Hot Dish Review

When Atlanta Eats approached my friend BB to shoot a segment at his restaurant There Brookhaven, he was pretty excited. It was scheduled for lunch so my friend and colleague MC joined me for his nearly famous bison burger.

We arrived as the film crew was setting up, interviewing BB who is always good for a shocking tale involving the FBI and/or multiple celebrities. Mutual restaurant industry friends arrived as MC and I were relaxing with inappropriate lunchtime beverages, red wine and Corona Light.

Although it doesn’t say so on the menu, the bison burger is a double stack, with melted white cheddar in between. As a smallish chick, I’d prefer just one patty, or at least the option. Roasted poblano pepper, avocado, red onion, and spicy mayo come standard on this hefty sandwich, served with crispy fries seasoned with garlic and rosemary, or plain if you will be having any conversations with anyone the remainder of the day. I chose the latter, of course.

What you’ll need to eat this burger: fifty napkins and the ability to unhinge your jaw. It’s tall. It’s messy. Juice will run down your chin. Mara Davis, providing a little feminine counterpart to sportsguy Steak Shapiro, came over to our table to interview us for the show, both of us wiping our chins of meaty juices and green smudges of avocado. If you are like us, you’ll also need another drink.

The roasted poblano is a smoky contrast to the creamy, sublime avocado, with a surprisingly spicy afterburn. Both bison patties were cooked medium, to order, and served on a dreamily soft sesame seed bun. No surprise, BB’s bison burger is considered one of Atlanta’s best!

Watch for the episode featuring There Brookhaven on Atlanta Eats Season 2!

305 Brookhaven Avenue NE 404-949-9677

Over the last ten years I have probably driven to Helen, the faux Bavarian village in the North Georgia mountains, over fifty times, each trip passing a burger stand called Yonah Burger. As the years went by, the stand grew into a building, then expanded further to include a covered patio.

The place seemed to have somewhat of a cult following with regulars lining up to grab a sack full of hand-pattied burgers to go. And that’s what LC and I did on our way back to Atlanta last weekend. I was so excited to finally get a Yonah Burger, I eagerly stood in line, ordered two cheeseburgers at the window and waited. At only $4.45 each, they are quite a bargain. I didn’t order fries since they were the crinkle variety, which I loathe.

Each burger is cooked on their flat top and dressed to order, both of ours topped with bacon, shredded lettuce, and mayo. No aiolis or fancy toppings here, just good old-fashioned burgers like the ones you find at family cookouts….greasy, juicy, and full of flavor. It was worth the wait!

2051 Helen Highway, Cleveland 706-865-4791

Having visited the second location of this local Irish pub just a week after it opened in Brookhaven, I was interested to see the original in Alpharetta. Olde Blind Dog in Brookhaven boasts countless vintage reproductions and original Irish and English fixtures including ornate lamp posts along the faux sidewalk. It’s over-the-top kitschiness is both ridiculous and fun, but the decor of the Alpharetta location, which is significantly larger, is less cluttered. There is, however, a mannequin of William Wallace a.k.a. Braveheart (pictured), somewhat reminiscent of a Ripley’s Believe it or Not display.

LC and I arrived for the other LC’s birthday party, ready for a couple of Irish car bombs! We chugged those at the bar, then found our way to her party section. A few appetizers were ordered for the table including Kerrygold cheddar dip with pretzel bread and fried calamari, neither of which was memorable. Another Guinness appeared. And another car bomb.

I decided against traditional Irish pub fare in favor of a big fat cheeseburger, complete with cheddar, bacon, caramelized onions, and fresh jalapenos. LC ordered an ale-braised short rib sandwich, an enormous open-faced thing made with grilled jalapeno cornbread, short rib meat, coleslaw, and a colossal mound of fried onion strings. Both sandwiches were served with fries. Another Guinness appeared. And another car bomb. Are you keeping count? I wasn’t.

Weighing in at half a pound, my medium cooked burger was juicy, sloppy, and awesome. LC’s monster sandwich was tasty but enough to feed an entire elementary class. Nonetheless, we both polished off our plates without barfing. Then I took an impromptu nap.

12650 Crabapple Road 678-624-1090

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

Lunch for me usually consists of a salad eaten out of a plastic container at my desk, eyes fixed on my computer screen. A lunchtime meeting with DC of Atlanta Eats gave me the opportunity to add some excitement to my humdrum midday meal.

I suggested Miller Union, thinking of their baked egg in celery cream, a dish I adore. Plus, the country chic furnishings remind me of Grandma’s house, with cast iron skillets and Mason jars decorating the cupboards.

As I arrived late, DC was already halfway through his cocktail, Captain John’s Punch. I usually base my drink selection on the season and the cuisine, for instance, margaritas with Mexican food in the Summer, or red wine with roasted pork in the Winter. This warm yet breezy Fall day confused me so I chose an all-purpose sparkling French rose’.

Noticing rather quickly that the baked egg in celery cream is not on the lunch menu, I regrouped. Two lunch entrees caught my attention and I was once again perplexed. Sweet tea smoked chicken or pan roasted quail? Our server recommended the quail without hesitation, perhaps annoyed at mine. DC ordered the cheeseburger with fries. A side of roasted Brussels sprouts were unnecessary yet irresistible.

My little bird was perched upon a puree of sweet potatoes nearly covered with farro, a brilliant pairing of creamy and toothsome. A handful of fresh arugula brightened the composition and added a peppery note. I’m finding farro everywhere these days and it’s quickly becoming my favorite grain. In fact, Satterfield’s dish of farro piccolo was my favorite at the recent Sunday Supper benefitting the James Beard Foundation.

I was so enthralled with my lunch that I hardly noticed the plate of roasted Brussels sprouts, but eventually their crispy charred edges and tender interiors beckoned. Indeed delicious, the only thing missing was bacon. Affectionately called “the daily grind” on Miller Union’s menu, DC’s cheeseburger was anything but average. Check out the size of that thing! We each ordered another round of cocktails before licking our plates.

Chef Satterfield stopped by our table, perhaps because he recognized me, or perhaps because we were the last table (which explains the lack of patrons in the photo), and we chatted a bit about the blustery conditions at the Sunday Supper. DC inquired about the ketchup’s pedigree, to which chef confirmed it was house-made. Of course. Who the hell buys ketchup?

999 Brady Avenue NW 678-733-8550

You know how they say you can’t find a boyfriend until you stop looking? Apparently, same goes for food trucks. Just when I had given up on sampling the goodies from a food truck, there it was….the Mix’D Up Food Truck pulling up by the door where my colleague MC and I were participating in an ill-fated health fair.

The Mix’D Up Food Truck has an appropriately rock ‘n’ roll renegade theme. Brett (who’s business card looks like a concert ticket) and his crew, dressed like guys in a band, started cooking up big juicy burgers around 10:45am. The aroma of grilled beef and lamb wafted through the hallway. We chatted with the guys and tried to put off ordering, but the temptation was too great for MC. She ordered the lamb burger with feta, spinach, tomato, and tzatziki sauce on a ciabatta roll.

The food truck was like some hot guy showing up and asking her out, just when she least expected it. But it wasn’t a hot guy (OK, it actually was), but a hot burger. MC took one bite of her lamb burger and fell in love. She allowed me a couple of bites. Juicy lamb with lots of sauce studded with chunks of feta tasted like a deluxe gyro. Delish!

I would have ordered the lamb burger as well, but I felt the need to try something different, so I went with their namesake cheeseburger, subbing caramelized onions for regular and adding bacon…exactly how I always get my burgers. So much for different. (note: I photographed my burger in its natural environment, on the pavement).

Loosely pattied and cooked perfectly medium, my beef burger was covered with melted cheddar and tons of caramelized onions. Chewy bacon, chopped lettuce, tomato, and mayo completed the sandwich. Brett threw in a handful of their perfectly crispy, handcut, skin-on shoestring fries, with a sprinkling of special seasoning salt.

I was impressed with the freshness of the toppings and the creative combinations, some even served bunless. Chef Brett, along with his sous chef Mass, make more than gourmet burgers. Food truck risotto anyone?

It was my first time with a food truck and I loved it! MC and I were still swooning from our thick, meaty burgers when the truck packed up and pulled out. It was a juicy affair.

I’m confused.

A couple of years ago Five Guys Burger and Fries expanded into the Atlanta market to rave reviews. While gift shopping for Little T’s birthday recently, I found myself navigating the parking lot gridlock at the Edgewood Retail District and spotted Five Guys. I was hungry and excited to finally try it, especially their fries that have been repeatedly voted “best of (fill in the blank)”.

Arriving around 2:00pm, I was surprised to find a line stretching nearly to the door. I ordered a “little” cheeseburger with mayo, lettuce, grilled onions, and of course, an order of fries. Once you order, just stand around and wait for your number to be called. They won’t ask you if it’s to go, your burger will be handed to you in a greasy paper sack by well mannered, hard working line cooks whether you are eating in the sparsely furnished dining room or not.

Anticipating deliciousness, I took my first few bites of the Five Guys burger, but was delivered a swift kick of flavorless reality. I considered my recent burger experiences for comparison, for instance, Backyard Burger in Alabama and Smashburger which both delivered a superior product in a fast casual setting with similar pricing. Although fresh, Five Guys toppings were pedestrian….no guacamole here. And their “grilled” onions were hardly grilled at all. I was particularly disappointed with Five Guys’ soggy, thick-cut fries. In fact, I would rank Wendy’s higher, especially in the fries department.

Truth is, I prefer fancy pants burgers like the ones at Yeah! Burger where I can top my organic bison or free-range turkey burger with fresh avocado and bacon jam. Like Backyard Burger and Wendy’s, they serve sweet potato fries, although I have often complained that they aren’t quite crisp enough. I haven’t tried Wendy’s yet, but I bet they are as excellent as their regular fries.

Better yet, I like a nice juicy burger cooked medium and topped with lots of melted cheese and thick, chewy bacon. Grindhouse perhaps? No crinkle-cut fries please.

With the abundance of burger joints in Atlanta, both boutique and bargain, I simply can’t understand why anyone would choose Five Guys over the competition. Again, I’m confused.

Next time I have a burger craving I’ll pay the extra two bucks for flavor.

1253 Caroline Street 404-688-6474

Backyard Burger is yet another fast casual burger concept that may be coming our way. We stumbled upon it on our way back from Alabama last weekend. The space is arranged like a Wendy’s with counter service. Much like Smashburger, they have a few popular combos, but most folks build their own sandwich starting with a choice of Angus beef, turkey, or chicken breast, then add cheese and toppings, which is then delivered to your table piping hot.

Sticking with our turkey burger routine, LC and I both ordered one with bacon, cheese, guacamole, and mayo, completely eliminating the health benefits of the lower fat meat. I also added some harmless lettuce, tomatoes, and sauteed onions. Little T was craving a chicken sandwich with bacon and got her wish, then promptly removed the bacon.

My burger was a mess, especially with half the bun tossed aside, making it difficult to distinguish juiciness from sloppiness. All of our sandwiches had great grilled flavor with quality toppings. Little T and LC got combos with sweet potato fries that I gladly shared. Only a few dollars more than other fast food chains, Backyard Burger was a great alternative.

Cookouts and Summer go hand in hand. Guys love to demonstrate their prowess at the backyard grill while their mates are more than happy to let them. And grilling usually means one thing…meat.

This 4th of July found me poolside at Concourse Athletic Club. The club’s restaurant, The Courtside Grill, moved much of its operation downstairs, serving up hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken sandwiches with Ruffles….nothing fancy. After an intense yoga class, I was excited to soak up some rays and Corona Lights.

And I was looking forward to a juicy cheeseburger despite having already consumed numerous burgers this Summer. I removed half the bun and coated the other half with mayo, adding lettuce and tomatoes. The meat was unfortunately overcooked, but it’s always refreshing to dine outdoors, especially by the pool in my bikini.

The rest of my holiday was full of fireworks!

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