Empire State South - A New Atlanta Restaurant

Friday night I had the privilege of eating with one of my dearest friends at a new Atlanta restaurant, Empire State South, which is located in the heart of Midtown. Tucked away in the bottom of 999 Peachtree on the corner of 10th and Peachtree Street (enter via 10th Street), the restaurant has a surprising open courtyard complete with bistro tables, Adirondack chairs and even a Bocce Ball Court. It is a great place to enjoy a beautiful evening outside.

The interior of the restaurant is separated into smaller rooms with slightly rustic decor. Exposed beam door frames and elegant wood flooring give the restaurant a comfortable feel.

Chef/Owner Hugh Acheson of the award-winning restaurant, Five and Ten in Athens, Georgia, is the brains behind the operation. He brings his culinary talents to create an eclectic twist the Southern meal: Meat and Three. Each entrée comes with your choice of two sides and a basket of bread and cornbread. We began our meal with an assortment of delicious oysters. (Each night they offer different varieties). For the main course I chose the fork-tender short ribs with sautéed lemon flavored kale (so yummy) and okra with buttered almonds. Michele enjoyed the trout accompanied with turnips as well as the okra with buttered almonds. We both thought the okra was to die for. (NOTE: When we ordered around 8pm they were already sold out of several side dishes).

This happening restaurant fills up quickly so reservations are a must (at least until the hype dies down), and the bars seems to be the new Atlanta hot spot. Don't wear black to this new Atlanta restaurant because the cheap dishcloth napkins will shed lint all over your outfit. We asked for black napkins; however, even though they are aware of the lint issue with the dishcloths they do not have black napkins available. I also suggest going for a long leisurely dinner because the service is still in need of some work. We were in no hurry so we didn't mind the delays...we were having too much fun enjoying each other's company. (Sorry for the lack of pictures).

As always, ENJOY!!

http://www.empirestatesouth.com/

West Egg Cafe: Best Breakfast

About once a week we visit our favorite breakfast spot: West Egg Cafe. Located in the booming Westside Design District, it is convenient to our house and absolutely delicious! It is a popular restaurant so be prepared to grab a latte and wait, especially if you go on a weekend. We find it well worth the wait, and the coffee drinks are some of the best around. They even serve alcohol now.

Breakfast is served all day, and the diverse menu offers classics (omelets, waffles, pancakes) as well as more unique items like the Tofu Scramble, Georgia Benedict and Fried Green Tomato Wrap. Travis always gets the Georgia Benedict, which is a Southern twist on the breakfast favorite, Eggs Benedict. This delicious meal is an open-faced biscuit piled high with turkey sausage patties, eggs and turkey sausage gravy and is served with a side of your choice. (The pimento cheese grits are amazing!) I switch up my order with each visit. I like to check out the specials, but as far as the regular menu is concerned, I like the fried green tomatoes, eggs and pimento cheese grits.

PS - The West Egg also serves a great lunch and dinner.

http://www.westeggcafe.com/

Enjoy!!

3 Best: Mexican Restaurants (Atlanta)

As promised, I am continuing the series of "3 Best" with the 3 Best Mexican Restaurants in Atlanta. Since Mexican is my favorite kind of food, I have spent years searching for the best Mexican Restaurants in Atlanta. Similar to how I wrote the 3 Best Hilton Head Restaurants Blog, I have decided to categorize the Mexican Restaurants. There are so many different types of Mexican food (Authentic, Tex-Mex, etc.) it is difficult to say which is the "BEST".



My absolute favorite type of Mexican is Authentic Mexican Food, and to get the best Authentic Mexican food Atlanta go to Nuevo Laredo. This restaurant does not seem like much from the outside. In fact, it resembles a double trailer, but the food and margaritas are unbelievable. Be prepared to wait...the restaurant is small and the word is out! We make a night out of it by putting our name on the list, ordering some Cadillac Margaritas (these are a must and pictured above), and tailgating in the parking lot. The Cadillac Margaritas are the best margaritas we have ever had. They are huge and delicious, and you only need one! (well worth the high price tag). By the time we sit down we are nice and buzzed. We begin our meal with some amazing guacamole and grilled green onions. I almost always order the brisket tacos. They are so amazing and a must try! Travis usually orders something different every time, but he loves the nachos. Nuevo Laredo has won many awards for being the best Mexican Restaurant in Atlanta. Check it out!
http://www.nuevolaredocantina.com/home.php

Travis was born in Texas so he loves Tex-Mex. His favorite Mexican restaurant is Pappasito's Cantina. As much as I hate going outside the perimeter, we do travel OTP to go to Pappasito's....now if that doesn't tell you how good it is I am not sure what will.... It is a large restaurant and usually does not have a wait. There is a good sized outdoor patio for pretty nights. Travis loves how fresh the chips and tortillas are at Pappasito's. The open tortilla machine makes the restaurant entertaining for children. We, of course, start with the table-side guacamole. I love this part!! You can decide what you want added or left out of the guacamole, and it is always delicious. Every time we go to Pappasito's we split the fajitas. They are Travis's favorite, and by far the best fajitas in town. I think the fresh tortillas and juicy meat make them. Pappasito's is a chain and often runs specials like half price fajitas on Wednesdays. This restaurant is definitely worth trying if you have never been.
http://www.pappasitos.com/home/

I chose the final Mexican restaurant on my 3 Best List based on the overall atmosphere. No Mas! Cantina is a large fun restaurant full of intriguing decor. Every time we go to No Mas! I notice something different. In fact, it is known for its decor and even has a showroom next door where you can purchase interiors. Stroll through and get some chocolate truffles after dinner...they are to die for! Go on the 2nd Friday of the month and enjoy the Castleberry Hill Art Stroll.
http://castleberryhill.org/wpmu/calendar/art-stroll/
http://www.nomascantina.com/

ENJOY!!!

3 Best: Hilton Head Island

Our recent trip to Hilton Head inspired me write this blog about the 3 best restaurants we have found on Hilton Head Island so far. Hilton Head has so many delicious restaurants, it is difficult to select only three so I have categorized them.



The restaurant we recommend the most for food and service is The Sage Room. It is a small restaurant tucked away behind a shopping center, and the food is to die for! We go to The Sage Room every time we are in Hilton Head. On our most recent trip we enjoyed a Friday night sipping Rombauer Chardonnay and eating some of the best seafood on the island. We are sorry we did not take pictures of our meals, but the presentation was so amazing that we dove right in and licked our plates clean. We began by sharing the crab cake appetizer. It was very rich and creamy almost like a casserole served over red peppers and creamed corn. Travis ordered the Almond Crusted Tuna, and it was unbelievable! The seared tuna was served over rice and haricot vert with a Asian wasabi sauce. I had several bites!! I ordered and devoured the Halibut, which was served with sautéed spinach and a risotto cake topped with a tomato basil sauce. I have to say that the risotto cake made the dish! The Sage Room is by far the best restaurant on the island. It is packed by 7:30pm, so reservations are definitely needed unless you want to wait. Call for directions to this hidden gem.
http://www.thesageroom.com/



Our favorite restaurant for the ambiance is The Jazz Corner. This is another restaurant we visit every time we go to Hilton Head Island. It is situated in the corner of a shopping center close to the Sea Pines Circle and is decorated like a traditional old-time Jazz Club. There is a stage centered on the back wall surrounded by small tables and slightly raised banquets. The live music is incredible! They truly succeeded in their goal to create “an acoustically perfect room with tuned house instruments in a rich, comfortable environment”. Go on a Sunday night…the band “Deas Guyz” plays every Sunday, and they are the best band on the island! The picture above was taken with my cell phone of Deas Guyz playing the last time we were there. We wanted them to play at our wedding, but they were already booked. We took some friends there the Sunday night after our wedding, and everyone had a blast!! This restaurant sells out even in the off-season...reservations are a must.
http://deasguyz.weebly.com/index.html
http://www.thejazzcorner.com/index.php



The next restaurant was a tough choice. It is our favorite restaurant to have lunch: Bistro 17. This charming restaurant is best enjoyed on a beautiful day when you can sit outside. It is nestled on the back side of Shelter Cove Marina with a gorgeous view (pictured above). I highly recommend the chicken salad croissant with a side Bistro salad. Another bonus: the restaurant is pet friendly and even has a menu for your furry friend. We love sitting out on the patio with a bottle of wine, soaking up the afternoon and daydreaming of our future yacht.
http://www.bistro17hhi.com/



We hope you enjoy your next trip to our favorite US beach!