Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous in Memphis

Famous ribs with pulled pork, slaw and beans.

I finally had the opportunity to try the iconic Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous' famous dry rub ribs while on a family vacation to Memphis. The ribs are really what it is all about here as the other items we tried fell flat. Don't bother with the pulled chicken or even the pulled pork. Get the ribs. Try both sauces. Enjoy the atmosphere. You'll thank me later. The baked beans and slaw are okay, but the side dishes are not what Rendezvous is famous for. They offer no fried foods so service is quick - we were in and out in about 30 minutes - a good thing since we'd parked the rental at a one hour meter!

Back alley entrance.



Pulled chicken sandwich - not impressive.

Googie Burger at Centennial Park

Several weeks ago I was able to take some of my co-workers to Googie Burger's opening media event. Googie is inside downtown Atlanta's Centennial Park and provides a nice alternative to the nearby CNN food court. My favorites: the Flyin' South chicken sandwich and, believe it or not, the veggie burger. The chicken sandwich has a kick to it, with spicy batter, hot sauce and blue cheese slaw on top. A definite winner. The veggie burger was better than most renditions I've tasted, prepared in house and topped with BBQ sauce and pepper-jack cheese. The hand cut fries were not bad either.

The burgers were tasty, too, although the beefy pig was a little too hefty for me, with smoked pork and bacon on top! One complaint from my entire table involved the iced tea: the sweet iced tea was too sweet, with little tea flavor and the unsweetened tea was watery, with little tea flavor. Some improvements should be made here.

We did enjoy three varieties of milkshake: a perfectly passable vanilla, a delicious peach and a wonderful peanut butter and jelly, although not much jelly could be tasted. The PB&J tasted even better frozen at home and eaten like ice cream. Googie also serves beer, wine and spiked milkshakes, a unique offering.

Googie's name comes from a distinct type of architecture, which features a bold look and wild angles. If you're in Centennial Park, you won't miss it!

Yours truly with Googie Burger's chef.

The Hil at Serenbe

Farm Antipasti Platter.

After winning tickets to Serenbe Playhouse's opening season (theater under the stars), Calvin and I ventured out the oasis that is Serenbe for dinner and a show. The Hil at Serenbe is one of the three restaurants open in the community. I dined there previously for brunch with my dad about a year ago, and included some photos of the planned community (see post here) in that post. This time we discovered a labyrinth and some farm animals including goats, a donkey and chickens near the small lake on the way to Serenbe's Inn.

Dinner, albeit expensive, was quite delicious. I could have consumed 4X the amount of tomato salad provided it was so good. The antipasti plate pictured above also impressed, with local egg, homemade soft cheese, cured meats and pickled beans you really do feel like you're tasting the farm. The chicken, juicy and divine, provided a reminder of the simple joys in life. Of course we had to try dessert. The parfait was a bit much with three kinds of ice cream, cookies and cookie dough with chocolate and caramel sauces. The cookies and cream - a perfect end to a simple, good meal.

Heirloom tomato salad.



All-natural chicken with smashed potatoes.



Sinful parfait (including raw cookie dough at the bottom) and the cookies and cream dessert (peanut butter with vanilla ice cream tonight).

Big Pie in the Sky as Seen on Man Vs. Food

The sheer size of it - Calvin poses with the giant pizza!

After a fun-filled afternoon of rock climbing with a group, we all decided to head to Big Pie in the Sky for some pizza. Man vs. Food attempted their Carnivore Challenge - 2 people have to eat 11 lbs. of meat-heavy pizza in under one hour for a $250 prize (the pizza costs $50) and did not succeed. Our group of 9 succeeded in finishing off the above pie, but did not even try the Carniverous wonder. The pizza actually tasted great. I was a little skeptical with a pie this large, but the bacon cheeseburger and the Margherita specialty pies really impressed. I'm not often in Kennesaw, but if you are, this is a must-try!

Isabella's Cafe in Decatur

Swahili Shrimp Curry with Mango and Spicy Asian Orange Beef.

Isabella's Cafe is a strong, unique addition to the Decatur dining scene. Located on West College Avenue, it's a bit off the beaten track of downtown, yet fully accessible and certainly worth seeking out. A couple of weeks ago owner/manager Wambui Maina invited me to sample much of Isabella's extensive, diverse menu. The menu's international focus comes from Wambui's own life experiences: born in Kenya, then lived in New Orleans, and traveled extensively around the US and the world. Photographs from around the world adorn the walls here, making for a full international experience for the eyes as well as the taste buds. The restaurant is named for Wambui's mother, Isabella.

The moist, savory corn muffins provided to each table started things off right. The trio of samosas - ground turkey was my favorite - also impressed, although I would like to taste a little more spicy heat in the mixtures. We also enjoyed two types of wings: tangy tamarind and sweet and hot Thai. Both were satisfying, but I enjoyed the sweet and hot Thai the most as the hot flavor really came through. Sounds like I'm on the lookout for spice these days... not sure what that means! The spinach salad was amazing. One of the best parts of the meal, and we were provided with all three homemade dressings: passion fruit vinaigrette is my top pick. I also loved the Swahili shrimp with Mango - a definite must-try. The spicy Asian beef was a bit too salty for my taste and a little too mainstream to stand out among all the other offerings not commonly found in Atlanta.

Corn muffins delivered to each table.



Samosa sampler platter and Spinach and Gorgonzola salad with mango, strawberries and spiced pecans.



Rich and Tangy Tamarind Wings - we also tried the Thai Sweet and Hot Wings.



Jerk Chicken Panini.



Pepper-Jack Macaroni and Cheese and Chipotle-Maple Black Beans.

The jerk chicken sandwich was another hit - spicy and large, this would make a wonderful lunch. We also thoroughly enjoyed the mac and cheese and the black beans. The beans had a really unique flavor and I'm not usually one to like black beans. I would probably choose them over the other side choices next time they are so good!

Cajun Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Alfredo over Pasta - also very tasty with just the right creaminess and spice.



Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Balls with Blue Cheese. Another good appetizer choice, although I think I prefer the real wings. Still, for those who prefer boneless, this is a great choice.



Banana Pudding and Sweet Potato Pie with Crunchy Pecan Topping. Both were great - loved the sweet potato pie.



All that was left of our Warm Chocolate Molten Cake! Do you think we liked it??



Inside Isabella's. The dining room is actually much larger than this view of the kitchen area.

Street Food Party with King of Pops

King of Pops' awesome popsicle cart. I LOVE the chocolate sea salt pop. The tangerine basil is also a winner and the Mexican chocolate has a unique spice.

A few weeks ago Calvin and I had lunch together (a rare treat!) outside the Auburn Curb Market where the many street food carts vying to be allowed to operate around the city set up shop. Such a great idea - I really hope something changes and more carts are available around town soon. Like at the corner of Buford Hwy. and Lenox Rd. Please?!

More carts!



Korean tacos from Yumbii - the first truck granted permits to operate as a true street vendor - yay!



Lining up for the Yumbii truck.



Big burrito - a bit heavy on the beans for my taste.

BBQ in Heflin, Alabama

BBQ, slaw and Brunswick Stew.

A few weeks ago I found myself meeting with someone for work in the middle of nowhere - midway between someplace in Alabama and Atlanta. With a little research, I came up with Marie's BBQ House as a good meeting point.

For this area, not a bad choice. I really liked the Brunswich stew more than the BBQ and wished I had ordered a bowl instead of the plate. The slaw contained too much mayo for my taste and the pulled pork was not memorable. They have homemade looking desserts, including something I've never heard of - a boiled cookie - but after eating the above I did not have room for dessert.

Dinner from Ecuador - with Chocolate Mousse

Guacamole and Sausage Cheese Dip.

One of my friends recently returned from a trip to Ecuador and hosted us at her house for dinner. In addition to the soup she made we also other friends. Recipes are below - the sausage cheese dip really benefited from the use of chevre (fresh goat cheese) in lieu of the cream cheese.

Lorco de Papas - soup from Ecuador.

Chocolate Mousse.

RECIPES

Sausage and Cheese Dip

8 oz block of cream cheese - I used chevre

1 can tomatoes and green chiles (aka Rotel), drained - I used Muir Glen

1 lb breakfast sausage, browned and drained - I used fresh chorizo

Brown the sausage on the stove, and drain on paper towels.

Unwrap the cream cheese, and put it into your crockpot. Chop up the sausage and add on top. Drain the Rotel, and add it.

Cover and cook on low for about 90 minutes, or on high for 45. Stir well and eat with tortilla chips. You can also melt slowly on the stovetop.

Locro de papas soup

• 2 teaspoons annatto (achiote) seeds
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 1/2 lb russet (baking) potatoes
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• Rounded 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 7 cups water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 1/2 oz queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese) or ricotta salata, coarsely grated (1 1/4 cups)
• 2 (6- to 7-oz) firm-ripe avocados

• Heat annatto seeds and oil in a very small saucepan over low heat, swirling pan frequently, until oil is bright red-orange and starts to simmer, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch pieces.
• Pour annatto oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a wide 7- to 8-quart heavy pot, discarding solids. Cook onion and half of potatoes (reserve remaining potatoes in a bowl of cold water) in annatto oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until onion is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cumin, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add water (7 cups) and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are very tender, 25 to 30 minutes, then mash into broth. Drain remaining potatoes and add to stew, then simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in milk and cheese and increase heat to high, then bring to a simmer, stirring. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, quarter avocados lengthwise, then pit, peel, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Serve stew in large soup bowls, topped with avocado.

Super Simple Chocolate Mousse
If you prefer to melt your chocolate in the microwave, by all means do so. I prefer this gentle method because it doesn’t matter if I get side tracked and forget about my chocolate for a while.

100g (3oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small chunks

300mL ( 10 fl oz) whipping cream

1 tablespoon icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place about 2cm (1in) boiling water in the base of a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat. Place a heatproof bowl on the saucepan and check to make sure that the base isn’t touching the water. Add the chocolate and leave for about 5 minutes to melt, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whip cream with icing sugar and vanilla until soft and fluffy. You don’t want it to be too firm.

Stir the chocolate and when it is all smooth add chocolate to the cream and fold through. Divide between 4 small glasses or espresso cups and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Buckhead Bottle Bar

Mussels & Fries - nice and garlicky - ask for more bread!

I was invited for a complimentary meal at the new Buckhead Bottle Bar in the heart of it's namesake neighborhood. The space is quite appealing, including two patios and three bars. I'd love to rent this place out for a private party! For the most part we enjoyed the food. The drinks didn't thrill us, but it's definitely a cool place for those looking for that trend factor. I did adore the black & tan cheesecake and I like that they offer creative milkshakes as well.

Inside the restaurant.

Drinks include the Arnold Palmer.

Cornmeal toasted oysters and cheese and crab fritters - tasty but a bit on the pricey side at $9 and $11.

Pasta with veal ragu - tasty but the pasta seemed a bit gummy.

Black and tan cheesecake with a beer-flavored granita definitely beat out the plum crumble with ice cream.

Upstairs patio - nice area to hang out.