South Louisiana native and executive chef Scott Serpas has become an important part of Atlanta’s burgeoning culinary scene with his first restaurant venture, Serpas True Food. Located in what was once a cotton storage facility in the heart of Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood, Serpas is known for its “true food” approach to cuisine with an edge. The restaurant has received local and national acclaim since its January 2009 debut and was named one of the 10 “Best New Restaurants in America” in 2009 by GQ magazine. He gave City’s Best a look at what he loves about Atlanta.

What made you decide to set up permanent shop in Atlanta?
After moving here in 1994 to open Nava, I really grew to like Atlanta with its southern charm and hospitality. It reminded me a lot of New Orleans, and with its close proximity to the “Big Easy,” it was a no-brainer.

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I thougt it fitting to write my last post before Thanksgiving on one of my last meals in Charlotte. I’m finding this bittersweet–sweet because Mario has now made a permanent move back to Atlanta, but bitter because I was actually kind of liking Charlotte and my monthly trips there. On this trip, Mario was being particularly generous in letting me pick restaurants I was interested in blogging about. After taking in a Bobcats game with friends, we decided to check out a new-ish addition to South End, The Liberty.

The Liberty

We decided to stop because of their sign outside the gastropub touting “Best Burger in Charlotte.” Aside from now-closed The Counter, we hadn’t found any much to go in Charlotte’s Best Burger category. Mario of course ordered The Liberty Pub Burger (natural beef, sweet grass cheddar, apple smoked bacon, herb aioli, hand cut fries), while I decided to order from the small plates menu and try the pork belly sliders (apple-vanilla butter, tomato jam, soy-ginger glaze, spicy slaw):
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For the most part, we love our families. We really do. But sometimes, you just need a little something to take the edge off. Thanksgiving is one of the most family-centric days of the year, so to get yourself ready for a day filled with turkey and in-laws … maybe you should just have a drink.

Whiskey Blue: There’s nothing like a fantastic view of Atlanta to help relax you before a hectic day. Situated on top of the W Buckhead, Whiskey Blue provides a panoramic view of the city complemented by swank decor and strong cocktails. In the winter, they keep the heaters pumping right along with the music, so go ahead and party the night away on the rooftop.

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Image Sifu Renka, Flickr

Food trucks have long been a staple in other major metropolises, but due to a myriad of restrictive laws, Atlanta is just catching up to the game. Luckily though, there are a number of vendors who hit the ground running and are serving up some truly inspired food from these mobile restaurants.

Good Food Truck: Known for their intriguing hand-held food combos like cones (Zanzibar cone: filled with roasted beet and mango salad) and the Poodle (French-toasted bun with hot dog, topped with apple maple slaw, and either mustard or syrup-or both!), the aptly-named Good Food Truck can be found around town at art walks, festivals, and farmers markets. Its Facebook page can keep you updated on its location.

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I heard about Hapeville’s (town the exit before the airport on 85-S) Grecian Gyro by following a former Atlanta Citysearch editor’s twitter feed. He seemed to gush about the place for days. I kept thinking, “I like gyros and all, but why would I drive all the way to the airport to get one?” Then, my parents came to town for a weekend and happened to have a flight back out shortly after lunch. Since they enjoy Greek/Lebanese restaurants (Baton Rouge has a strangely high density of them), we decided to check it out. 2 weeks later, I drove back down to Hapeville for no reason but to get another gyro.

Grecian Gyro

As you can see, the place has been there for a while. Yes, it looks a little diner-sketch. Yes, there are only about 20 seats inside (plus a patio outside). But the gyro–the best I’ve ever had–is worth any reservations you may have.
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Atlantans have fully embraced the cupcake fad, likely because cupcakes make us feel the minimum “eaters remorse” by packing the perfect amount of indulgence into a small package. The following are some Atlanta cupcakeries that are mixing it up with unique flavor combinations and presentations.

Caryn’s Cakes: Located in a nondescript building in West Midtown, I was initially lured into Caryn’s Cakes by the cupcake-shaped sign they place out at the street corner. “You need a cupcake NOW,” it reads. Their rotating cupcake selections are as delicious as they are unique: maple bacon, applesauce, and chocolate hazelnut are a few of my favorites. So, how do they come up with their flavor combinations?

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It has been a looong time since I posted a recipe to the site! Not that I haven’t been cooking, I just haven’t been cooking anything particularly interesting (sad, I know). But, this recipe is an excellent way to get back in the swing of things: Tyler Florence‘s Ultimate Chicken Salad.

Ultimate Chicken Salad

Tyler’s recipe actually lives up to the “ultimate” moniker, incorporating cranberry sauce, brie, and sliced apples, but the chicken salad on its own is pretty ultimate too.

As a plug for my ad provider Foodbuzz and Nature’s Pride Bread, the bread pictured was sent to me to try on the house by Nature’s Pride. I used their OvenClassics Oatmeal bread, which was delicious and stood up to any juices from the chicken salad.
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