Hot Dish Review

Some complain that it’s difficult to find good food late at night in Atlanta. True, but it’s getting easier. Restaurants like Top Flr cater to those of us who sometimes eat dinner at midnight.

But after a night of drinking I often find I’m in the mood for something less refined than Top Flr, but more refined than Krystals. That’s where The Highlander comes in. Behind its low-brow rock ‘n’ roll atmosphere lurks a talented kitchen staff, making more than competent sandwiches, entrees, and bar food.

Me, B, and LC ended up there not long ago. Inside the cavernous yet smokey space, we chose a corner table. A few regular looking dudes were stationed at the bar, although it is more common to see tattoos and leather at this place. I would have been right at home back in the day.

It was late and a school night too, so we got on with the task of mindless late night eating. Calories do not count after midnight, right?I think B ordered a Reuben. LC got a Cuban with a side of mac ‘n’ cheese, and I tried the classic BLT with fries.

Once the food arrived there was utter silence. B and LC were clearly winding down as I sipped my last Miller Lite of the night. My BLT was devine, built upon two thick slices of toasted sourdough. Lots of thick, chewy applewood smoked bacon, ripe tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and pesto mayo. Seriously, the quality of each ingredient was stellar. The Highlander has fabulous fries, cut thin and perfectly crispy. Although not the best in town, LC’s mac ‘n’ cheese was pretty good.

This was certainly not my first visit to The Highlander. AD and I used to go there often to play Nudie Mega-Touch. I had an awesome gyro on one of those visits. And my friends SP and AA eat there frequently, as does SS, due to the fact that they still allow smoking (although last I heard AA quit). I barely recall some sliders that were just OK….not all of the food is awesome all of the time.

With an extensive menu ranging from Caesar salad to beef stroganoff and everything in between, they do a pretty damn good job.

931 Monroe Drive 404-872-0060

TC is so sweet but it’s already time for her to go back to TX. On the eve of her departure, along with her sis E, the three of us chicks were treated to a great lunch by her Dad LC.

We were going to go to Robek’s but LC veared off to Chequers Seafood Grill on the way, despite TC’s aversion to seafood of every kind. LC was wound up so he got a vodka martini, which in turn influenced me to also drink at 1:30pm during my workday (yes, I am that easily influenced). A glass of zin for me.

The decor of Chequers reminds me of a French brasserie with checkerboard floors, lots of wood, etched mirrors, and brass accents. The spelling of the name drives me nuts, though….makes me think it’s a cheesy chain when it is, in fact, an upscale seafood restaurant that specializes in fresh fish flown in daily.

Like many restaurants, their menu lacks focus to a degree, offering sushi rolls, lobster tamales, and Vietnamese crab spring rolls…..18 starters! Soups, entree salads, sandwiches, and 12 entrees ranging from the benign blackened chicken penne to the more daring San Francisco style cioppino. And this is a lunch menu! So many options had me and LC pondering our choice for quite some time, as we chatted with the girls.

E chose the panko fried shrimp with French fries. Holy shrimp Batman! TC ordered a side salad with carrots, cheese, and a chicken breast. Not on the menu. Our server was very accommodating.

LC and I split a bowl of Creole gumbo to start. Described as spicy, I found the base a bit too thick, and of course, not spicy enough. My spoonfuls contained more sausage than seafood, along with bits of okra, tomato, and white rice.

Once I spotted the green curry mussels I couldn’t be swayed otherwise. Plus a side of lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, it made for a bizarre pairing. Just as strange was LC’s combo of the roasted duck breast flatbread and a tuna sushi roll.

A smattering of cilantro and sweet potato hay added enough interest to the coconut milk and curry broth to make the mussels quite good. My lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, its thick pasta corkscrews great for holding onto sauces, found little to hold onto. What promised decadence was instead dry and only contained a few tiny bits of lobster…..somewhat disappointing. I like my mac baked and bubbling with cheeses. The truffled bread crumbs on top were a nice touch, however.

LC seemed to like his tuna roll. Roasted duck flatbread, another name for mini pizza, was topped with fig barbecue sauce, fontina, gorgonzola, provolone, red onion, and julienned apple. Sounds gooey and delicious, right? But it suffered the same fate as the mac, with little cheese to be found. The absense of gorgonzola’s pungent bite was particularly evident, although the sweet and salty flavors presented did work well together.

E loved her crispy shrimp and fries, sticking her last shrimp on TC’s leftover salad, “contaminating” it before it was boxed up to go. Funny.

Verdict? If variety is the spice of life, this place is over-seasoned! What’s better….to do 10 things perfectly or 50 things just OK?

Nevertheless, I would order the mussels again and certainly try a grilled fish dish or entree salad like the lobster cobb in the future.

236 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE 770-391-9383

HERE’S A RE-RUN WHILE I’M IN RIO!
Top Flr is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta for many reasons…food, ambiance, price, and service….they shine on all points! Those guys should give lessons on how to run a restaurant. Guests are usually greeted by Darren, one of the owners. Doesn’t hurt that he is English (and hot). The dining room upstairs (top floor) is cozy and they expanded the downstairs space last summer, but I still I prefer to sit at the original bar, although it isn’t quite the same since Adam’s departure. He was one of the original partners and selected the often obscure and wonderful wines on their list. He turned me on to anglianico, a spicy red that I’ve ordered ever since I tasted it.

Diners (and drinkers) are greeted by the smoky aromas of the kitchen….reminds me of a campfire so I especially enjoy eating there in the colder months.

The menu has evolved but several standards remain like the white bean hummus, duck confit pizza, lamb (now pork) skewers, and hangar steak. I can still remember the delicately flavored mussels from my first visit with d. Proteins are mostly a la carte, to be paired with one or two of their terrific sides. Salads are huge and fresh, the pastas are decadent comfort food. The original mac ‘n’ cheese left much to be desired but they have since improved it, and improved it again. It is now one of the best in town, with a creamy bechamel cheese sauce, baked with crispy breadcrumbs on top.

They used to do a duck confit pappardelle, reminiscent of the short rib version at the now-defunct Globe. Duck confit can still be found on a pizza, the current pie topped with pesto, applewood bacon, and grilled portobellos, and some sort of amazing cheese….smoked mozzarella perhaps? An artisan cheese plate is the perfect snack if you are sampling wines at the bar.

Many visits with AG completed my exploration of the Top Flr menu. The boring-sounding-but-surprisingly-not white bean hummus remains one of their most popular appetizers. I’ve had a fabulous scallop dish, a wonderful curry redolent of lemongrass and coconut milk, even the simple chicken delivers a mouthful of juicy, smoky flavor. Having tried practically every dish from appetizers to entrees, I once even ventured to order the tuna tartar flatbread with avocado. I don’t like tuna. I was amazing.

My first dessert there was one of the best things that ever crossed my lips. It was a cold Winter’s evening and me and LC had just stopped in for a nightcap, but my sweet tooth ached for something sinful….the caramelized pear tart with gorgonzola ice cream. Orgasmic.

Friday I introduced Top Flr to my new main squeeze ST. He ordered the salmon (which I admit I did not even try) with the stellar mac ‘n’ cheese (which I scarfed) and I finally had the crispy duck breast. The thick layer of fat left the crisped skin unedible….I wish they had rendered the fat, although the temp and flavor of the meat was perfect. I paired my entree with the sweet potato succhatash with pancetta, roasted peppers, jalapenos, and cream corn. It sounds a bit disjointed and would probably fare better with one less ingredient.

Two glasses of wine later, I craved something even sweeter than ST.
(Remember when Top Flr first opened and they did unusual chocolate truffles with spices and herbs?) Dried mission fig pudding cake (synonymous with bread pudding?) with berry compote….bring it on mama! Kickass.

I could regale you with more tales of Cote du Rhone and the crazy tobacco ice cream they once served, but suffice it to say, I’ve developed a relationship with this place. Is it love? Perhaps. And that just doesn’t happen every day.

674 Myrtle Street, just off Ponce 404-685-3110