The Hsu Siblings Return to Their Henry County Roots for An Afternoon of Barbecue,
Live Music, Family-Friendly Activities and Friendly Competition
Sweet Auburn Barbecue is bringing the smoke home. On Saturday, October 10, sibling owners Howard and Anita Hsu will host the inaugural McDonough BBQ & Bluegrass Festival from noon to 4 p.m. at Sweet Auburn Barbecue’s McDonough location in Henry Town Center.
The festival will bring together barbecue restaurants, pitmasters and pop-ups from across Georgia, each serving a menu created for the occasion. The lineup includes Sweet Auburn Barbecue, Terminus City Barbecue, Dhaba BBQ and NO Sauce Smokehouse.
Sweet Auburn Barbecue will serve Chinese Spare Ribs, Wu Tang Wings, Smoked Braised Brisket and Smokehouse Fried Rice. Dhaba BBQ will bring its Indian-inspired approach to the smoker with Tandoori Chicken Sandos, Tikka Pulled Pork and Nihari Oxtails. Terminus City Barbecue, the Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue concept, will serve Chopped Smoked Pork, BBQ Chicken Fritters and Potato Salad. NO Sauce Smokehouse will round out the lineup with its Sloppy Toppy Sandwich, Lobster Mac and Hot Honey Smoked Wings.
Guests can taste their way through the festival before casting their vote in the People’s Choice competition to crown a festival favorite. Dusty Roads will perform live bluegrass throughout the afternoon, with Jason “JT” Thompson serving as the festival MC. Family-friendly attractions will include a Kids Zone, a fire engine and a lineup of local vendors. Select ticketed guests will also have the chance to take home prizes throughout the day.
For Howard and Anita, hosting the festival in McDonough is a return to where their family’s restaurant story began. Their parents opened Hunan Village in Henry County in 1980, the county’s first Chinese restaurant, establishing roots in the community that have now spanned more than four decades. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Howard and Anita continued the family tradition by opening their first restaurant, Gezzo’s, in McDonough. Sweet Auburn Barbecue later began with a food truck and a stall inside Atlanta’s historic Sweet Auburn Curb Market before the Hsu’s opened the restaurant’s Poncey-Highland flagship in 2014. In December 2022, they brought Sweet Auburn Barbecue back to Henry County with the opening of its second location in McDonough.
“Anita and I didn’t just grow up in Henry County. We grew up in its restaurants,” says Sweet Auburn Barbecue co-owner Howard Hsu. “Our parents put us to work early, and that’s where we learned how food can bring an entire community together. We invited some pitmasters we really respect to come cook with us, and we’re going to let everyone eat, listen to some great music and argue over who makes the best barbecue. That sounds like a pretty great Saturday to me.”
The McDonough location combines traditional Southern barbecue with the Asian influences and family traditions that have shaped Sweet Auburn Barbecue from the beginning. Those roots can be found in dishes including the pimento cheese wontons, brisket egg rolls and Smokehouse Fried Rice, all inspired in part by the flavors and food Howard and Anita grew up around at Hunan Village.
“One of the best parts of being in the restaurant business is having the opportunity to support other people,” says Sweet Auburn Barbecue co-owner Anita Hsu. “There is so much talent in this lineup, and every team has worked hard to create food that is completely their own. We get to share that with Henry County, celebrate the people behind it and have a lot of fun along the way. If everyone leaves full and finds a new favorite, we’ve done our job.”
Tickets to Sweet Auburn Barbecue’s McDonough BBQ & Bluegrass Fest are on sale now for $45 for adults and $25 for kids at sweetauburnbbq.com. Admission includes access to barbecue from all participating pitmasters. Adult and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase during the event. Sweet Auburn Barbecue is located at 1828 Jonesboro Road in McDonough. For updates, visit sweetauburnbbq.com and follow @sweetauburnbbq and @sweetauburnbbq_mcd on Instagram.
The Historic Griffin Hotel is a step back in time! The Historic Griffin Hotel in downtown Griffin, GA is only 40 minutes from downtown Atlanta, and is one part Griffin history, one part modern, one part supernatural! John and I spent a weekend exploring the small-town charm of Griffin from the comfort of this splendid location at the Griffin Hotel. The town and hotel have so much to offer.
The hotel’s grand entrance unfolds in front of you as you walk in with two story balconies. On top of that is the beautiful drop pendant lighting, stunning tin tile ceiling, and gorgeous 1900s design and decor. Every nook upstairs and down is dressed like you stepped back into the early 1900s. Think velvet chairs and couch areas that dot the mezzanine, paired with Tiffany lamps and 1900s touches. From upstairs, you can overlook the lobby, bar, and piano at the front. Out front of the hotel are pairs of rocking chairs for lazy nights and people watching as they stroll by. To the right of the entrance, the bar is inviting with beer, wine, and espresso wine martinis to enjoy and the staff is friendly and makes you feel right at home.
Up in the rooms are several floors of what feels like newly renovated rooms. Clean lines, chair rails in the hall lead to your room with modern touches and even a rotary phone for fun. The most striking feature of our room is the real red brick wall. It wrapped around the room and made it feel so modern. They had a large king bed, a sitting area with leather chair, as well as a large full-length mirror. In the bathroom is a beautiful shower and white vanity combo. And through your windows are views of downtown Griffin.
Down the hall on the main floor, the hotel also has a beautiful ballroom with chandeliers for all occasions. We happen to be there for an Ok Corral re-enactment that was performed in the ballroom. Why did we see this?
I grew up on Young Guns and Young Guns II and Keifer Southerland played the famous, Doc. Doc Holliday. Something I learned on this trip is that the famous gun slinger from Tombstone, AZ Ok Corral fame is from Griffin, GA! Yes, he is from this town and to celebrate they have a festival every year to commemorate him! They have re-enactments, a barbecue festival from pitmasters, and a whole makers market. Then, downtown they have a pub crawl and other fun activities to get into on the festival day.
Plus, as we mentioned earlier, the location is desirable with it being located right downtown. Bars, restaurants, breweries, shopping, the arts, and more are just around the corner in walking distance. It makes the exploring the small town easy. If you look down on the sidewalk, you will notice that Griffin has been used in so many movies, one of them Fried Green Tomatoes. Their plaque is down near the railroad tracks. You can explore the town and see what movies were filmed there and where!
Finally, it would be a great getaway for spooky season! Did we mention it is haunted? When we were coming to our room to get something, I was going to open the door when I heard a distinct faint whispering, “Hi!” I stopped and John looked frozen. There wasn’t anyone there.
There’s no better place to find your serenity than Serenbe! Located just South of the airport and Atlanta, it is a beautiful destination full of the arts, food, farmland, outdoor activities, and where you’re welcome to relax and stroll the gardens or be as adventurous as you want. Start with a stay at the Inn at Serenbe where you can revel in relaxed luxury in an updated, historic farmhouse. Then, enjoy Saturday’s farmers market, take a hike to the waterfall, grab a bite at Halsa and the Farmhouse at Serenbe, roam the gardens, and dinner at The Hill at Serenbe. Now, that sounds like a perfect weekend.
Inn at Serenbe
The Inn at Serenbe is a historic family farm that has been transformed into a luxurious getaway that’s the perfect destination from Atlanta! We stayed in the main farmhouse that boasts a king-sized bed, bay window, and all the bells and whistles! The Inn at Serenbe has a country feel starting with the gardens, wrap around porch with rocking chairs, and even an adult pool! Exploring the grounds around the Inn, you’re greeted by a lake with canoeing, horses, an animal farm, and even a stone labyrinth. It’s amazing!
The Inn Rooms are spread out through the grounds of the property and throughout Serenbe, you can stay in the farmhouse like we did or in cabins, by the lake, or even in town! Our room was a very large, long bedroom with a comfy, large bed. Opposite the bed was a large bay window where we could sit and watch people roam the gardens right from our window. They had a large desk with two cookies and glass water bottles, as well as a very large walk-in closet with soft and fluffy robes. The bathroom was spacious and glistening white with two vanities, a walking shower/bathtub combo. Plus, the keys were so cute! A cow bell! The Inn also offers a big, beautiful country breakfast with AMAZING biscuits, French toast, eggs, bacon, oatmeal spread, and more. This out of the Farmhouse at Serenbe that offers a delicious lunch and dinner.
Inn at Serenbe Grounds
Around the Inn at Serenbe is a beautiful, sweeping landscape of lush rolling hills and farmland. One of our favorite spots to start with is the garden! Literally outside our window in our Inn room, the garden is where they grow the vegetables and other things for the restaurant, Farmhouse at Serenbe. Out back of the main farmhouse building at the Inn, is a large, HUGE, wrap around porch with rocking chairs, and several firepits for cool nights. Next to the firepit area is the adult-only pool, while the kids pool is right beside guest check in, but both are luxurious and large. They have a play area with a tree house, bocce, and giant chess for the kids.
Outside the immediate grounds is their petting zoo and animal farm! When you stay at the Inn, you can get free feed for the goats. You can take a walk around the farm pins and see pigs, donkeys, goats, cows, sheep, and more. Then, down the pathway are two destinations to explore, the pristine lake, stroll over it or go canoeing! Just beyond the lake is the bonfire area, artwork dotted throughout the woods and grounds, horses, and you should go see the stone labyrinth. A great experience for kids to find their way around the maze!
Farmhouse at Serenbe Restaurant
The restaurant that’s on the grounds of the Inn at Serenbe is a beautiful spot to enjoy lunch or dinner. Inside, they have a cozy blue room with a stone fireplace great for winter, next to it is the large, open-air sunroom that’s light and bright for enjoying lunch. They have a large bar with tons of cocktail options, as well as outdoor seating on the porch out back. They have a southern-inspired menu like pot roast or fried chicken that you need to check out.
We fell in love with the fall apart tender, meaty, well-seasoned, and rich pot roast smothered in a rich and hearty gravy atop some creamy, fantastic, mashed potatoes. On the side are amazing perfectly seasoned and tender okra and a delicious cold Brussel sprout salad with pickled red cabbage. Or if you love fried chicken, they are known for it! Available in the lunch menu, we know why! It is perfectly seasoned with spices, super crunchy yet tender inside. It comes with the same okra and brussels as the pot roast.
We started with the Farmhouse at Serenbe’s famous biscuits that are flaky and buttery, a slight crisp outside with tangy scallions mixed in. What a treat. And one of the best salads we’ve had all year is the Serenbe farms arugula and prosciutto salad. Starting with sweet blueberry peach dressing, earthy tangy goat cheese, meaty prosciutto and sweet candied pecans on a bed of fresh green, it’s a wonderful medley of flavors. Plus, you can’t beat the color!
As far as their cocktail program goes, it is a good one. Starting with the Fire & smoke cocktail that is tang, sweet strawberry and pineapple, smoky up from the mezcal, then kicks you with habanero on the back. It is very balanced and one tasty cocktail with a fun smoke show! Then, Aloe-U cocktail is minty, tangy, earthy cucumber and light, the aloe liquor adds a fun herbaceous-ness.
The Hill at Serenbe
In the main part of town, the Hill at Serenbe sits perched on a corner like a beacon! Entering the Hill at Serenbe, you’re greeted with a cozy, home-like ambiance to enjoy your wait, while the dining room next to the entrance is full of windows. We were treated to one of the best, most phenomenal meals we’ve had all year along with top notch service and stellar cocktails. The Hill prides themselves on bring fresh and local meats and produce from surrounding farms and that shows in their flavorful dishes!
Starting with one of the best steaks John or I have ever had, it starts with a juicy, thick cut piece of filet, perfectly cooked inside and a slight char out. Seasoned and doused in a creamy, sultry, herbaceous butter and a rich and deep house made port glaze on the side. It just melts in your mouth and runs a gamut of amazing flavors. Paired it with the Pineapple Bonfire, a slightly smoky mezcal cocktail balanced with spicy jalapeño for a little bit of a kick and tangy, sweet pineapple. The perfect pair!
For our starters, we opted for Bread Service, Chorizo and Elote Fritters, as well as Deviled Eggs. Starting with the Bread Service, the bread is fluffy, sweet, and light, slightly crisp outside. The compound butter served on the side is light and airy, sweet and a slight spice.
Next up the Deviled eggs are super sharp, rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor then topped with salty trout roe that gives it a pop and an herbaceous, tangy dill oil. These are some of the best Deviled Eggs we’ve ever had! Another must try is the Chorizo and Elote fritters. They are spicy, earthy, creamy inside and crunchy outside, while the jalapeño aioli gives it a tang.
The other entrée we thoroughly enjoyed is the Pan Seared Porkshire Pork chop. It is a bone-in chop that is filleted into a sweet and meaty, yet tender cut of meat. The Honey mustard jus brightened it up and gives it a tang, while underneath the creamed brussels and spinach is charred, earthy, and creamy. Wowzer. We paried this with the Selbourne Blossom cocktail. It is an herbaceous gin cocktail with cool and sweet muddled strawberry, earthy basil syrup, and bitter Aperol for balance.
A Carefully Curated Serenbe Itinerary You’ll Want To Use
Take a stroll around town, find relaxing and beautiful walkways, trails, and more.
Check out the Saturday local farmers market for local goods, food, and gifts.
Halsa: Have lunch or snacks at the delicious Halsa. Grab a creamy and earthy curry chicken salad sandwich with a side of sultry hummus. Enjoy a flaky croissant or sweets like a cinnamon roll. They have tuna poke bowls, build your own bowls, coffee, and wine.
Another option for lunch or dinner is Farmhouse at Serenbe.
Take a hike down to the tranquil waterfall and enjoy the sounds of flowing water.
Take in the sculptures and artwork that’s around every corner.
Check-in to Inn at Serenbe for the night and peruse the grounds. They have animals you can feed, a labyrinth, gardens, swings, horses, and even a lake.
Take a dip in the Inn at Serenbe pool.
Take a tour of their model homes to see what is inside some of the houses that line the streets of Serenbe.
Bamboo Juices: Cool off with refreshing and healthy cold press juices from Bamboo Juices! Our favorites are the earthy and spicy Turmeric & Beets and Dark Greens. They even have popsicles!
Check out all the little shops and boutiques around town! They have a wine store with tastings, as well as shops for clothing, home goods, and more.
Dinner: explore the extraordinary cuisine of The Hill at Serenbe’s phenomenal dinner menu.
Relax at the Inn at Serenbe’s firepit or bonfire area.
Finish the night with a cocktail at the Farmhouse and Inn and Serenbe’s bar!
Just outside Atlanta, on the corner of the new Town at Trilith is a swanky recently opened Italian Steakhouse, Enzo Italian! Inside, a circular bar is all decked out in blue, with ornate floor tile, velvet blue seating and bar stools, all juxtaposing the blue square accent wall. The dining space is also dotted with blue velvet booths, warm wood tables, and circular lighting, all flowing into the open-air kitchen. Beyond the beautiful décor, the food and cocktails are worth the short drive with the perfect selection of premium steaks with sauces and toppings, eye-popping seafood dishes, luscious meats, tasty pastas, tantalizing starters, salads, and top-notch cocktails. Enzo Italian Steakhouse is a must try! Let’s see why.
Upon arriving, we quickly opted for the Tacco A Spillo cocktail. It is refreshing, tangy, and sweet that morphs in a mellow cucumber and spice flavor on the back. While sipping we received our Goat Cheese and Crispy Olives. The Goat Cheese are balls of warm, tangy, sharp goat cheese wrapped up in a crispy dough and fried, then drenched in sweet, gooey honey, and then spicy of the black pepper. Yum. Not being a huge olive fan, these are THE way to enjoy olives if you don’t like them plain. Earthy and bitter olives surrounded by a crunchy outside that is stuffed with savory veal that mellows the olives and leaves an array of fun flavors that mix well.
Turning to appetizers, two stuck out to us, the Hamachi Crudo and the Wood Fired Caesar. Still thinking about the Caesar with its warm, charred romaine put on the grill then topped with earthy, crispy capers, creamy, house-made dressing, and sharp cheese all culminate in one epic salad. We want to have this again, right now. On the other side of the rich Caesar, is the fresh Hamachi Crudo. The fish is tender and savory paired with tangy grapefruit, creamy avocado, cool cucumber water, and earthy oil create a refreshing bite. There are so many flavors in this one.
Before moving on to pastas and main dishes, we took a break to enjoy the amazing Amaro Old Fashioned. Sweet and brown-sugar amaro paired with boozy bourbon is the best combination. That we enjoyed with a dynamic Dry-Aged Delmonaco Steak with sauteed mushroom and confit garlic horseradish, as well as succulent Rack of Lamb. Starting with our favorite dish at Enzo, it’s the Rack of Lamb. If you looked up “succulent” in the dictionary this dish would come up. It’s that’s good. Tender, savory meat with tons of flavor and spices perfectly placed on top of earthy eggplant and root vegetables that are both tangy and bright to juxtapose the meat.
Also, not to be missed is the Dry-Aged Delmonaco Steak cooked medium, well-seasoned, juicy, and tender meat. You can choose from several delicious toppings and sauces and we went for the sautéed mushroom and confit garlic horseradish. The sautéed mushrooms were earthy and rich, tender and gave the meat an elevated flavor. Then, when you add the horseradish, it peppers in a spicy, garlicky, creamy dreamy tang that melds well with both the meat and the mushrooms. WOW!
Now, let’s talk about Chef Amontobbio’s most show shopping dish, the Linguine & Lobster. Whole lobster stuffed with tender linguine and topped with lobster, bisque, roasted tomatoes and chives! It is too beautiful to describe! On the other hand, we got the Pappardelle Genovese that is rich and meaty short rib up front with divine cocoa infused pasta that’s more earthy and bitter, topped with a delightful creaminess from the cheese dollop.
Pro tip: Stay. For. Dessert. We fell in love with the Lemon & Olive Oil Cake! This moist cake starts creamy with hints of lemon and goes bold with nutty pistachio and an amazing pistachio spread that adds so much depth to the overall flavor. Divine. The manager paired two limoncello aperitif drinks with it, and it really brings out the lemon of the dessert. If you love sweet and lemon, you’d love this after dinner drink.
Amaro Old FashionedTacco A Spillo Bar areaPappardelle GenoveseDry-Aged Delmonaco SteakLemon and Olive Oil CakeGoat Cheese and Crispy OlivesWood Grilled CaesarRack of LambCharcuterie Plate
