FOODIE IN FLIP FLOPS

Fall is a great time of year in Atlanta. We have been enjoying this gorgeous fall, crisp air. We also thought the leaves would be changing and could enjoy seeing the foliage and view of Atlanta from the top of Kennesaw Mountain. We were a little early but still got to witness an awesome view of the city. After our hike we decided to stop in at The Local for lunch, it is located on the south side of the Marietta Square. The Local had been calling my name for a while and it was time to try.  Luke ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich. He's not normally a fried chicken fan, however The Local had won the Taste of Marietta Award for best Fried Chicken and wanted to try the sandwich. It was good, fresh, hot and crispy with good flavor. The braised green beans were good too and a nice change up from your regular side item. My friend Susan had the special of the day, turkey reuben. She liked it but preferred it the traditional way on rye bread bu...

Bocado is one my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. They do not have a big menu, however what they do have they do very well. Luke hadn't been to Bocado and I wanted to share my little foodie jewel with him. The inside is well decorated in a minimalist style with warm lighting and a sophisticated feel. Service is always great there too!  We started with the deviled eggs, topped with tomato jam, pickled okra, and crispy shallots. They were good however, there are so many great things on their menu I wouldn't order them again unless I was craving deviled eggs. The Brussels Sprouts were delicious served with toasted farro, celeric cream, lemon, and sweet chilis. The combination was spectacular and I love that the main ingredient was so nutritious! How pretty is this? The quinoa salad was like a work of art! This superfood salad was so refreshing and light with many healthy ingredients in one dish; red quinoa, avocado, radish, cilan...

Bangkok Thyme is always a solid choice when craving Thai food. Is it the best Thai in Atlanta? No, but it is good and offers very consistent food and service. It is located across from the Fountain Oaks Shopping Center on Roswell Rd.  My Thai staple is always the Tom Yum Soup with Shrimp. The nice thing about their soup is they will adjust the spiciness to your liking. They always use big, plump shrimp in it.  More shrimp for me, I ordered the Broccoli Lover. Lots of broccoli, shrimp, and mushrooms in a brown sauce. It was delicious and very fresh.  Luke had the Spicy Thai Basil with Pork. The flavor was great, very fresh, and they were generous with the meat.  They also have Sushi and Sashimi. I have never ordered any of the Japanese items, so I can not speak for them, but I have tried many dishes off the Thai menu and all have been tasty.  The atmosphere is interesting with a blend of Thai wood and Japanese Shoj...

Smoked Salmon no doubt is so good served on a bagel, however there is no bread allowed on Paleo. It is fun getting creative and substituting items in traditional recipes to make them Paleo friendly.  I used Kirkland Wild Alaskan Smoke Sockeye Salmon that I buy at Costco. I sliced the cucumber approximately at 1/8 of an inch, just thick enough to support the toppings. I spread Cream Cheese onto the cucumber. How much? Depends on how you like it, I did a thin even coat to cover the whole slice.  I love City Roots Arugula Microgreens that is sold at Whole Foods, so topped it with the microgreens and capers. The microgreens are also great on sandwiches too. I didn't think it needed salt because of the briny capers. You can also top with lemon however I thought it was great without. This is great for a light dinner or an appetizer. The crunch of the cucumber is nice contrast to the silkiness of the cream cheese and ...

We went to Serpas at Studioplex on the border of Old 4th Ward and Inman Park for my friend Laura's birthday dinner and glad we did. I love going to a restaurant and craving the chef's food again before I even walk out the door. The atmosphere was stylish and cozy, beautifully lit, with a spacious open room and warm wood accents. Our table was a group of eight, which was great to try a variety of items on their menu. My friend Michael ordered the Lemon Crab Cream Cheese Fritter. The flavors were wonderful. The batter was super light and crispy while the inside gooey deliciousness of the crab and cream cheese mixture was perfect. The avocado was a nice compliment to the fried fritter.   Laura ordered two appetizers, the one pictured above is the House Smoked Salmon Chips. The smoked salmon was excellent, the chipotle cream cheese had a complimenting taste without being too cheesy. It was still about the smoked salmon. They served it on their ho...

Normally the further you travel south on Peachtree towards downtown the worse the restaurants get, but Alma Cocina is a complete exception. Alma Cocina is located adjacent to the Ritz Carlton and shares the tower's lobby. We had dinner to celebrate a friends birthday, I am glad she chose this restaurant otherwise I may never have ventured here on my own. I am usually not a fan of Mexican and try to avoid downtown whenever possible. This upscale eatery is completely unique with its wonderful Latin American creations. The inside was tastefully decorated with accent mood lighting and a cozy Southwestern theme. It was beautiful, but the food even better. We decided to start off with the salsa and guac sampler and were so glad we did. The disappointing thing about the sampler was not having more of each dip. They were all fantastic and unique, great to try side by side to really taste the differences. They provided plantain and tortilla chips for dipping. The planta...

I am from The Sunshine State where almost every restaurant and bar engages in happy hour and a beautiful sunset is the highlight of the day. When I moved to Georgia back in 2001, I remember asking what the happy hour specials were, the bartender answered "Georgia doesn't do happy hour". I kept thinking how unfortunate that is for Atlanta. So . . I came up with a list of my own "happy hour" weekly specials that are inside the perimeter.  Enjoy! Monday   Barcelona (Inman Park) - 1/2 price bottle of wines Valenza (Brookhaven) - 1/2 price bottle of wines Kimball House (Decatur) - 1/2 price oysters 5pm-7pm Cypress Street Pint and Plate (Midtown) - 1/2 price appetizers 5pm-7pm Lusca (Buckhead) - 1/2 price oysters 5pm-7pm Agave (Cabbagetown) - 2 for 1 appetizers from 5pm-7pm Tuesday Carroll Street Cafe (Cabbagetown) - 1/2 price tapas 3pm-7pm and $5 martinis Meehan's (Vinings) - Tini Tuesday $5 Martini's Ecli...

This little take out shack makes some of the best Greek food in Atlanta for reasonable prices. Situated on the corner of MLK and Hill Street it is easy to drive by without noticing this hidden gem, but it is a must try if you like Greek food. The only eating area is outside so visit when the weather is nice, or take the food to go. The tables at lunch can also fill quickly, either come before the noon rush or well after. The owners are 1st generation from Greece, and the food authentic.  I ordered the Lamb Gyro Plate with a side of greek potatoes and a greek salad. The portions are big enough for two meals so at $13, it is a great value. The potatoes are absolutely delicious especially dipped in their tzatziki sauce, however, be prepared to have garlic and onion breath afterwards. This may not be the best meal before a date!! The lamb is always moist with tons of flavor. The chicken has great flavor too, which sometimes I order over a Greek salad...

Bantu just opened in the much anticipated Avalon complex located right off GA 400 in Alpharetta. It is a new mixed use complex with residential, retail, and restaurant space, basically an Atlantic Station of the north.  Bantu has a nice atmosphere, community tables inside and a nice patio area outside. You place your order at the counter and they bring your food to you. We ate there the second day it was open for lunch and so they were out of a lot of items on their menu.  The menu is full of Asian items, udon, pho, bahn mi sandwiches, steamed buns, kushiyaki, etc. It was cold that day and soup sounded great. I intended on having the Coconut Lemongrass Broth but they were out of it, so ended up with Char Siu Pork Soba, which was basically crispy pork in a broth with some veggies and noodles. I had them remove the udon noodles and add extra veggies. It was oily and there was supposed to be bok choy which I never tasted, they added mushrooms, but ...

Ration and Dram is a great spot tucked in between Arizona lofts phase 1 and 2 just south of the Lake Claire neighborhood. It is a peaceful place to eat and have drinks. They have several different pleasant areas to sit, two balconies, two bars, and a nice patio with a fountain. One of the balconies is reserved for a smoking section, so there is no smoking on the patio, great for people who are sensitive to smoke.  They are dog friendly on the patio so bring your doggies and let them enjoy a gorgeous day outside. I was with a couple of girlfriends and we decided to sit on the balcony, it was perfect for the golden hour.  The menu isn't huge but they offer a variety of things. My friend Laura had the fish and chips which was more like sliced potato chips with smoked salmon dip. It was delicious. Britten had the panzanella salad, mixed greens with sweet potato, crusty bread, and quinoa served with tzaiziki sauce. It was very fresh...

This dish is extremely flavorful and a cinch to make!  Bacon is what really adds the richness and taste. I bought it from the butcher at Whole Foods, which is great because you can just buy the number of strips you need, plus it's nitrate free. 1. In a deep large sauté pan or large cast iron skillet, cook two pieces of bacon until crispy 2. Take bacon out of the pan and blot excess grease off the bacon 3. Set aside Any chicken sausage would work, but I love the products from Niman Ranch.  4. In the bacon grease, brown sausage on med high heat. Flip to brown both sides. 5. While browning the sausage trim and wash 1 lb. of brussels sprouts.  6. Cut brussels sprouts in half.  7. Drain bacon grease from pan  8. Add brussels sprouts to same saute pan, a pinch of salt and reduce to medium heat.  9. Add 3 tbl. of balsamic vinegar 10. Stir and scrape pan to get brown bits ...