I’m finally jumping on the Antico Pizza Napoletana bandwagon, though at this point it probably wouldn’t matter what I say since the ATL blogger community has already fallen head-over-heels for the place. With that said, 1) the pizza is as good as everyone says, and 2) I hope to approach this post from a slightly different angle–customer service. I’ve been the recipient of some bad restaurant service lately, and Antico is unfortunately on that list, but they did work quickly to rectify the situation.

Antico is located in the Home Park neighborhood near Georgia Tech. They have recently expanded their hours to include lunch and close “when the dough runs out” (my guess is somewhere around 9pm). Initially intended to be take-out only, they have also recently added a community dine-in table to allow customers to enjoy their pies on the spot. I think this was change was mainly blogger-fueled, since ATLiens are getting to be very picky about their crusts with the onset of the “ATL Pizza Wars” (Google that for some interesting commentary) and it tends to get soggy when carried home. I visited one Saturday evening to take my pizza to go since I live nearby and hoped it wouldn’t be soggy by the time I got home. I ordered the Capricciosa (mushroom, artichoke, prosciutto cotto, bufala) and a cannoli:

Capricciosa

Dessert Counter

And now for my customer service angle:
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Here’s a quickie post while I study for two tests, write a fellowship proposal, and make more substantial posts on a girls’ night out last weekend and Taste of Atlanta.

It’s probably no secret now that I’m a certified cupcake addict. Well, I’ve found my new pusher, and she’s fortunately/unfortunately in walking distance of my place. Caryn’s Cakes appears to mostly be a wedding/special events cake shop (think “Ace of Cakes”), but they also have some amaaazing cupcakes, which I discovered when I walked over to pick up 2 last week:

Caryn's Cupcackes

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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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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On a slightly overcast but still beautiful Saturday afternoon, I began to crave some well-seasoned steamed crab legs and a nice shady patio to enjoy them on. I didn’t want to make a long drive so I started searching for an intown spot that could quell my cravings. Enter Baltimore Crab & Seafood. Located in the [trying to be] hip Castleberry Hills, this place was a hole-in-the-wall if I’ve ever seen one. The “restaurant” is basically just a single room with a counter and refrigerated case where you order and some bar style seating looking out onto Peters St. However, BCS shares space with Pearl Lounge, which is in the rear of the building and offers sit-down accommodations. Interestingly, the original BCS is not located in Baltimore, but in Philadelphia. The only other location is here in Atlanta.

Walking into the establishment, Mario and I were greeted by loud protestations to a refrigerator case repairman and yelling into a cell phone–both from girls working behind the counter. Not the best sign. We picked up a menu from the counter and took about 5 minutes to decide what to order. Mario got a half dozen fried jumbo shrimp, and I had a pound of the snow crab legs I’d been craving (they also offer Dungeoness). We got small orders of macaroni & cheese and candied yams to share.

Shrimp and sides

Snow Crab Legs

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This weekend we tried out Top Chef finalist Richard Blais‘ new restaurant Flip.

Flip

Flip is in kind of a weird location, on midtown Atlanta’s Howell Mill Rd.  Situated among auto repair shops and hardware stores, its chic decor definitely stands out.  Uber-chic begets an uber wait, and we waited about 45 minutes for a table.  However, this is not unusual for a new, smallish restaurant with a famous head chef.

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