Y’all know that I love to try new restaurants but I really only get to do so every once in a while. Jose (my trainer) will not like this but I’ve been to 5 different restaurants since Thursday! This is VERY unusual and all came about because of 2 aunts/Mom’s b’day party, college sorority reunion, niece dance recital and old friend visiting from Chicago! Whew…I’m going to have to work extra hard in the gym this week but I promise I made wise choices. I thought you might like a brief review of each of the old and new restaurants that I visited this weekend!
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My Mom, 2 Aunts, and I had a lovely lunch at The Southern Gentleman. We chose this hot spot because of the rave reviews, the yummy menu and to honor my Uncle, the ultimate southern gentleman, who died in November. We all LOVED it. It is located in the new “Rodeo Drive” type shops in Buckhead, offers free valet parking before 2 PM on weekdays, has a cool vibe with great views of Peachtree Road. Our service was impeccable and the food was delicious. I had the most amazing roasted kabocha squash salad and all 3 of my relatives ordered and devoured their famous “chicken fried” chicken salad sandwich. Definitely a great place to dine if you are looking for yummy, healthy, new and fun!
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Friday
My niece was in town for a dance competition held at The Hilton downtown. Between shows we needed to grab something to eat and discovered that Trader Vic’s is in the basement of The Hilton. I had NO IDEA that we even had a Trader Vic’s in Atlanta. Apparently Trader Vic’s is the oldest franchise located in the USA. The Polynesian menu and decor were dark but fun. The food was pretty good and their famous “Mai-Tai” was a big hit with a few of the adults in our group.
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Friday
Although we didn’t eat at Nikolai’s Roof I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ride the glass elevator in the Hilton up to the 30th floor to see this iconic Atlanta restaurant for the first time in my life! It was first opened in 1976, and was totally remodeled in 2014. I’ve heard all about this place from friends and relatives but never had the opportunity to dine here. The skies were beautiful and clear on Friday night therefore the view atop Nikolai’s Roof was breathtaking. We peeked at the menu and found it intriguing albeit expensive. Probably won’t go back for a regular dinner but perhaps for a special occasion someday!
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Saturday
My college sorority girlfriends decided to plan a casual fun outing in Hotlanta for the first time in 5 years or so. The designated event planners chose The Big Ketch. I was thrilled to try it for the first time and love knowing that in Dunwoody I am sandwiched in between their 2 locations (Roswell and Buckhead). I was pleasantly surprised at the affordability of the menu. I ordered the Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl. It was healthy, filling and delicious all for the whopping price of $6.95! I had plenty of money leftover in my budget to order a $9.00 Angry Pear cocktail. YUMMILICIOUS!
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Sunday
If I didn’t want to see my friend Julie from Chicago so badly I would never have left my house Sunday evening. I was still full from all of the great meals since Thursday but alas….down to The Intercontinental Hotel we went. Julie happens to be friends with the world famous Celebrity Chef, Art Smith, way back from the days before he was discovered by Oprah! She wanted to try his new Atlanta restaurant. Unfortunately he was out of town so I didn’t get to meet him. I really loved the decor…funky, colorful, and fun! I couldn’t eat a full meal so my hubby and I shared the ribeye served with collard greens and butternut squash. I must apologize to my mom and my grandmother but those collard greens are the best I’ve ever had in my life! Hubby and I were fighting for the last bite!
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