Blue Pointe: Amer-Asian Fusion

By E. Brown

The Buckhead Life Restaurants are amongst the best in Atlanta. One of the more hip, cool, “d.i.n.k.” and “swingle” places to go is Blue Pointe — a fusion of East meets West. Located in first floor of the Pinnacle Building in Buckhead, Blue Pointe is a happening place for lunch or dinner. It is also a fun place to go out for those special occasions with someone you love.

If you’re a people watcher you’ll enjoy the dinner scene. The decor of the restaurant is very modern with hints of the Orient. People come to see and be seen but that ambiance does not take away from the meal. Chef Doug Turbush has done an exquisite job of preparing a “feast for the eyes” before it hits the mouth — very Asian in presentation. And why shouldn’t it be? Chef Doug spent time in Thailand pruning his culinary skills.

For dinner I had the Garlic Crab Spring rolls as an appetizer. The entree was the Wok Charred Rare Tuna Steak on a crispy Somen Noodle Cake and it was out of this world!

Downside: The restaurant is not exactly family-friendly and things can quickly get pricey depending on what you order. All that said, I still highly recommend eating here if you are new to the Atlanta area, on business, or just passing through.

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.

Dailey’s At Night

By E. Brown

Dailey’s holds a soft place in my heart for several reasons. 1) It is the place I celebrated my true loves birthday before we were engaged. 2) The management goes out of their way to make sure your experience is special, and 3) The food is excellent!

Opening in 1981, Dailey’s was converted from an old warehouse and it has been a dining hot spot ever since. Located in downtown Atlanta, the restaurant is within walking distance of several hotels.

The atmosphere is typical of a converted warehouse — open and spacious, yet the decor and furnishings are comfortable and close. You’ll have no problem focusing on your companion for the meal, and going with someone is a must. When eating with two or more you can try many dishes and tastes. You’ll be hard pressed to find a bad item on the menu.

For appetizers I recommend Dailey’s Escargot and the California Strudel. The strudel is unique–a blend of cheeses, spinach, and ham baked in a phyllo dough.

For dinner I like the Seared Ahi Tuna and the Grilled Pork Chop. Although, the Pepper Crusted Swordfish is also hard to beat. All of these will keep your mouth watering for more. But, don’t fill up too much because you have to leave room for dessert!

One of the more famous aspects of Dailey’s is their Dessert Bar. The sweets I have enjoyed are listed:
Gran Marnier Cheesecake- New York style cheesecake flavored with Gran Marnier, topped with homemade whipped cream and served with fresh fruit.
Black & White Cake- Three layer chocolate cake layered with whipped cream and chocolate mousse filling, wrapped with a semi-sweet chocolate shell.
Hummingbird Cake- Three-layer southern spice cake with bananas and pineapples frosted with a cream cheese frosting and chunks of pecans.

So, next time you’re in town for a meeting or conference or just looking for a special place to celebrate a birthday or anniversary you have to go to Dailey’s. Their service is “second mile” even into the night.

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.

Coconut Chicken Soup

By E. Brown

If you like Thai or Malaysian food here is a great soup to try during the cold winter months. I especially like to grab a whole grain baguette and tear it into chunks for dipping into this delicious soup. Enjoy!

Recipe Serves 4-5

• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups whole coconut milk (or 7 oz. creamed coconut)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayan pepper
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 3 stalks finely chopped celery
• 2 boneless chicken breasts, diced
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Optional
- fish sauce
- finely chopped carrots
- finely chopped mushrooms
- finely chopped green onions (garnish)

Put the chicken stock into a pot and bring to a boil. Skim any foam off the top. Add the diced chicken and let it cook through. Add the coconut milk (or cream) lemon juice, ginger, pepper, celery (and other optional veggies) and allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Season to taste with fish sauce and serve in bowls or large mugs. Finally add garnish.
Variations for stock and meat could be turkey or even duck.

This soup is as good the next day as it was the first and it also freezes well for later use. Feel free to experiment with some of the ingredients–add some of your personal faves, spice it up or cool it down–you decide.

This recipe is a variation from Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions.

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.

Scalini’s Italian Restaurant

By E. Brown

Dying for garlic rolls and salad? You will be if you ever get to Scalini’s in Marietta, Georgia. A branch of the Provino’s Restaurant family, Scalini’s dimly lit, dark wood, and dark carpet atmosphere lend itself to a candlelit dinner for you and a special guest. The food is moderately priced and the “bottomless” garlic rolls and salad bowls make up for any portion issues you might have.

The calamari and the artichoke hearts appetizers are two of my favorites, while the Chicken Francese is an excellent addition as an entree. The chicken has a lemon butter and white wine sauce that immediately gets your mouth watering. It is lightly breaded so it does not sit heavy on the stomach. Also, all entrees come with an additional plate of pasta. If you have room for dessert, the Torta Cioccolatto (dense Chocolate Cake) will appease the chocolate-lover within you.

Next time you’re visiting Atlanta, let me know. That will give me an excuse to meet you at Scalini’s. They can handle moderate and large groups–just call ahead if you have 8 or more. My wife and I had our rehearsal dinner there years ago and Scalini’s did a fabulous job.

Homer Simpson might say, “Mmm, fried dough”, but I’d say, “Mmm, garlic rolls!”

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.

Buckhead Diner

By E. Brown

An Atlanta landmark for eating out is the Buckhead Diner. Attracting locals and visitors alike, the Buckhead Diner boasts a well priced menu with portions that will fill you up. You may want to split some of the items. The Diner has undergone several changes in recent years, including the addition of Executive Chef, Joey Riley. A good move.

From the outside, it reminds you of an old 60′s Diner with retro design and neon lights, but once you’re inside the atmosphere is truly a fine dining experience. Waiters in white jackets buzz about the tables of dark stained wood. The menu is creative and delicious American cuisine.

I admit, having lived in Atlanta for over 15 years, I had never been to the Buckhead Diner until last night. Shame on me. The service was fun and the food was…Wow! If you like blue cheese, I recommend the homemade potatoe chips with warm Maytag Blue Cheese as an appetizer. Who would have thought this combination could be so mouth watering?

Everything on the dinner menu looked good to me. I had the Wood Fired Ribeye steak while my wife had the Chervil-scented Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. Next time, I think I’ll have the Crab Cakes too! Not to say the Ribeye was bad, but I like crab and Buckhead Diner serves two patties full of meat with very little breading. Yum.

For dessert, we had the Diner’s classic White Chocolate and Banana Creme pie. We split one piece and were barely able to finish it all.

So don’t wait 15 years, like me, to visit the Buckhead Diner. Make reservations, enjoy looking at the celebrity pictures on the walls, and definitely try the chips, crab cakes, and pie.

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.

Seasons 52

By E. Brown

Migrating up from Florida to Atlanta, Seasons 52 is a smash hit. They pride themselves on seasonally inspired healthy dining. Toward that end Seasons 52 changes its menu with the seasons and prepares all their meals using natural cooking techniques.

There are two locations in the Atlanta area: Buckhead and Perimeter Mall. We went to the Perimeter location with some friends. The food was excellent (try the Edamame whole soybean appetizer sprinkled with Japanese green tea salt), the service was attentive, and the price was very reasonable. If you’re looking for huge portions, this is not the restaurant to go to. Everything was very well portioned and satisfying, but Seasons 52 is not here to stuff you. As they say, “Every item on our seasonally inspired menu contains less than 475 calories, and each meal is nutritionally balanced to include the highest quality lean meats and seafood, good carbs and beneficial oils such as extra virgin olive oil.”

Last but not least, the desserts. They are served in small glasses and provide a variety that should please almost anyone. Our table tried the Carrot Cake, Key Lime pie, Strawberry Mango Cheesecake, and Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bean Mousse.

So if your looking for a fun and unique dining experience, try Seasons 52. We cannot wait to go back and try more of the changing menu items!

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.

Atlanta Grub

By E. Brown

It is rare that I run into a native Atlantan. Most people have moved to Atlanta for the warmer climate or because of a job change. A common question then becomes, “Where’s a good place to eat?” That depends on how you define good. Depending on where you come from, you bring a culinary bias. This could be based upon a diverse and experienced palate or an inexperienced palate. Nevertheless, most people know what they like, what they don’t like, and what they are willing to try.

My friend, Justin, and I got into this very discussion not too long ago. He’s a transplant from Florida, where as I am a military brat who lived on the westcoast, the eastcoast, in the midwest, and finally settled here in the south. Justin contended that there were a lot of restaurant chains in Atlanta because folks here would eat just about anything . “They don’t know good food. If this were Florida, a lot of these kinds of restaurants would close down because people there have very discriminating tastes and they like good food and good service” (my paraphrase).

Grub Master
Well, Justin has a point. Yet, there are good and bad restaurants in most every city you visit. How do you find the good ones? As my friend, Melvin, would say, “Talk to a Grub Master.” What is a Grub Master? If you are a person who is constantly being asked about “must eat places”, you are more than likely a Grub Master. People have used your recommendations and see you as a trusted culinary advisor.

So, does Atlanta have too many bland tasting, so-so service restaurants? Sure it does. In an active, sprawling, metropolitan city of 3 million plus, there are a lot of people who like to eat out. A lot of folks like fast and convenient food and so, establishments will exist to meet those needs. However, there are a lot of gems in the Atlanta dining scene as well. And with a little work you can unearth these beauties. Look at Zagat, look in your local newspaper’s Entertainment section, or look to someone you know and trust–your friendly Grub Master.

We’ll explore some must-eat places in the posts to come. Until then…Bon Apetite!

*For more on restaurants, food, and recipes, visit the Grub category of WeirdGuy Blog.