MPG

Food, cigars, beer, etc.

Dec 2, 2009 9:13am
Alright people, since burgers seem to be THE rage right now, I figured I’d add to my previous burger review from Cabbagetown Market. This fine specimen is from US Cafe up in Smyrna. Now first, one has to understand how I approach food reviewing; I look at any given dish and/or restaurant for what it is. That is to say, I don’t like to make direct comparisons between dishes and restaurants when the preparations were never really meant to compete. Thus, the Cabbagetown Market burger is still my favorite “homestyle” burger, ie. what mom would make if she is culinarily inclined. That type of burger is awesome, good ingredients cooked in a way that isn’t fussy. This beauty is of a whole different animal (not literally, of course). This is the really no frills, thin patty, more fast food style of burger. And this one is exceptional in this class of burger. Great wheat bun (optional), a well seasoned and cooked beef patty (also have a pretty good turkey version), and nice fresh toppings. All of it cooked to order. It’s a great burger when your craving the fast food guys, but really want a bit more effort. You also get the bonus of supporting a local joint. More burgers to come….

Alright people, since burgers seem to be THE rage right now, I figured I’d add to my previous burger review from Cabbagetown Market. This fine specimen is from US Cafe up in Smyrna. Now first, one has to understand how I approach food reviewing; I look at any given dish and/or restaurant for what it is. That is to say, I don’t like to make direct comparisons between dishes and restaurants when the preparations were never really meant to compete. Thus, the Cabbagetown Market burger is still my favorite “homestyle” burger, ie. what mom would make if she is culinarily inclined. That type of burger is awesome, good ingredients cooked in a way that isn’t fussy. This beauty is of a whole different animal (not literally, of course). This is the really no frills, thin patty, more fast food style of burger. And this one is exceptional in this class of burger. Great wheat bun (optional), a well seasoned and cooked beef patty (also have a pretty good turkey version), and nice fresh toppings. All of it cooked to order. It’s a great burger when your craving the fast food guys, but really want a bit more effort. You also get the bonus of supporting a local joint. More burgers to come….
Oct 16, 2009 12:17pm
Seriously. What the fuck is this shit? Buttery spread? Honey sauce? Is it really that difficult to put honey in a packet? Is really too much to ask to have real honey instead of honey-flavored high fructose corn syrup? Are these assholes really that cheap? Just looking at both of these confirms that Western Civilization is clearly on the decline. I know that shit like this has been around since the 40s or 50s, but we didn’t know any better then. We now understand how shitty these types of “foods” are. How can anyone in good conscience put this in their bodies? And why don’t we demand more from our restaurants? Yes, even the fast food joints. Why can’t we have SOME standards. We’ve made such great strides in the advancement of medical science, only to put a good portion of that science to the effort of saving our own fat ass from ourselves. Why can’t we figure this crap out? Eh….

Seriously. What the fuck is this shit? Buttery spread? Honey sauce? Is it really that difficult to put honey in a packet? Is really too much to ask to have real honey instead of honey-flavored high fructose corn syrup? Are these assholes really that cheap? Just looking at both of these confirms that Western Civilization is clearly on the decline. I know that shit like this has been around since the 40s or 50s, but we didn’t know any better then. We now understand how shitty these types of “foods” are. How can anyone in good conscience put this in their bodies? And why don’t we demand more from our restaurants? Yes, even the fast food joints. Why can’t we have SOME standards. We’ve made such great strides in the advancement of medical science, only to put a good portion of that science to the effort of saving our own fat ass from ourselves. Why can’t we figure this crap out? Eh….
Sep 8, 2009 12:56pm
Sorry for the lack of posting, back to our regularly scheduled programming: Rolling Bones BBQ - this place is quite unique. First, it’s housed in a converted gas station on Edgewood, which I liked despite extremely limited parking. Another feature that stood out was the fact that they didn’t serve sweet tea, other than that fountain crap that’s not even really tea in my opinion. This was definitely a downgrade in my book. When I’m eating barbeque, I want tea, preferably sweet. The food, on the otherhand, didn’t disappoint. The ribs were a delicious spicy, sweet, gooey, and tender symphony. There was definitely some island flavorings happening here, almost jerk-like. The collard greens were tender and well-seasoned, and a perfect counter to the sweet/spicy ribs and the rich, creamy, southern-style potato salad. The portions were huge, especially for lunch. Luckily, all of it kept well for leftovers. Mmmmmmmm, need to go back soon.

Sorry for the lack of posting, back to our regularly scheduled programming: Rolling Bones BBQ - this place is quite unique. First, it’s housed in a converted gas station on Edgewood, which I liked despite extremely limited parking. Another feature that stood out was the fact that they didn’t serve sweet tea, other than that fountain crap that’s not even really tea in my opinion. This was definitely a downgrade in my book. When I’m eating barbeque, I want tea, preferably sweet. The food, on the otherhand, didn’t disappoint. The ribs were a delicious spicy, sweet, gooey, and tender symphony. There was definitely some island flavorings happening here, almost jerk-like. The collard greens were tender and well-seasoned, and a perfect counter to the sweet/spicy ribs and the rich, creamy, southern-style potato salad. The portions were huge, especially for lunch. Luckily, all of it kept well for leftovers. Mmmmmmmm, need to go back soon.
Jul 30, 2009 8:34pm
Ok, so I have to brag a bit. This is actually my dish. I found some stone-ground, local grits at the farmer’s market, picked up a nice piece of Mahi-mahi, threw some blackening seasoning on it, and then pan seared that bad boy. I threw it on top of those creamy grits, and well… it was delicious!

Ok, so I have to brag a bit. This is actually my dish. I found some stone-ground, local grits at the farmer’s market, picked up a nice piece of Mahi-mahi, threw some blackening seasoning on it, and then pan seared that bad boy. I threw it on top of those creamy grits, and well… it was delicious!
Jul 2, 2009 11:53am
Ria’s Bluebird - I really love this place! It’s up there with Thumbs Up and Social House as my favorite brunch joints in the city. This amazing dish started with a fluffy biscuit base, topped with poached eggs, but instead of the traditional ham and hollandaise, it was finished with delicious roasted chicken and slathered in creamy, earthy brown gravy. I’ll pause while you wipe the drool from your chin…. The Benedict was served with some extra creamy grits and an endless cup of joe. What more could you ask for? Oh, a hottie behind the counter? Yeah, they’ve got one of those as well. Allllriiigt!!

Ria’s Bluebird - I really love this place! It’s up there with Thumbs Up and Social House as my favorite brunch joints in the city. This amazing dish started with a fluffy biscuit base, topped with poached eggs, but instead of the traditional ham and hollandaise, it was finished with delicious roasted chicken and slathered in creamy, earthy brown gravy. I’ll pause while you wipe the drool from your chin…. The Benedict was served with some extra creamy grits and an endless cup of joe. What more could you ask for? Oh, a hottie behind the counter? Yeah, they’ve got one of those as well. Allllriiigt!!
Jun 6, 2009 9:12pm
Brunch at The Nook -part 2: I stopped by The Nook again this morning. This time, I got the “Spicy Hash”, which is basically a heap of their (in)famous tots broken down and mixed with some slices of jalepenos, andouille sausage, and topped with a couple of poached eggs. In other words, the best hangover cure I can think of; greasy goodness with plenty of carbs, some protein, and a bit of a kick to sweat out the mistakes of the night before. This dish was sinful, delicious, and filling. If you’re at The Nook for brunch, get this. You won’t be sorry.

Brunch at The Nook -part 2: I stopped by The Nook again this morning. This time, I got the “Spicy Hash”, which is basically a heap of their (in)famous tots broken down and mixed with some slices of jalepenos, andouille sausage, and topped with a couple of poached eggs. In other words, the best hangover cure I can think of; greasy goodness with plenty of carbs, some protein, and a bit of a kick to sweat out the mistakes of the night before. This dish was sinful, delicious, and filling. If you’re at The Nook for brunch, get this. You won’t be sorry.
Jun 6, 2009 8:53pm
Brunch at The Nook -this place is less than 100 yards from my door, great patio, good beer, and pretty decent food. It’s a nice addition to the nieghborhood. So I went to try out the brunch last weekend, and got the chicken and waffles. This is one of my favorite brunch dishes in existence, so my standards are a bit lofty. This incarnation differs from the norm because the waffles are made from corn meal, with some jalepenos thrown in for good measure, so that they are more of a soft cornbread. As is a theme on this blog, I was pleasently surprised at how well this dish worked, with the major proviso that the honey served with this dish is crucially important. Honey really is the natural sweetner to use here as I’m sure anyone would agree that it’s flavor and texture marry well with both chicken (popeye’s/bogangle’s)and cornbread. When you toss in the jalepenos, it all the better. Indeed, syrup would just ruin the dish altogether. Overall, not the best chicken and waffles I’ve ever had, but definitely unique and enjoyable.

Brunch at The Nook -this place is less than 100 yards from my door, great patio, good beer, and pretty decent food. It’s a nice addition to the nieghborhood. So I went to try out the brunch last weekend, and got the chicken and waffles. This is one of my favorite brunch dishes in existence, so my standards are a bit lofty. This incarnation differs from the norm because the waffles are made from corn meal, with some jalepenos thrown in for good measure, so that they are more of a soft cornbread. As is a theme on this blog, I was pleasently surprised at how well this dish worked, with the major proviso that the honey served with this dish is crucially important. Honey really is the natural sweetner to use here as I’m sure anyone would agree that it’s flavor and texture marry well with both chicken (popeye’s/bogangle’s)and cornbread. When you toss in the jalepenos, it all the better. Indeed, syrup would just ruin the dish altogether. Overall, not the best chicken and waffles I’ve ever had, but definitely unique and enjoyable.
May 31, 2009 3:06pm
Z Pizza - so the concept of this joint is that everything is natural/organic. I usually like that kind of thing, but when it comes to a good pie, I was rather skeptical. So I ordered a margherita, with a roasted garlic sauce, tomatoes, basil, mozzerella, and added some chicken Italian sausage. Well, the pie was actually really quite tasty. The garlic sauce was rather strong, but it worked for me as I do love the garlic. The tomatoes were really what made this pie; they were fresh, and actually tasted like a damn tomato. The Italian sausage left a bit to be desired, but it was still a nice addition. The cheese was nice and gooey, but it did lack a bit of the fat that you usually expect from full fat cheese which gave it a bit of strange mouthfeel. But, these set backs really weren’t that detrimental to the pizza overall. So for a all-natural / organic pie, not bad at all.

Z Pizza - so the concept of this joint is that everything is natural/organic. I usually like that kind of thing, but when it comes to a good pie, I was rather skeptical. So I ordered a margherita, with a roasted garlic sauce, tomatoes, basil, mozzerella, and added some chicken Italian sausage. Well, the pie was actually really quite tasty. The garlic sauce was rather strong, but it worked for me as I do love the garlic. The tomatoes were really what made this pie; they were fresh, and actually tasted like a damn tomato. The Italian sausage left a bit to be desired, but it was still a nice addition. The cheese was nice and gooey, but it did lack a bit of the fat that you usually expect from full fat cheese which gave it a bit of strange mouthfeel. But, these set backs really weren’t that detrimental to the pizza overall. So for a all-natural / organic pie, not bad at all.
May 22, 2009 9:55am
WARNING: Highly controversial material! This is a picture of one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. It very well may be the best burger in Atlanta. And yes, I have eaten one of Ms. Ann’s. This was a perfect medium-rare, grass-fed, locally raised, juicy, and damn good burger. But, it doesn’t stop there, that cheese in the picture? Yeah, it’s homemade pimento cheese spread. Fresh lettuce, ripe tomato, and a couple of pickles served on a fresh, soft roll. It’s served with a cold ramen salad-type dish, and I had to wash it all down with a sweet tea. Where can you find this delicious creation? None other than Cabbagetown Market. I know, who knew?!

WARNING: Highly controversial material! This is a picture of one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. It very well may be the best burger in Atlanta. And yes, I have eaten one of Ms. Ann’s. This was a perfect medium-rare, grass-fed, locally raised, juicy, and damn good burger. But, it doesn’t stop there, that cheese in the picture? Yeah, it’s homemade pimento cheese spread. Fresh lettuce, ripe tomato, and a couple of pickles served on a fresh, soft roll. It’s served with a cold ramen salad-type dish, and I had to wash it all down with a sweet tea. Where can you find this delicious creation? None other than Cabbagetown Market. I know, who knew?!
May 19, 2009 12:25pm
Xingu beer - a black lager that is a favorite of mine when I go to Highland Cigar for a smoke. It’s apparently a Brazilian import, named after a tributary of the Amazon. It’s got a rich, almost creamy flavor that’s not too malty, and has a nice anise aroma. Not too bitter, but it lets you know it’s there. I think the most attractive feature is the silky mouth feel. The texture combined with the creamy, anise flavor makes for nice balance to a nice medium-full to full-bodied cigar.

Xingu beer - a black lager that is a favorite of mine when I go to Highland Cigar for a smoke. It’s apparently a Brazilian import, named after a tributary of the Amazon. It’s got a rich, almost creamy flavor that’s not too malty, and has a nice anise aroma. Not too bitter, but it lets you know it’s there. I think the most attractive feature is the silky mouth feel. The texture combined with the creamy, anise flavor makes for nice balance to a nice medium-full to full-bodied cigar.
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