Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 13, 2010
[Surgeon General’s Warning: If you do not have a sense of humor, are prone to short outbursts, or find naughty tids and bits offensive … this post might not be for you!]
You know, there is nothing redeemable about what’s about to happen. It’s going to cost too much, it’s going to be too hard to remember in the morning, and there is absolutely ZERO chance of me “meeting someone.” What’s worse, my mom reads this damn thing! [HI MOM!] I am but a humble man, one who is way too susceptible to that rhetorical question: “Hey, we going to the ____ tonight?” The blank in this case was none other than the Pink Pony, one of Atlanta’s many adult restaurants.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 12, 2010
It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon and beads of sweat drip down my forehead. I find myself standing in the parking lot of the Druid Hills Whole Foods and my eyes are locked in across the street. Anyone with good sense would know that the personal shower was due to the hellish-like temperatures of an Atlanta summer. In most any other case, they’d be right. However, there is an exception to every rule and this was just one of those situations.
In this instance, I was feeling the pressure. Smack dab across the street from that WF is the long standing Pita Palace. Though anything but palatial, the Palace has withstood nearly 7-years of economic turmoil and remained one of the more popular places for ATLiens to grab them some shwarma (aka gyros).
Being the good foodie that I am, I knew I was obligated to cross the street for another one of my “not so” first impressions. Questionable personal safety combined with Whole Foods sushi in the belly made me apprehensive. Not only did I need to make it across Lavista alive, I need to find someway to cram more food into my stomach. With Fünke at my side, the two of us darted across the Lavista on our way to take on Israel’s take on street food!
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 11, 2010
Gummy Bears! You know them, you love them, and you still eat them. Their TV show rocked mad musical beats, and all you want to do is pop them like the pills. But why eat them straight out ‘the package when you can dunk them in a vat of frozen deliciousness?
Yes, at Orleagian Snowballs (or-lee-gin) at the corner of Moreland and Ponce De Leon, you too can grab one of these snowball treasure chests. Unlike this son of a bitch, marinating gummy bears in fruit flavored syrup is anything but wrong. It’s Orleagian’s call to arms and makes eating an already delicious snowball just that much better.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 06, 2010
The unassuming building pictured above is one of Atlanta’s longest operating hot dog hubs. Situated at 1377 Church St, Brandi’s World Famous Hot Dogs holds down fort in Marietta seemingly oblivious to this modern invention we all know as time. It’s a throwback and a place where calorie counts and farm freshness are concepts as mysterious as Pandora’s box.
Open 31-years, I wouldn’t be surprised if the only thing that has changed is the owner (It used to be called Betty’s World Famous Hot Dogs). Actually, Betty sold it to Brandi, so a hanging menu and other odds and ends are different. The restaurant has also relocated a few times since ‘79 and there is an outpost in Cartersville. The point is that this place operates with it’s head in the sand. I don’t think anyone, myself included, would have it any other way.
When you see a popular restaurant located in a building like this, you might normally say: “you wouldn’t know it to look at it … but”. However, in this case, I actually think the run down shotgun shaped station is exactly why you know.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 04, 2010
If my foodie gauge is correct, Super Pan, a Latin sandwich shop from Hector Santiago, is about to be the latest restaurant to permeate Atlanta’s food chatter. How long this Pura Vida spin-off manages to last in that conversation will depend entirely on their ability to deliver good, consistent food. Of course, Santiago’s notability due to his time on Top Chef will help with the buzz.
As you might remember from Monday’s post, I first visited the subterranean sandwich purveyor last week during their first few days of business. However, I grubbed sans camera, so a return trip was necessary before I dropped this post on y’all. Three sandwiches in, I’d say there is some real potential.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on August 03, 2010
By now, most every food fanatic in Atlanta knows that in order to sample authentic Chinese fare, one must grab their gas card and head north. Hong Kong House, the newest entrant into this combative cluster fuck, is no exception. You see, while the restaurant’s location might be typical, the food there is anything but.
Save for a few notable exceptions, the trail of ATL non-westernized Chinese restaurants starts in Doraville and drifts up into Gwinnett and beyond. The intersection of Buford Highway and I-285 might serve as this community’s centrifuge, but the lineup extends well beyond. Case in point: Johns Creek is home to Hong Kong House (5710 State Bridge Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30097). Located in a converted Rio Bravo at the intersection of Medlock and State Bridge, you’ll find HKH in the same lot as the big Regal Cinema up yonder.
Walking into the cavernous cave [side note: aren’t all caves cavernous??], you can’t help but a get a little shell shocked. While many a folk are used to more homely establishments like Wan Lai and Ming’s, Hong Kong House is different in that it is both large (spacious) and in charge (kinda nice). Such was the setup for one of the better Chinese meals I’ve had since this journey of ours began.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on July 30, 2010
You know you’re a food addict when you find yourself verbally sparring with some pseudo parking attendant in the hopes of navigating droves of drunk club bunnies in an attempt to grab a late night fix. Truth be told, my recent exchange with some dude at the intersection of Crescent Ave & 14th street was far from contentious … but it just sounded better to imply otherwise.
Nearly every late night drive over the past year and change near that aforementioned intersection has served as a reminder that a food cart (specifically a gyro/pizza stand) awaits. If you show up at Opera Nightclub, or any of the nearby drunk tanks, towards the end of any given week you’re bound to find a sea of people milling about. This of course assumes that the sun has gone down. It’s been some time since I’ve been in that part of Midtown past midnight. This mostly due to the fact that I know my presence would send mass amounts of drunk ladies in their Sunday best to levels of ecstasy (the pill … not the emotional state) not seen in sometime.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on July 21, 2010
Grant Park’s Young Augustine’s rose from the ashes of The Standard early this year. This neighborhood take on the gastro pub is the brainchild of Chris Johnson, owner of The Standard, Andy Gonzales, a well traveled chef, and Kyle Faucher, the manager who I know little about. While the fate of the Standard seemed set by a series of tragic circumstances, these three gents set out to infuse the space with a bit of life.
Frequenters of 327 Memorial’s previous tenant will remember the joint for its dive bar atmosphere and low-brow bar food. That’s all a distant memory. The one notable holdover is the bocce ball court out back. On the other hand, the interior has been blown open, leaving a community table in the middle and a long, polished wood bar against the back wall. Taking it all in one Saturday afternoon, and on the heels of some rather flattering reviews, I had high hopes for YA’s. Unfortunately, the interior was the first thing, and just about the last thing, that I actually enjoyed during my one meal there.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on July 20, 2010
Just last week, Zach Kell and Seth Hendricks brought their Goin’ Coastal concept from Canton, GA all the way down I-75 and into Virginia Highlands. As the name suggests, Goin’ Coastal is all about the seafood; what sets them apart from their competition is their overt focus on sustainable fishing.
Backed by support from the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium (in the form of product consultation), Goin’ Coastal promises a bevy of seafood options delivered from the sea to your plate inside of 36-hours. Kell, a Georgia native, and Hendricks opened GC in Canton just about two-years ago (they also own The Downtown Kitchen up yonder). Despite a strong following, I had never ventured into either of their flagship restaurants. However, I have long lamented the dearth of good seafood options in this city, so when Goin’ Coastal finally came ITP, I dropped in to see what was what.
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Posted by foodiebuddha
on July 19, 2010
Alright … done with the awws and “how cute is she” declarative questions? Good! Now let’s get it on!
You see, this isn’t so much a review as it is a not so subtle smack over the breakfast burrito reminding you that Gato Bizco Café in Candler Park is where it’s at. Having survived my nubile attempts at restaurant chatter, Gato Bizco remains one of my go-to breakfast spots in Atlanta. Folks – have I told you before that getting me to rise before 10am is an exercise in futility? Only the most seductive temptresses can coax me from my slumber. Well, that and the promise of a breakfast like the one at hand. Back in the stream of conscious: Gato Bizco lays a serious beat down to that disaster across the street (which has spread like a fungus).
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