Baci by Cafe at Pharr

Mussels of the day: today, served in a bacon cream sauce - we had to ask for more bread to sop up all the delicious sauce!

I was recently invited to check out Baci, a new restaurant by the owners of the famous Cafe at Pharr local chain. During lunch, Baci serves some of the same delicious salads and sandwiches offered at Cafe at Pharr (I'm partial to the curry and walnut chicken salad plates) but during dinner they have a totally different, delicious menu. The dinner menu is a combination of eclectic dishes that are both Mediterranean and Eastern (Asian) inspired. Since I adore all types of Asian food and really enjoy Mediterranean fare as well, this is a concept that makes me smile! The atmosphere at Baci is very inviting and once the liquor license comes through they expect to have an extensive wine list - all the better for enjoying at the bar. Service was excellent throughout our meal, which is always a good sign!

The lovely bar.



Japanese Ceviche - more like sashimi than ceviche!

We started with the delicious mussels, pictured up top, served with grilled bread. The chef's preparation, which changes regularly, included a bacon cream sauce which provided a tasty bath for the succulent, plump mussels - definitely a good choice. We saw other tables with the Mediterranean tasting plate, which looked like a good option for group sharing. The Japanese ceviche is more like sashimi with ponzu sauce and jalepeno slices. Although I enjoyed the raw salmon (I always love raw salmon) it was definitely not what we were expecting from "ceviche".

Baci burger - all Kobe beef served with homemade pickles and duck fat fries - yum!

The best entree we tried was the Chilean sea bass, served with perfect Japanese rice on the side and a bed of spinach over a Hong Kong soy broth; the flavor is light, delicate and fantastic. The burger (above) is unique in that only certified Kobe beef is used. This results in a juicy, extremely flavorful burger. Although I loved the idea of duck fat fries these did not taste much different from other fries I've enjoyed lately - I guess I expected a meatier flavor. But you don't need it when you have the Kobe beef. In order to try more from the menu, we also sampled the chef's risotto of the day: butternut squash.

Chilean sea bass with white rice (served on the side) and spinach. Favorite of the meal!



Butternut squash risotto - very tasty albeit a bit chewy.



Dessert sampler: red velvet cake, lemon fruit tart with raspberries, blueberries and kiwi and moon pie and salted caramel gelatos from Honeysuckle Gelato. All of the desserts were excellent, especially the unique gelato flavors which change on a weekly basis.



Nespresso selection and beautiful cafe latte.

Baci is a great new option in Brookhaven. I look forward to returning to try more from the menu, especially since the selections change frequently.

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Red Pepper Taqueria

Delicious chicken mole!

I was recently invited to check out the newly opened Red Pepper Taqueria located in the old Artuzzi's location at the corner of Briarcliff and LaVista. Red Pepper opened just after New Year's and it is evident that a lot of thoughtful work was done to prepare the space prior to opening. The interior has changed significantly for the better - it's very festive with an open feeling, although it is quite loud when full (a common problem). A full bar has been added and get this - there are beer taps at the tables in the bar area. That's right, you can pour your own! We didn't try it but it looks like a lot of fun for groups or parties.

We did try quite a few of the dishes on the menu including the above signature chicken mole dish. Mole sauce can come in many forms but it usually includes several types of chili peppers, ground nuts, dried fruits and sometimes even unsweetened chocolate. In some cases mole can have as many as 25 - 30 ingredients! The chicken mole here is a stellar version that I recommend for those who have never tried mole sauce - it is a bit spicy, just the way I like it!

Chips and salsa - I like the green tomatillo best. The chips were warm and had good flavor.



Made to order guacamole - you can get it mild, medium or hot - yum!



My 2nd favorite dish after the mole - the tuna crudo in citrus marinade - this is so good I would have it all on its own for lunch! Can't wait to do that sometime.



Prickly pear juice (left) and LaVista martini (right) - both tasty - the juice by itself was too sweet but I added soda water and then it was perfect - a nice cooling drink to go with the spicy foods we tried. Calvin liked the martini too!



Tacos: carne asada, organic tofu and grilled trout - neat that they have so many fish and veggie options. You can have either corn or flour tortillas.



Flan - my favorite dessert of the bunch: creamy, sweet and delicious. It's also gluten free.



Churros with chocolate sauce - love the presentation here! I'd love to see the addition of a darker chocolate dipping sauce. The churros themselves were really tasty - sweet and fried to perfection.



El Pastel AKA Drunken Cake.

Red Pepper Taqueria is a welcome addition to the Druid Hills/Toco Hills area. Try it and let me know what you think! Judging from the crowd we saw on our visit this place is going to do very well!

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Muir Glen Tomato Dinner at Aria - Take 2

Fried Green Tomatoes with Deviled Egg Salad, Ruby Red Tomato & Dill Pickle Dressing.

I was excited to be invited to the second Muir Glen Tomato Dinner at Aria - I attended the first one earlier this year and you can see my post here. In celebration of its fine tomatoes, Muir Glen invites chefs around the country to create recipes using their organic canned tomatoes. Some chefs create a whole menu for guests to try at a special dinner. Before we sat down we enjoyed Tomato Clam Chowder; Tomato, white bean, red chard & fennel sausage soup; spicy Angus beef grillades and Southern Fried Chicken with Creamy Ruby Red Tomato Gravy (both served on buttermilk biscuits); grilled cheese, bacon & tomato keasters and Oak Grilled Ciabatta Bruschetta with Red & Yellow tomatoes and basil.

My favorites included the tomato, white bean, chard & sausage soup and the grilled cheese - both used the flavorful tomatoes perfectly.

Chef Gary Klaskala of Aria explaining the special tomato menu.

After the appetizers mentioned above, we sat down for a four course menu. We were also provided with samples of the tomatoes and reserve tomatoes - this year the reserve is called Harvest Sunset (trademark) and is a blend of red and yellow tomatoes. You can order a reserve basket here, which includes the recipe for the beef dish pictured below.

I am looking forward to making some chilli very soon using my tomatoes. I especially love the fire roasted tomatoes that Muir Glen produces. These tomatoes take canned to another level. To see recipe ideas, click here.

Pan Roasted Jumbo Prawn with Herbed Lobster Ruby Red Tomato Broth



Spicy Braised Angus Beef with Fire Roasted Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Gold Potatoes and Cilantro. This was my favorite dish (well, after the dessert!)



UpsideDown Tomato Cake with black Pepper Tomato Ice Cream. Simply delicious - it sounds odd but a very good combination!

Holly's Cupcake Shop

Clockwise from top left, Hummingbird, Lemon Drop, Buckeye Brownie, Cookie Monster, Pumpkin (seasonal) and Black Bottom.

Just before Thanksgiving I was lucky enough to be provided with delicious cupcakes from Holly's Cupcake Shop. Holly and her husband, Jonathan, own shops in Conyers (founded in 2009) and in Midtown Atlanta where ITP folks like me can pick up their delicious cupcakes without leaving our home turf. The midtown location is at Colony Square (1197 Peachtree St.)

Holly brought me a sampling of cupcakes in her decked out truck (pictured below), which is used to transport the finished cakes from the Conyers shop/bakery to the Midtown shop. My personal favorites include the seasonal Pumpkin - so moist and delicious - and the Back Bottom - love the cream cheese filling and vanilla cream cheese frosting. My cousin's son (age 4) loved the Cookie Monster (white cake with Oreo folded in and topped with cookies and cream frosting). All of the cupcakes were tasty and moist on the first day and they lasted pretty well for a few days (Holly recommends wrapping the bakery box in plastic wrap or transferring to an airtight container to retain moisture).

Unlike some cupcake shops, Holly bakes many types of cake for her cupcakes rather than only using chocolate and vanilla cake with a variety of frosting. For example, the Hummingbird cake contains banana, pineapple and pecans and the Banana Pudding cupcake has banana cake and banana pudding filling. Many of the cupcakes are filled, which gives them a unique taste and even more moisture - a real plus.

Holly's sells six flavors every day (Conyers is open Tuesday - Saturday and Colony Square is open Monday - Friday) and offers 5-6 daily flavor options. Check the website for details. Mini-cupcakes are also available (if ordered in advance).

Clockwise from top left, Red Velvet, Vanilla Chocolate, Chocolate Chocolate, Chocolate Vanilla, Vanilla Vanilla and Gingerbread (seasonal).



Holly's fabulous cupcake truck - used to transport sweet treats from the flagship store in Conyers to the midtown store at Colony Square.



I look forward to trying more varieties of Holly's Cupcakes soon!

Hillbilly Willy's Bar-B-Q - Chattanooga

Combo Plate with ribs and pulled pork.

On the way to MTSU for our nephew's football game, we stopped at Hillbilly Willy's Bar-B-Q and had a wonderful lunch. This family owned establishment is a great pit stop. The ribs and pulled pork were both particularly tasty. We also tried the chocolate coca-cola cake (not pictured) and it is also delicious.

The giant combo plate was enough for 2 to share, with delicious huge onion rings and homemade cole slaw in addition to the succulent, falling of the bone Q.



Specials on the board.



Owner George Foster cooks up all the meat right behind the restaurant.



Yum!



Located in a strip shopping mall just off I-24 - a great place to stop while on the road in Tennessee.

Roxx Tavern

Bacon cheeseburger with homemade chips.

Although we don't live far away, we'd never tried Roxx Tavern before our neighbor suggested that we go there for dinner one night. We really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the huge menu as well as the good service. We even went back again recently because they sent Calvin a $15 gift certificate for his birthday. The fish & chips were really tasty and the burgers are also excellent. We sat on the patio (enclosed for the cooler season now) both times we dined at Roxx and truly enjoyed the experience.

Fish & Chips.



Harvest salad with grilled chicken.



Fried twinkies.



Carrot cake - special of the day.

Tastykake Brand Hits Atlanta market

Variety of Tastykakes.

I was offered a sample of Tastykakes recently because they are now in the Atlanta market - the expansion also includes other parts of Georgia, Alabama and Florida. The cakes originate in Philadelphia (circa 1914) and are baked more often than some other packaged snacks, resulting in tastier goods and expiration dates that come sooner. The cakes' unique names include Krimpets, Kandy Kakes and Kreamies. I enjoyed the cakes over the pies and had fun giving out Tastykakes to others. Welcome to the South, Tastykake!

Birthday Party with Delicious Indian Food

Delicious Indian and Indo-Chinese food from Chopaati in Decatur. As you can see they cater!

Our friends' baby turned one in August and we were invited to share in the festivities. In addition to hanging out with more one year olds than I've ever seen at the same time in one room, we enjoyed a delicious Indian/Indo-Chinese lunch with food catered from Chopaati. I definitely look forward to going to this place and recommend it if you are looking for Indian food catering.

We also enjoyed watching the birthday girl tear into this special cake made just for her. So cute and fun to be included in this family's special day.

George's

George's famous onion rings.

We recently dined with our neighbors and played trivia at George's, a long time Virginia Highland neighborhood hangout. The restaurant's tables are covered with small plaques identifying the famous people who have dined at each particular table - neat idea and fun to know you are sitting where someone famous once sat!

Trivia happens on Tuesday nights here and there were several die-hard and very smart teams participating, although we thought that one of them violated the "no smart phone" ban. Although we did not come close to winning the trivia competition, we had a great time and enjoyed the atmosphere and good burgers. In my opinion this is one of the better burgers in Atlanta; without getting into the burger war debate I will say that George's burgers are cooked properly, delicious and not outrageously priced. The onion rings were a bit hit, too. The only miss was the shrimp po'boy, which I probably should not have ordered after hearing about the great burgers! Now I know.

The above smaller size burger is also available.

Shrimp po'boy. Don't fall for it. Get a burger!

Mushroom swiss burger.

Bacon cheeseburger with tots.

Chocolate cake at Jimmy Carter's seat.