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Beneath a nondescript blue awning, in a tiny and simply adorned space, sits a little sandwich shop and breakfast stop that publishes one serious MOTHER TRUCKIN MUFFIN.  These housemade muffins come courtesy of The Sentinel, a Dennis Leary [the chef … not the “Asshole”] helmed dispensary in San Francisco’s Financial District.  Take note: it took just one bite of this crusty, intensely fruity breakfast treat to sell me.

When I touched down in San Francisco in mid-September, chef Dennis Leary was not an unknown commodity.  The now mid-30s chef has been kicking out the grub at Canteen restaurant for the better part of the last decade.  To this day, I still haven’t visited Canteen; but, I certainly heard about the place from my home some 2,473 miles away.  Despite that familiarity with Leary, I had no idea of his tiny side project, the aforementioned Sentinel.  Thank to all things holy (and sage advice from my SF hostess), I lucked into a little visit to Muffin Town.

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In the heart of Atlanta’s ritzy Buckhead neighborhood sits a bright white house with a light grey roof and red trim.  It’s just off the beaten path and a stones throw from the area’s Whole Foods Market.  If not for the droves of cars in the parking lot, one might think this a residence.  But a closer inspection reveals a painted on tree and a friendly little sign pronouncing the name of the business within: Café Jonah & The Magical Attic.

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In a lot of ways, Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand is an all out surprise.  You’ll find Delia’s on a somewhat downtrodden strip of Moreland Ave just south of I20 and roughly a half mile from East Atlanta Village.  Not exactly the epicenter of Atlanta’s food scene, you’ll know it by the sharp orange and green accented sign serving as an immediate call to arms amongst the nearby row of fast food chains and gas stations.  It’s almost too pretty for the neighborhood. 

Yes, when one considers an East Atlanta food stand powered by chicken sausage, it would follow that said establishment was probably just a dive.  The Sausage Stand is anything but.  With alpha-branding, a color scheme that screams “ad agency,” and a cutesy-adult menu that reads like something out of Go The **** To Sleep, it’s apparent that owners Molly Gunn and Delia Champion have their sites set on a larger game.  That assumption aside, several internet sites have quotes from the duo attesting to such intentions.  After one such encounter with Delia’s … it seems that it might be best if they put the horse before the cart.

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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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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.

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Good news for people looking for a chilled out dinner in Midtown Atlanta.  Noon Midtown, a gourmet sandwich shop meets breakfast joint, is now offering an “After Noon” service (cute isn’t it!).  To help make dinner a reality, executive chef/owner Katie Birmingham has brought in Autumn Benson (Go GIRL POWER!!) and Sean Telo to serve as her sous chefs.  While Benson may not be a name to you and me, her last place of employment, The Bazaar, a Jose Andres joint in Los Angeles, most certainly is.  Meanwhile, Telo was just a hop, skip, and jump away.  He cut his teeth over at Eno (now by Zaza), and comes with high regards.

As for Noon itself, the space has been slightly modified to include a full array of adult beverages.  To help keep you happy, Reggie Weekes, an artsy dude by day,  is now onboard to bring a little bit of cocktail culture to your dinner experience.

The menu is slim and trim (and all fits on a half page).  Though I expect it to change with the seasons, it appears to be a succinct sampling of farm to table goodness wrapped in reasonable prices.  The list of items includes approachably elevated versions of chicken liver mousse, a play on green eggs and ham, and some eye candy in the form of spring fettuccini (above).  That fettuccini includes housemade ricotta and sliced asparagus (good for twirling).  The real kicker is that the pasta is also made onsite.  Apps all run around five and six dollars, while the entrées start at $12 and go as high as $17.  Desserts can be had as well, so long as you have room after sampling one of three sandwiches available for dinner service.  While you’re chewing on that, take a gander at Birmingham’s visit to Inside The Chef’s Kitchen.  Reports soon after I’ve gotten my grub on.

Noon Midtown Restaurant Address & Information

1080 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 6, Atlanta, GA 30309 // 404.496.4891 // Noon Website // Noon Menu // Noon twitter // Noon facebook

After being tipped to this by a very kind reader, it is now confirmed that Bobby & June’s Kountry Kitchen, that Midtown breakfast joint, is closing for good on Friday, April 30th.  In fact, the AJC has just posted on this, with the full on details of the circumstances.  It seems that financial pressures complicated by family circumstances are the impetus to the details.  What a shame, especially considering that I just recently tried them for breakfast.  Regardless, if you have a chance between now and then, go grab some breakfast or a meat and three meal as a farewell.

Bobby & June’s Restaurant Address & Information

375 14th Street Atlanta, GA 30318 // 404.876.3872 // Bobby & June’s facebook

Bobby and June’s Kountry Kitchen is a place of romanticism and idealized memories.  Every city has a place (or two) like this, a breakfast joint that serves as a tribute to times gone by from era’s long past.  It’s here we find this simple little shack, nestled in the bosom of high-rises and traffic jams.  Sitting proudly on 14th street in the cleavage between Midtown and Westside, Bobby and June’s bright yellow sign and weather tested wood planks immediately call attention to this Atlanta institution.

It’s a popular eatery amongst those that attend Georgia Tech, as it serves as a comfortable mixture of Waffle House meets Fox Bros.  With its very own barbecue pit, Bobby and June’s moves seamlessly between the world’s of Meat & 3’s and diners.  It was this history that coaxed me out of bed one recent morning, inviting me in for a meal where calories aren’t to be trifled with and organic is a term that applies to the Streak-O-Lean on your plate and not a food movement.  Though I’m much more likely to see a sunrise on my way to bed than on my way out of it, the opportunity to rejuvenate the Ambiguously Foodie Duo was just too much to pass up.

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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

The West Egg, that popular Westside Atlanta breakfast joint, is now doing dinner.  Having moved just a short while ago into fancy new digs, the restaurant has decided to expand their hours of operation.  (They’re just a hop skip and jump away from their old location).  The restaurant is now open from 7am-10pm Monday thru Friday.  On the weekends, they open at 8am and close at 10pm.  The dinner menu includes a number of traditional southern dishes, including chicken & dumplings, stewed vegetables, and beef short ribs (to name a few).  Fear not avid fans of their breakfast material, that stuff is available all hours.  In addition, the Egg now offers four bottled beers on tap and a selection of wines.  Last weekend, they added Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas to the menu.  Starting this weekend, that will expand into a full cocktail service.

For those of you who haven’t seen the new space, check out the amazing photos by Savory Exposure.

West Egg Café Restaurant Address & Information

1100 Howell Mill Rd. Atlanta, GA 30308 // 404.872.3973 // West Egg website // West Egg menu (pdf)