Hot Dish Review

After a busy week of work and travel a casual dinner close to home was just what the doctor ordered. It had been a coon’s age since I’d eaten at Two Urban Licks. With so many new trendy spots opening each month, revisiting old favorites often ends up on the back burner.

LC and I walked into the dimly lit restaurant, which is cozy despite its cavernous interior, and took up residence at the first bar. We lucked out, as a cool little band was playing in the corner. The huge rotating rotisserie remains the focal point of the space, centrally located in the open kitchen.

Two is where chef Scott Serpas sharpened his skills prior to opening Serpas, one of Atlanta’s best restaurants. In fact, his signature salmon chips and lamb lollipops remain menu favorites.

I started off with a glass of red wine poured from one of their 42 stainless steel barrels, an ingenious one-of-a-kind gravity flow system. We proceeded to order several appetizers to share….the salmon chips, shaved calamari, black bean soup, and tacos.

The first dish to arrive was the salmon chips, four big potato chips each topped with short smoked salmon, chipotle cream cheese, capers, and red onions. I’ve eaten these many times and remember them being much better. On this visit, an overabundance of salmon, which tasted fishy, made the chips soggy. None of the other ingredients stood out resulting in a disappointing start.

The shaved calamari followed. A respectable yet standard fried version drizzled with a sweet a spicy sauce and wasabi cream. Black bean soup, garnished with a bit of cotija cheese, cilantro and jalalpeno creme fraiche was soothing and flavorful, but not very photogenic.

However, my favorite small plate was the tacos filled with tender Korean BBQ beef, crunchy kimchi, jack cheese, and cilantro. Only complaint is they sat in a puddle of juice, causing the crispy shells to become instantly soggy.

A few small plates leaves room for dessert! I couldn’t pass up the bread pudding, although it is described as “white chocolate cranberry”. I have no love for white chocolate, an oxymoron for a product made from cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and vanilla, lacking the part of the cocoa bean called the nib that gives chocolate its flavor. So it is not chocolate.

However, I had it on good authority that the stuff was undetectable in this dessert. The bread pudding was luscious and perfectly paired with excellent brown sugar ice cream that sat upon a mound of chocolate cookie crumbs for a textural extravaganza of crunchy, creamy, chewy deliciousness. We licked the plate.

820 Ralph McGill Blvd. 404-522-4622

Wish I was on my way somewhere exotic right about now….With an evening flight one never knows if dinner will be served. I booked my trip to Rio too late to upgrade so I was stuck with an overnight coach flight. Hense the drinks and stash of pills. Who the hell can sleep sitting bolt upright? After my extravagant meal at One Flew South, I didn’t really care if they served Spam and Twinkies.

So, did I happen to mention that I’m the luckiest bitch in the world? As I boarded the Delta flight I resigned myself to my lot for the next 9.47 hours in seat 24A. But there was someone seated there, he showed me his boarding pass with that assigned seat. Hmmm, baffling. I checked my boarding pass and it said 2F. Score! I had been bumped to first class. I love first class.

I sat next to a guy named J. We were greeted with champagne, about to dine like kings on real food. With real utensils. Along with a noise canceling headset, cozy socks, chapstick, moisturiser and other sundries found in the seat pocket, there is a menu. Passengers are asked to order while still at the gate, sipping champagne. I kicked off my Nikes and relaxed.

I know from experience that you get all of the appetizers, regardless which one you request. No matter, eat a bit of each. J and I ordered and proceeded to love the cream of asparagus soup. However, we were also presented with the cured salmon with seaweed salad and the greek salad of feta cheese, cucumber and olives with balsamic vinaigrette. Ten minutes later, the only thing that remained on my plate were the sliced cucumbers. You all know I hate cucumbers.

There were four entree selections; seared mahi mahi with lemon butter sauce, asparagus and paella rice, three cheese vegetarian spaghetti carbonara, or the grilled fillet of beef bearnaise with mashed redskin potatoes and sauteed green beans for the hot entrees, and roast beef, herbed shrimp with a deviled egg and grilled peppers and artichokes for a chilled choice.

J ordered the fillet which I’ve had before and is truly the best option, however, already laden with pork and still not feelin’ the fish, I opted for the carbonara. It was alright but J’s entree was much more photogenic (see above). He was one of those guys that doesn’t eat veggies so I ate a few of his green beans.

I enjoyed several glasses of the 2008 MontGras Carmenere Reserva from Chile with my meal. Remember….the wine glasses, although made of glass, are tiny, about the size of a tasting glass. J had a Coke.

Dessert offerings are always the same in first class….your choice of cheese and fruit with crackers or a standard ice cream sundae with all the fixin’s. Vanilla with chocolate or strawberry sauce, chopped nuts and whipped cream, garnished with a pirouline cookie. I usually get both but having already had a three course meal I opted for just the cheese and fruit. And more wine.

No sleeping pills required as I fully reclined, covered with my thin comforter and plush pillow. About 6.25 hours later J said “somebody got some sleep!” as I awoke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon. Breakfast Miss P? Yes, please! Coffee, scrambled eggs (nuked,of course), bacon, and bagel or croissant (I had both), plus French toast. I could have had the oats of honey granola with yogurt or just fruit and bread. I could have had the whole lot had I asked for it. Did I mention that I love first class?

After a riotous week in Rio, a glorious get-away in Gloria, a brief love affair with Leblon, I was (almost) ready to go home. Sure, I’d miss the acai and the frango fritters, the agua de coco and the copious canned cerveja, but it was time to say goodbye to Brazil.

Would I, could I be so lucky on the return flight? 35G. As I made my way to the back of the plane my fate was sealed. Dinner was a choice of chicken or pasta. I chose the chicken served with gnocchi, a tomato-ish sauce, sauteed spinach, a small salad with a packet of Italian dressing and a cracker with cheese spread, and bread and butter. I paired my meal with a can of Miller Lite. A chocolate chip cookie in a wrapper for dessert. Classic.

Breakfast? I slept through it (yes, this time I had to take the sleeping pills and sleep curled up like The Bunny on the seat), however woke just in time to walk to the back of the plane and get the nuked croissant, banana, granola bar, OJ, and a coffee before landing.

I was dreaming of farofa and favelas….monkeys in the rain forest and men wearing yellow feathers in the subway. I was dreaming of Brazil.

A sad goodbye to the scene of much debauchery….
It’s hard to believe I haven’t reviewed Bluepointe until now. The restaurant is an Atlanta staple and the scene of so many memorable (and crazy!) evenings. Like crashing (former) Dallas Maverick’s Steve Nash’s private birthday bash upstairs and my own private birthday bash several years later, complete with champagne and lobster.

As I’ve said in a recent post, I’m a sucker for tradition. Or perhaps I’m merely a creature of habit. I always get the lobster at Bluepointe. In my many visits I have tried practically every dish until I discovered the lobster. Since then, I’ve been loyal to the 2lb. shellfish in curry.

The peanut crusted grouper is awesome and so are the scallops. The calamari appetizer used to be very spicy and amazing but it has become increasingly boring over the years with the predominant flavor being soy.

And ever since me and AD attended a Veuve party at Bluepointe I can’t seem to order anything else to drink there. Many bottles have been consumed since then.

My visit to Bluepointe last night was an exercise in irony. Or deja vu. I was wearing the blue dress, the same one I wore to my birthday dinner. I had champagne and lobster. And I was with LC….just a different one.

Seated at one of the more intimate tables near the bar where me and AD used to sit, LC was somewhat intoxicated and rather ravenous. I asked for a dish of the rice crackers they used to have at the bar but was disheartened to learn they no longer serve them. I would have dumped the snacks in my purse just for old time’s sake!

We started off with edamame and ordered two more appetizers to share. Wanting to try something different I chose the calamari salad. Although it has been many years, I always associate fried calamari on greens with one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants in New York called OG (Oriental Grill). Theirs was a perfectly assembled dish of impeccable field greens, fried calamari, and a slightly sweet Asian dressing.

I was impressed with Bluepointe’s version, with tempura calamari, arugula, sweet mango, crispy apple, cashews, and razor thin radish slices, lightly dressed with a subtly sweet Asian vinaigrette. A perfectly balanced composition, both in flavor and texture.

LC wanted to try the short rib wontons in umami broth. Umami is the culinary buzzword de jour, loosely translated as indescribable deliciousness. The Japanese are so cerebral. Three wontons filled with beef swam in a brown broth. Sorry, no umami, just a fistfull of salt in the overwhelmingly soy based broth. More champagne.

We had much better luck with the dependably delicious curry lobster. Served with baby asparagus, bok choy and Asian long beans in a slightly spicy yellow curry, it was as succulent as ever. The enormous lobster makes two generous entree portions. As a side, LC couldn’t resist the corn mash, yellow corn with lots of butter, which turned out to be his favorite dish of the evening.

For dessert I went back to my usual chai creme brulee. Not a fan of lemon sorbet I asked to substitute the orange sorbet which came out in a fun cube shape. The candied ginger on top of the crispy sugar really makes it special. We scarfed it down, along with another glass of champagne.

Now we were ready to dance!

B is addicted to Groupon. She’ll buy anything that’s a good deal….golf lessons, restaurant coupons, clown suits. Once you buy it, you are obligated to use it, no matter how ridiculous it might be. But her recent purchase of a $35 food voucher at La Fourchette for a mere $17 was not ridiculous at all, so we made a reservation for Saturday night.

La Fourchette mean “the fork”, a reasonable monicker for a place that serves French inspired cuisine that one should probably eat with a fork….or does it imply something more?

The restaurant’s sterile glass exterior on busy Piedmont Avenue belies its simple yet inviting space, warmly lit and full of young and trendy diners. B arrived tout de suite and we proceeded to order a couple of glasses of inexpensive bubbly. Cheers!

We had so much catching up to do we almost forgot to look at the menu. Among the list of ten appetizers, a couple intrigued her and a couple intrigued me. I would have tried the smoked trout tart with pink lady apples, or even the foie gras despite its unfortunate au torchon preparation, especially since it was paired with roasted black mission figs and brioche, but it was the pan roasted sweetbreads that made both B and I salivate.

Served on a smudge of slightly bitter fennel puree, and slightly bitter kale, the sweetbreads were thickly sliced and perfectly accented with sweet and tart cherry confiture…a bit of each on my fork reminded me that the generous portion and overall deliciousness made it worth the hefty $16 price tag. There went half our coupon already!

B and I moved on to red wine, giving a spicy red zin a try, at $12 a glass. Our server recommended the grilled loup de mer. B often orders fish so she took his advice. It was served with leeks, crispy fingerlings, and saffron emulsion. She loved the little discs of potato. My bite was tasty but hardly memorable.

I thought momentarily about the bistro steak frites with sauce bordelaise and the grilled pork loin, but was predictably compelled to order the duck confit instead.

Two thigh and leg portions with nicely crisped skin were placed upon a generous heap of black eyed peas and leeks. I was looking forward to the leeks but the side was really just peas…and their eyes were green. It was an odd choice to pair with duck. Much like pork and foie gras, a sweet accompaniment somewhere on the plate is always a nice contrast to rich duck meat. Ironically, the veal was served with apricot puree and brocollini….probably a better match with the duck.

I rarely order chicken because, well, it’s just chicken. But La Fourchette’s roasted chicken with local okra, tomato confit, bacon, and basil puree sounds really good. Entrees ranged from a somewhat boring vegetarian plate with all the sides mentioned above for $18 to B’s loup de mer coming in at a whopping $32.

Much like the interior of the space itself, the duck was nice, just not compelling. Dessert, on the other hand, was a deliriously delicious plate of little square beignets tossed with orange blossom honey and sliced almonds with a bit of honey ice cream on the side. Crisp, light, and sticky, all at the same time.

I hate to belabor the point, but the expenditure at La Fourchette was surprisingly high, especially considering our $35 coupon. But we forked it over, with the sweet memory of the beignets and the last sips of cote de rhone softening the blow.

3133 Piedmont Road 404-748-1229

A holiday rerun, exactly one year ago….Pizza, and who makes the best, is a subject that elicits a great deal of passion from practically everyone. How can anyone claim to be the best? Some folks like it saucy, others like it dry. My parents like cracker-thin crust while my neighbor prefers hand-tossed. The battle between New York and Chicago styles is legendary, each camp fiercely loyal to their pie.

Antico Pizza Napoletana has received more press, mostly positive, than any other new pizza joint in recent memory. Their artisan pies are STG certified “Verace Artiginale” by the European Commission’s Istituto Mediterraneo di Certificazione.

Owner and pizzaiolo Giovanni Di Palma hails from New Jersey and New York, via his obvious Italian heritage. A visit to his grandparents’ village near Naples inspired him to open Antico in October of 2009, using flour from Molino San Felice made in the village of Cimitile.

Antico means “ancient”, and Di Palma adheres to the methods and traditions of true pizza di Napoli, hand-kneading the dough daily and charring the pizzas in one of three hand-made Acunto ovens, world renowned for their intense 900 degree heat contained by ancient Santa Maria brick and volcanic rock from Mount Vesuvius.

Specific ingredients are required for the pizza to be STG certified, including fresh Mozzarella di Bufala from Campania and San Marzano tomatoes.

LC and I visited Antico last Friday, needless to say with a few preconceived expectations based upon all the hoopla. Housed in a free-standing white brick building, the space is industrial, yet exudes a certain warmth, no doubt from the hot-as-hell ovens, and from the man himself, who brings his passion for pizza to the table every single day.

Still without a liquor license, we picked up a six-pack of Peroni and I toted a chilled bottle of Lambrusco….gotta keep it real! The original main dining area is separated from the kitchen only by the counter where Giovanni and his pizzaioli toss and top the dough. Enough wooden picnic tables are available to seat around 60 people comfortably and there were likely that many there on Friday. Each table has a big roll of brown paper towels and plastic cups. Who needs fancy? We relaxed with our drinks and waited as the speakers belted out Italian opera…..classic.

We tried two pizzas, the first a Margherita, topped simply with Mozzarella di Bufala, fresh basil, and San Marzano tomatoes. I had heard Antico’s pizzas were “wet” so I was a bit worried. I’m not a fan of saucy pizzas, and I like the crust extra-crispy.

Giovanni himself brought it out and cut it at our table. It was a big pie, perhaps 18″, so I was impressed that the center was not soggy. However, the ratio of tomato to cheese was certainly heavy on the tomato. In keeping with the casual service, the pizzas are served on metal sheets on brown paper.

Our second pizza was the Capricciosa topped with mushroom, artichoke, prosciutto cotto, and bufala. LC discovered the condiment table with hot pepper flakes, pickled hot red peppers, and parmesan and got us some of each. We both preferred this pie, especially with the addition of more spice! But I found that once I had eaten the central part of a slice, I was left with about 3″ of crust, so I had amassed a pile of “ends”. LC, on the other hand, ate all the crust, causing him to feel “full of dough” later….LOL.

I was on my third slice when Giovanni pulled up a chair at the end of our table, poured himself a glass of my Lambrusco, and started talking about his passion for pizza, commenting “It’s a lot more than great pizza. Look around the room, everyone’s got a smile on their face. Nobody’s texting, they’re enjoying the experience.” So true.

You may have guessed by now, it wasn’t my favorite pizza ever, but I loved the atmosphere. From the music to the frenetic pace of the smiling pizzaioli in the kitchen, Antico feels authentic. Perhaps I would return for the Bianca, or white pizza, with four Italian cheeses. Or maybe I would try of of their calzoni that are so enormous they are cut into individual servings.

But our experience wasn’t over yet….

The biggest culinary revelation of the evening, and perhaps of the year, was the cannolis. Ever since I ate one at a deli in New York, I’ve hated them. I mean loathe them. Quite a bit has been written about Antico’s cannolis so I knew I would have to try one. I thought we’d just take one home to be polite but Giovanni insisted I needed to eat it immediately after he made it.

Di Palma’s cannolis are fresh. He makes the thin, crisp cookie shells and fills them with old fashioned cream that is remarkably light and ethereal. He brought over two huge cannolis, one with chocolate chips and the other flavored with Nutella. I took a bite. Damn! Not even the same species as those tiny, hard, stale things in New York filled with disgusting frosting.

That was my first real cannoli and I can assure you it won’t be my last. The best in Atlanta? Damn straight. But the battle of the pizza pies will surely rage on.

1093 Hemphill Avenue 404-724-2333 (phone orders accepted)

A lovely dinner….
Pour a glass of wine, sit back and relax folks….this is gonna take a while. Nine courses with wine pairings plus a couple of “gifts from the chef” spanned a solid four hours.

Finding the Quinones Room is somewhat of a treasure hunt….BB and I followed the signs, walked through the breezeway, and down the stairs to the door with the big Q. Neutral curtains parted to reveal an elegant seating area furnished in shades of chocolate and cream. The intimate dining room is to the right with only ten tables covered in white linens. Antique mirrors, Venetian glass chandeliers, and lacquered wood frame chairs with a vintage patina lent a quiet air of Southern moneyed aristocracy.

At first, the service seemed too serious for my taste. There was a selection of water and the delivery of four mini cheese bread sticks before our server, Rafael, introduced himself in a barely audible hush. We would be having the prix fixe menu with the wine pairings….a multi-course marathon that began with a kir royale.

Bread service arrived on a wooden skewer. Various sizes and kinds of bread, from sourdough to onion, complimented by soft, sweet cream butter.

Two mini cheese gougeres were devoured tout de suite, as well as a shot of celery root soup with red onion jam, both gifts from Chef de Cuisine David A. Carson. Little bites that packed big flavor.

Krug Grand Cuvee champagne was poured in advance of our first course. I knew it would be a crudo, something ultra-light. Atlantic blue fin tuna, sashimi style, and Kumamoto oysters were paired with tiny cubes of Asian pear, slivers of radish, the bowl decorated with droplets of shoyu, a type of soy sauce. This would be the only dish I didn’t really enjoy.

For lack of a better monicker, the “drink boy” came by with a 2005 sauternes for our next dish, a foie gras terrine. I commented to BB that I usually prefer foie gras seared. I also noted something peculiar….the drink boy once again short-poured my wine. Perhaps that is a standard practice in fine dining? To pour an almost imperceptibly short glass for the lady at the table.

A square plate came out with a square of the foie gras terrine, accompanied by three, questionably four, preparations of Fuyu persimmon and a little mound of spiced cocoa nibs. There was a persimmon puree, a dollop of persimmon preserves, and a slice of candied persimmon. I believe the streak of orange-y powder along the side was freeze-dried persimmon, but I could be wrong. Each little bite of the decadent foie gras was immaculate, with a smudge of sweet persimmon. What could make it even better you ask? Four baby popovers made with a mild cheese and the slightest hint of sweetness. Heaven.

A row of tiny Nantucket Bay scallops sat upon a cauliflower puree, each one topped with black pearls of caviar. Sauvignon blanc, fresh with hints of grapefruit, paired nicely. Rafael had loosened up as I quizzed him about his former employment. Turns out he has always worked for Quatrano and Harrison, the pair that own Baccanalia, Floataway, Abbattoir, and Star Provisions.

Loup de mer, a simple white fish, was made stunning with its toppings of earthy black trumpet mushrooms and baby potato chips made with fingerlings, all resting on a bed of melted Spring onions. Chardonnay was the obvious choice for wine.

Now things would take a turn for the rich, heavy, dark. Drink boy poured glasses of a 2007 pinot noir from Willamette Valley as the dance of service continued with unwavering steadiness. Truffled cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke provided the creamy base for a chunk of braised veal cheek, so tender it fell apart at the mere sight of my fork. But first BB and I sliced into the crispy veal sweetbreads that crowned the meat, lightly fried in a coating with a hint of nutmeg. He loves sweetbreads. If they were always this good and tender, I can see why. Although small, the braised veal was filling, containing quite a bit of fat. It was a very rich dish.

The menu listed loin of loin next. Huh? We chuckled…..was it loin of lion? Hilarious. Turns out it was venison. Louis M. Martini Reserve cabernet sauvignon was poured….still short. Glazed young vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots, and beets were scattered beneath two thick slices of roasted venison, cooked perfectly medium rare. Unlike the veal, there was not a speck of fat, yet the dense meat was succulent and smooth, the outside of the roast coated with a spice rub containing a hint of clove. A dollop of caramelized onion stole the show…I savored every sweet bit of it.

On to the cheese course, a segue into dessert. Cumberland, a medium bodied cheese with little holes, reminded me of fontina. It was paired with Ellijay apples, both preserved and cubed, and young arugula.

Time for dessert wine, what appeared to be a Spanish tawney. Our first dessert (yes, there were two!) was a glass cup layered with cranberries, brown sugar streusel, then toasted meringue, providing intense tanginess, crunchy sweetness, and fluffy chewiness, a crazy combo of textures.

Our final course was two dense cubes of Valrhona chocolate ganache with a small scoop of frozen chocolate custard on the side. The best part of the dessert was the thickened sweet potato puree, sprinkled with crispy chocolate nuggets.

Quinones Room lived up to the hype, the seamless execution a study in precision, both in service and in the food itself. Was it the best meal I’ve ever had? Quite possibly.

1198 Howell Mill Road 404-365-0410

A holiday rerun for your enjoyment (or disappointment, whatever the case may be):
Coming off a six year media love-fest, the guys at Muss & Turner’s, Todd Mussman and Ryan Turner, expanded to Joel’s former space, calling it Local Three. The third partner is chef Chris Hall, a self-taught cook and Atlanta native.

First, I must tell you the directions on their website are completely confusing. I was pretty sure I knew how to get there off I-75, remembering my two visits to Joel years ago. But admittedly, I have a condition I call “direction dyslexia”, so I can’t trust my instincts where directions are concerned. B was meeting me there and helped me get to the parking garage, along with a security officer. Once at the right building, we still had a hard time finding the restaurant. It was a little frustrating.

All the frustration melted away as soon as we walked into the warm and inviting space. There was no hint of its former stuffy self. Taupe and deep purple walls are a soothing backdrop to the rustic wood furnishings, a trio of pig paintings, a velvet Elvis, and soft, flattering lighting. It is gorgeous.

The trio’s sense of humor is immediately evident, not only in the kitschy decor but in the hilarious menu descriptions, like the “chicken liver mousse a.k.a. meat butter”. I love it that they don’t take themselves, or the food, too seriously.

Like at M & T’s, these boys use as much locally sourced produce and meat as possible. From the design of the space to the menu, it’s as if Abattoir and Miller Union had a precocious child. You will notice that every price on the drink menu ends in a “3″.

B and I were excited about our dining experience, having heard only good things about Local Three. We wanted to start off with a glass of red wine, both of us choosing the Guenoc Victorian Claret, described as “a Big One”…..no surprise there!

On to appetizers, we tried a couple of cheeses and two selections of charcuterie because they were made in-house by Mussman and listed under the heading “Notorious P.I.G.”. Gotta love it. Served with pear compote, honey, and crisp flatbread, I liked the presentation, and it was just perfect with the wine.

With the current battle of the Brussels sprouts in full swing, we ordered their crispy Brussels, listed under “snacks”. Stay tuned for a separate post on those.

B became fixated by the menu’s section called “Today” featuring items that are limited in quantity. In particular, she had her heart set on the salad of Hammock Hollow Farms baby Spring lettuce, radish, Blue cheese, and herb croutons. It didn’t excite me, but the salad of Winter greens on the regular “Appetizers” section certainly did. I make my own Winter greens salad so I was curious to see how Local Three’s version would compare.

A compilaton of frissee, dried apricots, cherries, raisins, toasted walnuts, and blue cheese, it was not as good as it sounded due to the salty, lackluster dressing. My salad kicks their salad’s ass. B’s greens also suffered under a over-salted dressing she described as juvenile. Both servings were large enough to share.

For soups we again chose one from “Today”, an irresistible dish called “Hot Crab on Crab Action”, Charleston she-crab soup topped with Alaskan King crab claws. If you are unfamiliar with she-crab soup, it is made with the roe from the female crab (hense she-crab), cream and sherry. The soup is usually rich and creamy but I found this version to be somewhat lighter with an abundance of crab meat, both in the soup and on top. I thought it was very good but B was not impressed.

We also ordered a soup from “Appetizers”, the creamy sweet potato soup, a disappointing puree that B compared to baby food. The smoked bacon, peanuts, and scallions on top did little to salvage it.

B tried the Chesapeake Bay wild striped bass for her entree, while I went with the grilled Cervena venison. Her fish, served with honey roasted turnips, rutabega, escarole, lemon, and dates, hit all the right notes. It was a fantastic dish.

I ordered my venison medium-rare. With black pepper spaetzle, spring Vidalia onion and huckleberry jus, it was a hearty plate. My meat was, unfortunately, on the rare side, and not as tender as one would wish for. A solid Winter dish.

Chef Hall stopped by inquiring about our meal. He’s a big dude. I’m not sure if he knew we were food writers but chances are, he would have visited either way.

B and I rarely skip dessert, this time sharing the pecan pie. My first impression was that it was more crust than filling. A few nibbles of it with the vanilla ice cream on top was more than enough sugar.

I wanted to love it, I wanted the three local pigs to wow us. No doubt, I will try Local Three again, if not only for its owners’ sense of humor and commitment to quality. To quote the menu “you can’t argue with delicious”.

But you can argue with mediocre.

3290 Northside Parkway NW 404-968-2700

Have you been to the Botanical Gardens’ holiday light extravaganza? We haven’t either, although we did try to go. When he couldn’t purchase tickets online, LC called to make sure we could just show up. So we piled into two cars and sat on Piedmont for 30 minutes, just to be told it was sold out.

How can walking through a freakin’ garden be sold out for God’s sake? Nature can’t sell out! Dejected, we headed north on 400, not sure where we would land.

Some of us were hungry, others were not. LC and I had planned on getting food at the Botanical Gardens, but alas, it was not to be. We spotted several potential dining destinations, but we had to keep it simple having two kids along.

Then I spotted On The Border, the Tex-Mex spot that sits in the enormous parking lot in front of Old Navy and Nordstrom Rack in Buckhead. My only previous visit was with AD years ago, and our main purpose was drinking margaritas, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from the food, although I suspected it would be rather unimpressive since this is a chain that has invaded all but 12 states in the U.S.

On The Border doesn’t proclaim to be authentic Mexican. They do, however, offer plenty of dishes one would find in my favorite country….tacos, carne asada, grilled fish. And lots of your Americanized standards like nachos, enchiladas, and a thing called a Big Bordurrito that looks like a Burrito on steroids.

We started with tableside guacamole, and the usual chips and salsa, which would suffice for those that weren’t very hungry. Meanwhile, LC ordered the fish tacos, two big corn tortillas with fried whitefish and slaw. Me and TT tried the “street style mini tacos”….three little corn tortillas with jack cheese and fajita steak served with sliced avocado. The tiny tacos were somewhat reminiscent of those in Cabo, except they had melted cheese and recognizable meat. Both taco meals came with rice and black beans, and were under $10.

I must admit, I was surprised by the freshness, flavor, and quality of the food. No, the corn tortillas were not the best ever, but I’ve had worse at some tacquerias in my neighborhood for double the price.
Not surprisingly, nothing was spicy enough for me and LC, even with the addition of diced jalapenos.

We were stuffed but LC just couldn’t pass up dessert, and neither could I since he wanted the sopapillas, fried dough with a hollow center that one traditionally fills with honey. These came with both chocolate and honey for dipping.

Lucky for us, On The Border wasn’t sold out of taste.

1 Buckhead Loop NE #130 404-816-3171

Sadly, we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Florida this year. It’s much more enjoyable having turkey, dressing, and this awesome dessert while wearing shorts and a T-shirt!

Me and the Bunny made our third visit to my parents’ place in Crystal River, Florida for Thanksgiving, feasting on roasted turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans (canned from their garden, of course), and my Mom’s homemade cranberry relish.

Then there are the sweet potatoes, frozen manufactured patties which we cut up and top with a few pecans and sugar-free maple syrup. I add marshmallows to a section for myself and my Dad. It’s the one anomaly in an otherwise healthy version of the traditional holiday meal. I top my green beans with Durkee Fried Onions to trash ‘em up a bit.

And I bought this superb bottle of red zin (2007 Liar’s Dice) from Murphy Goode, the winery where Atlanta’s very own Hardy Wallace landed that sweet job. We ate like escaped prisoners on a Carnival Cruise!

Then we did the unthinkable….we put on our bikinis (a horrific thought even for the skinniest chick) and went to the pool where I proceeded to get bitten over 100 times by no-see-ums. Yes, they do exist, and in fact, I could see ‘em. The next day I was covered with itchy bites to the extent that I thought I might have chicken pox. Happy Thanksgiving.

We rarely have room for dessert after consuming four helpings of turkey and all the fixin’s, but after a few hours we are ready for something sweet (but not cloyingly so). This recipe has become somewhat of a tradition for us. It’s a great apple cranberry crisp adapted from an Andrew Weil recipe and another similar one from a Prevention magazine.

So here’s the recipe! It’s a bit confusing because many of the ingredients are duplicated for the filling and the crumble topping so it’s best to be sober when you make it.

APPLE CRANBERRY CRISP

For the Filling

3 Cups apples, quartered and sliced thin (about 1/8″)
1 Cup fresh cranberries
1 tblsp. lemon juice
2 tblsp. Triple Sec
1 tblsp. agave nectar
1 tblsp. flour
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

For the Crumble Topping

3/4 Cup uncooked 1-minute oats
2 tsp. ground flaxseed
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
1/4 Cup agave nectar
1/4 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tblsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 X 9 glass casserole with oil. Combine dry ingredients for topping and set aside.

Mix all ingredients in the filling and spoon evenly into casserole dish. Add the oil and agave nectar to topping, mixing until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, then spread it over the fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered, then 30 minutes uncovered, or until brown and bubbly.

Let cool and serve in individual bowls, topped with whipped cream. Makes about 6 servings. Now pour yourself a nice glass of that zin and enjoy!

Just one of 80 restaurants participating in Taste of Atlanta October 22nd and 23rd!The Niyomkul family is to Thai food in Atlanta what the Bastianich family is to Italian food in New York. Charlie and Nan have given us an authentic taste of Thailand for many years with Tamarind (now closed), Tamarind Seed, and Nan.

Now their daughter DeeDee is at the helm of their latest operation, Tuk Tuk Thai Loft in the Brookwood Hills shopping center. Her focus is on street food, some of the same dishes her grandmother prepared as a street food vendor in Bangkok years ago.

Entering the tiny lobby, one is greeted by a shiny new motorized rickshaw, called a tuk tuk, complete with orange and white leather seating. It is surely a prop for many visitor photo opps, especially after a few drinks.

From there, guests take an elevator to the third floor which opens to reveal a gorgeous space, a brilliant renovation from its former incarnation as Taurus.

Greeted by Thaddeus Keefe, chef DeeDee’s fiance’ and business partner, he gave me a brief tour of the dining room and kitchen, each element brought from Thailand and painstakingly chosen by the couple. Speaking of their decision to open Tuk Tuk, Keefe quipped “We were going to get married but ended up having a baby instead (laughing)”.

Seated by the manager CY at a table next to a large shelf filled with Asian cookies and such in metal canisters, B and I ordered a bottle of red wine. We both loved the restaurant’s sleek decor with dark wood tables and elegant lighting. Each table had one odd chair. Naturally, I chose to sit in the lone tapestry armchair which was quite low, requiring CY to bring me a booster cushion without missing a beat. The staff was just that accomodating throughout our meal.

B joined me for a menu sampling that started off conservative but ended in full-on gluttony. Thaddeus recommended small tastes of several starters, beginning with a single serving of a popular street snack called mieng kum, beautifully presesnted on a spinach leaf with chopped peanuts, lime, ginger, onions, and coconut, the flavor of each ingredient clear and pronounced.

An assortment of skewers were presented, two each of beef, pork, and mini beef meatballs, suspended from a metal frame with dipping sauces below. Both B and I favored the beef with the tamarind chili sauce. A side of sticky rice in a tiny bamboo steamer reminded me of the sticky rice I used to get in New York, the size of a baseball, wrapped in plastic wrap.

The third item from the menu’s small plates was the hoy tod, a crispy omelette with mussels recommended by friends on Facebook. Sounded interesting, but with most things described as crispy, it was battered and fried. It was topped with scallions, cilantro and “three flavored chili sauce”. However, I found the main flavor of the sauce to be sweet. Somehow, I think I would have preferred it un-fried.

Thaddeus suggested yum woon sen, a salad composed of minced seafood and chicken on cellophane noodles with fresh lime, onions and a touch of palm sugar. The sliced raw cabbage served alongside reminded me of larb, however, diners aren’t expected to wrap the meat in the leaves. I really enjoyed the spicy salad with the fresh, crisp cabbage…..yum! (pun intended)

Another recommendation from Thaddeus was the kra pow moo made of minced pork with Thai sweet basil and garlic. A mound of rice on the same plate was topped with a battered and fried egg. B and I like our Thai food spicy as hell. With each subsequent dish, we found the heat becoming more and more intense.

For our final savory dish we chose the Panang curry, substituting shrimp for the beef. Rich and spicy, the fragrant curry was excellent over the jasmine rice, full of plump shrimp.

Long before our visit I had read their menu online. The Bangkok snow cone caught my attention. It sounded like my favorite Vietnamese dessert made with shaved ice, coconut milk, red beans, and jellies. Nothing could stop me from ordering it, not even the six courses I had just consumed!

Well, I wish someone had stopped me. The Bangkok snow cone was horrific. An enormous bowl of shaved ice was drizzled with a bright pink “rose syrup” that tasted like cherry. My experience with red beans in Asian desserts is the sweetened canned variety, however, these were regular beans, and I swear there were garbanzos in there too! Texturally, the jellies were good but could not overcome the abomination of the dessert as a whole.

Please go to Spice Market and order the Thai jewels for a delicious riff on the traditional Asian dessert made with shaved ice. Or better yet, go to any Pho house on Buford Highway and point to the picture of a parfait on the menu for the real deal.

DeeDee suggested the coconut tapioca pudding. B wanted fried bananas too. So the kitchen combined the two for a decadent treat that we both loved!

1745 Peachtree Road 678-539-6181