River's Edge Bar & Grill at the US National Whitewater Center

Part of the US National Whitewater Center.

The Tree Hugger Salad.

If you have never been to the US National Whitewater Center, it is definitely worth a visit. The place is HUGE and offers an array of fun outdoor activities including a man-made whitewater course that is used to train hopeful Olympic kayakers, zip lines, obstacle courses, a huge rock wall, flatwater kayaking in the Catawba river, mountain biking and more. My stepdaughter recently spent a week at the Center's day camp and loved it - definitely the best day camp I have ever come across for active and adventurous kids!

A nice surprise is that there is a decent restaurant on site: River's Edge Bar & Grill is right by the whitewater course and offers a surprisingly diverse menu for this kind of place. Even if you aren't up to taking on the outdoor activities, you can come walk around and have a meal. There is a $5 parking fee which I was surprised about since there is plenty of room and you would not come there for any other reason! Concerts are offered frequently and there is a special July 4 celebration as well.

While attending the summer camp orientation we decided to check out the restaurant. I tried the tree hugger salad, below and enjoyed its Green Goddess dressing and roasted vegetables. The burrito was nothing special - kind of dry as was the hummus - but still better than what you usually get at a place where food is not the main objective. There are lots of things we didn't try - salmon, tuna and pasta are offered entrees and a multitude of sandwiches, other salads and appetizers are available as well. There are many vegetarian and vegan items. All in all, after a day of fun in the sun, River's Edge is a decent place to relax and take in the scenery.

Smoked pork burrito with beans and rice.



Hummus and pita with Cajun cashews - tasty but a bit dry.

Tantra Restaurant & Lounge

Signature dish - seared ostrich with mushrooms and onions. This is one tasty steak, and healthier for you than beef too.

I was invited to try Tantra back in May. Located on Peachtree Road, next door to Imperial Fez, Tantra is a real treat. Calvin and I enjoyed a spectacular meal with great ambiance and service. The hummus with lamb and the scallops were my favorite dishes and the desserts were awesome too. They also offer an ostrich filet, which is very tender and delicious - something different is always fun too. This is a great special occasion place and with the lovely bar, also a nice place for drinks and appetizers or dessert!

Tasty, although a bit salty, flat bread provided at the beginning of the meal with a tasty herb butter - we liked the butter so much we had to ask for more!



Lamb tartar with shallot butter on matzah - very tasty and unique, but not as much lamb flavor as the hummus with lamb, below.



Hummus tahini with sauteed lamb - one of my favorite dishes of the evening. Absolutely delicious!



Mussels with red bell pepper coconut broth - also outstanding.



Basil Caramelized Scallops - another winner. I love this dish. Basil, scallops, whipped potatoes and greens. Yum.



Tantra has several inventive cocktails including the Tantric, left, which includes fresh thyme and Elderflower liquor.



Lemon scented Italian doughnuts + warm white chocolate cake with vanilla-lavender ice cream and berries. Both of these are wonderful and unique. I was already full when I got to the dessert course but I had to taste these anyway - so glad I did!



Espresso and Sambuca drink - great way to end the evening.



The dining room is dark, romantic and sensual - as it should be at a place called Tantra!



Nicely decorated bar area.

Sonny's Place

Turkey Sharma.

Soon after Sonny's Place opened, we tried it for lunch on a weekday, looking forward to a great spread of a Middle Eastern buffet - boy do I miss the Cedars which used to be on Lenox! The place was almost empty and we enjoyed talking with the manager, who was very friendly. The food we tried was good, although I was a bit disappointed with the falafel, which was rather dry to me. Also, it was disappointing that the lunch buffet had very recently been discontinued before our visit. Still, I really enjoyed the hummus and the turkey "sharma" - which must be akin to the usual lamb/been "schwarma" as well as the fresh tasting salad. I'd like to go back and try more here although I was also very excited about the fact that Sonny's originally offered breakfast all day. According to their website, that seems to have changed and salads, sandwiches and Middle Eastern specialties dominate the menu.

Sampler Patter.