Hot Dish Review

Despite being less than five minutes from my condo, I hadn’t visited Park Tavern in over five years. There was a time when AD and I frequented the place, sitting by the fence that separates the restaurant from Piedmont Park, our bare feet in the sand, drinking cheap beer and chain smoking. Then we’d go across the way to The Highlander to play Nudie Mega Touch. If you don’t know, don’t ask.

Park Tavern was also the scene of a couple of Halloween parties that I can’t actually remember, but the photos are proof I was there….once as a pregnant majorette with pigtails, smoking a cigarette. Super classy.

The warm weather had LC and I hankerin’ for a relaxing afternoon on a patio. Tired of our regular Mexican patios he suggested Park Tavern….perfect for April Fools Day, I thought. The place was always full of ‘em.

A few things had changed over the years. Soft sand was replaced with big pebbles. An entire Asian section, including sushi, had been added to their otherwise standard bar food menu. Other things had not changed at all, like the crowd of young wannabees, trustafarians, and dogs. Yes, schnauzers, terriers, corgis, and great danes shared the sunny patio with us silly humans.

Our brief wait for a table gave us the opportunity to grab a drink at the bar inside. LC tried one of their specialty brews that the bartender swore tasted like Fruity Pebbles….and it did! I finally decided on a glass of bubbly. Just then, the hostess escorted us to our table, one of the hightops with cushy brown pleather barstools. At last we could take a deep breath and reeeelaaaax as we watched the sun set.

I couldn’t bear the thought of another plate of hot wings, onion rings, or crispy fried things, so we opted for the Asian side of the menu, starting with the Baja California roll and the Wagyu beef lettuce wraps. The roll, requested without cucumber, was packed with crab stick and avocado, then topped with more crab and avocado, drizzled with wasabi mayo and sprinkled with sesame seeds. We added a good dose of bright green wasabi that made our eyes water.

After polishing off my glass of prosecco I switched to nigori to compliment our Asian snacks on order. Nigori is cold unfiltered sake with a mild, milky, nutty flavor and a surprisingly high alcohol content.

Served with strangely bland kimchi and flacid, flavorless sauteed mushrooms, the strip of sinewy steak was doubtfully the pricey cut of Wagyu advertised. The cilantro mentioned (and quite likely the deciding factor in my wanting to order this appetizer) was nowhere to be found. Nonetheless, we wrapped the ingredients in the cups of butter lettuce. A great idea, but not well-executed.

Still feeling a twinge of hunger, LC and I decided on one final Asian appetizer, the tuna tacos. Now, you know I don’t even like tuna, but sometimes if it’s good quality and served rare (or raw), I’ll give it a go, like the fantastic tuna tartare chef Scott Serpas makes at his restaurant. I was apprehensive about it, sorta like ordering foie gras at Chili’s.

Imagine my surprise at the five little triangular tacos, crispy wontons filled with thick slices of seared tuna, avocado, lots of cilantro, radicchio slaw with a slightly sweet dressing, and wafer-thin slices of fresh, hot jalapenos. They were awesome! I could have eaten ten of them.

As the sky grew darker the patio became illuminated, alternating between green, blue, and red lights. My tiny sake cup was empty. I promised LC we would return on a lazy Summer day sometime soon for more people and dog watching. As for the ghosts, there were a few, but they turned out to be harmless.

500 10th Street NE 404-249-0001

One recent afternoon, just at dusk, I stopped by my friend BB’s upscale pub and restaurant, There, under construction at Town Brookhaven off Peachtree.

A few behind the scenes photos and a shot of tequila later, BB and I found ourselves at another newish restaurant in the development called Stir Crazy….a clever, yet silly name for the obvious, an Asian restaurant specializing in stir fry. Another corporate concept, this one can be found in twelve states, from Texas to New York.

Diners can create their own combination of veggies, protein, and sauce, or order off the menu, a la carte. The usual suspects like Mongolian Beef and Kung Pao Chicken share the laminated page with specialties like Bangkok Noodles.

BB and I ordered sake, hot for him, cold for me, and a couple of appetizers to start. Vietnamese lobster rolls were an upscale take on the classic basil roll, with rice noodles, cilantro, julienned veggies and peanuts, with chunks of real lobster meat. Regardless, the flavor failed to stir me crazy.

Wok seared tuna sashimi melted in our mouths, flavored with soy wasabi sauce over a salad of grilled shitake mushrooms and arugula. Very nice.

We decided to split an entree enticingly called Blazing Noodles, flat wheat noodles, snap peas, carrots, scallions, and Fresno peppers, and fresh basil in a spicy chili sauce, choosing beef as our protein. The requested sriracha sauce wasn’t even necessary, as the dish was adequately spiced….unusual for a cookie-cutter restaurant that likely appeals to the masses.

Although not a laminated menu kind of guy, I’m sure BB will find himself dining at Stir Crazy frequently during those long, long restaurant hours soon to come.

804 Town Blvd. 404-855-4437

A lovely dinner….
Pour a glass of wine, sit back and relax folks….this is gonna take a while. Nine courses with wine pairings plus a couple of “gifts from the chef” spanned a solid four hours.

Finding the Quinones Room is somewhat of a treasure hunt….BB and I followed the signs, walked through the breezeway, and down the stairs to the door with the big Q. Neutral curtains parted to reveal an elegant seating area furnished in shades of chocolate and cream. The intimate dining room is to the right with only ten tables covered in white linens. Antique mirrors, Venetian glass chandeliers, and lacquered wood frame chairs with a vintage patina lent a quiet air of Southern moneyed aristocracy.

At first, the service seemed too serious for my taste. There was a selection of water and the delivery of four mini cheese bread sticks before our server, Rafael, introduced himself in a barely audible hush. We would be having the prix fixe menu with the wine pairings….a multi-course marathon that began with a kir royale.

Bread service arrived on a wooden skewer. Various sizes and kinds of bread, from sourdough to onion, complimented by soft, sweet cream butter.

Two mini cheese gougeres were devoured tout de suite, as well as a shot of celery root soup with red onion jam, both gifts from Chef de Cuisine David A. Carson. Little bites that packed big flavor.

Krug Grand Cuvee champagne was poured in advance of our first course. I knew it would be a crudo, something ultra-light. Atlantic blue fin tuna, sashimi style, and Kumamoto oysters were paired with tiny cubes of Asian pear, slivers of radish, the bowl decorated with droplets of shoyu, a type of soy sauce. This would be the only dish I didn’t really enjoy.

For lack of a better monicker, the “drink boy” came by with a 2005 sauternes for our next dish, a foie gras terrine. I commented to BB that I usually prefer foie gras seared. I also noted something peculiar….the drink boy once again short-poured my wine. Perhaps that is a standard practice in fine dining? To pour an almost imperceptibly short glass for the lady at the table.

A square plate came out with a square of the foie gras terrine, accompanied by three, questionably four, preparations of Fuyu persimmon and a little mound of spiced cocoa nibs. There was a persimmon puree, a dollop of persimmon preserves, and a slice of candied persimmon. I believe the streak of orange-y powder along the side was freeze-dried persimmon, but I could be wrong. Each little bite of the decadent foie gras was immaculate, with a smudge of sweet persimmon. What could make it even better you ask? Four baby popovers made with a mild cheese and the slightest hint of sweetness. Heaven.

A row of tiny Nantucket Bay scallops sat upon a cauliflower puree, each one topped with black pearls of caviar. Sauvignon blanc, fresh with hints of grapefruit, paired nicely. Rafael had loosened up as I quizzed him about his former employment. Turns out he has always worked for Quatrano and Harrison, the pair that own Baccanalia, Floataway, Abbattoir, and Star Provisions.

Loup de mer, a simple white fish, was made stunning with its toppings of earthy black trumpet mushrooms and baby potato chips made with fingerlings, all resting on a bed of melted Spring onions. Chardonnay was the obvious choice for wine.

Now things would take a turn for the rich, heavy, dark. Drink boy poured glasses of a 2007 pinot noir from Willamette Valley as the dance of service continued with unwavering steadiness. Truffled cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke provided the creamy base for a chunk of braised veal cheek, so tender it fell apart at the mere sight of my fork. But first BB and I sliced into the crispy veal sweetbreads that crowned the meat, lightly fried in a coating with a hint of nutmeg. He loves sweetbreads. If they were always this good and tender, I can see why. Although small, the braised veal was filling, containing quite a bit of fat. It was a very rich dish.

The menu listed loin of loin next. Huh? We chuckled…..was it loin of lion? Hilarious. Turns out it was venison. Louis M. Martini Reserve cabernet sauvignon was poured….still short. Glazed young vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots, and beets were scattered beneath two thick slices of roasted venison, cooked perfectly medium rare. Unlike the veal, there was not a speck of fat, yet the dense meat was succulent and smooth, the outside of the roast coated with a spice rub containing a hint of clove. A dollop of caramelized onion stole the show…I savored every sweet bit of it.

On to the cheese course, a segue into dessert. Cumberland, a medium bodied cheese with little holes, reminded me of fontina. It was paired with Ellijay apples, both preserved and cubed, and young arugula.

Time for dessert wine, what appeared to be a Spanish tawney. Our first dessert (yes, there were two!) was a glass cup layered with cranberries, brown sugar streusel, then toasted meringue, providing intense tanginess, crunchy sweetness, and fluffy chewiness, a crazy combo of textures.

Our final course was two dense cubes of Valrhona chocolate ganache with a small scoop of frozen chocolate custard on the side. The best part of the dessert was the thickened sweet potato puree, sprinkled with crispy chocolate nuggets.

Quinones Room lived up to the hype, the seamless execution a study in precision, both in service and in the food itself. Was it the best meal I’ve ever had? Quite possibly.

1198 Howell Mill Road 404-365-0410

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

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

The weather on Sunday was perfect for golf, yet somehow I ended up drinking beer and eating at Meehan’s with LC, watching the Falcons lose. As my friend JC texted, “the birds failed to fly”. Indeed, beaten by our nemesis in every sport, Philadelphia. (It was the weekend of The Eagles in more ways than one).

I was cranky. A Corona with lime would solve that problem! My last visit to Meehan’s was pre-concert with the Coopers. Among our group both B and J ordered the Tex-Mex ahi tuna tostadas. I tried one and they were so good, I knew what I was ordering on Sunday before we even parked the car and I don’t even like tuna.

LC ordered jumbo Buffalo wings and a draft beer. My tuna tostada appetizer featured thick slices of seared tuna atop corn and avocado salsa on teeny-tiny chips, each with a dollop of sour cream and Sriracha, arranged around a mound of field greens. Problem is, the serving is very small, only six chips for $12. The bites were, however, as good as I remembered….a little spicy, a little tangy. I could eat four plates, easily. Another Corona as The Falcons tried to make a comeback.

Wings, in a hot vinegar-based sauce, set our lips on fire, cooled off by the chunky blue cheese and celery. The presentation and flavor were right on.

The Falcons lost and we headed out in the beautiful Fall weather, just perfect for golf.

B and I dined at the self-proclaimed whimsical French-influenced bistro Amuse! last night. Owned by Arnaud Michel of Anis and Andy Alibaksh of Apres Diem, their influence is immediately evident in the warm and inviting decor and Alibaksh’s often disjointed menu offerings.

Chef Lenny Robinson, formerly of Anis and The Tasting Room, heads the kitchen. I wanted to meet him, but alas it didn’t happen.

I started with a Cote du Rhone at the bar as I waited for B to arrive. She walked in toting gifts, one being a stuffed reindeer that we later named Randy. We took a corner booth and started catching up on each other’s man dramas….I swear, I live in a soap opera. Our attentive server, David, suggested a bottle of cab, was it Lummis? (yeah, I forgot to take the wine list Monica!) It was lush and leggy.

The kitchen surprised us with a starter (I would say amuse bouche but it was far too large) of sashimi tuna with fava bean puree, chili oil and preserved lemon. Chef clearly does not know me. Tuna bores the shit out of me even at MF Sushi. Although the texture was nice, there was no flavor. B liked it much more than I did.

Their soup of the day was rabbit and white bean stew. Aha! We can never resist a wascaly wabbit! Seriously, if there is rabbit or brussel sprouts on a menu, you can bet me and B will have them. The stew was hearty and flavorful, although heavy on tomato.

Of the starters, the pork belly was recommended (I always say yes to swine!) and roasted cauliflower sounded intriguing. We also ordered the goat cheese fritters and house salad, all to share. A runner brought out fabulous crispy hot rolls with butter. I’m a sucker for a good bread service and I have to give Amuse! an A.

I don’t even like cauliflower but I think Cliff Bostock said it was good. A few whole pieces of cauliflower sat atop a puree. Pecorino candied pistachios? Maybe they were crushed and sprinkled on top. There was definitely great flavor in this dish but both B and I were perplexed that it was served cold.

The house salad sounded amazing with wood roasted apple, peanuts, 40′s blue and crispy onions. Just as David brought out the two plates (the kitchen split most dishes for us) my phone rang. It was ST. I had to go outside to escape the lovely jazz ensemble by the bar so I could hear his defeated words. Cold, semi-inebriated, and ultimately sad as hell….at least I looked good in my new sweater dress!

Still on the phone, my good friend and amazing Argentinian artist MS arrived with his man S. Quelle surprise! They joined us (see, that big corner booth came in handy!) and we proceeded to regale them with our man dramas. S ordered the house salad and MS got the moules en biere beligique (sans frites). There is the “French influence” on the menu.

I really loved the salad but the apples did not appear to be roasted and the peanuts were missing altogether. S said the dishes here were rather inconsistent, but I must also say the kitchen is still young, the restaurant having only been open a little over a month. Crispy onions on anything make me happy.

Crisp pork belly was served over a slaw of napa cabbage, apple, avocado and yuzu. OK folks, where was the avocado? The pork belly was sufficiently piggy and paired well with the slaw. I dare say there was some mint in the slaw. I hate mint.

When we first arrived I mentioned to our server that I must try the “mac & cheese” (that is how it is printed on the menu). B and I split the lobster tagliatelle entree, described as flavored with oregano, chile, bottarga di mugine, and chive flowers. No mention of tomato. The chunks of lobster were perfectly cooked, yet the sauce was predominantly tomato. I have a weird distaste for tomato with any type of seafood. However, the oregano and chile boosted the flavor. Chive flowers and bottarga di mugine? What the fuck. We never got the “mac & cheese”. We never got the goat cheese fritters either. And dammit, we didn’t even order the brussel sprouts!

But we did, of course, order two desserts. The apple tart with cinnamon ice cream and the butterscotch creme brulee. Another example of something that I expected to be served warm, the apple tart was cold and disappointing. The creme brulee was creme brulee.

We overstayed our welcome by about an hour. Do they close at 10? I guess we were amused!

560 Dutch Valley Road 404-888-1890

It has been a while since I’ve dined at Serpas, so I was thrilled to get a chance to go with AD, on her last night in Atlanta, accompanied by her injured dude NC.

The restaurant was packed at 8:45 on a Friday night. Modern industrial chic describes the space, with a huge mural of cotton on one wall, exposed brick on another, all cozied up with soft lighting. Chef Serpas can be seen expediting orders and chatting with customers in a non-frenzied manner.

Tuna is not my thing. However, AD loves it. Contrary to all logic, I love it at Serpas too, having tried it at the media dinner. Diced ahi, green apple, and onion are dressed with a chile sesame dressing, the perfect marriage of sweet and spicy, served with huge homemade potato chips, and a big serving of gratuitous cleavage.

A bottle of cava was well-priced so we started off with a sparkling toast to AD’s upcoming worldwide travel adventure. I will be meeting her, perhaps in Chile, so we decided to follow up the cava with a bottle of pinot noir from Cono Sur.

We also agreed on the crispy duck rolls. I’ve had them on every visit and always love them, filled with rich and flavorful pulled duck, each piece resting in a sweet and spicy chili syrup. I wish we could have had the eggplant hushpuppies and Scott’s signature oysters too, but I had to save room for the house salad and entrees, who’s descriptions define comfort food.

Chef Serpas has a knack for sauces and dressings. The Serpas house salad is a perfect example, just simple fresh field greens, candied pecans, and goat cheese, dressed with a blistered grape vinaigrette….a little sweet, a little tangy, just plain awesome!

Although chef Serpas is from Louisiana, he includes a few Asian inspired dishes, like the duck spring rolls, that are extremely successful. I’ve had the jumbo sea scallops served with bok choy on a perfectly executed panang curry.

On this visit the three of us decided to split two entrees. The duck breast, stuffed with Andouille sausage was served with an “open faced vegetable relleno”. I’m still confused about that, but I can tell you it was made with Brussels sprout leaves, chilis, mushrooms, and raisins. All sat upon a slightly sweet and savory sauce that complimented the crispy skinned duck and vegetables.

The short ribs with pappardelle reminded me and AD of the amazing dish we used to get at The Globe (R.I.P), but its presentation was entirely different. The beef was not pulled but served as a chunk atop the large paste squares with a scrumptious sauce with roasted shallots, asparagus, and sunchokes. The meat was so tender it easily fell apart as we dug in with forks, making “yum” sounds as we cleaned both plates.

Bread pudding you say? Hell yeah! I like mine not drenched in sugary sauce so I requested the bourbon cream sauce on the side. Not too sweet….just right!

I just love Serpas. Scott Serpas is a genuinely nice guy and, in my opinion, ranks among the top five chefs in Atlanta (possibly even the best?). There’s no pretense with the food, the chef, or the location. Perhaps it’s his play on sweet and spice that I love so much. Or his masterful sauces and dressings. It certainly lives up to his “True Food” name.

659 Auburn Avenue at Studioplex 404-688-0040

First of all, my feelings about eating inferior sushi are about the same as drinking an O’Douls (alcohol free) beer….why bother? Diners that like the sushi at Ra probably think Trader Joe’s wine is pretty good too. Sad.

MF Buckhead is truly the only sushi in Atlanta worth eating. Check out my interview with Chris Kinjo in Atlanta’s Finest Dining last year. After dining there, all other sushi pales in comparison. So, I was not too excited to go to Ra last night, but it was with my friend AD and a fun group of girls and I thought I would give it a try.

Having read Cliff Bostock’s review in Creative Loafing recently, I already had a preconceived notion that it would probably suck. Oh, and it’s a chain. Even less impressive.

Taking advantage of an evening without rain, our group of 8 sat on the large patio. We started with edamame and I ordered a cold nigori sake from their extensive list. So far, so good. But Ra is more about fun than food. The atmosphere is festive, the location is close to midtown’s clubs and bars, so the crowd was young and trendy. I saw a lot of familiar faces.

Some of the girls ordered salads, others tried rolls. There are plenty of creative, Americanized sushi-esque appetizers and entrees. AD ordered the Tunacado which we thought was a roll but was simply thin sliced sub-par tuna and avocado with a creamy ponzu dipping sauce. The website claims the fish is flown in fresh daily….really? Ironically, I did not order anything raw at Ra but rather opted for smoked salmon and unagi (eel) nigiri. Both passable. I also tried the pork potstickers. The frozen ones at Whole Foods are better.

Service was a little off but, again, passable. The girls seemed to enjoy their food. Perhaps they are not sushi snobs like me, and that’s OK. The menu is extensive and this was just one visit but chances are the next time I crave sushi I will be ordering the amazing melt-in-your-mouth kampachi and the kickass duck or seabass from the robata grill at MF Buckhead.