Tag Archive for: food review

Carson Kitchen: Food So Good, You’ll Swear By It.

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/3/20

Carson Kitchen, the newest edition to City Center in Alpharetta, feels homey with the open-air kitchen, delivers soulful and sinfully good food, as well as thoughtful, elevated cocktails. Every single thing we tried on their menu was top notch, from the scrumptious bacon jam, to the divine deviled eggs, to the best #$%@ black rice and oxtail risotto, the tender and perfect NY Strip, and let’s not forget the How ‘Bout Dem Apples delightful cocktail. Food so good, you’ll swear by it. Trust us, you’ll let one slip. Get ready to pay the swear jar (more on that later). Fantastic food adventures ahead, enjoy the ride.

Sips like the How ‘Bout Dem Apples cocktail reminds us of the holidays. With it’s apple and all-spice forward flavor to the sweetness and smoothness on the back, it’s an all-around delicious drink. You’d forget it had whiskey in it if we didn’t mention it. They had a ton of options from tequila, gin, vodka and so many other variations, plus they have a sangria that looks tasty too. We’ll have to try more.

Then, we started the sampling with a few of the appetizers like the bacon jam, deviled eggs, and crispy chicken skins, but the best appetizer by far was the bacon jam. Imagine savory, crunchy bacon ground up and mixed with jalapeno and brown sugar and topped with melted Havarti. It reminded us of candied bacon in a bowl. This is the appropriate place to insert the mind blown emoji. It was rich, decadent, savory, sweet, spicy, and creamy all in one dip. We can’t say enough about this dish, it is an absolute must try. We WILL be back for more. In addition to the bacon jam, we had the crispy chicken skins. It was spicy, crispy, and perfectly paired with sweet honey for dipping. We got a fun tip, to dip the skins IN the bacon jam. How’d they do that? Amazing way to mix and match dishes! Another delicious bite was the deviled eggs, which were topped with salty caviar and fried prosciutto. This little number was tangy and rich with savory yolk, sour cream, and mayonnaise mixed with the right amount of salt from the caviar and fried prosciutto. Eat the whole thing at once, stuff it all in there, it’s the best balance of flavors!

If you thought the bacon jam was amazing, you must try the black rice and oxtail risotto. This dish was the best bite of the night with al dente cooked black rice and risotto, pulled oxtail and a sauce that was both savory and rich. The oxtail itself is like a pulled pork but even deeper and slightly saltier, but that’s a good thing here. Plus, this dish is impeccably plated in a bowl that looks dainty but eats like a meal. It’s every flavor on earth and is breathtaking, but what’s even better is it’s unexpected. It sounds like it would be good, but who knew this would be one of the best dishes we would have all winter? Get. This. Dish. You’re welcome.

The flavor train continues with the cocoa-espresso NY Strip. This sassy dish is one of those steaks that’s thisclose to perfection. The rub is earthy and rich with a slight chocolate flavor that mixes with the savory of the meat. Even better was the demi glaze that was literally cooked with the oxtail bone in it, so it explains the depth of the glaze. It was tangy and slightly fruity to enhance the flavor of the meat and rub. Don’t get us started on the tenderness, either. All the elements have us wondering, “where have you been all our lives?” Pairing this with the brussel sprout salad for a little cream and little green, what a delicious meal.

Have you ever had a meal so good and so overall complete that you just couldn’t help but let a little swear word slip? This is it. And yes, they have a swear jar on the kitchen bar! They say their food is so good that you will swear when you eat it and if you do, you’ll have to throw in some money. We may have lost a $20. That money is the kitchen staff’s shared bonus at the end of the year. We dig it.

The Whiskey Project: Boozy Brunching

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/23/20

Not too far from the heart of downtown Roswell is The Whiskey Project, a cozy restaurant offering lunch, dinner, and traditional and unique brunch selections. From the dynamite décor, delicious and inviting cocktails, to the delightful brunch food, The Whiskey Project does Whiskey AND everything else right. The Sunday afternoon was relatively full so we sat at the bar and tried Maple-Bacon Old Fashioned (!), Brunch Bomb, as well as Kalettes, Tartine, French Toast, and Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit served with fries. When it comes to food adventures, you’re in for an egg-celent brunch. Let’s go.

When we think of Old Fashioned, it’s just a bourbon staple drink that some of our other guy friends or their father’s drink. This will make you rethink the assumption, the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned is a miracle cocktail marring bourbon, maple, lemon, and candied bacon on top. They take a drink torch and char the bacon in front of you. But you have to eat the bacon first and sip the cocktail at the same time, so the bacon grease doesn’t set into the drink itself. Insert fire emoji here. It was EN FUEGO with sweet and light char up front with a savory, maple, and boozy bourbon back end. Love, true love.

On the lighter side, the Brunch Bomb is a cool, easy sipper with Rekorerling Strawberry Lime cider, soda, and a choice of flavor: lavender, rosemary, and thyme. We chose rosemary to give it some earthiness and it mellowed out the sweet of the cider. Just imagine being on the beaches of Hawaii with a pretty flower in your hair, sipping on a light drink. That’s the feeling you get with the Brunch Bomb.

In thinking about brunch, what immediately comes to mind? Chicken and waffles? Eggs and bacon? French Toast? Yes, The Whiskey Project has some of these staple brunch dishes, but they also have some fun and unique brunch variations that makes this place one you can go back to and have a totally different experience. This is how we felt about the Tartine and the Kalettes. Both were something unexpected and rare that we’d never had at brunch before. The Kalettes were our absolute favorite with charred kale mixed with pomegranate balsamic glaze and pulled pork belly. It was almost like getting a brussel sprout appetizer but with a twist. The charred kale started out smoky and savory of the pulled pork belly, but the tart of the pomegranate and sweetness of the glaze balanced it out. It wasn’t over saturated with the glaze so you could get all the flavors together in the bite. Make sure to include the little peppers on the top for a slight spice on the back end. Divine. We also enjoyed the Tartine with the crunch of the toast, the sweet of the glaze, cream and tart of the goat cheese, and savory of the prosciutto. We liked putting the toast together and making a sandwich with all the elements in between. Plus, did you see how pretty these dishes comes out? PS: Sometime, we’re coming back to try those deviled eggs. Pumpkin Yolk? Yes, please.

From there we went with a traditional French Toast and Egg, Cheese, and Bacon Biscuit. We wanted something over-the-top breakfast-y and something sweet. To us, French Toast like traditional pancakes is just having dessert for breakfast. We’re all in. Nothing goes better with coffee, or who are we kidding, a cocktail, then something a little sweet? Surprise, this French toast wasn’t traditional. From the egg-drenched sweetness of the bread to the bourbon apple compote which made this dish unforgettable to the whipped cream and smokier maple syrup, we couldn’t get enough of this pretty dish. Get all the dish elements in one bite. You’ll thank us. Now, all we needed was a rich cup of hot coffee and a bigger stomach. On to the Egg, Cheese, and Bacon Biscuit, which had something for everyone. From the red pepper baked into the biscuit to the crisp bacon, savory egg, and cheese, it was a great all-around bite that even the pickiest eater would love. Our suggestion: pack the fries inside the biscuit. This gives the biscuit crunch and even deeper flavor. What fun!

With that a long, Sunday afternoon nap was in order. Can you blame us with all this good food and drink? Who wants to join us for some deviled eggs and a maple-bacon old fashioned at The Whiskey Project soon?

Urban Pie Atlanta: Brunch Spotlight: Amy Lane Has Impeccable Taste

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/18/20

Recently, Urban Pie Atlanta in Kirkwood announced that they are going to tackle Saturday brunch. With a nice array of brunch pizzas, vegan options, quiche cups, potatoes, jalapeno bacon and everything in between, we took a trip to the heart of Kirkwood to try their Saturday brunch. We sampled the unforgettable Amy Lane’s Favorite, the bacon and broccoli quiche cup, and some delicious jalapeno bacon. Who’s ready to find out more?

On the breakfast pizza menu are a ton of unique and wonderful options, everything from Avocado Flatbread for Vegans, Low Voltage with egg, chicken, and bacon, as well as other fun toppings like jalapeno bacon, goat cheese, prosciutto, and even sunny-side eggs. We opted for the Amy Lane’s Favorite, who has impeccable taste we must say. This dish boasts of salmon (lox), capers, red onion, cream cheese, olive oil base on a crisp crust, plus topped with arugula. How much can you love a pizza? This is one of the best ones we’ve ever had like a sweet, creamy, salty bagel with a crispy crunchy crust! Not too much cream cheese, the salty and savory of the salmon paired perfectly with the crunch, tart and earthiness of the capers, and finishes with the crunch of the crust. Just. Like. A. Bagel but on steroids!

From there we also tried the quiche cup that comes with potatoes mixed with onions and peppers. What we found fun about these were that they cook them in cake cups, so they come out looking like cupcakes. You really can mix and match any flavor you want. They have broccoli and bacon or spinach and tomato, but you can add any ingredient like onion or peppers or cheese. We tried the bacon and spinach and added a miracle topping: jalapeno bacon. It was perfectly cooked, crispy, with a slight spice on the end. The perfect mix of smoky, savory, and spice. A must get!

They also have a ton of vegan options including the Avocado Flatbread that has Avocado, tomatos, onions, and fresh jalapenos, as well as vegan pancakes with vegan butter! So, if you’re looking for a non-traditional Saturday brunch filled with bagel pizza and jalapeno bacon, we found the place for you: Urban Pie Atlanta in Kirkwood.

The Family Dog: A Very Good Dog!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/16/20

The Family Dog in Morningside’s slogan is sit, stay, relax. That’s exactly what you experience when you walk through the doors: sit for a tasty cocktail, stay for the Brussel sprouts and chicken and waffles, relax to the live music. They have fun pub vibes mixed with unique cocktails and serious eats. Are you ready to find out why TFD is a very good dog?

Upon arrival we sat for a tasty cocktail. We tried two of them: The Gardner and Cool Heat. The prettiest of the two, the Cool Heat was everything you think it would be from the name: jalapeno tequila is both savory and spicy, combined with cool lime, agave, and grapefruit. It was spicy on the throat, but not overbearing and was citrusy, sweet, and the grapefruit pairs well with the spice of the jalapeno and gives it a depth. It’s the most unique drink we’ve tried in a while and we dig it. The other cocktail, the Gardner was a good, summer sipper, refreshing and light, with gin and cucumber then tart on the end. One of those cocktails you could drink a few of on your front porch and watch the fireflies dance in the night air.

We stayed for several of the shareable eats like the chicken caprese flat bread, Brussel sprouts, and buffalo cauliflower. From wings without the wings, bacon-loaded sprouts, to an Italian flatbread classic, everything was on point at The Family Dog. We really enjoyed each of these apps and almost can’t decide which was our favorite. Starting with the chicken caprese flatbread, it was an Italian classic dish in flatbread form with tender chicken, mozzarella dollops, and earthy tomatoes. Topped with balsamic glaze, it was a delicious bite, something you can share with a friend or horde all to yourself. We with the latter! Have you ever had something that ate like a chicken wing without the actual “wing?” That’s what the buffalo cauliflower was with tasty buffalo sauce, perfectly fried cauliflower and blue cheese dressing. It was surprisingly good and satisfied that wing craving. If you dig down to the bottom, you’ll find even saucier bites, we recommend you do that and dip it in blue cheese. All the feels. Finally, let’s not forget the Brussel sprouts. From crispy to savory to sweet, some of the best Brussel dish we’ve had in a while! They’ll smack you in the mouth with bacon, which is always welcome, and follow up with crispy, leafy greens, sweet balsamic, and slight salt. So good we call it Brussel love!

We don’t discriminate when it comes to breakfast for dinner and the chicken and waffles hit that spot! The flaky and sweet waffle topped with some seriously good chicken tenders, drizzled in syrup, topped with whipped cream and tart strawberries. Are you hungry yet? We took the waffle, chicken tender, some whipped cream, strawberries, and syrup and rolled it all up into one bite. Insert mind blown emoji here. One of the sides we had we want to talk about, truffle cauliflower mash. Wowza! If you wouldn’t have told us it was cauliflower you wouldn’t have known. Just. Like. Potatoes. It was blended well, creamy, the right amount of salt, and of course the truffle was so deep and rich that it’s delectable. Couldn’t stop eating it!

Plus, they have live music on Thursdays, so we relaxed to the sounds as we sipped and ate our way through The Family Dog menu. If you’re looking for some good food, cocktails, and music, you should visit TFD. It’s a seriously good dog.

Surin of Thailand: Thai Taco Tuesday

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/15/20

On a heavily traveled corner of the Virginia Highlands, Surin of Thailand has been a long-time staple of the community serving up Thai food favorites like volcano pot soup, curries, fried rice dishes, and even Thai-inspired cocktails. We arrived on a Tuesday evening, where the restaurant was relatively busy, and found that even a Thai restaurant can get you into the Taco Tuesday mood. Let’s take a food adventure into everything Surin of Thailand.

Starting with the Surin Sour it’s a whiskey-based cocktail that also includes lemon, bitters, banane, and orgeat. This cocktail is boozy up front that finishes sweet, plus it’s a good drinkable cocktail that is noticeably frothy and rather smooth. Not being a big whiskey drinker, it was nice to get a cocktail like this that I would drink again and enjoy. We really enjoyed it. Cheers.

For our starter, what doesn’t scream Thai restaurant than spicy Coconut Soup in a Volcano Pot? Amiright? This soup lived up to the hype with creamy coconut milk, tender chicken and mushrooms all served piping hot! It was creamy and rich with a slightly spicy finish all wrapped up into that Volcano Pot that keeps the soup hot. Reminds us of a cold winter night by the fire! We’ll be back for more.

We also got, Nuer Nom Tok, a Thai take on a taco. From the spicy beef to the delectable soy-based sauce to the crunch of the cabbage, you can pile it all into one bite wrapped in a piece of cabbage or eat it like a salad. The beef was very tender and paired well with the rich and deep sauce and the crunch of the vegetables. Plus, what made this dynamic was that the spice grew as you ate, which went so well with all the flavors that this dish had going on. What’s a taco that doesn’t have multiple flavors and spice? It was even better the next day for lunch! Love!

As the main, we went for the Salmon entrée that comes with a sweet and spicy creamy thai sauce paired with tender broccoli, crunchy peppers, and savory rice. The salmon was flaky and cooked perfectly with a slight char on the back of the bite. With the creamy, sweet, spicy sauce really went well with the entire plate: the crunch of the peppers, savory of the rice, tender of the broccoli. Mix it all together and you’ve got a great bite. So good.

We didn’t get to try a few other things but the Chicken Larb sounded good, as well as any of the fried rice dishes. We will be back for those on our next Taco Tuesday adventure. We think Chicken Larb wrapped in the cabbage can also be a Thai Taco adventure. Are you in?

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?

Ocean Wave: Mind Blowing Sushi

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/3/20

Down in the middle of the Virginia Highlands, Ocean Wave has got to be one of THE sushi destinations in all of Atlanta. From the moment you enter the building, twinkle lights greet you and the sound of drinks being shaken behind the bar. They have top-shelf cocktails, delicious sushi, tons of fried rice and entrees, as well as a good selection of appetizers, so let’s dive into some of those Yummi dishes and cocktails. Full steam food adventure ahead!

We’re not monkeying around about the superior cocktails at Ocean Wave! We sipped and loved the Monkey Business Martini that combined vodka, coconut rum, pineapple and cranberry. We declared it’s a tiki party in your mouth, boozy up front, then smoothing out into a frothy, sweet tiki drink on the backend. It was a great balance of flavors that’s easy to drink any time of year, but we can imagine sitting on the beach under the shadow of an umbrella, drink in hand. A light breeze through our hair, can you feel it?

We will get to the sushi in a moment, but we sampled a few other good dishes that included the Satay Chicken, KA Proud Lamb, and something we’ve NEVER tried before, Spicy Spaghetti. First, the Satay Chicken was very tender, and the peanut sauce and cucumber salad were a great pairing, especially the salad. It was sweet and went well with the savory of the chicken. A good bite! From there we tried the Spicy Spaghetti, which mimics a traditional spaghetti with a Thai flare. We’ve never had anything like it! Spicy, savory, and deep from the spice of the Thai chili sauce, tender chicken, and super juicy tomatoes. Maybe more of spaghetti on steroids? Yeah, that sounds about right. Super good!

The best of the entrees was the Ka Proud Lamb. The sauce was DELECTIBLE with a slight spice up front and rich deep flavor on the back that went perfect with the mushrooms and vegetables in the sauce. The lamb was tender and smoky with a delicate char. The fried rice was perfect with the sauce and lamb. What a great bite when all combined! Plus, we had a little fun with our food. We put the sauce from the lamb on the Spicy Spaghetti. Pretty tasty, we must say.

We tried two different rolls, the Dancing Dragon and the Yummi Yummi. Dancing Dragon was a good balance of sweet and spicy with tempura on the inside and eel and avocado on the outside. The variation between the eel, which was sweet, and the creamy avocado, were a great one-two punch of flavor. Add wasabi and soy sauce, it brings out the flavor of both! Even though this roll was super good, nothing could compare to the Yummi Yummi. A Trio of fresh yellow tail, tuna, salmon stuffed with cream cheese and flash fried in a moat of delicious soy-based sauce. From the creaminess of the cream cheese mixed with the salty and freshness of the fish to the crunch of the fried rice, it was one dynamic bite. What made it even better? Wababi and soy sauce. Mouth dropped to the floor, was that really possible? WOW! Yummi is definitely one way to describe it. Mind blowing is another.

A special shout-out to our waitress who was a gracious hand-model, menu master, and willing food carrier to better light. She was top-notch! That’s the kind of service you’ll get at Ocean Wave. As you leave, the twinkling of the lights follows you down the street and you’ll dream about sushi for a few nights after.

Lily White: THE New Buckhead Hot Spot!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/26/19

From the moment you enter Lily White in Buckhead you get a Miami vibe with the pops of neon, pristine marble, and sleek design. With stunning and tasty signature cocktails, good service, stellar food, and a parking lot on property, they could quickly become THE hot spot in Buckhead! It’s time to join us for our food adventure filled with lamb, kabobs, hummus, beats, and more.

Starting with the cocktails, we sampled two fun cocktails called Yalda and Hydration. The Yalda with Grey Goose Vodka, pomegranate, and pineapple was hands down our favorite with a creamy, frothy, smooth sip up front and tart and crisp on the finish. It’s one of those cocktails you can have any time of year and a real crowd pleaser. We’ll be back for it! The other cocktail, Hydration, was good, as well with gin, cucumber, St. Germain, mint, and more. This boozy beauty is one pretty lady and you feel high class when you hold the rose gold cup. From the booze and tart up front cools on the end with cucumber and mint. It would be a good summer sipper to pair with a light salad! Next time, we’re in for the Saint-Tropez.

Diving into the Mazze, we picked the wings, beet salad, and spread sampler that included hummus, tzatziki, labneh, and Mirza Ghasemi. Starting with the beet salad, if you don’t know much about us, one thing you need to know is we love beets. Restaurants don’t include beets enough in their fare, and we applaud Lily White for including a beet starter! This one was earthy with the tart and salty of the balsamic paired well with a little bit of crunch and sweet of the candied walnuts and the cream of the goat cheese. We were impressed how well the beets and goat cheese went together. Beyond the lightness of the salad, the wings were the right amount of meat, crunch and sauce. The sauce was sweet with a slight sauce of the harissa, a solid wing dish! Finally, the spread sampler is a must-get. The hummus is some of the best we’ve ever had, and we eat A LOT of hummus. With just the right amount of salt, garlic and herbs, it’s a perfect hummus bite you can eat with a spoon! Another stunner was Mirza Ghasemi, which we’d never had and now we know we love it. From the smoky eggplant that perfectly paired with the tomato and garlic, served warm, went great with the bread and veggies. Beyond that we’d recommend mixing all four dips together for one glorious bite piled high on a piece of crunchy pita. That’s the ticket.

Moving on to a selection that was cooked on an open flame, the Chicken Kabobs could have been boring, but this was anything like that! Juicy, well-seasoned, and perfectly grilled, it’s delicious! Paired with a charred and grilled tomato topped with oil and herbs to the cranberry in the rice, it’s a good meal and come hungry, you could split it!

Recommended by our waitress, the lamb shank was TO DIE FOR. There isn’t one thing we would change about this dish. The lamb is marinated and cooked for hours and literally falls off the bone. The herbs, rich, and savory in the sauce to the pop of the couscous, to the Israeli raisins that give it a tart and sweet ending, it’s one of those bites you close your eyes and just savor. Pro tip: Take the meat off the bone then mix it with all the other elements on the plate. PERFECTION. Also, I re-heated it for lunch the next day, it was still unbelievable!

Did we mention that Lily White has its own parking lot it shares with the other businesses in the complex? So, weeknights and some non-busy weekends, you can come, park, eat and not have to worry about getting side-swiped or your meter running out. We all know Buckhead can be a challenge for parking. Win-win. We can’t wait to go back and try the Seabass and Salmon. Are you in to join us?

UniTea & Coffee at 640 West: Welcome to Veganville!

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/19/20

With UniTea & Coffee at 640 West, Tassili Raw Reality Cafe, Slutty Vegan, and Soul, West End is THE destination for Vegan-centric cuisine in all of Atlanta. Could we just call it Veganville? On the upswing around Atlanta, Vegan options are a healthy alternative to high fat and calorie alternatives with the introduction of products like Just Eggs made of mung bean (legume family) and tapioca or meatless bacon (bean base, as well). Plus, they’re so tasty, you won’t miss the real thing. Vegans DO NOT skimp on flavor; we are here to change your mind on that! Get ready! UniTea & Coffee at 640 West is serving high-end, top notch, delicious Vegan versions of burritos, avocado toast, to their signature dish McVegan. Let’s see what we found on our Vegan adventure.

Starting this the Avocado Toast, generous helpings of fresh-made avocado topped on top of rye bread is a vegan-protein rich, simple dish that is creamy up front with the tang of onion and balsamic in the middle with earthiness of the rye on back. Typically, not big on rye bread, the addition of avocado pairs well with it and actually adds to the enjoyment of the dish. Following this light brunch staple is the Fiesta Burrito. A mix of Just Egg’s savory, hard polenta-like consistency with a mung bean crispy bacon, paprika mushroom, pico de gallo, sriracha sauce aioli, all wrapped up in a delicious shell. As one bite, it’s one of the best breakfast burritos in all the city, real egg or not. Spicy, savory, sweet, yum.

Who doesn’t love a good egg, sausage or bacon sandwich on English muffin? Enter the McVegan! From the made in house vegan egg to the Mung Bean Bacon, the salty and tart of the kale salad, crunchy and toasted Vegan English Muffin and the best garlic aioli we’ve had in a very long time round out this outstanding Vegan dish. Elevated breakfast sandwich at it’s best, easily the best thing at UniTea & Coffee at 640 West. It’s well-balanced between the sweet, savory, salty and you add that garlic aioli on the end just accentuates it all. Wowza! Insert heart eye emoji here.

Beyond the delicious fare, Chef Deuce is making awesome, home-made aiolis in house that accentuate the vegan fare at UniTea. Plus, did you know they decorate their dishes with edible flowers from the cucumber family? You can eat EVERYTHING on the plate. UniTea & Coffee at 640 West recently had a grand re-opening and now is serving their delicious hot vegan breakfast all day until 6pm. On top of the vegan breakfast, they pride themselves on bettering the community through good food, a place for the community gather, live music/events, and more. Chef Deuce is out of LA and originally was over at their sister restaurant, Tassili’s Raw Reality Cafe. He is a gracious and warm host and we can’t wait to see where he goes in Atlanta!

Der Biergarten: Gluhwein and a Side of Sauerkraut

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/16/19

Move over hot sauce, there’s a new elevated condiment in town, Sauerkraut! We made our way downtown to visit Der Biergarten to taste their German-centric fare and sip on their holiday cocktails. From affordable and delicious meat and cheese plates (Gemischte Wurst Und Käseplatte) to a perfectly cooked pork shank (Schweinshaxe) to something we never knew we loved, Sauerkraut, as well as a hot holiday drink tradition Glühwein, Der Biergarten is an immersive German experience in the heart of Atlanta. Ready for an adventure?

Starting with the sips, being during the holidays, they had everything form a spicy cocoa, red beer in a take-home boot, and our favorite find of the night: Glühwein. This traditional winter and holiday drink from Germany that drinks like a hot Sangria, a mix of red wine and spices. It was warm on the cold night and totally different than anything we’ve had before, with the savory, sweet of the red wine and earthiness of the clove spice on the back end. It doesn’t sound like something we’d ever like but surprised us! Along with a great selection of German bier, wine, and fun cocktails, try something new!

Who doesn’t like a good meat and cheese plate? This one was chocked full of jaeger, which is a German dry-aged traditional sausage, hard cheeses, plus a lot of bread to pair it with. We felt this was a REALLY good deal for the price and John decided this was one of the best meat and cheese plates in the city. He knows; he’s a charcuterie fanatic. Also enjoyed the pretzel (Risenbretzel) which was buttery, salty, warm, and hearty. Make sure to use the mustards they bring, as well. Go sweet the with the Bavarian Mustard or spicy with the spicy Mustard. Either way, a good tasty bite.

Then there’s the pork shank. The way it was cooked, rotisserie style with skin on, locks in the flavor and tenderness of the meat, while interesting mix of spices like clove and an herb that taste of licorice, give the crust a rich, unique flavor. Mix it with the savory au jus and the side of sauerkraut. That hits the spot. Speaking of the sauerkraut, not typically a favorite, this was the best we’ve ever found with that typical sour vinegar flavor on the back but hidden for most of the bite by the utilization of bacon. Yes, bacon! It’s savory and sour and a good accoutrement to the savory of the pork. Insert mind blown emoji here.

Are you hungry yet? We are! Meet us down at Der Biergarten!