Miso Izakaya Revisited + foodie book recommendation

Kimchi Rice - a deliciously flavored perfect comfort food. Love it!

I recently dined with fellow foodies at Miso Izakaya, a place I've blogged about before. Read about my first visit in 2009 and my awesome tasting visit in 2010. Miso has consistently improved since its opening and I found my latest visit exceptional as well. The above kimchi rice is not complicated but the flavors meld together perfectly with just enough spice - definitely a must try this winter. The fried Camembert is also a winner (although I don't want to think about the calorie content!) - do what I did and share with a friend. The sushi is also drastically improved since opening. The white tuna was particularly delicious.

The meal turned into a celebration for my friend and fellow food blogger, Malika Harricharan, who wrote the below book, available for purchase at Amazon.com. I am impressed that she compiled such a valuable resource for Atlanta food lovers. I also appreciate her mention of my blog in the introduction! Thank you Malika :)

Buy this book!!



Fried Camembert. Need I say more?!



The sushi was also excellent. Spicy tuna handroll, white tuna and salmon sashimi.

Cakes & Ale - New Location + Bakery

Fabulous fried okra.

After reading several wonderful reviews of the recently relocated Cakes & Ale in Decatur, I decided to try it out with my dad during his visit to Atlanta. We had a lovely dinner with gracious service, delicious food and a wonderful setting. The new space includes a large bar/table area, another large dining room and the attached, quaint cafe/bakery where breads, pastries and coffees as well as lunch are available. Many of the plates are small, sharing plates, which works just fine for me since you get to try more this way. I can't wait to return here to try more - the menu changes daily so there is always more to try!

Vermont burrata cheese with roasted broccoli, arugula and cherry tomatoes in a light dressing. The cheese paired perfectly with the house-made bread.



The delicious bread selection kept coming. You can buy whole loaves in the bakery as well. They also made me a lime/ginger "mocktail", which was delicious.



Squid stuffed with farro, frisee & feta, beet & frisee salad - one of my favorite items.



Gnocchi with rabbit ragu and mustard greens.



Roasted squash with rosemary - delicious and not too strong of a rosemary flavor.



Top: Pecan Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream; bottom: brioche donuts with squash ice cream & pumpkin seed brittle - really unique. Both were sublime.

Georgia Aquarium's Aqua Vino Fundraiser

We couldn't resist taking a photo with Deepo!

Last week Calvin and I had the opportunity to attend Georgia Aquarium's 6th Annual Aqua Vino fundraiser. In addition to live and silent auctions, visits from fishes and the ability to see all of the aquarium's exhibits (love the belugas), we also got to sample tasty bites from 30 area restaurants and wines from around the world. The fundraiser benefits the animals directly at the Correll Center for Aquatic Animal Health. Check it out!

My favorite taste of the night: tuna avocado spoons from BLT Steak.



Tasty block of cheese pairs well with wine from Veni Vidi Vici.



Awesome cake from Highland Bakery.



One aquarium resident.

Chicken and the Egg Revisited

House made Pimento Cheese and Buttermilk Fried Oysters with Creole Tartar Sauce - a wonderful start to the meal. We were even able to pack up the leftover cheese to take home!

We recently went for a second visit to Chicken and the Egg in Marietta after being invited back to try the entire menu. Our dinner at the Friends & Family night was superb so we expected nothing less. I am pleased to say that this newcomer delivered once again. We were seated in a comfortable booth in the center of the far wall - a great place for people watching and seeing the workings of the entire restaurant. It was a Friday night and it was busy - I suggest reservations for sure on weekends. Again, service was stellar and we were lucky enough to get to talk with Chef Marc Taft and his lovely wife, Elizabeth, who are the co-owners as well as manager Tom Foust. It is evident that all three really care about the dining experience of each visitor and that means a lot. If you haven't been yet - go soon. I hear there is a new fall menu now. I can't wait to try the new fall menu as well as brunch one of these weekends!

Specialty drinks by mixologist Brandon King include creative cocktails and tasty non-alcoholic "mocktails" which are just my speed! Left, the Strawberry Pie non-alcoholic and right, Calvin's Grilled Peach Manhattan, which includes infused bacon!

The restaurant has moved from the mini-corn muffins to the above spoon rolls, which are equally wonderful if not better with the molasses butter.



Special of the day: Hanger steak with black garlic puree and potatoes. I adore black garlic and have used it in cooking at home after my mother included it as one of my Hanukkah presents. I found it really neat that Chef included this ingredient in such a traditional dish. The meat was also very tender and the potatoes were great for soaking up the sauce.



Seared Sea Scallops with Pimento Cheese grits, charred onion, baby arugula and chili oil. I really enjoyed this dish, especially more of that wonderful Pimento Cheese. The one issue was that the arugula was overly salted. With the other great flavors in this dish, the greens could really go without any salt at all.



Praline Bread Pudding with caramel ice cream and Rhubarb Streusel Tart with brown sugar-sour cream ice cream. I think we got the last rhubarb of the summer season! The bread pudding really hit the spot - delicious!

Meehan's Downtown Summer Series Peach Dinner

Medjool Dates wrapped with Benton's ham, Sweetgrass chevre with Georgia peach & champagne gastrique, served with Reprieve French-style Ale. A great start to a delicious and fun meal.

I was invited to Meehan's Public House's downtown Atlanta location for their Summer Series - Part II dinner. This dinner featured dishes containing peaches paired with beers from Jailhouse Brewing Company. Dinner guests (about 20 of us total) were seated in the restaurant's private room at a long communal table. Chef Jordan Wakefield was on hand to explain each dish and Stephen from Jailhouse provided commentary on each beer pairing. I really enjoyed this event. The food was fabulous and it was fun getting to know some of Meehan's regulars. Meehans Downtown is holding its Summer Series - Part III dinner - this time featuring pecans and beers from Sweetwater Brewing Company, on August 30 at 7 PM. Click here to see the full menu.



Meehans has two other locations in Sandy Springs and in Vinings. The Sandy Springs location will hold Pink Floyd: A Musical Dinner - a five course dinner with beer pairings - on September 22. Click here for more information and to see the menu.

Bourbon poached peach salad with grilled Georgia wild shrimp, Belgium endive, Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese, spiced Georgia pecans & white peach & ginger vinaigrette, served with Mugshot IPA.







Some of the beers we tried: Reprieve French-Style Ale, Mugshot IPA, Slammer Wheat. We also tried Breakout Stout (not pictured).







Sonoma County foie gras, pan seared with smoked Georgia peaches, toasted brioche & warm peach compote, paired with Slammer Wheat beer. So delicious - it was a real treat to have foie gras.







Peach smoked Niman Ranch pork belly with Ansen Mills & blue cheese grits, grilled Georgia peaches with local collards & peach & jalepeno chutney, with Reprieve French-Style Ale. This was hands down my favorite dish of the evening. The blue cheese grits paired perfectly with the collards and the succulent pork belly.







"Slap Yo Mama!" Peach Cobbler with homemade peach sorbet, vanilla ice cream & caramelized peaches, served with Breakout stout.







Take home souvenir! These can be refilled at area stores such as Ale Yeah in Decatur.

Santiago's Bodega - Key West

Spring mix with duck confit, dried cranberries, walnuts, and red onions tossed with a citrus-ginger vinaigrette.

On what we thought was our last night in Key West, we took it up a notch and dined at Santiago's Bodega, recently renovated to include more seating . We snagged a highly coveted patio seat and enjoyed the breezy, warm evening. The food was definitely fancier than any other place we went on the island and we really enjoyed it.

Special soup - unfortunately can't remember exactly what kind - note to self* take better notes!



Yellowfin tuna ceviche - huge chunks of fish - almost too big, very briny and acidic.



Camembert wedge topped with sautéed garlic, onions, almonds, apricots, and red bell peppers with crostini - delicious!



Chicken skewers.



Bread pudding and ice cream.

5th Street Cafe

Heirloom Tomatoes, Brie and Peppered Walnuts.

I was recently invited to sample the fare at the newly opened Fifth Street Cafe, the second venture by A.D. Allushi and ZaZa Pachulia - their first being Buckhead Bottle Bar. The look reminds me of Buckhead Bottle Bar, with black and white abstract designs covering the ceiling. My favorites included the heirloom tomato salad (above), which was quite flavorful and interesting with the unusual addition of brie. The vegetables served with the fish dish delighted the palate, with beets and mushrooms adding variety to the beautiful plate. The garlic fries were also delicious with loads of tasty garlic and the filet they were served with was solid as well - tender and juicy, cooked rare as we'd requested.

I was a bit disappointed with the calamari as it said it was served with hot and mild peppers but there was nothing at all spicy in there to me. The goat cheese tart was better - warm and tasty with the distinct caramelized onion flavor.

Overall 5th Street Cafe looks to be a positive addition to the midtown dining scene. I'd love to see a little more creativity and bold flavor but I think the majority of diners will find something they can enjoy here. There is also a large bar and one end of the restaurant serves as a lunch cafe and dessert area.

Fried Calamari with peppers and tomato sauce.



Warm Goat cheese and caramelized onion tart.



Fish of the day over seasonal vegetables - the vegetables were a standout.



Filet mignon with garlic fries and herb butter.



The bar.



The dessert section/cafe.



Chocolate orange mousse - light and tasty.



The scene - the decor is reminiscent of Buckhead Bottle Bar.