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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Mario and I visited hip-looking burger joint The Counter last weekend in Charlotte (there is also a location in GA in Roswell). We’ve been scoping it out for a while and decided that the fact that it was packed was a good sign. Surprisingly, we were seated immediately (larger groups should expect a longer wait) and were given the run-down on the order process.

The Counter

We were given a half-page menu and order sheets on a clip board. The Counter’s order process reminded me of a sushi place where the table checks off their orders for the server. You can choose your patty protein and size (1/3 lb, 2/3 lb, or 1lb), cheese (1 incl), toppings (4 incl, with “premium” toppings like bacon or mushrooms running $0.50/each), sauce (1 incl), and bun (English muffin, regular, or honey wheat). Whew! There are also “signature” burgers, the burger of the month, and non-burger sandwiches.

Mario and I ordered a “fifty-fifty” (half regular fries, half sweet potato fries), a bacon cheeseburger + bbq sauce, and a bleu-bacon-mushroom-pickle burger + roasted garlic aioli:
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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

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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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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Spencer and I went to Cheeburger Cheeburger for lunch last week, a new-ish 50′s style burger chain in Baton Rouge.  I had Cheeburger for the first time last summer in upstate NY and enjoyed it a lot; probably mostly due to the 70+ milkshake flavors you can mix to your heart’s desire.  The restaurant also offers more than 20 different burger toppings, allowing diners to create their own unique taste at every visit. The 50′s style decor and music was a little cheesy, but I guess the restaurant needs some sort of shtick to stay interesting:

50's Style? Mason jars for drinks

You know you're in Louisiana when...

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I was jonesing for something different Saturday afternoon and found this recipe flagged in my copy of Rachael Ray‘s 365: No Repeats. I don’t know if “real” foodies are allowed to cook Rachael Ray recipes, as she’s not actually a “real” chef, but I like her quick meals, especially when cooking for my whole family.  She also uses ingredients I’m not always familiar with, which is great for first bites!  I made these salmon burgers for myself while I was living alone last summer, but decided to try them again for family.  Although this is touted as a 30 minute meal, with all the grinding and chopping and slicing you have to do, it takes a lot longer than 30 minutes to get everything together.  But I think the time spent is well worth it!

Salmon Burger with Ginger-Wasabi Mayo

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To celebrate finishing finals and prepare for this weekend’s graduation, we visited FLIP again for lunch. I usually wouldn’t make a second post about a restaurant, but since I tried something different and their burgers are so cool, I had to make an entry. We sat at the “chef’s bar” so we could see all the action in the back and got views of more of the burgers they make. I’d love to try all of them at some point!

The menu has changed a little since we last visited, and they are now offering a $12 combo of FLIP Burger, fries, and a milkshake. Pretty sweet. This time though, I had the Chorizo burger (spicy pork sausage, romesco ketchup, hash browns, fried egg, manchego cheese, smoked mayo) and vodka-battered onion rings.

Chorizo Burger & Onion Rings

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Burgers again, but this time a little less gourmet. Five Guys Burgers and Fries is known up and down the East Coast for their cheap eats and–what else–burgers and fries.  We picked some up one night we didn’t feel like cooking:

Little Bacon Cheeseburger and Fries

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