The day I left Atlanta was a hectic one, as I had to finish packing and wrap things up in the lab. Luckily, I had a temporary respite in the form of a media luncheon at Lobby Bar and Bistro in Atlantic Station, hosted by the Concentrics Restaurants. I convinced one of my girls’ breakfast buddies to be my +1 and we headed over to Lobby, housed on the ground floor of TWELVE.

Lobby

The purpose of the lunch was to introduce–or rather, reintroduce–new-old executive chef Nick Oltarsh. Oltarsh opened Lobby Bar and Bistro in 2005 and after a stint at Murphy’s in Virginia Highland, he has returned to Lobby. The menu contained a number of “New South” favorites on which I was excited to see Chef Oltarsh’s take, such as shrimp & grits and chicken & waffles. We started out with a variety of appetizers–chicken & waffles, seared tuna, pizzas, and gumbo–and this course included some of the favorites for the day:

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Before I get started, I must disclose that this meal was comped. Apparently the FTC can now fine me thousands of dollars for not letting my readership know about freebies. Mario and I were invited to Piedmont park-side restaurant The Nook by one of the owners, Adam, to check out new executive chef Michael Gogolin. Gogolin is former Chef de Cuisine at the Marlow’s Tavern franchise (which I hear good things about) and was head chef at the Vinings location. I hear The Nook has not gotten good reviews on its food in the past, but when Mario and I stopped in one drizzly evening, we were not disappointed.

The place was not especially busy when we came in, so we got a good look at the space, which we both liked. The bar area is the room’s focal point, with booths lining the walls for those who want a more “nook”-like experience. The main attraction is likely the large patio, which was available (though enclosed and equipped with heaters) that night, but we only saw one small group braving the cold outside. We decided to start with an app of “Ooh Ooh Bread” (topped with creamy Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic and mayo that is lightly toasted and served with homemade marinara sauce), which I think we chose based on the name alone:

Ooh Ooh Bread

Last weekend was full of graduation parties and holiday celebrations, but Mario and I wanted to sit down for a quick “real” dinner instead of filling up on hors d’oeuvres. We decided to try out Rosebud in the Virginia-Highland area.

Rosebud

Photo from Rosebud’s Facebook page

It was a cold, rainy evening, but Rosebud was nothing but warmth, from the host to the bar to the food.
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I planned a girls’ night out last weekend…sorta. I wanted to get together and do something, but couldn’t think of what. Luckily, one of us had tried and liked TWO Urban Licks, and the other 2 were interested in checking it out. There’s no pic of the facade because the outside of TWO is basically a warehouse. Inside, however, is a huge, busy space surrounding an impressive rotisserie. On our visit, we tried tons of tapas:

Lamb Flat Bread

Shaved Calamari

Oysters & Onion Straws

Last weekend was a great one food-wise for me, as I got to visit Star Provisions, Holeman + Finch, and even convinced Mario to ride out to Decatur to try Leon’s Full Service.

Leon's Full Service

Leon’s was packed when we arrived, and since we didn’t have a reservation we had about a 45 minute wait. But Atlanta saw some great weather post-flood, so we sat on the patio and people-watched both at the bustling bar and on the sidewalk out front. Who knew Decatur had a nightlife?
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Another “finally!” culinary experience this weekend was trying the oft-discussed Holeman+Finch Public House burger. H+F offers only 24 burgers a night at 10pm on a first-come, first-served, no reservations basis. The burger is only even listed on the menu for Sunday brunch, when they make ~70, and is also when Mario and I decided to stop in and try it out.

The Burger

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Spencer and I visited longtime Baton Rouge/LSU favorite The Chimes this week for lunch. Surprisingly, I can’t find any historical information on the Chimes and why it’s so well-loved, other than that it’s a college bar with an extensive beer selection and great food. Does it even need anything else?

The Chimes

For Friday’s lunch in New Orleans, dad, brother, and I visited famed eatery Port of Call.  This certified dive is known for having “New Orleans’ best burgers”, so we had to go see what all the hype was about.  I hear that the line for a table often spills out onto the sidewalk, but we were there shortly after their lunchtime open and were seated promptly.  The only things on the menu are drinks, half-pound burgers (served with baked potato, not fries), and steaks.  My dad and I had mushroom cheeseburgers, and Spencer went for the regular cheeseburger:

Mushroom Cheeseburger

I’ve gotta say, if this is New Orleans’ best burger, they’ve got a problem.

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One thing I love about keeping this blog is that it makes me actually think about what I’m putting in my mouth. Revisiting some of my favorite Baton Rouge eateries with a more objective eye can either leave me slightly disappointed or remind me why I love a place. I hope that my readers learn something by keeping up with First Bite (like in the Jamaica or crawfish bisque posts) and learn to think about what they’re eating as well! Now, on to the sushi…

Tsunami is one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Baton Rouge (though to be fair, I think I’ve only visited 3). Though not nearly the first sushi restaurant in the city, it was the first place I tried sushi and I think played a major role in bringing sushi en vogue in Baton Rouge. The bar scene and rooftop Mississippi River view draw crowds in the evenings (or, they did a few years ago; the party may have moved elsewhere by now) and they have great happy hour drink and sushi specials. I love going in the late afternoon when the restaurant isn’t very busy and taking a table by the large windows overlooking the river, which is what I did Thursday.

View from Tsunami

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Last Atlanta post in the queue! For my graduation luncheon, my family and I visited JCT Kitchen for some yummy Southern style bistro food. With a large party, we had to eat off of their special event menu, which proved to be nearly as good as their regular menu.

We were able to choose from:

1st course

• Tomato Soup; Fried Grafton Cheddar
• JCT Salad; Green Beans, Romaine, Spiced Pecans, Apples, Buttermilk Dressing

2nd course

• Springer Mountain Fried Chicken; Macaroni and Cheese, Garlicky Green Beans
• Shrimp & Grits; Tim & Alice’s Red Mule Grits, crusty bread for sopping
• Sweet Water Battered Fish & Chips; Fries, “Sweet & Sour” Apple Slaw, ooo-eee sauce!!

3rd course

• Ginger Bread-Pudding; Meyer Lemon Curd
  
• Georgia Pecan & Apple Fried Pies; Caramel, Cinnamon Ice cream
  

I tried to get photos and first bites of everything, but a girl’s gotta eat too! Many photos and family first bites after the jump.
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