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Hush Puppies + Hand Dryers

03/02/2010 in Grant Park, Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 7 comments

As previously mentioned in my Antico post, Mich + Justin were in town from NYC last week.  Since they hadn’t met Slick yet, we made plans to join them for dinner one evening.  They were staying in Grant Park, and so we thought it made sense to go some place local.  The first restaurant to pop into my mind was Six Feet Under. 

whoops!! - accidentally brought the remote to dinner in my purse. fact: i am the world's greatest roommate.

Which reminds me, I love Six Feet Under in Grant Park for exactly five reasons:

5 - Oyster Shooters
They have them and I think that’s awesome.  My favorite is the Six Feet Under: Absolut Peppar, Bloody Mary mix + Oyster, but the Bloody Bass-tard and the Oyster Kamikaze are really fun, too. 

Oyster Shooter

Check out a list of Six Feet’s Oyster Shooters here:
http://www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com/index.php?id=drinks

4 – The Best Hush Puppies in the History of the World. 
They are absolutely delish.  I like mine a bit underdone.  I’d eat hush puppies over french fries or onion rings any day – although I’d prefer not to have to choose.

Six Feet Under's shrimp + scallops in parchment + the remainder of my hush puppies

3 – Proximity to Oakland Cemetery
I love, love, love Oakland Cemetery – it’s easily one of my favorite attractions in Atlanta.  There are so many interesting, historic people like Margaret Mitchell, Bobby Jones + Maynard Jackson buried there.  I think it’s so fun to go on a walk through the garden cemetery on a pretty day and admire all the old crypts.  A few drinks at Six Feet Under afterwards makes for a really unique date*. 

*Attention Boys: This is not okay for a first date.  Repeat: Not okay for a first date + know your audience.

Oakland Cemetery

2 – The Staff
I have absolutely nothing profound to say here.  The service is good.  The staff kind of reminds me of a crew of shipmates.  I think that is cool and theme-appropriate for Six Feet.  That’s all.

what’s a pirate’s favorite letter??


1 – DYSON HAND DRYERS!!
Have y’all tried these yet?  Fact: Dyson Hand Dryers are the most powerful hand dryers in the whole wide world.  I’m a little obsessed with Dyson vacuum cleaners – so spotting these babies at Six Feet made my day!  (It doesn’t take much to excite me, obv.) 

Six Feet Under's Dyson hand dryers

I’m just saying…what else could you possibly ask for in a restaurant? 

Although the Grant Park location is my favorite, Six Feet is also located in West Midtown near the Atlanta Humane Society.  The West Midtown location has a great rooftop patio that I’ve really enjoyed in the summer for drinks. 

xx, L

Six Feet Under – Grant Park
437 Memorial Drive SE
Atlanta, GA  30312
404.523.6664
www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com

Six Feet Under on Urbanspoon

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A Couplea Things

02/19/2010 in Events!, Midtown, PSAs, Random Musings, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 3 comments

Listen. It’s Friday. And while my body may be here at the office, my brain is already out for the weekend. The forecast is spectacular and I just want to leave you with a few notable things before I peace out of here in favor of finding a nice patio on which to drink cocktails:

1. Last night Doc Hollywood and I FINALLY saw the Da Vinci exhibit at the High. It’s closing weekend, and I am officially suggesting you rush over there to view it before it’s gone.

In the interest of full disclosure, the collection is small and the Good Doctor was expecting a bit more sculpture, but I was absolutely fascinated by the early drawings and sketches. Even the teeny tiny ones were drawn with such meticulous detail, it really was, well, genius. DH’s favorite was a spectacular silver piece but I suspect his real favorite part was his entertaining creative narration:

"I am telling you! The red M&Ms taste much better than the brown ones!"

We were only slightly more mature than my last visit to the High. If you haven’t seen this post, I am begging you to do so.

We finished our night at One Midtown Kitchen: mussels, duck, ravioli and a fantastic SUPER TUSCAN (which is so much cooler than meritage just by name alone, yeah?). Now that? Is a perfect LK kind of night.

2. I know I am always looking for creative excuses for my punctuality problem, but last night, I didn’t need to fabricate anything because 85 was a nightmare due to Zebra Traffic. That’s right: a ZEBRA on the loose in downtown Atlanta. A ZEBRA, y’all.
3. Slick informed Linds and me that that today is the anniversary of the first day Mr. Rogers was nationally televised.
As you know, it is also Slick’s birthday. That is a truly remarkable coincidence. Happy birthday, Slick!

4. LuckyFest is right around the corner. 03/13/10.

More details to come, but use promo code “kraselsky” (no caps) for 20% off your ticket. They are $10 right now, but you know the drill. They increase leading up to the event and will eventually be $30.

ShamROCK it out, yo.

5. Atlanta Magazine’s Best of Atlanta Party (Benefiting Camp Twin Lakes!) is MONDAY. Um, It’s only my 2nd favorite CTL event of the year! Lindsay, Christine, and I will be hostessing the VIP lounge from 7-8p, but before and after we will be swilling delicious wine and cocktails, checking out the silent auction, and sampling the tasty vittles offered by Holeman and Finch, Sublime Donuts, Craft + Craftbar, BLT Steak, and other fabulous restaurants (for a complete list of participating bars and restaurants click here.)

Atlanta Magazine’s Best of Atlanta Party
Monday, February 22
6:00 p.m. VIP/Early Admission
$125 per person online
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. General Admission
$60 per person online, $70 per person at the door

Click here for tickets.

OK! That’s about it. Happy Friday, everyone! I hope we all get out early!
xx, L

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FAT BBQ

02/19/2010 in Festivals, Midtown, What we're Listening To, What we're Watching, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | No comments

Slick got some good news over the weekend and a celebratory dinner was in order.  If I’d received news worthy of celebrating, I would make a b-line for Bacchanalia faster than you can say “American Kobe Short Ribs.”  However, Slick’s favorite food is BBQ – so we decided that Fat Matt’s Rib Shack would be a perfect spot to grub-it-up in his honor.

perfect-o

First, we went to Tara Cinema to see Crazy Heart.  We both thought the movie was amazing, and we’ve been listening to the incredible soundtrack + Ryan Bingham downloads almost non-stop since we saw it.  It’s sort of like The Wrestler, but about country music and with The Dude.  Awesome.  We really liked the movie’s message, too.  Everyone, please see it soon!

"it's funny how fallin' feels like flyin'...for a little while"

Back to BBQ:  Fat Matt’s is my personal favorite place to get BBQ in Atlanta.  It’s a relatively small restaurant with lots of character.  In fact, Fat Matt’s was mentioned in the movie, Up in the Air, as the main character’s favorite place to get BBQ because it happens to be the director, Jason Reitman’s, favorite BBQ joint.  In return, the restaurant gave Jason a V.I.P. card entitling him to a lifetime of free ribs!  So freaking cool. 

Moving on…

Fat Matt's

We get to the restaurant and grab some beers while we wait for another couple to meet us.  And who do we see chowing down on Fat Matt’s famous ribs??  None other than Serpas executive chef, Scott Serpas! 

Scott Serpas, Serpas True Food

(Who vaguely resembles my favorite Modern Family character, Cameron…  Love him!)

CAMERON!!

Obviously, we were in excellent company.  Our friends arrived shortly thereafter and we ordered. 

Fat Menu

Three of us selected the tasty pulled pork sandwiches on white buns – and Slick got the ribs.

Fat Kitchen

My pulled pork was predictably delicious, but I’d never had anything else at Fat Matt’s to compare it to.  Slick let me try one of his ribs – and it was heavenly.  I’m adverse to fat on BBQ, I’d almost rather it be tasteless than bite into fat on meat – the texture weirds me out.  Thankfully, I had no reservations about Fat Matt’s ribs, which were both pretty lean and flavorful.

Fat Ribs

Fat (but not fatty) Ribs

We inhaled our BBQ and washed it down with some Sweetwater beer, all while enjoying the live blues band.  Don’t forget to tip them!

Fat Music

Fat Music

It was a perfect celebratory dinner for Slick!  (He was in hog heaven… Get it?  Get it??)  And today, Slick has another reason to celebrate…HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! 

Jeff + Slick

More BBQ is on tap for tonight + Oysterfest @ Steamhouse Lounge tomorrow! 
Get your Oysterfest tickets here: http://www.ticketalternative.com/Venues/500.aspx

Fat Party

xx, L

Fat Matt’s Rib Shack
1811 Piedmont Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA  30324
404.607.1622
www.fatmattsribshack.com

Fat Matt's Rib Shack on Urbanspoon

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Incredibly Bold Statements

02/18/2010 in Midtown, PSAs, Random Musings, Suburbs, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 9 comments

When it comes to pizza, I’m really not kidding around. 

this is my serious face

I’ve said it many times before, but I’ll say it again:  For the past five years, Shorty’s has been my favorite pizza place in Atlanta.  Nothing could hold a candle to it.  I’d happily eat there two – maybe three – (don’t judge me) times a week.  Happily.

Well, on the Fourth of July this year, I was sipping some Firefly and catching some rays beside the Post Chastain (Acapulco) pool with friends when dinner was mentioned.  I suggested Shorty’s, because “it is the best pizza in town.”  A friend’s fiance quickly chimed in that he considers himself to be a distinguished pizza connoisseur and that Vintage Pizzeria is, in fact, the best pizza in town.  Riiiiiiight. 

I wasn’t up for an argument in my tipsy + sunburned + America-loving state, but I doubted that he was anywhere remotely close to correct.  His bold statement did, however, spark my interest…

It’s taken us a while, but on Sunday, Slick + some friends and I finally tried Vintage Pizzeria.  (Afterwards, I made everyone see The Wolfman.  I’m still really sorry, guys…) 

Vintage Pizzeria

Here’s what I liked about Vintage:  I thought the pizzeria’s random location nearby the Chamblee MARTA station right off from Peachtree Industrial’s sprawling car dealerships was kind of cool.  I honestly didn’t know there was anything interesting in that area that would appeal to a demographic aside from sleazy car salesmen.  Vintage Pizzeria sits directly across the street from railroad tracks and an adorable little dessert trailer called the Frosty Caboose that serves ice cream and a few other sweet treats.

At Vintage, we ordered Carmen’s Own + the Hawaiian pizza* (my favorite) + some wine/ beer.  They pour well at Vintage – just FYI.  :)

Vintage Pizzeria

Vintage Pizzeria

*Note: Why is it that photos of pizza always look like the “what to watch out for” mole pictures at a dermatologists office?  Always – ick.

I have to say that I wasn’t incredibly impressed with Vintage’s decor or atmosphere, but the pizza was above average.  Definitely not the best in town, but possibly a nice alternative to Shorty’s.  I’ll give it that – although, I never thought I needed one.  That is…until I went to Antico Pizza Napoletana with close friends in from New York yesterday.  (I’m so sorry, Shorty’s…)

Antico Pizza Napoletana

Antico is, hands down, the best pizza I’ve ever had in my entire life.  (How’s that for a stand alone statement?!)

I’ve eaten pizza in Italy, New York, Chicago – everywhere that I would think is important, and frankly, Antico is it for me.  I am well-aware that I talk up a lot of restaurants on the blog, but Antico is different.  You have to try it immediately.  (No exclamation point is needed.  This is simply a statement of fact.)  For those who don’t live in Atlanta, come into town and visit me and I’ll take you.  Deal?  Done.

Antico is located in a nondescript space off of Hemphill and 14th, sandwiched between Georgia Tech’s campus and Atlantic Station.  When I walked in, I was greeted by an Italian employee and directed to the hanging menu above the register.  My friends and I decided to share a Margarita pizza with pepperoni*.  We ordered, grabbed some sodas and then seated ourselves at a communal table in the kitchen.  At first, I thought it might be strange to have overflow seating in the restaurant’s kitchen, but I LOVED it!  We got to watch the Antico employees (mostly Italians) kneading the dough, making the pizzas and throwing them into the brick ovens  – all while loud music was bumping throughout the kitchen’s speakers. 

Ovens @ Antico

Brick Ovens @ Antico

Our pizza was delivered to us on a cookie sheet and IT. WAS. AMAZING!  Truly amazing! 

Margarita Pizza @ Antico

The sauce and dough were particularly tasty, while at the same time not overpowering or too filling.  The cheese tasted incredibly fresh and the pepperoni was thinly sliced and crispy.  You just don’t get more authentic than this!  The only problem, though, was that we completely devoured it within minutes.  We immediately regretted not ordering more.  

*Note: A number of people were eating the Bianca pizza (w/ ricotta + buffalo mozzarella) and it looked awesome.

Antico is open Monday – Saturday from 11:30 a.m. – Until Out of Dough.  How cute is that??

I love Antico’s pizza!  I really do.  Shorty’s, sadly, is a thing of the past for me.  (Farewell, old friend.)  As far as I’m concerned, there is only one place worthy of eating pizza at in Atlanta now – and that is Antico Pizza Napoletana.  I’ll see you there very soon.

xx, L

Vintage Pizzeria
5434 Peachtree Road
Chamblee, GA  30341
678.646.0400
www.vintagepizzeria.com

Vintage Pizzeria on Urbanspoon

Antico Pizza Napoletana
1093 Hemphill Ave.
Atlanta, GA  30318
404.724.2333
www.anticopizza.it

Antico Pizza Napoletana on Urbanspoon

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Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me?

02/13/2010 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 5 comments

I tried boiled peanuts for the first time @ Ormsby’s last night!

(I’m still trying hard to become a fixture there.)

boiledpeanutsimagecopyrighted1

yum!

The texture was sorta weird, but I really liked them!  How did I not know about these before?

Also, Ormsby’s is the perfect place to spend a snowy winter night!  That’s all.   :)

xx, L

Ormsby’s
1170 Howell Mill Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA  30318
404.968.2033
http://www.ormsbysatlanta.com/

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Clean Plate Club

02/09/2010 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

“I’m not only the president; I’m also a member.”

clean_plate_club_founding_member_tshirt-p235711334523575540q9rd_400

Christine, Terry and I had ourselves a nice little workday lunch at Tamarind Seed on Friday.  When Tamarind moved from its former location and added “Seed” to its name, no one was really sure how the restaurant would fare in the cursed Colony Square space it took over.  Well, let me tell you – it’s doing just fine. 

Tamarind Seed

Tamarind Seed

I showed up at 12:15 p.m. sharp for lunch and every single table, except for one, was filled with suit-ed up business lunchers.  FILLED.  I had no idea I needed to make lunch reservations at a Colony Square restaurant…  Good for T. Seed!  I was thrilled to see it so busy.

Dining Room @ Tamarind Seed

Dining Room @ Tamarind Seed

Once we were seated and situated, we started off sharing the Ka-Nom-Jeeb: Thai steamed dumplings stuffed with minced pork, shrimp and water chestnuts served with Thai chili and mushroom soy sauce.  They were gone in a flash. 

In no mood to place a predictable Pad-Thai order, we all opted for items off of the Chef Nan’s Creations section of the menu.  Christine got the Gang-Khew-Whan: Marinated chicken with green curry, coconut milk, green beans, fresh hot pepper, sweet basil and Thai eggplant.  Terry and I both ordered the Siam Chicken: Sauteed slices of white meat chicken with chunks of pineapple, cashew nuts and mushrooms mixed in a spicy herb sauce and served in a half pineapple shell.  I pretty much licked the pineapple shell clean.  It was delicious!  I would go back in a heartbeat and order it again.

On Friday, all of us were members of the Clean Plate Club.  Our parents would be so proud…

siam

Siam Chicken

If you are like me and haven’t visited Tamarind Seed in a while, I suggest you go soon.  This place is clearly on fire.  It’s not the cheapest spot for a Midtown business lunch, but it’s certainly one of the most satisfying.  I’ve personally never eaten there for dinner, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it, either.  Enjoy! :)

xx, L

1b9d7e0942b2dbde036cd16676_xl

Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro
1197 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA  30361
404.873.4888

Tamarind Seed Thai Bistro on Urbanspoon

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More Than a Little Obsessed…

02/03/2010 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 1 comment

In fact, I can’t stop thinking about it.  BAKESHOP just opened on 8th + Peachtree, and it is ah-may-zinggggg! 

BAKESHOP

BAKESHOP

FINALLY!  I have been waiting for a lunch spot like this nearby my office for years!  

Here’s some of the hype from BAKESHOP’s website:

“BAKESHOP, a “true boulangerie and patisserie”, provides bustling Midtown with a fresh take on a diverse, yet simplistic, array of breads, croissants, cakes, quiches, sandwiches, salads and brewed coffees courtesy of acclaimed Executive Chef and BAKESHOP owner, Jonathan St. Hilaire.  A true working bakery housed in an “industrial farmhouse” space, BAKESHOP offers a refreshing change from the commercialized processed goods stacked on grocery store shelves.  To insure optimum freshness, the concept operates in true European style—baking batches throughout the day for both wholesale and retail offerings.  With fresh smells, seasonal affordable offerings and sit-in and to-go options, this is a true neighborhood stomping ground.”

food_grazing2-1_35-265x400

I tried BAKESHOP on Friday, and I’ve already scheduled two more lunch dates there for this week and recommended it to almost anyone who will listen.  I ordered the prosciutto sandwich and finished it off with a tasty s’mores pie and butterscotch custard in a jar.  (Don’t judge.  It was a Friday and we shared…)  A colleague ordered a very large, delicious-looking salad, and I picked out the majority of her croutons.  (I’m all class, obviously.)  They were totally worth it!  We all agreed that the caprese sandwich special looked divine, too.  I can’t wait to go back this week to try some more of their menu!

I love everything about BAKESHOP: the intimate European atmosphere, the rustic interior design, the cookie jars on the counter + pastry selection in the glass cases, the aroma of the freshly baked bread, the quiet simplicity of the store, the wooden communal tables…  Well done, Concentrics Group.  Well done. 

Visit BAKESHOP 7 days a week – 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 
Don’t forget about breakfast!  :)

xx, L

bakeshoplogo

BAKESHOP
903 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA  30309
505.892.9322
www.bakeshopatl.com

Bakeshop on Urbanspoon

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All Dressed Up.

01/27/2010 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | No comments

Dressed is one of my favorite local lunch spots.  Their salads are perfection – both healthy and plentiful.  Dressed is located nearby my office in Midtown, so in the event of rain, they are just a quick delivery away.  Love that they deliver!  And, best of all, you can create your own unique salad – which is perfect for someone like me who is happy with arugula, falafel, mandarin oranges, sun-dried tomatoes, avocado and raisins in the same delicious bite!  (Don’t judge…)

Salad @ Dressed

Salad @ Dressed

The restaurant is modern – a lot of green and white lucite – and feels invigorating.  The staff is always noticeably friendly, which I appreciate.  Dressed has a number of chef designed salads to choose from on the menu – or if you are crafting your own salad, you order assembly-line-style and are encouraged to add to your creation with each side step.  Your salad is then mixed together (Marble-Slab-style) and presented to you at the register with a few accompanying pita triangles.  They also have a nice drink selection to choose from - I am a sucker for diet cream soda.  :)

Inside Dressed

Inside Dressed

Dressed’s salads aren’t the cheapest in town, but they are absolutely enormous and can easily feed you for two – maybe three – meals, so it all works out.  I am a big eater, but when I go to Dressed for lunch, I always walk away with much more than enough for dinner.  Also, any salad can be created into a salad wrap.  (Honestly, their wraps aren’t my favorite, but I definitely get that not everyone is always in the mood for just a salad.)

Next time you are looking for a healthy lunch alternative, consider dressing up a salad @ Dressed!  Okay, that was a stretch, but you catch my drift…  :)

xx, L

logo_dressed_saladsDressed (Salads With Style)
950 W. Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.347.3434
www.dressedsalads.com

Dressed Salads With Style on Urbanspoon

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A Good Place to Be.

01/25/2010 in Midtown, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

Ormsby’s is Atlanta’s new hot spot. 

 13637_193284087854_187096837854_2962299_4260927_n

I went on Saturday evening with some folks, and was sold after only taking approximately four steps into the door.  I am already rallying troops to go back on Friday evening.  Yes, I’m already making my Friday night plans at 1:30 p.m. on Monday…

Here are my Top 5 Reason’s Why Ormsby’s is My New Favorite Bar – and Will Soon Be Yours: 

5- Creative Food Menu:  As soon as you walk into Ormsby’s, you see people chowing down on hand-cut fries and massive ale battered onion rings.  They were delicious, as were the hand-dipped corn dogs that melted in your mouth.  Check out the “Bangers, Links & Wieners” section of the menu, too.  I devoured Aunt Naumi’s arugula salad and The Richard, which was a very tasty classic club.  The Bruno burger looked hearty and delicious, as well.  Hands down, our favorite item on the menu was the house-made cheese whiz dipping sauce for the fries.  Trust me on this one.

Ormsby's upstairs restaurant + bar area

Ormsby's upstairs restaurant + bar area

4- Killer Atmosphere:  As Lauren says, the crowd at Ormsby’s is very PLU: lots of “people like us.”  Everyone seemed laid back, not too dressed up but still lookin’ nice, folks were friendly – apologized when they bumped into you at the bar, and – single ladies – there were a lot of lookers.  The crowd seemed to be about 70% male. 

Ormsby’s is located in the same building as Abattoir on the West Side of Midtown off of Howell Mill and 14th St. - which is a really cool area in my opinion.  Much like Abattoir, Ormsby’s decor incorporates a lot of wood and heavy furniture.  Cozy nooks around the tavern make you feel like you’ve been hanging out there for years.  Free parking is just icing on the cake.

3- Indoor Bocce Ball Court:  This is so amazing.  Bocce ball is “so hot right now.”  It works at Leon’s, but it’s outside.  Ormsby’s took it a step further and designed their bocce ball court below the dining area in the tavern’s basement.  There was a substantial crowd waiting in line for their shot at the court, but we had no problem finding a place to stand and watch a game.  Absolutely brilliant idea.  Also available at Ormsby’s, you’ll find pool, darts and backgammon.

Orsby's indoor bocce ball court

Orsby's indoor bocce ball court

2- Impressive Craft Beer + Wine/Cocktail List:  18 creative beers on tap and nearly 40 in bottles.  Everyone I was with drank something different – and they were all worthy of a taste.  I think that is at least 50 good excuses for a visit to Ormsby’s.  Albarino by the glass didn’t hurt my opinion of the tavern, either…(predictable, I guess.)

Beer @ Ormsby's

Beer @ Ormsby's

1- TABLETOP SHUFFLEBOARD!:  This made my entire night.  Tabletop shuffleboard is my favorite game ever – and (sorry Slick) my impressive shuffling skills proved dominant once again in a heated boys vs. girls tournament.  The shuffleboard table is nice and too new to be warped or low on sand, which has always been my complaint about the tables at Twain’s.  (Love you, Twain’s.)  The line to play was shorter than expected, too. 

Tabletop Shuffleboard @ Ormsby's

Tabletop Shuffleboard @ Ormsby's

Ormsby’s tagline accurately sums up my experience, suggesting that it’s “a good place to be.”  I’d take it a big step further, though, and say it’s the best place I’ve been in Atlanta in a long time.  I know you are all going to like Ormsby’s as much as I do.  See you there soon – I’ll be the one racking up points at the shuffleboard table!  :)

not messing around...

not messing around...

xx, L

Ormsby’s
1170 Howell Mill Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA  30318
404.968.2033
http://www.ormsbysatlanta.com/

Ormsby's on Urbanspoon

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10,001 Calories Later…

01/24/2010 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 3 comments

I’ve been eating like a total pig lately. 

oy.

oy.

It’s sexy, I know.  On Friday, I had a business lunch at Park 75 at the Four Seasons Hotel with a few colleagues.  Park 75’s menu, which is heavy with healthy salad options, is always an excellent choice for a Midtown business lunch.  On Friday, though, I did not opt for a salad.  Instead – without hesitation – I selected the Park 75 “Mac and Cheese,” which also includes plump bay shrimp and tasty jumbo lump crab meat.  It was a lot of food, much heavier than I normally eat for lunch, but even two days later I am pretty sure it was the best decision I made all week.  Almost everyone who joined me for lunch also ordered the M&C (peer pressure)…and we all ended up with spotlessly clean plates. 
pigging out @ Park 75

pigging out @ Park 75

I am pretty sure there were close to 10,001 calories in the Park 75 M&C, but I mean it when I say that I thoroughly enjoyed every heaping forkful – savoring that I was slowly undoing everything I’d done in the gym over the previous three days. 

i'm strong

Park 75 sure knows what they are doing – and it’s good to know that they not only have great soup + salad + sandwich options for my business lunches, but also incredible comfort food.  Don’t forget about Park 75 on the weekends!  They have an excellent Saturday and Sunday brunch menu and an absolutely delightful Afternoon Tea from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.  (Reservations required for tea.)  Bon appetit!

virtually no difference...

"oink oink!" - from your favorite little piggy

xx, L

Park 75 Restaurant
Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta
75 14th Street NE
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.253.3840
http://www.fourseasons.com/atlanta/dining/park_75.html

Park 75 on Urbanspoon

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Thai-mazing.

12/08/2009 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 2 comments

You guys, Seth and I went to Bangkok last night.

Ok, not really. But it felt that way to us at dinner at the new (and just barely-opened) Thai food restaurant in the old Taurus space, Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft. Opened by the daughter of the family who own and run Nan and Tamarind Seed and her fiancé, Tuk Tuk is like their funky little sister dishing up authentic Thai street food.tuktuk

As DD, the owner, (who is a.d.o.r.a.b.l.e. and deliciously spunky, by the way) explained to me, the food at Nan and Tamarind is cuisine that Kings and Queens would eat in Thailand. She wanted to open a restaurant that would pay homage to her mother and grandmother’s cooking and the food she grew up eating. Although many people told her she would have to “Americanize” her fare to suit a southern palate, she remains completely committed to authenticity, and I am here to tell you it is AMAZING.

They haven’t had a grand opening yet, and I hesitated to even write about it here because Thaddeus (DD’s fiancé and co-owner) was telling me that they wanted to keep the opening quiet for the first month in order to work out any kinks and also as a “gift” to the neighborhood, but it’s SO amazing I hated not to share it with you all and I know our readers aren’t judge-y. :)

Seth, of course, had been before (dude has some kind of weird spidey-sense or something with new and awesome restaurants) and insisted we go this week, and as I’ve mentioned before, that is a command I am always happy to obey. He’s just never wrong.

Last night, we sat at the bar and shared several items from the small plates menu. Think Thai Tapas. Here they are in no particular order. (ok, I lied. I am telling you about the jerky first because it rocked my world.)

- Neau Sawan - it’s kind of like Thai beef jerky. These little strips of beef came out warm with a side of amazing sticky rice and were so perfectly seasoned and slightly sweet we were in heaven. We almost consumed the whole plate immediately, but Thaddeus clued us in that the dish was EVEN better room temp. And he was right.

- Mieng Kum - Ok. I could eat this daily. It was a spinach leaf wrap with lime, ginger, onions, roasted peanuts, and coconut in a caramelized palm sugar. It was SO refreshing and delicious and there was enough ginger to give it a real kick. LOVED.

- Pla Muk Yang – Grilled calamari (my favorite) with the MOST delicious chili sauce I have ever tasted. I wanted to drink it. Plus, I adore grilled calamari.

* we also got a noodle dish that Thaddeus and DD recommended that wasn’t on the menu with pork and noodles and all kinds of other deliciousness.

One thing that really struck me was how healthy everything was. Everything was grilled and nothing was heavy or creamy. Well, until dessert. :)

For dessert, Thaddeus suggested 2 items: the Tapioca Pudding, which, admittedly, I would never have ordered on my own, and the Old Fashioned Thai Coconut Ice Cream. Y’all. Heaven. In a bowl. The tapioca was delicious. It was served with cubes of taro, coconut, and ice cream and it was divine. The Old Fashioned was coconut ice cream on top of a cube of sticky rice with palm seeds and crushed peanuts. Spectacular.

OK, I had no idea that palm seeds were little gumdrop looking things:Palm Seeds

But they are. Thaddeus instructed us to hide some under our ice cream to eat at the end and they were AMAZING.

Ok, so obviously I liked this place. A lot. In addition to the amazing food and the super cool owners, the space (although not completely finished) was gorgeous as well. A huge difference, in my opinion, from flashy Taurus. It’s understated and just beautiful and every little nuance in the restaurant has been deliberately put in place with careful thought by DD and Thaddeus.

Seth and I were fortunate to get a little tour as Thaddeus explained the décor as well as their philosophy on sharing time with people and attempting to improve their day over a good meal. They are both so passionate about what they do and it shows.

I don’t know if it was the stories or the two ENORMOUS glasses of delicious wine I consumed, but I was really kind of inspired when I left!

Plus, just FYI, a Tuk Tuk is a Thai rickshaw and there is one in the lobby. And that is awesome. Fact.tuktuk

xx, L

Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft
www.tuktukatl.com
1745 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30309
(678) 539-6181
Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft on Urbanspoon

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Santa Stampede in Midtown!

12/04/2009 in Cocktails, Holidays, Midtown, Parties, What we're Doing by Lindsay | 2 comments

(This is one of my favorite Atlanta events all year!)

1/2 Asian Productions presents The 17th Annual Atlanta Santa Claus Pub Crawl on Saturday, December 5th, 2009.  Each year has been loaded with good cheer and this year it appears that there will be more Santas than ever before!  This Saturday, Master Santa will kick it off again in Midtown.  Everything starts at Santa’s Atlanta workshop (Front Page News) at 4:45 p.m.

Santa Claus Pub Crawl - Atlanta

Atlanta Santas!

Just like previous years, Santa/Christmas costumes are mandatory!

Santa suits can be purchased at any Wal-Mart or Kmart for approx. $25.  This is a high quality suit that should last you until last call…  Of course, they encourage you to be CREATIVE and come up with any other type of Christmas costume, too. 

In the spirit of Santa, they ask that everyone brings one unwrapped toy to the event to be donated to Toys for Tots.  It will only cost you $5-$10, but it will be priceless to a young child on Christmas Day.  The collection for toys will be at Front Page News.

GREEN WRIST BAND SCHEDULE
4:30 p.m.:  Front Page News
6:00 p.m.:  Twisted Taco
7:00 p.m.:  Leopard Lounge
8:00 p.m.:  Sutra Lounge
9:00 p.m.:  Cosmo/Lava
10:00 p.m.:  Flip Flops
11:00 p.m.:  Opera

RED WRIST BAND SCHEDULE
4:30 p.m.:  Front Page News
6:00 p.m.:  Leopard Lounge
7:00 p.m.:  Twisted Taco
8:00 p.m.:  Flip Flops
9:00 p.m.:  Sutra Lounge
10:00 p.m.:  Cosmo/Lava
11:00 p.m.:  Opera

Official Atlanta Santa site: www.atlantasantapubcrawl.com

Trust me – it just doesn’t get any better than this…

xx, L

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