DSarif

I’ve been doing a LOT of eating out lately and not enough writing (or working out for that matter…) I’ve hit up quite a few new (or new to me) restos that are definitely worth mentioning.   In light of the fact that this is a blog and not a novel…here are 2 for now:

• The Sound Table

Of all the restaurants in Atlanta, Top Flr will always hold a special place in my heart.  I have never had a bad meal or a bad time there…and you’ve just got to love a place like that.

So, as you can imagine, I was very excited to give The Sound Table, Darren Carr’s new restaurant in the Old Fourth Ward, a try.  Bonus: (and I don’t want to name-drop…but I’m-a gonna)  Greg and I enjoyed our meal with supercute and understated-yet-ultrafabulous DanaPop.com, the Atlanta editor of Daily Candy (!!!!!) and her hilarious and adorable hubs, Dan.

Here’s the Q+DD on The Sound Table: I absolutely loved it. The concept is “street-to-table”, focusing on the exploding street food trend and like Top Flr, TST is also a small-plates restaurant.  The vibe is laid-back and trendy and the food was, in my opinion, superb.

Dan and I both started with the Pho (pho real!) which came with fun little bowls of condiments: oxtail, bean sprouts, cilantro, and shitake mushrooms (while I gingerly played with these items…Dan happily dumped them all in at once, announcing, “everybody in the pool!”)  we each followed it up with the steamed pork belly buns… both dishes were per-fection.

Other memorable dishes on the table included a citrus-y ceviche, a shrimp salad, the chorizo burger (actually, it was 2 chorizo sliders…cute AND delish!) and my favorite, the Arancini. If you’re not familiar with Arancini, they’re basically fried balls of risotto and The Sound Table’s were made with black truffle, pecorino, and roasted garlic.  YUM.

Note: The Sound Table is located on Edgewood at Boulevard and the signage is not great.  In fact, we drove right past it several times before Dan had to come out and wave us in.  FYI: this is what you’re looking for:

juuuuust a little TOO discreet, if ya ask me!

Also, parking is a little bit difficult.  You MIGHT get lucky and get a spot in the lot right next door, otherwise…don’t forget your quarters.

All in all, I give it two freshly manicured thumbs up.  Can’t wait to go back!

The Sound Table
483 Edgewood Ave. SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
www.thesoundtable.com

NEXT:

• Miller Union

Miller Union opened up late last year, so it definitely falls under the New(ish) category or just plain old New to Me; and though neither La, Dr. Amy or I had ever been, Miller Union somehow seemed like a perfect place to celebrate…and we had a LOT of celebrating to do. Dr. Amy finished residency, had an outrageously gorgeous baby girl, and returned home to Atlanta just as darling La announced her pregnancy!

The 3 of us with "our" new addition...and one on the way!

I know this is a bold statement to make about a restaurant I have merely tried once, but I think that Miller Union could easily become one of my favorite restaurants in the city.

I dig rustic-chic décor and I always love a scene-y bar (and believe me, it was scene-y.)

So immediately upon walking in the door, I had high hopes. From the time we were seated at our enormous wooden farm table, my expectations were met.  First of all, the cocktail menu is amazing.  I tried not one but TWO specialty cocktails…very unlike me as usually I tend not to stray from vodka or red wine…but they were both outstanding.  First, the Miller Thyme: miller’s gin, lemon, thyme syrup then the Gold Digger: muddled tomatoes, gin, lemon, and ginger-honey syrup

get down girl, go 'head get down

I didn’t have one BITE that wasn’t outstanding.

Every part of this meal was fresh and fabulous.  We started with the grits fritters with country ham (to DIE for) and the simple yet delicious feta snack…

Then, between the 6 of us, we had the rest of the menu pretty well covered.  My favorite dishes were probably the grouper, the NY strip, and the pork loin…

scamp grouper, summer squash, sweet corn, fennel, tomato

grilled pork loin, field peas + tomato salad

but I think the best part of the meal, for me, were the fresh vegetables.  I want a VAT of their succotash to eat at home at my leisure.  If someone could make that happen for me, I’d be forever in your debt.  The food just did me right; it actually felt good.

You guys, I LOVED Miller Union. It was a great place for a large, somewhat rowdy group such as ours, but I saw several love-birds there on romantic dates as well.

Great times, GREAT restaurant. I recommend it 100%.

Miller Union
999 Brady Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30318
www.millerunion.com

Ok, that’s it for now!  Stay tuned…more to come!

xx, L