bars near the betting windows. Among all the ladies with hats were a couple of dudes with sombreros, reminding me that it was Cinco de Mayo.

In a futile attempt to have a decent bite of Mexican food, LC and I decided to stop at Senor Iguana’s on the way home. All we wanted was a table outside, a decent margarita and a few tacos. Too much to ask? You bet. There were no tables available on the patio so we sat at a hightop in the bar. LC ordered skinny margaritas, but the bartender had clearly never made one before, filling the tall plastic cup with soda after a shot of tequila and a squirt of lime juice. Horrific.

We fared better with the starters. Chips were quite good dipped in freshly made guacamole and queso (much better than the queso at breakfast) and there was a lovely dish of jalapenos to spice it up. Tacos were not offered individually so we got one order with fish and another with carne asada, all on corn tortillas. I requested cheese on the beef.

Our server brought out pork instead of beef but quickly remedied the error, although the advertised diced onions and cilantro were absent. Each taco was made with two somewhat soggy tortillas. I peeled off the unnecessary tortillas and added guacamole. An unexpected bowl of tasty red chili sauce was served with the carne asada which did a decent job of covering up the chewy, flavorless meat. Shoulda gone to Chuy’s.

Uncharacteristicly, LC didn’t win at the track. And Wild Eggs and Senor Iguana’s didn’t place.

The days leading up to my trip to Louisville were filled with pink dresses and frou frou hats. I was on a mission. Now all I had to do was find silk flowers, ribbon, and bits of crafty stuff to attach to the hats to make ‘em worthy of the Kentucky Derby.

After a rather brilliant hat purchase at Ross, I found myself ravenous. It was nearly 3:00pm and I just couldn’t imagine dealing with Michael’s without a bite to eat first. Luckily, there was Smashburger nearby, one of many, many new burger joints I had yet to visit.

Much like Yeah! Burger, guests order at the counter, however, the menu is a bit more limited….and less organic. It offers a few regular selections or you can build your own sandwich with an Angus beef pattie or a chicken filet with a variety of toppings to choose from. Too hungry to be creative, I went for the tried and true burger with cheddar, bacon, lettuce, and mayo.

It was hard to resist the sweet potato fries, but I kept myself in check. And thankfully too, since they are sprinkled with garlic. Why? I was given a number and took a seat in a booth. The bare-bones red and white decor fits the burger chain’s casual atmosphere. My burger arrived open-faced, all smashed flat and gloriously greasy, draped with melted cheese. Two thick and chewy slices of bacon formed a cross on top. After a couple of bites I discarded half the bun to save more calories. Make sense? If not, you are not a chick.

Good and fast….isn’t that what fast food is supposed to be? My last trip to McDonald’s drive-through (which by the way is the epitome of laziness) got me a dry, tasteless, filet-o-fish. If I stop by Smashburger again I’ll try the Spicy Baja burger or the Avocado Club. But before I do that, I need to try Five Napkin, Burger Tap, Grindhouse, and Farm Burger. Heck, I haven’t even made it to Ann’s Snack Bar and it’s supposed to be the best burger in the damn country!

With a burger in my belly, my visit to Michael’s was a success. The next day we were off to the races!

2625 Piedmont Road NE 404-237-2374

Please enjoy this repost as I am recovering from my trip, and the mostly horrendous food, at The Kentucky Derby:

Half a bag of cheddar goldfish, Fruit Loops and warm beer were the only edible items left in our room. Sounds more like the breakfast of losers than the breakfast of champions.

Around noon, LC and I checked out of the swanky motor lodge on the outskirts of Athens and hit the road back to Atlanta, still recovering from the Widespread show and its aftermath. An hour into the drive and we were ravenous.

Then, just like a mirage, a Waffle House appeared in the distance. It sat alone, perched on a hill at a traffic light in Dacula.

There are two kinds of Waffle House dining experiences….post clubbing at 3:00am and “the morning after” hangover breakfast. Of all the times I have eaten there, the meal has always fallen into one of those two categories.

Friday was obviously the latter, although neither of us was actually hungover. We chose a booth by the window and ordered coffee. I love their kitschy laminated menus with photos of the food…everything looks so delicious!

My regular Waffle House order is like a broken record; scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, raisin toast, and grits on the side. I rarely eat any of the grits, just don’t want them to contaminate my eggs. If I don’t order this I get a fried egg and cheese sandwich with bacon….good stuff.

LC ordered an omelette with onions, jalapenos, green peppers, bacon, and cheese with hashbrowns, scattered, smothered, and covered. He was very pleased with his omelette. In fact, he was still talking about it days later.

The diner franchise is celebrating 55 years in business, with strikingly consistent food from Hollywood to Dacula. It is always exactly the same….just like the pictures on the menu. My bacon was thick and chewy and the eggs were very cheesy. The toast was full of raisins and slathered with margarine. No real butter here missy!

LC and I added sugar, margarine, and black pepper (indeed!) to the grits making them somewhat edible. Another splash of coffee and we were on our way, fueled by fat and caffeine.

It was a good day.

When it comes to world cuisine, Irish is quite likely the one I crave the least. Not a fan of corned beef or fish ‘n’ chips. I’ve never been tempted to try shepherd’s pie or Irish stew. So, when I was asked to write about Brookhaven’s new Irish pub, Olde Blind Dog, I wasn’t drooling like one.

Like stepping into an Celtic theme park, Olde Blind Dog’s owners spared no expense with the decor, importing antique mirrors and intricately carved wood accents from Europe, and creating kitschy elements like windows with faux plants, and “sidewalks” complete with street signs. The centerpiece is a multi-level seating area, with secluded booths called “snugs”, effectively dividing the boisterous bar from the cozy little tables, some of them nestled beneath the stairs, giving guests a wee bit of privacy. BB likened it to Fado on steroids….LOL.

Someone involved in this operation is a marketing genius. The menu is designed to look like an old newspaper called the Daily Dog, featuring the story of the old blind dog himself. A good bit of wit is used to describe the authentic Irish dishes, as well as some more unusual selections like the Celtic Curry.

On the rare occassion I go to an Irish pub, I invariably have an Irish car bomb, a half pint of Guinness with a shot of Jameson’s and Bailey’s dropped in. It has a rich, chocolately flavor. That’s how LC and I started our visit, then promptly ordered a sampling of their best-selling appetizers: tabasco fried pickles, ale and cheddar dip, and a fish slider.

The staff is so well-trained it was impossible to know the place had only been open a week. Service was brisk and enthusiastic. Our awesome server, Martin, said it was quite a challenge to separate the draught line for the Guinness from the other beers, as it was necessary to serve it at 42 degrees rather than the standard American 38 degrees like the other selections. I was impressed. Equally impressive is the fact they make their corned beef in house daily, as well as all of their desserts. Fries and chips are freshly cut, nothing comes in frozen.

We enjoyed pieces of pretzel bread dipped in their signature ale and cheddar dip. When the bread was gone, LC cleaned the bowl out with his finger. He also loves pickles. Deep fry ‘em with a spicy batter and you have a winner. Flaky cod was beer battered on a baby bun with tartar sauce for dipping.

I wanted to try some traditional Irish fare, so I ordered the bangers and mash for my entree. LC went along and tried the corned beef and beer braised cabbage. The presentation was awesome….a mountain of mashed potatoes drizzled with brown gravy surrounded by three grilled sausages, then topped with crispy fried onions. Texturally pleasing and enough to feed a lumberjack.

LC’s dish was a solid interpretation of a classic. A wedge of vinegary cabbage was a perfect compliment to the dense yet inexplicably tender chunks of corned beef. Stewed potatoes and carrots rounded out the plate. The meat was even better the next morning mixed in scrambled eggs, topped with melted cheddar, served with English muffins. Can you believe I actually ate the leftovers?

We ate about a third of our dinner, had it boxed up, then promptly ordered dessert…a wedge of housemade bread pudding. It was studded with dried cranberries and resting in a pool of creme Anglaise. I would have preferred raisins, but it was thankfully not extemely sweet. Most of it also went in a box just to be devoured as soon as we got home.

Parking was a bit of a challenge, forcing many patrons to walk across the parking lot from the nearby Costco. Or, you may snag a spot out front if you have the luck of the Irish! The food at Olde Blind Dog is hearty. And salty. But if you crave Irish food, you’ll freakin’ love it.

705 Town Boulevard 404-816-5739

What’s better than a low country boil with all the fixin’s? A low country boil on a luxury houseboat!

Last Saturday was the inaugural voyage of Goin’ Coastal’s Sunset Cruise. The weather was perfect, and the shrimp were boilin’. As the houseboat left the dock, guests mingled and relaxed with a glass of wine or beer.

Chef and restaurant partner Seth Hendricks and my man LC came up with the idea during our many martini and lobster-fueled visits to Goin’ Coastal in my neighborhood. a few meetings later and the idea became a reality. Cooper Global provided the venue and chauffeured transportation to Lake Lanier, while Hendricks and his staff were in charge of preparing the food on board.

LC and I had stumbled upon an amazing acoustic guitarist, Steve Q, at 10 Degrees South the week before. He provided the entertainment for the event and had everyone dancing on the top deck. Promoted via Urban Daddy, the dinner cruise was quite a bargain at only $75 a ticket for this first voyage, with beer and wine included. Guests reportedly consumed forty bottles of wine and 45 lbs. of gigantic steamed shrimp!

Along with shrimp, Hendricks boiled up a batch of andouille sausage, red potatoes, and corn on the cob. When everything was done, he and his crew poured it all into an enormous metal warming tray, drizzled it with melted butter, then sprinkled his special seasoning mix over the whole thing. Folks lined up to get a heapin’ helpin’ of deliciousness as the sun set over the water. Perfect.

LC and I are no strangers to the family houseboat. We’ve celebrated his birthday, Memorial Day, and Labor Day on it, sleeping (or perhaps, not) in two of the five bedrooms. I’ve made a tub of my famous guacamole in the kitchen in the cabin, helped cook bacon and eggs for eight with LC’s cousin DC, and enjoyed burgers grilled on the upper deck. It’s 100 feet of luxury.

Cooper Global and Goin’ Coastal anticipate many more cruises throughout the Spring and Summer. The Cooper houseboat, The Family Tradition, is also available for corporate and private rentals, with a maximum capacity of 100, not including shrimp. Email lcooper@cooper-global.com for information and pricing.