Mouthful: Fried chicken
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
CARVER’S COUNTRY KITCHEN & GROCERY: The facade of Robert and Sharon Carver’s Southern meat-and-two dive is deceivingly spartan. But the inside is cluttered with an eclectic mix of clippings and knick-knacks. Carver’s fried chicken has plenty of crunch and juicy meat. You can either get an order of leg and thigh or a breast so big the Carvers actually call it the “Dolly Parton.” Any of the sides (you get two vegetables and bread with your order) satisfy, but starchy items are the best on the menu — especially the hush puppies and mac-and-cheese creamy with Velveeta. 1118 W. Marietta St. 404-794-4410. www.carverscountrykitchen.com.
Continue reading “Mouthful: Fried Chicken”
(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)
How did we go from two-martini business lunches to harried fast-food excursions, sandwiches and nuked leftovers while toiling at our desks? Some would argue it’s a budgetary concern. But you deserve the occasional pause, even if it is on the cheap. And there happens to be just the place smack dab in the middle of downtown Atlanta. It offers not only a major deal at $10.95 per person, but also a civilized sit-down meal on an enclosed “terrace” set inside the bustling grand lobby of Peachtree Tower.
Agave: Is it any wonder that a restaurant named for the plant from which tequila is made serves excellent margaritas? Agave’s bar stocks an impressive list of obscure tequila brands you can enjoy in your margarita for an upcharge. The restaurant also offers a short menu of house-designed margaritas. Your best bets are the Agave Don Eduardo Anejo — Don Eduardo Anejo, Triple Sec, fresh lime and sour mix on the rocks — or the Corzo Perfecto, a mix of Corzo Super Premium Reposado, fresh lime juice and agave nectar (a syrup resembling honey in texture). 242 Boulevard. 404-588-0006. www.agaverestaurant.com.
SOCIAL: There are places in Atlanta that don’t get nearly as much business as they should. And this quaint and chic Mediterranean café/wine bar is a prime example. Brothers Jalil and Rheda Chikhaoui serve up a menu similar to any you’d find at a restaurant of its ilk in France. During the summer, the restaurant offers an authentic gazpacho as a special. This version is chock-full of the typical ingredients—fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and bell peppers—but they add their own twist with a dash of cumin, harissa and a “special” tomato juice for a smoother mouthfeel. The soup is topped with lump crabmeat and a tiny dice of cucumber for contrast. 12 W. Peachtree Place. 404-525-2246. www.socialintown.com.
The gourmet sandwich concept is nothing new, but Atlanta has seen an explosion of such establishments in the past year. Are gourmet sandwich shops this year’s cupcake or fancy hamburger? Trend or not, there’s a need for this type of dining — especially in areas saturated with office workers — and it’s easy enough to conceptualize the menus. Just throw on a few sandwiches, a salad or two, some fancy chips and pricey beverages.
ALPINE BAKERY: Alpine’s pies resemble those you find at any worthy New York (or Jersey) diner and the varieties are endless. Like everything in the shop, the pies — available in virtually any style you can imagine — are made on site daily and rise just as high as the cakes. Each pie except the apple is offered in both small (serves 6-8) and large (serves 16-20). The chocolate cream pie is especially delectable. 295 Rucker Road, Suite 140, Alpharetta. 770-410-9883. www.alpinebakery.net.
CYPRESS STREET PINT & PLATE: This hidden Midtown drinking spot not only has one of Atlanta’s best patios, complete with a fire pit, but also serves up loads of “fancy” bar food standards. Among its arsenal of booze-friendly dishes, the restaurant serves sinfully tasty mini corn-dogs. The all-beef franks are hand-dipped in a homemade batter and fried to a hushpuppy-like crisp. One order gets you six that are skewered with frilly toothpicks and served with a whole-grain mustard sauce and smoky chipotle ketchup. Hit Cypress between 5-7 p.m. during the workweek and get them for half-off. 817 W. Peachtree St., Suite E-125 (corner of Sixth and Cypress Streets). 404-815-9243. www.cypressstreetpintandplate.com.
MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY: Going to this deliciously cheesy faux Little Italy is all about the kitsch and the comfort food. Family-style eating in guilt-inducing portions abound. Disparage it for being a chain if you wish, but they make a respectable meatball — each one tender, well-seasoned and completely crave-worthy. The meatballs are immense, so one will suffice when placed atop an order of spaghetti with marinara or meat sauce. 3368 Peachtree Road, 404-816-9650; and two other metro Atlanta locations. www.maggianos.com.
BUFORD HIGHWAY FARMERS’ MARKET: This temple to all things ethnic is much improved after an extensive face-lift. The bakery, however, remains deliciously unchanged with its wide assortment of mostly Mexican baked goods. Don’t miss the large sprinkle-encrusted sugar cookies, or the besos (kisses), an orange-shaped cake/cookie hybrid filled with a kiss of jam and encrusted in a thick layer of powdered sugar. Any of the fresh pan dulces (sweet bread) are perfect alongside your morning coffee. 5600 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-455-0770.
CAFE DI SOL: This little café’s outdoor patio is a picturesque spot to dine alongside young families, brunch addicts and in-the-know regulars when spring is the air. The Café’s Eggs Benedict doesn’t try to be fancy, but it is prepared exactly as it should be. The kitchen takes toasted Thomas’ English Muffins and layers them with pan-heated German cold smoked ham, runny poached eggs, a silky sunshine yellow Hollandaise and a smattering of chives. 640 North Highland Avenue. 404-963-9438. www.cafedisol.com.
