Pizza Peel & Tap Room

The "No Apologies Pizza" from the Secret Menu - available if you ask for it and online here.

I recently had the chance to try The Pizza Peel and Tap Room on Colwick Road near Cotswold. The Pizza Peel turns out custom and specialty pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and salads and boasts an impressive beer menu. I like that pizzas are available in personal size portions and you can make even a personal size half and half - fun! There is also a Secret Menu. Ask for it.

I tried the above "No Apologies Pizza" from the Secret Menu which has chipotle hot tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, chorizo sausage, spinach, red onion and whole roasted garlic - whew, that was one fully loaded and tasty pizza! The Roasted Veggie (available on the regular menu) was also very good. The dough on both pizzas tasted fresh and well cooked. I also really enjoyed the curry rolls: although not what you might expect at a pizza place, the fried curry spring rolls with chicken, carrots, onions and cabbage got my taste buds going and offered an excellent start to the meal. Other starters include garlic knots, bruschetta, nachos and even house made potato chips. The house salad I sampled was also top-notch and other salads are available as well. I love salads with fruit, nuts and cheese and this house salad fit that bill with cranberries, bleu cheese and walnuts - yum! Pastas like beer & four cheese lasagna and eggplant parm are on my list to try another time and the fish tacos have received accolades as well. The Pizza Peel definitely offers a diverse menu with something for everyone. Every week there are lunch specials and every day there are events like trivia, live music and pint night. Check the calendar here.

In celebration of National IPA Day on August 2, 2012 The Pizza Peel and Tap Room will host Taylor from Natty Greene's Brewing Company for a complimentary tasting and beer education at 6 PM. There will be 6 different 2 ounce samples: Highland Kashmir, Stone IPA, Natty Greene's Freedom IPA, Loose Cannon IPA, He'Brew Hop Manna and Terrapin Hopsecutioner. A $5 appetizer buffet including stout meatballs, bruschetta and flatbreads will be avilable for those attending the tasting. Additionally, all IPAs will be $4 all day and Pizza Peel staff can recommend the best pizza to go with your IPA. Check it out!

Chicken Curry Rolls.



House salad includes dried cranberries, blue cheese and walnuts.



Roasted veggie pizza.



Lunch buffet - so many pizzas to choose from!







Taps galore!

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

Mac's Speed Shop

Small BBQ platter with onion rings and slaw.

We ventured into Mac's Speed Shop recently on a Friday night around 9:30 PM. The live music was just gearing up and the patio filling but we sat inside at one of the front booths. Mac's is a neat place and its motto "Beer, Bikes, BBQ" truly fits. The Southend location is located on our way home from I-77 so we often pass by and see motorcycles lined up. Steele Creek and Lake Norman locations also exist and a new location opened recently in Greenville, SC. In South End Mac's is open until midnight Sun. - Tues. and until 2 AM Wed. - Sat.

Service was attentive and obviously knowledgeable. The waitress recommended the onion rings over the fries and they were a good choice with my pulled pork platter. The pulled pork was pretty good although the portion wasn't that big (of course it was the small platter) perhaps the better to try one of the delicious sounding appetizers or the hush puppies, which we skipped this visit. Calvin enjoyed the fish po'boy also. I was a bit skeptical of him ordering fish at a place with BBQ in its name but it was actually quite tasty and I enjoyed that it was blackened instead of the usual po'boy fried. We did sample the banana pudding for dessert - a worthy rendition including some tasty real whipped cream on top. It was such a good portion that I even took some home for later. Calvin enjoyed a couple of the beer selections, which are varied and include the usual and the unusual. We also noticed that Mac's offers half price appetizers Monday through Friday from 4 - 6 PM - we will definitely be back soon! I am looking forward to trying the chili and the Brunswick stew.

4 sauce options - my favorite: the Carolina BBQ Sauce.



Fish Po' Boy with rice & beans.



Delicious banana pudding.

Burger Tap: The New Neighbor in Morningside - Grand Opening January 20

Truffle Burger with fried zucchini and the Classic Burger with sweet potato fries.

I sampled Morningside's new Burger Tap soon after its soft opening. You order at the counter, where several beer taps are also available. The look is industrial, with metal tables and clean lines, which may be a bit too "trendy" for maximizing business in this location. I hope they decide to install padding on the benches and add some individual tables to the large space in front.

I enjoyed the food, especially the truffle burger with gruyere, fried onions, garlic mayo and a truffle glaze and the fried zucchini. The burgers are served in a unique shape (rectangular) which seems to cause some people to feel that they are too small. I think the size is fine so long as you are up for one of the side dishes. If not, you may want to order 2 burgers. The sweet potato fries are made using Korean white sweet potatoes - a different taste and feel from the usual but good.

I'd like to see a wider variety of non-alcoholic beverages as well as more desserts - they have ice cream which can be made into a float. It would also be nice to have a more kid-friendly space. I learned that since my visit they have added a price-sensitive kids meal which is a great idea.

The restaurant holds its grand opening this weekend with the following specials:

Friday, January 20th from 6 - 11 p.m. Burger Tap will offer $.25 (twenty-five cent) pints of Bud Light, Newcastle or PBR when you purchase a burger. 50% off all other beer selections.

Saturday, January 21st from 12 noon - 7 p.m. Burger Tap will treat children 12 and under to a complimentary Kid's Meal, which includes a hamburger or cheeseburger, side of fries and a juice box.

Check out Burger Tap for yourself and let me know what you think!

The beer taps.



Dining area - there is outdoor seating also.



Southwestern Burger with fried jalepeno.



View of the kitchen and condiment station.

Disclosure: The meal described in this review was complimentary.

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.

Meehans Hosts Special Dinners

Make your reservations now!

On July 21 the Sandy Spring location of Meehan's Public House hosts "40 Shades of Green" a five course dinner with beer and wine pairings honoring Johnny Cash, beginning a series of music-inspired dinners. Click here to learn more and see the menu.

On July 26 Meehan's Downtown hosts its second summer dinner, "All About Peaches" featuring a peach-filled four course dinner menu paired with microbrews from Jailhouse Brewery. Click here to learn more and see the menu.

Meehan's has a third location in Vinings.

The Family Dog - Media Tasting

I was invited to a media preview event at The Family Dog, the new bar concept by Ron Eyester. The bar is located directly across the street from Eyester's flagship restaurant, Rosebud, which I have enjoyed several times for lunch and brunch. Although I am not typically a bar person I really like the atmosphere of The Family Dog. The long bar, dark tones and fun art as well as a patio play positively into the mix.

Unfortunately I found the food mostly mediocre and although I find the "Angry Chef" bit that Eyester has become infamous for mildly amusing, as a customer it doesn't make a lot of sense. For example, the burger comes only one way. No exceptions. Of course this is Eyester's choice and I understand the dilemma he faces regarding preparation time and speed of orders, but this is a bit excessive. I'd rather see fewer toppings on the burger and/or have toppings come on the side. Another option: a topping bar.

I did really enjoy the playfulness of much of the menu, including lobster spaghetti egg rolls and house made Cheetohs. I was really excited about tasting the Cheetohs as well as the duck fat chips and onion dip. However, unfortunately I saw very little lobster meat in the egg rolls and in my humble opinion neither the Cheetohs nor the chips and onion dip tasted as good as upper-end store-bought varieties.

My favorite menu items that we sampled included the steamed mussels and the crab dip. The mussels, plump and juicy after being steamed in beer with serrano peppers and leeks, really took on the flavor of their cooking stock. I wanted to lap up the remaining broth but restrained myself since we were sharing plates! The crab dip is rich and creamy, served with tasty bread sticks. The burger (served its one way) was also good - I personally am fine with the way it is served. I also like the nostalgic tint of the fried bologna sandwich with cheese and crushed Fritos. It is definitely flavorful although that flavor screams unhealthy! The crispy rock shrimp with maple-sambal glaze had a great flavor, but the breading was so think I could barely taste the shrimp.

Crab dip.



Spaghetti lobster egg rolls.



House made Cheetohs.

We also sampled some of the tasty drinks including the Morningsider (gin, fresh squeezed lemon and maraschino juice) and the Angry Elk (adult fruit punch in a Mason jar) - both quite delicious. There is a huge selection of liquor including an especially impressive list of whisky. In addition, there are six other custom cocktails made using fresh ingredients, around ten draught beers and several wine options. I also really appreciate the selection of non-alcoholic options, including Mexican Coke (no corn syrup) and Cheerwine, the beloved soda from my home state.

7 Spice Duck Fat Potato Chips and Onion Dip.



Joe's Fried Mozzarella.



Burger.



Fried Bologna and Cheese with crushed Fritos.



Disco fries with marrow gravy and fried egg.

Overall I think The Family Dog is a neat addition to the neighborhood since it is open late, which is hard to find, and it provides an atmosphere not previously available in Morningside proper. Those seeking out good drinks and a fun atmosphere will really enjoy it and the food will satisfy their need to eat something after inhaling all those drinks. I would like to try some of the other options we were not given, including the wings, fried oyster sandwich, pimento cheese and crab-stuffed shrooms.

Der Biergarten VIP Opening Event

Der Biergarten, brings German cuisine and the beer garden atmosphere to Marietta Street's Luckie District. I was invited to the restaurant's grand opening a couple of months ago and really enjoyed the food, special music they had for the event and the atmosphere. This is definitely a unique addition to the Atlanta scene. The restaurant offers over a dozen German draft beers including some cider that I particularly enjoyed.

The food was better than expected!



Too funny to pass up!

Beer and Cheese Pairings at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead is currently offering a unique pairing of beer and cheese in it's Lobby Lounge. The pairings are: Rogue's Chocolate Stout Ale paired with Chocolate Stout Cheddar, Rogue's Morimoto Soba Ale paired with Morimoto Cheddar, and Rogue's Hazelnut Nectar paired with Smokey Blue Cheese. I had the pleasure of attended a complimentary tasting several weeks ago, and enjoyed the pairings very much. My favorite is the Hazelnut beer with the blue cheese. In addition to the beer and cheese, the pairings are served with various crackers as well as jams and jellies that add a burst of flavor to the mix. The fiery pepper jelly with the blue cheese really worked well, as did the apple rosemary jelly. I also enjoyed the pecan jam with the chocolate stout and chocolate stout cheddar. The jams and jellies are all from Ferrywood Thicket, a local farm.

Porter Beer Bar Lunch

Beer Menu - it goes on and on!

On Friday I met a friend for lunch at The Porter Beer Bar in Little Five Points. I felt like we had been transported to an English pub - they really have achieved a special atmosphere! We shared the arugula salad and Belgian fries and each ordered mussels. All was very good, especially the garlic smothered fries and the pickled beets in the arugula salad. The mussels were quality also, although I felt the broth could have been spicier as the garlic fries really overpowered them. Although we abstained from any alcohol during working hours, their beer menu is incredible. I must return to try one of the ciders or chocolate inspired ales. The dessert list also looked good - including a chocolate ice cream made with beer.

Arugula salad and Belgian garlic fries.



Mussels (appetizer portion)



Outside shot.



The bar.



This place has a real pub atmosphere - I felt like I was in England with the dark halls and faux lanterns lighting the way.