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Eat Squad #7: The Iberian Pig

08/25/2010 in Cocktails, Decatur, Eat Squad, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 4 comments

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 menu!  I 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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FARM BURGER.

06/01/2010 in Decatur, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 1 comment

Slick + I had MONSTER hamburger cravings yesterday, so we rallied Gtown Jared to meet us at Farm Burger for some Memorial Day beef. 

hello!

Although Gtown J got a bit lost getting there, I thought Farm Burger’s Decatur location, right next to Watershed, was pretty straightforward + easy to find.

the bright orange sign was difficult to miss...

I read extensively about Farm Burger on Urbanspoon + other food blogs, and I was painfully aware that some folks think that it’s more hype than burger.  Did this deter me from trying my very own farm burger?  No.  Did I go into the experience with sky-high expectations?  No.  Was I impressed from the moment I stepped foot in the restaurant?  Yes!

i'm down with farm-to-table.

Although the farm-to-table AND the fancy hamburger joint concepts are both getting kind of old, I really enjoyed myself at Farm Burger.  I liked that when Slick and I arrived, the line was out of the door – and it remained so for the 1 1/2 hours we were at FB.  Not that this is their target market by any means, but Slick and I counted eight very-visibly pregnant women at Farm Burger over the course of the evening.  (Not really sure what you are supposed to do with that information, but I still felt it was noteworthy…)  I also liked the here’s-what-we’ve-got menu presentation.  It was simple + efficient enough for me to navigate on the last evening of a long, lazy three day weekend when my brain was functioning at a much slower pace than normal…

FB menu

I liked this picture at the restaurant.  :)

mooooooooooo

After a short while, we made it up to the front of the line and placed our orders. 

cattle call for farm burgers!

All I really wanted was a hamburger w/ cheddar + lettuce, but I felt like I needed to be a little more adventurous – so I swaped the cheddar for pimiento cheese.  Slick and Gtown J got slightly-altered versions of the house special – the original farm burger.  We sat down at an open table + bench and sipped on our wine (me) + beers (the boys) while we waited for our much anticipated FB beef + fried potatoes to arrive.

my wine

cow-stamped placemats were a hit w/ me.

(i'm a sucker for mason jars, too!)

Right before the delicious aroma of the restaurant finally won me over and I started to drool on my kitschy cow-stamped placemat, our food arrived.  The fries came in a cute little tin, and they were just how I like them: SSS = soft + soggy + lots of seasoning (in this case, garlic).

original fries

I started to quickly fill up on the fries, so I made the executive decision to concentrate on my burger.  The pimiento cheese was an excellent call.  It wasn’t too mayo-y and melted perfectly on my burger.  Growing up, my parents always made + ordered our burgers well or well done (no pink).  Over the years, I guess I’d gotten used to ordering them kinda over-cooked, and so my burgers never really taste like meat.  Although farm burgers come what to me looked like medium or medium rare, I didn’t feel like my (amazing – love you, mom!) Jewish mother was shaking her finger at me all the way from Texas when I quickly devoured the burger, because the beef came from v. happy grass-fed cows (e. coli risk free).  I will admit that this was actually one of my first, true on-the-rare-side hamburger experiences and that kind of blew my mind, but I also thought that the burger, itself, was pretty great – very juicy and flavorful.

my farm burger w/ pimiento cheese

Slick + Gtown J enjoyed their burgers, but they thought the sauce on the original farm burger was slightly too heavy.  Both of them thought I ordered the best of the group.  (I win!) 

the remains of slick's farm burger - it wasn't there for long...

Slick still likes the late-night Holeman + Finch hamburger the best, but I am torn between H+F and Farm Burger.  At the very least, I think Farm Burger gives H+F a run for it’s money – and I liked the fries better.  Will I go back?  Yes.  Do I think that I should buy into hype more often?  Definitely!!

xx, L

Farm Burger
4108 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA  30030
404.378.5077
www.farmburger.net

Farm Burger on Urbanspoon

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Men on a Mission.

12/11/2009 in Decatur, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 2 comments

Slick and T.C. were on a mission. A very important mission. A mission to properly assess the extensive list of exotic dipping sauces at Leon’s Full Service.
leonsThey assembled a small, but brave crew. Lindsay to organize the trip and me to…well, to dip pub frites in dipping sauces. I knew I was up for the challenge. I adore condiments and I have never, ever met a french fry I didn’t like.

There were 4 of us and 14 of them.

We decided to divide and conquer and each chose two: Garlic aioli, goat cheese fondue, masaman curry, leon’s bbq, smoked tomato mayonnaise, fresh horseradish mayonnaise, cucumber-dill yogurt and spicy mango catsup.

We got sauce!

We got sauce!

(Look out, peppercorn gravy, madras curry catsup, black pepper mayo, bacon + tarragon mayo, and straight-up mayo: we are coming for you.)

Our favorites? Let me break it down for you:
1. Masaman Curry
2. Horseradish Mayo
3. Goat Cheese Fondue
4. Cucumber-Dill yogurt.
finishedsauce
We all agreed that the smoked tomato mayo and bbq were just ok and that the spicy mango catsup was kind of gross. Lindsay’s favorite, though? Straight up catsup.

She's a purist.

She's a purist.

The bottom line is this: I LOVE CONDIMENTS. The other bottom line is this: I love fries. The other, OTHER bottom line is this: I love the dipping sauce schtick and there is just something about Leon’s that feels like an event.

Mission accomplished.

It’s Friday. Go on, get your sauce on. You can do it.

or french fry?

or french fry?

xx, L

Leon’s Full Service
(404) 687-0500
131 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
www.leonsfullservice.com
Leon's Full Service on Urbanspoon

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Cake or Death?

10/08/2009 in Decatur, Where we're Eating by Lauren | No comments

cakeslogo_offEven though, as a theatre major, I happen to know that “cakes and ale” is a term first spoken by the character Sir Toby in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night that is now used to describe the good/fun/enjoyable things in life (thank you, University of Texas Theatre!), I couldn’t get Eddie Izzard out of my head for the entire ride to Cakes & Ale Restaurant in Decatur last night.

Cake or Death?

Cake or Death?

I’ll take cake, please!

Anyway. I’ve been jonesing to try Cakes & Ale for a while now, it just LOOKS adorable from the outside.

Witness:cakesale

I was not disappointed!

Here’s the Q+DD on Cakes & Ale: Owned and operated by Decatur residents, their menu (displayed on 2 chalkboards in the front and back of the restaurant) changes daily to utilize the best seasonal produce and their food is made from fresh ingredients: local vegetables, humanely-raised meats and non-endangered fish, and freshly-milled grains. Located on the corner of West Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ponce de Leon Place, it is absolutely darling on the inside: quaint, cozy, and minimalist but still very chic.

Last night, the idea was to get there early and have a cocktail while we waited for L + O, but the restaurant is kind of tiny and the bar scene was so packed we couldn’t find a seat! (Which was fine, of course, because we were on Lauren Standard Time so we weren’t all that early anyway…)

So once they arrived, we shared two gorgeous bottles of wine and the house-marinated olives and fried okra. Now, I don’t know how fried okra could get any better. It was just pure cornmeal-y slightly salted deliciousness, I tell you.

For dinner, I ordered the stuffed peppers with butternut squash agrodolce, which was to. die. for. I seldom opt for the vegetarian selection but it looked too good to pass up…and it WAS. I also had the opportunity to try the striped bass with shell beans, kale, preserved tomatoes, sorrel, bacon, ham brood and savory (this dish was served served with NC Trout earlier in the evening, but they ran out and replaced it with the bass, but I don’t think anything could have been lost in translation, everyone LOVED it.)

Owen ordered the burger which, admittedly, I didn’t try, but it looked fantastic and he really enjoyed it. The Q+DD on the burg is that it’s made with brisket and pork belly and is usually served on a whole-wheat bun, but last night on an English muffin which Owen said was a really nice, light contrast to the heaviness of the patty. What I can tell you for sure is that the accompanying shoestring fries were fab.

We finished our meal off with a couple of ports (perfection) and the most amazing desserts…ever: an apple, oatmeal + pecan crisp with rum raisin ice cream and the salted cashew and caramel tart with crème fraîche. Y’all, we were in h.e.a.v.e.n. (The word “exquisite” may have been thrown around. Several times.) We resisted the “phatty cakes” but they looked adorable in their little glass cake stand on the bar on our way out the door. All-in-all, it was a really good time, I’d be back in a heartbeat.

Sometimes I feel like Decatur is the Bermuda Triangle of Atlanta: Its difficult to get there, and once you’re there, you feel like you need to make an evening of it. But with places as cool as Cakes & Ale, I wouldn’t mind getting sucked in from time to time…

darling LWood

darling LWood

As the Bard says, “Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?”

xx, L

P.S.  Eric was there, too.  (Happy?)

Cakes & Ale Restaurant
www.cakesandalerestaurant.com
254 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue
Decatur, GA 30030
404.377.7994
Cakes & Ale on Urbanspoon

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Once Upon a Time in Decatur…

09/02/2009 in Decatur, Random Musings, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

It was Saturday night, and Slick and Lindsay wanted to go on an date.  Slick couldn’t decide where to go, so Lindsay suggested her favorite spot in Decatur, Twain’s, for some dinner and beer-related competitive gaming.  Slick pondered and then readily agreed that it was, in fact, a great idea.  (Duh.)
"Yes, Lindsay. Excellent Idea!"

"Yes, Lindsay. Excellent Idea!"

Slick and Lindsay wanted to share the fun with an equally-as-awesome couple, so they recruited John and Sarah.

Hello, Friends!

Hello, Friends!

Only John and Lindsay had been to Twain’s before, so everyone checked out the cool interior as soon as they arrived.

Mark Twain Book on the Walls

Mark Twain Book on the Walls

Beer Tap Chandelier

Beer Tap Chandelier

Beer was ordered…

Brew for Heebs

Brew for Heebs

Appetizers were shared…

Fried Green Beans

Fried Green Beans

Dinner was eaten…

The Roadrunner

The Roadrunner

Good times were had by all!

See - good times!

See - good times!

Darts were thrown.

Evidence of Darts

Evidence of Darts

Lindsay destroyed everyone at shuffleboard.

"This Game is Called - I WIN!" "How do you play?" "Hmmm...I win!"

Come on! Just look at that form!

John & Slick tried to redeem themselves from shuffleboard embarrasment, but were unsuccessful.  Shame…

E for Effort...

E for Effort...

…until they destroyed the girls at foosball.

Spins were NOT allowed - we were no match

Spins were NOT allowed - Lindsay & Sarah were no match

It was a great night - and Twain’s is an excellent location for a fun evening away from the Midtown-Buckhead usual.  (Note: Twain’s also has pool tables, Golden Tee and an in-house microbrewery.  Owned by the Brick Store folks.  Can’t get much better than that!)

The End.

xx, L

Twain’s Billiards & Tap
211 E. Trinity Pl.
Decatur, GA  30030
404.373.0063
www.twains.net

Twain's Billiards & Tap on Urbanspoon

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You’ve Been Served!

08/07/2009 in Decatur, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 8 comments

On Tuesday, I went with some friends to try out Leon’s Full Service.  Leon’s is a relatively new-ish gastropub owned by the folks who own Brick Store and Twain’s – two of my most beloved bars/restaurants in Atlanta (specifically Decatur).  Everyone and their mother (your mom, too) has been telling me to try this place.  It’s received great reviews, is located in one of my favorite parts of town (Decatur) and has a creative beer list.  I was kinda sold from the beginning, but I definitely wanted to try it myself to formulate my own opinion.  So, I rounded up a group of mostly first-timers and we had ourselves a nice little Tuesday night dinner. 
Leons3
 
The Q+DD on Leon’s is that we had some really delicious beer and “fancy” pub food. 
 
CERVEZAS
Leon’s bar area is awesome and I loved the design aesthetic, which is reminiscent of an old-timey gas station.  (There were rumblings at our table that the restaurant space was originally a gas station, which I guess would make sense.) 
 
While the restaurant certainly has a nice wine list, I definitely think beer is the way to go at Leon’s.  I ordered the Allagash White Ale (Portland) and the Ayinger Brau Weisse (Germany) straight from the menu and really enjoyed both of them.  A few folks at my table quizzed our server on his beer recommendations and ordered slightly more creatively than I did.  Much like Brick Store, all the beers are served in their proper glass – which I think is pretty cute.
 
GRUB
One of their appetizers, that we admittedly did not order but I think looks amazing, is the bacon in a glass w/ peanut butter supplement.  Two greatest foods on the planet - why not combine them?!  For my entree, I had the pan seared scallops – not typical pub fare, but they were cooked just right and I thought the sides nicely complimented their flavor: sweet corn, spinach, bacon and tomato jam.  Although my Jewish guilt usually prevents me from openly admitting this, I think bacon makes every dish complete.  Gosh, I just LOVE it!  (Sorry, Bubbie…)
 
Slick and Christine had the burger, which was incredibly juicy and flavorful.  I am pretty sure that next time I go, I am going to venture out from my predictable fish order and get the burger.  But, WAIT – here’s the best part…  Leon’s has a selection of sauces for their french fries.  I consider myself to be a french fry snob and I thought their fries were amazing!  Just look at all the sauce options:
 
-garlic aioli
-goat cheese fondue
-peppercorn gravy
-masaman curry  (I can vouch for this one – delish!)
-madras curry catsup
-leons bbq
-traditional mayonnaise  (yikes!!)
-smoked tomato mayonnaise
-black pepper mayonnaise
-fresh horseradish mayonnaise
-bacon & tarragon mayonnaise
-cucumber-dill yogurt
-spicy mango catsup
Burger @ Leon's Full Service

Burger @ Leon's Full Service

Our overall experience at Leon’s was great.  The restaurant is in a killer Decatur location, has a really cool/ laid-back atmosphere, creative menu items and great service.  I am not a huge restaurant-repeater, but I am definitely looking forward to my next visit to Leon’s.
 
P.S. They have a bocce ball court outside the restaurant.  How cute is that?! 
P.P.S. Still not sure what bocce ball IS – but it looked like fun…
 
Enjoy!
 
xx, L
 
IM002581ab
 
Leon’s Full Service
131 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
404.687.0500
(Walk-ins Only)
 

Leon's Full Service on Urbanspoon

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Is Swimsuit Season Over Yet??

08/03/2009 in Buckhead, Cocktails, Decatur, Highlands, Inman Park, Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 8 comments

All I did over the weekend was EAT.  (It was kind of awesome.)  Planning to hit the gym like I’m training for a marathon this week, though.  Here’s a snapshot of my edible excursion across Atlanta:
= Lindsay

= Lindsay

 
Thursday
  
- Dinner @ Pozole (Highlands): Met some colleagues for tacos and margs on Thursday night.  Christine and I loved the mango margaritas made with fresh juice and crushed ice.  Some of my colleagues opted for the jalapeno margs, which also looked amazing.

Pozole on Urbanspoon

 
Friday
 
- Dinner @ Genki (Buckhead): I’ve eaten an insane amount of sushi around Atlanta, and I think Genki is still hard to beat.  Their rolls are creative and the atmosphere is really lively.  There aren’t too many sushi restaurants in Atlanta with a porch, either.  I had the ahi tuna special with mango and pineapple, which went great with a Kirin Light.

Genki Noodles and Sushi on Urbanspoon

 
- Drinks @ Buckhead Fork & Screen: Slick and I met up with one of our favorite couples to see Funny People.  (I was so relieved I could talk someone into seeing it with me!)  BF&S is a fun alternative to normal movie-going.  We had a bucket of beer and really enjoyed the movie.  I thought it was hilarious and was impressed with the cast – Slick thought it was too long, but enjoyed his wheely chair.
 
Saturday
 
- Brunch @ Thumbs Up Diner (Decatur): Thumbs Up is the old Crescent Moon.  I have to say I am sad to see that CM is no longer there, but Thumbs Up retained my favorite CM menu item: The Heap.  It’s pretty much all the bad breakfast food you could imagine cooked and served to you in a skillet.  (Perfect brunch food to cut a hangover.)  I drew Slick a Picasso-esque masterpiece with crayons while waiting for our meal – it’s proudly displayed on his fridge now.  P.S. Thumbs Up is cash only.

Thumbs Up Diner on Urbanspoon

 
- Lunch @ Yoforia (Highlands): My favorite.  I really think Yoforia was the best thing to happen to the Highlands since El Taco.  I never feel guilty about ordering my original flavor with strawberries, blueberries and mango.  So delicious.
 
- Dinner @ RA Sushi (Midtown):  I just can’t stay away from this place.  We had an awesome dinner with some of Slick’s friends.  Tried the New Zealand roll with kiwi and a few other fun menu items, all of which were noticeably reasonably priced for Midtown sushi.  Mango martinis were $3.  Amazing.
 
- Drinks @ RiRa Irish Pub (Midtown):  I’d heard mixed reviews, but I had a great time on Saturday night at RiRa.  It was packed, but there were more than enough bartenders to service everyone and no girl’s bathroom line!  Plus, the shipped-over decor was awesome and I appreciated my server’s authentic Irish accent.
 
Sunday
 
- Brunch @ Parish (Inman Park): We originally wanted to eat at Highland Bakery, but the line was 45 min. long and it was drizzling outside = NOT happening.  Instead, we went over to Parish to eat downstairs.  Parish’s staff is so friendly and I love the rustic, hipster atmosphere.  Pretty much everyone who eats there has the coolest eye wear I’ve ever seen and a Mac with them.  I am clearly fradulent, but I haven’t been exposed yet…  I had a caprese salad sandwich, but the folks I went with all had yummy-looking omelets.  Also, Parish makes their own versions of some of Little Debbie’s staples like oatmeal creme pies and zebra cakes.  They had samples of their original pop tart, too, which was incredible. 

Parish Foods & Goods on Urbanspoon

- Dinner @ Whole Foods (Buckhead): After a long day of playing with puppies at the Atlanta Humane Society and taking advantage of tax-free weekend at Bloomies in Lenox, we debated Shorty’s (my favorite Sunday restaurant), grabbing a burger at George’s in the Highlands or driving over to the O.K. Cafe on W. Paces Ferry, but ended up at Whole Foods in Buckhead.  We left with chicken and sun-dried tomato pizza, rotisserie chicken, mango orange juice and some fruit.  It was a fun modge podge meal to start off Shark Week!!
 
Taking the day off today to let my blood sugar/ caloric intake settle a bit, but I am  looking forward to trying Leon’s Full Service (Decatur) on Tuesday evening!  (More on that later…)  Please wish my waistline good luck!
 
xx, L

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