Established in October 2000 and set in the historic Cotton Mill general store, Agave has frequently been named the Best Southwestern Restaurant in Atlanta.  

More about Agave’s history HERE. 

I love this restaurant for many reasons, but in particular I am passionate about a specific menu item: STUFFED MOUNTAIN TROUT TOMATILLO.  It’s an Idaho trout stuffed with crawfish, mushrooms (which I typically don’t eat), onions + basil over Spanish rice w/ a roasted tomatillo sauce + freshly cut cilantro.  I’ve tried many, many of Agave’s entrees over the years (also love the Sashimi Pan Seared Tuna), but the trout is my hands down favorite.

The menu will make your mouth water.  Check it out here:  TOLD YOU SO

If the menu isn’t enough to put this restaurant on your radar, allow me to introduce you to their extensive Tequila + Margarita List:  DON’T MIND IF I DO…

Impressive, huh?  Very appropriate, too, for a restaurant named after the base ingredient for my old friend, Mr. Tequila.

Agave Tequilana

I mean, Mr. T and I are just tight like that. (Here I am hanging out w/ one of its relatives in El Paso.)

It’s important to choose your friends wisely, you know…

Anyway, I always suggest Agave when asked for a restaurant recommendation, but I hadn’t been for dinner in quite a while.  Slick + some of his colleagues + I dropped in last week + I was quickly reminded of how much I really enjoy it there.  Slick ordered the Spicy Tequila Anejo Shrimp + his colleagues ordered the Sunburned New York Strip Steak + Agave Cayenne Fried Chicken (which was a big hit at the table).  Naturally, I got the trout…and I didn’t share.

If you haven’t been to Agave before – GO.  Don’t forget about this amazing Atlanta staple.  The tequila will be waitin’.

xx, L

Agave Restaurant
242 Boulevard Southeast
Atlanta, GA  30312
404.585.0006
www.agaverestaurant.com

(not pictured: mich (flounder))

We’ve been getting together a few times a year ever since we graduated from Texas, mostly for weddings (as pictured above), but since no one’s gotten married this year, we planned a little reunion weekend instead + are going to Dahlonega to visit the Georgia Wine Country!  My total + complete heaven…

Dahlonega. Hello!

It’s going to be so nice + relaxing! 

If we weren’t planning to be in Dahlonega, we would DEFINITELY be spending Saturday @ Cabbagetown’s 2010 Chomp + Stomp Chili Cook-Off + Festival + 5K Run! 

Cabbagetown’s Chomp + Stomp was created to celebrate the heritage and local flavor of the neighborhood, as well as benefit Cabbagetown Park.  Slick + CK + I went last year and had so much freaking fun!  It really is very deserving of its Creative Loafing Award for “Best Intown Hipster Hootenanny” (greatest word ever?  i’m thinking so…)!

Chomp + Stomp 2009

Chomp + Stomp 2009

More info on Chomp + Stomp here:  EAT UP!

Whatever you’re doing this weekend – bring a thick jacket!  It’s getting really chilly in the A!   Burrrrrrrrr! 

xx, L

Though I consider myself a carnivore, truthfully, my diet is largely vegetarian. I’ll often opt for the meat-free option on the menu and my protein of choice is definitely fish. I love soy, I love vegetables, and I can be very, very weird about chicken.

Additionally, I spent two years of my life dating a strict vegetarian and I can tell you first-hand how difficult it is to find a satisfying, delicious vegetarian restaurant.

I kid, I kid!

So obviously I was amped about DD. Every time I turn around someone (vegetarian or otherwise) is talking about how amazing it is and I am here to tell you that it’s worth the hype.

The Q+DD on DD (wow.) can be summed up in their mission statement:

Our mission is to provide fresh, nutritious meals for the modern/urban lifestyle. We offer food made of natural and organic ingredients, obtained from local and multi-cultural, natural resources and create tasty, imaginative meals that have a positive result on the well being of all ages.
~ David Sweeney

It’s this teeny little restaurant off Edgewood, and very simple in it’s décor. Currently, the art on the wall is that of local artist Jeff Hyde:
The menu changes daily and consists of only handful of choices which they broadcast via Twitter. Yesterday, C got the crimini mushroom soup with croutons + chervil and the salad which was mixed Georgia greens with pear, red onion, radicchio, and spiced pumpkin seeds. Both were DELICIOUS. I opted for the smoked trout salad sandwich with avocado and cucumber on “forbidden rice loaf with a side of dandelion, apple + pumpkin seed salad. AMAZING. Our server educated us on “forbidden rice loaf,” even showed us a little piece of literature but since I left that there, I can’t remember a thing. What I can tell you is this: it was fabulous and hearty and its made by some kind of short grain rice at Georgia’s first certified organic bakery, Magnolia Bread Company.

We were feeling so virtuous about our choices that we decided to reward ourselves and split a lemon cupcake and an almond coconut cookie dipped in chocolate. YUM.

It should probably be noted that the hours are a little quirky:

xx, L

P.S. Please do not be overly concerned about my iron intake. I rounded my day out with a cheeseburger and fresh garlic fries at Bocado that evening. More on that later…

Dynamic Dish
www.dynamicdish.net
427 Edgewood Avenue Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30312
(404) 688-4344

All we needed was a Gorgeous Day +

+ Chili Spoons

+ Cups for Beer

+ Sweetwater

+ Some Tunes

+ Lots of Hungry Folks

+ Friends in Vendor Tents

+ Interesting Chili

+ Incredible Chili

+ Scary Chili

+ Papal Chili?

+ Shirts to Ruin

+ Good Friends

+ Nearby Roof to Climb

= Chomp + Stomp 2009

What a fun day!  (If you missed it, I strongly recommend going next year! )

P.S. Just love Cabbagetown!

xx, L

Created to celebrate both the heritage and local flavor the neighborhood as well as benefit Cabbagetown Park, Chomp and Stomp was voted by Creative Loafing as the “Best Annual Event” in 2008.

The chili cook off will be judged by some local celeb chefs – Kevin Rathbun (of Rathbun’s and Kevin Rathbun Steak), Shaun Doty (of Shaun’s Edgewood Social Club) and Kevin Gillespie (of Woodfire Grill who is incidentally also kicking some tail on this season’s Top Chef.)

Kevin Gillespie

There will be a separate contest for restaurant competitors (Fox Brothers won last year) and individual/group competitors. There is even a category for vegetarian chili! (Last year’s winner? Nathan Minor with “Nate’s Unholy Frijoles.” That is a winner for me based on the name alone.)

There will also be SweetWater on tap, an art market, and live music which will pay homage to Cabbagetown’s history of “old time mountain music.” The “Park Stage” will feature traditional bluegrass and string band music and the “Conroy Amphitheatre” will be devoted to more general American music while “mixing in some blues, folk, alt-country and a little bit of rock n’ roll.”

BONUS: At 8am the 4th annual “Romp and Stomp” 5K race will take place. Beginning at the Milltown Arts Tavern (located at 180 Carroll Street), all runners will get free admission to the festival and all proceeds go to support the Cabbagetown Park.

All of this for a mere $5 ticket (all-you-can-eat chili is $25) Can’t beat it.

The festival starts runs from 10AM-6PM and is located at Cabbagetown Park, Tye Street and Kirkwood Avenue. Go to the Chomp and Stomp website (which is VERY cool, by the way) for more information.

If for whatever reason you can’t make it this weekend, why don’t you try my very own Turkey Chili recipe?

Regardless of my usually sub-par culinary abilities, I make a pretty mean turkey chili, believe it or not.

Now it’s not winning any contests, but it is fairly healthy and I think it’s delicious. Oh, and easy. Can’t forget easy.

To make LK’s Not-So-Famous (but still delicious) Turkey Chili you’ll need the following:
1lb ground turkey (I go with 98% fat free)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can Rotel
1 can red kidney beans
1 can white corn (the little squatty can)
1 packet of chili seasoning. I usually use McCormick, but last night I used Kroger brand and it was a-ok.
1 yellow onion (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
1-2 jalapeños (seeded and diced) A word to the wise: its smart if you use some rubber gloves when handling jalapeños. Especially if you are wearing contacts that need to be removed later…
Minced garlic
1 beer (or 2 or 3.  Whatever.  I’m not here to judge.)

Ok here’s whatcha do:

1. Open your beer and drink it as you prepare to cook
2. Brown the turkey meat with some minced garlic and the veggies (please do not ask me how much minced garlic. I simply employ the “dump” method.)
3. Stir in the seasoning packet
4. Dump the rest of the ingredients in (including a few pours of your beer. Feel free to open a new one.)
5. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 10 minutes
6. You can serve immediately, but it’s better the next day
7. If I am feeling fancy I will garnish it with some cheddar cheese and sliced scallions

Voila!

xx, L

xx, L

Ann’s Snack Bar
1615 Memorial Drive
Atlanta, GA  30317
404.687.9207
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann’s_Snack_Bar