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The Iberian Pig’s Two Year Anniversary Bash!

09/22/2011 in Cocktails, Decatur, Events, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 1 comment

One of our favorite Decatur restaurants, The Iberian Pig, is throwing a party, y’all!

Here’s the Q+DD:

The Iberian Pig is pleased to announce a celebration for the restaurant’s second anniversary!  Residents and visitors are invited to join the festivities on Monday, September 26th starting at 5:00 p.m. 

happy 2nd, little piggy!

The celebration will include the unveiling of a new Hense mural by the artist himself, live music + drink specials: $3 Sherry Canas, $6 glasses of sangria, cava and craft cocktails.  Food specials include “haute” dogs all night, paella, sucking pigs + Jamon Iberico de Bellota aged 48 months since the day the restaurant opened.  Um, YUM!
 

(us at the iberian pig - we LOVE.)

Visit The Iberian Pig’s Facebook Event Page for more info.  Reservations are always suggested and can be made at 404.371.8800.  (Slick + I already made our rezzies!)
 
Happy, happy!  :)
 

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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Right at Home @ Big Tex Cantina.

08/15/2011 in Appetizers, Austin, Cocktails, Decatur, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 4 comments

I’ve said it once.  I’ll say it again.  I love Texas.  I haven’t lived in the Great State for almost seven years, but I frequently visit + I know for a fact that my affinity for anything Texas is one of the first things Slick will reference when he tells people who I haven’t met about me.  Big hair, big cars, big attitude – I’m a big, BIG fan!  I mean, “God (even) blessed it w/ his own hands…”  So, when Slick informed me that the Fox Bros. (Fox Bros. BBQ) were opening a Tex-Mex joint named Big Tex Cantina in Decatur, I was immediately game. 

big tex cantina – decatur

We planned to meet our fellow Fox Bros. BBQ-lovin’ friends, Scott + Elizabeth, to try out Big Tex last week, so I conducted some serious menu research throughout the days leading up to it.  I needed to know what I was getting into, y’all.  On the day of the dinner, Slick successfully talked me out of wearing my cowboy hat.  (So I was excited – sue me!)  Nevertheless, as soon as I stepped into the restaurant, I felt like I was home. 

Check it:

(currently trying to find this for my condo)

I’m pretty sure that the chandelier was my favorite Texas-inspired decoration, but it’s hard to say for sure…

After oogling the walls for about 15 minutes, we sat down and perused the extensive menu.

Without a second thought, I ordered up a Mexican Martini, which I am sure was inspired from my beloved Trudy’s in Austin.  It wasn’t nearly as good as Trudy’s world-famous MM, but it did the trick.

Elizabeth opted for the Texas Bloody Mary which arrived with an olive + a green bean.  She enjoyed it, but we both agreed that a Bloody Mary is an awkward dinner drink. 

My favorite item we ordered for dinner was a special we all saw on the chalkboard outside of the front door: the Bacon Taquitos.  They were absolutely mouthwateringly good!  No joke.  AMAZING.

Slick, Elizabeth + I all ordered tacos for dinner.  Each of our plates looked similar to Slick’s pictured below.  From left to right:

The Tex Taco: Chopped brisket with a spicy mustard sour cream, BBQ sauce, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce.  (Very tasty + the house special.)

The Carinta Taco: Chopped pork, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce.  (It was so incredibly salty, Slick + I couldn’t eat it.  I do not recommend.)

El Guapo Taco: A flour tortilla filled with refried beans, a crispy taco shell with house ground beef, lettuce, cheese + pico de gallo.  (My favorite!  It was like a fancy Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell!  And, I’m pretty sure it weighed about three pounds.  Judge me.) 

Scott ordered the enormous Big Tex Chicken Chimichanga: a huge tortilla filled with pulled chicken, pinto beans, pico de gallo + cheese rolled and fried, topped with their signature Texas queso + pico de gallo.  Did I mention how enormous it was??!

It was a feast, to say the least.  (Rhyming!) 

scott + elizabeth

Are they a cute couple or what?!  :)

I can’t say that any of us actually finished our massive meals, but we truly put in some serious effort.  NO room for dessert, although the Red Velvet Cheesecake sounded tempting.  After we settled up with our server, we walked around the restaurant again and discovered a substantial party room in the very back complete with TVs, pool tables + skeeball!  This space is totally ideal for a birthday party or a fun night out with a group!

Big Tex Cantina was very enjoyable.  It’s priced well, the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations but it’s large enough that you wouldn’t have to wait forever, + they’ve done really well with the Texas-themed decor (at least in my book!).  The menu is extensive + I have faith that the restaurant will be successful.  Having the Fox Bros. name behind it, at the very least, means something.  If you are trying to satisfy a random Mexican food craving, I probably wouldn’t recommend making the trek to Decatur to test out Big Tex over heading to Taqueria del Sol.  BUT, if you are into trying out new spots, you love the Great State as much as I do, or you are seriously hungover (get the Chimichanga - trust me.), Big Tex will do the trick. 

YeeHAW, partner!

xx, L

Big Tex Cantina
308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA  30030
404.377.3939
http://www.bigtexcantina.com/

Big Tex Cantina on Urbanspoon

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To Die For Cocktail in Decatur @ Leon’s FS

07/22/2011 in Appetizers, Cocktails, Decatur, We can BLOG!, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

As you all know, The Q+DD is a Leon’s Full Service SUPERFAN (as evidenced HERE and HERE), but things have been quite busy – life got in the way – and, unfortunately, I don’t always make it Decatur as much as I’d like.  :(

leon's full service - decatur

It has been a serious while since I last stuffed my face dined at Leon’s + I decided to rectify that with colleagues yesterday evening.  SOOOO glad I did! 

Witness our gluttonous feast:

the carnage...

(the carnage)

We ate e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.gggggggg.  Bacon in a glass; peppdews stuffed with goat cheese; prince edward island mussels with witbier + lemongrass broth; the pig smorgas with melted gruyere grand cru, cherry jam + pineapple on toast (my personal fav.); cornmeal fried calamari; maroon-colored beet hummus with feta; charcuterie + cheese plates; sundried tomato grilled flatbread with smoked mozzarella; scallops; pork chops; a truly impressive amount of pub fries + delicious dipping sauces; etc, etc. etc… 

We weren’t messing around, y’all. 

The food was so mouth-wateringly amazing, and honestly, better than my last two experiences there – which were still great but not fabulously excellent.  Last night was fabulously excellent.

However, one of my favorite of our orders was actually not food at all, but rather it was part of their creative summer cocktail list.  Rosh selected The Wasp as her drink of choice for the evening.  (And, I almost finished it for her.)  This drink is spectacular, guys.

the wasp

The Wasp:  Redemption rye whisky, Georgia peach honey, lemon juice, salt + pepper w/ a big fancy ice cube in the middle.  Try it!  Try it!

And, PLEASE make a point to visit Decatur more often if you’re stuck in Midtown, Buckhead, Brookhaven, etc., like I’ve been.  It’s really not that far out of the way or difficult to get to.  Leon’s should be your first stop.  (But, again, this is v. old news…)

xx, L

Leon’s Full Service
131 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA  30030
404.687.0500
www.leonsfullservice.com

Leon's Full Service on Urbanspoon

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Ciao, bella: No. 246 in Decatur is open!

07/17/2011 in Decatur, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 2 comments

The highly anticipated Italian-inspired No. 246(two-four-six) is now open for business in Decatur and I definitely ciao-ed down on some delicious eats there last night.  

Here’s the Q+DD: Conveniently located at the intersection of Cool and Cooler (next door to Leon’s at Ponce and Church…on land plot #246 – go fig) No. 246 is the PERFECT addition to Decatur’s restaurant scene.  

Opened by Chef Ford Fry (JCT Kitchen) and Chef Drew Belline (Quinones at Bacchanalia and Floataway Café) this chic little 100-seater resto really hits the spot.

They don’t take reservations, so hauling my parents there (who were in from Birmingham this weekend) on the first Saturday they were open was a bit of a risk, but it definitely paid out in the end.   Plus, the lively bar scene definitely made the wait more fun:

LK + DK

Once we were seated, we were appropriately starving and ordered 3 “toasts” as an amuse-bouche and they were a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e. and delicious.

Pickled squash (I think?) and cannellini beans, figs, and ricotta “toasts”

We grazed on those a bit (even the bread was something special) and sort of laughed at the tiny salt dish on the table with like, 12 grains of sea salt: Greg thought the statement was, “Our food is seasoned perfectly – you won’t be needing this.”  If that was the case… they were right – our food was amazing.

We ordered the No. 246 meatball (I heard you HAD to)

Ken’s Wild Mushroom Pie

San marzano, mozzarella, parmesean, arugula

A half-order of the Garganelli pasta (with sofritto braised rabbit, plumped sultanas, broccoli rabe, pecorino), the chicken (roasted in their wood oven with sherry bacon vinaigrette, hen of the woods mushrooms, roasted baby carrots), a side of roasted beets, and my favorite…the Branzino:

Served whole, roasted, with shaved fennel, salsa verde, lemon, olive oil and sea salt...OMG.

Everything was spectacular – but this was the best.

For dessert, we went with the chocolate tart (with sea salt and olive oil) which was good… but we also ordered the buttermilk panna cotta with lemon ginger marmalade which rocked. my. world.   Plus, the presentation was SO cute.  Witness:Ok so listen – I’m suggesting you head over immediately if not sooner.

And take me with you.

No. 246…I love you.

Bacio di bacio,

L

No. 246
(678) 399-8246
129 E. Ponce de Leon
Decatur, GA 30030
No. 246 on Urbanspoon

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Sunday Supper + Hunting Horcruxes.

11/22/2010 in Decatur, Harry Potter, PSAs, What we're Watching, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 5 comments

Isn’t alliteration fun, kids?  :)

Yesterday night, Slick + the Levins + I headed out to the historic Decatur train depot for some serious farm-fueled comfort food at Farmstead 303.  And, it just so happened that there was a Scoutmob deal for it…   Perfect. 

Teri Rogers, owner of an adorable restaurant across the street from Farmstead 303 called Feast, opened F 303 in June of this year.  The menu is seasonal + from local farms, and the restaurant feels incredibly authentic.  You are having dinner in a barn.  Although upon walking into the restaurant I instantly regretted sporting my five inch nude suede pumps, I totally dug the country-casual atmosphere.  I felt like I was in the movie Twister, but minus the tornadoes.

Here’s a peek  at what our table looked like. 

The menu was incredibly hearty + filled with lots of southern fried goodness.  For appetizers, we ordered the deviled farm eggs…

…and the fried local cauliflower + pepper jelly. 

The eggs were good, although not nearly as delicious as the d.eggs at Bocado, but I thought the cauliflower was a bit too heavily fried for my personal liking.  Slick + Brian agreed that if they came back to F 303, they would order the appetizer sampler instead of individual apps.  They wanted a bit more of a variety of the restaurant’s small bites.

For my entree, I ordered the Georgia Mountain Trout + wilted spinach salad with roasted new potatoes, applewood smoked bacon, beet pancake + horseradish sauce.  There was a party on my plate!  I passed it around the table and everyone thought it was delicious.

Brian ordered the crispy pan seared duck breast w/ pancetta roasted brussels sprouts + candied carrots.  He reported that it was tasty + enjoyable, but honestly nothing to write home about.

Slick + Sarah both raved about their Painted Hills burgers w/ pimento cheese, thick cut bacon + homemade chips.

 I had a few bites of Slick’s and thought it was a pretty. solid. burger.  (Close up below.)

Overall, we really enjoyed the F 303 experience.  There’s a time and place for everything, and the time to go to F 303 is when you really need some serious southern cookin’.  If F 303 doesn’t hit the spot, I’m not sure if anything will.

Farmstead 303 Menu + Hours Here:  FANTASTICALLY FRIED FEASTING
Info on Farmstead’s Raised Bed Urban Garden Here: 303 GARDENING

After dinner, Slick + I zipped over to Atlantic Station’s movie theater to claim seats for the 9:00 p.m. Harry Potter #7 Part 1.  As you know, I’m a pretty huge HP fan + have been eagerly awaiting the release of the 7th movie.  AND (drum roll please…), I thought it was really fantastic!  There were some slow scenes, but they were necessary to add to the build up for July’s #7 Part 2.  I can’t WAIT!

IMPORTANT PSA:  This is totally going to come off as parenting-advice-from-a-non-parent, but I don’t really care.  One of my biggest pet peeves is people talking during movies  Um, hello – there are like 400 pre-movie commercials reminding you that “silence is golden!”  I will ask you to be quiet if you are infringing on my movie-going-experience, oh random fellow movie-goer.  Even worse is when parents bring children WHO SHOULD BE IN BED or WITH A BABYSITTER to late movies that aren’t age appropriate for them.  Our movie started at 9:00 p.m. on a Sunday night, and there was a BABY in the theater + two kids under the age of 8 or so sitting behind Slick + I.  I wish I could report their parents.  I really do.  Just saying…I’m judging you.

In prep for HP #7 Part 1, Slick + I spent Saturday 10:00 a.m. through Sunday 12:30 a.m. watching the first six Harry Potter movies back to back w/ the Rischels = HARRY POTTER MARATHON DAY (HPMD) 2010!  It was quite epic, if I do say so myself.  Mich (Flounder) + Slick fell into a pizza coma + passed out during the last movie, but Justin and I made it.  By the end of the day, we all felt like we’d earned a boy scout badge or something. At least recognition from Caribou Coffee for all the caffeine we’d consumed…  I can safely say that it was one of my favorite days of the past year.  Fact. 

July – You are WAY too far away!

xx, L

Farmstead 303
303 East Howard Avenue
Decatur, GA  30030
404.377.3550
http://farmstead303.squarespace.com/

Farmstead 303 on Urbanspoon

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Trend Alert! Wooden Watches

11/13/2010 in Decatur, Gifts, Jewelry, PSAs, Trend Alert, Where we're Shopping by Lindsay | 2 comments

Heads up, tree huggers.  This one’s for you…

Michael Kors’ message is loud + clear.  Large watches are in.  Every fashion-conscious girl + her mom + her grandma are wearing oversized watches these days.  I am guilty of loving this trend, too.  Every. single. one. of my watches are oversized. 

Now, there’s a company who is taking this trend and turing it green.  WEWOOD makes watches out of wood + will plant a tree for every watch sold.  (Kind of like a watch version of TOMS shoes.)

Touchy-feely stuff that we kinda dig from the WEWOOD website:

WEWOOD emerged out of Italy as an emblem of eco-luxury and design, committed to the health of our planet.  It is the avant-garde approach to sophisticated sustainability.  WEWOOD lets us rediscover nature in its beauty, its simplicity and inspired design.  It reminds us of a tree’s powerful way of life; rooted, yet reaching.

Completely absent of artificial and toxic materials, the WEWOOD timepiece is as natural as your wrist.  It respects your skin as you respect nature by choosing it.  Your WEWOOD watch breathes the same air that you breathe and may awaken memories from another time and place. Your WEWOOD watch records your sensations and shares your experiences as the perfect natural mate, whose story also becomes yours to wear, smell + feel.

When you get your WEWOOD timepiece, you can feel confident you’re making a difference.  One timepiece plants one tree + together we help to ensure the health and survival of the natural world.

Here are a few of their watches for your viewing pleasure:

WEWOOD Catalog: http://we-wood.us/collections/best-seller
Or, try on before you buy @ Squash Blossom in Decatur, GA!

One Watch  – One Tree – One Planet  :)

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”

P.S. Thanks for bringing this to my attention J. Chait!

xx, L

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Beer + Burgers + (Golf) Balls.

10/06/2010 in Austin, Decatur, Events, For Men, Sports, What we're Doing, What we're Watching, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | No comments

My favorite sporting event of the year took place a week + 1/2 ago @ East Lake Golf Club – The PGA Tour Championship.

I try to go every year, and have been to it three out of the past five.  Do I play or follow golf?  No.  (Although, I do LOVE mini-golf!!)  Peter Pan Mini-Golf in Austin is one of my favorite places in that city + it’s BYOB!  It was pretty much made for my personal enjoyment…

Peter Pan Mini Golf - Austin, TX

Okay, back to big-people-golf:  I don’t play “real” golf or particularly enjoy watching it on TV, but I love watching it in person!  And, I love any excuse to throw on a preppy dress + pearls and stroll around East Lake w/ Slick + his buddies.  The course is gorgeous and I fully consider the walk around it with a beer in my hand to be a proper workout for the day.

East Lake Golf Club

My favorite part, though, is the amazing concessions!  At football, basketball or baseball games, I normally eat pretty healthy as far as concessions are concerned. (Minus the beer, obv., which burns off the longer you stand up and shout at your team.)  At the Tour Championship, however, I always eat a cheeseburger.  I don’t know what they do to make them so unbelievably good.  Maybe it’s just eating them outside on a pretty day in a pretty dress w/ beer?  I still think there’s more to it…  Those hamburgers keep me coming back every year! 

just seems like such a great combo to me

And, this year they had a photo booth!  Lucky, Slick…  :)

If you went to the Tour Championship this year, I wish I’d known so that I could have borrowed some sunscreen…  (Hope you had fun!)  If you didn’t, I highly suggest buying tickets or getting someone to hook you up to go next year.  Those burgers aren’t worth missing, and the golf is kinda fun to watch, too!   

P.S.  For those into golf, we saw: Paul Casey, K.J. Choi, Charley Hoffman, Geoff Ogilvy and Phil Michelson, among others.

Thanks, Brooke, you’re the best!  Really.

xx, L

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Don’t Forget! Decatur Beer Festival.

09/20/2010 in Decatur, Reminders, What we're Doing by Lindsay | 4 comments

The Decatur Beer Festival is right around the corner!  This year, it takes place on Saturday, October 16 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on the square in downtown Decatur – and it’s gonna be a BLAST! 

Tickets go on sale today @ noon, folks! 

(I really like that elephant…)  :)

They’ve sold out over the past few years, so get ‘em while they’re hot!!

Tickets to the Decatur Beer Festival here:  DRUNK IN DECATUR

xx, L

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Eat Squad #7: The Iberian Pig

08/25/2010 in Cocktails, Decatur, Eat Squad, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 6 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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