Cakes & Ale Birthday Dinner

Fried okra and arancini.

For my good friend Kimberly's birthday, several friends dined at Cakes & Ale in Decatur. This place is small and inviting with a great, farm-fresh (short) menu that changes daily. We devoured the fried okra and arancini (fried rice balls) along with some stellar bread and butter. Of course the Atkins-diet people are probably happy but I'd like to see a plentiful bread basket offered initially rather than the one slice per person that was left on our table (we asked for more and were brought - again - one slice per person)! Still, perhaps the dearth of bread made it taste even better and of course, it left room for more of their delicious food. I recommend this place for an intimate dinner for two or for a larger (but not too large) party. Cakes & Ale is a welcome addition to the Decatur dining scene and I hope to be back there again soon.

Delicious burger.

The burger was a real standout. The combination of meats they use is different and perfect. I also like the shoestring fries.

Chalkboard menu - changes daily.



Tomato & onion side dish - so tasty - and gnocci with sausage.



Duck with turnips and turnip greens. This dish disappointed me a bit as the greens were quite bitter. Still, I enjoyed the mashed turnips and the duck itself had a good flavor.



Phatty cakes - so addictive! Must try.



Sauteed pear, brioche and vanilla sauce and salted caramel tart - both excellent.

Martha's Vineyard Eats 2009

Clams & ussels in a spicy sauce - my favorite!

Every year I try to make it to the island of Martha's Vineyard for at least a long weekend. The laid back culture, beautiful scenery and fresh seafood make for a relaxing and fun vacation - this is why President Obama decided to vacation here! My aunt and uncle own a very nice house with a great location on the island and graciously invite us to stay every year. For rental information, click here.

This year Cal and I went over a long weekend in October - great weather and a fun time had by all (as usual). We ate out several times during our stay and enjoyed my aunt's wonderful cooking as well.

Near the beginning of our stay we dined at il tesoro in Edgartown at the Charlotte Inn. Overall I was pleased with the experience, especially the spicy mussel and clam appetizer my dad ordered (above), the pesto gnocci (below) and the dessert.

Swordfish.



Sole.



Tuna steak - very good.



Seafood pasta special - not as flavorful as I would have liked. Next time I'll stick with the tomato version. Also, it was supposed to have lobster in it but I don't remember tasting any.



Veal Marsala.



Pesto Gnocci - light and deliciously garlicky. Highly recommended by my cousin Amanda!



Dessert selection - we tasted several of these. My favorite was the berry tart.



Had to go for a lobster roll - following a long bike ride, this was tasty and I enjoyed the sweet potato fries, too.

One day for lunch we went to Fishbone's in Oak Bluffs (not sure why their address on urbanspoon is listed as Vineyard Haven). Our lunch was fine and it was nice to sit near the boats docked nearby.

Cal tried the Fish & Chips. He liked this dish, although I think we were so hungry we would have enjoyed anything!

Our last night on the Vineyard we dined at The Mediterranean in Oak Bluffs. While some of the dishes were noteworthy and tasty, the entire experience was dampened by the extremely slow service and bloopers made throughout the evening including raw eggplant being served under a fried eggplant sandwich, cold food and bad coffee. The restaurant was practically empty so there was no reason for our meal to take 3 hours.

Tapas portions of calamari and carmelized sea scallop with fig sauce - good.



One of the Greek pasta dishes - I can't remember which one - not listed on the online menu. I do remember it was tasty.



Pizza.



Mussel tangine - the best savory dish of the meal; interesting spices used to enhance the fresh seafood.



Lamejun - an interesting melange of flavors but this version turned out dry.



Falafel with rice.



"The Stack" - for some reason this fried eggplant sandwich was served atop raw eggplant this evening - very strange indeed.



The best part of the meal with the burnt sugar ice cream that accompanied this giant and dense chocolate cake.



Mocha creme brulee was also tasty.

Honey Pig and SunO

Scallops, kimchee, mushrooms and bean sprouts on the grill.

Several weeks ago we ventured to Honey Pig in Duluth following an outing to the annual JapanFest in Gwinnett county. I'd heard a lot about this place from fellow bloggers, but as I rarely get to Duluth, this was my first time trying it. The pork belly is what to come here for; it was very tender and delicious. I also enjoyed the selection of mushrooms. We ordered scallops as well, which were okay but not worth their high price. In general this place was a little too expensive for what you get, in my opinion. Still, if you're looking for a nicer atmosphere and want Korean BBQ, this is a good choice. Personally, I would return more quickly to Han Il Kwan on Buford Highway - better prices and just as tasty. Also closer to home for me, but I'm sure others have differing opinions.

What is your favorite Korean restaurant in the Atlanta area (not just for BBQ)?

Soup and a variety of sauces and side items were served with the meats.

After you finish eating meat and veggies, the waiter makes fried rice on the griddle.

Our strawberry mango SunO.

After dinner we headed to SunO, an Asian dessert shop specializing in creamy shaved ice treats. The ice itself is made with cream or milk and sugar, rendering the shaved ice flavorful. Then toppings are applied such as fruits, nuts, cookie bits and mochi (small sweet rice cakes) along with sweetened condensed milk and/or fruity syrups. Also offered are various crepes, bubble teas and wheel pies. I love the taste of the shaved ice here and could eat is on its own easily - it takes me back to childhood when my mom used to make snow cream from freshly fallen snow. This was really a treat since we rarely had snow in Charlotte, NC! SunO is near a SuperH Mart in Duluth - a gourmet Korean supermarket that is also worth checking out for its great selection, prepared foods sections and food court.

Outside the store.

So many tasty options!

Southern Goodness at Goolsby's in Evans, GA

Chicken, mac and cheese and green beans with corn cake.

Following a final adoption hearing for some of my favorite clients, I dined at Goolsby's in Evans, Georgia (Columbia County, near Augusta). Southern favorites like baked and fried chicken, pork loin and shrimp are served up right here in a cafeteria-style line. There is also delicious peach cobbler. I really enjoyed my meal here, including the delicious BBQ sauce and chow-chow they bring around to the tables. I had sweet tea, too, which is unusual for me. I suppose the atmosphere called for it and I listened! I will return here for sure if I'm ever back in Evans.

This gentleman will take care of you!



Pork loin, green beans and rice with gravy.



Delicious fried shrimp comped to us after my clients informed the restaurant of my blog!

Weekend in Highlands, NC

Calvin in front of the 4 1/2 Street Inn in Highlands, NC.

In late September we were invited to a wedding in Highlands, NC. Having not been there for many years, I enjoyed researching places to stay. I am so glad that I found and settled on the 4 1/2 Street Inn. Owners and hosts, Helene and Rick, are, in a word, awesome and the inn is within walking distance of downtown Highlands. We enjoyed a quiet, peaceful two nights there, including fabulous breakfasts and fresh-baked cookies each afternoon. In the evenings, wine and nibbles are offered on the back deck. We also took a dip in the hot tub. Our room, #9 on the third floor, was charming - I loved the footed tub! As it rained heavily the day of the wedding, Rick drove us to the wedding site - this really went beyond what we would have expected. If you are going to Highlands, I really recommend this place.

Our first delicious breakfast at the 4 1/2 Street Inn included French toast casserole - so tasty with maple syrup!



Another great breakfast at 4 1/2 Street.



Backyard at 4 1/2 Street.



View from Sunset Rock, a short walk from downtown Highlands.



BBQ from The Rib Shack.

After arriving Friday evening and having our wine and snacks at the inn, we wanted a quick and inexpensive dinner. The Rib Shack hit the spot with great ribs and a brisket sandwich with sweet potato fries. After dinner we watched a local art/antique auction, which was a hoot - Calvin almost got Toni, my co-worker, to bid on something without her knowing it! Then we found Kilwin's Chocolate & Ice Cream on Main St. They get your attention here with free samples, including fresh fudge and warm waffle cones. We ended up with some walnut fudge and homemade ice cream. Luckily there is a Kilwin's in Atlanta, too - at Atlantic Station.

A brave soul climbs up Bridal Veil Falls.



Amy and Cal in front of Dry Falls.

Co'm Vietnamese Grill - Buford Highway

Combination salad with mango, papaya, apple and chicken.

C'om Vietnamese Grill on Buford Highway is a place I tried once when I first moved to Atlanta, then did not return to for several years. I can't quite remember why. I enjoyed my last two visits here immensely, for the quality and freshness of the food as well as the quick and non-intrusive service. I adore the combination salad, made with green mango and papaya as well as apple. You can add any of there meats - the chicken and the lamb were quite good. The food here may not be as authentic as some of my other favorite Vietnamese haunts (such as Pho Dai Loi #2) but I have to give them credit for creativity and for the ambience of the small restaurant, which is refreshingly pleasing after coming in from the strip-mall parking lot. I have not tried the Dunwoody location, but would seek it out if I'm ever in that area.

Lamb-stuffed grape leaves.

Vienna - final Europe 2009 post

Schonbrunn Palace

The last stop on our Europe tour was Vienna. Honestly, it was our least favorite but I think we were a bit spoiled coming right from the calm beauty of Croatia. We enjoyed our time in Vienna, even checking out Mozart's The Magic Flute at the beautiful Vienna opera house. Here are some foodie highlights.

Veggies for sale at the wonderful Naschmarkt.



Olive oils and vinegars for sale.



There's always an Elvis fan... just down the street from our apartment in Vienna.



Delicious hot chocolate from Oberlaa.



Different flavored macaroon cookies, also from OBERLAA - I loved the lemon and the raspberry.



Sachertorte from Oberlaa - with coffee.


Cookie from the market - delicious.



EIS = ice cream and small shops serving it can be found all over Vienna.



Trying Eis Kaffe - ice cream with cold coffee poured over the top. Calvin's had Bailey's too!

Istria - Heaven in Croatia

First night seafood spectacular!

The Istrian peninsula of Croatia was by far our favorite stop on the trip. Lots of great seafood, lovely inexpensive rooms (there's also an apartment) at Rooms/Apartment Lara, and a laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. The weather was perfect - warm, 80 degree days and cool nights. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Beaches of Rovinj.

View from Rovinj bell tower.

Another great meal at Gostionica Trattoria Toni.

Rovinj octopus salad - very tender and tasty.



BEST EVER ravioli with shaved truffles, arugula with fresh cheese and squid ink risotto with rockfish.



Some tasty fish and veggies - this fish wasn't as good as the first night though.



Our laundry drying in the wind. The woman we stayed with (Ivanka) graciously did our laundry.



Breakfast from the grocery/bakery 10 min. walk from our rooms - the wine was from the night before!



Beautiful sea shot.

In front of 1700 year old olive tree on Brijuni, the island where Tito used to live.



View of Fazana from our ferry to the Brijuni Islands.



Our last night in Croatia, we booked one of the seven tables at Krcma Ulika, a truly unique, art-filled tiny restaurant on the cobblestoned streets of Rovinj. The meal was quite expensive with wine and three courses for each of us, but it was a high-quality intimate experience we will never forget.



Bruschetta (bottom left), Mediterranean delights (top) and scallops baked in a shell started us off in the right direction.

Entrees of sea bass lasagna (top left), sea bass and bean and mussel stew.

Cheese & fruit plates and ice cream with pumpkin oil delighted us for dessert.

Calvin and John with the woman who runs the restaurant.

Huge figs grew in Ivanka's yard.

Fresh figs are the best!

ANTICO IS AWESOME - break in travel blogging for important announcement

If you want to be on the forefront of great pizza in Atlanta, go to Antico ASAP. Don't mind that there is basically no place to sit down. You'll be happily eating your pizza standing up. Check out the fresh cheese, chopped garlic, chili oil and spices you can add to your already delicious steaming pizza yourself after it's presented to you and cut. The cannoli isn't bad either. Seriously, THIS is IT right now. Go. Go Now! They close when the dough runs out so you should call first. I don't have photos from my Friday evening pizza lovefest, but just trust me, you don't need photos - you need to go try it out!!

Lake Bled and Whitewater Rafting

View from our tent at the Eco-camp in Soca Valley, Slovenia. What a way to wake up!



Lake Bled castle - we walked up for a great view. Magnificent resort town.



Lake Bled, Slovenia - a gorgeous lake with a small island. Several weddings were performed while we were there! We rowed over in a rented paddleboat but John and I swam back while Calvin rowed solo!



Delicious, spicy pizza in Bled.



Famous pastry shop in Bled where we tried kremna rezina cream pastry. The fruity one tasted better but we had to try the famous cream pastry!



Assortment of baked goods.



Saurkraut sausage stew.

With John's encouragement we headed to Lake Bled for a day of beautiful weather and spectacular views. We encountered a triathlon going on while we were there, we walked around the entire lake (3.5 mile perimeter), rowed across to see the island and church and some of us swam back - definitely one of the greatest highlights for me. After we explored Bled, had tasty pizza and a pastry for lunch, Calvin and I got on the road for the adventure portion of our trip.

We drove over Vrsic pass - or rather, Calvin drove the cute Mercedes rental we picked up in Ljubljana for a few days up, over, down and around 50 hairpin turns! Finally we made it to the Eco-Camp where we'd arranged to spend one night and do whitewater rafting the next day. The camp itself was slightly disappointing, although the views were so lovely and awe-inspiring we still really enjoyed our time there. The place, Adrenaline Check, looks much better on its website than it does in person and organization was truly lacking. Upon booking I was told we'd have a BBQ dinner - one of the things we'd most been looking forward to; however, upon arrival we were told that since they had a BBQ the night before there would be none! Thankfully there was another couple from England in the same position, so one of the camp co-owners took us on a scary ride to one of the only local restaurants about 15 minutes away. Our dinner was hearty and we enjoyed it but it was not the BBQ we were expecting!

Our tent with the fabulous view was also within a stone's throw from the main area of the outdoor camp. Unfortunately for us, this meant that people were very loud all night. They were obviously having a good time but it was not easy to sleep.

Deer goulash over polenta in Soca Valley.



Ready to raft.

We really did enjoy the rafting. We were placed on a 9 person raft with a group of Slovenians including a woman who occasionally made a random comment in English. Such comments are probably not as funny to your average reader who was not there but somehow her accent and choice words still make us laugh. These include "It's a beautiful daaaaay" and, when we began to go through some strong waves, bouncing us around: "Shake it, baby, shake it." OK, so it is funny to us...

Overall Slovenia was a beautiful country to visit. We encountered many nice f0lks and saw amazing scenery. I recommend it for the seasoned adventure traveler.

View on the way back to Ljubljana - over the pass and around the 50 hairpin turns again!

Ljubljana and Environs

Grilled octopus with figs and potatoes - this is probably the largest octopus I've ever seen on a plate!



John and Cal outside restaurant Gostilna Sestica in Ljubljana, Slovenia.



Wild boar with dumplings.

Our first night in Slovenia we had dinner at Gostilna Sestica, just down the street from B&B Slamic where we stayed. We enjoyed our dinner in the courtyard, although John's fish was rather salty. The octopus was tasty and the boar definitely something different! A great way to start off our time with John and to say hello to Ljubljana.

Slovenia is a neat country. Overall it was one of our favorite spots on the whole trip. Most people know English well here because they learn it from television (they don't dub, even most kids shows) so communication wasn't difficult. The lifestyle is so laid back here, with lots of cafes lining both sides of the river that runs through the center of town. Our last night there we even caught a free concert featuring Joss Stone and the Slovenian artist Siddhartha. We also had a fabulous time in the mountains of NE Slovenia (more to follow in next post).

Fish with greens.



Yes, they eat horse. This is a reminder of how difficult times were for people during the Yugoslav Wars. No, we did not try any.



Dragon bridge in Ljubljana.



Fruits for sale at Ljubljana outdoor market.



Basket anyone?



Flowers for sale in the marketplace.



We saw (and ate) lots of ice cream in Prague, Slovenia and Croatia!



River running through Ljubljana.



Art in the anarchist district of Ljubljana.



Predjama Castle, about an hour outside of Ljubljana. Our friend John was very excited to see this castle, which is an amazing architectural delight. Built right into a cave mouth, this is certainly a unique sight.



Postojna Cave - near the castle. We had a blast riding the train into the mountain for a look at these spectacular caves. They really didn't want us taking photos but this is one long cave system!

Salzburg

On top of Untersberg.

Salzburg was definitely a highlight of the trip. After Prague, it was a warm, welcoming small city. We bought Salzburg passes that allowed us into all the attractions for one (fairly low) price. Thus, we raced around the city, doing so many things! We went to Mozart's house, took the cable car up the Untersberg, took a boat tour, visited the fortress and more...

Cafe Tomaselli.

At this famous cafe, we had a delightful afternoon coffee and cake. I could get used to this! The people watching was also quite fun. Austria is known for its coffee obsession and many kinds are offered. I was pleased to see generous usage of whipped cream!

Coffee with milk and whipped cream... my kind of coffee!



House special cake and raspberry cake.



Fish Stew - so delicious.



Restaurant Zum Eulenspiegel.

For dinner we opted for something nice and it was very tasty. We sat outside in the lovely weather but the inside looked very cute also. The fish stew was absolutely amazing. The lamb and dumplings not bad either. I'd definitely recommend this place if you're in Salzburg.

Lamb.



Vegetarian dumplings in tomato sauce.



Horse & carriage - lots of these in Salzburg!



Stiegl Brewery - we toured, we tasted & we were almost late for our bus to the train station - yay for being in shape enough to run and make it! Loved the raspberry beer they offered and I am not a big beer fan.

Firkin & Lindbergh - Trivia Night

Sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo - delicious.



Burger with salad - skip the salad!

Just after we returned from Europe (more posts on the trip coming soon) my neighbors invited us to play trivia at the new pub Firkin & Lindbergh near the Lindbergh MARTA station. Firkin is a franchise of pubs, with the majority of their outlets in Ontario, Canada. They also have pubs in 11 U.S. states.

The decor includes red velvet booths, which provided comfy seats for us as we were served up some fine pub fare. The sweet potato fries really hit the spot - I could have devoured the whole basket! The burger delivered as well, although we should not have opted for the overdressed, underwhelming salad - who orders a side salad at a pub anyway? The cottage pie was tasty, although the potato topping made up a substantial portion of the entree. Next time I want to try their chicken curry with chutney. We also sampled the bread pudding (not pictured), which was tasty but in my opinion had too much nutmeg and lacked a good sauce. The pudding was not as warm as we'd have liked either.

As for drinks, our party tried several enjoyable cocktails and beers and the beer flight. It's neat that they offer this selection of beer tastings from their ample offering of brews. Our server did fairly well throughout the meal but did not know how to properly handle the check, which we wanted gift certificates applied to and then split evenly. She corrected the problem, but what should have been a quick transaction turned out to take a few minutes. Overall this place is a welcome addition to the Atlanta pub scene and is probably a nice place to watch football if Taco Mac at Lindbergh is too full.

Cottage Pie with veggies.



Reuben with waffle fries.

Crepes and Sausages - More from Prague

Sausage stand in Prague's Old Town Square.

One of the great things about traveling is trying the local street food, which in Prague, included lots of sausages. We kept thinking about trying one of these tasty-smelling puppies from the street vendor in the old town square, but somehow we never tried one. Calvin did try a sausage from another street vendor elsewhere in Prague and we were underwhelmed at the quality. For some reason I think we'd played up the sausages or else we did not go to the right place.

On the other hand, the crepe place we found and tried one day for a late lunch, was quite tasty, although not up to France standards. I thoroughly enjoyed my dessert crepe and stole a few tastes of the savory crepe also. I promise to post about another destination spot soon!

Crepe with camembert, ham and olives.



Crepe with ice cream, nuts and chocolate sauce, with whipped cream.



Crepe Menu.

Lounging, beer-drinking and Mediterranean in Prague

Boat-cafe we visited twice.



Calvin enjoys a Pilsner.



Middle Eastern Platter at Radost FX Cafe.

Our friends recommended this cafe/lounge/dance club - Radost FX Cafe - so we tried it one evening for dinner. We were not super hungry, so decided to share the Middle Eastern appetizer platter. It was a delicious change from the heavy Czech food we'd eaten, with delicious hummus and eggplant dip. They also toasted the bread, which was a nice touch. Radost is a fully vegetarian, offering international dishes including Italian, Mexican and Thai as well as Middle Eastern. At first we were a little put off by the smoky rooms, but we enjoyed dinner (and dessert) and recommend this place for a little something different. Apparently most of its patrons are foreigners - lots of students - but we saw a few people speaking Czech! There is also a dance club downstairs.

Menu - huge drink menu.



Double chocolate cake.