we did it! yay for 3 years!

We ate a LOT, but the Black Linguine was absolutely the biggest hit of all!  It was out-of-this-world spectacular!  No exaggeration.

Squid ink pasta, calamari, Calabrian chilies + Thai basil pesto.  Perfection.

We washed it down with a very complimentary bottle of Clos Teddi “Patrimonio” Vermentino.  I highly recommend this wine with any of La Tavola’s spicier dishes.  SO delightful!  (La Tavola has the best wine list.)

YOU HAVE TO TRY THESE!  I guarantee that you’ll them as much as we did! 

xx, L

La Tavola Trattoria
992 Virginia Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA  30306
678.879.5632
www.latavolatrattoria.com

Just ask Greg!  We’re a lot to keep up with…

Slick and I started dating shortly before LK and I created the Q+DD.  He loved the idea and fully supported us…

"wait - what??"

Slick was in a pickle.  He wanted to be part of the Q+DD, but he didn’t want his every move tracked and posted on the Internets.  Naturally, LK and I (excessive Facebook, Twitter + Foursquare users) had difficulty comprehending Slick’s privacy concerns, but we had to respect his wishes.

After much deliberation, we reached a compromise.  We would use pictures of him, but under the pseudonym: Slick.  He was down with it.

For the past two years + some change, Slick has been a regular on the blog. 

Enjoying fancy meals…

medieval times

Entertaining the locals…

chateau elan

Kissing babies…

fernbank museum of natural history

…so that he could support us while also feeling like he maintained some privacy + could keep it professional at work, etc. 

UNTIL NOW. 

Slick is tired of his alias.  He’s grown weary of people referring to him as “Slick” in public settings.  He’s now fully embraced his social media presence (+ trusts that we are not going to use our blog-writing-powers to humiliate him) and he is ready to let everyone know who he REALLY is!

"i'm ready, world!"

Slick, dear readers, is in fact KEVIN (Kev for short)!

KEVIN.  KEVIN.  KEVIN.  Finally!!

So, there you go.  Thanks for being such a great sport, Kev!

We heart you, babe. 

xx, L

hello, stranger!

We selected PdaP because although it has been eons since my last visit and several folks in the group hadn’t even heard of it, the menu selections for MRW looked pretty solid and we liked the location (situated right next to CosmoLava on Peachtree Walk).

Most of the table started off their meals with PdaP’s Arugula Salad with lemon vinaigrette, pine nuts + goat cheese.

Sam + I ordered a simple Caprese Salad: fresh mozzarella cheese and tomato slices in oil and balsamic.  (This picture inspired me to turn on my flash…)

A colleague of mine (and multiple Yelp reviewers) raved about the Tortelli Di Mele, so I ordered it for my entree.  It was FANTASTIC!  It’s ravioli filled with browned Granny Smith apples, sausage + parmigiano topped with browned butter, sage + an apple cider reduction drizzle.  If you didn’t fully take in my all-caps before, I will do it again…  This dish is FANTASTIC!

Jessica’s dish, however, reminded me of vomit. 

I’m just being real, y’all…

Not only was it the least photogenic entree I’ve seen in a long time, but it was just plain boring.  Tagliatelle Verdi All Bolognese: spinach tagliatelle with a hearty ragu of veal, beef, pork, onions, carrots, tomatoes + a touch of cream.  Reminds me of my “everything’s got to go” night when I clean out the fridge and throw a bit of everything into a surprise dinner dish for Slick.  Lucky Slick. 

Guess you can’t win them all, PdaP.

Slick’s dish was pretty delish, though.  He ordered the Monkfish w/ Risotto (he’s had a soft spot in his heart for monkfish ever since our server at Local Three called it the “poor man’s lobster”).  Slick likes charity cases.  However, monkfish is definitely not one – it’s very tasty – it just has a PR problem.

The desserts were simple and kind of what you’d expect.  We had Creme Brulee, Cannolis, Tiramisu + Cheesecake (not pictured – it was having a bad hair day).

Overall, the meal was good.  We all enjoyed it – no complaints.  PdaP is definitely not my favorite restaurant, but it’s perfectly fine.  I like the quaint house it’s located in that is dwarfed by the tall buildings on 14th, the service was sufficient, the meal was well-priced, we enjoyed ourselves, it just wasn’t anything to scream about.  Honestly, though, not every meal needs to be something to shed tears of joy over.  However, I will say that my entree (Tortelli Di Mele) was…again…FANTASTIC!  It’s worth the visit just to try it.  Trust.

Thanks, Midtown Restaurant Week, for a fun meal with fun friends!  (P.S. You can still take advantage of MRW’s specials until 9/4!)

xx, L

Pasta da Pulcinella
1123 Peachtree Walk NE
Atlanta, GA  30309
404.876.1114
www.pastadapulcinella.com

Slick said that the lawn leading up to the Biltmore House was the “single greatest football-playing yard” he’d ever seen… 

For those unfamiliar with the Biltmore Estate, here’s the Q+DD:

The Biltmore is a Châteauesque-styled mansion in Asheville, North Carolina.  It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States at 135,000 square feet with 250 rooms.  Still owned by one of Vanderbilt’s descendants, it stands today as one of the most prominent remaining examples of the Gilded Age. 

On Christmas Eve 1895, George W. Vanderbilt officially opened the Biltmore House.  Three years later, he brought his bride Edith Stuyvesant Dresser to the Biltmore, and in 1900, their only child Cornelia was born there.  After Vanderbilt’s death is 1914, Edith and Cornelia continued to call the Biltmore their home, with Edith assuming the management of the estate.  In 1942, Cornelia married the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil, and they lived and entertained in the Biltmore House.  In response to requests to increase area tourism during the Depression and to bring in money to preserve the estate, the Cecils opened their house to the public in 1930.

The mountain views from the Biltmore House are pretty outstanding, too.

After thoroughly touring the house, Slick + I walked around a few of the Biltmore gardens.  The gorgeous weather didn’t hurt one bit, either…  Below are pictures from our stroll through the Italian garden, the shrub garden, the walled garden + the rose garden. 

To cool off a bit from all of our walking + to cap off our visit, we drove to the award-winning Biltmore Winery to test out a few of their signature wines.  Although we skipped the winery tour, we were happy as clams at the tasting counter – and very pleasantly surprised about how good the wines were! 

Our favorites were: Biltmore Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc de Noir (Lindsay) + Biltmore Limited Release Chenin Blanc (Slick).

I am SO glad that we decided to visit the Biltmore while we were in Asheville!  Although we could have easily spent a full day there, we saw + did quite a bit within the four hours we were on the property. I highly, highly recommend taking a trip to visit the Biltmore.  It’s gorgeous, romantic, incredibly fascinating (historically + architecturally), AND it’s only a short 3.5 hours away from Atlanta! 

Truly amazing.

xx, L

Attention: It’s my new favorite Atlanta restaurant.  #1!  You guys, it’s AMAZING.

Chef Robert Phalen + the folks behind Holy Taco in East Atlanta Village opened One Eared Stag in the old Shaun’s space.  The restaurant still looks a lot like Shaun’s, as you’ll see below, but now it’s covered with somehow hipster-y animal heads mounted on the wall.  Lindsay likes.  Witness:

We were seated next to this guy.  Hello!

When we sat down and were handed the drink menu, I was stoked to see that they offered a Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer + lime) on their cocktail menu. It’s one of my new fav. go-to cocktails. The bartender made an excellent one, too.

my moscow mule

Our meal, the service and the overall experience were insanely good + I seriously can’t wait to go back to One Eared Stag.  Their menu changes daily and features lots of local and seasonal items in small plates, big plates + sides.  Here’s what we ate…

Fancy mozzarella + pesto small plate.

Mouthwateringly delicious muscles.  Some of the best I’ve had in a long time.

OMG!  Pig ears w/ a fried egg.  I ate that!  And, it was g.o.o.d.

For my entree, I had the seafood stew.  I really, really enjoyed it and strongly recommend.

Jess had the pasta dish w/ bacon.  Everyone ate off of her plate because it was so tasty.

Slick is on a chicken kick for some reason, so he ordered…chicken.  I didn’t taste it, but he said it was “the bomb” at least three times.  Trust Slick.

Sam ordered chicken liver.  I DO NOT like chicken liver AT ALL.  But, he said that it was some of the best he’d ever had.  Gross, but cool – I guess.

Jess + I probably had more than a few drinks…

And then it was dessert time!

As I remember it, the dessert that Sam + Jess shared was grilled french bread covered in Nutella w/ whipped cream + strawberries.  It was pretty simple, but truly divine.  DIVINE.

Slick + I opted for the panna cotta.

They were both good, but Jess + Sam’s was better.

We were STUFFED + we all agreed that it was an absolutely fantastic meal. 

When we left, Slick met this guy outside of the restaurant: a 187 lb. Great Dane named Simon.  He was enormo! 

Welcome OES to my new #1 spot!  I’ll be back very soon!

xx, L

One Eared Stag
1029 Edgewood Ave.
Atlanta, GA  30307
404.230.6177
www.oneearedstag.com

Sheik serves fresh Persian and Southwestern cuisine, and they make an effort to use local and organic foods.  Slick had dined at Sheik once before and remembered really enjoying it and wanting to bring me as soon as he had the opportunity to choose a restaurant (which is nearly always my job).  I had never even noticed the restaurant, which is situated on Piedmont Ave. near Cheshire Bridge - an area I pass multiple times a week.  It’s a small space, but there is a lot going on in there + I knew I liked it as soon as I walked in and saw the King of Pops served here sign!

Sheik’s walls are covered with a whimsical Persian mural.  This is my favorite section…

Slick ordered Sheik tea over ice with honey and we listened closely as our enthusiastic server walked us through the unfamiliar menu.  As this was my very first Persian food experience, I needed a bit of hand-holding to make sure that I knew what I was getting into. 

Our server suggested that we start off with chips and eggplant with herbs dip.  The eggplant’s texture and flavor was unusual to me, but in a good way.  The small cup of dip was not around for long!

After much deliberation, Slick + I deferred to the server to select our entrees.  He split two tasty burritos between us. 

On the left: La Dirka-Dirka – lamb sirloin, bad-man-jon, and red spinach served Persian style (wrapped in Persian flat bread with Basmati rice and yogurt).

On the right: La Camelback – local chicken breast, feast-n-june, Persian salsa, maroon and gold beets, and feta in a whole wheat tortilla.

They arrived with chips and a small cup of Persian salsa: tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, mint, olive oil + citrus.

We very quickly devoured both burritos.  They were delicious and filled with unique flavors. 

I think it’s important to challenge your taste buds, AND I think it’s important to have a restaurant that you can escape to when you have a keratin treatment slathered all over your head + you don’t want to see anyone you know.  Sheik was a perfect escape for both.  Keep an eye out for it on Piedmont Ave.  It’s a gem and worthy of a visit.  Heck, it’s King of Pops and Q+DD approved!  You can’t really beat that… 

xx, L

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs
1877 Piedmont Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
404.975.4314
www.sheikburritos.com

(currently trying to find this for my condo)

I’m pretty sure that the chandelier was my favorite Texas-inspired decoration, but it’s hard to say for sure…

After oogling the walls for about 15 minutes, we sat down and perused the extensive menu.

Without a second thought, I ordered up a Mexican Martini, which I am sure was inspired from my beloved Trudy’s in Austin.  It wasn’t nearly as good as Trudy’s world-famous MM, but it did the trick.

Elizabeth opted for the Texas Bloody Mary which arrived with an olive + a green bean.  She enjoyed it, but we both agreed that a Bloody Mary is an awkward dinner drink. 

My favorite item we ordered for dinner was a special we all saw on the chalkboard outside of the front door: the Bacon Taquitos.  They were absolutely mouthwateringly good!  No joke.  AMAZING.

Slick, Elizabeth + I all ordered tacos for dinner.  Each of our plates looked similar to Slick’s pictured below.  From left to right:

The Tex Taco: Chopped brisket with a spicy mustard sour cream, BBQ sauce, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce.  (Very tasty + the house special.)

The Carinta Taco: Chopped pork, griddled jalapenos, diced onion + shredded lettuce.  (It was so incredibly salty, Slick + I couldn’t eat it.  I do not recommend.)

El Guapo Taco: A flour tortilla filled with refried beans, a crispy taco shell with house ground beef, lettuce, cheese + pico de gallo.  (My favorite!  It was like a fancy Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell!  And, I’m pretty sure it weighed about three pounds.  Judge me.) 

Scott ordered the enormous Big Tex Chicken Chimichanga: a huge tortilla filled with pulled chicken, pinto beans, pico de gallo + cheese rolled and fried, topped with their signature Texas queso + pico de gallo.  Did I mention how enormous it was??!

It was a feast, to say the least.  (Rhyming!) 

scott + elizabeth

Are they a cute couple or what?! 

I can’t say that any of us actually finished our massive meals, but we truly put in some serious effort.  NO room for dessert, although the Red Velvet Cheesecake sounded tempting.  After we settled up with our server, we walked around the restaurant again and discovered a substantial party room in the very back complete with TVs, pool tables + skeeball!  This space is totally ideal for a birthday party or a fun night out with a group!

Big Tex Cantina was very enjoyable.  It’s priced well, the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations but it’s large enough that you wouldn’t have to wait forever, + they’ve done really well with the Texas-themed decor (at least in my book!).  The menu is extensive + I have faith that the restaurant will be successful.  Having the Fox Bros. name behind it, at the very least, means something.  If you are trying to satisfy a random Mexican food craving, I probably wouldn’t recommend making the trek to Decatur to test out Big Tex over heading to Taqueria del Sol.  BUT, if you are into trying out new spots, you love the Great State as much as I do, or you are seriously hungover (get the Chimichanga - trust me.), Big Tex will do the trick. 

YeeHAW, partner!

xx, L

Big Tex Cantina
308 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA  30030
404.377.3939
http://www.bigtexcantina.com/

In hopes of finding inspiration + getting my wheels turning, I’ve been reading a pretty disgusting amount of Twitter feeds.  This one is my recent favorite.

You’re welcome. 

xx, L

Look, plz:

Doesn’t that sound delicious?!  Grilled cheese + wine seems totally divine.

I’m looking forward to checking out Three Sheets, too.  Click HERE for more info on their events.

xx, L

Three Sheets
6017 Sandy Springs Circle
Atlanta, GA  30328
404.303.8423
www.threesheetsatlanta.com

We stayed in a downtown hotel (which was a converted bank + strategically selected as it was located next door to historic Printer’s Alley) with a bunch of Slick’s law school buddies.  Our hotel was in the middle of all of this:

view from shelby street pedestrian bridge

The first night, we walked down to Broadway St. + had dinner at Jack’s Bar-B-Que.  I had a pulled chicken salad that was just delightful and it sufficiently helped me to cushion the impressive amount of alcohol I was later to consume. 

legends corner

the stage

Broadway reminded me of a tamer 6th Street in Austin with more live music + less drunken debauchery.  Everyone was very clean cut and there to hear truly impressive music.  I had a lot of fun and strongly recommend checking out each of the four stops we visited.

As far as food was concerned on this trip, the approach we took was to eat stuff that would help us to drink in large quantities and not get sick.  This mostly led us to some particularly noteworthy meat + threes.  M+Ts are not typically my preference, but I was on board for anything and I certainly did not turn my nose up at them.  We FEASTED at Sylvan Park Cafe + Nashville-famous Monell’s Restaurant in Germantown.  We also had large + very satisfying meals at Sam’s Sports Bar & Grill + Bosco’s Restaurant & Brewing Co. (both in Hillsboro Village), sushi in The Gulch, + Mafiaoza’s Pizzeria in Belmont.  All were good, but I definitely recommend checking out Monell’s.

Once well-fed, we headed to Tin Roof in Demonbreun where we partied it up + got to see Chris Young take the microphone for a song.  THAT was very cool – and exactly what I’d imagined the Nashville experience to be like.  Inspired by Mr. Young’s vocals, we headed back downtown to Printer’s Alley to karaoke it up at Nashville-famous Lonnie’s Western Room + Karaoke Bar.  We were in and out of Lonnie’s for the following three days…  Ahhh-mazing.

Here are the boys in action:

Other highlights included walking around the locally-owned stores in Hillsboro Village, having a pool afternoon at a friend’s house in Belle Meade, + driving around the Vanderbilt campus to see it through Slick’s eyes.  We really had an awesome trip.

Even the drive home was gorgeous as we were scream-singing “Proud to be an American!”

I’m still exhausted and desperately need a diet + detox, HOWEVER, I had a blast getting to know Nashville and strongly recommend visiting.  Music City is a totally driveable weekend road trip from Atlanta and sure to be a good time.  (It’s no Austin, but it’s much closer + has a whole lot to offer.)  Hope everyone had a fun 4th, too! 

xx, L