The Atlanta Traveler

I had heard a lot about the Dillard House before I went. The food is delicious, the service is great, it’s just something you have to do in the mountains – so my expectations were high. There is a long line at traditional meal times, but it moves quickly. (You can admire the view from the porch rocking chairs while you wait.) When we were seated, the server promptly came and took our drink orders. The menu on the wall outside had listed fried chicken, steak and gravy, sliced country ham and catfish. It was hard to choose but I …read more

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No, that’s not a brush fire over there. Smell that? It’s the smell of the South – boiled peanuts. For many who grew up here, this is truly comfort-snack food. After I-985 becomes Georgia highway 365 on the way to North Georgia, Jaemor Farms is one of the most visible stops for boiled peanuts. It has the added advantage that those along for the ride who have turned up their noses at the very idea can sample other local delicacies, among them, apple or peach fritters, made with fruit from the orchards that line the driveway. (In hot weather …read more

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Photo: Maggie has her photo opportunity at Hotel Indigo. The sign on the chair says,
Don’t Forget the Little People. Courtesy of Hotel Indigo.
 
Pampered pets in Atlanta know to urge their owners to take them to Hotel Indigo, a boutique hotel where they dine and enjoy cocktail hour with their two-legged friends. The pets have their own bar, called Ruff Age Bar. For the health conscious pet, this bar serves vegan doggie treats.  Yes. The pets are living it up at Hotel Indigo, where pets are not tolerated, they are catered to. Every Tuesday, the pets can enjoy cocktail hour …read more

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T is for tasty hot dogs! Eating hot dogs at the Varsity should be a mandatory experience, if you like hot dogs, that is. The Varsity is both a tourist attraction and a tradition in Atlanta. The hot dogs are said to be the best in the city. Yes. They are good, and addictive, so be careful. I think, however, that the car hops and servers make the Varsity what it is.
“What’d have? What’d you have,” they shout. “Everybody please step down so that we can get you out of here.”
They are funny, gritty, and no nonsense. It’s sort …read more

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The Geisha House in Atlantic Station was not at all what I expected. I envisioned Geisha fluttering throughout the restaurant, wearing elaborate kimonos and pouring tea.
I thought that I’d hear soft music, the type you hear while floating off to sleep, during a relaxing massage. I read Memoirs of a Geisha, after all. So, I thought that I knew what to expect.
The Geisha House was nothing at all like I’d imagined. There was only one geisha, the hostess when I visited on a Friday night. The other servers wore black slacks with red, low-cut T-shirts. I am happy to …read more

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I recently grabbed a burger and fries at Five Guys Restaurant, a chain that’s famous for its huge burgers and yummy fries. The burgers are handmade from actual patties, not the pre-made ones that you get at other restaurants. The fries were well-seasoned and appeared to be made from actual rustic potatoes, though they were not the extra-thick fries. 
Five Guys has locations throughout the Atlanta area. The burger and fries were incredibly filling. I fell asleep right after eating. So, if you are on a diet, hmmmm, you may want to rethink a trip to Five Guys. Now, …read more

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Maxim Prime Restaurant opened the last week in March in Atlanta. The Atlanta restaurant is the first of 25 restaurants scheduled to open around the world. This posh restaurant is said to give visitors an experience akin to spending an evening in the Garden of Eden. The color scheme of the restaurant includes chocolate brown floors, glass and quotes from Maxim Magazine.
Maxim provides diners with entrees that are just the right size, so health conscious diners won’t have that overstuffed feeling. The beef corn feed and is hormone free. The restaurant uses fresh ingredients and Chef Daniel Zoby approves  …read more

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Maxim Prime, a 150-seat posh steakhouse opened Friday at 110 Marietta Street (inside the Glenn Hotel).  The restaurant is a partnership between Maxim Magazine and Jeffery Chodorow. Selections at the restaurant include mini combination dishes, served in trios, a la carte dishes and light meals. If you want a delectable steak, Maxim Prime is place to go. The filet mignon is simply heavenly. Try a 10 ounce steak;  it’s thick, juicy,  tender, and buttery soft. That’s saying a lot from someone like me who has practically sworn off beef. I couldn’t resist that steak, and devoured the entire thing. …read more

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Looking for a white, pyramid-shaped young coconut from Thailand? Do you have a hankering for sweet and ripe Florida mangos? Would you like to buy salmon from Chile? Have a craving for a little French Mimolette? Some of the best deals for fresh fruit, seafood and spices will be found at the international Your DeKalb Farmer’s Market in Decatur. Here’s where the chefs shop. This huge, indoor supermarket-style farmer’s market is about the size of two football fields. The nice thing about the market is that you can buy products in bulk – similar to a warehouse store. You know …read more

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Café Life is a small restaurant adjacent to a co-op grocery store, Life Grocery. All of the food in the café is vegetarian, and the salad offerings are organic
 
The café caters to health conscience people or those who strive to be. The most unique preparations are the raw foods, which are uncooked, natural whole foods that are prepared with the pretense that cooking destroys enzymes and nutrients in dishes. Gourmet raw or living food consists of marinated vegetables, ground nuts that taste like meat and wraps created from ground flax seeds and spices. All of the raw salad dressings are …read more

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