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Cocktail Experts.

02/09/2010 in Buckhead, Cocktails, Where we're Eating by Lauren | 6 comments

VIP: Lindsay and I were asked to be a part of a panel of cocktail experts (!!!) to evaluate the specialty cocktail menu for a new restaurant in Buckhead. I just knew the day would come when this particular skill set (which we have been diligently honing at various bars and restaurants for the last 10+ years!) would come in handy…lkcocktail

Varsity Team.

Varsity Team.

…and last night at Saskatoon was the night, my friends.

OK so the Q+DD on Saskatoon is this: It’s a wild game restaurant located in the Alexan on Pharr Road (in the space where ill-fated Spondivits and Harry Bisset’s once were…) Think hunter’s lodge: über masculine, warm and cozy. Soft jazz playing, fires roaring, lighting fixtures adorned with antlers, and deer heads on the wood paneled walls. The menu is chock full of wild boar, elk, ostrich and the like. I even tried my first fried alligator! (This thrilled Lindsay: “I’m so glad we can be a part of this!”)

And hey, we like antlers!

laurenantlerslindsay antlers

Anyway, our table consisted of the two of us, our +1s (Linds brought Steph Cheeseman and I had Doc Hollywood in tow) and our new best friend Alison Abby, a fabulous freelance writer whom we met last night.

They brought us several appetizers to sample, and I have to say – we all really enjoyed the food we tried. Of course, wild game was the main protein in each dish, and they were all very creative as well as delicious!

The real purpose of our visit last night was to provide feedback on their cocktail menu. We tasted everything from the Saskatoon Sling (a variation of the Singapore Sling) to the Espresso Martini (cinnamon-y and not too dessert-y! Our favorite by far.) For the most part, we all thought the specialty cocktails were a little sweet (and perhaps tropical?) for our taste BUT we were there to help them tweak, and I’m sure they will. (Also, in the interest of full disclosure, Lindsay and I are pretty straightforward in our cocktail preferences. Any more than 2 ingredients and we’re raising an eyebrow and I have never seen the Doc drink anything but scotch. Ever.) So if you’re a specialty cocktail type of person, you may totally disagree with our evaluation. IJS.

Additionally, the GM seems pretty passionate about having an impressive, yet affordable wine list and the wait staff was just lovely…and happy to pour me a vodka on the rocks after all was said and done. (With 3 nice, big, fat queen-sized olives. DK always told me you can judge a bar by the size of their olives...)

My verdict on Saskatoon is this: I think it’s a pretty interesting addition to Buckhead’s restaurant scene and if you enjoy that type of atmosphere, (or if you’re in the mood to envision yourself as a ski bunny taking a break from the slopes!) I would encourage you to try it for yourself.

Bonus: FYI, Saskatoon is a city located in central Saskatchewan, Canada and I find Saskatchewan really, REALLY fun to say.

Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan…Saskatchewan…

xx, L

PS. Thanks for the folks at Melissa Libby for the invite!

Saskatoon
(404) 891-1911
360 Pharr Road
Atlanta, GA 30305

Saskatoon on Urbanspoon

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Funny as Heck + Delicious as Sin

10/10/2009 in Midtown, What we're Doing, What we're Watching, Where we're Eating by Lindsay | 4 comments

I’ve eaten a lot of hamburgers over the 5+ years I’ve lived in Atlanta.  In fact, I almost ate myself to death at Ann’s Snack Bar over the summer.  Learned a valuable lesson that day…  Anyway, my favorite hamburger in town remains the “Yokohama Mama” burg (w/ bison) at The Vortex Bar & Grill. 

yokohama mama burg w/ buffalo meat @ the vortex

yokohama mama burg w/ bison @ the vortex

Yokohama Mama Burger:  Burger topped w/ jack cheese, special teriyaki sauce and a ring of grilled pineapple.  (Note: I prefer the bison patty b/c it’s tastes like beef but has less fat than skinless chicken breast.) 

I usually order the YMB w/ sweet potato fries, but last night I opted for the famous Vortex tots.  They were delish!

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you won’t be at all surprised when I tell you that the Yokohama Mama is the only burger I’ve ever eaten at the Vortex.  Their menu is ridiculous, but I just can’t get past the YMB: http://www.thevortexbarandgrill.com/menus/WebMenu.pdf 

Check out the Coronary Bypass Burger & the Elvis Burger!!  I’m definitely not that hardcore, but I’d be very proud to see someone eat one of those!  P.S. The Vortex’s staff, restaurant decor and ambiance IS a seriously hardcore, no-B.S. biker bar.  So be prepared…

Also, on the app. front, we ordered the fried zucchini and polished it off in no time!  It comes to the table piping hot, sliced, battered and fried – served with ranch dressing.  Best of all, I’m pretty sure it’s completely fat free since the vegetable factor cancels out the fact that it’s fried.  :)  

fried zucchini @ the vortex

fried zucchini @ the vortex

Soooooo, I went with a bunch of ladies to The Vortex in Midtown last night to have dinner before we went to see our adorable friend, Stephanie’s, boyfriend preform at the Laughing Skull Lounge.  For those not into comedy, it’s the comedy club attached to The Vortex’s Midtown location. 

I’ve watched WAY too many American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance auditions (schadenfreude at it’s best – I know), so watching people perform live sometimes makes me really uncomfortable/ nervous for them.  I had a stiff drink at dinner to calm my nerves a bit for the show, but it was totally unnecessary.  The comedians were HYSTERICAL.  And, I think the Laughing Skull is a lot more legit that I anticipated.  In fact, I just read online that Creative Loafing selected it as the Best Comedy Club in Atlanta.  Way to go!  Among the five comedians at our show was Jim Florentine from Crank Yankers, another dude fresh off a Comedy Central tour and Stephanie’s boyfriend – who had me in stitches.  (Aren’t they cute?!)

*adorable*

*adorable*

The Laughing Skull would be such a fun date.  Tickets are around $20 per person, depending on the evening and the comedian, and The Vortex is right next door for beer and burgs ahead of time.  I’m totally, completely 100% sold – and I can’t wait to go back for another show!

Couldn’t we all use a good laugh?  (And an out-of-this-world burger with a catchy Hawaiian name?!)  I’m thinking YES.

xx, L

vortex_bar___grill
The Vortex Bar & Grill – Midtown location
878 Peachtree Street #4
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.875.1667
www.thevortexbarandgrill.com

Vortex Bar & Grill (Midtown) on Urbanspoon


Laughing Skull Lounge
878 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA  30309
877.523.3288
Comedian schedule: www.vortexcomedy.com
Cash only @ the LSL bar
**Two drink minimum**

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How to…Start a Dinner Club

07/01/2009 in Entertaining, Organizing, Parties by Lindsay | 4 comments

I am sure I am not alone in finding myself with an increasingly packed work schedule, which oftentimes puts a strain on my social life.  As we mature in our careers (and are pulled in a thousand different directions), it becomes even more important for us to make time for ourselves.  For me, setting aside time to spend with my girlfriends can be difficult to schedule, but is critical to my overall social satisfaction and stress relief.  About a year and a half ago, Dana and I started a monthly dinner club and it has been going strong ever since.  Prior to forming our club, I had been part of numerous book clubs, wine clubs and dinner groups that ultimately failed - mostly due to a lack of structure.  However, our dinner club has been successful because of the following five steps we took seriously from the get-go.

1 – Establishing Structure: Establishing a dinner club structure is an important step toward success.  We have roughly six to eight consistent members in our dinner club.  Once a month, someone volunteers to cook for the group and invites attendees to bring over a bottle of wine.  We rotate each month, and members are likely to only cook for the group once or twice a year.  In other dinner clubs, the host prepares the main course and a few sides, and then delegates other sides, dessert and beverages to attendees.  However, we think our structure works the best because the burden to cook is fairly infrequent – which has resulted in consistent, high attendance.
 
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2 - Selecting a Day: We decided that Tuesday would be the best day for our dinner club since our members are less likely to have plans toward the beginning of the week than they are at the end of it.  I suggest discussing member’s schedules and polling them as to their most convenient day to meet each month. It’s okay to be flexible on the day of the week, too.  Sometimes Wednesdays work better for our group –  and no one minds if we temporarily move the day for a month or two.  Additionally, we named our dinner club after the day it occurs to help members remember it.  Our Evites are for the “Third Tuesday Dinner Club,” which brings me to…
 
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3 – Invitations and Communication: It’s important to have a structured e-mail invitation so that dinner club members have all the information they need about the month’s club, including time, location, directions and information regarding the meal.  Our dinner club uses Evite to communicate with members.  Additionally, I think it’s important to set certain rules about cancellations.  For example, our club frowns upon canceling the day of the dinner club unless it’s an emergency.  We hate for the host to overspend and end up with a bunch of food left over, so it’s a good idea to set certain rules like this early on.
 
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4 – Perpetuating Momentum: I think most dinner clubs die because they lose momentum.  In hopes of avoiding a similar fate, we send out the Evite for the following month’s dinner club very shortly after the current month’s occurred so members can mark it on their calendars as soon as possible.  Everyone appreciates advance planning!
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5 – Diversity and Creativity: Dana and I wanted our dinner club to be a vehicle to merge our groups of friends.  Our club is composed of a diverse group of girls from a range of backgrounds - which keeps conversation interesting and meals unique.  We communicate about our meals prior to the dinner club so we can be sensitive to food allergies or aversions, as well as help to generate attendee interest in the meal.  Members of our dinner club have cooked Jamaican food, Indian, Columbian, Mexican (tacos and tortilla soup), Italian (lasagna and ziti parmesan), kosher for Passover, create-your-own-salad, handmade ravioli, organic dinners with food purchased from the DeKalb Farmer’s Market and we’ve grilled out (turkey burgers and hobo packs).
 
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All the members of our club look forward to our monthly meals.  We hope that these five steps will help you to form a successful dinner club of your own!

 
xx, L
 

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