Hot Dish Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1140 Hammond Drive 678-736-8260

The first warm days of the year usually find me on a patio with a margarita in my hand. Spring fever! Last week I left work early to enjoy a relaxing afternoon of sunshine with my man.

We went to Tijuana Garage in L5P just down the street. They used to have a lush patio several years ago, then the place changed names a couple of times, finally reverting back to the original name and concept. In the past, the food was alright, but like many restaurants with a great patio, it was more about the atmosphere.

I was hoping the food had improved over the years, noting the revised menu online. A whole page is devoted to tacos, cashing in on the current taco craze. If you can wrap it in a tortilla, it’s a taco. They offer an Athenian taco, just like a gyro, and one called Chee-burger, Chee-burger….no explanation necessary. Twenty-eight tacos to choose from including six vegetarian options.

LC and I chose the hightop in the corner and ordered some queso with jalapenos, guacamole, and most importantly, margaritas. I knew he would love the margarita called Skinny Monster made with Herradura Silver tequila and fresh squeezed lime juice because the menu says “say goodbye to sour!” He hates sour mix. They were $8.99 each and not available by the pitcher, unfortunately.

Along with the menu changes, the patio had been renovated. It wasn’t nearly as cute as I remembered. The uncomfortable black metal tables and chairs were still there, the epitome of discomfort, and there were fewer plants.

Our salt-rimmed margaritas arrived with a bucket of really good chips. I was impressed with the consistency and flavor of the queso as well as the guacamole and salsa.

Although it was a beautiful afternoon, it was getting a little chilly so we moved to a table near the patio bar, partially protecting us from the elements, yet still outdoors. Then we ordered tacos, two each, with a side of sweet potato fries.

My love of sweet potatoes is no secret. Fried, baked, souffled, pureed, I love ‘em any way I can get ‘em. I was expecting fries cut lengthwise, but instead, Tijuana Garage cuts them like thick waffle fries. If they were regular potatoes I wouldn’t have liked them, but with sweet potatoes, anything goes. They were crisp and yummy.

I ordered a Playa del Carmen taco filled with blackened shrimp, pico de gallo, Mexican slaw and chipotle aioli and a carne asada taco with grilled skirt steak, diced onion, pico de gallo, jalapenos, and fresh cilantro, both on corn tortillas for $3.99 each.

Playa del Carmen is one of my favorite towns in Mexico. The beaches are beautiful and the food is spicy! So I was a bit disappointed with my shrimp taco, especially since it was on a flour tortilla. I added some guac and ate it anyway, however I sent back the carne asada in favor of the corn tortilla I had ordered.

The best tacos I’ve ever eaten were in Playa del Carmen, made with incredibly tender beef, diced onion, and cilantro on homemade corn tortillas. That was five years ago and ever since, I have searched in vain for that taco. But no one has been able to match the tortillas’ intense corn flavor. Tijuana Garage was no exception, although their carne asada stands up to any other in town.

At this point, both LC and I were on our third margaritas. He was enjoying his Cabo fried fish taco made with the same toppings as my shrimp taco and a Tennessee Twister filled with slow-cooked pork, housemade bacon BBQ sauce, southern slaw, and jalapenos. I tried a bite, but I’m not a BBQ lover so it was just OK for me.

It was now evening so we moved yet again to a booth indoors. I had never been inside the restaurant and was surprised how spacious it was. More margaritas.

Along with tacos, Tijuana Garage serves all of the expected Tex-Mex favorites including burritos, quesadillas, and fajitas. They also offer weekend brunch with creative dishes like cinnamon plantain crepes and a breakfast relleno.

A shot of Herradura Silver here is $7.50, which doesn’t sound so bad until you know that it is $3 at Pure. If I was judging them strictly on tacos, I may give an edge to The Original El Taco. Aside from the high drink prices, we really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, inside and out. We will definitely return to enjoy the patio in the months to come!

351 Moreland Avenue 404-537-2858

When the craving for Mexican food strikes, it is nearly impossible to ignore. Along with the spicy food, however, is the tequila, so I try to stay as close to home as possible in case a cab is required.

There are several options near my hood, from El Azteca to Agave, but the winner for excellent margaritas, chips, and tacos is The Original El Taco. I dragged LC along on a recent taco binge. Frankly, it didn’t take much persuasion….he’s as fond of the burn as I am.

The festive restaurant was full with a thirty minute wait so we were given a buzzer and some chips for prizes when they spin the big wheel. Taking a seat at the bar we immediately ordered a couple of their margaritas made with fresh lime and agave nectar. At $10 each they are pricey, but LC loathes sour mix so they were well worth the extra couple of bucks.

El Taco’s updated menu has a section called “Get ‘em Before They’re Gone”….seasonal favorites that come and go. I’m a sucker for that kind of marketing and even more of a sucker for anything with sweet potatoes so I had to try the taquito that also included the irresistible ingredients of pork carnitas and jalapenos, while we waited at the bar.

Those first margaritas went down fast. The chick next to me ordered a skinny margarita. I would have one too, please! A great choice to wash down the fried taquito, LOL. Topped with crispy slaw dressed with crema, the taquitos (there were two) contained big chunks of sweet potato and pulled pork. A solid start.

Just then our buzzer went off and we were seated, my first time sitting inside. And, we were right next to the salsa bar so I got a sample of each one, plus a boatload of chopped cilantro. Ready for chips, cheese dip, salsas, and guacamole! El Taco’s chips are thin and perfectly salty. Their cheese dip is addictive, made with a blend of melted white Mexican cheeses.

The guac is chunky but rather plain, seasoned only with lime juice and salt, then topped with crumbled queso and sliced radishes. It could really use a handful of cilantro, chopped onion, jalapeno, and tomato, and lose the queso. Then it would be kickass, just like mine! Sure, diners can add those things from the salsa bar but wouldn’t it just be simpler to make it right to begin with? Just sayin’.

Our tacos arrived as we were polishing off another round of skinny margaritas. LC got the fried fish taco with jicama-serrano slaw, sprouts and sunflower seeds and the grilled shrimp taco with dried tomatoes, pickled cabbage, lime, and cumin. I managed to get a bite of the shrimp before he gobbled ‘em both up.

My favorite taco at El Taco is the red chili steak with crispy onions and tomatillo-lime salsa. It comes on a flour tortillas but I always get mine on corn. For my second taco I ordered the chorizo with yuca and Fresno arbol salsa. I remembered it being much better. My red chili steak, however, was too awesome to share.

Someday I’m gonna try one of the Mexican “pizzas”, grilled flatbreads topped with all sorts of goodies like their flavorful meats, avocados, and refried black beans. Maybe next time.

By the way, we didn’t win any prizes on the big wheel. Maybe next time.

1186 N. Highland Avenue 404-873-4656

In our futile search for the Georgia Kentucky game on Saturday, LC and I stopped in first at El Taco, then at Pure Taqueria, only to discover no one could get the channel. What what?

Tired of driving, we decided to have a bite to eat at Pure. I was craving guacamole. More importantly, I needed a drink. It was prime time Saturday night but the place was pretty quiet. Seated on the patio, we each ordered a shot of Herradura silver and a Pure margarita on the rocks.

Pure has great cheese dip, topped with pureed jalapenos. Their guacamole could use some cilantro and jalapeno but is generally not offensive. Smoky salsa is great with their new improved thinner chips.

Except on this visit. The chips and dips arrived quickly but fifteen minutes later and still no drinks! LC went inside to check on them. When margaritas were finally delivered, they were extremely sour.

In the mean time, we had been eating the cheese dip and guacamole, both of which were so salty they were nearly inedible. I didn’t need to order my margarita with salt, I could have just wiped some of the cheese around the rim. How can they fuck up something so simple?

After another incredibly long wait, our margaritas were replaced with new ones made with freshly squeezed limes and agave nectar by the very understanding manager. Much improved but there was no excuse for the slow service and mediocre food. Sure, we didn’t eat much but why risk more over-exposure to sodium?

Pure, I need a break from you. But, like with all break-ups, the bad memories will subside over time and by Spring I may give you a chance to make it up to me.

My love affair with Pure may be over for now, but our evening was not as we headed for yet another destination with a totally different outcome….to be continued tomorrow!

On this first day of Fall, I’m already missing Summer. There are few things I enjoy more than sitting outside on a hot, sunny day drinking margaritas with friends!

Last weekend the weather was perfect for the patio at Pure. P and L joined me and LC there for a pre-concert tequila toast and tacos. A round of Herradura shots with salted limes got the party started, followed by margaritas, both classic and frozen.

We ordered the usual chips, salsa, queso, and guacamole, but the chips were anything but usual. Rather than the extra-thick ones Pure usually serves, the baskets of chips were wonderfully thin…..loved ‘em! Strangely, the guacamole came with a platter of the old thick variety of chips. Their gringo style queso dip is some of the best in town topped with pureed jalapenos.

I try to order a different entree each time I visit Pure so this time I had the beef sopes con carne asada, two housemade corn-masa cakes piled high with refried beans, seared flank steak, lettuce, chopped tomato, queso fresco and sour cream. I could only eat one (what what?)…..the second one making a great dinner the next day.

L ordered a salad, perhaps with the fish? And the boys got tacos. LC had a combo of some sort….fish, shrimp, pork. Everyone enjoyed their food, the weather and the company.

Another round of tequila shots, more margaritas, and we were ready to head to The Variety Playhouse to see one of P’s favorites, Big Head Todd and the Monsters….a fun show!

Having already had entirely too many margaritas at a wedding party, LC and I ended up at Goin’ Coastal, lured back by their addictive watermelon jalapeno margaritas. This time we sat at the bar for drinks and a snack.

My first impressions of Goin’ Coastal were mixed at best. Neither of our favorite dishes, the cheese grits or the cornbread pudding, contained seafood….an odd fact at a seafood restaurant.

So on our follow up visit, we decided to try one thing that we missed the first time, the crab cakes. Two fat cakes came on a bed of red pepper sauce and corn. They appeared to be slightly charred, but the flavor was anything but burnt. Lots of big chunks of crab meat and little filler made them a winner.

I couldn’t pass up a repeat visit with their stellar cornbread pudding. Baked in its own ramekin, it was delivered smoldering hot, straight out of the oven. I told LC it was too hot to eat but did he listen? No, he has a burnt tongue to prove it. The savory pudding manages to be dense and light at the same time with a touch of sweetness from the corn. Love it.

There are plenty of items on the menu I haven’t tried that may further redeem Goin’ Coastal. If nothing else, you can be sure I’ll be back for the watermelon jalapeno margaritas!

1021 Virginia Avenue 404-941-9117

Ladies! Save the big bucks for Botox! Atlanta offers a variety of fun and inexpensive activities, here are a few of my favorites coming up:

Foodies & Fashionistas on Wednesday August 25th at Market at the W Hotel in Buckhead features some of Atlanta’s best boutiques showcasing the hottest Fall fashion trends while guests nibble on tasty morsels provided by Market. RSVP at rsvp@thereynoldsgroupinc.com by August 24th to receive a complimentary bellini when you arrive!

Piola in Midtown offers an on-going “apertivo” at their bar Monday through Friday from 6-9, with delicious Italian appetizers to get your evening off to a great (and free!) start. On Wednesdays only, starting at 7pm, ladies receive a bottomless glass of house red or white wine or sangria included in the purchase price of an entree or pizza.

Bluepointe’s Tuesday martini specials are practically an Atlanta tradition, but now they have stepped it up a notch with their new Half-Price Happy Hour Monday through Friday 4:30-7:30. Enjoy half-price appetizers and select wines and specialty cocktails for only $5.

If you can’t wait until next week, jump in your car right now and head over to Fontaine’s in the Virginia Highlands for half-price oysters, crab legs, and shrimp until 7pm tonight (Friday August 20th).

Back to work Monday got you stressed out? Grab a friend and go to Noche for all-u-can-eat tapas, only $10 and chill out with their dangerously inexpensive margaritas for just $3 each. Then call in sick on Tuesday!

Driving through my neighborhood a few months ago, I noticed a new restaurant had quickly taken over Figo’s old location. It would have been hard to miss, with its red awning sporting a catchy name and tagline, Goin’ Coastal….a sustainable seafood joint.

My curiousity piqued, I googled it. The original location is in Canton. Happily, I do not know exactly where that is. I’m a city chick and easily develop amnesia regarding suburbs, not to mention my direction dyslexia.

I love seafood, primarily shellfish. And the promise of super-fresh seafood fished from environmentally sound waters is certainly appealing! LC accompanied me, ready to do some serious seafood sampling.

Black and white photos of fishermen adorn the pale turquoise walls. Reddish wooden chairs with black leather seats and solid black wood tables sit upon concrete floors. The open kitchen and bar sit a few steps above the main dining room in the multi-level space. Pendant lights emit a soft glow, illuminating the blackboards with daily specials. Brown paper table-dressings add a casual flair to the fishy theme but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a chain. Almost too clean, it felt like it was a concept being groomed for franchising.

Starting in on the specials before taking our drink order, our server was clearly nervous. Perhaps it was her first day but as the evening wore on she proved to be quite competent. Water please.

She brought out a basket of what can best be described as corn muffins. Too cakelike in texture, straight-up cornbread would have been better. I needed a drink. For a seafood joint their cocktail list was quite intriguing. I ordered the coconut lime rickey and LC tried the watermelon jalapeno margarita.

We started off with sweet potato chips with a blue cheese dip, a bowl of she crab soup and a baked oyster sampler. I don’t know what I was expecting but the chips were just like the ones you can buy in a bag in the health food section at the supermarket. I guess I was hoping they would be very thickly sliced, or perhaps spiced with cayenne or black pepper or something. On the plus side, they were not at all greasy, just nothing special.

Our cocktails, however, were special! I enjoyed my rickey but it was LC’s watermelon jalapeno margarita that stole the show. Only mildly sweet with the fruit juice and slightly tart from a dash of fresh lime, it finished with a swift kick in the pants from the jalapeno. A salted rim was icing on the cake.

My only experience with she crab soup is, again, from a can at the supermarket. Called she crab because it is made using cream and the roe from the female crab (obviously), it has a distinct, rich flavor. LC and I agreed, Goin’ Coastal’s rendition of this seafood classic did have good flavor but there was something off about the texture.

I’m not an oyster lover but if I must partake, at least I’d rather have them cooked. So we ordered the baked sampler with two Rockefeller, two crab stuffed, and two parmasean garlic. On our order of six, some were huge, some were tiny. Of the three, the crab stuffed were my favorite.

Chef and co-owner Zach Kell brought out a plate of steamed side-striped shrimp from Alaska. Especially sweet, they required no seasoning at all, not even a dip in the drawn butter was necessary.

Along with the peel ‘n’ eat shrimp, our server placed a white ceramic dish on our table with three little white dots inside. Then, from a tiny metal pitcher, she poured water onto the dots, making them expand right before our eyes. They were like freeze-dried towelettes! I was very impressed.

By this time we were on our third watermelon jalapeno margarita each. They packed some heat but clearly not much alcohol. For an entree LC chose the freshly caught swordfish with cheese grits and collards on the side. Despite having tomatoes in it, I ordered the low country boil with scallops, shrimp, crab legs, and mussels plus a side of the jalapeno corn bread pudding.

Simply grilled, I thought the swordfish looked overcooked when it came to the table, but LC loved it. His grits were fantastic. He liked the collards because they weren’t cooked to mush, but they would have benefitted from a liberal dose of vinegar.

My low country boil was good, but not stellar. Fish stews are challenging due to the varying cooking times of different shellfish. The scallops were perfectly cooked leaving the shrimp a tad tough. Crusty bread that came with it was awesome. Although submerged in a tomatoey broth , the crab legs had to be cracked by hand. Thank goodness for the magic towelettes!

The savory and spicy jalapeno corn bread pudding, baked in its own ramekin, turned out to be my favorite dish.

There are many dishes on the menu we didn’t get to taste. I was interested in the fried Creole salad but our server would not endorse it. Lobster and peekytoe crab cakes sound delicious. And I wouldn’t turn down a duo of roasted and fried shrimp served on grits with andouille sausage gravy.

A couple more watermelon jalapeno margaritas went down as we chatted, finishing it all off with a mini chocolate cake with blueberry sauce.

I wanted to love it, I was hoping it would wow me. I think they take great care in their sourcing and I appreciate that but in the end, what works in a small town might not fly smack in the middle of the trendy Virginia Highlands. After all, we are food snobs.

1021 Virginia Avenue 404-941-9117

You might think I would be sick of guacamole and margaritas by our fourth day in Cabo, but you would be wrong. Even now, back in the states, I am craving a decent taco, looking forward to exploring some authentic tacquerias on Buford Highway!

After our appetizer tacos at O Mole Mio, B and I were strolling down a side street contemplating eating more when we were corraled by a dodgy guy offering free tortilla soup and sangria if we went to MigueLocos. Free soup you say? We followed him.

Thankfully he wasn’t a knife-wielding psychopath. We chose a table on the sidewalk with a view of the vibrantly painted interior of the restaurant with its kitschy yet inviting Mexican decor. It was obvious that most of their guests were American as English was spoken fluently.

A big bowl of tortilla soup was delivered, as promised. I thought it was quite tasty. B got the complimentary sangria which was pretty good. My margarita was perfect. Guacamole, chips, salsa, and queso with jalapenos were next. I dove into the gooey cheese, scooping it onto a corn tortilla. Everywhere we went the guacamole was great and MigueLocos was no exception.

No longer hungry but craving something fiery, I ordered the shrimp diablo. Really fresh and succulent, the shrimp were in a spicy sauce. Although I wouldn’t label it fiery, it was delicious.

My experiences with food in Cabo San Lucas were certainly consistent. Many dishes were served in a sauce and nothing was very hot and spicy. The corn tortillas were somewhat bland. I’m not sure if this is simply typical of the Baja region or if the food is dumbed down for American consumption. That would be a shame since most people these days are really seeking an authentic experience when travelling. Perhaps it’s the influence of shows like Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations or Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods, both on the travel channel. I can promise you we were not offered pig brain tacos or fried grasshoppers in Cabo!

After my poolside tequila coma, I rebounded nicely in anticipation of dinner somewhere outside the resort. JD’s buddy C lives in Cabo part-time and we had been calling throughout the day. He picked up B and I and we headed to his penthouse. Nice.

Everything in Cabo San Lucas is within walking distance so we headed to the marina where there are numerous seafood restaurants along the water, landing at La Galeria for no particular reason other than it’s decor was vibrant. I was hoping C knew where to eat but he is clearly not into food.

The setting was beautiful, the balmy weather perfect with a gentle breeze. The three of us took a table outside near the water and ordered a couple of margaritas. What could be more appropriate than fish at the marina? Their selection of marisco fresco was broad but we both settled on sea bass, B’s with a caper sauce and mine grilled with spices (I guess they called it blackened but that sounds so 1995). I also requested their cilantro sauce (how could I resist that!) and the mandatory guacamole on the side.

As we chatted and sipped our drinks, along came several friends of C who joined us. Our fish dishes arrived and so did more friends. Soon we had a table of eight.

Both B and I really liked the delicate white sea bass served atop buttery vegetables with a small mound of rice on the side. Her sauce was delicious as was my guacamole. I do wish my fish had been spicier. Later it was explained to me by a native that the food of the Baja Peninsula is not as fiery as that of the southeastern region of Mexico, “where the Mayans lived”, but he could have been full of shit.

After dinner we walked across the street to The Pink Kitty, a club owned by one of C’s friends. How appropriate.

La Galeria, Plaza Bonita 624-1431090