Hot Dish Review

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.

While the storm was raging outside on Sunday, LC and I found refuge at a diner with a retro decor called All American Diner. I was thinking brunch, as in eggs benedict or a nice frittata. What I got was a Waffle House style diner breakfast with the added classy touch of the breakfast buffet.

I remember a time when buffets were popular….when I was a kid. Shoney’s had a breakfast buffet. All you can eat bacon….how could that be anything but awesome?

These days, the word buffet is about as appealing as pork sushi. But not in Florida’s panhandle! Time stands still there, and apparently LC is right at home. He was eager to get a plate full of whatever, while I ordered the standard scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, and wheat toast. Grits came with it despite my objection.

LC came back to the table with a combination of eggs, sausage, grits, and various other indistinguishable items. And what goes better with a breakfast buffet than a fountain Mountain Dew?

He enjoyed it because he got to try everything, then felt sick later. Shocking. Most of the other diners looked like they had been eating at the buffet on a regular basis.

As for me, my bacon was chewy, my eggs were cheesy, and my toast was dark. Good enough.

15406 Front Beach Road 850-233-6007

Once again, our group went out for breakfast. This time LC opted to join us rather than eat our leftover pancakes. I mean flapjacks. Whatever.

Naturally, the kids ordered sugar, in the form of French toast for little T and a cute bear shaped pancake for little A (note the actual ice cream scoop of butter!). The adults tried a smorgasbord of fat-laden breakfast items like cheese grits with butter, sausage and Southwestern omelettes, country ham, and the ubiquitous pancakes, slathered with butter and syrup. It is common knowledge that I hate cake. Same goes for pancakes….I just don’t care for anything fluffy, doughy, or cakelike. I do like crepes, though. That’s what my Mamma used to make!

I must commend Flapjacks for their healthy menu section. I almost ordered an egg white omelette, but instead was drawn to the bacon and egg sandwich on toasted sourdough with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Unfortunately, I failed to notice the sandwich lacked the all-important cheese.

But it would have sucked even with cheese. I have a thing about toasted bread. It should be crunchy, not soggy. It should be toasted! This sandwich was slopped on soggy sourdough. The copious amount of chewy bacon was awesome, so I ate it with the fried egg, lettuce, and tomato.

Luckily, I also ordered an extra-crispy waffle to be brought out after I ate my sandwich. It was delivered right on cue. I like my waffles almost burnt, so this one could have used another minute in the press. Dipped in syrup, it was a decent breakfast dessert.

Flapjacks is homestyle country cookin’, which in these parts, is the only kind of cookin’. Just put a pat of butter on it, honey.

2734 Parkway, Pigeon Forge 865-908-6115

LC and I arrived in Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains late Saturday and met up with his daughter little T and her aunt DC, her daughter little A, and lifelong friend C at Cirque de Chine, a Chinese acrobatic show….a poor man’s Cirque de Soleil, after which we had a late dinner at TGI Friday’s. Grilled shrimp and veggies was the least offensive menu item which LC and I both ordered. I was proud of him for abstaining from the fried cheese sticks!

DC had rented a great condo for us at a resort with its own lazy river. We had a full kitchen, laundry, and balcony overlooking the golf course. It was really very comfortable. The next morning, LC slept in while us gals headed down the street to the Red Rooster Pancake House, a well known breakfast place on the main drag.

Flapjacks. Pancakes. Whatever you call ‘em, they are a staple for breakfast in Pigeon Forge. Pancakes come with everything on the menu at Red Rooster. You want ham and eggs, honey? That comes with an order of pancakes. How about an omelette with cheese grits? Ditto on the pancakes.

Our group ordered a variety of dishes including C’s Southwestern omelette and little T’s strawberry pancakes. I had a boring yet somewhat healthy plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and wheat toast with butter on the side (instead of pancakes!). DC ordered her favorite, country ham, grits, and eggs scrambled with cheese. Plenty of pancakes went home for snacking later.

The day would be spent at Dollywood, riding every ride. And later that night we were in for a real treat….Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede.

And to think, a year ago I was staying in a $4000 a night condo in Cabo San Lucas overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, eating lobster and drinking champagne.

Have I lost my mind? I’m sure of it.

3215 Parkway, Pigeon Forge 865-428-3776

It was a muggy morning on Lake Burton. Standing on the balcony overlooking the north Georgia mountains, I swear the humidity was 150%.

LC and I made our third visit to The Chophouse at LaPrades Marina, and despite the humidity, chose a tables on their expansive balcony overlooking the lake. A gentle breeze made it rather comfortable.

Service was unhurried, however, I would have preferred my coffee delivered with speed. Their abbreviated brunch menu was hand-written on a piece of notebook paper, but offered something for everyone….a sweet option of pecan pancakes, a hearty steak and eggs plate, a simple scramble with veggies that LC ordered, and the perennial brunch favorite of eggs benedict, a rich dish I cannot resist.

Their benedict was made the traditional way, with ham and poached eggs on toasted English muffins, topped with hollandaise sauce. Its simplicity belies the multitude of things that can go horribly wrong with this dish, from overcooked eggs to watery sauce.

The Chophouse delivered a solid rendition of this classic, served with mixed fruit on the side. Cantaloupe and strawberries are the norm, and what the table next to us had, but my mix contained only watermelon and cantaloupe. I love watermelon, but I’m allergic to cantaloupe, so I requested some strawberries, which our server cheerfully brought out. I had also added a side of chewy bacon and extra hollandaise to my order, doubling the cholesterol content and doubling the yummy goodness!

LC’s egg dish was far less exciting, a scramble of eggs, peppers, mushrooms, onions, ham, and cheese. I couldn’t detect any cheese, either visually or by taking a bite. It came with breakfast potatoes and a dry, dense biscuit. Our server didn’t bring any butter or jam, so he dipped the biscuit in my hollandaise.

Three cups of luke-warm coffee later, we were ready to hit the winding road back to the condo for a strenuous day of watching golf on TV.

1488 Highway 197, North Clarkesville 706-947-0010

The storms had passed, the sun was out….put me in the mood for a shot of tequila and some Mexican food!

LC and I met at Uncle Julio’s for a late lunch. We started with shots of Herradura Silver, shaken, with lime and salt. It’s my standard. Two margaritas to chase, plus chips, salsa, and guacamole….the ingredients for a fun Summer afternoon!

Uncle Julio’s chips are my favorite. They are extremely thin, so thin in fact, that they break when you are dipping them into anything. Whatever, I still think they are the best.

Salsa at Uncle Julio’s is very smoky with a little heat. I like it. Their guacamole is like mine, but with less cilantro and no jalapeno. We had a hankerin’ for heat so we got an order of grilled jalapenos on the side. Although I love cheese dip I never order it at Uncle Julio’s. It is orange….just too gringo for my taste.

More margaritas, on the rocks with salt. LC didn’t think they were strong enough so he got another shot to add to our drinks. By then, we were feelin’ alright.

Uncle Julio’s space is enormous. There is a whole upstairs that I’ve yet to explore. Coral, turquoise, and blue dominate, with a minimal amount of kitsch. With 16 locations nationally, mostly in Dallas and Washington DC, it is a chain, which probably explains much of the following flavorful yet somewhat generic “Mexican for the masses”.

We ordered the Guadalajara platter to share, with three bacon wrapped shrimp and a combo of chicken and beef fajitas. LC had his eye on those shrimp so he snatched one off the platter right away. They came with a garlicky sauce that neither of us cared for. Although they seemed to be soaked in butter, the huge shrimp (that’s an oxymoron!) were perfectly cooked but suffered from the wrapping of undercooked bacon. That seems to be a common issue with things wrapped in bacon….filet mignon, shrimp, scallops….the bacon is rarely cooked enough to render the fat, leaving it limp and practically inedible. It’s always a shame to waste bacon.

Our fajitas arrived without the necessary tortillas or the cheese and sour cream we requested. Sorta hard to make a fajita without a tortilla. After some time had passed LC told the bar manager, who in turn told the manager. We didn’t mean to get our server in trouble, but seriously, you gotta bring out all the shit required for fajitas when they are hot, right? The manager came out and kindly replaced the whole set-up, including the sides of beans and rice, then comp’d it. She was very professional and I felt that was a great way to handle the minor snafu. Not to mention, a good way to make sure we stayed and continued to drink! And we did.

Another round of margaritas please. LC and I dug into the fajitas. Some strips of the beef were tough, others tender. That’s what you get when it’s flank steak, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was cooked medium rather than well-done. We piled meat, grilled onions, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and more of the grilled jalapenos onto their exceptionally good flour tortillas. Both chicken and beef were well seasoned with a smoky grilled flavor but lacked sufficient kick.

The point is, we like spicy food, especially when it’s Mexican. However, many restaurants are hesitant to make their food too hot. Most folks can’t take the heat and they’re ruining it for the rest of us! Pussies.

1140 Hammond Drive 678-736-8260

A rerun….hoping me and B don’t feel like this tomorrow!How appropriate. No food and no sleep (OK, B claims I slept for three hours but I think it was only one) makes me hungry and sleepy. After Widespread Panic on Saturday night, which was at the Verizon Ampitheatre in Alpharetta, me and B piled into a vehicle that was headed to the after party.

It rained. We danced. But we didn’t eat or sleep. The next morning found us in Cumming. Happily headed back to civilization around 12:30, B and I needed to get our cars. The catch? CL was holding our keys hostage at Hobnob.

In the rain and against our will, we met him there for brunch. The warm space and inviting patio would be great on a sunny Summer day. Mimosas all around and a concise menu of heart-stopping cholesterol-laden goodies seemed appropriate on this chilly, dreary day. For me, the “hangover helper” was a no-brainer. Two poached eggs served over fried green tomatoes and toasted English muffins, topped with tomato Hollandaise and goat cheese. I added a side of bacon.

Breakfast potatoes accompany every brunch entree at Hobnob. They are as appealing to me as sauteed cardboard, so I offered mine to B. Along with my potatoes she would have two fried eggs, a biscuit, and cheese grits, all a la carte.

My eggs were perfectly poached, however I would have preferred regular Hollandaise. I love goat cheese but it somehow didn’t work here. The fried green tomatoes were rather thickly breaded, but the tangy flavor was terrific. Three big slices of chewy bacon made me smile. Another mimosa please!

B ate about half of her meal and took the rest home for her animals. I rarely have leftovers, not that The Bunny would consider eating them if I did.

Their regular menu includes soul-satisfying dishes like Southern Spring rolls filled with pork and collards and Belgian endive boats with dried figs, goat cheese, candied pecans, crisp prosciutto and tobasco honey. Hobnob deserves a try one evening soon!

1551 Piedmont Avenue 404-968-2288

Whenever I do a cheese plate, I pay as much attention to the bread and accompaniments as I do the selection of cheeses. I love bread, especially with good quality sweet butter. Perhaps it’s my German heritage.

The difficulty in the US is finding good bread. You can get an amazing baguette in the airport in Paris for God’s sake but I can’t find a decent one even at most specialty bakeries here in Atlanta. It’s ridiculous.

Jonathan St. Hilaire is one of the best bakers in the city. He really cares about the craft of bread-making. If I have time, I stop by Bakeshop for a crusty loaf of ciabatta. But more often than not, I end up grabbing what’s available at Whole Foods or Kroger. The last time I got a mini boule at Kroger and it was surprisingly good. When they convert their cheese shop to Murray’s I have a feeling they will step it up another notch.

What does all this have to do with eggs al forno? Everything! The leftover bread from my cheese plates invariably end up in the freezer to find new life as a fancy BLT, cheese toast, or bread pudding. I frequently buy a chunk of cave aged gruyere, along with taleggio, Humboldt Fog, and perhaps something a bit more experimental.

There is always leftover cheese as well. Don’t think any of this is a coincidence, it’s all part of my plan. I fully intend to have excess bread and gruyere for eggs al forno. Gooey cheese, the soft yolk, and crusty bread are a combination to die for. I serve it with bacon and berries….simply delicious!

How do hotel restaurants do it? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, room service…..they constantly crank it out. Getting it done and doing it right, however, are two different things.

It is rare that I get the opportunity to have breakfast at a hotel in Atlanta. More often than not, hotel breakfasts find me in a foreign country like Spain, Mexico, or Brazil. However, after L and P’s wedding, the party continued until the wee hours at AltoRex, the rooftop lounge at the Palomar, after which everyone stumbled to their rooms. I didn’t have much time to enjoy the modern decor since most of my time there was spent asleep, wrapped up in the cloudlike duvet.

But not for long. My lucky ass had to get up early to go to work. But before I took off, LC joined me at Pacci for breakfast. It was 9:00am on a Sunday. Only two other tables were occupied. Handsome young servers greeted us with smiles. The coffee was smooth, and so was the service.

Pacci has a fun “Flip For Your Breakfast” menu. Guests that order off this only slightly abbreviated list get to call a coin toss after their meal by none other than Keira Moritz’ sous chef Aaron Love. Not only that, a portion of the cost of your meal goes to charity, regardless who pays. Classy.

One of my all-time favorite brunch items is eggs benedict. Pacci’s version is made with proscuitto, spinach, tomato slices, with the traditional Hollandaise on top of toasted English muffins. It didn’t come with anything on the side, which is fine with me. I’m not a fan of breakfast potatoes.

LC ordered two fried eggs with wheat toast. His meal did come with potatoes, but no bacon. We ordered a side to split….thick and chewy just the way I like it. If you are not lucky enough to be staying at the Palomar overnight, the bacon alone is worth the short drive for brunch!

My benedict was a solid rendition of the popular classic. I liked the slightly Italian touch with the substitution of prosciutto for the standard Canadian bacon.

It was time to try our luck with the toss of the coin. LC’s a gambler by nature so it was all or nothing. He called heads and our breakfast entrees were free! By this time several other members of the wedding party had made it downstairs to Pacci, just in time to witness LC’s lucky streak continue.

We both cleaned our plates before I sped off in the HotDish mobile. Pacci is in my Top Ten for a reason…..whatever time of day or night, they do it right!

866 W. Peachtree Street NW 678-412-2402

While shopping at World Market I spotted it. Mo’s Dark Bacon Bar made by Vosges, the pricey ($7.50ish each) specialty chocolate brand found at markets like Whole Foods. My first thought was that this was the best idea ever!

The chocolate maker’s inspiration for the sweet and savory combination is on the back of the package. Katrina, who attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and traveled the world studying its cuisines stumbled upon the joy of chocolate and bacon at the wee age of six while eating chocolate chip pancakes and bacon (who was this chick’s mom?).

Applewood smoked bacon, alderwood smoked salt and 62% dark chocolate come together to create this funkalicious bar. Upon closer inspection, unexpected ingredients show up like dry juniper berries and celery juice in the bacon. Weird. Delicious?

Then I tried it. Chewy bits of bacon permeate the smooth black chocolate. To be honest, it sounds better than it tastes.

Vosges is certainly the leader in the luxury chocolate industry with exotic combinations like Tibetan goji berries and pink Himilayan salt in 45% deep milk chocolate or the ginger, wasabi and black sesame seeds in 55% dark chocolate. The flavor profiles are precise, scientific. My favorite is their Red Fire bar with Mexican ancho and chipotle chillies with Ceylon cinnamon in dark chocolate…..spicy!