Hot Dish Review

Last weekend was my first visit of the year to North Georgia’s faux Bavarian village of Helen. LC joined me to visit my folks and enjoy the beautiful Spring weather.

Much has changed since October 2012. Longtime upscale favorite Nacoochee Grill has closed and is being renovated to reopen soon. Doors and windows were boarded up at Old Heidelberg, home to my favorite tiny balcony overlooking the square. Word is the owner is wanted to attempted murder.

LC and I enjoyed our meal at Hogpen Gap Grill when it was brand new last Fall, although it was too chilly to sit outside. Now the training wheels are off, its spacious patio nearly full of patrons in the Springtime sun. With my Mom along for lunch, we chose a table ouside where I started off with an unfamiliar German beer called Weihenstephan, from the oldest brewery in Germany founded in 1040.

Hogpen Gap Grill specializes in organic beef burgers with a variety of fancy toppings. However, I was secretly planning to stop by Yonah Burger on our way home, a trick I’ve yet to accomplish in the many years I’ve traveled that route. So, I chose the bratwurst platter instead, which comes with the ubiquitous sauerkraut and potato salad on the side. LC surprised me with his order of fish ‘n’ chips, while my Mom didn’t surprise me at all, ordering the salad with grilled chicken.

Mom enjoyed her salad while LC inhaled his fish and fries. My bratwurst was appropriately browned in a skillet, consuming my attention to the extent that I didn’t even steal a fry from LC’s plate. The only disappointment is that the original menu offered a choice of sides including spaetzle and red cabbage, both of which I love when done properly. Now neither is available, just the standard sauerkraut and chunky potato salad that is not exactly German, but not entirely American either.

Service here is friendly and the food has been quite good on both visits, although my experience so far is limited to their German fare. I’m certain we’ll be seeing more of this patio in the months to come!

8735 N. Main Street 706-878-1822

With over three years of success and a cheeseburger with a cult following, one might think that I would be a regular at Holeman & Finch, Restaurant Eugene’s casual counterpart and neighbor. Quite the contrary, I had never visited until recently when BB mentioned he and his chef BT would be dining there and he invited me to join them.

The atmosphere was as expected, lots of warm wood elements and bare light bulbs that look like they were salvaged from your Grandma’s house, when in fact, they are about $500 a pop according to BB, who recently sourced lighting for his own restaurant, There Brookhaven.

Paintings of pigs differentiating the ham from the hock add some country charm and prepare diners for the offal (not to be confused with awful) selection on the menu…except for the veal brains. Nothing prepares you for the veal brains.

The three of us started with a few dishes to share: pot of chicken liver pate’, locally sourced gruyere, and bratwurst. Both the pate’ and the cheese come with bread, so our server recommended we not order the H & F bread basket, ironically the very thing this tiny spot is known for. Holeman & Finch is the purveyor of bread and buns for nearly every restaurant in Atlanta that takes pride in organic and locally sourced products. We agreed, deciding to fill up on meat rather than bread.

BT’s Hoppy Bunny arrived and one of two glasses of Cuvee du Vatican, a cotes du rhone that was less dry than most, its peppery notes pairing well with the cheese, a thin sliver accompanied by a cherry compote and droplets of honey. The few pieces of sliced bread didn’t impress.

Unfortunately (and perhaps premeditated), neither BT nor myself eat chicken liver, so BB was left to devour the whole jar of pate’ with its pungeont aspic on top. He reported thorough enjoyment.

Meanwhile, BT and I dug into the bratwurst with zephyr squash and shishito peppers, deceptively served in a cast iron skillet but the vegetables appeared to be braised rather than roasted and could have certainly benefitted from more cooking time and seasoning. The pudgey sausage displayed impressive girth, with a flavorful herbaceous filling. Agreeing that one vegetable dish was in order, we tried the glazed turnips, which suffered even more glaringly from inadequate cooking time.

There were many interesting options that we didn’t try….crunchy gentlemen for instance, described as black forest ham, gruyere, dijon. Is it a croque monsieur as BT guessed? Smoked trout can be great, especially in the hands of Zeb Stevenson at Livingston. We didn’t try it here. A subsequent visit may find me ordering the shrimp stew with red curry and cilantro, with ciabatta.

We discussed the lamb fries briefly but ended up with veal sweetbreads and a poached farm egg with duck liver, both of which were served in, but not prepared in, cast iron skillets. The veal sweetbreads (that look somewhat like brains, but not to be confused) were lovely, served with preserved figs for a sweet note, orange slices for a hit of acidity, field peas and mustard jus….probably the best dish of the day.

The menu description of the foie gras dish, cleverly called duck liver, reminded me of Blais’ version at Home some years back. He seared the foie gras and served it like a decadent breakfast with two thin little pancakes with maple syrup, providing a sweet juxtaposition to the rich liver’s intense fattiness. Holeman & Finch added thick, chewy bacon and a poached egg, making it even more decadent, but the johnnycakes were thick and doughy, covering the bottom of the round skillet and ultimately overtaking the dish.

Not surprisingly, we ended with a pair of desserts, bacon caramel popcorn and a fried apple pie. The chewy chunks of bacon would have served a better use flavoring the lackluster turnips, but were a nice addition to the popcorn. BB remarked that the pie, which was covered with a shiny glaze, looked like the carnival variety. A scoop of vanilla ice cream slowly melted beneath the warm pie, becoming a puddle as we took turns with our spoons.

We were leaving just as the kitchen was lining up the buttered buns for their famous burgers, served only after 10pm. Two dozen freshly ground burgers were on the grill. Word is they sell out in seconds.

Holeman & Finch rings all the right bells, blows all the pretty whistles. I was supposed to love it. Dare I say that I didn’t?

2277 Peachtree Road 404-948-1175

It’s that time of year again….Oktoberfest in Helen! Bratwurst, beer, bikers, and bad taste all coming together in one tiny faux Bavarian town in north Georgia. The restaurant most frequented by bikers (or perhaps I should say motorcycle enthusiasts) in Helen has a new owner and a long overdue new look. LC and I visited last weekend and gave it a try.

Formerly Hans House, Hogpen Gap Grill has retained its enormous patio, great for the gorgeous Fall weather. The revamped menu relies heavily on burgers, including Asian, Greek, and Tex Mex versions made with all natural beef, which makes the $9-$13 pricetag easier to digest compared to similarly priced burgers at nearby establishments that are likely full of hormones and fillers. A variety of salads, an extensive kid’s menu, and a few German specialties are offered as well.

There was a chill in the air so LC and I decided to sit inside where the decor was log cabin chic. I ordered a Spaten Oktoberfest and LC tried the Highland Oatmeal Porter that I enjoyed a couple of weeks ago at The Family Dog.

Despite numerous visits to Helen, I feel compelled to eat wurst and drink beer whenever I’m there. Like I have to eat tacos and drink margaritas in Mexico, I just have to, ya know? So I ordered their bratwurst, made locally especially for Hogpen. It was a long, skinny sausage, browned and finished with a drizzle of sweet mustard. Its texture wasn’t as dense as most brats, perhaps because there was less fat to hold it all together…a good thing. All three standard sides, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and candied red cabbage, were served with the bratwurst, complimenting its meaty flavor.

The cool weather made LC crave a bowl of hot soup. He wanted to order the potato soup but I thought it would be cream-based and fatty so I steered him towards the goulash, traditionally made with beef and vegetables in a tomato-based broth. Both of us wanted to try the corn souffle’ as a side.

Unfortunately, the goulash didn’t contain much beef so LC wasn’t thrilled with it. The corn souffle’, however, was fluffy and delicious, but the portion was disappointingly small. We ordered two more beers, bargain priced by Helen standards at $4 each.

After our lunch we took a short walk to the Festhalle where umpah bands play silly German polka music and college students get shitfaced on German beer served in tall plastic boots. We didn’t stay long.

This weekend, October 27th and 28th, is the last of Oktoberfest 2012, so pull on your lederhosen, get on your Ducati, and head to Helen for some beer, bratwurst, and maybe a little corn souffle’.

8735 Main Street, Helen 706-878-1822

In Helen, Georgia’s mini Bavaria, Oktoberfest begins mid-September. LC and I made plans to visit my folks on the first official day, unaware of the parade on Main Street. The weather was gorgeous but the crowd of visitors was anything but, sporting fitted denim shorts and mullets (dudes and chicks!).

We arrived right after the parade, effectively missing the traffic and just in time for lunch with my Mom. Hoping to snag one of only four balcony tables at Olde Heidelberg, we quickly made our way across the street and into their smoky bar downstairs. One picnic style table remained, overlooking the square where beer drinkers gathered to listen to a guy sing and play a keyboard that was the rest of his “band”.

LC likes to order appetizers, even at lunch, so we started off with the sauerkraut roll-ups topped with crispy bacon that we enjoyed a couple of years ago. Tangy, salty, and a good pairing with my Warsteiner Oktoberfest draft.

Mom ordered a salad with grilled chicken breast which looked pretty good, especially for a restaurant that specializes in spaetzle. LC and I split the wurst platter, a combination of knackwurst, bratwurst, and smoked pork chop with sauerkraut and coarsely mashed potatoes with brown gravy, plus an additional side of red cabbage. Can’t have too much cabbage….or can you?

We didn’t make it to the Festhalle this trip, but plan to visit again soon and have more beer….and less cabbage.

8660 N. Main Street, Helen 706-878-3273

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

German food is not the most popular world cuisine. Personally, I love it….but I was born in Frankfurt. For those of us in Atlanta, it’s a quick drive to the faux Bavarian village of Helen in north Georgia for an occassional schnitzel fix. During Oktoberfest, we often visit to celebrate with men in lederhosen (and men with mullets in tight acid-washed denim shorts), drink mugs of German beer, and eat the inevitable bratwurst.

But there is an alternative smack in the middle of Marietta Street in downtown Atlanta called Der Biergarten. Their patio upstairs is reminiscent of Helen’s Festhalle, with picnic table seating and festive lights strung about. Inside, the walls are painted with murals depicting idyllic scenes of castles and forests…..very Brothers Grimm.

I met LC there recently, at the tail-end of a friend’s birthday party. It was late and I was starving. With plans to drive to Helen in a few days, I wasn’t too keen on having German food, but curiosity and hunger prevailed. Guests seated at the bar dined on generous plates of schweinebraten with spaetzle. Tempting, but I chose my standard bratwurst and knockwurst with sauerkraut and potato salad….no schnitzel.

But first, the bartender poured me a pint of Warsteiner draught. Wursts were delivered quickly along with a trio of mustards for dipping….smooth and creamy, somewhat grainy, and slightly sweet with whole mustard seeds. LC noted that none of them were spicy, to which I replied that Germans don’t do spicy. The sauerkraut had a nice vinegary twang. American potato salad was nothing special. Weiners are always wonderful.

A few days later at Old Heidelberg in Helen, LC and I ordered the wurst trio to share, along with some additional sides. Seated on the tiny balcony, we took in the sun and pollen while drinking more Warsteiner and checking out the bikers and their buxom babes eating funnel cakes.

In addition to a knockwurst and bratwurst was a long skinny bauernwurst, flavored with garlic and herbs. Of our sides, the anemic, crunchy kraut was a total contrast to the golden variety at Der Biergarten. Their red cabbage, which often suffers from too much sugar, nutmeg, and cloves, had no such issues on this visit. Spaetzle was greasy and toothsome, drizzled with a little gravy. Green beans provided the only color on our otherwise beige and brown plate.

Satisfied with our sodium and fat intake, we strolled through town, beyond the gift shops and cheesy bars, straight to my parents’ sofa for a brief snooze before heading back to the city.

300 Marietta Street NW 404-521-2728

That’s what’s on the door at Ormsby’s, the location chosen by L for her birthday celebration. The burly dude checking ID’s gave me a hard time about carrying in a bottle of champagne (L’s gift), as if we would drink it unchilled. What are we, heathens?

Decor is cozy at this neighborhood tavern, enhanced by lots of wood and dim lighting, but it was difficult to note details since the place was packed full of young patrons trying hard to look like they weren’t trying. LC was conspicuously absent as I joined our table for about 20 guests directly beneath the stairs near the bocce court.

My only prior visit was a late night accident with B, finding ourselves inebriated at the bar downstairs. I ate something but have no recollection, so I was excited to finally try their reinvented pub fare.

As we played musical chairs, chatting and catching up, our server ran her ass off delivering cocktails one at a time. I started with a Guinness draft. L ordered hummus and pimiento cheese fritters for the table as we perused the menu which includes a whole section devoted to wieners….gotta love wieners. The fried balls of melted cheddar didn’t impress me, but the hummus was a winner.

Entrees ran the gamut from a short rib (the priciest item at just $18) to shrimp and grits. I cannot believe L’s husband PC didn’t order it….it’s his MO. But instead, he ordered the bangers and mash, 2 big housemade brats with taters and green beans. He gave out samples to me and BH, his best friend (and one of my coworkers) seated next to me. I found it more fatty than flavorful, making me happy that I went with the chicken wrap, an odd dinner selection for me.

Although not a dish I would order, I was more impressed with BH’s fish ‘n’ chips. Flaky cod beneath crispy batter, a dash of vinegar, and a plate full of skin-on fries.

The birthday girl shared an order of chicken and dumplings with one of her pals. The very thought of dumplings makes me gag. Needless to say, I didn’t try it.

As for my wrap, it was full of roasted chicken, chunks of freshly cut avocado, crispy bacon, tomatoes and sprouts, each ingredient’s distinctive flavor coming together to make the perfect sandwich (which unfortunately didn’t photograph well). My side of sweet potato fries weren’t fries at all, but rather wedges. I would not have ordered them had I known, but my ignorance turned out to be bliss as they were sweet and spiced just right.

And what’s a birthday without cake? I ordered a round of chocolate cake shots at the end of the evening….delicious.

1170 Howell Mill Road 404-968-2033

Grab your Lederhosen….it’s that time of year again!

Last weekend’s amazing weather provided the perfect backdrop for a visit to Helen, the faux Bavarian village near Dahlonega that gives locals a taste of Germany, in a redneck sort of way.

Their Oktoberfest celebration is actually rather fun. Me, LC and his awesome parents hit the road to check out the Festhalle, dance the polka, and drink a lot of beer!

Since my parents are part-time residents of Helen, it is a frequent destination for me. However, this was their first visit to the quaint and somewhat cheesy North Georgia town. We started off with lunch at Old Heidelberg. My Mom joined us.

We chose a table on the tiny balcony, me and Mom’s new favorite spot. Ice cold beers, Warsteiner draft for me, cooled us off in the blazing Oktober sun. An appetizer described as sauerkraut and bacon rolled in dough sounded both weird and delicious. And it was.

Mom ordered her usual goulash soup while the rest of us split various kinds of wurst. LC and I tried the trio which included bauernwurst, bratwurst, and knockwurst. Served with sauerkraut and whipped potatoes with gravy it was a hearty portion, certainly enough for two.

Old Heidelberg serves some of the best German fare in Helen. A note of trivia: the restaurant is the most photographed building in Georgia. Another beer to wash it down and we were ready to walk around town and see the sights on our way to the Festhalle.

LC’s parents are really cool and laid back. His Dad, KC, shares my birthday so that gives him an automatic advantage where I’m concerned. And his Mom, FC, must be a saint to put up with them both.

At the Festhalle we ordered a pitcher of beer and the parents picked up three bags of candied beer nuts somewhere when we weren’t looking. Soon they were up on the dancefloor doing the polka!

On the drive back to Atlanta we stopped at one of the many farmer’s stands, this one specializing in all kinds of sauces, jams, and condiments….they had a whole room of them. We got some hot boiled peanuts to snack on.

There are only two weeks left of Oktoberfest. This weekend will most likely be the busiest, as the leaves finally begin to change to Fall hues. The weather promises to be stunning once again so hop in the car and head North to enjoy beer and brats in Helen!

A Memorial Day weekend repost, in honor of my first return visit to the boat!
Day three of LC’s birthday/Labor Day weekend bash found us at Sunset Cove at Lake Lanier. Our group was supposed to dock there the night before but there were no spots big enough for the Cooper boat.

So after a day and night on the water me and LC planted our feet back on dry land and headed for the manmade beach at Lake Lanier Islands for a drink. Which turned into five or six, of course.

Frozen pina coladas with Myers rum floaters made for low-brow deliciousness as we celebrated the gorgeous weather on his birthday.

Drinkin’ makes us hungry! Burgers are required eatin’ on Labor Day weekend but first we were craving something spicy. LC wanted the firecracker shrimp. A plate full, butterflied and fried with a coconut breading then drizzled with a cloyingly sweet sauce with a little kick. Decadent for all the wrong reasons, these shrimp contained the trifecta of food addiction: fat, salt, and sugar. Served with celery and blue cheese, we cleaned the plate.

Sunset Cove is relatively new, just up the beach from the masses of houseboats full of bikini-clad chicks, dudes with mullets, and the professional partiers keeping their boats afloat in a lake of liquor, luring all the unsuspecting barely-legal dudettes with the promise of free shots. Sorta reminds me of guys with shag carpet and panelling in their vans. I can just hear ‘em now….”I got a cooler full of cold beer in the back!” Indeed.

As we walked to the restaurant we noticed several stands with drinks and one that offered burgers and brats. Once seated at Sunset Cove I figured we’d get a burger off the menu. But LC couldn’t resist a second appetizer and bought a brat on his way back from the long trek to the restroom.

This is all before the burger, which thankfully we split. Covered in cheese and caramelized onions (not shown in photo due to their late arrival), it was juicy, messy goodness. Onion rings were awesome, just not plentiful enough.

There is a huge bucket that slowly fills with water suspended menacingly above the waterslide next to Sunset Cove. If you wait long enough it’ll tip over, splashing (or drenching) everyone below. The path to the car went around the waterslide’s bucket but LC and I went under it, of course. Then to the car to throw on my swimsuit. How dare I put on a bikini after the meal I just described? Insanity perhaps.

We took a stroll down to the sand, got our feet wet, and made some new friends before making our way back for round two. Not remembering how we ended up at a table with some pretty cool people isn’t too surprising. I think they bought us margaritas. A stage was set up in the water and the band began to play as the sun set on a fun, spontaneous day at Sunset Cove.

Can’t wait to get to the ballpark!
Although I adore greasy cheeseburgers and institution-grade pizza, I just can’t bring myself to go to a baseball game without eating a hot dog, its casing filled with mysterious meat, frightening yet somehow delicious.

Last night, before the Braves got completely clobbered by the Phillies, LC and I stood in an excrutiatingly long line to get our weiner fix. Luckily we had stopped by the 755 Club for beers to keep us occupied.

Rather than the standard foot long I opted for a bratwurst with sauteed onions. LC got the foot long with cheese and sauteed onions. It was a sloppy mess. My brat was pretty good with the addition of bright yellow mustard. An order of fries complimented our trashy dinner (check out the gaudy packaging!) that we scarfed down at a table near the concessions, watching the game on one of the thousands of TV’s mounted on every surface. Another Miller Lite, and another, washed it all down.

The fries at Turner Field are disappointing. I wish they were shoestring but they are cut a bit too thick. Even more disconcerting, however, is the ketchup. I don’t know how it’s possible to fuck up ketchup, but somehow they have managed to purchase the worst tasting product. Surely delivered in vats, the stuff has a weird sweetness, kinda disgusting.

As the season draws to a riveting close, I’ll be back at the ballpark this afternoon. Today I will most likely get the old reliable foot long simply dressed with raw onions and mustard. And maybe some hot boiled peanuts if I’m in the mood for a sodium-induced coma.

It’s do or die for our Braves. Will there be cause to cheer or will there be a tear in my beer?