Someone wrote: >i may be going to atlanta shortly after the olympics (thank goodness). >can anyone recommend some great restaurants that capture the feeling and >cuisine of atlanta/south? For New Southern cooking, four places leap to mind. Horseradish Grill near Chastain Park has been very good and creative when I've been there, but it is reported to be erratic. Kudzu in Buckhead is quite highly regarded, but I've heard some recent diners express disatisfaction with it. My two picks would be the Buckhead Diner, which features some innovative and delicious spins off traditional Southern cooking, like a wonderful veal and wild mushroom meatloaf and a white chocolate banana cream pie that alone is worth the trip. Get there early, though, since long waits are common after about 6:30. Finally, in a more expensive range, City Grill downtown features outstanding food, the fried quail with sausage gravy is a can't miss, their creme brulee is the best I've had in Atlanta, and I've never had a bad meal there. For more traditional Southern cooking, chains like Po Folks and Black Eyed Pea are starting to take their toll on the good places in town, but Mary Mac's on Ponce de Leon just down from Peachtree downtown and the Colonnade on Cheshire Bridge in Midtown are both outstanding, making Southern food like Grandma used to make. My recommendations are centered in the Downtown/Buckhead area, if you will be somewhere else, let me know and I'll try to come up with some places that would be more convenient. Mike - Griffin, GA [email removed]
Atlanta, GA
what's good in atlanta?
If you have the time, drive about a half hour south of Atlanta to the Fresh Air BBQ in Jackson GA. This place has been open since 1929, and offers an incredibly tender, spicy chopped BBQ. Closer to town, the Buckhead Diner is a fun place with very good food. The white chocolate banana cream pie is spectacular. And, its a major local celeb hangout. When I was there, the place was so crowded that the then-coach of the Atlanta Hawks, Bobby Weiss, celebrating a rare Hawks win, was pushed back across the room from where he was first standing unitl his butt was basically in our booth. Now there's something you don;t forget! Bob Wells From [email removed] Mon Aug 5 09:52 EDT 1996 To: Subject: Re: bbq-digest V2 #49 (1) Prime Rib Smokin' Content-Type: text Content-Length: 1136 Hi all... Mike, you'll appreciate this... All the others will have to deal with their imaginations: Kreutz' bbq, in Lockhart, TX has smoked prime rib that is, in New Joizy terms, "Ta die foah". Rare, juicy, mellow, smoked over an oak-fired pit. Oh, I dream of being able to do such a thing... Michael R. Dow >___Original Letter _______________________________________ >Date: 03 Aug 1996 18:05:22 -0700 >Sender: (OWNER-BBQ) >From: Michael Flack (SCORPIO) >To: (BBQ) >Reply-To: (BBQ) >Subject: Re: bbq-digest V2 #49 (1) Prime Rib Smokin' > >Bear wrote: >> >> At 11:41 AM 7/29/96 -0400, you wrote: >> >> >Any special tips or techniques that you used? I've only done chuck >> >roasts, and have never smoked steaks of any kind. >> >From the Texas "Believe it or not Files" Rudy's BBQue in Leon Springs >Texas has smoked Prime Rib, and >>it is<< paradise on a platter. It >comes out juicy and just a little past medium on theends in in the >center a fine pink. Most of their stuff is sold by the pound. You do get >what ya' pay for! > >Mike Flack >San Antonio >___End of Original Letter_________________________________
zwodahS wrote: > > cheryl lee wrote: > > > > i may be going to atlanta shortly after the olympics (thank goodness). > > > > can anyone recommend some great restaurants that capture the feeling and > > cuisine of atlanta/south? > > well, it's not exactly cuisine (actually it isn't at all), but if you are not from the > south, you must stop at a "waffle house" while visiting atlanta. you can't miss 'em > (they're everywhere) and the fare is like a denny's ... but better. > and damn .... those waffles !!!! > -shadowz > > -- > "always remember that you are unique, .... just like everyone else" > > -xxx- > http://www.netcom.com/~shadowz/image.html > > -i hate- > http://www.netcom.com/~shadowz/luv/hate.html If you're looking for authentic southern cuisine, you can try Pittypat's Porch (downtown in an unlikely location in a building that's flush against a parking garage; it's not a free-standing restaurant). Once you're inside, it does have some southern ambience and the food's good, but it's a bit pricey. Another place is the 1848 House on South Cobb Drive, but I can't tell you anything about it because I've never been there. I think that it's also pricey. Another expensive restaurant that I like: Ray's on the River (off Aker's Mill Road, right on the Chatahoochee River), but the food isn't really "southern". I agree with previous posters: Waffle House (aka "Awful House") and The Varsity are both institutions. Waffle House restaurants are less than glamorous -- sort of a roadside diner atmosphere -- but good food, reasonably priced. And they're ALL OVER the place down here. There are three Waffle House restaurants within one mile of my residence. That's how numerous they are here. You can get your "grease" fix at The Varsity (off I-75, across the expressway from Georgia Tech). This place has been around for years. Food items: burgers, hot dogs & chili dogs, fries, onion rings -- that sort of thing. Major political figures go there for photo ops (Bill Clinton & George Bush have both been there, for example). Celebrities go there, too. Just before the Olympics, The Varsity had a minor clash with ACOG (Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games). The Varsity was selling pins with onion rings that were arranged like the Olympic rings. ACOG confiscated them because The Varsity didn't have any agreement with them for using the Olympic rings (but not before some of the pins had been sold). One of my personal favorites is Sonny's Real Pit Barbeque (various locations around the metro area). Very casual atmosphere; clean; reasonably priced; good salad bar; drinks in vat-sized glasses with free refills; HUGE servings -- walk in, waddle out). They bring a ton of food just for the lunch and dinner portions. I don't know WHY anyone ever has to order the "all you can eat" portions, but people do. Menu items include chicken, pork, and (I think) ribs (funny -- as many times as I've been there, I don't know! I always get the chicken). Choice of barbeque sauces at each table. I like the mesquite flavor. Great french fries (crinkle-cut). Another personal favorite: Cracker Barrel. Great southern-style breakfasts, home-style entrees, awesome cobblers. I frequent the one on Delk Road at I-75, but it's nearly always packed during normal meal-times, with people waiting. Cafeteria style: I prefer Piccadilly (several in the metro area). Some people like Morrison's but I like Piccadilly better. Dilly and Super Dilly specials are good deals. Steaks: Try Longhorn Steakhouse. Outback is good, too, but that's not really a southern thing. Longhorn has great steaks, and also has salmon. Complimentary roasted peanuts in the shell (throw the shells on the floor). If you like casual, buffet-style dining (like Old Country Buffet), I recommend Golden Corral on Barrett Parkway about 1/4-1/2 mile west of I-75 (near Town Center Mall). Not only can you order steaks, but there's a food court where they carve ham, turkey, and beef, along with entrees like fried chicken and fish. They have pasta, a good selection of vegetables, and a good salad bar that includes cut fresh fruit. They have fresh-baked rolls, muffins, cookies, and brownies which they bake continually (and people eat them as fast as they come out of the oven). They have a baked potato bar and soup. They also sometimes have pizza. Free refills on drinks, and very reasonably priced. I never even bother to get the steak, I just order the buffet for approx. $7.00. All of the above is included, and it's "all you can eat". I personally prefer this place to either Old Country Buffet or Ryan's Steakhouse. Landmark Diner in Buckhead is also very good (great variety on the menu; good service and good variety for desserts). Places to avoid (IMHO): Shoney's -- some people really like them (including my husband), but I don't. The food is only "OK", and most of them don't seem like they're very clean. The most I can say about them is that they have a decent salad bar and the breakfast bar is good. My hus- band likes the seafood bar on Friday nights. Denny's -- most of the Denny's restaurants that I've seen in the area are holes (and I used to really like Denny's). Three-fifty Pasta & Pizza in Marietta (major thumbs-down; terrible food) Marietta Diner -- Good food, but my impression of the place is that it isn't very clean. My husband, on the other hand, loves it. He says I'm germ-obsessed. Hope this helps. Welcome to Atlanta! Enjoy your stay! Regards, Brenda Tighe
Mary Mac's Tea Room: I doesn't get any more authentic than this
Auburn Ave. Rib Shack: Mmmmmmmmmm. Best ribs in the world
Indian Delights: Vegan indian cuisine made by angels
Original House of Pancakes: The name says it all
Oh well, you're probobly here by now, so email for more info
JohnnyIn "Brenda A. Tighe" Someone wrote: > >zwodahS wrote: >> >> cheryl lee wrote: >> > >> > i may be going to atlanta shortly after the olympics (thank goodness). >> > >> > can anyone recommend some great restaurants that capture the feeling and >> > cuisine of atlanta/south? >> >> well, it's not exactly cuisine (actually it isn't at all), but if you are not from the >> south, you must stop at a "waffle house" while visiting atlanta. you can't miss 'em >> (they're everywhere) and the fare is like a denny's ... but better. >> and damn .... those waffles !!!! >> -shadowz >> >> -- >> "always remember that you are unique, .... just like everyone else" >> >> -xxx- >> http://www.netcom.com/~shadowz/image.html >> >> -i hate- >> http://www.netcom.com/~shadowz/luv/hate.html > > >If you're looking for authentic southern cuisine, you can try Pittypat's Porch (downtown >in an unlikely location in a building that's flush against a parking garage; it's not a >free-standing restaurant). Once you're inside, it does have some southern ambience and >the food's good, but it's a bit pricey. Another place is the 1848 House on South Cobb >Drive, but I can't tell you anything about it because I've never been there. I think >that it's also pricey. > >Another expensive restaurant that I like: Ray's on the River (off Aker's Mill Road, >right on the Chatahoochee River), but the food isn't really "southern". > >I agree with previous posters: Waffle House (aka "Awful House") and The Varsity are both >institutions. Waffle House restaurants are less than glamorous -- sort of a roadside diner >atmosphere -- but good food, reasonably priced. And they're ALL OVER the place down here. >There are three Waffle House restaurants within one mile of my residence. That's how >numerous they are here. > >You can get your "grease" fix at The Varsity (off I-75, across the expressway from Georgia >Tech). This place has been around for years. Food items: burgers, hot dogs & chili dogs, >fries, onion rings -- that sort of thing. Major political figures go there for photo ops >(Bill Clinton & George Bush have both been there, for example). Celebrities go there, too. >Just before the Olympics, The Varsity had a minor clash with ACOG (Atlanta Committee for >the Olympic Games). The Varsity was selling pins with onion rings that were arranged like >the Olympic rings. ACOG confiscated them because The Varsity didn't have any agreement >with them for using the Olympic rings (but not before some of the pins had been sold). > >One of my personal favorites is Sonny's Real Pit Barbeque (various locations around >the metro area). Very casual atmosphere; clean; reasonably priced; good salad bar; >drinks in vat-sized glasses with free refills; HUGE servings -- walk in, waddle out). >They bring a ton of food just for the lunch and dinner portions. I don't know WHY >anyone ever has to order the "all you can eat" portions, but people do. Menu items >include chicken, pork, and (I think) ribs (funny -- as many times as I've been there, >I don't know! I always get the chicken). Choice of barbeque sauces at each table. >I like the mesquite flavor. Great french fries (crinkle-cut). > >Another personal favorite: Cracker Barrel. Great southern-style breakfasts, home-style >entrees, awesome cobblers. I frequent the one on Delk Road at I-75, but it's nearly >always packed during normal meal-times, with people waiting. > >Cafeteria style: I prefer Piccadilly (several in the metro area). Some people like >Morrison's but I like Piccadilly better. Dilly and Super Dilly specials are good deals. > >Steaks: Try Longhorn Steakhouse. Outback is good, too, but that's not really a southern >thing. Longhorn has great steaks, and also has salmon. Complimentary roasted peanuts >in the shell (throw the shells on the floor). > >If you like casual, buffet-style dining (like Old Country Buffet), I recommend Golden >Corral on Barrett Parkway about 1/4-1/2 mile west of I-75 (near Town Center Mall). Not >only can you order steaks, but there's a food court where they carve ham, turkey, and >beef, along with entrees like fried chicken and fish. They have pasta, a good selection >of vegetables, and a good salad bar that includes cut fresh fruit. They have fresh-baked >rolls, muffins, cookies, and brownies which they bake continually (and people eat them >as fast as they come out of the oven). They have a baked potato bar and soup. They >also sometimes have pizza. Free refills on drinks, and very reasonably priced. I never >even bother to get the steak, I just order the buffet for approx. $7.00. All of the >above is included, and it's "all you can eat". I personally prefer this place to either >Old Country Buffet or Ryan's Steakhouse. > >Landmark Diner in Buckhead is also very good (great variety on the menu; good service >and good variety for desserts). > > > >Places to avoid (IMHO): > >Shoney's -- some people really like them (including my husband), but I don't. The food >is only "OK", and most of them don't seem like they're very clean. The most I can say >about them is that they have a decent salad bar and the breakfast bar is good. My hus- >band likes the seafood bar on Friday nights. > >Denny's -- most of the Denny's restaurants that I've seen in the area are holes (and I >used to really like Denny's). > >Three-fifty Pasta & Pizza in Marietta (major thumbs-down; terrible food) > >Marietta Diner -- Good food, but my impression of the place is that it isn't very clean. >My husband, on the other hand, loves it. He says I'm germ-obsessed. > > > >Hope this helps. Welcome to Atlanta! Enjoy your stay! > > >Regards, > >Brenda Tighe -- "there are two kinds of people in this world, ... those that put people into two groups, and those that don't" -xxx- http://www.netcom.com/~shadowz/image.html -i hate- http://www.netcom.com/~shadowz/luv/hate.html From [email removed] Wed Sep 25 13:17 EDT 1996 X-Sender: [email removed] Mime-Version: 1.0 To: [email removed] Subject: Re: Learnin "Q" Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Length: 2863 Now *THIS* is what this list is all about!!! Bill >When my son and I became interested in barbeque we combined business >trips with research into the more noted barbeque joints. Many >establishments were mentioned in a number of books and periodicals and >we mapped out those located within a reasonable distance of our business >routes. As we made our way to our destination we would try to eat at as >many barbeque joints as possable to "learn about real Q". > Most joints we visited were very friendly and freely discussed their >cooking methods and were quick to give a guided tour of their pits. >Don't ask for a recipie, cause I doubt you'd get one and the request >itself could shorten the tour! There is much to learn by watching and >listening to those recognized as the leaders in the industry. It is also >very educational to see the various types of pits and cooking >methodology used to produce excellent Q. Each pit master has developed a >technique of his own that distinguishes him from the others. All were >worthy of their reputations even though there was a good deal of >variation on a common theme. All the joints used all wood cooking. Kind >of like a lot of competitions that require all wood. I don't make the >rules, It's just the way I learned. > One of the trips we made was to Atlanta. While there, we naturally >tried to eat barbeque as often as possable. We don't get the opprutunity >to eat barbeque out too often back home. We're from Maine! We ate at >Harold's and found the barbeque to be up to their reputation. The next >day, however we tried a joint called Melear's in nearby Fayettville. >GOD, it was to die for! Both the pork sandwich and the Brunswick Stew >was the best we had ever had. > The sandwich was made on slices of soft white bread ( something I'm not >partial to) piled with teriffic smoked pork, then toasted. The result >was a crunchy outer skin of bread, with a chewey soft inside topped by >the finest barbequed pork I have ever had. Orgasmic would be an >understatement. > The Brunswick stew was cooked in a giagantic cast iorn cauldron over an >open fire and had the touch of smoke from being cooked that way. It was >hard to decide which you wanted more, another pork sandwich or another >bowl of stew. We made it easy and had both. > If ever you find yourself in the Atlanta area, do make the effort to >visit Fayettville and enjoy some Q at Melears. You won't regret it! > Do any of you have any experiences you could share with the rest of us >regarding barbeque? Some favorite place you've stumbled onto that we may >try to find someday. I'd love to hear about it and put it on my barbeque >map. > Smoky > >-- >It's not the hobbies in your life... It's the life in your hobbies... >Living steam models: Smoky Hollow Products, 207 799-0570. >http://www.cris.com/~Cfmitch Save the Skeets!!