FoodieBuddha.com

Hey peeps – I’m heading back from Cleveland a little earlier than expected.  As a result, I probably won’t have a chance to get anything of consequence up today.  If I have a chance to connect on the plane [not likely], then I’ll do my best to get some good stuff up.  In the meantime, be on the lookout for a post about Johnny’s Bar in Cleveland.  It’s an Italian restaurant I’ve dined at roughly four times in the past five-years.  I can tell you that Atlanta would be lucky to have a restaurant of this ilk.

Even if I’m not able to connect in flight, I’ll be sure to wrap up my Engine 11 review so that I can publish it sometime this weekend.

Buddha out!

Look out Atlanta, there’s a new Greek restaurant in town.  After a number of delays, Mykonos Taverna has finally opened its doors.  Originally scheduled to open at the end of April, the restaurant finally said hello to us late last week.  I had no idea when I penned the aforementioned post that droves of people would be looking for info on the restaurant.  As of this writing, that post is the third most visited page on the site.

That web fever seems to have translated to hungry masses; the place was absolutely packed when we arrived for dinner at 7:50.  If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought that Mykonos was the newest Blais project to hit the ATL.  The reality is that the restaurant’s purveyors also operate Mykonos Grill up on Cobb Pkwy; perhaps that accounts for some of the fervor.

Having never stepped foot in Mykonos Grill, I have no idea if Taverna is a departure for the operators.  Regardless, the fact that they have done this before leaves me a bit perplexed; dinner was perhaps one of the most unusual dinning experiences I’ve ever been witness to.

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This is just a quick little get up for ya’ll.  I’m heading out the door for a business trip and haven’t had time to finish writing either of my two latest reviews.  I hope to have at least one of them ready to post by the time I land.  In the meantime, here’s a quick little heads up.

First up is Engine 11, the pub that now occupies the old fire station on North Ave.  While the building itself is pretty damn cool, the location seems to be a death knell for all who open there.  Stylistically, not much has changed since The Spotted Dog, the previous tenants, closed up.  Menu wise – it’s a bit of a mix and match with over priced appetizers and par for the course grub.  Details to follow.

Meanwhile, Mykonos Taverna has finally opened.  Roughly three-months behind schedule, this Greek eatery is hoping to capitalize on the huge buzz with a mind boggling array of menu options and a distinct decor.  To my surprise, that opening announcement has been on of the more popular posts on the blog (currently 3rd as of this writing).  Meanwhile, the initial meal left me absolutely perplexed, but not so much that I’m ready to burn down the place (yet…).

So Eat It Atlanta decided to head out to Cali for a little visit to the Wine Bloggers Conference.  Turns out, he ran into Mr. Dirty South Wine and the two of them cavorted about, teasing those of us stuck in the ATL with tweets and status updates.  To further rub it in – he took a number of great pictures and put together a nice little food-centric post.  My ire grows stronger with each second as I come to grips with my decision to stay here and work.

How could this possibly be real?  What follows is supposedly a recording of a complaint call made to the Jimmy Dean Sausage 1-800 number.  Real or not, it’s pretty funny.  That said, it’s pretty tame until the last few seconds – at which point it becomes straight up NSFW.

Meat [sic] the Rubik’s Cubewich!  Words just aren’t enough to explain how cool this is:

According to the OP, that sandwich is made up of pastrami, kielbasa, pork fat, salami, and two types of cheddar.  Kick ass!!!!

[Via TIWYF From insanewiches]

Once a year, a multitude of restaurants in Downtown Atlanta get together for some dining specials.  The event starts today and includes a total of 28 restaurants.  Every restaurant is offering up a $25 prix fixe meal for $25.  Included in the menu is an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert.  While this doesn’t include beverages, tax, or tip – it’s still one hell of a deal.  I’ve taken the liberty of collecting the list of restaurants for ya’ll and provided a link to OpenTable so you can make your reservations!  Oh yeah, Atlanta Downtown has put up a preferred parking list to help you find a spot for your transportation.

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What do you get when you combine cops, doughnuts, and one great sense of humor?  The answer: one heck of business that’s as funny on the soul as it is expansive on the draw string. Personally, I dig it when stereotypes are exploited for the greater good of humor and joy.  Apparently, I’m not alone.

Clare, MI is a small town of roughly 4,000 people.  Normally, it’s not a particularly noteworthy town; however, they’ve recently received a great deal of attention because of the town doughnut shop.

Established in 1896, the Clare City Bakery was as much a part of the town as anything else.  However, times are tough and the CCB fell victim to the economic woes of the day.

Enter the Clare City Police Department, all nine of them.  The nine dudes decided to purchase the failed bakery and reopen it as, you guessed it, “Cops & Doughnuts.”  The newly reworked bakery comes complete with it’s own website AND it’s own merchandise line.

Oh, and while I’d love to take credit for the "You Have the Right to Remain Glazed" bit, it’s not mine.  Fact is, you can get it, or one of several other hilarious catch phrases, on your very own T-Shirt from the Cops & Doughnuts Shameless Commerce Division.

[Via FREEP]

Late last month, writer Tom Keane contributed a piece to the Boston Globe.  The topic at hand was the effect of the local food movement and some of the adverse consequences when one’s dietary constitution is heavily reliant upon nearby products.  The article, entitled “The Bitter Reality,” sparked an awful lot of backlash from people who found his premise to be bunk.

Part of the problem, according to those commentators, is that Keane is not qualified to speak on the topic.  Further to the point, there were claims of short-sighted and poorly conducted research.  While I will agree that Keane’s background does little to put him on par with the likes of Mark Bittman, I’m not as ready to cast aside his perspective.  While I am as down with sustainable food as anyone, don’t forget that local and sustainable aren’t the same thing.

The truth is that many of his points are valid (for example: high cost).  However, like most things in life, there are valid points no matter which side of the issue you find yourself on.  If you have the time, jump on over and give it a glance.

Papi’s Cuban Grill in Midtown has gone through a number of changes in recent years.  What was once a tiny little dive joint is now a sprawling, full-service restaurant.

In the past couple of weeks, Papi’s has introduced a full-service option.  It used to be that you ordered from the counter regardless of where you were going to eat [hence the line at the right].  Now, there is no need to stop at the register.  Instead, go ahead and bound down the short set of stairs and find your place at one of the many tables.

So while they aren’t actually “fancy shmancy,” the are now fully equipped to handle all your needs.

Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill Restaurant Address & Info

216 Ponce de Leon Ave, Atlanta, GA 30308 // 404.607.1525 // Papi’s Website // Papi’s Menu