Hot Dish Review

Friday night LC and I found the dining room at JCT Kitchen jam packed, despite the torrential downpour and severe thunderstorm warning. We had an evening to ourselves and wanted to enjoy a nice adult meal at a cool place.

Surprisingly, I had never made it to JCT before. It was one of the first restaurants to lure the trendy dining crowd to this somewhat industrialized neighborhood. Everything I had heard was positive so I was excited to give it a go.

The space is open, exuding warmth and simplicity, much like its neighbors Quinones Room and Baccanalia in the same complex. Across the way is the White Provisions building home to culinary star Abattoir and right next to the original Yeah! Burger.

Seated across from each other at a two-top along the wall, LC commented that conversation was nearly impossible, given the constant chatter from tables nearby. It was true, the atmosphere was anything but intimate. We would have preferred the patio had the weather cooperated.

We started with cocktails from their creative list, utilizing spirits like bitters, bourbon and rye, which has become rather de rigeur for upscale trendy restaurants these days. I was excited to see a sloe gin fizz on the list, taking me back to my childhood when my parents hosted card games and my Mom made this drink by the pitcher.

After delivering our cocktails, our server read off an entire menu’s worth of specials. I almost stopped him, having already decided on the bacon wrapped pork loin, when he said the word “duck”. The game had instantly changed. It was a breast and confit, I assumed a leg, with an orange champagne sauce served with sauteed peppers….a weird pairing but he had me at “duck”.

But first we wanted to sample a couple of starters, the “angry” mussels and the bacon wrapped figs with blue cheese. We found both dishes to be very impressive. The figs were not baked but rather raw, sliced in half with a thick strip of chewy bacon intertwined among the halves, which rested in an intensely sharp blue cheese sauce that provided the appropriate balance to the dish. A smattering of toasted almonds added a fun crunchy element.

A medium-sized bowl of mussles arrived, steaming in their aromatic broth flavored with peppered bacon, serano chilis, and onion. Although small, the shellfish were great. I especially enjoyed dipping the crusty rustic bread in the spicy broth. We loved ‘em!

When our server checked in I switched to prosecco. LC ordered the shrimp ‘n’ grits and I went for the duck, of course. His dish was richer than the Kennedys, grits engulfed in cheeses and butter, topped with shrimp and a battered and deep fried poached egg. A week’s worth of calories and fat, but decadently delicious.

My duck, however, was not exactly what I expected. Yes, the breast was nicely displayed with a crispy skin. Based upon our server’s description, I was expecting a leg confit, but instead the breast was served on a mound of shredded confit, seasoned with the orange champagne sauced described, creating a concoction which sort of reminded me of BBQ. The oily, crispy, gaminess of the confit was entirely lost. I wasn’t thrilled about the peppers to begin with and they did little to elevate the entree.

An unexpected favorite of the evening was the side dish of corn succotash that LC ordered. Bathed in butter, it was the epitome of Summer in the South. Ironically LC had actually changed his order to the squash, but it was a happy mistake.

We decided to forego edible dessert in favor of the liquid variety upstairs at JCT Bar. An acoustic guitarist entertained the crowd of thirty-somethings inside as the drizzle continued outside. A train chugged past as we headed to the car, anxious to get home and work off the surplus calories.

1198 Howell Mill Road 404-355-2252

Sometimes me and LC are just too lazy to leave the house. Like that night a couple of weeks ago after a particularly grueling nap. Sleeping makes me hungry! So I suggested ordering delivery. We both love spicy food so Thai was the perfect choice. Top Spice is nearby and they regularly put menus at my door.

I always order basil rolls as an appetizer. We also decided to try the basil lettuce wraps, a dish that sounds like the traditional Thai dish called larb, made with ground chicken and spices and served with big leaves of lettuce to wrap around the flavorful meat.

From fiery green papaya salad served at a dive in New York to Bangkok style “street food” in a swanky local restaurant, my experience with Thai food is pretty extensive. I often order a Malaysian curry from Top Spice, made with shrimp, okra, and onions or spicy basil sauce with seafood, extra hot. But on that night I had to compromise, so we tried the pork pad prik. Gotta love the name.

Described as “spicy hot”, the dish was an unimpressive mix of peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a sauce that left me yearning for the sweet hotness of spicy basil or the smooth burn of curry. We tempered the heat with plain white rice. They do offer sticky rice, but unfortunately, only as a dessert, with mango. I’ve had it….trust me, you do not want it.

Sharing two appetizers and one entree saved room for dessert so I could not resist an all-time favorite, green tea ice cream. Although I love red bean (azuki) ice cream even more, most restaurants on this side of Buford Highway do not serve it. I retrieved the big container of the light green stuff from the freezer and topped it with whipped cream, then proceeded to eat every bite.

Yes, the food was hot indeed but it was the company that made the evening sizzle.

A Memorial Day weekend repost, in honor of my first return visit to the boat!
Day three of LC’s birthday/Labor Day weekend bash found us at Sunset Cove at Lake Lanier. Our group was supposed to dock there the night before but there were no spots big enough for the Cooper boat.

So after a day and night on the water me and LC planted our feet back on dry land and headed for the manmade beach at Lake Lanier Islands for a drink. Which turned into five or six, of course.

Frozen pina coladas with Myers rum floaters made for low-brow deliciousness as we celebrated the gorgeous weather on his birthday.

Drinkin’ makes us hungry! Burgers are required eatin’ on Labor Day weekend but first we were craving something spicy. LC wanted the firecracker shrimp. A plate full, butterflied and fried with a coconut breading then drizzled with a cloyingly sweet sauce with a little kick. Decadent for all the wrong reasons, these shrimp contained the trifecta of food addiction: fat, salt, and sugar. Served with celery and blue cheese, we cleaned the plate.

Sunset Cove is relatively new, just up the beach from the masses of houseboats full of bikini-clad chicks, dudes with mullets, and the professional partiers keeping their boats afloat in a lake of liquor, luring all the unsuspecting barely-legal dudettes with the promise of free shots. Sorta reminds me of guys with shag carpet and panelling in their vans. I can just hear ‘em now….”I got a cooler full of cold beer in the back!” Indeed.

As we walked to the restaurant we noticed several stands with drinks and one that offered burgers and brats. Once seated at Sunset Cove I figured we’d get a burger off the menu. But LC couldn’t resist a second appetizer and bought a brat on his way back from the long trek to the restroom.

This is all before the burger, which thankfully we split. Covered in cheese and caramelized onions (not shown in photo due to their late arrival), it was juicy, messy goodness. Onion rings were awesome, just not plentiful enough.

There is a huge bucket that slowly fills with water suspended menacingly above the waterslide next to Sunset Cove. If you wait long enough it’ll tip over, splashing (or drenching) everyone below. The path to the car went around the waterslide’s bucket but LC and I went under it, of course. Then to the car to throw on my swimsuit. How dare I put on a bikini after the meal I just described? Insanity perhaps.

We took a stroll down to the sand, got our feet wet, and made some new friends before making our way back for round two. Not remembering how we ended up at a table with some pretty cool people isn’t too surprising. I think they bought us margaritas. A stage was set up in the water and the band began to play as the sun set on a fun, spontaneous day at Sunset Cove.

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

Shortly after arriving home on my 9 1/2 hour flight from Frankfurt, LC and I were sitting on the patio at Diesel, enjoying the gorgeous weather, some refreshing beer, and some good food.

Weary of brot und wurst, I needed to refuel on some good ol’ American, starting off with a Miller Lite….can’t get more American than that!

Having already had breakfast, lunch, and dinner on European time, I found myself back in the states in the early afternoon, confusing my mealtime clock. No worries, LC and I would get a few items to share, mix ‘n’ match, like we always do.

The restaurant’s close proximity to my house, plus its spacious patio and laid-back vibe, make it an easy choice. Not to mention, we’ve had some pretty darn tasty food here. A dozen hot wings and sweet potato fries have become our standard order, to which I added the spinach salad.

A big bowl of fresh spinach came out first, topped with bacon, mushrooms, boiled eggs, candied walnuts, and a fried green tomato. It was a brilliant composition of sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy. We both loved it, although there was too much breading on the tomato.

More beer was ordered as we relaxed, leisurely eating the spicy wings and crispy, sweet fries. Happily, I got my second wind. Was it time for dessert? Almost. But first LC wanted to get an order of the BBQ shrimp, swimming in a spicy Cajun broth served with bread for dipping. They were good but I was full so he polished them off.

Now it was time for dessert!

LC and his entire family are University of Kentucky alumni, so you can imagine his grief at last week’s horrific showing in the Final Four. However, earlier, in the midst of March Madness, we watched them clobber West Virginia at 8 Traxx with a big UK alumni group. Good times!

Prior to the game, we dined at the neighboring tapas and wine restaurant, Cellar 56. The experience of sharing a variety of small plates is both fun and intimate, one of my favorite ways to dine.

The menu at Cellar 56 offers tastes from garden, land, and sea, ranging from $5 to $7. We started with drinks and a warning to our server that we were anxious to get to the big screen for the game, not that it wasn’t obvious from our bright blue UK T-shirts!

LC and I chose four tapas. Grilled flatbread with duck confit, fig jam, and Cabrales blue cheese came out first, just two triangles. Toppings were generous and flavorful, a great combination of sweet, rich, and tangy, but I could see that four plates might not be enough for dinner.

Luckily, a runner delivered our order of Georgia white shrimp, tasso gravy, and Logan Turnpike grits, along with a seared scallop on sweet corn with applewood bacon, which we did not order. By the time our server came back around we had scarfed down the lone scallop. I’m not a corn lover, so it was just OK for me. Perfectly cooked large shrimp paired with creamy grits were more impressive.

A bowl of baked macaroni and cheese with green chile and prosciutto was next, providing the requisite creamy, cheesy comfort food experience. My dish of lump crabmeat, avocado and grapefruit was a disappointment due to its lack of crabmeat. Apparently, it was so lackluster that I forgot to take a photo.

When all was said and done, we were still left wanting, despite the bonus scallop. Just then, the same runner delivered a second duck confit flatbread by mistake. Voila! Problem solved.

I doubt I will return to Cellar 56, unless I’m attending an event nearby. Not bad, just not memorable.

56 East Andrews Drive 678-344-3600

Funny how my parents’ favorite place to eat near their home in Crystal River is a dive called The Freezer. Not fancy is an understatement.

I love the place too, with its tiki bar decor and laid back vibe. It’s easy to make yourself at home at the bar overlooking the water or one of the tables inside. There are no formal menus, just a list scribbled on posterboard on the wall. Guests order at the bar and a burly chick yells your name when it’s ready.

Steamed seafood is the specialty, with a few odds and ends thrown in for kids and weirdos. Those squeamish about shellfish need not show up.

My parents, me and LC stopped in for an early dinner last week after our arrival in Crystal River. It was my second visit, nearly a rerun of my first. We ordered the smoked mullet and salmon dip, 2 1/2 lbs. of steamed shrimp, and a pitcher of beer, which turned out to be Bud Lite. I drank it anyway.

There is more than one kind of mullet, especially in these parts. At The Freezer bikers, biker chicks, and the criminally unfashionable all sport the haircut and eat the dip, made with chunks of smoked fish and served with a whole stack of Saltines. To me it had a very fatty mouthfeel, like it was fish mixed with butter or lard. However, my Mom prefers it to the smoked mullet dip at Neon Leon’s and the guys seemed to enjoy it too.

Our foursome enjoyed the plump pressure steamed shrimp sprinkled with their special seasoning. Diners beware, they come out hot as hell so burning your little fingers trying to peel ‘em is likely. The photo of them looks blurry but it’s the steam….seriously! Simple and good, dipped in their spicy homemade cocktail sauce.

After we devoured the shrimp and used half a roll of paper towels, LC was still hungry so he ordered a pound of steamed snow crab legs. Most of the seafood is local but the crab legs come from Alaska. Served with crunchy cole slaw, the legs were yummy dunked in drawn butter. LC displayed his prowess at extricating the meat from the leg in one piece….impressive!

We polished off a second pitcher of beer and headed to Margaritaville for a nightcap. Just good clean family fun.

5590 South Blvd. Dr. Homosassa, FL 352-628-2452

B and I went on a roadtrip to Florida last weekend. It was more like a drive-by, arriving Saturday for a show featuring JB from Widespread Panic, then heading back to Atlanta on Sunday, but we did manage to eat at a seafood restaurant in Orlando called Landry’s.

On the main drag where most of the buildings take on the cartoonish nature of the theme parks nearby, Landry’s is no exception, boasting a kitschy marquis like an old movie theater. The decor inside, however, is best described as “regular”. B and I chose a table in the bar area since we were in a hurry.

Landry’s is the kind of place that has every kind of seafood prepared in every possible way…..grilled, fried, broiled, steamed, stuffed, and covered in special sauces. There are a few trendy dishes like the blackened sashimi, which we ordered, but the menu is mostly old standards like fried shrimp and stuffed flounder.

B ordered a Corona with salt and limes. Every time she does that I follow suit….just sounds too good to resist. Perusing the extensive menu we fixated on the appetizers. She had a hankerin’ for oysters and ordered a half dozen.

The blackened sashimi was a pretty display of rare ahi tuna with wasabi and ginger, the plate dotted with a mystery sauce that tasted oddly of petroleum. Looking at the menu now I see that it was mango sauce. Really? Otherwise, the fish had little flavor except the heat of the wasabi.

We also tried the shrimp stingers, an appetizer of jumbo jalapenos stuffed with whole shrimp and pepper jack cheese, then fried and served on a bed of onion strings. So much for eating light. Like fried balls with tails, these things were spicy, cheesy decadence. I devoured most of the onion strings as B was savoring her raw oysters.

Our fourth item was called oyster bar trash. Blackened shrimp and jumbo lump crab meat with a helping of white rice. Tasty, but certainly not worth the $13.99 price tag.

I ordered a second Corona. The tally for our seafood snack, before tip, was $60. No worries. We had purchased lottery tickets in a small town called Cecil, so we were assured of a windfall!

Landry’s appeared to be an old-fashioned family-owned restaurant so I was disappointed to discover that it is a chain, with 22 locations across the Southern U.S, from Vegas to Myrtle Beach.

We bummed cigarettes for dessert and headed to our hotel to pretty up which didn’t take long. One Dixie cup of cheap red wine and we were lookin’ sharp!

8800 Vineland Avenue, Orlando

Just as the roads were becoming too treacherous to drive Sunday evening, LC and I decided to order delivery from Top Spice. Let me clarify…..it was too dangerous for us to drive, not the delivery guy!

Top Spice has a full Thai menu as well as some Malaysian specialties, including my favorite Mystic Claypot. I always miss out on the actual clay pot since I’ve only had it delivered, but the dish is irresistible nonetheless, full of plump shrimp, squid, onions, peppers, and okra in a rich, spicy curry.

LC tried the Prik Khing beef, sauteed with green beans, red peppers, and onions in a spicy chilli sauce. We both requested extra spicy but his turned out hotter than mine.

I attempted to order sticky rice with our entrees but the voice on the other end said “sticky rice mango?” So I said “sure, whatever”. Basil rolls were ordered too….mandatory appetizer.

The poor delivery guy made it through the snow. LC and I dug in, dipping basil rolls in a cloyingly sweet sauce. Surin’s spicy sweet sauce is far superior, but the basil rolls themselves were pretty good.

I took a peek at the accidental dessert order and was appalled by its garrish bright green color. There was a day-glo green dipping sauce and sliced mango that was not ripe. Horrific looking and horrific tasting too.

Both of our entrees hit the spot. The quality of their seafood is terrific, and not overcooked as is often the case with squid. LC’s beef was tender and the sauce was so tasty we ate it with the leftover rice for a midnight snack.

1529-F Piedmont Avenue 404-685-9333

Like last Thanksgiving with my folks, we went to dinner at Cafe on the Avenue again. Another case of deja vu, we were seated at the same table and ordered practically the same thing.

It’s a charming, cozy cafe in a renovated house set among antique stores and gift shops. Seems like the sort of place that may do better business at lunch when they offer an impressive array of salads and sandwiches.

We started off with a little wine. I vaguely recalled not loving the salad dressing before (although I could be mistaken) so I ordered the Caesar to start. My parents each got the house salad with no complaints. Garlic bread sticks were served alongside.

All three of us ordered the surf ‘n’ turf skewers, a combination of grilled steak, lobster, shrimp, and peppers on two skewers served with rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. First of all, why not separate the seafood from the beef so diners can order the steak the way they like it? Last year that wasn’t an option. Me and my Dad ordered this entree and the chunks of steak came out very well done, just the way he likes it.

I, on the other hand, prefer my steak cooked medium or medium-rare. This year I asked again, expecting a “sorry, they’re already skewered together” response. However, our server, who may have been the owner or manager as well, said she would see what she could do to accomodate me. Meanwhile, my Dad confirmed that he wanted his the regular way….overdone.

When the entrees arrived, I began removing the chunks of lobster and steak, and the shrimp that anchored the ends of each skewer. Fantastic! My steak was medium and extremely tender. And, unfortunately, so was my parents’ steak. My Dad had to send his back to be charred while I quietly enjoyed mine. Mom didn’t complain much but I could tell she would have liked them cooked a bit longer.

The meal wasn’t perfect, however. Each skewer had only one piece of lobster (same as last time). Rice pilaf was merely buttered white rice, as far as I could tell, and the vegetable medley of squash was entirely unremarkable. Already pissed off about the steak, my Dad noted that there were no grill marks on the shrimp like before. True.

Altogether, I would recommend it if you happen to be in Crystal River. The neighborhood’s upscale vintage vibe is a nice change of pace from the area’s down-home country spots.

On a side note, John Travolta and Kelly Preston have a house nearby that is perpetually “under construction”. We drove past and it is gorgeous! My Mom suspects the pile of dirt on the otherwise pristine driveway is simply a decoy.

631 Citrus Avenue, Crystal River, FL 352-795-3656