In case you have not made the connection, my wife and I have been exploring the eateries in St. Augustine over the course of our two week vacation. We have had the best time exploring new places, as we always do when we go on new adventures.
So many times many people think that they have to go to nationally or regionally-known restaurants to eat a meal that you will remember for a long time. All too often the Food Network and its group of professional chefs makes us all think we have to look for depth of flavor, which type of plate the restaurant uses, or the way the meal is presented. Don't get me wrong, some of that can be important to the experience, but not all the end all, be all of a great meal. Having said all of that, Black Molly's Grill in St. Augustine is one of those places where the food, the service, and the atmosphere was really good. It will probably never be seen on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives or be written about in any food magazine, but the quality of the food was outstanding. You have heard me harp on the fact that restaurants are rated in three phases, and Black Molly's did a great job in all aspects.
First and foremost, the service was great. I have also mentioned in other posts that I generally prefer older, more experienced wait staff, and tonight was one of the reasons why. Our server was spot on with drinks, she had a great personality, and did a great job explaining the menu. Generally, the less that can be said about service means the service was great.
I have mentioned in previous posts that I try to refrain from using the term "best ever" to describe any experience. I have found that when a phrase is over used, then it loses its meaning. However, the ribeye at Black Molly's was perfectly seasoned, and the best flavored steak I have ever eaten. Now, I must explain that it was not the best steak I have ever eaten, but the flavor of the seasoning was amazing. The rub that Black Molly's used on its steak was used well, and created a black crust all long the meat. It was as if the steak was blackened, but without the typical blackened spice heat. I have come to the point in my eating that I never use any "sauce in a bottle" to ruin the flavor of a good steak, and this steak is one of the reasons why. A piece of meat that is so well seasoned that it does not need liquid help should be a crowning achievement of a chef. The ribeye was served with a side of garlic mashed potatoes which where great, but were almost over shadowed by the steak. They were light and fluffy with a subtle garlic flavor. Sometimes the flavor being infused can be overpowering and too strong.
Since this was my birthday meal, and we had made a habit of getting desert on this trip, I went with the Creme Brulee and was glad that I did. Obviously the chef had just melted the sugar on top as the bottom half was cold and creamy while the top was warm and crispy. It was the perfect mixture of cold and warmth that made the dessert so good.
Black Molly's is one of those places that I will go back to the next time I come to St. Augustine. It, to me, was a hidden gem in a place that offers a lot to choose from. Take it from my wife and me, look for those places that you can't get where you live. Use your resources to look for specific things that you want to eat, and then don't be afraid to try new places and new dishes. This is the true joy of eating experiences.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Really, a Gas Station?
So I have to admit, as hard as it may be, that my wife is on a roll in finding great places to eat. As with our eating experience the night before, we found GAS A Full Service Restaurant through complete happenstance. I know, the name sounds misleading and almost incites fear. I am reminded of the television commercial when the man is brave enough to eat gas station sushi. However, we sat on the beach craving a really good hamburger. We searched for the best in St. Augustine and Google led us to Urbanspoon, and finally to GAS. The description was appealing as it described GAS as a restaurant committed to serving fresh, local food that included organic ingredients and hormone-free meats. We were in and committed.
More interesting than the front facade of the building was the fact that we have driven past this location thousands of times in the past ten years. We always assumed that it was a part of the Ghost Tour building located next door. Bad assumption on our part.
I mentioned in the previous entry that restaurants have three phases that are integral to their success; food, atmosphere, and service. I can happily say that GAS excelled in all three parts. The service was the first thing that we noticed as we were greeted by cheerful and pleasant servers. They quickly made conversation and asked the all important question, "have you been here before?" This always leads to great conversation about how we found the place and why we decided to eat there. We were seated and the conversation continued. It was refreshing throughout the whole meal to have great service, as opposed to the previous night's experience. Our server was attentive to our needs and was very quick to make suggestions and give explanations when we had questions. Simply put, the service was spot on.
The service had a lot to do with the atmosphere as the staff created a hip and eclectic vibe. We are always hesitant of the artificial "dive" feel, but we instantly felt that nothing in GAS was artificial. I have to admit that we ate at 5:00 p.m., which is early for such a young couple. We did this partially from being tired of being on the beach, partially from being famished, but mostly because we read how busy GAS gets and did not want to wait long to eat. This, however, did not detract from the atmosphere. As we finished our meal and family after family began to filter in, we were glad we ate early.
As I mentioned before, the food at GAS is local, fresh, and organic and hormone-free. The food at GAS is also exceptional! We were greeted with two complimentary deviled eggs. As a guy from south Georgia, I have had my fair share of deviled eggs, but nothing compares to the deviled eggs at GAS. The filling was creamy and well seasoned. Without a doubt, the bacon incorporated in the filling made this the best deviled egg I have ever had. Even my wife, who does not eat deviled eggs, loved the flavor. Luckily she had one bite and I was able to eat the rest.
I usually hate to tag something "the best ever", because it seems to take away from the strength of that statement. Since I tagged the deviled eggs as the best ever, I hesitate to use that term again, but I simply cannot resist. As an appetizer we ordered the rueben rolls. We read on the menu that they had won the Taste of St. Augustine Awards for the past two years, and accolades like that cannot be passed up. The rueben roll consisted of corned beef, kraut, and Swiss cheese, rolled in a traditional egg roll and deep fried and served with a Russian dipping sauce. These rueben rolls are literally the best appetizer we have ever had. The combination of the beef and tangy kraut and cheese mixed perfectly together and was accentuated by the tangy Russian dipping sauce. What seemed like an unlikely combination in an egg roll turned out to be something magical.
Our meals came out shortly after we finished our appetizer and did not disappoint. I ordered the Black and Blue Chicken Hot Brown. This open-faced sandwich had blackened chicken on a homemade bun. The sandwich was covered with a blue cheese bechamel sauce, with two fried green tomatoes, apple wood smoked bacon, and green onions. The combination of all of these ingredients was amazing as the chicken had a spicy kick and the bechamel and fried green tomatoes complemented the flavor well. The sweetness of the bacon added to the complexity, yet simplistic, flavors of the sandwich. I chose the slaw as my side because, frankly, I like a good fresh slaw. This is especially the case if I am eating something with a little spice. In south Georgia, coleslaw is made with cabbage, carrots, and some variation of a dressing. Of course, people add their own flare, but the thick cabbage is always present. This slaw, made with napa cabbage, celery, and jicama, was brought together with a fresh buttermilk ranch dressing with a kick of lime. The lightness of the napa cabbage and the freshness of the slaw was amazing. It was the perfect companion to the hot brown.
Anytime my wife has the opportunity to order a burger with blue cheese, she never passes the opportunity. She is the unofficial, official authority on blue burgers. This burger came in a healthy patty of hormone-free, grass-fed beef spiced with the blackened rub. The burger, served on a bun made in house, was topped with blue cheese, grilled onions, and pickles. The flavor of the beef stood out as fresh and clean with a true beef flavor. It sounds odd, but we could taste the difference in mass produced beef. My wife was impressed with the flavor combination and noted that the homemade bun really made this burger great. She was not ready to label this as the best blue burger she had ever had (note our hesitation in using that term), but she stated that it was definitely top five. What made her meal exceptional was the homemade chips. So thin and waffle cut, they had the most intense potato flavor. It was easy to tell that these were cut in house and made from fresh potatoes. The thin cut made these chips crispy and very good.
We decided half way through our meal that we would not eat all of the meal and save some room for desert. My wife classified this as her favorite part of the meal, which says a lot with the presence of the reuben rolls and sandwiches. She ordered the salted caramel brownie. The brownie came with ice cream and house made whipped cream and shaved almonds. We are not sure if the ice cream was house made, but the desert was great and combined the sweetness of the brownie and ice cream with the saltiness of the caramel and almonds. I ordered the peanut butter pie and was blown away. The pie came with house made whipped cream and made with a chocolate crust. The pie was a whipped filling with a thin layer of peanut butter in the center of the pie. I can't say it was the best ever, for obvious reasons, but it was very good and something I would order again, and again, and again.
The GAS Restaurant does not have its own website, but it is easy to find using Google. If you are in the area, please stop by and enjoy. We did not try any of the long list of local beers, but that is something that we will explore next time. Do not be afraid of the Ghost Tour next door, you will miss a great experience.
The total bill with teas, appetizer, meals, and desert was only $44.00. A great price for such a great experience.
More interesting than the front facade of the building was the fact that we have driven past this location thousands of times in the past ten years. We always assumed that it was a part of the Ghost Tour building located next door. Bad assumption on our part.
I mentioned in the previous entry that restaurants have three phases that are integral to their success; food, atmosphere, and service. I can happily say that GAS excelled in all three parts. The service was the first thing that we noticed as we were greeted by cheerful and pleasant servers. They quickly made conversation and asked the all important question, "have you been here before?" This always leads to great conversation about how we found the place and why we decided to eat there. We were seated and the conversation continued. It was refreshing throughout the whole meal to have great service, as opposed to the previous night's experience. Our server was attentive to our needs and was very quick to make suggestions and give explanations when we had questions. Simply put, the service was spot on.
The service had a lot to do with the atmosphere as the staff created a hip and eclectic vibe. We are always hesitant of the artificial "dive" feel, but we instantly felt that nothing in GAS was artificial. I have to admit that we ate at 5:00 p.m., which is early for such a young couple. We did this partially from being tired of being on the beach, partially from being famished, but mostly because we read how busy GAS gets and did not want to wait long to eat. This, however, did not detract from the atmosphere. As we finished our meal and family after family began to filter in, we were glad we ate early.
As I mentioned before, the food at GAS is local, fresh, and organic and hormone-free. The food at GAS is also exceptional! We were greeted with two complimentary deviled eggs. As a guy from south Georgia, I have had my fair share of deviled eggs, but nothing compares to the deviled eggs at GAS. The filling was creamy and well seasoned. Without a doubt, the bacon incorporated in the filling made this the best deviled egg I have ever had. Even my wife, who does not eat deviled eggs, loved the flavor. Luckily she had one bite and I was able to eat the rest.
I usually hate to tag something "the best ever", because it seems to take away from the strength of that statement. Since I tagged the deviled eggs as the best ever, I hesitate to use that term again, but I simply cannot resist. As an appetizer we ordered the rueben rolls. We read on the menu that they had won the Taste of St. Augustine Awards for the past two years, and accolades like that cannot be passed up. The rueben roll consisted of corned beef, kraut, and Swiss cheese, rolled in a traditional egg roll and deep fried and served with a Russian dipping sauce. These rueben rolls are literally the best appetizer we have ever had. The combination of the beef and tangy kraut and cheese mixed perfectly together and was accentuated by the tangy Russian dipping sauce. What seemed like an unlikely combination in an egg roll turned out to be something magical.
Our meals came out shortly after we finished our appetizer and did not disappoint. I ordered the Black and Blue Chicken Hot Brown. This open-faced sandwich had blackened chicken on a homemade bun. The sandwich was covered with a blue cheese bechamel sauce, with two fried green tomatoes, apple wood smoked bacon, and green onions. The combination of all of these ingredients was amazing as the chicken had a spicy kick and the bechamel and fried green tomatoes complemented the flavor well. The sweetness of the bacon added to the complexity, yet simplistic, flavors of the sandwich. I chose the slaw as my side because, frankly, I like a good fresh slaw. This is especially the case if I am eating something with a little spice. In south Georgia, coleslaw is made with cabbage, carrots, and some variation of a dressing. Of course, people add their own flare, but the thick cabbage is always present. This slaw, made with napa cabbage, celery, and jicama, was brought together with a fresh buttermilk ranch dressing with a kick of lime. The lightness of the napa cabbage and the freshness of the slaw was amazing. It was the perfect companion to the hot brown.
Anytime my wife has the opportunity to order a burger with blue cheese, she never passes the opportunity. She is the unofficial, official authority on blue burgers. This burger came in a healthy patty of hormone-free, grass-fed beef spiced with the blackened rub. The burger, served on a bun made in house, was topped with blue cheese, grilled onions, and pickles. The flavor of the beef stood out as fresh and clean with a true beef flavor. It sounds odd, but we could taste the difference in mass produced beef. My wife was impressed with the flavor combination and noted that the homemade bun really made this burger great. She was not ready to label this as the best blue burger she had ever had (note our hesitation in using that term), but she stated that it was definitely top five. What made her meal exceptional was the homemade chips. So thin and waffle cut, they had the most intense potato flavor. It was easy to tell that these were cut in house and made from fresh potatoes. The thin cut made these chips crispy and very good.
We decided half way through our meal that we would not eat all of the meal and save some room for desert. My wife classified this as her favorite part of the meal, which says a lot with the presence of the reuben rolls and sandwiches. She ordered the salted caramel brownie. The brownie came with ice cream and house made whipped cream and shaved almonds. We are not sure if the ice cream was house made, but the desert was great and combined the sweetness of the brownie and ice cream with the saltiness of the caramel and almonds. I ordered the peanut butter pie and was blown away. The pie came with house made whipped cream and made with a chocolate crust. The pie was a whipped filling with a thin layer of peanut butter in the center of the pie. I can't say it was the best ever, for obvious reasons, but it was very good and something I would order again, and again, and again.
The GAS Restaurant does not have its own website, but it is easy to find using Google. If you are in the area, please stop by and enjoy. We did not try any of the long list of local beers, but that is something that we will explore next time. Do not be afraid of the Ghost Tour next door, you will miss a great experience.
The total bill with teas, appetizer, meals, and desert was only $44.00. A great price for such a great experience.
So Good I Could Lick the Plate...
One of the best parts of vacation is finding those places that you will go to over and over again. The title should explain our experience at Caps on the Water in St. Augustine, Florida. We have been coming to St. Augustine as a couple for 10 years now, and this was the first time we had even heard of Caps. As we sat on the beach and contemplated where we wanted to eat that evening, we knew wanted oysters Rockefeller, so we Googled the best in St. Augustine and found Caps.
Our philosophy on restaurants is that there are three main components to the success of a restaurant. Believe me, it goes way past how good the food is. The holy trinity of a restaurant is the convergence of the food, the atmosphere, and the service. None more important than the other, but all could make a restaurant experience a nightmare. Fortunately for Caps on the Water, they excelled in two phases of the trinity. The food and the atmosphere was outstanding. The service left a lot to be desired, but I will get into that later.
First, the atmosphere was second to none. Situated on the bay in Vilano Beach, the restaurant deck over looks the bay with low hanging tress and perfectly placed fans. The atmosphere is jovial and relaxed, as is the dress. Nice shorts and flops are more than enough, but khaki pants and a polo are also perfect for this restaurant. We truly loved our seating arrangements, but if you cringe at outdoor dining, then the dining room is also available.
The food, as with the atmosphere, was amazing. We of course ordered the appetizer (oysters Rockefeller) that led us to this gem and was greeted with six healthy oysters covered in spinach, cheese, and bits of bacon. The oysters were not too big, but they were big enough that six were the perfect amount for a pre-meal snack. I ordered the stuffed flounder with lemon and tomato orzo. While my eating experiences are not worldly, the stuffed flounder from Caps was easily one of the top five fish dishes I have ever had. The fish came wrapped around one of Caps' crab cakes served over a bed of lemon and tomato orzo. The whole dish was brought together with an amazing cream sauce with shrimp. The fish was seasoned perfectly and the cream sauce was literally drinkable. The crab cake was almost all crab meat and little breading and it complimented the fish. Heaven on earth was a fork full of all of the ingredients on the plate. Each part of the dish had a complex flavor that never over powered the other ingredients. Again, simply an amazing meal.
My wife was equally impressed with the herb crusted grouper with a mushroom orzo. I have to admit that the one taste of her grouper left me speechless. The fish was cooked to absolute perfection that left the grouper flaky and smooth. While this may not seem like a good analogy, the fish was as smooth as cream cheese when it was eaten. The herb crust with parsley, basil, rosemary, and mint was light and accentuated the flavor of the grouper. By the end of the meal I was somewhat jealous that I did not get to enjoy the entire piece of fish and that my wife did. However, she did mention that her mushroom orzo was a little under seasoned, I was happy that I still had my shrimp cream sauce. Overall, we both agreed that the food at Caps was, by far, some of the best food we had eaten.
The only phase that Caps fell short of my expectations, sometimes too lofty, was the service. I never want to feel as if I am an inconvenience to you and at times I felt that the Caps staff was a little to preoccupied to make my wife and me feel like we were the only ones in the restaurant. While that may seem impossible to some, that should be the goal of all wait staff. It was very interesting as my wife and I had a great conversation during our meal, that most of the wait staff that are truly exceptional are older people. College-aged students, while in need of a job for obvious reasons, rarely make great servers. What may have been more interesting about the service at Caps, was the fact that our server was training another young lady, but I felt that the trainee was better prepared and more personable than the one she was being trained by. As first time visitors, which we made clear we were, we were not offered any suggestions or even engaged in any conversation. Perhaps the most personable encounter came when the young man, who is originally from Alabama, brought out our main course and noticed our distinctly southern accent. "Georgia," he said, "You guys must be from Georgia." If the service from the start was as personable and meaningful as this young man, Caps on the Water would have received five stars from us.
I am including a link to the restaurant below and hope that if you are in the St. Augustine area, that you will give Caps a try.
http://www.capsonthewater.com/
Enjoy!
Our philosophy on restaurants is that there are three main components to the success of a restaurant. Believe me, it goes way past how good the food is. The holy trinity of a restaurant is the convergence of the food, the atmosphere, and the service. None more important than the other, but all could make a restaurant experience a nightmare. Fortunately for Caps on the Water, they excelled in two phases of the trinity. The food and the atmosphere was outstanding. The service left a lot to be desired, but I will get into that later.
First, the atmosphere was second to none. Situated on the bay in Vilano Beach, the restaurant deck over looks the bay with low hanging tress and perfectly placed fans. The atmosphere is jovial and relaxed, as is the dress. Nice shorts and flops are more than enough, but khaki pants and a polo are also perfect for this restaurant. We truly loved our seating arrangements, but if you cringe at outdoor dining, then the dining room is also available.
The food, as with the atmosphere, was amazing. We of course ordered the appetizer (oysters Rockefeller) that led us to this gem and was greeted with six healthy oysters covered in spinach, cheese, and bits of bacon. The oysters were not too big, but they were big enough that six were the perfect amount for a pre-meal snack. I ordered the stuffed flounder with lemon and tomato orzo. While my eating experiences are not worldly, the stuffed flounder from Caps was easily one of the top five fish dishes I have ever had. The fish came wrapped around one of Caps' crab cakes served over a bed of lemon and tomato orzo. The whole dish was brought together with an amazing cream sauce with shrimp. The fish was seasoned perfectly and the cream sauce was literally drinkable. The crab cake was almost all crab meat and little breading and it complimented the fish. Heaven on earth was a fork full of all of the ingredients on the plate. Each part of the dish had a complex flavor that never over powered the other ingredients. Again, simply an amazing meal.
My wife was equally impressed with the herb crusted grouper with a mushroom orzo. I have to admit that the one taste of her grouper left me speechless. The fish was cooked to absolute perfection that left the grouper flaky and smooth. While this may not seem like a good analogy, the fish was as smooth as cream cheese when it was eaten. The herb crust with parsley, basil, rosemary, and mint was light and accentuated the flavor of the grouper. By the end of the meal I was somewhat jealous that I did not get to enjoy the entire piece of fish and that my wife did. However, she did mention that her mushroom orzo was a little under seasoned, I was happy that I still had my shrimp cream sauce. Overall, we both agreed that the food at Caps was, by far, some of the best food we had eaten.
The only phase that Caps fell short of my expectations, sometimes too lofty, was the service. I never want to feel as if I am an inconvenience to you and at times I felt that the Caps staff was a little to preoccupied to make my wife and me feel like we were the only ones in the restaurant. While that may seem impossible to some, that should be the goal of all wait staff. It was very interesting as my wife and I had a great conversation during our meal, that most of the wait staff that are truly exceptional are older people. College-aged students, while in need of a job for obvious reasons, rarely make great servers. What may have been more interesting about the service at Caps, was the fact that our server was training another young lady, but I felt that the trainee was better prepared and more personable than the one she was being trained by. As first time visitors, which we made clear we were, we were not offered any suggestions or even engaged in any conversation. Perhaps the most personable encounter came when the young man, who is originally from Alabama, brought out our main course and noticed our distinctly southern accent. "Georgia," he said, "You guys must be from Georgia." If the service from the start was as personable and meaningful as this young man, Caps on the Water would have received five stars from us.
I am including a link to the restaurant below and hope that if you are in the St. Augustine area, that you will give Caps a try.
http://www.capsonthewater.com/
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Six Feet Under Pub and Fish House, Atlanta, Ga.
On a very recent trip to Atlanta, my wife and I do what we do best when it comes to food; we ventured out of our way a little to try new places. On our way to the Braves game, we found a pub near the Georgia Tech campus. I must admit, at first I was skeptical because of the reputation of the neighborhood around Tech. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere, the service, and the food; obviously the holy trinity of restaurants.
The atmosphere was very eclectic and laid back. It had the feel of a true pub. With the college not so far away, I am sure the college scene lends to a lot of the atmosphere. I am sure this place has seen its share of late night snackers and drinkers, but I don't say that to detract from its value, only to give you a sense of the cool vibe the place gives off. The service fit the vibe of the place. The server we had was very good and willing to help us make our decisions. I like being able to tell servers that we are there for the first time, and then letting them tell us the good stuff. She kept out drinks filled and made sure we were okay. She was busy in our section, but of course that was okay.
After a quick chat with the server, my wife and I were ready to try some of the food. As an appetizer we order the Oysters Rockefeller. I have to admit that I was leery as we were over three hours from any body of water that could produce fresh oysters. However, these were steamed and the menu had an extensive selection of seafood and oysters. I must admit, I am glad we ordered the oysters. Served in a large cast iron skillet, the oysters were oozing with cheese and scorching hot. They were steamed perfectly and had the best flavor. Not only cheese, but the spinach and a little squirt of fresh lemon juice and I had the best oysters this side of Mobile, Ala. (That's another story for another day). For our main course, my wife is a sucker for a burger with blue cheese. So, once she saw that on the menu, she was hooked. I think she has a personal mission to eat as many Blue burgers as she can to see which one is the best. As a side, she ordered the home style chips. It's hard for me to describe her food, but she said it was good. I did try her burger, and it was a little dry for my liking, but complete destruction of the burger lends me to believe that she loved it.
For my meal I wanted to venture out a little, as I generally do in new places. The combination tacos really caught my interest, although the steamed crab legs almost won out. In this combination I decided on the catfish taco, the fried chicken taco, and the blackened shrimp taco. When the tacos first came out, the thing that immediately caught my attention was the freshness of the meal. It seemed that everything was fresh and nothing canned, jarred, or frozen. I tried the catfish taco first and was amazed at the depth of flavor. The catfish was perfectly cooked, and topped with fresh cabbage, fried onions, and a horseradish dill sauce. All of this on toasted flour tortilla. The flavors were so well balanced and nothing was over powering. I tried the fried chicken taco next and my mind was officially blown. Using fresh chicken made a huge difference, not to mention the fresh corn straight from the cob, cilantro, and fried jalapeno peppers. The combination was amazing. On top of all of that I put a little of the fresh salsa verde and I was hooked. Just like the catfish taco, nothing was over powering and all of the flavors were clear and defined. The fresh corn added a sweetness to balance out the fried jalapenos, and the cilantro added the perfect lemony punch to a perfect taco. Finally, I tried the last taco, the blackened shrimp taco. I am not sure if following the chicken taco was the problem or if I just didn't like it, but it was just okay. The first thing I noticed was the texture of the shrimp. Maybe the texture of the shrimp in combination with the flour tortilla just didn't match up. Despite the texture, the flavor was pretty good. I must admit that I only took one bite of the shrimp taco. However, I demolished the other two. It is worth mentioning that I got the beer battered onion rings as a side. According to the menu, they use a beer from a local brewery, which we did pass on our way to the Braves game. The rings were really good and had a great flavor to the crust. My wife and I are nuts for a ring batter that is crispy and light. These were perfect. Although we like some doughy rings, we prefer just the way these were cooked.
So, if you are near the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and you would like a good lunch or early dinner, you should really try Six Feet Under. The vibe and the food are great, and although I did not mention this earlier, they have a Bloody Mary bar where you can fix your own BM the way you like it. Pretty cool.
After a quick chat with the server, my wife and I were ready to try some of the food. As an appetizer we order the Oysters Rockefeller. I have to admit that I was leery as we were over three hours from any body of water that could produce fresh oysters. However, these were steamed and the menu had an extensive selection of seafood and oysters. I must admit, I am glad we ordered the oysters. Served in a large cast iron skillet, the oysters were oozing with cheese and scorching hot. They were steamed perfectly and had the best flavor. Not only cheese, but the spinach and a little squirt of fresh lemon juice and I had the best oysters this side of Mobile, Ala. (That's another story for another day). For our main course, my wife is a sucker for a burger with blue cheese. So, once she saw that on the menu, she was hooked. I think she has a personal mission to eat as many Blue burgers as she can to see which one is the best. As a side, she ordered the home style chips. It's hard for me to describe her food, but she said it was good. I did try her burger, and it was a little dry for my liking, but complete destruction of the burger lends me to believe that she loved it.
For my meal I wanted to venture out a little, as I generally do in new places. The combination tacos really caught my interest, although the steamed crab legs almost won out. In this combination I decided on the catfish taco, the fried chicken taco, and the blackened shrimp taco. When the tacos first came out, the thing that immediately caught my attention was the freshness of the meal. It seemed that everything was fresh and nothing canned, jarred, or frozen. I tried the catfish taco first and was amazed at the depth of flavor. The catfish was perfectly cooked, and topped with fresh cabbage, fried onions, and a horseradish dill sauce. All of this on toasted flour tortilla. The flavors were so well balanced and nothing was over powering. I tried the fried chicken taco next and my mind was officially blown. Using fresh chicken made a huge difference, not to mention the fresh corn straight from the cob, cilantro, and fried jalapeno peppers. The combination was amazing. On top of all of that I put a little of the fresh salsa verde and I was hooked. Just like the catfish taco, nothing was over powering and all of the flavors were clear and defined. The fresh corn added a sweetness to balance out the fried jalapenos, and the cilantro added the perfect lemony punch to a perfect taco. Finally, I tried the last taco, the blackened shrimp taco. I am not sure if following the chicken taco was the problem or if I just didn't like it, but it was just okay. The first thing I noticed was the texture of the shrimp. Maybe the texture of the shrimp in combination with the flour tortilla just didn't match up. Despite the texture, the flavor was pretty good. I must admit that I only took one bite of the shrimp taco. However, I demolished the other two. It is worth mentioning that I got the beer battered onion rings as a side. According to the menu, they use a beer from a local brewery, which we did pass on our way to the Braves game. The rings were really good and had a great flavor to the crust. My wife and I are nuts for a ring batter that is crispy and light. These were perfect. Although we like some doughy rings, we prefer just the way these were cooked.
So, if you are near the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and you would like a good lunch or early dinner, you should really try Six Feet Under. The vibe and the food are great, and although I did not mention this earlier, they have a Bloody Mary bar where you can fix your own BM the way you like it. Pretty cool.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Welcome!
This blog is designed for all of those "wanna be" food critics that will never get the chance to travel the world critiquing the world's finest restaurants. This is for the housewife who watches the Food Network incessantly or the working man that writes food critiques in his head as he is eating. This is the common man (or woman) food blog.
I hope you enjoy this blog, and maybe one day my distinguished work will lead to a job as one of those people that travel the world talking about other people's food.
I hope you enjoy this blog, and maybe one day my distinguished work will lead to a job as one of those people that travel the world talking about other people's food.
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