Tag Archive for: fries

Tiki Tango: Island Paradise

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 10/8/20

Once you step into Tiki Tango, you’re whisked away to a tropical island with all the sights and sounds of the jungle. You can imagine the palm trees hanging low, nestled close to a beautiful sprawling beach and the sound of the rain hitting the hut roof. There’s a humidity in the air beckoning you to grab a cocktail, so why not go for the best Tiki cocktail in Atlanta, Tiki Tango, or the striking Cobra’s Fang and even a classic boozy Mai Tai? Plus, did you know they have some fun, seriously delicious sharable bites? Come, join us on an island adventure that you won’t forget.

Tiki Tango is known for their stellar cocktails and we can’t speak any more highly about the Tiki Tango signature cocktail. It’s truly a perfect tiki cocktail, the best we’ve had in Atlanta. While you sip it, you can feel the pineapple and warm rum wash over you. The sweetness mixes well with the tea bitters, which really make this drink unique. Rich. Sweet. Tart. Slightly fruity. Perfect. There’s something naughty about the Cobra’s Fang with a balanced combo of rum, bitters, passionfruit, then it hits you. It creeps up on you and bites right when you least expect it, Demerara 151. One part boozy, one part sweet, it’s a fun drink. We’d recommend you share! Finally, no tiki bar is truly a tiki bar without doing the Mai Tai well. This was truly a great Mai Tai. We’ve had a ton and most of the time they come off sweet or watered down, this one was strong, booze forward with light citrus, lime, and the slight nuttiness of the almond. Refreshing and cool, but strong and tart, this is a solid cocktail.

Again, who knew that Tiki Tango had a great sharable menu? From our favorite Tiki Tango Tuna, plus the pineapple forward and refreshing Mauna Loa Hummus, to the Sticky Huli Huli Wings with a great sauce, crispy and tasty turmeric fried okra, and of course crispy flamingo fries with a freakin fantastic cucumber wasabi aioli, you can’t sleep on these bites.  Starting with the fresh and bright Tiki Tango Tuna, we loved the tender tuna atop of earthy and slightly peppery greens that mixed well with the savory vinaigrette and wasabi. It was a culmination of rich fish, earthy and tart ginger, greens, and the slight spice of the wasabi to be a balanced bite.

You don’t see many fried okra appetizers on menus around Atlanta, but who doesn’t love a good fried okra? The Turmeric Fried Okra was no exception with a crispy, slightly spicy, and rich batter that went well with the crunchy okra. Okra is a finicky vegetable and sometimes gets stringy or gooey, this one wasn’t! It had the right amount of crunch and tenderness! We think we can all agree that wings are always a good idea for the table, and the Sticky Huli Huli Wings didn’t disappoint. The stand-out was the slightly spicy, but sweet chili lime sauce that was just the right amount with the meat of the wings. The sauce was definitely sticky, but was delicious, wet naps required. One thing that we didn’t anticipate was how much we’d enjoy the pineapple-forward and savory Mauna Loa Hummus. We are now in love with the hummus and pineapple combo, it’s something we didn’t know you could even pair. It has the perfect balance of savory chick peas and crunchy sweet of the pineapple. We all agreed this one was fantastic! The Flamingo Fries were cut like a plank, which made it easy to shovel the cucumber wasabi aioli into our mouths. Spicy, creamy, cool, sweet, savory, four stars on the sauce. Can we get this on EVERYTHING?

Out back on the patio, the cool night breeze picked up and remind us about those long summer nights at the beach. The last of our cocktails dwindled and the tiki lights began to grow louder. We reminisced about our favorites, so we’d love to know what you’d like to try at Tiki Tango. Next time we’re getting the drink they set on fire.

Take Us Out To Live! At The Battery

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/6/20

The pitcher comes up to the mound and the crowd grows silent in anticipation. Here’s the pitch! The ball sails through the air and with the crack of the bat, the ball is going, going, GONE. Next to Truist Park, Home of the Braves, Live! At The Battery knocks it out of the park with margarita pitcher specials, fun cocktails, and an array of bites for any sports or social occasion. Really, the minute you walk up to the Battery, you feel the electricity that the stadium brings and being literally a stone’s throw from Truist Park, it’s one amazing patio and sports enthusiast space. Nestled in Live! At the Battery is Sports & Social, Todd English Tavern, and late-night haunt, PBR. The complex has a little bit of everything from sports watching, the biggest TV you’ll ever see, a good array of dishes, cocktails, drinks, and even a mechanical bull. Take us out to Live!

The word we’d use to describe the cocktails at the Live! Complex would be eye-catching. In our time on the patio, we got The Wave and Blackberry Ginger Margarita. The Blackberry Ginger Margarita was reddish in color and was sweet, tangy, and finished with a slight ginger beer after taste. It was the right mix of all those flavors to make one tasty margarita. Plus, you could get a whole pitcher for only $25 when we were there! A steal! We also sipped on The Wave. It was tropical style margarita with blue curacao and garnished with a pineapple. Pleasingly blue and green hue, topped with yellow pineapple, it was a sweet, yet refreshing patio drink perfect for the hot summer days. Eat the pineapple WITH the pineapple for the best flavor!

Surprisingly good were all the dishes! Our favorite bite of our adventure were the skillet meatballs. Perfectly cooked beef and pork mix, they were topped with melted cheese and accompanied by stewed tomatoes and crisp, herb-buttered bread. We loved that the tomatoes were fresh and really complimented the meatiness of the entire dish. Pile up the bread with some of the meat, cheese, and tomatoes. It’s a creamy, earthy, deep, and rich crescendo of deliciousness. This is a must try.

Looking for a bite to pair with a refreshing beer while watching the game? You should check out their Sweet Thai Chili chicken wings! Hefty wings that are deep fried and slathered in a sweet and spicy sauce that’s so messy, you’ll need to have a ton of napkins handy. The messier the better we say. Then, just imagine on top of that the crunch of perfectly fried and breaded skin for an all-around good bite. It’s just so meaty, spicy, sweet, and crunchy, you don’t even need the blue cheese or ranch for any additional flavor. Now, as you eat them, they get spicier, so this is where you could dip it in the blue cheese or ranch for a cooling creaminess. Yum.

For our handheld, the Ahi Tuna Tacos were light and crisp with tangy pineapple and sweet soy sauce. The ahi tuna itself was very tender and mild, a great bite on it’s own and paired with slightly charred and tangy pineapple. Piled on top of that is the sweet of the soy, and the crunch of the wonton shell and slaw. The wonton shell really drew the bite together for a crunchy, sweet, tangy, meaty dish. This goes great with one of the featured margaritas or even a glass of white wine.

You know that feeling when you get home from a big Braves’ win? That’s the feeling you get when you leave Live! At The Battery.

Park Tavern: Piedmont Park’s Go-To Spot

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 6/16/20

Piedmont Park is one of Atlanta’s best features, boasting miles of walking trails, public amenities, a serene pond, and a fantastic view of the Midtown Skyline. On the corner of Monroe and 10th sits Park Tavern, go-to spot for post-run and group activity patio grub, as well as fresh sangria, cocktails, and a refreshing beer. They have a little bit of everything from fried seafood to tacos, buffalo chicken wings, freshly brewed beer on-site, cocktails, and even buffalo cauliflower to Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s hard not to find something to enjoy after your day at the park, meeting friends, or to just enjoy a cocktail or two. In Real Estate they say, location, location, location. Park Tavern has that in spades and so much more. Parkside adventure ahead, so grab your walking shoes, and come hungry.

Park Tavern isn’t lacking in beer options, since they brew their own beer with everything from an IPA, Pilsner, Amber, and more typically on draft year-round, you can grab a pint and watch the sunset, hang out at the fire pits, or catch the stars over the midtown skyline. Plus, they have tons of cocktail options, and even a tasty red sangria that’s fruity and refreshing. Not big red wine fans, we were surprised by the refreshing citrus and orange forward sangria that was perfectly paired with the sprawling Park Tavern patio and gardens. Impressed.

Of the array of appetizers, the best one of the bunch was the rich and meaty chicken wings with tender meat and the right amount of medium spice. From the crunch of the skin to the meatiness of the chicken and the overall flavor of the sauce, this was a delicious overall bite after a day at the park! We also really enjoyed the buffalo cauliflower, which was perfectly breaded and fried tender cauliflower with a spicy, hot sauce kick on the back-end. It’s spicier than expected. Take a moment to dip it in the blue cheese or ranch, it almost like eating a chicken wing! Creamy. Spicy.

The best handheld was the delicious Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. The perfect fried chicken filet breaded and fried just right with a serious hot sauce bite. We can’t get over how tender and meaty the chicken turned out to be, plus, the addition of the pickles gave it more crunch and tartness! Let’s not forget the creamy coleslaw that cuts through the spiciness and ending up making the entire bite cool as a cucumber. This dish ramps up the heat and flavor and then cools it. Amazing. Paired with fries, the sandwich is even better if you stuff a few of those seasoned fries on there for a little more crunch! Even better with Park Tavern’s legendary tots. Yum!

So, as the sunsets over the Atlanta Midtown Skyline, park lovers are heading to Park Tavern to find the perfect pairing of beer and wings or sangria and hot chicken. They relax watching the sun fade, feeling good about their day and raising a glass to their night cap at Park Tavern.

Yumbii: Food Truck Royalty Turned Taco Shop

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/17/20

Heading into South Buckhead on Peachtree, we pulled up to a bright, striking blue storefront that’s brimming with bubble-gum whimsy. Enter Yumbii Taco Shop, originally a food truck of food truck royalty status now has a fun store front where you can get your favorite tacos, wings, bowls, and even a margarita or canned wine. That being said, if you know us, we could eat tacos and wings every day of the week without discrimination. With the perfect blend of Asian and Mexican flavors, Yumbii is the haven for that to-go fix. An array of delectably different tacos, mix and match bowls or salads, tasty wings, Asian nachos, and signature sesame fries, it’s one of those places you can’t help but get a little bit of anything and everything. Can someone please get these guys a crown or even a scepter? Cue the parade, we’ve got food truck royalty coming through. Let’s get this to-go adventure rolling.

One of the best bites you can get from Yumbii is definitely their famous sesame fries. They’re simple yet unique, crispy yet tender, Asian-inspired, yet a little bit sweet. Just imagine a crispy, crunchy, heavily battered set of fries fresh from the oven topped with sesame and a soy-based glaze that if you get a little on your fingers, you must lick it off. Insert heart eye emoji here. You almost can’t describe what these fries taste like, you’ll just have to go and try them for yourself. Please? You WILL thank us.

Yumbii Wings are another of the best things we sampled, but what makes a good wing? Crispy skin, meaty and tender chicken, the right amount of sauce or rub that brings the flavor. These tasty numbers are all of this with the right amount of meaty chicken, crispy skin, and we’re in love with the honey and spicy sriracha sauce. It’s a good and even bite with the right amount of spice and sweetness. Now, if you’re looking for something a little healthier, we’d recommend the rice or salad bowl without the dairy. Choose from either salad or rice and add protein, it is jammed full of flavor from the spicy sauce, beans, and corn. We went with the spicy pulled pork and rice base and mixed it up well with the Korean chili and soy-sesame vinaigrette, and it was a great myriad of flavors and textures. If you do go for the dairy, the cheese brings a nice creaminess that goes well with the protein. We also have to say they have hefty portions, so you won’t end up hungry.

You can’t go to Yumbii and not try a ton of tacos. I mean, it IS a taco shop. It’s just not possible. Of the tacos, the one we loved the most was the fried chicken, from the crispy and tender chicken to the phenomenal chipotle aioli to the spice of the pickled jalapenos, it’s an all-around delicious bite. Make sure you get all the ingredients in one bite, it is freaking fantastic. We also really enjoyed the Asian rib-eye beef, which the meat was so tender and perfectly marinated. Don’t be fooled by it’s delicate start because it turns slightly spicy on you then couple that with the crunch of the lettuce from the soy-sesame vinaigrette salad. The taco up being a great journey through the entire bite. The fried fish was crunchy, flaky, and we loved the hoisin-tartar sauce mixed with the Korean chili sauce. What a dynamic burst of flavors that reminded us of a Friday night fish fry complete with tartar sauce. All the other tacos like the spicy-pulled pork and Korean bbq style chicken were good with the right amount of tender meat and Korean chili sauce. Beyond what we tried they had a vegetable-based taco, fried tofu, and shrimp. If you could have one of these tacos, which would it be?

Whether you get take-out from the truck or from their Taco Shop, Yumbii will leave you wanting more. Like, we’ve been eyeing those taco combos or Yumbii Nachos for our next trip. Is it Taco Tuesday yet?