Review of Seasons 52 - Perimeter Mall

(Seasons 52 is located on a Perimeter Mall outparcel, near Dillards. Our reviewer visited Seasons 52 for lunch on 1/22/07 with one companion).

What did you order? How was your food?
I ordered the seasonal vegetable plate. It was enormous! Arrived with carrots speared on a rosemary stem, asparagus spears, broccoli, cabernet mushrooms, a roasted garlic clove, barbecue tofu, black bean salad and couscous. I enjoyed it all, except stayed away from the garlic!

The barbecue sauce on the tofu had an unexpected kick to it! The black bean salad was by far my favorite dish and I think the couscous had a bit too much mint. But overall, this is an incredible plate for around the $11 price point. And the best part is every dish at Season’s 52 is under 500 calories!

What did your companions order? How was their food?
Curry salmon over rice with asparagus pieces. The curry had the right balance of spice and mild…the plate was cleaned on this dish!

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received? The service at Season’s 52 is impeccable. Perfect amount of attention, the servers very professional and they know the menu well. Be sure to make a reservation, even for lunch. This place is very popular.

What do you think of the décor and atmosphere? Fabulous Frank Lloyd Wright style of architecture. Love the fireplace in the waiting area. The bar is fabulous with a piano in the middle for evening entertainment. Always quite crowded, but a good mix of professional clientele.

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not? Yes, absolutely so. The freshness and quality of the food is perfect.

This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food • Quick bite • Business events

• Outdoor • Romantic • Special occasion



(Desserts at Seasons 52)

Review of Joli Kobe by Kim Sheffield

Kim Sheffield -
Joli Kobe (Roswell Road)
Tapas, Wine & Jazz after Work

Last Monday night, Kim Rice and I met after work at Joli Kobe Restaurant. The tapas were awesome and very reasonable as you get 3 tapas for $9.99. I had the crab claws, shrimp & pizza. The tapas also comes with green beans, barely cooked, but very yummy. We had a very attentive manager who poured our drinks all night long. They also have regular food too, but I've only had the tapas.

The atmosphere was very relaxing and open with tall windows to see out and a shaded lamp that changed colors ever so smoothly to the cool grooves of the band. Last Monday was particularly nice because the artist Michael and his band were celebrating Michael's birthday and bottles of wine were 1/2 off. They also had people from the audience (I'm assuming friends of his) who literally brought their instruments and joined the band to play even more songs.
A very cool place to unwind on a back-to-work Monday.

Super Bowl Snacks

Atlantan Alton Brown's Slacker Jacks - Super Bowl Snacks



Well, the most exciting holidays in the near future are Groundhog Day on February 2nd and the Super Bowl on February 4th. Groundhog Day does not inspire many culinary ideas.

If you have children, you can try creating snacks from cupcakes or pigs-in-blankets or donuts to simulate the emergence of Punxsutawney Phil, or alternatively create a "dirt pie" with pudding and crumbs. If interested, see Google. The Groundhog Day site is fabulous, though, at www.groundhog.org. They have a recipe for Groundhog Cookies in their Celebrate section.

Obviously, the Super Bowl is synonymous with food, and even though our Falcons aren't in it this year, we can still choose the Bears or the Colts and have a good time. Alton Brown has submitted this delicious recipe called "Slacker Jacks" for a party snack. I've also included a fantastic recipe for Chile-Rubbed Sirloin and Chile Nachos. I'll be making both of these for my party.

Slacker Jacks
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2006

See this recipe on air Monday Jan. 29 at 7:00 PM ET/PT.
Show:
Good Eats
Episode:
Pop Culture

3 ounces popped popcorn, approximately 3 quarts 1 cup salted peanuts 4 ounces unsalted butter 16 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 2 cups 1/4 cup dark corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray as well and set aside.
Combine the popcorn and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla and stir until combined. Heat the mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F, approximately 10 minutes.
Pour the syrup over the popcorn and stir to combine. You will need to work quickly because the syrup hardens rapidly. Spread the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Cool completely.
Break into pieces and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.















Chile-Rubbed Sirloin and Green Chile Nachos
Recipe courtesy Kate Heyhoe, Macho Nachos, Clarkson Potter, 2003

The inspiration for these ultra-macho nachos comes from a diner in Sante Fe, New Mexico, where I was served an enormous platter of charcoal grilled steak blanketed with fire-roasted green chiles and sharp cheese. Now I make the same dish at home, cooking up enough steak for leftovers to enjoy as nachos the next day.
Green Chile Nachos: 4 to 5 ounces corn tortilla chips 8 ounces shredded Monterey jack (about 3 cups) 1/2 cup canned roasted green chilies, or 2 roasted and peeled green chiles, diced 1 recipe Chile-Rubbed Sirloin, diced, recipe follows 3 ounces shredded 4 or 6 Italian blend cheese(about 1 cup) Avocado Crema, recipe follows Finely sliced lettuce and chopped onion, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F or preheat the broiler, with the rack positioned about 7 inches from the top of the oven or the heat source.
Assemble the nachos: Arrange the chips on a 12 by 18-inch baking sheet or ovenproof platter. Top each chip with a layer of Monterey Jack, followed in order by the chiles, sirloin, and cheese blend.
Bake the nachos for 5 to 7 minutes, or broil, until the cheese is soft and bubbly.
Before serving, squeeze streaks of Avocado Crema and Chipotle Mayonnaise, to taste, over the nachos, if using, and garnish with lettuce and onions.
Chile-Rubbed Sirloin: 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground red chile 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper 3/4 pound sirloin steak 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon soy sauce (recommended: Kikkoman)
In a small bowl, combine the salt, chile, cumin, garlic, cinnamon, and pepper. Rub the steak all over with the mix. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Heat a grill or the broiler until very hot. Rub the steak all over with the olive oil and soy sauce. Grill or broil the steak very close to the heat, about 3 minutes per side, until medium rare. Set aside for 10 minutes before slicing or dicing.
Yield: 1 steak Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Ease of Preparation: easy
Avocado Crema: 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pit removed 1/2 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 1/2 limes) 1/4 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon salt
Puree all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Funnel into a squeeze bottle. The mixture should be thin enough to streak easily. If not, add a few drips more lime juice or buttermilk. Plug the top of the nozzle with a toothpick and chill until read to use. The mixture will keep for 2 days refrigerated.
Yield: 1 1/3 cup Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Easy of preparation: easy

Chicago Bears vs. Indianapolis Colts
Feb. 4 at Dolphin Stadium, Miami
Kickoff 6:25 p.m. on CBS

Have a great time!

- Rebecca C.

Review of Ege Sushi and Japanese Cuisine

Review by Rebecca

Here's a quick summation - Welcoming, cozy atmosphere. Traditional, mid-priced. Enjoyable experience. I'll definitely go back. I got tempura and sushi. Here's what their sushi plate looks like -

Their website is www.ege-sushi.com

Info-

2100 Roswell Road, Suite f100
Marietta, GA 30062

(770) 977-7690

Dinner Hours are as follows: Mon - Thurs 5 PM until 10 PM Fri and Sat 5 PM until 10:30 PM Closed on Sun Lunch Hours are as follows: Mon – Fri 11:30 AM until 2 PM Closed for lunch on Sat and Sun.

Review of Outback Steakhouse - Kennesaw

Outback Steakhouse - Kennesaw Location
810 Ernest W. Barrett Pkwy, NE
Kennesaw, GA 30144

Rebecca Causey's Review of Outback Steakhouse - Kennesaw.
Visited for dinner on Friday, 1/12/07

I chose the Bronzed Chicken with Corn Cakes - bronzed chicken breast served with grilled corn cakes, topped with shrimp and mushrooms in a vermouth cream sauce. I had never heard of bronzing except as something you do to preserve an object, and as a hilarious joke on a T.V. show called "Tom Goes to the Mayor."

It turns out that it is similar to blackening, which was invented by Paul Prudhomme. Bronzing was invented by his friend and fellow New Orleans chef, Frank Davis, who writes that "bronzing differed from blackening in so much as a Teflon skillet was used to replace the cast iron skillet, the dipping vat of liquid butter was replaced by a tablespoon of margarine, and the cayenne in the seasoning spice was toned down by about half (I was intent on creating a lighter alternative to a great technique).

"Later, of course, after months of prodding by my radio listeners and TV fans, I bottled my Bronzing Mix seasoning formula, which is now my Number One best selling spice, and which has now become one of New Orleans' most common all-purpose seasonings." Wow! I learned about a new flavoring technique just by eating at Outback. How provincial am I!?

Anyway, with my delightful New Orleans-inspired meal I drank Miller Lite, which was served very cold. I like the warm brown bread Outback serves before the meal. It's very similar to the breadsticks we offered when I worked at Ruby Tuesday, but I like the flavor of Outback's bread more. It's delicious with the sweet butter it comes with.

My entree was excellent. The cream sauce was very flavorful and went well with all of the components of the dish. Chicken and Corn Cakes together are reminiscent of a family reunion or church potluck where you eat fried chicken and cornbread, and this higher-end twist turns out to be a great success. The corn cakes were just as large as the chicken breast! Unfortunately, our server informed me that this item is going to be taken off the menu. I hope they replace it with something just as good.

My companion got the Melbourne, a 20 oz. porterhouse steak that came with Outback's signature fries. He drank Bass and coke. Before the entree, he also ate a caesar salad. He asked for the steak to be cooked medium, and it was perfect. His only complaint was that there was a good bit of gristle on the edges, but overall he really enjoyed his dinner. The caesar salads there are consistently good with fresh lettuce and a nice balance of ingredients.

For dessert, I shared cheesecake with chocolate topping with my fiance. The cheesecake had a perfect creamy texture with a golden edge on the exterior. We wished that we had ordered two slices instead of sharing, even though it was a generous slice. A convenient alternative place to get decent cheesecake is in the Publix Bakery. It's almost as good as Outback's.

Our server was a pleasant young woman who got everything right. She took a little while to return when we ordered beer a couple of times, but she said that it was the bartender's fault. It was only a couple of minutes delay, no big deal. Overall, the service was really good. Outback's atmosphere is always the same, and I always like it. As an Australophile, I enjoy seeing all of the aboriginal artwork and photographs, along with stuffed kangaroos and boomerangs. The music is hard to hear with all of the talking, but they play an interesting selection of '80s, '90s, and recent music.

I think that Outback is a good deal. My fiance and I often visit Outback and never feel that we spend too much for the quality of food we get. We were disappointed to find out that our usual branch on Delk Road closed down, but we had been to the Kennesaw location several times, so that will be our new destination. Weekend nights are outrageously crowded at all restaurants along Barrett Parkway, but we were able to get a booth at the bar right away after being told that we would have to wait 30 minutes.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best), how would you rate this restaurant compared to the other restaurants you visit on a regular basis. 8

This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)
• Good food • Quick bite • Family-friendly
• Outdoor • Romantic • Special occasion

Stoney River Legendary Steaks - Review

Stoney River Legendary Steaks
(678) 461-7900
http://www.stoneyriver.com/
10524 Alpharetta Hwy
Roswell, GA 30076

Our reviewer visited Stoney River on January 3rd, 2007.

I ordered the tenderloin medallions, asparagus with hollandaise, and lobster tail. The tenderloins were fork tender to cut, melt in your mouth. Even better dredged in the hollandaise that came with the asparagus. The asparagus was not perfectly cooked, a bit tough, so I had to enjoy the tips and not the entire stalk like I usually do.

The lobster tail was delicious, but at $16.99 to add on to any steak, I would prefer the version at Outback which is only a $7.99 add on! Stoney River brings out a basket of poppyseed rolls that were hot and totally melted in your mouth. Spread with some of the honey butter that is served, and I almost filled up before my entrée arrived!

My guest ordered the petite filet, medium rare, with marinated mushrooms and potatoes julian. The filet was cooked perfectly and of good quality, the mushrooms were average, but the potatoes were soooo heavily flavored with rosemary that neither of us enjoyed them.

Our server was attentive without being over the top, he was happy to bring us a sample glass of the wine we were considering to purchase by the bottle. This was my first time dining there and I expected more of an upscale atmosphere, more like Chops or Bones. This felt a bit too "Chain restaurant" for me. It was very crowded, on a Wednesday night after the holidays. I think Stoney River is overpriced. I kept comparing my meal to one I would get at another chain: Outback…the steaks there are just as good and the lobster a much better value.

When I was presented with a gift card to Stoney River, I was hoping for more of an upscale experience. What I got was very good steak, average side dishes, good service, but a loud and crowded dining experience. Not sure I will visit again unless perhaps I am given another gift card ;)

This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)
• Good food • Quick bite • Family-friendly
• Outdoor • Romantic • Special occasion

New Atlanta Foodies Aprons and Apparel Store!

The Atlanta Foodies online store features aprons, cool t-shirts, and Atlanta souvenirs.
Click on the red apron below to start shopping!
The link on the left of the screen opens a larger view.

AN ATLANTA FOOD HISTORY

*ATLANTA CUISINE*

Coca-Cola
Let's start our story with Coca-Cola. Coke, (the southern word for soda), was invented in Atlanta on May 8th, 1886 by a pharmacist named Dr. John Stith Pemberton. The local pharmacy loved Coca-Cola -- it originally contained cocaine! In fact, Coca-Cola didn't become completely cocaine-free until 1929, but there was barely any left in the formula by then. Coca-Cola sold as a soda fountain drink until its bottling in 1894. I still think Coca-Cola is most delicious when drunk from a frosty glass bottle.

Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme makes melt-in-your-mouth, exquisite glazed doughnuts. Krispy Kreme actually started in North Carolina, but it spread throughout the Southeast. My kindergarten class in Decatur, Georgia went on a field trip to their factory. I think I recall catching chicken pox that day, but my most vivid memory of the visit is of dozens of crullers moving through an assembly line.

Chick-Fil-A
Chick-fil-A is a real Atlanta original. Truett Cathy opened the Dwarf Grill in 1946, revolutionizing fast food with the most delicious chicken sandwich ever invented. In my opinion, their breading is unparalled in flavor. The first Chick-fil-A store in a mall opened in 1967 in Greenbriar Mall. Chick-fil-A's are always closed on Sundays so that employees can have family time or attend church.

Traditional Georgian Food
Here's the short list of Georgian foods (which I grew up eating) -- Everyone should know that Southern Breakfasts are as big as all get out. Then there's Biscuits, Molasses, Grits, Deep-Fried Chicken, Cornbread, Sweet Tea, Sweet Potato, Ham, Chicken-Fried Steak, Collard Greens, Barbecue, Fried Okra, Black Eyed Peas, Hominy, Peaches, Peanuts, and many kinds of pie. I love Apple Pie with Sharp Cheddar Cheese. It's right tasty. A la Mode is scrumptious, too! Georgians love their sweets!

Why is Southern Food the way it is?
Originally, Native American tribes such as the Cherokee and the Creek lived in Georgia. Then, immigrants flooded in from Europe. Many immigrants to Georgia were Scots-Irish and English, including my ancestors. Native Americans died from imported diseases as well as conflicts with settlers.

Legislation enabled the Europeans to oust Native Americans from their homes and force them to move to reservations. The Georgia state government held lotteries and gave all of the Cherokee land to whites. Cherokees' rights were basically taken away. Even though the U.S. Supreme Court supported the Cherokees' rights to their land, the decision was unenforceable.

My county of residence, Cobb, was a starting point for The Trail of Tears, when the Cherokee had to walk without enough provisions and under terrible conditions all the way to Oklahoma . It is estimated that more than 4,000 Cherokee died on the journey, almost a fifth of their entire remaining population at the time.

Despite the horrors and difficulty of the warfare between the settlers and Native Americans, most Georgians adopted Native American food and methods of cooking, and blended them with English, Scottish and Irish food. Corn, whiskey, and potatoes are some New World foods.

Another important factor in Southern Food is the influence of African-American Cuisine. The forced immigration of slaves from Africa was legal in Georgia from 1751 to 1865. Slave traders and Africans actually imported food from Africa to the South. These include field peas, okra, eggplant, peanuts, and yams. Peanuts and Yams are extremely important to Southern Cuisine, but who knew that they hail from Africa?

On plantations, African-Americans ate meal, rice, vegetables, salt, molasses, pork, and sometimes fish and coffee. There was rampant malnutrition since slaves were forced to do heavy labor, but were not fed sufficiently or nutritiously in most cases. African-American Southern Cuisine today still derives directly from the time of slavery. When African-Americans were emancipated, many continued to eat the same cuisine as in times of slavery, but over time the traditional slave diet has evolved into "soul food," and a modern African-American Southern Cuisine which is a major part of the rich heritage of Southern Food.

Food in Modern Atlanta
Cuisine in Atlanta today is metropolitan and varied. However, Southern Cuisine still reigns in many Atlanta restaurants. Atlantans regularly eat fried chicken and barbecue, and they still eat hearty breakfasts of biscuits, pancakes, or waffles accompanied by grits and bacon. In the future, Atlanta will continue to embrace its growing diversity of cuisines and cultures, but Atlantans could never live without sweet tea ... and what Atlantan could ever give up Coca-Cola!

Atlanta Restaurant Reviews!

Look for Atlanta Restaurant Reviews and more starting this week! More reviews and fun articles will be added continuously. Visit frequently, and I'll be happy!