Review of Nava

NAVA

3060 Peachtree Rd
Atlanta, GA 30305
404-240-1984
http://www.buckheadrestaurants.com/nava.html











On 5/19, Chris R. and Rachel went to Nava for a birthday dinner.


What did you order? How was your food?

Appetizer: White Corn Asiago Nachos, Hickory Fired Chicken, Queso Cotija Fundido - delish

Wanted the Ancho Chile Grilled Flatiron Steak, Fire Roasted Onions, Chipotle BBQ, but unfortunately they had changed their menu/chef and no longer carried it, so, I got a Ribeye Steak with Roasted Red Pepper Polenta Fries, of course it was really good.

What did your companions order? How was their food?

Red Snapper with Roast Garlic-Chipotle Whipped Potatoes (Not on the online menu…which I think is outdated) She liked it.

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received?

Good, really good. Waiter was genuine and honest. Very new, and seemed a little nervous, but knew the items and could offer knowledgeable suggestions (even told us about the specials which “weren’t very special so you should stick to the menu!"). Definitely a breath of fresh air in such a stuffy restaurant.

What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Very cool.

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

You pay for the high quality food, service and atmosphere...

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.
This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food 9 • Quick bite • Family-friendly

• Outdoor • Romantic 9 • Special occasion 9

Was a little disappointed that not only could we not make a reservation for the patio, but we also dropped the fact that it was Rachel’s birthday, and neither the hostess nor the waiter took much notice.

Taste of Sandy Springs

The first annual Taste of Sandy Springs was held on May 21st. The festival showcased Sandy Springs restaurants and businesses on a stretch of Sandy Springs Circle. I was lucky enough to get a gift certificate for ten tickets, worth $20. Each ticket could be exchanged for a sample plate from a restaurant booth. My mother and I had a ball tasting the large variety of dishes. Everything was actually really good. Following is a description of our taste adventure.









Artuzzi’s Italian Kitchen – 7.5

http://www.artuzzis.com/
At this booth, we tried a meatball sub and a cannoli. The bread on the sub was fresh and tasted great, a very good sub overall; and the cannoli was excellent. No pic, sorry!


Boneheads – 7.5

http://www.eatboneheads.com/
The Boneheads booth had a choice of peel and eat shrimp and lemon piri piri chicken. I chose the chicken, which was served with rice and was available in medium or hotter spice levels. I got medium, which was spicy but edible without much discomfort. The piri piri chicken was really good.












Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar - 8


http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/
Fleming’s booth offered Seared Ahi Tuna plates. The tuna was flavorful and a bit salty, served with carrot salad, wasabi, and ginger-mustard sauce. It was pretty good.














Garrison’s Broiler & Tap – 9


http://www.garrisonsatlanta.com/
One of my favorite samples – Asian Chicken Salad. Presentation was really cute in a Chinese Takeout container with chopsticks. The sweet, tender chicken was scrumptious, the cabbage crisp and refreshing. It was topped with a wasabi dressing. Great dish!














Sultan’s Lebanese & Turkish Cuisine – 8.5


The gentleman at this booth was very charming – he thought that it was strange that I said he was “sweet.” (He gave me all three options for the price of one ticket). There was kibby, spinach pie, and Mediterranean meat pie. I looked up kibby, and my source said that the “basic ingredients of Bulghur, Meat, Onions, Nuts and Spices are all common.” It was similar to falafel, but had a more spiced flavor. Very good. The pies were both delicious - the spinach pie was a little sour. I had never tasted that exact flavor before, but it was not overpowering, and my mom and I both liked it.





Nothing But Noodles – 9


http://www.nothingbutnoodles.com/
So tasty! We were served Basil Pesto bowtie pasta. Here is the description from their website – “Basil Pesto - Farfalle pasta tossed with fresh mushrooms, tomatoes and our original basil pesto cream sauce. Garnished with fresh basil and grated Parmesan and Romano cheese. (Sauce contains walnuts.)” I was expecting a plain, adequate flavor, but this dish surprised me with its buttery, exquisite pesto flavor. I definitely recommend it!








Joli Kobe Bakery & Bistro – 8

http://www.jolikobe.com/
This extremely popular restaurant had a beautiful display offering ravioli, wild mushroom crepes, duck confit, and a plethora of cookies and mini-pies. Everything looked delicious. We tried the duck confit rillettes on toast. Duck is not a personal favorite, but I did enjoy the dish. The toast was crunchy, a perfect complement to the tender duck, and red pepper slices added a nice touch of color.






Singha Thai – 8.5

This booth was wonderfully decorated with carved roses and lovely Thai food. We chose satay chicken with peanut sauce. It was really good! This simple dish was served on a stick and we had nothing bad to say about it.

Meehan’s Public House – 8.5

http://www.meehansalehouse.com/
Meehan’s Public House presented two dishes, slider burgers and ahi tuna tostadas. We tried the slider burgers. The website reads, “101 Slider Burgers - Tomato Jam, Boursin Cheese, Bread n Butter Pickle.” They were good, but I preferred mine without the large, sweet pickle on it. My mom was fine with it, though. I plan to visit this pub because it seems upscale and has an Irish theme.

Taste of Sandy Springs was so much fun! I can't wait to go next year!

IKEA Restaurant - Review

IKEA Restaurant

Atlantic Station

441 16th St.

Atlanta, GA 30363

Open 9:30-8:30 Daily

My mother and I visited IKEA for lunch on 5/19/2007. The IKEA Restaurant also serves breakfast. IKEA is a fascinating store, an import straight from Sweden that offers Swedish furniture and ideas to the U.S. instead of conforming to ours. They don't seem to worry that Swedish things might be too strange for us, instead, they seem sure that we will love everything, and we do... because it is all priced so low. They really do have some great products, and the restaurant is adequate for sustenance and as a food adventure.

IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943, when Ingvar was 17. His father gave him the gift of starting his own business as a reward for good scholarship. The name IKEA is his initials and the first letters of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, the farm and village where he grew up. "IKEA originally sold pens, wallets, picture frames, table runners, watches, jewellery and nylon stockings - whatever Ingvar found a need for that he could fill with a product at a reduced price. When Ingvar Kamprad outgrew his ability to make individual sales calls, he began advertising in local newspapers and operating a makeshift mail order catalog. He distributed his products via the county milk van, which delivered them to the nearby train station."

Back to food - The restaurant is on the second floor and is modern and colorful. I felt like I was in Legoland. Food is served in cafeteria style, similar to La Madeleine. First you select a dessert. I chose Blueberry Cake, my mother chose Daim Cake (like Swedish Snickers Pie). The next case displayed cold sandwiches and salads, some bizarre in appearance like the Shrimp Sandwich.

We decided to have hot entrees. I ordered the Daily Special, Swedish Meatballs and Mac and Cheese; Mom selected the Herb Poached Salmon. We drank bottled water. Our meal came to around $17 for two.

My meal was filling and delicious. Apparently, IKEA has Swedish Meatballs down. They are served with a flavorful gravy and with lingonberry jam! I obligingly dipped my meatballs in the jam and loved it. An interesting combination, but very tasty.

My mother enjoyed her Herb Poached Salmon, which came with new potatoes and vegetables, but I thought the salmon appeared to be a bit overdone. Its texture and flavor were fine, though.

We split the desserts in half so we could taste both. The Blueberry Cake was sweet and really good. There was a light graham-type crust on the bottom, a creamy layer, and a jam layer on top. The Daim Cake was even better with layers of a sweet creamy yellow pudding-like substance and layers of chocolate candy. The top was coated with nuts and chocolate, but the flavor is delicate.

I loved going to the IKEA Restaurant. When you finish, you put your tray on a trolley and the staff removes the trolleys. There are lots of unique touches. Also, you can purchase Swedish cookies and foods at the restaurant. If you want even more selection, there is a whole Swedish foodmarket down on the first floor!

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.

This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food 7 • Quick bite 8 • Family-friendly 10

• Outdoor • Romantic • Special occasion

Review of The Colonnade Restaurant

The Colonnade Restaurant
1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd. NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-874-5642





Chris R. and his girlfriend, Rachel, ate dinner at the Colonnade on 5/8/2007.

What did you order? How was your food?

Chicken Fried Chicken, Mac and Cheese, Sweet Potato Fries, Rolls, Cornbread (Can’t get enough carbs).

What did your companions order? How was their food?

Veggie Plate: Collard Greens, Baked Potato, Stewed Tomatoes and Okra.

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received?

Pretty good…not real friendly to us, but we were the youngest people in there by at least 30 yrs (I’m 24). Fast service though.

What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Décor is charming. Quaint little restaurant…seems like it has been there forever.

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

Yeah. We spent about 30 bucks for two, but that included a glass of wine, and we were stuffed by the time we left.

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.
This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food 8.5 • Quick bite • Family-friendly 9

• Outdoor • Romantic • Special occasion

Enjoyed it. Not too many convenient places in Atlanta that serve legitimate Southern food done right. Menu has pretty much every type of Southern entrée you can think of…and most every vegetable. I’ll definitely be back, but be sure to take cash/check or a debit card to withdraw money…no credit cards allowed.

Review of Six Feet Under - New 11th Street Location

SIX FEET UNDER – Westside

685 11th Street

Atlanta, GA 30318

404-810-0040

www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com

Chris visited Six Feet Under's new location on 11th St. between Howell Mill and Northside Dr. He ate dinner there on 4/18/2007 with three companions.

What did you order? How was your food?


Ordered Fried Calamari as an appetizer. It was good. Then Combo Tacos (catfish, calamari, shrimp) with Homemade Potato Chips.

What did your companions order? How was their food?

Baked Grouper with Parmesan x 2 and Seafood Quesadilla.

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received? What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Good…light-hearted service. Atmosphere was cool. Old warehouse in industrial area of Midtown West. View is ridiculous! Worth calling ahead and waiting to be on the upstairs deck. You can see Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead from your seat sitting above the tree line.

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

Yes, $10-15 meals with a great view and comparable to many upscale seafood restaurants.

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.
This restaurant is best for (Choose all that apply)

• Good food - 9

• Outdoor - 10

I highly recommend it.

Review of White House Restaurant

White House Restaurant
3172 Peachtree Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA 30305

Chris R. ate breakfast here on 4/7/2007 with one other guest.


What did you order? How was your food?

Bacon, Eggs, toast, hashbrowns. Decent. Wanted to try them because I heard they are Greek (got to support my Greeks), but really nothing special.

What did your companions order? How was their food?

Omelet - Decent

Describe your impressions of the service. Was anything exceptionally good (or bad) about the quality of service you received? What do you think of the décor and atmosphere?

Typical small diner. Reminds me of the yesteryears. Service was fine, nice lady but she was swamped, so she forgot to refill coffee, get hot sauce, etc.

Do you consider this a good value for the money you spent? If no, why not?

Yeah average value. Around 20 bucks for 2 of us.