Season's 52 - Buckhead

Special of the day: Grilled Cobia with Curry sauce and vegetables over Himalayan rice.

I was recently invited to check out Season's 52. Atlanta has two locations and we dined at the location in Buckhead. The second Atlanta location is near Perimeter mall and both locations have lunch as well as dinner menus. Seasons 52 prides itself on its use of seasonal ingredients, its well stocked wine room/wine bar and its upscale ambiance. The service was excellent and it was clear that we were not the only ones getting special treatment. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and timed all of our dishes to come out perfectly, allowing us to have a relaxed meal. An added bonus: everything on the menu here has less than 475 calories, allowing guests to indulge in a nice meal out without totally destroying their diet.

My favorite dishes include the flatbread - about 6 varieties are offered and the special portobello mushroom kind we tried was fabulous - and the cobia with curry sauce, pictured above. Both of these items came from the sidebar menu that changes even more frequently than the regular menu, which is updated seasonally. I also adore the mini-desserts that they serve here.

Special portobello mushroom flatbread with sour cream truffle sauce, spinach and garlic - very delicious!



Organic tomato stack salad with blue cheese. Order this if you like onions - the onions are lightly grilled but not fully cooked. We enjoyed it but definitely not for the shy of onion.



Pom Margarita and a specially made pomegranate blueberry spritzer - both were really tasty!



Grilled lamb T-bone chops with asparagus, truffle mashed potatoes and red wine sauce. I always enjoy lamb.



Roasted yellow beets with wasabi cream sauce. The sauce really has a nice kick that goes great with the creamy delicious beets.



Seasons 52 serves the cutest "mini-indulgences" for dessert. I love how small they are so that you can sample lots!



We tried (L to R) the chocolate peanut butter mousse, special chocolate raspberry Valentine, pecan pie and mango cheesecake. My personal favorites are the pecan pie and the cheesecake - a wonderful way to end the meal without feeling too guilty!

Near the end of our meal manager Brian Farkas came by and took a photo of us. We saw him doing this for other tables, too. To our surprise, just before we left our server brought the photo to us in a special Seasons 52 frame. What a nice touch! This is a great place for a special meal or a nice business lunch - those who are watching their calorie intake will appreciate the thoughtfulness of the menu and those who are not won't notice!

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.

Burger Tap: The New Neighbor in Morningside - Grand Opening January 20

Truffle Burger with fried zucchini and the Classic Burger with sweet potato fries.

I sampled Morningside's new Burger Tap soon after its soft opening. You order at the counter, where several beer taps are also available. The look is industrial, with metal tables and clean lines, which may be a bit too "trendy" for maximizing business in this location. I hope they decide to install padding on the benches and add some individual tables to the large space in front.

I enjoyed the food, especially the truffle burger with gruyere, fried onions, garlic mayo and a truffle glaze and the fried zucchini. The burgers are served in a unique shape (rectangular) which seems to cause some people to feel that they are too small. I think the size is fine so long as you are up for one of the side dishes. If not, you may want to order 2 burgers. The sweet potato fries are made using Korean white sweet potatoes - a different taste and feel from the usual but good.

I'd like to see a wider variety of non-alcoholic beverages as well as more desserts - they have ice cream which can be made into a float. It would also be nice to have a more kid-friendly space. I learned that since my visit they have added a price-sensitive kids meal which is a great idea.

The restaurant holds its grand opening this weekend with the following specials:

Friday, January 20th from 6 - 11 p.m. Burger Tap will offer $.25 (twenty-five cent) pints of Bud Light, Newcastle or PBR when you purchase a burger. 50% off all other beer selections.

Saturday, January 21st from 12 noon - 7 p.m. Burger Tap will treat children 12 and under to a complimentary Kid's Meal, which includes a hamburger or cheeseburger, side of fries and a juice box.

Check out Burger Tap for yourself and let me know what you think!

The beer taps.



Dining area - there is outdoor seating also.



Southwestern Burger with fried jalepeno.



View of the kitchen and condiment station.

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Tanteo Flavored Tequilas

Tanteo flavored Tequilas: Cocoa, Jalepeno and Tropical.

I recently had the opportunity to sample the above three flavors of ultra-premium 80 proof tequila from Tanteo. Their tequilas are different from many others because the flavor is infused, not added. They also use 100% Blue Weber Agave to create the tequila. Thus, the jalepeno tequila is truly unique with a BIG jalepeno taste (and smell). As soon as we opened the bottle we could tell Tanteo is really going for a true jalepeno taste. Tanteo products are available for purchase at several stores in Atlanta and arefeatured at several area restaurants including Pure Taqueria, Agave, No Mas! Cantina, Nava and Inc. Street Food. Click here to find all available locations of bottles and cocktails near you.

Big bottle of Jalepeno.



Homemade Jalepeno Margarita - recipe is available on Tanteo's website.

Disclosure: The products reviewed in this post were complimentary

Blue Moon Pizza - Buckhead

Delicious Portabella Mushrooms topped with "Grandma's sauce", goat cheese and basil. A great first taste.

I was recently invited to check out Blue Moon Pizza, a local chain with four Atlanta area locations. Owners Kelvin and Mandy Slater have built a fun concept including a delicious variety of "specialty moons" (pizzas) as well as salads, "flatwiches" (sandwiches with bread made from pizza crust dough and appetizers. In addition to the Buckhead location (pictured below), there are locations in Marietta, Smyrna and now Sandy Springs as well. Click here for specific location information.

We had the opportunity to taste the mushroom appetizer (above) as well as several pizzas and one of the salads. Everything was good, with enough spice already added to make red pepper flakes a non-issue (at other pizza places we are always shaking those little glass bottles to try and get more flavor on the food!) I particularly enjoyed the portabella mushrooms, the Santa Fe style pizza and the Cobb salad. I look forward to trying more options on a future visit. We also had a fun time talking with Kelvin and Mandy, who are obviously dedicated to their concept of making Blue Moon "an everyday place that still feels special" for their customers. There is a loyalty program as well as a newsletter.

Casual, pleasing dining area adorned with special blue moon decor. The restaurant also features the amazing Coke machine with dozens of possible flavor combinations. I had fun trying out cherry Dr. Pepper - a rare treat!



Top half: BBQ chicken pizza; below: Jerk chicken pizza - just the right amount of spice!



Top half: Grandma's Pizza; below: my personal favorite, the Santa Fe featuring black beans, avocado and jalepenos - spicy and so delicious.



Calvin enjoyed a blue "moontini" - all locations feature a full bar with $5 martinis every Thursday.



Cobb salad - this is no ordinary salad! All salads at Blue Moon are served on pizza crusts - a neat touch.

Blue Moon also features a special gluten-free pizza crust, which can be used for all of the pies and for garlic bread. There is a list of gluten-free menu items and even a gluten-free chocolate brownie. Additionally, the restaurant offers lunch specials like a slice of cheese pizza, a side salad and a soda for $6.99.

Delivery is available within 3 miles of any location. Blue Moon also features Take-n-Bake: you pick up a pizza that is ready to be cooked in your oven at home. The pizza comes with a special baking tray to help you achieve that perfect crispness!

If you haven't already become a fan, give Blue Moon a try!

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary

Adrian Grenier's Paparazzi at Vanquish

Vanquish lounge in midtown.

I was recently invited to view Adrian Grenier's new movie Teenage Paparazzo at Vanquish Lounge in Midtown. Not only did we get to watch a good movie but we had the opportunity to sip tasty cocktails in this ultra-hip new space, which is attached to Reign Nightclub.

My photos did not come out too well - guess I need to get a camera that's better at catching the stars!

Taste of Atlanta 2011 This Weekend

Delicious pork belly/fried banana bites at JCT Kitchen, one of the 80 restaurants participating in Taste of Atlanta this weekend.

I was invited on a fun progressive tasting highlighting some of the fabulous restaurants featured at this year's Taste of Atlanta event, to be held in Tech Square this weekend, October 22 and 23 with a special Friday night party on October 21. Taste of Atlanta features food, cocktails, wine, beer, cooking demos, competitions and more, with dozens of Atlanta area restaurants featured. Click here to purchase tickets. Looks like a great weekend for the 10th Anniversary of this fun food festival. Below are some highlights from the sneak peak.

Bar upstairs at JCT.



Special fall drinks at JCT Kitchen.



Dining room at Tuk Tuk Thai Loft.



Mieng Kum at Tuk Tuk. We loved these!



Beef with sticky rice. Oh how I adore you sticky rice!



Shrimp and chicken toasts.

Vinings Jubilee Tower Stage + The Grape

A comedy show at Vinings Jubilee's Tower Stage.

In honor of Vinings Jubilee's 25th Anniversary, a new stage has been erected to host entertainment events. The Tower Stage will host community and family events. I was invited to watch an improv show by Relapse Comedy Theater while sampling drinks and nibbles from The Grape.

Vinings Jubilee opened in 1986 and contains fine boutiques, restaurants and specialty shops. Read more about all that Vinings Jubilee has to offer on their website.

Tasty salmon tartar crackers at The Grape.