On the heels of John Kessler’s glowing review of newcomer Local Three Kitchen & Bar in the AJC is my equally glowing review. Luckily I visited before the AJC ran the story, because now it seems to be near impossible to get a reservation at the popular new restaurant. Opened by the founders of Muss & Turner’s and Chef Chris Hall, Local Three stepped onto the scene late last year in a big way. The restaurant is housed in the old JOEL Brasserie space off Northside Pkwy. in Vinings/Buckhead, and while it retains some of the trappings of its former upscale inhabitant, the owners have updated the decor to a kind of “down home chic.” (Props for the “George P. Burdell was here” board on their accent wall)

Local Three

Above is the nearly hidden entryway. We had to backtrack once to find it (as did the ladies we were following), so it feels almost like a clandestine destination. In fact, the directions from the lobby would go a little something like this: “On your left, down the hallway, just past the bathrooms…” I’m sad to say that the above photo is the best of the bunch that I have from this dinner. Not only did I forget my camera, but Mario forgot his iPhone which usually works as our stand-in. The camera on my phone was just not working for me in the low light of the restaurant. Hopefully the lack of photographic imagery won’t detract from the review.

Mario and I both ended up ordering two “small plates” each in lieu of an actual entree. This was a good way to taste more of the menu, and we both ended up full anyway. I ordered the braised lamb shoulder (spiced lentils, yogurt) and the roasted mushrooms (creamy polenta, truffle jus), and Mario had oven-roasted chicken wings (celery root remoulade) and “Breakfast for Dinner” (maple glazed pork belly, fried egg, grits).
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If you haven’t heard anything about the food truck “movement” in the past year or so, you’ve probably been living under a rock. I’m particularly proud of my city (Baton Rouge) for not being late to the game on this trend and supporting at least 5 (just off the top of my head) food trucks. Some folks may be starting to consider mobile food passé, but then one comes across a truck offering really unique fare, like the crepes from GoYaYa’s Gourmet Food Truck. Although really, it’s not so much a truck as a pulled trailer:

GoYaYa's Gourmet Food Truck

GoYaYa’s was started by Chef Kevin Black, who was inspired by the food carts he was exposed to while living in Taiwan. He says that experience and his education at the Culinary Arts Institute of Louisiana were the perfect combination to open a gourmet food truck. GoYaYa’s crepes are from rotating international cuisines varying from Greek and Vietnamese to classic French. I visited on an overcast day when they were parked under the Perkins Rd. overpass. Aside from being slightly muddy from the recent rain, the overpass is a great area for a food truck: lots of businesses around and ample parking. On my visit there were other diners, but no line (a combination of the holidays and the rain, I’m sure), so I quickly picked out my lunch choice: the grilled chicken caprese crepe (thin sliced grilled chicken breast, roma tomatoes, Mozzarella, pesto aioli).
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If you follow this blog or me on Twitter, you know that I love cupcakes. I actively seek out cupcakeries. Upon request, I can list my top three favorite cupcakes in the Atlanta area (and probably in BR/NOLA too). So it’s always a huge bummer when I come across cupcakes that just doesn’t appeal to me. Such was the case when I visited Gigi’s cupcakes.

Gigi's

Gigi’s is a cupcake chain which originated in Nashville, TN. After checking out their amazing looking cupcake selection online, I visited the Buckhead location to try one out. On the first visit, Mario picked up a candied sweet potato (pictured) and I had a tiramisu.

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Atlanta has a seeming obsession with foods that once were considered far from gourmet. It seems this trend will continue into 2011, with rumors that restaurants will open in the area to put their own creative spins on hamburgers, hot dogs, and even sausages.

5 Napkin Burger: In this economic climate, Atlanta has seen a number of restaurant closings in the past few months. The silver lining to this bad news is that old restaurant spaces often lure new restaurants, which is what will happen to the old Nickiemoto’s space on Piedmont Avenue in Midtown.

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