Just Life - Pura Vida

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. On Friday the 13th no less! It's been entirely too long, but after flirting with a gig in print, I'm back to the blog and will be updating on a more regular basis. I have a ton of backlogged reviews, so keep your refresh buttons handy, as they'll be flowing forth in the coming weeks.

I should have hated Pura Vida. I hate tapas. They are more often than not overpriced, meager on the portions (Iberian Pig), and poorly executed. In fact, before our meal at Pura Vida, I can't think of a successful tapa I've ever had. Another reason I shouldn't have liked it was that Chef Hector Santiago kind of rubbed me the wrong way on Top Chef. He also was eliminated early on in the competition. However, our meal at Pura Vida was my favorite in recent memory. 15 atrocious minutes of fame aside, the Hector can clearly cook.

Taking one glance at the menu at Pura Vida, there are easily more than 10 dishes I would pine for. The menu is heavy on the proteins so if you're a vegetarian, you only have 4 items to choose from - although I'm sure they're good. Kins and I tried to order a variety of dishes that sounded best and this is how they came out. The menu is clearly Latin inspired, and the one Asian inspired dish we ordered was kind of a failure. Here's the breakdown:
1. Chorizo Empanadas - These were a special and only $3 and they hit the spot. Just Chorizo, cheese and a flakey crust which was slightly on the dry side.
2. Sierra and Langoniza Pinchos - Easily the best fish I've had in a loooong time! It was tender, flakey, and still steak like while remaining sublime in flavor. The house made sausage was also perfect and tender enough to fall apart at first bite. The baby banana mustard on this dish was brilliant and was the perfect offsetting tang to the perfectly seasoned fish and sausage. At $8, you get 4 skewers - a very generous portion by tapas standards. I'd pay $8 for two.
3. King of Crab Papaya Salad - This one was the failure. The spices were completely overwhelming and killed the sweetness of the papaya, if there was any. The crab distributed through the dish was very generous and delicious however.

After I tore into it

4. "BBQ" Beef Rib - Beef shortribs are essentially the modern day pork belly. They're fatty, flavorful, and historically, undesirable. In the past few years, the shortrib has made it's way up to more refined establishments and rightfully so. Fork tender, with perfectly rendered fat, the rib was extremely flavorful and the accompanying spice of the chipotle-bbq sauce nails it with the pickled vegetables providing a cool followup to the heat.

The magaritas here are kind of bland, but it's my understanding that the mojitos are top of the line.

The meal at Pura Vida was nearly perfect and delicious (most of the time). The menu is inspired and well executed and has items that you can't get elsewhere in Atlanta, and for this I have to give it all of my praise. Hats off to you Mr. Santiago because your menu and food is awesome.

The Ultimate Sandwich - Kool Korner (Alabama)

Lately I've been trying to come up with a list of the best things I've eaten in Atlanta. A couple of items topping out the list are the Lime Parfait from Bacchanalia, the ricotta dumplings from Serpas, and even the beef rib from Fox Brothers. On Saturday evening, one bite facilitated the climb of a new item to the top of the list. That bite was of the classic Kool Korner's Cuban sandwich.

OK, slow down. I know most of you are thinking, "Wait, didn't Kool Korner close up shop in 2008?" And the answer to this is a simple, "Yes." However, few Atlantans know that shortly after closing in Atlanta the owner, Ildefonso Ramirez, set up shop in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. I'll spare you the details but the story is right here.
On Saturday, a group of Atlantans made a pilgrimage out to the new location of this legendary Cuban establishment to feast on what has been touted as the best Cuban sandwich in all the land. I was fortunate enough to reap the benefit of their 6 hour round trip by having two sandwiches hand delivered to me by a good friend. Thank you sir, you're a gentleman and a scholar.

When the hand-off was made in a Candler Park parking lot, I might as well have been buying smack. The aroma coming out of the bag of cold sandwiches was instantly addicting. I rushed home and popped these bad boys (they travel surprisingly well) in the oven at 200 degrees for 25 minutes and they came out crispy, melty and what I imagine it's like fresh off the press. My buddy got the Mojo on the side (smart thinking) and we reapplied the sauce to the sandwich which was the equivalent of hitting it with the defibrillator.
As soon as your teeth make it through the crispy, homemade exterior of the bread and continue through the rest of the ingredients, you know it's on. The flavor combination is insane. Yes, I've had a Cuban and yes they were good, but not like this. After her first bite, Kins turned to me and said, "This is made with love." We were pretty quiet for the rest of the meal. I couldn't have put it any better myself - the sandwich is sublime. While the pork seemed minimal to me, it didn't get at all overpowered by the ham or other ingredients. Frankly, I'm doing the sandwich a disservice by even trying to describe it. Addictive is a perfect descriptor; within 5 minutes of my last bite, I was already jonesing for another.
As a nice surprise my friend also through a pastelito de guayaba in the bag for us too. At only 85 cents this pastry is the deal of a life time. The size of an oversized scone, the pastry was gold brown and layered with delicate flakiness. It was stuffed with cream cheese and guava spread and so delicious that it gives a big middle finger to all of Atlanta's bakery offerings.

So, was it worth the trip? Do you even have to ask? If a pilgrimage's definition is a long journey or search of great moral/spiritual significance, then yes, this is the Cuban mecca.

Yeah! Burger - Too Easy - Meh! Burger

You all know the story, Shaun Doty opened a burger shack. If you've read my reviews, you know how tired I am of burger places in Atlanta. Even Paul, from Panos and Pauls opened one (Burger Club).

OK, first things first - the name. In the planning stages, they originally wanted to call it Good Burger. Was the name "Yeah! Burger" supposed to be a step up from Good Burger?!?!?! Honestly, Bobby (Flay's) Burger Palace (yes it's a real) is a better name.

My understanding is the lines here have been outrageous, but we went for lunch on a late Saturday and experienced no wait at all. The feel of the restaurant is surprisingly corporate. Like a, "Haven't I been here before," corporate. Then, after sitting down and waiting for the food, Kins realized that it essentially looks just like Farm Burger. And man is she right. AND the concept, grass-fed and organic is exactly the same too.

So how did Yeah! stack (pun intended) up to the competition? The burgers are fast-food style - meaning that you can't order them to temp, that they come as a double stack and that the flavor of the actual beef is somewhat neglected. In short I thought it ranks under most of the new burger places. The patties were dry. Crumbly almost. The toppings were nice, including some homemade BBQ sauce and thick sliced bacon. The buns were kind of the star - both H&F wheat (really good) and white.

The fries and onion rings were both fresh and good. Fries could have stood to be a tad crispier and o-rings a tad less battered. But good, A- efforts.

The chocolate shake kind of sucked. It's made with soft serve. I could go on and on about how it's impossible to achieve shake greatness with soft serve but will spare you. Essentially the proper texture can't be reached. The shake also had that disodium phosphate aftertaste that McDonalds shakes have.

In terms of value, I paid over 30 bucks for two fast-food burgers, two sides, and a shake...

Lastly, for those who compare it to Flip Burger up the street, get a clue. If you go to Flip Burger and order a beef burger, you're missing the point entirely. The creativity and flavors shine on non-traditional burger patties and both the fries and shakes are outrageously better than Yeah!'s. And by the way, Flip Burger's beef burgers are still better that Yeah!'s. I'll save this rant for another review.

If you're in Atlanta and want one great burger, this is not your stop. If you are in Atlanta and want two great burgers, this is also, not your stop. I know I use the term meh far to often, but Meh! Burger.

Feast your eyes on this. Feast Atlanta.

OK. It's been a looooooooooooooooooooooooong time. Too long. But I've been busy with other projects, cooking, and well, eating. I'm backlogged with posts for thefoodabides but will certainly get back on my A-game in the coming months.

What inspired me to write again was this:

Kins gets complete credit for finding and turning me on to these. These are the mushroom "chips" at Feast. Parents, if your kids do not like mushrooms, I recommend (force) them to try these. They are perfectly little crispy pillows of battered and fried Crimini, portobello, shiitake mushrooms. These things are utter perfection and the texture will blow you away. The mushrooms lose some of their meatiness and tougher texture and become quite light when deep fried. The batter is salty, flavorful bliss.

The rest of the food had its ups and downs. I ordered the special - red snapper over roasted corn salsa with a white wine butter sauce. The dish was well composed, but the fish was overcooked and tough.
Kins went for a vegetable plate. The haricot vert was in fact, just regular green beans which was pretty disappointing. The highlight of their sides was actually something I would have never ordered - bleu cheese and bacon risotto. This dish was smart and elegantly melded two great flavors. It was smooth creamy and butter and if I could have changed one thing, it would have been to use smaller pieces of bacon. Otherwise the dish was flawless.

I think if I visit Feast again, I will certainly just order the mushrooms and a drink. The food is a little pricey and I've always felt needed a boost in the execution department. But those mushrooms and that risotto... worth coming back for.

Fox Bros Bar-B-Q - The comprehensive and final (for now) review

Fox Brothers - The sometimes terrific, but highly inconsistent ITP BBQ spot. I have to say I've had some pretty incredible meals at Fox Bros but I've also had some of the most disappointing. Their inconsistencies are really the only thing they have going against them and my last two visits were certainly on the better end of great. My only other gripe, aside from the consistency (and that's a huge one), is that the new menu is nearly impossible to read. They tried to make it all "Old-West," but it's entirely too jumbled. It took me 5 minutes to find the baby-back combo that I planned on ordering.

The unique and highly enticing factor, and why I still rate Fox Brothers as highly as I do, is that they really do serve different and unique Q. It's not cookie cutter in preparation or taste. Their seasonings and smokey flavorings are significantly different than any other barbeque places in the area (perhaps the state?). Seasonings are more intense - a heavier reliance on spice and sometimes sweetness - you can definitely taste a lot of brown sugar on the ribs. Most BBQ places are trying to mimic each other, but Fox Bros really cooks to the beat of its own smoker, and that gets 4 stars from me.

They have a lot of wacky appetizers that usually incorporate fried goodness (tots, taquito wrappers, egg roll wrappers) with savory smoked meat. However, I usually skip these because they just aren't any better than their entrees with a fried side. Also, the fried goodness usually takes away from, or overcooks the meat.

Meats:

Suck on that King Kong

Beef Short Rib - Only served on Thursdays and Saturdays, this brontosaurus rib will knock you out. Literally. The ginormous bone is enough for two and the amount of fat rendered from it is obnoxiously flavorful. Add to that a beautifully rubbed crust and you will consistently find barbeque perfection in this special. Seriously look at that picture above and tell me you don't get turned on.

The Ribs - Probably the most inconsistent item I've had. Sometimes they're tender and sometimes they're dry and crispy. The rub application is always different. I've had it go from Cajun-black to light brown colored. I went last night and the ribs fell in the center of the spectrum - firm but tender (a plus in my book - fall of the bone isn't good if it's mush) with a heavy, but not overbearing application of the rub.

Pulled Pork - This is their most consistent and possibly best meat. They do it right every time and I enjoy a sandwich here more than anywhere else. It's always served with a fair amount of lean meat, fatty meat, and bark.

Brisket - I recommend it sliced. They always seem to serve a fattier cut than elsewhere. Had this last night and there was no real smoky definition. It was still good but nothing compared to Community Q.

Wings - When they are on, they're the best in the bidness. They carry a heavy smoked flavor that you can't get anywhere else and the spicier sauce they're tossed in is perfect. I'd say 3 out of 5 times they've been awesome with one of the other not-so-good times being inedible.

Chicken - I've only tried it once, and that was a while ago, but it was some of the better smoked bird I've had. From memory, it was very juicy without being soggy.

Sides:
Fries-Good+ rating from me. I usually skip them for more unique sides, but they've always been good.

Onion rings - Very good, but again, kind of an easy one to avoid.

Mac and Cheese - Different than other places. Less creamy and more reliant on ricotta-like consistency. Also it's not macaroni at all, but rather shells. A pretty good take on a classic BBQ side and I usually end up getting it, but I'd take Carver's or the Colonnade's rendition over it any day.

Brunswick stew - One of the best. Consistency and flavors are always perfect. Nice ingredients. Not overly meaty like some takes on it.

Brisket Chili - Another really good and unique side. It's unlike other chili you've had and most likely, better. I don't care for the raw onions however.

Tater tots - Run-of-the-mill.

Fox-a-roni - A side special mixing their mac and cheese and brunswick stew. A very wise choice - it's like getting two sides in one. Amazingly, the two sides stay separate in the one dish for the most part and are easy to distinguish from one another.

So, along with Community Q, this is your best ITP BBQ spot. If you go to Community Q stick with the beef (short rib and brisket) and if you choose Fox, pork or chicken (ribs, pulled pork, and wings). Inconsistency has kept me away, but I can't help myself from going back and hoping it's not one of their off nights.

Happy Memorial Day

I ate like a boss this weekend and hope everyone had a nice 3-day weekend. This is how I topped out my night:

Cayenne Fried Chicken, Lemony Green Beans, and Mac & Cheese

By the way, the mac and cheese is actually Community Q's 1400 calorie per serving rendition.

5 Reasons not to go to 5 Seasons Brewing - Westside

I had literally the worst meal in recent memory last night. Nope, it wasn't at a hot, new spot or crummy run-down dive. It was 5 Seasons Brewing - a pretty well established brewery chain with an equally popular reputation. So without further adieu, I give you 5 reasons not to go to 5 Seasons Brewery:

1. The Beer - This place is a brewery, right? There was no beer list on the menu or at the table. Our server (we'll get to him later) asked us if we wanted something to drink. We replied "Yes probably some beer." It took him two more trips inside to get us the house chalkboard with just the names (no descriptions) of their beers. We all ordered and the server disappeared again to retrieve our choices. It turns out that 2 out of the 3 we ordered were out, and our second choice was out as well. 5 Seasons Brewery. One of my friends went with the Golden. It honestly could have been from a golden shower. The beer was flat and flavorless. My other friend and I went with the Venus (as our server and the two of us couldn't think of any of other beers). It was essentially a beer flavored mimosa. The Venus, like the rest of 5 Seasons, didn't have any depth. The flavor was just that of light, orange syrup. My two friends didn't have the heart to even finish their beers and asked if the brewery carried any bottled beers. The waiter's response was, "No, we only carry our own, after all we are a brewery. We have $25 bottles of some stuff." Yes, a brewery that doesn't carry two out of three beers and delivers beers that taste like piss.

2. The Service - Honestly, it seemed like there wasn't a seasoned professional in the entire building. Seriously, Fisher Price my first waiter, waitress, host and manager. Our waiter couldn't answer a single questions we had. What's the Scotch Abbey Like? "Ummm... Ummm (as he checks his notes)... I don't know, it's like, in between the other two we have. I don't really know, I don't drink beer." I'd honestly rather be lied to than listen to this nitwit who works at a brewery tell us he doesn't like beer. We went through this with every single question. What does antelope taste like? What kind of peppers are on the sandwich? The dude made up a new species of peppers - Soblano. I honestly couldn't make this up. Additionally, he claimed bell peppers gave a kick to a sandwich.

3. The Food - Strangely enough, this 5 Seasons menu is not like their Sandy Springs location at all. The Prado location focuses on small, higher quality plates. This menu really reads like any bar menu with a few added items to make it seem cultured. There's an Antelope patty melt and Kari Kari (crab/cream cheese dumplings) but the menu consists primarily of sandwiches and pizzas.

One friend got the Antelope patty melt and said that the Antelope could have been any meat and tasted the same. This same friend ordered the Lobster Bisque as a side. He said it was just plain bad and even told the waiter. The waiter came back saying that they planned on taking it off the menu because a broth-based lobster bisque doesn't work. !?!??!?! Then why was it still being served?

I went for the organic beef burger. It truly was the worst burger I have ever had. Ordered at medium rare, the burger came out well done. The texture was that of sawdust. I've honestly had many better BUBBA Burgers. In fact, every single fast food burger is better than this one. Additionally, there was no seasoning or flavor - unless you count fish flavoring. Yes, my burger tasted of fish. The fries were passable, but unsalted and unseasoned also.

My other buddy ordered the curry grilled chicken sandwich, which he claimed was just OK.

4. The price - The bill, for our abysmal time spent there was roughly $60.

5. The atmosphere at this location is sterile and has no depth. Honestly the brewery felt like a place where middle aged happy-hour drinkers go to give up on youth and doing anything worthwhile and fun. Lastly, 5 Seasons is well known for their roof-top patio with a view of the Atlanta skyline, so we asked to be seated outside. We were sat on a street level side patio. The roof was closed... I'm guessing they only open it up when there is a lot of traffic inside but really, the view might have been 5 Seasons' only saving grace.

I can't seem to find a nice thing to say, but would like to warn diners from coming here when every other option in the area is better. Worst case scenario if you can't find anywhere good to go in this area - buy yourself a case of fine Belgian beer next door at Hop City and drown your sorrows. I guarantee the hangover the next day won't be nearly as mind-numbing as my experience at 5 Seasons Brewery.