Hot Dish Review

I have an aversion to meetings….sales meetings, strategy meetings, meetings to decide when to have more meetings. But I love lunch meetings. Food opens the door to discussion, to finding common ground. Lunch meetings are productive, and sometimes downright delicious.

Although I live nearby, I’m guilty of avoiding downtown Atlanta due to my fear of parking drama, which is often unfounded. Most restaurants have valet parking, like we discovered at Peasant Bistro. LC and I met two execs from the Georgia Aquarium there recently.

It was my first visit and I was immediately dazzled by the stunning space, with its sweeping staircase and delicate light fixtures suspended from the high ceiling. An abundance of windows lent a sunny atmosphere to the elegantly appointed space.

The lunch menu displays a smart selection of salads, sandwiches, and entrees, all priced at $16 or less. Fried green tomatoes make an appearance as an appetizer as well as the “T” in a gussied up BLT. Plenty of my favorite ingredients dotted the menu….bacon, avocado, caramelized onions, duck confit. Perhaps chef Michael Patria reads my blog!

Despite the array of potential deliciousness, my choice was easy: duck confit salad with goat cheese and roasted grapes, the latter calling to mind Scott Serpas’ house salad with his amazing blistered grape dressing. I chuckled as LC ordered the shrimp and grits, his cousin PC’s favorite dish. Must be a genetic thang.

The Aquarium folks both ordered…(gasp!) fish. The salmon salad, to be precise. Decorated with shoestring carrots and cucumbers and dressed with lime/ginger dressing, it likely had an Asian accent.

LC’s dish was comprised of creamy, cheesy grits with a spiced tomato cream sauce flavored with andouille sausage, topped with four enormous prawns. He allowed me one delectable bite.

Meanwhile, my salad was even better than I had envisioned. Ultra-fresh baby greens included fluffy tufts of frisee, my favorite. Chunks of confit displayed the subtle gaminess that sets duck apart from its poultry cousins. Roasted grapes popped in my mouth and provided the necessary sweet accompaniment to the rich meat. The menu didn’t specify what kind of dressing would be served but I was pleased with the citrusy vinaigrette….perhaps the same orange vinaigrette served with the roasted beet salad? It was a very impressive dish, although I would have liked a bit more of the goat cheese.

As we were leaving, a painting caught my eye. It looked like the work of Tony Hernandez. A server said the restaurant’s owner, Maureen, would know who painted it, but I certainly didn’t expect her to be there. Unaware I had inquired about the painting, and unaware I was a food writer, she was not only there, but made sure to say goodbye as we were leaving. Very impressive.

And yes, the painting was indeed by Tony Hernandez. From what’s on the walls to what’s on the plate, Maureen has great taste!

250 Park Avenue West NW 404-230-1724

I don’t get out much….out of the city, that is. But recently, LC and I had the pleasure of dining out with his cousin and his wife in their neck of the woods.

It’s not that I think restaurants in the suburbs are inferior, it’s simply a matter of convenience, or inconvenience. When there are an abundance of intown restaurants that fulfill my culinary cravings, why drive thirty miles? Especially when one might have a drink….or two.

Nevertheless, there we were, in Marietta, going to one of their neighborhood favorites, The Paper Mill Grill. The space was warm and inviting, with soft lighting and wood furnishings. Seated in a cozy booth, we started off with a round of various martinis, from peach to good old fashioned gin. We were particularly fond of the fish bowl placed on the shelf that separated us from the booth next door, but the colorful beta didn’t move….until we tapped the glass. He’s alive!

All of us were starving, so we ordered two flatbread appetizers and zucchini fries. The latter were especially greasy and didn’t warrant more than one bite. Of the two flatbreads, one was the special with smoked salmon, capers, and onions. Not so special. The other, however, was super delicious, topped with fig preserves, blue cheese, bacon and grapes. It’s a combination that could have been cloyingly sweet if poorly executed, but instead, was perfectly balanced.

LC’s cousin is as predictable as sunburns in Summer. He always, and I mean always, orders shrimp and grits if it is on the menu. He cleaned his plate. Despite having salmon on one of our appetizers, LC wanted more of the pink fish, this time grilled and served on a pool of creamed corn risotto. He too cleaned his plate.

Us chicks chose salads. L ordered the blackened grouper baby blue salad, an enourmous dinner portion of chopped veggies, strawberries, walnuts and blue cheese, with balsamic vinaigrette. I tried the warm spinach salad with grilled chicken breast, smoked bacon, avocado, chopped egg, and mushrooms with a warm apple bacon vinaigrette. All you have to say is bacon and avocado and I’m in….talk about predictable. Chewy bacon, fresh avocado, tender chicken and….(surprise!) blue cheese….yes, it was awesome.

No room for dessert other than the liquid variety. We sipped our last martinis while listening to the guy playing acoustic guitar in the bar area. Too bad Paper Mill Grill is in the burbs.

305 Village Parkway NE 678-766-1500

LC likes martinis, or shall I say, he likes vodka shaken with olive juice served in a martini glass, because we all know a real martini is made with gin.

I like real martinis. Bombay Sapphire, dry, straight up, with 3 olives. Either way, the only place in town that serves a martini properly is The Highland Tap, a subterranean man-cave in the Virginia Highlands. They chill the glass with ice, fill a cognac glass with ice and seltzer, then shake up a double and pour a small amount into the chilled glass, the rest of it into a tiny carafe, which is then placed into the icy seltzer so it remains ice cold while you sip it. Classy.

A martini craving is what generally draws me to The Highland Tap. I wanted to introduce LC to the perfect martini, but we were hungry too, so we decided to snag a booth and share some appetizers and a thick, juicy steak.

We started off with an appetizer of two roasted scallops served over candied collards….just enough to whet our appetites.

Fried calamari or spinach artichoke dip? Both are menu staples throughout the U.S. since the early ’90′s, neither intrigues me. When presented with the choice, however, I went with the calamari. Flash fried with onions and peppers and drizzled with a generic “spicy” Asian glaze, Highland Tap’s plate of squid was neither greasy nor chewy despite its ubiquitous appeal.

LC and I chose a petite filet, medium-rare, with a side of truffled mac ‘n’ cheese. Lately, we’ve been addicted to mac ‘n’ cheese, including the childishly pedestrian microwaveable Kraft variety. But the homemade kind is always preferable, baked until the cheese is slightly browned with crispy breadcrumbs on top. Highland Tap serves a solid rendition, I’m assuming with a drizzle of truffle oil…good stuff.

But first our server delivered a side salad and bread. The Highland Tap has served the same dark brown mini loaves of bread since I can remember. Warm and soft…sounds better than it tastes. I’d prefer crusty white ciabatta any day. Salad was fresh and lively, jazzed up with a citrusy vinaigrette.

Our steak was well-seasoned and perfectly cooked. Sections of sweet caramelized onion accompanied the meat. A second martini was the perfect dessert….straight up.

1026 N. Highland Avenue 404-875-3673

During her visit, AD and I packed a year’s worth of drama in a week. Before taking her to the airport, we decided to find a restaurant nearby with a patio so we could enjoy the sunny day with a touch of Fall in the air, and enjoy a casual lunch while rehashing the events of her visit.

We decided on Cafe 640, formerly Cafe di Sol, who’s quaint patio faces a colorful section of N. Highland Avenue in the Poncey Highlands. The trees, flowers and tiny lights strung all around make guests feel like they are in a small town, but the sirens and occassional passing vagrant remind them otherwise! We chose one of the small tables near the street with the uncomfortable wooden slat chairs.

Should we have wine? Silly question. A glass of riesling for me, pinot noir for her. The three most expensive appetizers ($29 all together) sounded like an awesome clusterf*ck of flavor, perfect for sharing.

Delivered first were the panko crusted fried green tomatoes with New Orleans style BBQ shrimp. You know how I feel about fried green tomatoes. I rarely have a positive reaction to them, but often order them just to see how badly the kitchen can screw ‘em up. Of course the tomatoes were too heavily breaded, but they were not greasy. We could actually taste the tartness of the tomatoes, which was a great match to the sweet, plump shrimp.

A huge bowl of mussels and leeks in a red curry broth came out along with the “ropa vieja”, a dish of slow braised shredded flank steak on tortilla chips, then topped with a little melted aged white cheddar, fresh jalapeno slices, and drizzled with cilantro sour cream. In effect, Spanish nachos. Having just spent her last month abroad in San Sabastian, AD was interested to see how authentic this dish would taste.

The mussels were well-prepared, although I couldn’t detect much curry in the broth. That didn’t stop me from sopping up every last drop with the grilled slices of bread that were served with them.

In between slurping up shellfish, we tried the tortillas, each topped with copious amounts of tender shredded beef. The fresh, not pickled, jalapenos were fiery hot. We both loved it!

Not so pleased with the dryness of my riesling, I chose a malbec for my second glass, as did AD.

We enjoyed our lunch so much that I suggested LC and I dine there for an impromptu dinner the following week. Naturally, we had to order the ropa vieja. I knew LC would love the spicy nachos! To mix it up a bit we tried a house salad with a fantastic housemade balsamic, a stack of perfectly crispy onion rings, and a side of truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, bubbly and browned on top. A martini and a Guinness draft washed it all down.

But LC was still hungry, so we order the panna cotta to go. Needless to say, it didn’t even make it to the car. Sublime, light, and topped with fresh blueberries, we polished off the dessert in seconds.

640 N. Highland Avenue 404-724-0711

A long overdue visit to Serpas immediately reminded me of what sets apart a good restaurant from a great one.

There are only a couple of foods that I would categorize as disgusting….chicken livers and cucumbers. Then there are a few that I can eat, but generally choose not to, such as tuna, broccoli, and beets.

It is a rare restaurant that can make me want to eat tuna. Top Flr is one, Serpas is the other.

My first experience with Scott Serpas’ tuna tartar was at the opening media dinner. I would not have ordered it, however, our big table of food writers received a chef’s tasting of practically half the menu.

Many of the tastes were fantastic, but I was particularly enthralled with the chef’s tuna tartar, its tiny cubes of fresh ahi tossed with diced onion and green apple in a sweet and spicy sesame dressing. He served housemade potato chips alongside for scooping up the tartar, providing a slightly salty crunch that complimented the silky sweet tuna.

On a subsequent visit with B and our sad excuse for boyfriends at the time, we ordered several appetizers to share before our entrees. That is when I met the Serpas house salad. Butter lettuce, candied pecans, goat cheese, and his signature blistered grape vinaigrette. It’s just a salad, right? Not quite. Like the dressing on his tuna tartar, Serpas has a knack for sauces and such that is unrivaled. This salad makes me salivate.

A few other appetizers remain on the menu from those opening months like the delicious eggplant hushpuppies and savory crispy duck rolls. The chef’s Louisiana heritage is evident in dishes like chicken-andouille gumbo and flash fried oysters, both dishes he introduced during his long stint at Two Urban Licks. It is easy to make a meal of starters at Serpas.

After being snowed in for days, LC and I ventured out for a meal of modern comfort food. Chef Serpas’ approach remains unpretentious, stearing clear of silly trends, although I did see he added an appetizer of pork rillette.

The space is industrial chic with a dose of Southern charm. A mural that looks like billowing orange clouds at first glance is actually a photo of cotton. An open kitchen allows diners to see Serpas in action. There is a marked lack of chaos as he expedites orders.

Both of us were having a hard time deciding on drinks so we ended up trying a specialty cocktail made with tequila, pear compote and bitters. I considered a temperanillo or pinot noir but ended up ordering a Brooklyn Chocolate Stout. Well, they were out of the beer so my next choice was another specialty cocktail with gin and fig jam, a better choice than his. LC tried a Dixie ale later that he really enjoyed.

Thankfully, LC likes to share so we started out with the tried and true tuna tartar and the fried green tomato and crab stack. The tuna was as amazing as ever with just a hint of sweetness and a dose of heat that creeps up on your palate.

My history with fried green tomatoes is lengthy, having grown up in the South eating my Grandma’s, sliced thin with a scant cornmeal and flour coating. I often have issues with fried green tomatoes being served as an appetizer since they are really just like any other vegetable side, to be eaten with your protein. No matter, here they were, as an appetizer, all gussied up with crab and avocado, both of which I love. I had to have it.

The stack was comprised of two slices of fried green tomatoes layered with crab salad. One of the tomato slices was perfectly thin and tender, although a bit heavy on the breading, while the other was sliced too thick and therefore hard to cut. I didn’t find the avocado until the end, when a bit of it made an appearance, perhaps going unnoticed due to its hue being identical to that of the tomatoes, or it could be that the kitchen accidently went light on it. That’s a shame because I love avocado and it might have swayed my overall opinion of the dish. It was good, not great.

We decided to split the duck breast for our main course, along with the house salad. Again, I can’t even explain how perfect that salad is. The duck, cooked to medium, was stuffed with pecans and cranberries, then rolled and wrapped in bacon. Good Lord! Three pieces were placed on a creamy bed of pureed sweet potatoes with a hint of chili. I swear, there couldn’t be a dish with more bells and whistles for me than this one. It didn’t just sound or look pretty, it tasted gorgeous. And that’s coming from a chick that likes a crispy skin on her duck breast. I didn’t miss it.

Despite the duck being an obvious choice for me, I still had difficulty not ordering the jumbo sea scallops with Serpas’ rich and fragrant panang curry. LC considered the braised beef short ribs before I trumped him with the duck. A diner seated next to us had the gigantic veal porterhouse….I swear it must have weighed five pounds!

In an unexpected turn of events, we skipped dessert. On our way out I said hello to Scott. He’s such a genuinely great guy and knows by best friend B quite well. My next visit will undoubtedly be with her for brunch.

Three out of four dishes were stellar. Days later, I am still reliving the salad, the duck, the tuna. So, if I didn’t mention it before, that is what sets the good apart from the great and why Serpas is in my Top Ten list of Atlanta restaurants!

659 Auburn Avenue, suite 501 404-688-0040

The end of Summer makes me depressed….and desperate. I’ll do anything to eat, drink, and otherwise fornicate outdoors while the weather permits! Last weekend I was determined to get my ass on a patio somewhere, drinking something.

But plans tend to change at a moment’s notice when LC is involved. He had invited his buddy JH to join us for a drink and a bite to eat, which would inevitably turn into a late night out.

JH was in charge of the PGA Championship last month at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, so he got to know everyone in the neighborhood, including the owner of Grace 17.20 located at the Forum in Norcross. So he suggested we give their patio a whirl.

Great idea! Patios in the burbs are spacious. This one sported a fireplace, decorative plants and strings of lights. Everyone there was seated outside, where the tables were covered with white linens and service was gracious.

The elegant yet casual atmosphere had me thinking wine, but the guys ordered vodka martinis, so I joined in but got the real thing made with Bombay Sapphire, dry, straight up.

Perfect weather provided an excellent backdrop for dinner. We started with two appetizers, the bleu cheese and caramelized onion melt and spicy chopped chicken and sweet slaw spring rolls. The latter were chock full of chicken, but it wasn’t spicy and I couldn’t detect any of the jalapeno jack cheese listed among the ingredients. I would not have been disappointed had I not read the description, but I did, and that led to expectations. And I know full well the taste of dashed expectations.

But it was the luscious combination of sweet caramelized onions and browned bleu cheese that had me and LC swooning. We cleaned the dish with the toasted pita triangles provided.

Meanwhile, round two of martinis were ordered. Our entrees were a seafood smorgasbord; scallops with corn risotto for LC, the seafood cobb salad for me, and the lobster special served with fettucini marinara for JH.

The three enormous scallops were perfectly cooked, but I didn’t love the risotto. Lobster was evidently delicious as JH cleaned his plate, but I didn’t give it a try. I would have ordered it but the combination of fish of any kind and tomatoes makes me cringe.

Although the colors were vibrant, I was somewhat disappointed with the blandness of my cobb salad. The seafood that was described as “lightly seared” seemed to be boiled with no seasoning. My sweet and spicy chili vinaigrette was neither sweet nor spicy, tasting only of the seasoning used in chili. Bacon and avocado were likewise inexplicably flavorless. I made do with fresh black pepper for some zing. However, the more gin I drank, the better the salad got.

The boys licked their plates and ordered a third martini. I took in a deep breath of the waning Summer air for dessert. Sweet. Amen.

5155 Peachtree Parkway #320 678-421-1720

What to do…laugh or cry? LC and I had planned a little beach getaway for his birthday. We were ready to deal with the Labor Day crowds, the heat, the traffic. Yes, we were prepared for just about anything….except a tropical storm.

The cloudy skies and brisk winds were pleasant the first afternoon. We walked across the street from the condo to Sharky’s, a somewhat famous (or infamous) beach bar and restaurant, and ordered margaritas to start off our vacation. Despite LC’s request for no sour mix, it is pretty unlikely that fresh limes were squeezed to make our drinks since they came in enormous plastic souvenir mugs complete with lids and straws. Good for the beach, not so good if you just want a decent drink. It’s hard to put salt around the rim, then put a lid on it…duh.

The majority of the menu was fried, catering to the low-brow crowd that frequents the area. Wings, quesadillas, burgers, fried seafood, fried pickles, onion rings….it would become the standard selection for the next few days. If the weather had been beautiful I’m sure we would have met our annual quota for men with mullets wearing tight denim shorts. But with the storm approaching, the few we saw were forelorn, just trying to hold on to their hats in the 60 mile an hour sustained winds.

Once we made peace with our sub-standard drinks, we ordered an appetizer of crab stuffed oysters, baked with cheese. A trendy salad of field greens, blue cheese, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, grape tomatoes, and a raspberry vinaigrette caught my eye, but it was $14.99, exhorbitantly high for a dish with no protein. So I inquired why it was so expensive. Our belligerent server responded by saying “the manager said so”. Brilliant.

So I ordered it anyway, to share. LC added a chicken quesadilla onto our order….an obvious accompaniment with our margaritas. Soon, the oysters arrived, drowned in melted cheese, with Saltines (in their wrappers) laying on top. Too much cheese. That’s OK, I don’t care much for oysters anyway and the crabmeat stuffing was pretty tasty.

Our salad arrived with grilled chicken. Checking out the menu online, it was clear that the regular price was $9.99, with an extra charge of $5 for chicken. And the kitchen was generous, topping the salad with handfuls of expensive ingredients, which explained the price with more tact than our idiot server. Worth every penny.

The quesadilla came out too, with salsa and jalapenos in to-go containers and a squeeze packet of sour cream…classy. It was surprisingly not greasy, and not surprisingly, lackluster. Chicken, cheese, tortilla, repeat. Is there a spice shortage?

Our subsequent visit for dinner, in the midst of the storm, found us seated at the bar, listening to the cover band’s solid renditions of rock classics from Led Zeppelin to Journey. We decided to get our hands dirty with a half pound of Old Bay steamed shrimp and a full pound of steamed snow crab legs. We couldn’t resist throwing in a basket of onion rings.

Twenty napkins later, we had cracked and peeled our way through the huge plates of shellfish, washing the sweet crab and plump shrimp down with ice cold Corona Lights.

Walking back to the condo was a chore, our bellies full, the wind blasting our faces with sand. Gotta love beach vacations!

15201 Front Beach Road, PCB 850-235-2420

Lately, I haven’t been experimenting with food. There’s no time for questionable quinoa or pathetic pastry. I do, however, continue to prepare lunches for work, like my Winter Salad (recipe here), or a big chef salad with Swiss, ham, turkey, chickpeas, mushrooms, and celery.

This morning as I made my edamame salad, I realized it had flown under my culinary radar for years. A recipe originally from my Mom, I’ve adapted it over time.

Two unusual things about this side dish….it does not contain cilantro, but it does call for red or orange peppers, which I do not love.

Here’s how I do it:

1/2 cup frozen organic non-GMO shelled soybeans
1 tbsp finely diced red or orange pepper
1 scallion
1/3 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp chopped celery leaves, from the heart
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Light salt
Nature’s Seasons seasoning blend

Boil the soybeans for about 4 minutes or until slightly tender, drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, finely dice the pepper and celery. Remove the inner leaves from the celery and chop. Snip the green portion of the scallion into the bowl.

Add the cooled soybeans, toss with remaining ingredients and season to taste.

I serve it with salmon for a light and healthy lunch!

Reservations for lunch on a Tuesday? Who knew! A business associate and I had made plans to meet at Seasons 52 for lunch but there was a 45 minute wait, so we walked next door to Wildfire. LC joined us as we chatted and caught up on a variety of topics, both business and personal.

It was our trio’s first visit to Wildfire, not to be confused with Woodfire. Upon entering, the smell of fish was overwhelming, prompting me to comment that LC’s daughter would not be able to tolerate lunch at this restaurant.

No matter, we were seated immediately in a comfy booth. The menu offers an array of grilled items, including the obvious fish, plus burgers and salads.

LC ordered the fish special, parmasan crusted tilapia. DD tried the Mediterranian shrimp salad while I went with the house specialty, the chopped salad with chicken. As a rule I don’t order chopped salads since they are often made with inferior lettuce but I couldn’t resist this one due to its list of mouthwatering ingredients: bacon, avocado, blue cheese, scallions, tomatoes, and tortilla strips, dressed with citrus vinaigrette. It also comes with corn but I requested it left off.

My chopped salad was big ‘n’ tasty but there was a serious lack of avocado, and the lettuce was likely iceberg and romaine, as expected. DD’s skewers of grilled shrimp served on a bed of spinach looked better and she commented that it was great, but I thought it would have been unprofessional to steal a shrimp from her plate.

Meanwhile, LC enjoyed his fish, although I thought it was odd that it came a la carte (or is that a spear of zucchini beneath the filet?). I snagged a bite of the mild, flaky fish and found it tolerable, although a bit greasy.

Upon investigation for this post, I discovered that Wildfire is a small chain, apparently born in Illinois. Its somewhat bland, corporate design should have given it away. On a positive note, the service was fantastic. If you are in the Perimeter Mall area, I would recommend it for a business lunch any day of the week….especially on Tuesdays.

94 Perimeter Center West 770-730-9080

The first couple of days in Pigeon Forge were a whirlwind of Chinese acrobats, crazy rides, and of course, stampeding buffalo. When the dust settled, we noticed a lovely restaurant and inn perched along the river. It was part of The Old Mill Square, along with a gift shop, candy store, toy store, and creamery.

DC read glowing reviews of the Southern food at The Old Mill, so we headed that way for dinner our last night in town. After dinner, we had reservations at the Titanic museum….we were on a tight schedule. When we arrived at the restaurant, we discovered there was an hour wait. So our plan was sunk.

Or not. They owned a second restaurant across the street with a more diverse menu….and no wait. Outside, The Pottery House Cafe & Grille looked like a renovated house, complete with a gazebo in the front yard, but inside it was a rustic yet modern space with exposed wood beams and ductwork. Light wood furnishings and barn lanterns added a country vibe. And, of course, there was plenty of pottery.

Our group of six was seated at a large round table and proceeded to order drinks and appetizers. Someone mentioned the cafe bakes its own bread so I was excited to give it a try. I even considered ordering the fried green tomato BLT on their toasted sourdough, but my bad experience with toasted sourdough at breakfast coupled with the unlikelihood that they could make fried green tomatoes properly prompted me to look elsewhere on the menu.

Perhaps I would have the praline grilled pork chop with cinnamon apples and mashed potatoes? I had a feeling it would be a sugar bomb, and the pasty filler of mashed potatoes that everyone else loves bores the hell out of me.

While I weighed my options, LC ordered a basket of fried pickles and DC wanted to try the fried green tomatoes to start. As predicted, the tomatoes were thickly breaded and deep fried. I was relieved that I selected the grilled sesame chicken salad as my entree.

Meanwhile, the bread was unimpressive. LC ordered a ribeye steak with a side of jalapeno corn puddin’, at my suggestion. He said the steak was overcooked but had great flavor. I was expecting his side to be more of a cornbread pudding (like Goin’ Coastal’s), but it was sorta like thickened creamed corn with a spicy kick. C tried the quiche with fresh fruit and DC got the fried catfish with fries and cole slaw, sharing some with little A. I can’t remember what, if anything, little T ate….she was feeling queasy. The prices were very reasonable, with entrees hovering around ten bucks each.

My salad was good enough, predictable romaine with toasted almonds, Mandarin oranges, tomatoes, green onions, and chunks of chicken, all topped with crispy rice noodles and sesame ginger dressing. Their homemade cinnamon raisin pecan bread would have been much better warm, or toasted.

No time for dessert. It was time to meet our fate on the Titanic. We each received a “boarding pass” with the name of one of the passengers. Who would live through the ordeal? Ironically, I was the only one in our group that was in First Class….and the only one that didn’t survive.

175 Old Mill Avenue, Pigeon Forge 865-428-0771