Once a month or so, Joe and I like to splurge on a slightly higher priced meal, you know, for research. We try to center it around a life event i.e. anniversary, birthday, mother’s day, Wednesday night, something like that. Based on our “research” I have compiled this Atlanta Dining Guide for you.
The Optimist Restaurant in Atlanta
I’ve been wanting to try the Optimist for awhile now. It’s an Atlanta staple and while not on the list of must-eat places, (as a member of Ford Fry’s empire, I don’t know why it’s not on the list), I’m embarrassed when I say I haven’t been there yet. Also Wesley True, their Executive Chef, is on Top Chef this season, so there’s that. We finally went last week with some friends.
Sweet Auburn Barbecue: a Local Atlanta BBQ Favorite
The South is PASSIONATE about their barbecue. Just ask someone from Texas who’s is better, Atlanta BBQ or Texas BBQ (even though technically Texas isn’t really the south)? People become territorial and contemptuous in their opinions.
I, however, am an equal opportunity barbecue enthusiast. I like barbecue, it’s yummy. It has a lot of fat. I really like fat (on my brisket, not my butt). I’m probably not going to be the person who travels the nation to decide who makes the best barbecue, but I’ll happily try all that Atlanta has to offer and share some of my favorites with you.
The Best Gunshow in Atlanta
Kevin Gillespie of Top Chef fame has his newest venture, Gunshow, and it’s only a mile and a half from my house. Joe and I have been wanting to go for awhile and when we discovered that two of our friends have also been dying to try it, I immediately made a reservation.
The Time I Ate an Endangered Species for Lunch
A week or so ago my dad invited me to attend a meal cooked by Hugh Acheson. Acheson teamed up with Seeds of Change to bring awareness to flavors that were becoming extinct to the culinary world. He was going to cook a three course meal for 70 some people with ingredients that were going extinct and no one knew what he was cooking.
You don't need a culinary degree to make sophisticated food. I want to improve your food education. Sometimes I travel and wear new clothes, and I'll tell you about that, too.
