Cafe del Sol - Midtown Atlanta

To be fair, this was recommended to us for their burgers. As far as that is concerned, it was below average. Both Vortex and George's are better.



It has a really nice atmosphere though and Toby is welcome! The patio is nice and its location a block away from Ponce on Highland is convenient.



I would consider going again but certainly not for burgers.

M.F. Sushi - Midtown Atlanta

Arguably the best sushi in town also comes with a hefty price tag. The fish is ALWAYS fresh and the place is hip. The service can be spotty but the food more than makes up for it.



Ask for their Japanese fish specials and get the Otoro if available.



Parking is easy either with Valet or in the lot around the corner.



At $180 for 4 though it is a treat to be enjoyed sparingly.

Savannah Moon Bakery and Cafe - Thomasville, GA

A welcome retreat on the main street of Thomasville. The family owned restaurant serves up breakfast and lunch in a quaint atmosphere. Get there early because they close by 3.

Dynamic Dish - Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta

Look, I realize that eating vegetarian food is healthy. I also realize that cooking veggies so they taste yummy is difficult. Quite honestly, I actually enjoyed our meal. It fulfilled both of these points (it was healthy and tasty) but it had NO MEAT!



The place is sort of sparse. Which plays nicely with the sparse (err...fresh) menu consisting of three or four local items each day.



The soup was yummy and the pizza (named in german frei-pizza-ugen or something) was great too. The squash quiche was nice and the portions were fine. When the bill came though, I couldn't help but feeling hungry for the amount I paid. It was about $50 for the two of us for veggies.



On a more positive note, Renee (who thought she would find nothing to eat) actually ate quite a bit and found herself enjoying the meal. She reached her 'veggie' tolerance rather quickly and it was downhill from there.



I don't think we'll be going back unless I can BMOM (bring my own meat).

Olive Bistro - Midtown Atlanta

When in the mood for Mediterranean cuisine in either Midtown or Marietta consider the Olive Bistro.

They won't knock your socks off. Nothing they serve is phenomenal but it is all consistently good. The hummus is good, the falafel is good and the gyro wrap is good.

They have whole wheat pitas to serve along with the dips.

You can make a nice lite meal out of a few dips and a small greek salad.

At $30 it is a nice alternative to not-so-healthy fare.

Renée says it is not quite her favorite but she tolerates it! :)

Parish Market - Midtown Atlanta

We have been to Parish many times since it opened. We have only eaten at the restaurant once and we were underwhelmed. We were looking for authentic Cajun food and we did not find that at all.

The Market (around the back of the restaurant) is an AWESOME place to go grab breakfast or lunch. We often take Toby with us who enjoys sitting outside in their shaded patio.

Their omelets are more like frittatas and are really good. They always have a special selection based on what is good and available locally. Today's was tomato arugula and goat cheese.

Their coffee is really good as well which is always a plus!

It is about $25 for the two of us and we always leave happy.

Los Loros - Decatur

Yes, I am Mexican and yes, I am about to say nice things about this Decatur quasi-mex restaurant.

The reality is that it took about a year (and figuring out 'what' to order) to make me go from hating this place to making it a weekly tradition.

The margaritas are cheap ($20 for a large pitcher and $10 for a small) and strong. We get them frozen and either pineapple or mango flavored.

My favorite (and really only dish I get) are the carnitas. Large chunks of pork that get fried and are served with sauted onions, refried beans, rice and guacamole. They are always tender, juicy and yummy! The $11 dish is large enough to make two meals out if it or scarf it down if you are really hungry.

The cheese dip is good to dunk the tortilla chips into and although I am pretty certain it is not made of any REAL dairy product, it coats the chips nicely (like Rainex on a windshield) and adds good flavor.

Renée gets the chilaquiles Mexicanos which share with their Mexican cousin only the name. Here they are basically tortilla chips covered in chicken (REALLY GOOD, moist chicken) and topped with red sauce and cheese dip (see above). We always ask for extra guacamole to complete the dish.

Their prices have gone up slightly recently making this a lesser value but still a fun place to go.

The staff is always nice and the service is fast.

Oh yeah... One last thing, your clothes will smell like mexican food when you leave.

AND watch your hair, they light up the Fajitas and create GIANT balls of fire!

Cafe 222 - Columbus, GA

Breakfast in Columbus? Yes, there is of course the Veri Best Donut Company but if you are looking for something quaint, look no further than Cafe 222. It is part of a 4 star rated bed and breakfast (http://www.thepoundhouseinn.com/index.html where celebrities stay when in town). It was closed for a few months but has reopened with a vengeance.



The serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with real down to earth southern hospitality.



We had a nice ham and cheese omelet. Their hash browns were disappointing as was the lack of whole wheat toast.



The tin ceiling and 1870 doors add charm to the experience.

Buckhead Bar and Grill - Columbus, GA

A great place for a nice dinner in Columbus. Their steaks are great and they always have patron añejo in stock! They make a pineapple martini with Patron that is really tasty.

Recently they added mashed potatoes gratin (they bake them with bacon and cheese) YUM!

It is not cheap but it has good atmosphere, good service, good food and it is consistent

Chef Lee's - Columbus, GA

I have been to this place many times and although I doubt it is authentic, it is really good.



They are ranked as one of the US Top 100 chinese restaurants.



It is always an amazing value and you can get in and out in no time!



As an interesting side note, they don't substitute snow.peas for scallions in their mongolian chicken but they will 'add' them in dollar increments. I order a mongolian chicken with no scallions and $1 worth of snow peas! :)



With good food, fast service and an amazing looking building all for very little money, it is a clear winner!

Nakato - Midtown

I grew up eating teppanyaki (a.k.a hibachi) and I love it. We used to go to the Suntory in Mexico.

I had really high hopes for Nakato but I must say it was overall very average.

Sadly, the $88 bill made it below average and. a poor value.

We ordered a shrimp tempura sushi roll and were underwhlemed. We each had the filet. We asked three times for it to be medium-rare. It was overcooked.

The veggies were fine but the $2.50 order of fried rice was bland. They also serve you a side of spaghetti (noodles is what they call it).

We sadly won't be returning.

Radial Cafe - Candler Park

Well, this is the third time this week that I come for breakfast to Radial Cafe. That must mean they are doing something right.



There are several reasons I love this place: 1) I have not had to wait to get a table 2) the food is organic and local whenever possible 3) they have REAL maple syrup 4) they have awesome cold-pressed (organic fair trade) coffee and Arden's Garden Juices 5) everything I have tried is delish!



So far I've had two of their scrambles and their organic buckwheat pancakes and everything was very tasty. Renee has had their Mom's French toast (thick sliced challah served with strawberry rhubarb compote). She says it is yummy.



To top it off, they add a 2 cent optional Green charge to your bill that goes to help get organic food, corn (eco-friendly) straws, etc. They are also members of dine green (http://www.dinegreen.com/). Their slogan is "Great Breakfast... Good for the Planet"



Toby came with us today and sat on the outside of the patio. He enjoyed himself as well.



Service is prompt and courteous and at $30 I think it is a great breakfast.

Thanks Brittany and Brad for telling us abou this place!

Papi's Cuban and Caribbean Grill - Midtown Atlanta

I was in the mood for empanadas tonight (it is Nanda's fault). So we drove over to Papi's in Midtown.



I ordered the beef and chicken empanadas and Renee had the Ropa Vieja (shredded beef).. It was all very good. We had a caipirina and a mojito... They were good as well.



The live cuban music was a nice surprise and for $40 there is really nothing to complain about.



The bartender/waiter (Yoelvis...no kidding) was great as well.