Holy Taco

I a major disciple of weekend brunch.  In my own humble opinion, brunch on Sunday is easily the most important meal of any week.  It's highly versatile.  It can be used as the capstone of an amazing weekend or a chance to set the stage for the week ahead.  Lucky me, Atlanta is teeming with a number of good brunch spots.

Easily one of my favorites in Holy Taco in the East Atlanta Village on Glenwood.  They have a chorizo torta on the menu.  If I was forced by a higher power to pick a brunch meal that I would consume forevermore, it would probably be this torta.  Chorizo, fried egg, tomato, lettuce, radishes, this delicious bread...it is an awesome thing to behold.

I will note here that they are a slow.  I don't know if it is the time it takes to make my torta or something else, but they are slow.  It doesn't matter.  Have another Bloody Mary and relax.  This torta is well worth the wait.  Go try it.  I dare you not to enjoy it.

The Ibearian Pig

As the name would suggest, this is no destination for vegans.  If you enjoy tapas and pork, however, there is no place in Atlanta better than the Iberian Pig in Decatur.  It's downtown on the square, and the IP is a mecca for Spanish food done correctly in Atlanta.

They have a renowned bar and I always opt for their brand of margarita.  Honestly, I rarely venture so far as the entrees though anytime I have, I've never been disappointed.  There isn't a tapas plate on the menu that I haven't tried and enjoyed.  I must say, if you leave without enjoying the pork cheek tacos you are committing a crime against humanity.  Always inquire about the specials, because they are almost certainly special.  The cured meats and cheeses on offer are also divine. 

Whether you're going on a date or taking your best client hopeful out to close a deal, if you're in Atlanta you should definitely put the Iberian Pig on the list of choices. 

Donatello's Tampa

Business has been taking me to Tampa semi-regularly.  I met some colleagues for a business dinner at an Italian restaurant, Donatello's (Italian is always a safe business dinner choice...do you know anyone who can't find something on an Italian menu?). 

The building is pretty unassuming.  It isn't hard to imagine that Donatello's has been around for almost 30 years in Tampa, in the same spot.  Do not let the building fool you.  Inside is everything you would imagine for a classic Italian restaurant.  The wine list is deep and impressive.  The food leaves nothing to be desired.  Being that it was Tampa, I had to go with the sea bass special and I was not disappointed.  The Caesar salad was classically done and over the top.  My only regret was that I had no room left for dessert.  If you need an upscale dinner destination in Tampa, Donatello's is definitely worth consideration.

Miller Union

I haven't fallen all over myself to participate in the farm to table thing.  I think ingredients are incredibly important, but they needn't necessarily be sourced next door for me to be satisfied.  That being said, I'm always open to good food.

Recently I met a friend who was visiting Atlanta from DC.  We had dinner at Miller Union.  We enjoyed a menagerie of locally sourced meat and produce.  The food was actually pretty delicious.  I believe my favorite was a watermelon salad. 

The place was absolutely packed, and given that fact the service was acceptable.  My only complaint: they were out of Bloody Mary mix.  Otherwise, a great meal on the patio.  I normally don't wander over to the Westside with regularity, but I will definitely be heading back to Miller Union sometime soon.

Il Localino, Atlanta Italian

I try to maintain an honest distance in these posts, an unclouded perspective.  In this case, I'd be lying if I said I was completely unaffected.  I've been eating at Il Localino for more than half my life.  If you don't have in your life a place that feels like Cheers, I highly recommend you cultivate one.  I've just been exceptionally lucky in that mine is one with exceptional food and a persistent good time. 

If you love Italian food (an honestly who doesn't?), you have to give Il Localino a try.  The food is immaculate, the owners and staff are warm, and the environment is a constant party.  I personally go with the veal scaloppini in a champagne sauce with mushrooms, but you can't go wrong with the menu.  Stop in and say hello, enjoy the food and the party.

El Burro Pollo

Sometimes you find the best things in surprising places.  Like the best burrito ever, in a basement.  This one is for the few fellow Atlantans who haven't heard and anyone who is spending a weekend in Atlanta.  On Saturday's, from noon to three (ONLY), you can down the best burrito in Atlanta in the basement of Pura Vida. 

I'm not sure I can describe its splendor with words.  You'll just have to try it for yourself and prove me right.  The "restaurant" is called El Burro Pollo.  It's in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood, on North Highland between Ponce de Leon and Freedom.  Definitely my lunch plan tomorrow.

A Beast in Portland

If you'd asked me a year ago what I thought the food scene was like in Portland, Oregon, I imagine granola and organics would have been top of mind.  Portland is a great place this time of year.  All of the stereotypes of the northwest's weather fall away, leaving behind mid-70s temperatures and beautiful blue skies.  It is easy to see why people would suffer the winters.  The food scene, however, surprised me verily.  Beast being a perfect example. 

It's this great little place in NE (Portland is split into quadrants).  The food is amazing, and the atmosphere fantastic.  The best analogy I could provide would be a dinner party with good friends.  The menu is occasionally adventurous, so if taking a food-conservative dinner guest or two be prepared for double portions of some goodies.  The menu is fixed and paired with wines.  There are two seatings a night Wednesdays through Saturdays.  Definitely make reservations and don't be late.  Beast does command a price premium, but the value is there in my mind. 

Tsar Restaurant in St. Petersburg, Russia

Address:  Sadovaya st., b. 12, St. Petersburg, Russia
Phone:  640-19-00
E-mail: tsar-manager@mail.ru 

I ate at Tsar last night with a group of friends.  Walking into the restaurant, it immeadiately became clear that the name was fitting.  Though hard to tell from the street, inside was a step back in time to the age of the Tsars.  All of the appointments had a royal opulence about them.  It was my first foray into upscale dining in St. Petersburg, and I was not disappointed.

We opened our meal with caprese salad, salmon carpaccio and veal tongue with horseradish appetizers.  The caprese was first among them, but the veal tongue is worth a try if you want to venture into Russian fare.  From there (after some ice cold vodka), I sampled the borsch (beet soup).  I don't normally choose beets, but I was pleasantly surprised by the borsch.  The portion was huge and the flavor very pleasing.  I capped my dinner off with the beef stroganoff.  I was expecting an upscale hamburger helper, but what I recieved was miles from my expecations.  The sirloin was tender, the sour cream based sauce was rich and delicious, and the noodles were absent.  While the potatos that were served alongside my entree looked like hash browns, they were perfectly salted and well-seasonsed with garlic.  Overall, the meal was amazing.

Reservations are definitely warranted.  Though the restaurant never seemed to fill up, I did see some without reservations turned away.  The price tag is steep, the service is lax by western standards, but if you find yourself in St. Petersburg it is definitely worth the stop. 

Food Truck Craze

For three Tuesday's in a row I've had a friend try and get me to join him at a food truck event in Atlanta, the Howell Mill Food Park.  For three Tuesday's in a row, I've been in a city other than Atlanta.  Not yesterday, yesterday I joined him,. I have to say I was really impressed.  The food was good and broad a variety from hot dogs and ice cream to tacos and arepas.  Eat It, Atlanta has a great review of the event.  It happens every Tuesday.  Here is the menu off the ice cream truck:

I'm not sure I understand the food truck craze, but it was honestly much better than I expected.  If I'm around Atlanta on another Tuesday I'll definitely head out to the food park again.  I may just attempt to call on a food truck regardless of locale.

To Guidebook or Not To Guidebook?

I was never much of a guidebook carrying traveller.  I'm not quite sure why but if I had to guess I would say it goes back to my learning best through experience.  On a trip earlier this year to Buenos Aires, a really good friend put me onto Lonely Planet Travel Guides.  Since then I haven't gone anywhere for longer than a weekend without ordering one from their website.  In fact, I've been perusing the Russia edition for my trip to St. Petersburg at the end of the week.  They usually run decent sales for picking up more than one at a time, so if you know your travel plans in advance, grab a few at once and save yourself a few dollars.

I'll share what sold me.  We wanted to go see the tango, possibly take lessons but definitely experience it.  Paging through the Lonely Planet Guide she had brought along I found this description:

If tango can be trendy and hip, this is where you’ll find it. The grungy warehouse space is very casual, with funky art on the walls and jeans on the dancers. A great place to come to learn tango, especially if you’re young.

The place is called is called La Catedral (add: Sarmiento 4006 ph: 011-15-5325-1630).  It was superlative.  The place is grungy and old.  We picked up a 40 oz local beer, sat down at table that looked as if it had been there for 100 years and enjoyed locals of all ages skillfully plying their trade on the dance floor.  Couldn't have been better.  Never would've found that place without the Lonely Planet guide.

I also have to give Buenos Aires the highest marks for their ice cream.  I've eaten dessert on most continents but never tasted a better ice cream than Caramel & Peanuts at Un Altra Volta.  If you go to Buenos Aires without sampling it, you are selling yourself short. 

I'm a new disciple of the guide book and Lonely Plant does a great job compiling them.

Welcome to the Hotel California

I will admit to having been somewhat jaded about Los Angeles.  Though I think the areas right around Malibu are some of the most beautiful in the world, the city itself just never spoke to me.  This weekend, however, was filled with the incredible. 

I have had the amazing good fortune to stay in amazing hotels around the world, and in my experience the very best have a distinguishable character.  Luxury is pleasant but it takes more for me to leave feeling the value matched the price (often steep and no less so here).  A friend mentioned the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.  I had heard of it before but was by no means intimately familiar.

Marmont is supremely worthy of a five-star designation.  Steeped in celebrity history, the hotel has a very well balanced luxury, well short of opulence but well in excess of mere comfort.  The patina acquired through its storied past imbues in each guest a sense of being special by simply staying the night.  Marmont marries luxury with an anything goes mentality in the most unique of ways.  I did not go to the Bar Marmont, but the food in the lobby was extraordinary (recommend the lobster roll if you can lay hands on one).  I don't gush for celebrities, however, I did see John Krasinski (Jim from the office) entering the hotel on Saturday night.  I also have to give them the proper due for small things: the towels were bath sheets, the stationary personalized, the soaps Kiehl's, and snacks in the room were delicious and free. 

The property may be older, the pool may be mostly shaded, but don't let any of those things stop you.  If on your way to Los Angeles and possessing the means I can't say there's a better place to drop your suitcase than the Chateau Marmont.

I owe Los Angeles one additional nod.  I have a personal weakness for Mexican food.  El Carmen in Mid-City knocked me off my feet.  Between the three of us we sampled tacos, quesadillas, tamales, chips, salsa, guacamole and a healthy number of margaritas.  Each was better than the one before it.  I could say more but wouldn't do this place justice.  Even if you don't like Mexican food, give El Carmen a try anyway.  It could change your entire outlook.  Look for the neon sign, you can't miss it.  Delectable.

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