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Brunchie Munchies…

07/25/2011 in Appetizers, Guilty Pleasures, Inman Park, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | No comments

Here at the Q+DD, we take Sunday brunching pretty darn seriously.  And, as we’ve previously mentioned, Serpas True Food offers one of the best brunches around town.  Today, I’m about to show you two very compelling + decadent reasons why I fell in love all over again yesterday with Serpas’ Sunday brunch.

1 – New Orleans Beignets dusted with confectioners sugar.  JUST the right amount, too.

2 – Pigs in a Blanket with housemade andouille sausage, puff pastry + creole mustard.  Divine, divine!

These are just two of my favorite brunch items to share at Serpas – we aren’t even getting into the entrees themselves at this point…  Serpas’ brunch is absolutely stellar!  Out of this world, even.  AND, get ready for this one, they have the best coffee mugs around town.  Fact.

Def. make a reservation for Serpas’ Sunday brunch this weekend!  :)

xx, L

Serpas True Food
659 Auburn Ave. NE #501
Atlanta, GA  30312
404.688.0040
www.serpasrestaurant.com

Serpas True Food on Urbanspoon

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Sit. Drink. Stay. (Leave Your Dog/Twitter @ Home.)

05/06/2011 in Cocktails, Highlands, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

Or so you are mostly instructed to do at The Family Dog, Ron Eyester + Jason Chenette’s (Rosebud dudes) relatively newish watering hole + cozy eatery in Morningside.

The Family Dog, located directly across the street from Rosebud, offers creative, farm-to-table pub cuisine + an innovative fare of handcrafted beers and cocktails. 

We all know who Ron Eyester is, right?  Or at least heard about his Twitter handle: The Angry Chef.  I’m assuming so, but if not, catch up on your Atlanta chef-related social media scoop here: Ron’s angry at you…that’s right, YOU.

ron eyester

While Ron may regard his tweets as comical or witty, Slick and I often find them pretty offensive.  Both of us follow him on Twitter + I’ll admit that we will chuckle every so often, BUT while recently dining at The Family Dog, we asked ourselves how we’d feel if Ron was tweeting about one of our mothers altering the preparation of her order or asking for the kitchen to substitute something.  His tweets were no longer all that funny. 

We understand what he’s trying to do – drawing attention to the ”absurdities” that happen every day in the restaurant industry, but whether he likes it or not he has chosen to enter the service industry AND the customer IS always right, right?? 

Ron’s tweets haven’t stopped me from going to Rosebud.  In fact, I dine there regularly.  I will say, though, that they never give me the warm fuzzies about the restaurant.  And, no matter how uncomfortable my server looks (and they always hesitate) when I order my usual (the Breakfast Bowl) and ask for the grape tomatoes to be switched out for sun-dried, I plan to continue to do it.  I may even do it tomorrow…

Soooooooooo, that’s all I have to say about that.  (If Ron gets to rant, I get to, too.)

Moving on to The Family Dog.  :)

Slick + I had ourselves a nice little Easter Sunday lunch on The Family Dog’s patio.  We watched Ron walk back and forth between his restaurants several times + assumed that both establishments were going to be very busy on the holiday.  And, good for them. 

On the patio, The Family Dog lists a number of rules for patio eaters to follow.  No doubt this is Ron’s restaurant…  I think the “no dogs within the patio area” rule is kind of silly for a place called The Family Dog, but I’ll admit that I’d rather see the house rules painted on the side of the building than commented about in a snarky tweet.

As we expected, our server was exceptionally knowledgeable about the menu + we very much enjoyed our meal.  To start, we ordered the Pimento Cheese w/ Spicy Saltines and practically licked the dish clean.  It was particularly refreshing while sitting on the patio on a warm day. 

Our lunch was on the earlier side for a Sunday, so we had to wait until the GA-approved time to order drinks.  When that time came, Slick selected a fancy beer + I ordered The Morningsider: Boodles gin, fresh squeezed lemon + Luxardo maraschino liqueur.  It was pretty much a basic Aviation + I enjoyed it.

Peeking out from the back of that photo you’ll see my entree, The Burger: it’s made with Riverview Farms beef + it only comes 1 way…  It didn’t have me doing cartwheels, but it was a solid burger.  Slick got the Peekytoe Crab Melt w/ White American & Pepper Jelly and he was very pleased with his order.

There are a number of menu items that I’d like to go back and try.  These all sounded particularly delicious to me:

Housemade Cheetohs (Of Course They Have Pork In Them)

“Billy Bob’s” Fried Bologna Sandwich w/ Pickles, Cheese + Crushed Fritos

Noodle Bowl w/ Smoked Chix, Vegetables, Hamhock-Shrimp Broth + Soft Poached Egg

Mussels Steamed in Beer w/ Serranos + Leeks

Korean Style Duck Quesadilla

Disco Fries w/ Marrow Gravy, Pickled Japs, American Cheese + Fried Egg

(And believe me, there are more.) 

The Family Dog is going to do well.  (Did I mention that I love its name?)  It’s a bar scene that I appreciate in The Highlands – more of a laid back feeling than that of the Emory students running around The Cavern + Highland Tap on the corner of Virginia and N. Highland Ave.  The food is good, very good, in fact.  And the large menu is sure to keep you coming back to try more + more of it.  I may not personally be down with Ron Eyester’s sarcastic/ pointedly rude comments about his paying customers who are currently dining in his restaurant and driving him nuts, but again, they’re not exactly keeping me away.

Try The Family Dog.  Just be sure to shut off your Twitter account before you sit down…

xx, L

The Family Dog
1402 North Highland Ave.
Atlanta, GA  30306
404.249.0180
www.thefamilydogatlanta.com

The Family Dog on Urbanspoon

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Brunch’s Best Bet @ ESS

03/21/2011 in Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 5 comments

Pretty little Anjali came in from DC to visit this weekend – and what a gorgeous one she picked!  Anj used to live here + was pretty tied into the restaurant scene, so I wanted to show her a few new places that I thought she might find interesting. 

welcome anj!

Over the course of the weekend, we had dinner at Local Three, a quick visit to Bakeshop, catering from Fox Bros. BBQ, yogurt at Yoforia, a lovely meal at Pancho’s – Buford Highway (throwback) + an exceptionally good brunch at Empire State South.  Needless to say, we were well fed…

just some chicks in hats

Like Anj, the lovely couple who joined us for Sunday brunch at Empire, Scott + Adina, also had not dined at the restaurant before.  Empire, although not one of my Top 10 Atlanta Restaurants, does a lot of things right – particularly for brunch.  The first time I had brunch at ESS, I opted for a schmorgasboard of a la carte items, assuming that I understood brunch better than the chef.  It was a satisfying meal, but honestly, pretty much anyone can cook an egg over medium, toast some bread + season a handful of home fries.  (My usual.)  This time, however, I fully deferred to the chef. 

And so did everyone else at our table…for the same exact item!  (Clearly, no creativity here.)

now you see it...

Jalapeno & Bacon Biscuit w/ confit pork, poached eggs, arugula, balsamic onion jam + hollandaise mousseline.  Heavenly fork!  The flavors were all in perfect harmony with each other – nothing was too overpowering.  It was all just right.  The J&B Biscuit is the single best brunch item I’ve ever consumed.  Quote me.

...now you don't!

You guys.  You REALLY have to try it.

ESS for brunch is no joke.  Seriously, drop on by this weekend - and don’t forget to order the Jalapeno & Bacon Biscuit.  You’re welcome.

xx, L

Empire State South
999 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.541.1105
www.empirestatesouth.com

Empire State South on Urbanspoon

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The Ritz Carlton Holiday Experience.

12/10/2010 in Buckhead, Cocktails, Holidays, Hotels, Spa, Vendors, What we're Doing, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 7 comments

My friend, Jessica Gorman, is flat out amazing.  She is a concierge at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead, and has worked for the hotel in various positions for over six years.  (They love her there.)  Her job has always sounded pretty amazing to me.  While the hours aren’t necessarily typical, the function she serves for the hotel + its guests is critical.  She’s a lady who can get. things. done.  Even her friends rely on her for it, as she’s very successfully planned + made sure that everything was perfect for several of their marriage proposals + bachelorette parties at various Ritz properties.

Jess regularly helps hotel guests decide where they want to go for dinner + make reservations, arrange for transportation, get their hands on theatre/ symphony/ various show tickets, plan a fun day in Atlanta, impress a significant other with thoughtful surprises, etc.  She’s like your fairy godmother, but clad in a crisp Ritz Carlton uniform.

To help me better understand what she does day-to-day, Jess invited me to join her for the Ritz’s Holiday Sunday Brunch + an afternoon at the new Ritz Carlton Spa, Buckhead.  (!!!) 

Don’t mind if I do…

I’ve been to the Ritz’s Lobby Lounge a few times for drinks, but I’ve never been to the hotel during the holidays.  It was like a Christmas explosion!  You felt warm + festive the minute you set foot inside.

Jess set up the menorah + lit/ blessed the candles with a few guests throughout each night of Hanukkah!

The hotel’s engineers created this impressive holiday train set display.

The pastry chef whipped up this precious gingerbread house, which is stationed next to hot apple cider beside the hotel’s registration desk.

After spending a significant amount of time admiring the hotel’s luxurious holiday decorations, we made our way over to The Cafe to start putting some of that holiday cheer into our stomachs.

As anticipated, the brunch spread was absolutely unbelievable!  Here’s a peek of a few of their over 50 brunch selections from traditional breakfast favorites to an array of seasonal desserts created by the hotel’s elite culinary team…

Everything looked + smelled DELICIOUS!  I could hardly fit it all on one plate…and I tried.  So, I went back for seconds.  Here’s my first plate.

And, my second.

During brunch, Jess went into detail about her responsibilities at the hotel, and how she frequently collaborates with folks in various departments at the Ritz to ensure that their guests have a truly incredible experience.  Meanwhile, The Cafe manager, Brian Willoughby, approached our table with a bubbling red martini filled with something very exciting-looking!

Jess had done some research + found out that my favorite alcoholic drink is an Aviation.  She informed Brian before our brunch, and he worked with the bartenders to whip up the Ritz Carlton’s very own version of my fancy martini + surprised me with it!  I was shocked!  Jess does stuff like this every day for guests, but it made me feel like a SUPERSTAR!

We stayed at brunch for quite a while, chatting away + finishing up our delicious meal.  On our way out of The Cafe, we walked through the Lobby Lounge, which was being set up for the hotel’s Holiday Afternoon Tea. 

It’s one of the Ritz’s most popular traditions.  Santa oversees the festivities, including musical entertainment + caroling by the Dickens Singers.  It looked lovely.

Then, we ran into HIM!  :)

He was a fantastic Santa!  I just love the ones w/ real beards.

Finally, it was spa time.  (My favorite time!)  We headed upstairs to the hotel’s new spa + were pleasantly greeted by our treatment specialists who presented each of us with a very cute bag of organic dark chocolate-covered almonds. 

They led us back to our respective treatment rooms where we were instructed to change into our robes + slippers and meet back up in a common area to relax + sip champagne.  (There was not a doubt in my mind that Jess had arranged for this…)

And, again…don’t mind if I do!

Off of the Spa’s extensive Holiday Spa Treatment list, I selected the Cinnamon Vanilla Scrub: Indulge the senses with holiday aromas of vanilla and cinnamon along with brown sugar and honey to exfoliate and hydrate the skin.  This experience leaves the skin incredibly silky and soft.  Ninety minute service includes a full body massage.

Jess opted for the Warm Vanilla Bean Massage: Take some time out of the busy holiday season to relax and unwind with a customized massage filled with delicate notes of vanilla.

Both of us were in HEAVEN.  The treatments were absolutely amazing!  It was very, very difficult to leave when they were over – so instead, we went back to the common area + sat around for another hour chatting + sipping champagne.  HEAVEN.

On the way out of the hotel, Jess walked me into the Gift Shop to show me what the hotel had to offer guests at a moment’s notice + I spotted my #1 favorite candle EVER – The Ritz’s Signature Pomegranate Citrus candle!

My first roommate in Atlanta had a few of these + used to burn them all the time.  It is truly an outstanding candle + I always talk about how great it is to anyone associated with the hotel.  However I didn’t get to oogle it for long, because Jess pulled me out of the Gift Shop to introduce me to two celebrities staying at the hotel…

These were the best-behaved dogs I’ve ever met!  Definitely Ritz Carlton-quality.  They were very popular, too, with a number of people getting in line for photos with them!  (They handled the paparazzi very well…)

Sadly, it was time to leave.  Our WONDERFUL day had come to a close. 

OH – Did I mention that Jess arranged for me to get picked up + dropped off in Midtown by the spectacular chauffeur, Mr. Gary Weaver?  Well, she did.

The license plate was my favorite…

RCMB #1 = Ritz Carlton Mercedes Benz #1  :)

As we got into the car, Jess presented me with a bag full of incredibly thoughtful gifts from the hotel + Spa – one of which was the pomegranate candle!  (This was just another example of the arrangements she makes for guests.)  I was so excited about the candle + have been burning it at home all week long!

It was such a spectacular day.  Thank you so much, Jess, for showing me the Ritz Carlton holiday experience!  You are an incredible concierge + friend!

If you are a Ritz kind-of-person, I definitely suggest checking out the Spa’s holiday treatment list + visiting the hotel for their Holiday Sunday Brunch or Afternoon Tea!  The hotel also offers a Children’s Nutcracker Tea, Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Day Brunch, Christmas Dinner, New Year’s Eve Dinner + New Year’s Day Brunch.  Reservations are required, so book early!

FINALLY, this is my favorite thing I heard about during my day @ the hotel…

Give your child a personal visit from Santa!  Overnight guests may surprise their child with an unexpected visit from Santa on selected evenings in December.  Santa will knock on the guestroom door at a pre-set time, spend a couple of enchanting minutes with the child + leave a treat-filled stocking.  Santa Tuck-ins are offered the evenings of December 11, 17 + 18 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.  $50 per visit + includes a stocking.  (Jess, of course, makes these arrangements.)

This really is the life.  Made possible by your fabulous Ritz Carlton concierge, Jessica Gorman.

xx, L

The Ritz Carlton – Buckhead
Jessica Gorman, Concierge
3434 Peachtree Road, NE
Atlanta, GA  30326
404.237.2700
www.ritzcarlton.com

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What. A. Saturday.

12/05/2010 in Cocktails, Events, Guilty Pleasures, Holidays, Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 6 comments

You know your day is going to be amazing when it starts with a Southern 64 (Hendricks Gin, GA Muscadine Shrub, Sparkling, Lemon Twist) and a delicious brunch at Empire State South with these two:

Clever conjunction of their names TBD. Bairchila?

and the funniest server of all time…

"No, I'm really talented."

Then some Pop Up Shopping…Shop Scad was truly a sight to be seen.  (Check out the YouTube video of the construction by clicking HERE) and a few of my personal snaps:

Followed by what can only be described as Marathon Shopping at Phipps by ET and myself where I FINALLY PULLED THE TRIGGER on the Rocco Duffel!

mineminemineminemine!

Greg and I lit the candles for the first time this Hanukkah

(my parents will be so proud)

then shared some bubbly with Greg’s HILARIOUS, genius, and super-chic colleagues.


Happy Holidays indeed!

Repeat please!

xx, L

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Brinner

11/23/2010 in Westside, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 3 comments

Remember when Turk secretly learns Spanish just so Carla will cook him brinner (breakfast for dinner) more often?

I do.

That episode came to mind when my friend Ksenia suggested West Egg Café for a regular ol’ workday lunch and, up until this point, West Egg has strictly been a breakfast spot for me.

(Note: I am aware that the proper conjugation of breakfast and lunch is Brunch.  Duh.  But I was in a suit so it felt more dinner-y and I really wanted to bring up Scrubs today so sue me.)

Back to lunch. If someone can tell me something more delicious than a fried green tomato and pimento cheese BLT on toasted challah, I wish they would tell me what it is because this thing was ridiculous!  Witness:


Ksenia selected the “West Side Turkey Club”: Sweet tea basted turkey breast, bacon, Swiss cheese, cranberry Dijon mustard, mayo, and field greens on wheat.  
I love West Egg and it’s new-ish location in White Provisions.  The good news is, for lunch, it’s not quite as crowded! Plus, they serve breakfast ALL day and, you know…xx, L

West Egg Cafe
(404) 872-3973
1100 Howell Mill Rd NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
www.westeggcafe.com
West Egg Cafe on Urbanspoon

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Flagel Fever! We’ve Got It.

10/11/2010 in Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Trend Alert, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 2 comments

Without a doubt, brunch is my favorite meal of the day.  I really want it every day, but typically only get it on Saturdays or Sundays.  I mean, it’s brilliant.  Anything goes: pancakes, waffles, eggs, meats, mac & cheese, oatmeal, sandwiches, mimosas, bacon, fried chicken, bloody mary’s, migas – you name it – you can eat it during brunch!

Stac Shap + I are brunch champions.  Observe:

just look how happy we are!

While it’s far from being my favorite brunch spot in Atlanta, Goldberg’s Bagel Company + Deli is one of the most reliable brunches in town.  I always get the same thing there (two eggs over medium + fruit + pumpernickel bagel + light  plain cream cheese + coffee) and it’s always perfectly decent. 

There’s usually a line to wait in for a table, but it doesn’t ever seem like it takes very long to be seated since I’m generally kept busy talking to at least half of the Jewish community also waiting in line.  It’s definitely a social scene complete w/ massive sunglasses…  Love.

On Sunday, Slick + I met Stac Shap + her other half for brunch at Goldberg’s.  As we were waiting to order, one of the servers whisked by our table carrying THIS:

what ARE you?!?

We weren’t sure what it was, but we knew we had to have it!  :)

Yeah, it’s a flagel.  FLAGEL = Flattened bagel.  (And, it’s soooo much better than a normal bagel!)  You better believe it. 

Here’s the science:  After the bagel is boiled, but before it goes into the oven, it gets flattened.  It’s thinner than a regular bagel, easier to eat than a sandwich + much chewier – which is kind of fun.  We devoured it in minutes! 

We ate our flagels w/ white fish + butter, but I think it would be delicious with hummus, any kind of creative flavored jam, a tapenade or bruschetta. 

Head on over to Goldberg’s this weekend to try a flagel for yourself!  It just may blow your mind + change the way you view brunch altogether.  Or both.  (And, be sure to wave to me in line!  Naturally, I’ll be sporting my biggest shades.) 

xx, L

Goldberg’s Bagel Company & Deli
4383 Roswell Road NE
Atlanta, GA  30342
404.256.3751
www.goldbergbagel.com

Goldberg's Bagel Company & Deli on Urbanspoon

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More Than Just OK!

10/08/2010 in Buckhead, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | No comments

Oh, OK Cafe:  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways…

5- Your kitchy facade + adorable decor makes me smile.

4 - Your 50′s-attired waitresses.  Just love them.

3 – Your wheat germ pancakes.  So healthy, so delicious!

2 - I think it’s really rad that you’re named after the cafe in To Kill a Mockingbird.

1 - You are such a great place to meet up at for a Sunday brunch!

In the six years I’ve lived in Atlanta, I’ve been to the OK Cafe many times – but only ever for brunch.  While I know that I need to go for lunch + dinner at some point, the OK Cafe has successfully satisfied Sunday morning cravings for loaded omelettes + tasty pancakes + an adorable atmosphere for years – and will for years to come! 

You’re so much more than just OK, OK Cafe!  :)

xx, L

OK Cafe
1284 W. Paces Ferry Rd NW
Atlanta, GA  30327
404.233.2888
www.okcafe.com

OK Cafe on Urbanspoon

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Murphy’s Law: Brunch vs. Brunch

08/23/2010 in Random Musings by Lauren | No comments

Saturday at Corner Café, ET and I dined on eggs Benedict in perfectly coordinated outfits, freshly shampooed hair, and artfully applied makeup…

Trust me, we were CUTE

…and saw no one.

Conversely, today, with my dirty hair piled on top of my head in a bun, makeup nowhere to be found, and in the craziest outfit I could have pulled out of my closet…

I have 235109241 tubes in my posession and couldn't locate ONE today???

…I ran into no less than 15 people at Goldberg’s.

Of course.

xx, L

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Cooking with L+L: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

08/17/2010 in What we're Cooking by Lauren | 4 comments

I don’t know what got into me on Sunday night, but I actually cooked dinner – my mom’s famous pounded parmesan chicken complete with salad + homemade lemon vinaigrette. (To my great surprise it came out fantastic – but I’m convinced it was a fluke.)

While in the grocery store, teeming with culinary ambition, I also decided to take on making muffins from scratch for G and his roomies to have on hand for breakfast this week.  (Who AM I?)  Since, obviously, I had no idea how to start this endeavor, I used my new “All-Recipes Dinner Spinner” iPhone app

and selected BREAKFAST – GRAIN – UNDER 45 Minutes*
(*Sidebar:  there is no “under 5 minutes” option or believe me, I would have selected it.)

It did it’s magic and spit out the following recipe: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins - they were delish and SUPER easy!
Here’s what you need:

1 ¼ c quick cooking oats
1 ¼ c milk
1 egg
½ c vegetable oil
¾ c packed brown sugar
¾ c semisweet chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans
1 ¼ c all-purpose flour (I used ½ wheat flour and ½ white)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract

Here’s what you do:

1.    Combine oats and milk and allow to stand 15 minutes
2.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and either grease your muffin tin or line ‘em.
3.    Stir egg, oil, ½ c of the brown sugar, chocolate chips, and ½ c of the pecans into the oat and milk mixture (keep up, kids – that means you’re reserving ¼ c of brown sugar and ½ c of the pecans)
4.   Try not to eat the rest of the chocolate chips.
 5.    Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add oat mixture to the flour mixture and stir till everything is m-o-i-s-t (hate that word.)
6.    Fill your muffin cups 2/3 full and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar and pecans on top
7.    Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 min
8.    Let cool and enjoy!

I’m totally the blonde Giada.

Eat your heart out, lady

xx, L

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Urban Pl8: What I 8.

05/27/2010 in Pampered Pooches, Westside, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 4 comments

After a night of fiercely competitive Jenga at Ormsby’s on Saturday…

(That's my sister's game-face)

…Sunday morning Greg and I decided to revisit the general scene of the crime for sustenance: back to the Westside for brunch at Urban Pl8.

Well, that and because we had both a Scoutmob AND a Groupon for Urban Pl8. (For the record: we had been dying to go there anyway.  I am seriously TRYING not to let SM and Groupon dictate all my activities but it’s just becoming so darn hard not to!  Especially with the iPhone apps!)

Anyway, after calling to see if Urban Pl8 is dog-friendly…

(they are!)

…we made our way over to the decorator district. Now, you should know that Urban Pl8 is all the way down Huff Road in a bit of a random location.

Luckily, we knew where it was because we had both, on separate occasions, tried (unsuccessfully) to dine at Urban Pl8 during their afternoon siesta (please note somewhat funky hours of operation below.)

Here’s the Q+DD: Urban Pl8 was opened last July by chef and owner Betsy Pitts, former sous chef at Bacchanalia and Floataway Café.  Betsy aimed to create a restaurant that focused on “high quality, affordable food in a casual, cool, friendly atmosphere…an everyday kind of place with exceptional food and service.” She says, “It’s about local, sustainable products, healthier options, and affordability.”

I REALLY enjoyed my brunch.   After we checked in on Four Square,

Greg ordered a bloody mary

I snapped a photo just in case you forgot what a bloody mary looks like. Ta dah!

I opted for a Greyhound.  (I forgot about Greyhounds!   Vodka + grapefruit  = perfect brunch cocktail!)  They also offer “bottomless” mimosas for $10 and “bottomless” bloody marys for $15.  Hello!

Our food was delish. Greg had the grilled chicken pesto omelet:

made with 3 farm eggs, goat cheese, roasted red peppers and pesto

Which was served with a whole wheat English muffin and creamy polenta. Not grits. (in case you thought they were secretly the same thing…a la Superman/Clark Kent…: Polenta = yellow cornmeal.  Grits = hominy. Thanks, TK!)

I had the veggie burger

made with pinto beans, jalapeños, shitake, roasted corn, and cilantro topped with mixed greens, spicy tomato salsa, and spicy sour cream

I don’t know if the consistency would be for everyone – but I liked my v. burg a LOT. It was served with a fresh little green salad with golden raisins and sunflower seeds and I thought it was perfect.

We also split a slice of the peanut butter French toast which was To. Die. For.

I took this pic with my glorious iPhone to send to TK to make him jealous...it worked.

I don’t really have words for this.  I just think you should try it.  And bring me with you. Please.

There were a lot of things on the menu that I’d like to try, plus, the menu changes almost daily – I am excited to go back for any meal!

Also worth mentioning: the crowd was really cool.  Funky little hipsters brooding over coffee, a table full of mimosa-swilling girlfriends, cute couples of all varieties, post-church patrons, solo brunch diners– it was a nice little slice of Atlanta life there at Urban Pl8 that day.

"Europe? I know that place."

Plus, I loved that the patio served as a patch of green among all the surrounding buildings. Sort of a little urban garden.  All-in-all, it was a lovely brunch – a gr8 way to start the day! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

xx, L

Urban PL8
1082 Huff Road, Atlanta, GA 30318
404-367-0312
Hours:
Lunch – Tuesday – Friday 11-2:30
Brunch – Saturday + Sunday 11-3
Dinner – Wednesday – Saturday 6:30 – 9:30

Urban pL8 on Urbanspoon

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Battle of the Brunches

11/17/2009 in Entertaining, Highlands, Midtown, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 9 comments

So, I was entertaining an out-of-towner this weekend. As previously mentioned, I have been known to get a little…aggressive…in my desire to showcase Atlanta in the best possible light, so I had an extensive weekend planned. Which included a WHOLE LOT of eating.

= Lauren

= Lauren

Of COURSE we hit up all my go-to spots: Holeman + Finch, Top Flr, and Treehouse as well as some new favorites (I’m looking at YOU, Pacci and La Pietra Cucina.) But when you have a full-fledged Yankee in tow…clearly BRUNCH is the best place to leave your southern-fried mark.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you….THE BATTLE OF THE BRUNCHES!
pinkglovesRound 1: Friday at Murphy’s
I’ll admit, I have been known to sneer at the crowds of people lined outside Murphy’s on the weekends on my way to somewhere else I have decided is cooler. (“What? Do they think that’s the only place in town that knows how to fry an egg?“) but I am here to tell you that given the option (and a weekday off of work) that is exactly where we went.

Even though, at 2pm, the meal we ate that day was legitimately “lunch,” I still went with my go-to Murphy’s brunch order: Linda’s Omelet (spinach, onions, mushrooms and cheddar cheese) and A chose the grilled chicken sandwich (avocado, pepperjack, fried onions, and mayonnaise, on a multigrain bun) both were delicious. Another strong lunch choice: the lobster cobb (Maine lobster, tomatoes, avocado, bacon, aged gouda, egg, and roasted garlic herb dressing. DELISH.) In fact, come to think of it, I have never had any food I didn’t enjoy at Murphy’s.

If you do go for ACTUAL brunch, there is an amazing assortment of Benedicts and frittatas and other egg dishes as well as grits and waffles and pancakes and other carb-y deliciousness (Hello, challah french toast!) Not to mention the complimentary bread basket…complete with muffins and biscuits. Oh and the coffee…the coffee! Their coffees and espressos are absolutely divine.

I also really love the vibe at Murphy’s. It’s homey and southern…but still chic.

Nice work, Murphy’s. I guess those lines are warranted after all…
Murphy's on Urbanspoon


Round 2: Saturday at Rosebud
Listen, if you happen to find yourself waking up at noon…starving…and without a brunch reservation in this city, as we did on Saturday, remember that Rosebud in Morningside is the city’s best kept brunch secret. Fact.

As always, it was an amazing call. Please see my previous post here. Their brunch is out of this world and I have never had to wait for a table. We weren’t able to score a patio table but we were happy as clams drinking our coffee and chowing down on our delicious food. I got the crab cake Benedict (which was unbelievable) and A got…wait for it…The Big Nasty (it’s a sandwich.) This thing is a masterpiece: fried chicken, scrambled egg, smoked bacon + cheddar on a bun. I mean…wow. Just wow.

We were so full when we left that we didn’t eat again until 11:00pm and although we didn’t have brunch cocktails, I assure you their drink list is quite impressive. Another strong contender…
Rosebud on Urbanspoon

Round 3: Sunday at Mary Mac’s Tea Roommarymacs

As the pièce de résistance, I saved Mary Mac’s for last. As a true-blue southern girl from Alabama…I LOVE my “meat + 3s.” Plus, A had never experienced sweet tea and didn’t believe me that okra was an actual vegetable The horror!

The Q+DD on Mary Mac’s is this: It was opened in 1945 by a woman named Mary McKinsey who decided to use her good Southern cooking to make money in the tough post-World War II days. However, in those days, a woman couldn’t just open up a restaurant, so many female proprietors used the more genteel Southern name of “Tea Room.” There were at least 16 other “Tea Rooms” that popped up in the Atlanta area, but Mary Mac’s is the only one that remains.

As an extra special awesome BONUS: Katie and Brian were in town and joined us!

It was an awesome experience. Our server was so charming and sweet and brought us each a complimentary order of the Pot Likker Soup after I mentioned that I read about it in Garden and Gun magazine. (and blogged about here.) FYI: Pot Likker (or Pot Liquor) is the liquid that is left behind when you boil greens (collard, turnip, etc.) and it’s often seasoned with pork or turkey. At Mary Mac’s its served with a little piece of homemade cornbread that you can crumble into it…kind of like a super southern matzah ball soup?!potlikker

When it was time to order, we grabbed our stubby pencils and scrawled our orders on our sheets. A and Brian got fried chicken and meatloaf, respectively, and my seestah and I both got vegetable plates. (tomato pie, collard greens, black eyed peas and fried green tomatoes for me and fried okra, cheese grits, creamed corn, and collard greens for Katie)

Y’all: our food was fabulous (once I silenced the nagging calorie-counter in my head). Very authentic and just perfect. PLUS – in the middle of our meal, this adorable elderly lady came over to ask us how we were enjoying our meal and gave us all backrubs! As she left, she distributed her card which read, “Jo Carter: Goodwill Ambassador.” Amazing. All-in-all, I would say my mission was accomplished. A even choked back an ounce or two of sweet tea and I left feeling victorious (not to mention completely stuffed.) I may never eat again…

Katie and her Pot Likker

Katie and her Pot Likker

Mary Mac's Tea Room on Urbanspoon

The winner? We’re all winners at brunch, my friends. But I may have to give this one to Mary Mac’s. It’s been an Atlanta tradition for 60+ years and my mama always taught me to respect my elders.

Happy brunching…y’all!

xx, L

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