Tag Archive for: food experience

New Realm Brewing Company: Beer and Bites Perfectly Paired

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/9/20

Walking down the Beltline, it’s hard to miss New Realm Brewery and that beautiful rooftop bar. It’s the perfect place to stop in for a beer, but make sure you go hungry, because they will also rapidly become a food destination. Mark our words, where world-class beer making meets elevated southern fare is New Realm Brewing Company, a patchwork of meatballs and creamy grits, beer can chicken, newly added distilled spirits, and beer aficionados discussing the newest bourbon barrel release. Tasty pairings ahead.

Our first stop on our food adventure is with the Asian-Style Loaded Fries. From the crispy and piping hot mound of French fries to the tender and deep pork, topped with a savory garlic aioli and spicy sriracha, it was a complete and balanced bite. The creaminess of the aioli mixed with the sriracha goes from creamy to spicy and then mellows out with the pork. It paired well with the Hazy Like A Fox or Hoptropolis IPA because of the bitterness of the beer and the spicy and creaminess of the fries balance each other out. What a great appetizer and pairing.

Tackling Liz’s favorite bite next, the Spanish-Style Tomato Braised Pork Meatballs, were a bite of heaven. These gems were light pork meatball, perfectly tender and earthy, topped with tasty marinara and placed on top of creamy, rich grits. The mix of grits and marinara and the richness of the meat was so good that we ate the entire thing. If you could get one thing at New Realm, this is it. As far as pairing, it’s so heavy, we liked the United Lager with it. Something light and easy drinking.

Of the larger plates, we went for the Beer Can Smoked Chicken (featured image). With tender bone-in, skin-on tender, lightly smoky on top of summer succotash (corn), and garlic mashed potatoes, it was a staple southern dish elevated to southern classic. The chicken was tender with slightly smoky flavor throughout and went well with the succotash of corn and the creaminess and depth of the mashed potatoes. You need to take the chicken and mix it with everything else. What a great bite! Since this chicken has the Hazy Like a Fox glaze, of course it pairs well with the IPA, BUT could we suggest the Oaxaca Choca or Doomsday Hound Wooded Reserve (or any stout on their menu)? The chicken is smoky, which to us pairs well with something a little heavier and cuts through the smokiness of the chicken and balances it out! The Oaxaca Choca stout reminds you of Christmas with cinnamon forward nose, mellowing out on the end. What’s better than that and a hearty Christmas-like meal?

John’s favorite was the pizza. We got the Meat Head Pizza and it was crispy, hearty, and filled with all types of meat, it was savory. He ate on that pizza for a couple of days it was so large. It’s a good deal for what you get and make sure you bring a friend to help you finish it! Pro tip: Liz decided she wanted to pile some of the fries with sriracha on her piece of pizza and it was amazing that way. Added spice and creaminess and tons of crunch. As far as beer pairing, you can have anything with it. That’s not a cop-out that’s a testament to the elevated beer brewing skills at New Realm. Pizza and beer just go together from a lager, an IPA, to the Perun Pale Ale to that delicious Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale that literally tasted like a King of Pop Popsicle.

Did you know that New Realm is going to start rolling out more Seltzers and even has started to distill their own liquor? You heard us, you can get a liquor drink or a seltzer right now at New Realm. They have vodka, gin, and bourbon and mixers like soda, cranberry, or even Bloody Mary and Red Bull. So, Next time we walk the beltline, we’re going to make sure to try something new on the New Realm provisions menu and find a new favorite beer. Maybe the Spicy Korean Pork Cheek Buns and another one of the Wooded Reserve Barrel Aged Series Beers? Maybe a Bloody Mary on the weekend? Yes, please. What are you doing next weekend?

Bulla Gastrobar: Who Loves Sangria?

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/3/19

Cozy and warm in atmosphere, Bulla Gastropub has an expansive menu with a mix of fresh, light tapas to hearty large plates, as well as a hefty wine list and some of the best Sangria Blanca in Atlanta. We’d argue the best! When we went it was before Christmas, so they had decked out the tables with small poinsettias and bows, and a beautiful Christmas tree with tons of presents under it. Being in the festive spirit, let’s find out what there is to celebrate about the menu. Hint: it’s celebratory!

Being more of a white wine gal, I’ve been thinking about how much I really like Sangria. Leave it to Bulla to invite us to National Sangria Day to discover what is probably the best Sangria Blanca I’ve had in a very long time. John liked it too, but he’s more a beer drinker. From the bubble of the cava to the sweetness of the fresh fruit, this pretty lady drinks refreshing and cool. It’s a good, year-round sipper!

Starting with the tapas, the Lacon Al La Gallega is a smoked ham dish sliced very thin like a tartare topped with arugula, dressing, and potato dollops. It ate like a light salad, a very light bite with a ton of flavor and the meat adds salt and heft. Tip: Take the dollops and wrap them in the arugula and ham. It’s creamy, savory, and the right amount of salt. We also got a Charcuterie plate that consisted of Manchego and Murica Al Vino cheese, as well as Jamon Serrano (ham) and Lomo Iberico. They definitely have a great selection of meats and cheeses that come with olives, crisp bread, and candied nuts. Our favorite was the earthy, nutty, sweet, and sharp Manchego cheese that paired well with the cured pork loin (Lomo Iberico). A great little snack with the bread and nuts.

We thought we got the Salmon Carpaccio but in looking at what we got versus the menu, it looks like we got the 5 oz Salmon large plate. So, moving on to the Platos Fuertes the Salmon was paired with spinach, chickpeas, and a lemon cream. The meat itself was perfectly cooked at medium and topped with a cool lemon cream that added balance between the meat and the accompaniments. The spinach and chickpeas were crunchy and earthy and mixed well with the Salmon. Overall, a great bite.

The other large plate is what we always want to try every time we get to taste a menu: Lamb! Lamb is my (Liz’s) favorite meat and this one did not disappoint. The Lamb Chop itself was fall off the bone tender with a sweet and savory honey, thyme sauce. The sauce was delectable with what starts off as sweet to herbaceous of the thyme. So unique! Paired with charred kale, asparagus, and potato foam, a tasty bite with the meatiness of the lamb, creaminess of the potato foam, and earthiness of the charred kale, and brightness of the asparagus. So much flavor!

From the wonderful meal, to the coziness and warmness of the atmosphere, to the attentive staff, Bulla Gastropub is a great place to take friends and family for an intimate meal. You’ll enjoy it.

Atlanta Food and Wine Festival 2019

Date: Thursday, May 30th to Sunday, June 2nd

Time: Varies

About: Grab your glasses, the ninth annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns this spring for another weekend filled with epicurean adventure! From May 30 – June 2, attendees from across the country will come together to enjoy the dishes and spirits of the South through immersive Learning Experiences, epic Tasting Tents, and unique dinners and events. Get fired up as over 150 chefs, sommeliers and mixologists from Texas to the District of Columbia round out a robust lineup of talent for all to enjoy.

This year, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is taking attendees Off the Eaten Path by spotlighting off-the-grid foodie destinations, rising culinary stars, and more. An Advisory Council celebrated by Woodford Reserve is stacked with fresh-yet-savvy talent who will carefully curate unique dinners, hands-on Master Classes, and thought-provoking seminars throughout the weekend highlighting the unexpected, and incorporating surprise and delight ingredients. Be sure to take notes – these will be names you’ll want to remember.

Talent isn’t the only thing that’s fresh this year. The Festival’s beloved Tasting Tents have found a new home in vibrant Old Fourth Ward Park. Attendees will once again be able to indulge in the South’s finest flavors, up-and-coming as well as some favorite destinations and memorable brands. Crafted as an all-you-can-indulge experience, the Tasting Tents will also feature wine pop-up stations, a cocktail garden, live music, and interactive food and beverage pairing areas.

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival prides itself on having an extensive catalogue of programs and events where guests can eat, drink and learn about the South’s rich food and beverage traditions from the region’s best talent. Below are some of the salivating offerings guests can choose from in 2019:

The Front Row – Learning Experiences
Between the in-depth Master Studio series on Friday and an extensive roster of learning seminars on Saturday, guests will have over 50 opportunities to receive hands-on instruction, participate in panel discussions and sip and savor tastings from the region’s top talent. From unexpected pairings to new techniques, the spectrum of topics encourages guests to explore new sides of their palates – and offer endless opportunities for Instagrammable enjoyment and entertaining – including something for everyone’s palate.

Master Studio Series – Kitchen Raconteurs: Storytelling through Food
The universal language of food is intrinsically linked to the art of storytelling. Presented by The Local Palate and hosted by The Lee Brothers, Friday’s Master Studio series invites guests to travel down memory lane with some of our favorite storytellers – chefs, beverage pros, and purveyors – as they share dishes inspired by their own experiences.

Dinners & Events
The party doesn’t end until late! Whether it’s an intimate themed dinner or an extravagant bash, Atlanta Food & Wine Festival knows how to celebrate in true Southern style – and demonstrate the finer points of Southern hospitality. Kicking off with their signature Destination Delicious event on Thursday evening, the weekend will offer festive and interactive tasting events from Friday Lunch all the way to Sunday Brunch.

More Information/tickets: 

https://atlfoodandwinefestival.com/

It’s a Polenta Party!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/5/19

The White Bull

Decatur, GA

Last Saturday, we were invited to The White Bull to experience something we’d never even heard of, a Polenta Party. Polenta is what this southerner would equate to grits and can be dressed with similar ingredients, like cream or cheese to make it delicious. What is even more amazing is how it’s served, which is down the middle of a table, still steaming! The polenta itself was creamy, ooey-gooey, a bit savory, and delicious on it’s own. They don’t stop there, The White Bull takes whatever meat came in that day and put it right on top. Yes, right on top, down the middle of the table! We hit the meat jackpot today, because it was fresh, thigh meat chicken and a savory pulled pork ragu. First off, the pulled pork ragu was one of the best meat concoctions we’ve ever put in our mouths with very tender pork paired with a deep and savory ragu. It’s official, we heart ragu. Then, the chicken was the freshest we’ve ever had!

Beyond the delectable meat, they added several vegetables on top, and yes, right down the middle of the table! Today’s fresh veggies included broccoli, leaks, mushroom with peas, and asparagus. Let’s stop a minute here and let me discuss the broccoli with you. This isn’t your grandmother’s soggy broccoli, but a crisp, tender, olive oil drizzled star. It was like they either air or flash fried the florets, which was the right balance of crunch and savor. Also, the leaks were a perfect compliment to the polenta. It gave it a little bit of a bite, a brightness you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. It could have been a very heavy meal, but the addition of the light broccoli, bright leaks, grilled asparagus, and 25 year old balsamic drizzle on top, created a good balance.

If you want a truly enjoyable experience with your family or friends, this is one for the books. Make sure you like your tablemates, as this is a shareable, tabletop, interactive, experience. Good thing we were with amazing company. You only need 6 people to join in on a Polenta Party at The White Bull. Mark our words, we’ll be back there!