Hot Dish Review

OK, maybe it doesn’t actually rule, but it is my favorite sandwich shop. I often stop by the Loehmann’s Plaza location for lunch on Saturdays or Sundays while out shopping.

There are five or six sandwiches that I order, rotating among them depending on my mood and the weather (Seriously. I get hot ones in the Winter, cold ones in the Summer.) Smokehouse turkey or Delhi chicken salad when it’s hot, usually after a day at the pool, or the turkey applejack (in photo), hot honey, Key West Cuban, or chicken popper when it’s chilly outside. A half sandwich is plenty at about seven inches and 300 calories, plus a half bag of Baked BBQ Lays.

Most of the ones I love come with the spicy mustard on the sandwich or on the side and either avocado or bacon (or both in the case of the smokehouse turkey!). In any case, Roly Poly is a far healthier option than McDonald’s or Moe’s.

Note my traditional Creative Loafing placemat in the photo. Classic.

Not a pretty sight. Like my trip to Brazil last year, I flew to Germany in First Class and suffered through coach on the way back. If you have never flown First Class, I can assure you the difference in physical comfort and the food service are worth the extra bucks, especially on international flights.

You know how you hear the clanking of silverware as you are stowing your carry-on bags in coach? That’s when service begins in First Class….before the plane even leaves the ground!

In coach, the cart is rolled up to the front, full of heated trays covered in thick foil. Chicken or pasta? Me and Mom laughed because that is always the choice. It’s never steak, or duck, or shrimp. We both chose the chicken which was unceramoniously placed on our trays. No white tablecloths here.

There was a salad topped with flavorless julienned radish, a doughy roll wrapped in plastic, crackers and cheese in wrappers, and a chocolate cookie for dessert, in a wrapper. Classy.

We ate our entrees with plastic forks and knives. To be honest, the chicken entree was quite tasty, paired with a gooey mushroom risotto and baby green beans and carrots. The chocolate cookie was pretty awesome, too.

But Delta saved the worst for last. What seemed like a lifetime after our lunch, they came around with a snack. Once again, Mom accurately predicted what we would be served….a sandwich on an enormous white roll, wrapped in plastic, of course. Plus a little cup of ice cream for dessert.

Separated by a flimsy blue curtain, we were seated just one row behind First Class, yet a world away.

My relationship with the Righteous Room has been a long and tumultuous one. Exactly how long, I can’t say. The bar/restaurant doesn’t have a website but I’m guessing they’ve been open over 15 years. During that time, it was the place where I smoked too many cigarettes with my old roommate, hung out with various boyfriends, picked up lunch while designing for local boutique owner BH, and ate with my Dad after renovating my rental house.

It is also the place where I stumbled upon the huge painting that has hung behind my sofa since the day I moved into my condo over 11 years ago. But that’s another story….

The long, narrow space is dark and smoky, decorated with local artwork and frequented by rock chicks with tattoos, frat boys trying to get laid, and old drunks. An odd mix to be sure.

My most recent visit was with LC….his first, in fact. We sat at the second hightop, the very one where LL (formerly LR) and I shared many Mediterranean plates with black olives, hummus, tomatoes, and toasted pita. We ordered a couple of beers and wondered if our server would ever return for our food order. No, The Righteous Room is not known for swift service. It is known for a rockin’ jukebox and killer food.

Sandwiches used to come a la carte, but these days they are served with a side. Sadly, they no longer offer the bratwurst with caramelized onions and peppers, but they do still make the three sandwiches that I used to keep in heavy rotation, exactly the same as always.

I went with the veggie burger for old time’s sake, adding cheese and caramelized onions. It’s a freakin’ mess, with chunks of their homemade veggie pattie covered with melted cheese falling out of the soft Indian-style naan. But the flavor! Dude, it is kickass. Asian slaw on the side was light and refreshing in contrast to the heavy sandwich.

At my recommendation, LC ordered my second favorite sandwich, grilled chicken with garlicky yogurt sauce and cheese on naan with onion straws on the side. He couldn’t believe how good it was. Another delicious mess.

The Righteous Room is like my old favorite sweater….I may not wear it for a year but when I put it on, it always fits perfectly.

1051 Ponce De Leon Avenue 404-874-0939

The four of us rolled into Athens like a circus, B wearing a multicolored neon fur. How appropriate that we ended up at a pub called Trappeze for a bite to eat before Widespread Panic.

It also happened to be J’s birthday so we chose a couple of beers, Terrapin I believe, among the pub’s selection of fifty on draft to celebrate. Cheers to another year!

B and I wanted to eat light so we each ordered a mini burger topped with caramelized onions and beer cheese. She added a cup of beer cheese soup made with cheddar and onions. LC tried the roasted turkey and Swiss sandwich with house cut sweet potato fries on the side. Guess who ate most of them. J ordered a big fat bacon cheeseburger with more of those sweet potato fries….nutrition be damned on your birthday!

When the food came out B fixated on J’s scrumptious looking burger covered with bacon and melted cheese and decided she wanted that instead. Her soup was cheesy yet somehow not heavy. I added an extra spoonful to my mini burger which had great beef flavor, especially with the sweet caramelized onions.

LC’s sandwich was fantastic. Roasted turkey, Swiss cheese, housemade guacamole, sprouts, and bacon made a perfect combination on toasted sourdough bread. The sweet potato fries were hot and crispy with a light sprinkling of sea salt. Honey with mustard seeds was provided for dipping.

B ate half of her big burger, washing it down with a very generous pour of pinot noir. The woman’s got self-control, I would have eaten the whole f*ckin’ thing. Service at Trappeze was friendly and fast and the food was most impressive.

Then it was show time!

269 North Hull Street, Suite 6, Athens 706-543-8997

I’ve been wanting an indoor grill/panini maker for a while, having watched Food Network chefs like Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis grilling seafood and making delicate little paninis oozing with cheese that look so yummy. So LC gave me a George Foreman Grill for Christmas. I was excited to cook something in it…..but what?

Just like I am known for my guacamole, LC’s Mom is known for her amazing grilled flatiron steak, flavored by her secret marinade (I managed to get the recipe!). So the first use of my grill was an ambitious one. I may show you the results later, but suffice it to say, my flatiron fell flat.

Prior to the steak dinner, I had prepared some cheeses and accompaniments to start us off. There was plenty of cheese leftover, plus half a loaf of ciabatta giving me the perfect opportunity to make panini!

I cut four thin slices of the bread, topping one with smoked gouda and arugula, the other with taleggio and ham. A little butter on the grill and in they went. With no real guideline on how long to cook panini, I checked on them frequently until they were a light golden brown and the cheese was melted.

With over ten years in the electric indoor grill business, George Foreman Grills now dominate the market. I really that he promotes healthy cooking, calling the product the Lean, Mean, Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine. Silly but effective marketing.

The final product was simple and delicious….and a perfect snack while we were snowed in!

With all the buzz surrounding Hector Santiago’s sandwich shop below Pura Vida, I finally got there for lunch on Friday to see what all the fuss was about.

Rumor has it that Hector himself is making the sandwiches at Super Pan Latino. When I arrived he was indeed there, just not behind the counter. The staff was super friendly as I made a couple of inquiries about the selections.

Having studied the menu and read the reviews, I already knew I would order either the serrano ham and manchego or the pork belly. It was a chilly day so the latter won out because it was hot sandwich.

I knew what I was getting into even without the reviews proclaiming this particular sandwich’s greasiness. It’s pork belly for God’s sake!

For the uninituated, pork belly is bacon before it is sliced, layers of fat alternating with layers of porky goodness. Hector smokes the meat which is tucked inside two little steamed coconut buns drizzled with tamarind sauce, aji coban sambal and topped with shaved cabbage and cilantro.

My first bite of the crispy end yielded both meat and fat with half of the cabbage and cilantro. I didn’t get any of the fiery sauce until I was almost finished with the half since it was at the bottom of the bun. I would have liked a copious amount of the crunchy cabbage and there can never be enough cilantro. It came off a little plain due to the minimal amount of sauces and toppings.

I continued working on my sandwich, pulling the tender strings of pork away from the fat with my greasy little fingers. It was a messy but delicious task.

The quirky space is only open Tuesday through Friday 11:30-2:30. Diners place their orders up the stairs to the left, and can find a table in the dining area downstairs. Super Pan is clearly a labor of love for Hector.

I cringe to even say this, but just in case you’ve been living in a cave in Guatamala for the last two years, Hector Santiago was a contestant on Top Chef a couple of seasons back….the same year Woodfire’s Kevin Gillespie almost won it.

Hector stopped by to say hello and sent a cupcake to my table. Nice. I will surely return to sample more of the menu!

1057 Blue Ridge Avenue 404-477-0379

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

All of the restaurants in my Top Ten are dinner spots where I order fatty pork, decadent foie gras, and anything wrapped with bacon, stuffed with butter, or covered in hollandaise. Except one.

Dynamic Dish is an organic, mostly vegetarian restaurant on Edgewood that I have only visited for lunch, although they do serve dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. I love it.

Saturday I picked up my Mom to take her to the airport. We got back into Atlanta right at lunch time so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to take her to Dynamic Dish.

Thanks to her passion for healthy eating, I grew up with an understanding of nutrition and vitamins that very few people are lucky enough to have. Making healthier versions of Southern classics as well as experimenting with trendy health foods like wheat germ (that’s right, it was the ’70′s!), tofu, and soy milk made my childhood rather unique and ultimately, food became my passion as well. My parents look much younger than their 60 plus years which I directly attribute to their emphasis on a healthy diet and supplements, rather than relying on pharmaceuticals to “cure” them.

So I knew my Mom would appreciate the fresh, clean, organic food at Dynamic Dish. Chef and owner David Sweeney was behind the counter when we arrived. I introduced them, mentioned her imminent flight to Germany, whereupon he began speaking German! I had completely forgotten his background, having spent years in Germany making and delivering vegetarian meals to a select clientelle. Funny how the universe works.

Perhaps my first visit to Dynamic Dish this year, the sunny space has undergone a recent facelift, adding a dark gray tile backsplash and more barstools for what will soon be a full service bar. David informed me he would finally have his liquor license in a matter of weeks! He plans to extend the hours, serving lunch and dinner six days a week. Great news, but I miss the big blackboard menu.

The day’s offerings were written instead on three pieces of brown paper attached to the side wall. Now guests enjoy table service rather than ordering at the counter, however, the once-complimentary bread and butter will now cost you $3.

Mom and I chose to split a bowl of chilled Haas avocado soup, a cool puree with yogurt and ginger. Topped with chopped tomatoes and cilantro, I thought it might remind me of guacamole, but the sharp zing of ginger gave the soup a bright, zippy character. A sprinkling of sunflower seeds provided textural interest.

We also split a roasted tofu sandwich with carrots, onions, and basil pesto on thick slices of fresh organic bread. Pesto is my favorite Italian sauce but it often contains copious amounts of garlic so we got it on the side. Somewhat small, our sandwich was piled high with sweet roasted carrots and onions. We both spread a generous amount of pesto on our portions….so much for taking it easy on the garlic! Sweeney’s pesto was made with lots of it, but it was so good I was eating it out of the side dish with my fork.

Although most of the menu remains vegetarian, I was surprised to see a turkey sandwich with bacon (what what?) offered. Sweeney’s brief menu changes daily based upon his creative whims and what is available at market.

From his innovative cuisine to his quirky location, David Sweeney’s passion for his craft has made Dynamic Dish a success.

427 Edgewood Ave. 404-688-4344

When the limo arrived B and I were still rushing around getting ready for the concert. It didn’t surprise me that LC was in it. Crap, no champagne. We took a few beers for the road and proceeded to the Cooper compound, chatting and laughing all the way!

A quick stroll around the grounds of the compound just made me want to hang out there all afternoon but we were on a tight schedule. Bad Company at Chastain at 8pm.

The three of us, the Coopers, and their friend W got in the limo and sped off for a quick dinner at Meehan’s in Sandy Springs. On my last visit I only had Guinness. This time we would eat a proper meal.

It was hot outside. B ordered a Corona with salt and lime…..sounded so good me and LC got on the same train. Refreshing! Our server brought out a big bag of salt and vinegar chips for snacking.

B followed JC’s lead as they each tried the tuna tostada appetizer. Personally, I never order tuna, but I found one of her chips on my plate. A thick slice of seared tuna and a generous layer of guacamole decorated a tortilla chip. Only about eight of the chips rested on a bed of lettuce, drizzled with sriracha cream sauce. I took a bite….so good! I would order this. Seriously.

I believe W had a reuben and DC ordered the fish ‘n’ chips, but I wouldn’t bet on that.

Me and LC split an order of fish tacos and a grilled chicken BLT. Grilled fish, lettuce, and some salsa and sour cream were folded into three flour tortillas. Tex-Mex just isn’t right without guacamole and jalapenos so I was left a tad bit disappointed, but he loved ‘em.

Much better was the sandwich. Several of my favorite words came together on its menu description….bacon, avocado, smoked gouda, chipotle mayo. With the option of sweet potato fries as a side, I was sold! We didn’t care for the submarine-type roll it came on, would have been better on toasted wheat.

Only complaint about the fries, there was no dipping sauce. This dilemma always reminds me of Heaping Bowl ‘n’ Brew, the ground-breaking restaurant that opened in East Atlanta probably eighteen years ago. Theirs was my first experience with sweet potato fries….crisp shoestrings, sprinkled with cayenne and black pepper, served with a sweet and spicy cranberry dipping sauce. The best!

Meehan’s food is not gourmet but it is definitely several notches above standard bar-fare. I would gladly return and try the tortilla soup or one of their specialty burgers like the Farmstead Burger made with bison or the turkey burger with smoked gouda (again!), and cranberry-Vidalia marmalade (maybe they should serve that as the dipping sauce for the sweet potato fries!).

No time for dessert, we jumped in the limo and headed to Chastain where JC put our a plate of plums, grapes, cheddar cheese and red and white wine.

B and I had a great evening thanks to all the Coopers!

As you all know, I use initials rather than names for my dining companions. Recently, I had an epiphany while driving to work. If I were to dine with someone who’s initials are AM, together we would be SPAM!

And that got me to thinking (a seemingly innocuous activity that often has ridiculous results). I had never eaten Spam. AM was coming to ATL. Bingo!

The next thing I knew I was in the unfamiliar canned meat section at Publix, determined to buy Spam. Turns out there is Original and Lite, which is lower in fat, sodium and calories. Even so, one 2 ounce serving has 8 grams of fat and 580 miligrams of sodium! But only 110 calories so I bought it.

Excited about my Spam experiment, I decided it might make a good breakfast meat, fried up with some scrambled eggs. AM watched, somewhat horrified, as I opened the can and the meat product plopped out. Perhaps an egg, Spam, and cheese sandwich would be good? AM suggested open-faced sandwiches.

I sliced off two servings and browned them in a skillet, then scrambled eggs, made toast and melted cheese over the whole mess. The Spamwich was born! Very salty, but not terrible.

Then I read the ingredients. Pork with ham (with ham?), and before I could even say it, he did….mechanically separated chicken. WTF? We had to know more.

Wikipedia defined it as a paste-like meat product produced by forcing bones with attached edible meat through a sieve to separate the meat tissue from the bones. Yum. It is used in everything from hot dogs to Slim Jims. Then we watched the video on YouTube.

Other ingredients in Spam are salt, sugar, sodium phosphates, potassium chloride, sodium ascorbate, and sodium nitrite. Jesus Christ! Extruded meat and sodium.

I thought I might use the leftover Spam for a lunch or dinner experiment but, as it turns out, I’m rather disgusted by the idea. Sorry I made you eat that AM!