Cocktails

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Soooooo, Lindsay has a new favorite restaurant. 

It’s called The Iberian Pig, and you can find it hidden in downtown Decatur. 

also, you can find it here in this picture. you're welcome.

Although it took Slick + me an extra 30 minutes more than everyone else to find it for Eat Squad last week, it was absolutely worth the hunt.  (Seriously, though, it takes a committed foodie to find this place.  I kinda felt like I was on The Amazing Race…)

As soon as we found it + met our friends, I was ready for a drink.  Much to my complete surprise + great excitement, they feature the Aviation on the menuI mean, it was just like they KNEW me.

well hello, gorgeous

The menu at The Iberian Pig is pretty freaking phenomenal.  The tapas list was extensive + creative enough to fully grab the table’s attention, so we decided to share a bunch of those among the six of us.  Here’s what we ate:

charcuterie + quesos

patatas al valdeon

salmon ceviche (special)

salchicha 3-ways

the ladies...

...our studly gentlemen

bbq octopus w/ patatas

first order of pork cheek tacos...

...second order of pork cheek tacos

jonah crab croquetas

B.W.D. (bacon wrapped dates)

cabrita carbonara w/ slow roasted goat

tocino con manzana

calamares

NOT PICTURED (but incredibly delicious):  ALBONDIGAS – wild boar sausage meatballs stuffed w/ piquillo peppers, Macedonian dates + roasted tomatoes.  Finished w/ pimenton creme and oyster mushrooms.

Every small plate we ordered was unbelievably good.  And, we went to town!

so insanely full - could barely stand up to take this, but nice lookin' group, eh?

This was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.  The Iberian Pig gets points for (1) really friendly + knowledgeable staff, (2) an incredibly creative + beyond delicious menu – there’s so much more that I’m dying to try, (3) offering the Aviation martini + bacon-infused bourbon (which was v. tasty) at the bar + in the dining room, and (4) for its kind-of-hidden-and-hard-for-Lindsay-and-Slick-to-find Decatur location. 

Once we finally found it, though, the giant hunt sorta made us feel like it was OUR restaurant.  Which, in fact, it is now.   :)

xx, L

The Iberian Pig
121 Sycamore Street
Atlanta, GA  30030
404.371.8800
www.iberianpigatl.com

The Iberian Pig on Urbanspoon

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Slick + I had friends in from New York and Austin this weekend, and we decided to spend a rainy Friday night w/ everyone at RiRa Irish Pub in Midtown.

leibs + sunshine

V

V + laur

rira irish pub

I hadn’t been to RiRa in a while, and it was bumpin’.  We had a really great time + loved the live band!

The best part of the night?  I met the Captain!!


And so did Sarah…  :)


Also BIG:  RiRa now has late nite Irish eats available by the front door to grab before that long cab ride home.

we had the cheese + onion chips. rexy, i know.

Don’t forget about RiRa when you are making your weekend plans.  There’s nothing quite like partying like the Irish! 

xx, L

RiRa Irish Pub
1080 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.477.1700
www.rira.com

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For people who must schedule time on each other’s overpacked Google calendars…

Bistro Niko was a superb choice for a 9:30pm bottle of wine and cheese plate.  The inside/outside seating is perfect – I love watching the cars on Peachtree when I’m not in one.  Plus, sitting outside was fantastic because FALL IS IN THE AIR. I can FEEL it!  (Well, not in the weather report, of course.  I feel fall in my heart.)

My wardrobe is feeling it too. I have officially begun my transition into fall with the gorgeeee OrYany bag I purchased at Nordy’s in JUNE.

Hello, lover.

Is it time to break out my knee high boots yet?

xx, L

Bistro Niko
(404) 261-6456
3344 Peachtree Rd NE

Bistro Niko on Urbanspoon

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It’s no secret that H&F is my favorite place to sip a cocktail in the whole city. My newest obsession? Trying the daily “shrub” (it varies nightly but the formula is the same: fruit/booze/soda. Friday’s had pimentos/rye moonshine/ginger ale. Among other favorites: strawberry/gin and blackberry/tequila.  Can’t quiiiite remember the sodas on those.  So sue me.)

Of course 90% of the reason those cocktails are so amazing is because of the sheer amount of know-how going on behind that bar.  All of their bartenders are genius and co-founder Greg Best is ranked among the top 10 mixologists worldwide. Fact.


However, if you want to try your own hand at mad science with spirits, you’re in luck!

H+F Bottle Shop will soon* open in the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center in the old Wolfe Camera space. This new fancy booze shop will feature boutique wine and liquors and , according to The Blissful Glutton, will also sell “homemade bitters, proprietary gins, Bloody Mary mix made with local tomatoes, and cocktail accoutrements like pickled okra.”

A photo of H&F Bottle Shop's back porch which I lovingly ripped off their Facebook Fan Page

Bourbon bar. Also ripped off. With love.

How exciting is THAT?

xx, L

(*No exact open date JUST yet.  To quote H&F Bottle Shop Facebook page, “predicting an opening date for a business is like predicting a baby’s arrival time. It comes when its ready. Soon though!“)

H&F Bottle Shop
Coming Soon!
2357 Peachtree Rd.
Atlanta, GA, 30305
Mon – Sat: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

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Buckhead and I seem to be at an awkward in-between stage. I fear I may have graduated beyond my CJ’s Landing/Buckhead Saloon days.  (um, yeah.  It’s a good thing, since neither of those places, at least how I knew them, exist anymore) and sometimes it’s just not a 5P/Fado kind of a night. And though I LOVE the St. Reg and sipping Stoli Dolis at at Capital Grille, sometimes I’m just not feeling THAT chi chi la la.  I need something in-between.

Enter Buckhead Bottle Bar.


LOVE.  Love at first sight.  It was love before I even walked in the door.   Even the outside is adorable.  Witness:


Here’s the Q+DD:
Buckhead Bottle Bar, opened by A.D. Allushi and Chef Ian Winslade (of ADI Restaurant Concepts: Thrive, Market, Spice Market) and Atlanta Hawk Zaza Pachulia, sits right in the heart of Buckhead at East Paces Ferry and Peachtree.  Described as an “all-day cocktail house featuring bar food favorites,” I was praying the cocktails were at least liquid because I was digging the vibe so much!  It’s just so zippy-snappy-poppy.

My prayers were answered: the drinks were superb, the service was great, and though Alison and I only noshed a little bit, the food we had was ridiculously good.  We LOVED the seared tuna salad and calamari we sampled.  (Alison asks me the next day, “Is it wrong that I dreamed about balsamic vinaigrette last night?” I told her, if fantasizing about food is wrong…I don’t want to be right!)

Alison making hard menu decisions

What started out as a casual Monday girl-date turned into a full-fledged evening activity. We even had our boys meet us to experience this fabulousness and extend the night a liiiiittle longer!

Bonus: A.D. himself came over to refill our water glasses and lucky for me, I had done enough internet stalking research I recognized him immediately and we got into a long discussion about restaurants in Atlanta, social media, and hair products.  (Ok, I made that last one up, but his hair is so amazing, I’m surprised the topic didn’t naturally arise…)

A.D. also informed us that he’s opening another new restaurant, 5th Street Cafe, at 5th and Peachtree, re-conceptualizing what is now Eno by Zaza.  I can’t WAIT to check that out.

Definitely give the BBBar a shot.  It’s the perfect bridge for the Buckhead gap…

xx, L

P.S. Use your ScoutMob until 10/14/10!

Buckhead Bottle Bar
(404) 474-9892
268 E Paces Ferry Rd
Atlanta, GA 30305
www.buckheadbottlebar.com
Buckhead Bottle Bar on Urbanspoon

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I’ve been doing a LOT of eating out lately and not enough writing (or working out for that matter…) I’ve hit up quite a few new (or new to me) restos that are definitely worth mentioning.   In light of the fact that this is a blog and not a novelhere are 2 for now:

Of all the restaurants in Atlanta, Top Flr will always hold a special place in my heart.  I have never had a bad meal or a bad time there…and you’ve just got to love a place like that.

So, as you can imagine, I was very excited to give The Sound Table, Darren Carr’s new restaurant in the Old Fourth Ward, a try.  Bonus: (and I don’t want to name-drop…but I’m-a gonna)  Greg and I enjoyed our meal with supercute and understated-yet-ultrafabulous DanaPop.com, the Atlanta editor of Daily Candy (!!!!!) and her hilarious and adorable hubs, Dan.

Here’s the Q+DD on The Sound Table: I absolutely loved it. The concept is “street-to-table”, focusing on the exploding street food trend and like Top Flr, TST is also a small-plates restaurant.  The vibe is laid-back and trendy and the food was, in my opinion, superb.

Dan and I both started with the Pho (pho real!) which came with fun little bowls of condiments: oxtail, bean sprouts, cilantro, and shitake mushrooms (while I gingerly played with these items…Dan happily dumped them all in at once, announcing, “everybody in the pool!)  we each followed it up with the steamed pork belly buns… both dishes were per-fection.

Other memorable dishes on the table included a citrus-y ceviche, a shrimp salad, the chorizo burger (actually, it was 2 chorizo sliders…cute AND delish!) and my favorite, the Arancini. If you’re not familiar with Arancini, they’re basically fried balls of risotto and The Sound Table’s were made with black truffle, pecorino, and roasted garlic.  YUM.

Note: The Sound Table is located on Edgewood at Boulevard and the signage is not great.  In fact, we drove right past it several times before Dan had to come out and wave us in.  FYI: this is what you’re looking for:

juuuuust a little TOO discreet, if ya ask me!

Also, parking is a little bit difficult.  You MIGHT get lucky and get a spot in the lot right next door, otherwise…don’t forget your quarters.

All in all, I give it two freshly manicured thumbs upCan’t wait to go back!

The Sound Table
483 Edgewood Ave. SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
www.thesoundtable.com
The Sound Table on Urbanspoon

NEXT:

Miller Union opened up late last year, so it definitely falls under the New(ish) category or just plain old New to Me; and though neither La, Dr. Amy or I had ever been, Miller Union somehow seemed like a perfect place to celebrate…and we had a LOT of celebrating to do. Dr. Amy finished residency, had an outrageously gorgeous baby girl, and returned home to Atlanta just as darling La announced her pregnancy!

The 3 of us with "our" new addition...and one on the way!

I know this is a bold statement to make about a restaurant I have merely tried once, but I think that Miller Union could easily become one of my favorite restaurants in the city.

I dig rustic-chic décor and I always love a scene-y bar (and believe me, it was scene-y.)

So immediately upon walking in the door, I had high hopes. From the time we were seated at our enormous wooden farm table, my expectations were met.  First of all, the cocktail menu is amazing.  I tried not one but TWO specialty cocktailsvery unlike me as usually I tend not to stray from vodka or red wine…but they were both outstanding.  First, the Miller Thyme: miller’s gin, lemon, thyme syrup then the Gold Digger: muddled tomatoes, gin, lemon, and ginger-honey syrup

get down girl, go 'head get down

I didn’t have one BITE that wasn’t outstanding.

Every part of this meal was fresh and fabulous.  We started with the grits fritters with country ham (to DIE for) and the simple yet delicious feta snack…

Then, between the 6 of us, we had the rest of the menu pretty well covered.  My favorite dishes were probably the grouper, the NY strip, and the pork loin…

scamp grouper, summer squash, sweet corn, fennel, tomato

grilled pork loin, field peas + tomato salad

but I think the best part of the meal, for me, were the fresh vegetables.  I want a VAT of their succotash to eat at home at my leisure.  If someone could make that happen for me, I’d be forever in your debtThe food just did me right; it actually felt good.

You guys, I LOVED Miller Union. It was a great place for a large, somewhat rowdy group such as ours, but I saw several love-birds there on romantic dates as well.

Great times, GREAT restaurant. I recommend it 100%.

Miller Union
999 Brady Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30318
www.millerunion.com
Miller Union on Urbanspoon

Ok, that’s it for now!  Stay tuned…more to come!

xx, L

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While shopping for poolside refreshments this weekend, I was the happy recipient of a Random Act of Kindness in the form of a cocktail recommendation and I feel I’d be remiss in my responsibilities to you if I didn’t Pay it Forward.

At Disco Kroger Fresh Fare by Kroger, I made immediate friends with this supercute girl in line ahead of me who was OBVIOUSLY PLU* – she, like myself, had visible bathing suit straps under her sundress and a basket full of trashy gossip magazines, grill-friendly foods and a few bottles of Prosecco. We both recognized this immediately, and, after discussing our respective Bachelorette predictions, she noticed a missing item from my basket...The steps are easy.

1. Pop your Prosecco (or champagne.  I just really like alliteration.)

(or have someone else do the honors. Thanks, Ted!)

2.  Fill your red Solo cup with equal parts vino and Orangina

3. Enjoy!

xx, L

*People Like Us.  Duh.

P.S. The chilled and vodka-soaked gummy worms and bears (per the suggestion of Mrs. Mendes!)were not a bad pooside snack choice either.  Thanks, Greg!

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We had SO much fun last month (witness!) that we can’t WAIT for our next installment of the Summer Rooftop Series! Same time, same place, different date.  2 weeks from today: June 25th!

Happy Hour(s) start at 5pm on Whiskey Blue’s fabulous roofdeck patio...located inside the W Hotel in Buckhead!

Hope to see you there!

xx,

L + L

PS Become a FAN of the W Hotels Atlanta HERE

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Olive will be there along with her friends Lola, Cooper, and Sebastian…

Sebastian will be dressed to impress.

…and maybe you, too? Hope to see you there!

xx, L + O

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Did you know it was Marilyn Monroe’s birthday yesterday?  
Well, it was!

Norma Jeane Baker AKA Marilyn Monroe, born 06/01/26

And in honor of Marilyn I want to tell you about two HOT cocktails I enjoyed this weekend!

1.   The Blueberry Jalapeño Margarita at Nava

Luis + Heather

Now, this couple could make ANYTHING look good, but trust me, it was.

Tequila, muddled blueberries, chopped jalapeños and lime juicedelish!

2.   Lamicha Caliente (translation: The Hot Kitty) at Ecco

Ecco is debuting a new cocktail menu and ever since I saw a photo of The Hot Kitty show up on my Facebook news feed, I knew I had to try it.

Lucky for me, Atlanta was a ghost town last weekend and we were able to waltz up to a primo place at the bar and even luckier still, we found Brent, our absolute FAVORITE bartender behind it!

Here’s the Q+DD on Lamicha Caliente:

Lamicha Caliente: Consígalo personas juntas! We sabe, su tiempo del verano y su en el aire pero gravemente…se todo animó pero permite no añade a la humedad. Toma asiento y trata esta mezcla vinosa con puntas con vodka, chilis de calabrian y suficiente amor a la marea usted sobre.” (Translation: go see Brent, this thing was amazing.)

Basically, Ecco is house-infusing jalapeño vodka and mixing it with a white sangria base to make this amazing drink.  There’s even a little salad in it – cucumber and peppers and such…it’s almost like a health drink!

(Bonus: Brent took a stab at creating his idea of “The Quick and Dirty Dirty cocktail”

…Patron and Kahlua.  Nice!)

So, happy birthday, Marilyn! While “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes…”

…apparently this blonde prefers a little kick in her cup!


xx, L

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I’m a martini drinker.

me + martini

But, I have three critical martini-related rules. 

(Please take note if you plan on ever ordering me a drink..)

Rule #1:  Under no circumstance do I want olives anywhere in or around my drink.  Ick!  HATE olives.  It’s a shame, too, because olives adore me…

Rule #2:  I want to be able to taste the vodka in my martini.  I am an adult – I am not 19 years old and I don’t want to be consuming mostly liqueur.  Thank you very much!  (A few too many nights at Carlos + Charlies in Puerto Vallarta put me off of sweet drinks fo’ life…)


Rule #3:  If I am drinking a martini, I’m going to be seated.  The martini glass is an incredibly poorly designed alcohol vehicle.  Further, I wear heels when I go out – but I am not great in them.  I’m telling you, I know my limitations, you do not want to be anywhere near me when I have a martini glass in my hand and I’m standing up.  I spill them when I’m sitting down!  So please bring the drink to me at a table and we won’t have to worry about our clothes making an immediate dry cleaning trip in the morning.  :)

Moving on…

I love Holeman + Finch.  (This all ties together, I promise.)  I just love it.  The food is excellent, the scene is superb and I really like the staff.  They are hipster w/o the grease + cut off jean shorts.  And, they are super friendly and attentive.  The high boys in the bar are my favorite location at Holeman to plop down + have a few drinks and small plates. 

holeman

So, I’m there on Friday w/ EZ, Ms. Meri + Loren (not Lauren) and we’re ordering our second round of drinks when our server informs me that my go-to-Gimlet is kind of a boring order.  I quickly assess him and realize that (1) he is wearing skinny jeans (funny + appropriate hipster-waiter attire, which I applaud) and that (2) I’m fairly certain he looks like he knows what he is talking about, so instead of taking offense – I ask for his expert advice.  I made sure he was clear re. my three martini-related rules and he said he’d run with it.  A few minutes later as we were all digging into the Holeman 10:00 p.m. burger that we’d patiently been waiting for since 8:00 p.m., our server came back to the table with my drink.  BIG problem.  He tells me there’s gin in it.  Gin??  I don’t drink GIN.  I drink VODKA!  Needless to say, I’m incredibly skeptical…

However, all it took was one magical sip to win me over.  I like gin!  Who would have thought?!

certainly not us...

I mean it when I say that this was the best drink I’ve had in my life.  It was like flying.  Like a day at the beach.  Like winning a new car on The Price is Right!!  

"one dollar, bob!"

The drink was an AVIATIONSayonara, Gimlet, you’ve officially been replaced…

behold its majesty

My old partner in crime, Mindy, is in town and last night we cooked dinner for her family, and then scooted over to Ormsby’s.  We were there for one drink + a meet up w/ the famous FB, when I heard the Aviation summoning me from Holeman.  So, at 11:00 p.m. on a Monday night we headed to Holeman for a late night burger + a few Aviations.  I’m addicted. 

It really is the most amazing drink.  You don’t taste the gin too much, it’s not too sweet at all and it’s surprisingly refreshing.   (“it’s magically delicious!”)

mindy + me + martini = perfection. (math is fun!)

You have to try an Aviation immediately.  Order it @ Holeman tonight.  Seriously!  Or, learn how to make it yourself + impress your friends:

Ingredients:

2 oz of Gin
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Dash of Creme de Violette (optional)
Flamed Lemon Peel for Garnish (optional)

Directions:

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled w/ ice
Shake shake shake…
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish
Sip + Enjoy! :)

How to Make an Aviation Video: http://bit.ly/93rnBF

If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

xx, L

Holeman & Finch Public House
2277 Peachtree Road NE Ste. B
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.948.1175
www.holeman-finch.com

Holeman & Finch Public House on Urbanspoon

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VIP: Lindsay and I were asked to be a part of a panel of cocktail experts (!!!) to evaluate the specialty cocktail menu for a new restaurant in Buckhead. I just knew the day would come when this particular skill set (which we have been diligently honing at various bars and restaurants for the last 10+ years!) would come in handy…lkcocktail

Varsity Team.

Varsity Team.

and last night at Saskatoon was the night, my friends.

OK so the Q+DD on Saskatoon is this: It’s a wild game restaurant located in the Alexan on Pharr Road (in the space where ill-fated Spondivits and Harry Bisset’s once were…) Think hunter’s lodge: über masculine, warm and cozy. Soft jazz playing, fires roaring, lighting fixtures adorned with antlers, and deer heads on the wood paneled walls. The menu is chock full of wild boar, elk, ostrich and the like. I even tried my first fried alligator! (This thrilled Lindsay: “I’m so glad we can be a part of this!”)

And hey, we like antlers!

laurenantlerslindsay antlers

Anyway, our table consisted of the two of us, our +1s (Linds brought Steph Cheeseman and I had Doc Hollywood in tow) and our new best friend Alison Abby, a fabulous freelance writer whom we met last night.

They brought us several appetizers to sample, and I have to say – we all really enjoyed the food we tried. Of course, wild game was the main protein in each dish, and they were all very creative as well as delicious!

The real purpose of our visit last night was to provide feedback on their cocktail menu. We tasted everything from the Saskatoon Sling (a variation of the Singapore Sling) to the Espresso Martini (cinnamon-y and not too dessert-y! Our favorite by far.) For the most part, we all thought the specialty cocktails were a little sweet (and perhaps tropical?) for our taste BUT we were there to help them tweak, and I’m sure they will. (Also, in the interest of full disclosure, Lindsay and I are pretty straightforward in our cocktail preferences. Any more than 2 ingredients and we’re raising an eyebrow and I have never seen the Doc drink anything but scotch. Ever.) So if you’re a specialty cocktail type of person, you may totally disagree with our evaluation. IJS.

Additionally, the GM seems pretty passionate about having an impressive, yet affordable wine list and the wait staff was just lovely…and happy to pour me a vodka on the rocks after all was said and done. (With 3 nice, big, fat queen-sized olives. DK always told me you can judge a bar by the size of their olives...)

My verdict on Saskatoon is this: I think it’s a pretty interesting addition to Buckhead’s restaurant scene and if you enjoy that type of atmosphere, (or if you’re in the mood to envision yourself as a ski bunny taking a break from the slopes!) I would encourage you to try it for yourself.

Bonus: FYI, Saskatoon is a city located in central Saskatchewan, Canada and I find Saskatchewan really, REALLY fun to say.

Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan…Saskatchewan

xx, L

PS. Thanks for the folks at Melissa Libby for the invite!

Saskatoon
(404) 891-1911
360 Pharr Road
Atlanta, GA 30305

Saskatoon on Urbanspoon

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