FoodieBuddha.com

Call it a chicken biscuit … call it a sandwich … call it a coronary heart attack … I don’t care what you call it, so long as you make it a point to grab Noon Midtown’s “Stack” sooner than later.  Katie Birmingham’s top notch restaurant has been kicking ass and taking names since I first stumbled in there a little over a year ago.

Though it has grown beyond its conceptual roots as a lunch place, Noon Midtown has become one of my favorite dinner spots and best bets for a noon time meal.  Case in point, I’ve been there enough times that they can pick me out in a crowd.  However, until this past weekend, I had never ventured over to try their Saturday brunch.  After watching my beloved Oranji win them some football, I took advantage of the break in the action to meet up with Atlanta’s favorite bachelorette blogger.  Having seen Noon’s brunch menu some time ago, I was particularly inspired by Live to Feast’s memo and Chow Down Atlanta’s love note.

Continue reading…

A few days ago, in the midst of a predictably busy Atlanta rush hour, I decided to drag a friend into Nectar, a fruit juice bar and smoothie shop over in Decatur.  Though their original location is in Oakhurst, this satellite spot is over on Clairmont Rd. sandwiched between Bohjanic, Nectar’s parent restaurant, and the much buzzed about Community Q.

Though Nectar offers a handful of Panini and a number of breakfast selections, the main focus of this small eatery is their juices, teas, and smoothies.  Since we had already consumed an ample lunch over at Café Agora, this was simply a pit stop to tryout a refreshing beverage.

As with many places of this ilk, there are a handful of pre-designed beverages and the option to mix and match your own.  Smoothies run $3.99 (16 oz.) and $5.29 (24 oz) for the custom constructions or simply $5.99 for their 16 oz pre-designed options (designated as Mega smoothies).  In addition, you can always add additional boosters (“superfoods”) for a nominal charge.

I made a beeline for a 16 oz Pomegranate based smoothie of my design.  Though my wimpy camera phone shot doesn’t look great, the drink actually had a rich color.  It was prepared quickly and with a very friendly smile, something that I’ve become accustom to while dinning next door at Bhojanic. 

To be honest, their really isn’t much you can do to screw up a smoothie, but that aside … I was quite happy with my beverage.  Everything inside was clean and given the handful of exotic items on the menu (Amazonian Acai, Acerola and Cacao), Nectar certainly did enough to earn my money.

Further exploration is needed, but for now … if you’re in the area, it’s a great place to grab a smoothie.  It’s also worth a mention that their Oakhurst location does have a sampling of Indian cuisine.

Nectar Clairmont Fruit Juice Bar & Smoothie Shop
1365 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033 // 404.633.4400 // Nectar website // Nectar menu // Nectar facebook

Nectar Oakhurst Fruit Juice Bar & Smoothie Shop
707-C East Lake Drive, Decatur, GA 30030 // 404.378.4006

I should be writing about this …

but instead I’m watching this …

So I’ll be back on …

In the meantime people – if you have a chance to get to The Kind Pie in Buckhead… DO IT!!! AND DO IT NOW … the pizza is amongst the best in the city … and inspired by Brian Spangler of Portland and his take on the cuisine!  This place deserves to blow up … it’s just that good!

On an early afternoon scamper from Buckhead back to the Westside, I found myself looking for sustenance.  As I was heading right past the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center, I decided to swing by Zoës Kitchen, a fast casual franchise with a focus on health conscious and sustainable grub.  I wasn’t looking for something quick, cost effective, and relatively tasty.  At the end of the day, that’s basically what I got.

The decor reads straight out of a manual.  The tables are clean, the chairs are “futuristic,” and there’s a lot of orange going around.  The menu looks like it’s a sandwichized version of Moe’s (both in form and factor).  Though I haven’t double checked this, they are supposedly gluten friendly, so that should make at least one blogger very happy.  Thankfully, nobody yelled “Welcome to Zoës when I entered!

As I wasn’t terribly hungry, and I was hopping to spend under $5, I went with a small container of chicken salad.  Alas, the bill was closer to $6 … so that was a bit frustrating.  Anywho, upon opening the container, I found a straightforward sampling of shredded/minced chicken salad.  It’s the type they use on the chicken salad sandwiches at The V.

I kinda enjoy this alternative to the chunky salads that seem to permeate our restaurants.  However, at more than $4 for a simple container of it, I wasn’t in love with the price.  Meanwhile, the spice mix was your basic mayo, salt, and pepper.  They said they use “spices” on the bottom label, but i didn’t get anything special.  I would have liked a little more salt and pepper … and something to help with the texture.  In the absence of bread, some more celery would have helped make it a bit more substantial.  Still, it was pretty fresh and not too sweet, so it would definitely work for me if push came to shove.

In the scope of fast casual, Zoës seems likely to fit right in.  Further exploration is a must before any semblance of a true commentary can come out.

FOR THE FULL ALBUM, VISIT

Atlanta Foodies On Zoës Kitchen

• The Quick and Dirty Dirty on Zoës (08.27.09)
• Georgia Green Dining Guide on Zoës (08.19.09)

Zoës Kitchen Restaurant Address & Information

2333 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 // 404.233.9637 // Zoes Kitchen website // Zoes Kitchen menu (pdf)

Saturdays and Sundays, at least the good ones, equal football and football equals wings (of the Buffalo persuasion).  Late in the calendar year, and on into the earliest months of the newest 365, men and women come together on those days of little sun for rowdy goodness.  At the intersection of beer guts and team pennants, you’ll find droves of people yelling at TVs and bantering with their nearest compatriots, all while donning their gayest apparel.

These engagements of caveman-like behavior would not be complete without a significant amount of sustenance.  More often than not, discussions of what to eat and what to order dwindle down to the sympathetic duo of pizza and wings.  For the past 28-years, J.R. Crickets has tried its best to remain at the forefront of those discussions.  In more ways than one, this wing establishment has matured into the wings version of Mellow Mushroom.  What started as a solitary fryer has blossomed into a dozen+ location chain with a reasonably strong following.

Continue reading…

While playing with any convention is dangerous territory, it doesn’t mean it can’t be lighthearted and fun.  I believe that statement is a perfect representation of Taka Moriuchi, the facebooking blogger who also happens to produce some of the better sushi in the city.  Taka-san has a habit of mixing things up a bit, and his burger may just be his best attempt to date.

Japanese food is known for its artful simplicity and its tradition laden techniques.  Still, that doesn’t mean that the cuisine is the least bit static.  Many Japanese chefs, especially those of the sushi persuasion, are at the center of this movement.  Here at this precipice stands the Menchi Katsu burger from Taka Sushi Cafe, that ever popular neighborhood sushi joint located in the glitz of Buckhead.

Continue reading…

While I have no problem hopping in the car for a 45-minute drive to check out a restaurant, I can assure you that nothing about my recent trip to the Coo Coo’s Nest in Cumming was redeemable.  The massive, two-story complex reads like many in this category.  The interior is marked by high ceilings, open rooms, and a polished finish.  It’s extremely clean, and doesn’t seem like a bad place to catch a game.

That’s where the joy in this bubbly establishment seems to run out.  I only had a chance to sample a few things, so it’s possible something on the menu is palatable; but I doubt I’ll ever be back to find out.  The menu reads like that of any basic chain restaurant, and the food tastes even worse.

The baked potato soup showed up and you could immediately tell it was simply squeezed out of a bag.  Still, it was passable.  The chicken salad sandwich was not.  It seems as if they took some shredded chicken, added in an ounce of mayonnaise, and then dropped in about 3 quarts of sugar.  Overbearingly sweet, I was done in two bites.  I had a similar action to the deeply fried steak fries as I did the the tater soup.

As for service … well … it didn’t help that they were short staffed, leading to one of the most drawn out meals I have ever bared witness to.  Though I was in no rush due to the topic at hand with my lunch buddies, it’s pretty sad that it took them 90-minutes to deliver two soups, three entrées, and a check.  I’m sure things are better when the staff is all there, simply because it has to be.  I didn’t care to point out to our waiter that there were at least four hostesses on duty who should have been able to help stop the bleeding.

I know that food isn’t the most important thing, but come on … there is a limit.  Though I’m distinctly unfamiliar with the surrounding area inside of a two-mile radius, I would hope there is a better alternative in the close proximity.  If there isn’t, I’d keep driving until I found something else.  I’d rather eat out of a dumpster than put anything from Coo Coo’s back in my mouth.  Hey, at least they got a facebook page

Coo Coo’s Nest Restaurant Address & Information

1290 Freedom Parkway, Cumming, GA, 30041 // 678.456.8932 // Coo Coo’s Nest website // Coo Coo’s Nest menu // Coo Coo’s Nest facebook

Holeman & Finch is my favorite watering hole here in Atlanta, hands down and bar none.  Though I think the food has slipped just a smidge since Adam Biderman bolted for the Big Easy, the drinks are as killer as always and the food is still quite good.  After Biderman departed back in May, Jason Paolini was brought in to run the kitchen.  For all practical purposes, he has made the transition seamless for the patrons.  Yes, I did say the food has slipped a smidge, but I do mean that emphatically.

As expected, the menu has morphed ever so slightly since Paolini’s arrival, and the new additions have gone over quite well.  As Tony continues to put his footprint on the restaurant, the food is gradually returning to normal.

Of the additions, the house made hot dog is far and away the gold medalist.  Ladies and gents, I’ve had hot dogs upon hot dogs upon hot dogs in my lifetime – and this hot dog is breathtakingly awesome.  Mind you, it’s a bit gourmet, as is everything at H&F.  Of hot dogs of this ilk – it might be the best I EVER had.  Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this ground round of beef town has hit my lips only once to date.  It’s possible that this was an aberration, but I seriously doubt it.  After all, I’m not the only one to dig this pup!

Continue reading…

The  north end of Inman Park is packed with small businesses, a few markets, and a number of restaurants.  Amongst them, the Albert has been a long standing member of the community and the area’s requisite watering hole.  While it might not seem worthy of a foodie review, I can assure you it is.

The restaurant itself sort of meanders back and forth between a dive bar and a pub.  The majority of seats in the place are either at the bar or at a booth; and, a handful of offbeat pieces of artwork, a Golden Tee machine, a pool table, and a few TVs will keep you entertained.

The food is straight up bar fare with chicken fingers, wings, burgers, BLT’s and the like as your options du jour.  It’s all decent, given what it is, and the prices and portions are more than reasonable.  A fixed rotation of daily specials can make a trip to the Albert down right ridiculously cheap, and the chilled out vibe will almost always guarantee a good time.

Mind you, it’s a place for the everyman, where tattoos, button downs, and everything in between, are welcome.  Sure, sometimes the food is a little overcooked, and you might catch a few too many lit cigarettes if you’re a non-smoker, but as a hangout spot, the Albert is well oiled.  They aren’t trying to offer the beer menu of The Brick Store or the gastro-inspired food of The Porter, they’re just trying to be themselves.  Though I’ve never actually grabbed a table, the staff and service are always friendly, and I’ve never left feeling fleeced or cheated.  Similar to The Local, The Albert has become a popular hang out, and for good reason.

Note: The picture, starring Todd the bartender, came courtesy of the Albert website, hopefully – they don’t mind

The Albert Restaurant Address & Information

918 Austin Ave Atlanta, GA 30307 // 404.872.4990 // The Albert website // The Albert menu
The Albert on facebook

Just a shade over two weeks ago, I hit up Turner Field for the Atlanta BBQ Festival.  Given that this was their inaugural party, I was pretty impressed with how smoothly things went down.  While the grubblins were essentially left to their own devices, it wasn’t too hard to figure out what was what.  It was particularly amusing to see the little dance that developed.

Step 1: One of the tents would fire up some free barbecue
Step 2: A massive line would form
Step 3: Crowd would mow down their the amuse-bouche sized samples with fervor
Step 4: Crowd would instantly dissipate and move onto the next station victim, rinse, and repeat

While there were a ton of boutique grill masters on hand, a number of Atlanta barbecue joints made an appearance (Fox Bros comes to mind).  As logic would follow, there were a plethora of styles and meats available, so I won’t go through all the individual bites I had.  However, there were a couple of competitions, a report by Good Day Atlanta, and a bunch of photos… so check it out (after the jump of course)

Continue reading…