Hal’s

June 4th, 2009

Okay, so I was kidnapped by a cougar at Hal’s and I have been held hostage at Johnny’s Hideaway for two weeks.  With no means of communication I have not been able to update the blog.  Jana had to come rescue me like I was a reporter in North Korea.  However, here is how “The Birthday Meal” went.

For those of you who don’t know, every year my old man takes me out for a steak on my birthday.  Since I was the wee awkward age of 13 years we have gone to Ruth’s Chris next to Lenox.  The restaurant moved to a hotel lobby and I just didn’t like the cut of their jib anymore.  This year we broke the streak and went to Hal’s.  If you have ventured around the rest of my blog, you will know that this is currently my favorite steak houses in Atlanta.   

Jana and I got there early to hit up the bar (shocker).  A birthday martini for me and a glass of prosecco for my bride started us off.  If you didn’t get the underlying agenda from the above reading, Hal’s bar is a launch pad for seasoned singles before they endeavor over to Johnny’s Hideaway to do some hip hop dancing or whatever the devil it is they do over there.  Either way the bar is dark and smokey with a singing piano player.  If you don’t eat at Hal’s, atleast get a drink and do some good people watching.

When the rest of the family arrived we sat down at our qauint (but sufficient) table.  We were greeted by our waiter, Scott.  Scott had radio voice.  Scott also was well knowledged about everything that Hal’s had to offer.  This is a pretty common theme with the wait staff at Hal’s.  Not to mention they are very well staffed.  Scott talked us into the appetizer sampler which consisted of fried calamari, crawfish tails, oysters bordelaise, and shrimp and crab remoulade.  I will stick with the oysters and the shrimp and crab, but the calamari and crawfish I could do without.  They were good, but they were just typical.  (On a side note, if you are interested in a good appetizer sampler, try the seafood tower at McKendricks)  The oysters were dusted with a granular cornmeal batter and flash-fried quick enough so the texture of the oyster was preserved.  The remoulade sauce on the shrimp and crab was tangy, but the seafood kept it from being overwhelming. 

After my wine savvy brother-in-law picked us out a couple of good reds…then came the meat.  I enjoy a bone-in ribeye every now and then or maybe the strip, but it is tough to venture from the filet at Hal’s.  So, keeping with my primal instincts, I stuck with the filet. (I didn’t even open the menu)  And like a lion on the African Savannah, my eyes rolled in the back of my head when I took the first bite.  It’s almost like all homo sapien comportment is completely tossed out the window when a steak is put in front of my chompers.  For those of you vegetarians out there, no wheat grass can do that?  Can it?

My brother-in-law and my dad got the Cowgirl Cut Bone-in Ribeye.  It looked and tasted fantastic.  It had a beautiful marble center and the bone added flavor to an already delicious cut.  However, it didn’t hold a candle to my filet that I could cut with a spoon.  Jana doesn’t like this as much, but Hal’s has a little more marble in their filets to give it a little bump in flavor.  My step-mom Susan got the Sea Bass and though it looked delicious, me going to a steak house and not ordering a steak is like trying to drink a gallon of milk in an hour…impossible. 

One last thing and I will wrap up this lovefest of meat.  Normally when I go t o a steak house, the sides are just that…sides.  Even the sides at Hal’s were great.  How can you make mashed potatoes that good?

Overall, you have to try Hal’s.  Take a date, take a friend or roll by yourself and hit on some cougars.  Either way, try Hal’s    

Ambiance: Typical steak house, but don’t go if smoke bothers you    Price:  In line   Overall:   Don’t be upset if you end up at Johnny’s Hideaway, we have all been there once.

Nam

Friday Night - May 29 

“Covey Leader!”  “Calling Rambo!”  “Talk to me Johnny!”

When Jana suggested a Vietnamese restaurant, the only thing I could thing of is a Pho House on Buford Highway.  Then she claimed that it was owned by the same owners as MF Sushi Bar.  Then I chagrined expecting the complete opposite.  The only time I have been to MF’s I ordered one roll and felt like I paid for a whole month’s rent toward their copious Peachtree dwelling.  Jana convinced me to go by stating she could order anything on the menu, which was a rarity.  She also reminded me to go in with an open mind…I am glad I did.     

 The evening started out a little slow.  We arrived a few minutes early hoping to get a drink at the bar.  Only problem was, there was no bar.  “They took the bar!”  They took the whole bar!”  Thrown off a bit, they immediately seated us and began pouring generous glasses of wine.  Every review I read talked about the relaxing ambiance.  The scene was very eclectic with white and red décor.  Red transparent drapes separated the tables around the perimeter of the restaurant.  Outside seating was available for kind Spring Atlanta evenings.  The servers wore authentic red dresses that added to the experience.

 The restaurant had two featured appetizers and like tourists we bit.  The Tamale and the Crepe started off a bit weak, but eventually grew on us.  The tamale was a rice puree topped with sausage, shrimp, mushrooms and spices, wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked.  The sauce is what made it.  Although, beware of the peppers in the sauce.  (Hot going in, hot going out)  The crepe was the less significant of the two.  As far as we were concerned the shrimp saved the  crepe.

 Of course like any good server, she tried to recommend the two most expensive entrees on the menu.  Nice try.  (I remembered that the server at MF’s tried to do this as well.)  The Sea Bass wrapped in a banana leaf was of course the most expensive, and Lily Banon’s  my wife’s acquired taste was drawn to it like Billy Ray to Miley’s Bank account.  Sea Bass will always be pricey, but unless you completely screw it up, it is well worth it.  Flavorful and a dissimilar way of preparing fish from what we were used to, we understood why this was a featured dish.

 I ordered the Lemon Grass Beef.  This was completely different than what I had expected.  Unlike most Oriental cuisine, it wasn’t weighed down with a sauce.  Any “Dirty Butt” Chinese restaurant can cook a meat in heavy oils and roux.   It was almost like a grainy dry rub that gave it a non-profound, refreshing flavor.   The lemongrass enhanced it with a nice tangy earth flavor that was well complimented with the sticky rice side.  The next day we were both craving our dishes. 

 Overall, this was a great dining experience.  The only thing I would do different is maybe order only the rice tamale or try a different appetizer.  The entrees were fantastic, the wine was delicious and it didn’t break the bank.  It might scare you a bit because it is located in a shopping center, but so was Pano’s and Paul’s.  Chao Tam Biet, Dog!

 Ambiance:  Ha Noi meets Monroe Drive.   Price:  Just don’t fall for both the Sea Bass and the Filet.  Overall:  You don’t have to fly 16 hours to Vietnam to get authentic.

Eclipse Di Luna – Perimeter Mall (Ewe, OTP That’s Gross)

Let me start out by saying that I have a love/hate relationship for Eclipse Di Luna.  Maybe it’s because I am turning into my old man and I get goaded by a place in which I can’t hear someone two feet away from me.  Luckily we were able to sit outside in our most recent enterprise.  However, I have been here many times when we have sat inside.  The sound of a table full of 14 drunk girls celebrating a bachelorette party drinking out of penis straws and trying to figure out how to split the bill amongst all 14 of them can echo something fierce.  Then you get the Spanish band that begins to moan out tunes at a certain point in the night.  Birthday party with 10 people trying to all speak over each other.  All of this originating in a place that has concrete floors and a tall lofted ceiling.  Our deaf cat Ludwig would be nervous.  (If I could figure this stupid blog thing out I would put a picture of Ludwig on here.)

With that said, I have never had a problem with the food.  When it comes to tapas though I prefer Noche in Midtown, but being so close to the house (across from Perimeter Mall) this is a great place for Jana and I to go when we can’t decide what we want for dinner.   The variety of small plates lets us mix it up a bit and try different things.  I think that is why females like this place so much.  Correct me if I am wrong ladies, but most of you don’t like a whole plate of food, but better yet small plates that can be picked at through out the course of the meal.  Not to mention that because you share these small plates, other girls cannot judge how much food you have eaten by looking over and seeing nothing but a gnawed bone from a 16 ounce porterhouse.  Am I right?   Plus the place serves sangria and good wines.  You never hear dudes (straight) saying “Hey guys you wanna go get some small plates of food we can all share?’  “Do you guys want sangria or wine?”  Not on my watch gentleman.  Most of the time guys are here to hit on chicks, the girlfriend or wife drags them, or some birthday/office party.  It’s okay guys, once you get settled in it is not that bad. 

Tuesday night we got back from vacation.  The Blanchards were on serious suicide watch where we went from pure bliss to a rainy, humid Atlanta evening.   We were tired and hungry and it was about 6 p.m.  Being this time of day, we were able to sit on the porch and enjoy ourselves despite the weather.  This is definitely the way to go.

A good bottle of wine and the black bean hummus started us off.  The black beans add a refreshing change to the everyday chick pea hummus.  It gives it a little more flavor in my opinion.  We then started what would be a vegetarian’s absolute nightmare.  The spare ribs in balsamic vinegar, carne asada with a tomato and red pepper sauce and then a grilled chicken skewer was all laid out in front of us ready for a carnivorous voyage.  Oh yeah and we ordered the beet salad so we wouldn’t feel too politically incorrect.
The spare ribs were fall off the bone delicious, and anything with balsamic vinegar is okay in my book.  The carne asada could have been a bit more tender, but was still packed with flavor.  Tomatos and peppers gave the tapa a real Spanish vibe. 

Being on vacation, there was not much ensalada and vegetables so we pretty much devoured the beet salad without even tasting it.  Sorry, that happens sometimes.  I don’t remember it being bad, but you have to like beets I guess.  The chicken was not that great.  You know when you go to some work cocktail hour event and they are passing out hors d’oeuvres in some hotel convention center?  That is what the grilled chicken skewer tasted like.  I don’t recommend it.  But I do recommend many other things on the menu that we didn’t have. 

The server told us that the menu changes seasonally which can be good and bad.  Good because of the variety, bad because they get rid of some of your favorite things.  For instance, they had a fantastic dark meat chicken taco (that’s what she said) that made you throw out gangsta lingo when you took the first bite…gone.  What is a drunk girl at a bachelorette party to do? 

I am sure most of you have tried Eclipse Di Luna (Perimeter and Midtown) and you know what I am talking about.  But if you haven’t experienced it, I am sure that at some point you will end up there.  Enjoy, but do not make this your final destination.  I guess if you are a single dude looking for drunk chicks or maybe you like to do some Spanish dancing this is a place for you.  I for one am married so I only like one drunk chick and the only dancing I like to do is hip hop so you can see my Quandary.

I hate that I had to blog about this one.  Jana didn’t want me to, but I feel like I have to be honest with all my children.  I can’t pick and choose because not only is this a critique, it’s a journey of everyday dining.

Ambiance:  I think loud would be the main bullet point in this blog     Price:  Very reasonable unless you are like us and order 2 bottles of wine    Overall:  It is what it is…Drunk Chicks!  Whooo!

Eurasia Bistro – Decatur

Eurasia Bistro - Decatur 

We have been on vacation so I have been out of the blogging business.  We went to Eurasia about 2 months ago.  I am going off of memory, so stay cool.

For those of you who know your history, the French had a great presence in the South Pacific.   Eurasia confirms this verity.  It is arguable whether you would call this French with Asian synthesis or Asian with French Fusion.  Either way, this is a favorite of the Blanchard household.  Sensibly priced and above reproach service.  Everyone I have recommended Eurasia to can only agree.  The ambiance is very relaxed with a certain calming decor that makes you relax after a hard day or stay relaxed during the weekend.  Very quiet and you don’t feel like you are eating at the same table with strangers.   

To get fired up about being in two places of the world at one time, as always we ordered an app.  The crispy duck in my opinion was a winner.  In a movie you always get the title somewhere in the duration, it only took the first course to get the title of this restaurant.  The scallions bring the plum sauce back around to the other side of the world. The bun was fluffy with an interesting texture that keeps the richness of the duck at ease.  The apps are also just the right size to order a few for your meal if you want to tapas that ass.    

If you are adventurous, try the Skate Wing. This is one of Jana’s favorites in town and surprisingly Jana knows her Skate Wing.  (If you don’t know what skate wing is, it looks like a sting ray)  Flakey with just the right texture, the wing is served with a sharp barbeque sauce that has just the right amount of warmth.  The Marinated Cucumbers that are served with it can be synonymous to Paul Rudd.  A great supporting actor that the lead can feed off of, but no one can ever remember his name.  In other words, I remembered the side being great, but I had to go back and look online to remember what it was.  (See you just went to IMDB to see who Paul Rudd is and you probably said “Oh yea I know who that guy is…Drew is so smart.”  Eat this meal with a good light white or Pilsner. 

I went against my brother-in-law’s recommendation of the Lamb and ordered the Boneless Cornish Hens.  I enjoy gamey food, but not too overwhelming.  I feel like the marinade is what causes this reduction of the gaminess.   However, if I go again I will probably get the Lamb.  I think Jana definitely won on her order.  

Afterwards we hung out in the bar and had a few nightcaps.  The bar was very quiet and intimate.  I prefer bar stools, but there are a few table and comfy looking chairs if you have more than two.  Eurasia is right in the heart of Decatur.  So, if you don’t want to hang around, there are many options for you if you aren’t ready to take it to the house.

Ambiance:  Like sleeping in your own bed.        Food:  I think I gushed about it enough.      Overall:  They will probably know my name here soon, but still not “the one”. 

Ciao

Shall We Blog?

05/01/2009

Friday night…The conception..eption..eption.

Last Friday Jana wanted to go somewhere nice for dinner.  I got on opentable.com and looked around for buzz restaurant names that I might have heard from her over the past couple of months.   Eeeeasy!  The first one on the list was 10 Degrees South.  I booked a reservation and the website asked me to rate some of the restaurants that I had dined at over the past couple of years.  Being a Friday at 4 o’clock, and brain already checked out, it was like a little trip down memory lane on all of the restaurants we had visited.  This is when I emailed CJ and asked him about blogging.  A week later here I am drinking a Coors Light with Jana who is watching 90210 and I am starting a blog that you feel guilt to read because you are my friend.

10 Degrees South

In my younger/single days I lived in my crappy apartment with Carl on Roswell Road next to little Mexico.  It was freakin’ awesome.  Anyway, every weekend (or week night) on our way to Buckhead, we would pass a little restaurant on the way to relish in…well…Buckhead.  It took me a while to sober up and realize that 10 Degrees South is the latitudinal location for South Africa.  Fast forward 9 years and a wife later, I am going to 10 Degrees South for the first time. 

The place is breezy without windows.  Kick it with your wife, kick it on a first date, kick it on whichever occasion.  This place is good for anything.  The dependable décor takes you out of Metro Atlanta and into a place where a wild animal is about to bust through the window and pounce. 

We chose a great “Value” bottle of wine from Chile that brought it down a notch from my martini and brought Jana up a notch from her pinot grigio.  The attentive staff gave us just enough anticipation to let our nibble settle, but didn’t keep us waiting too long.  (Whether it’s by chance or not, this is a major plus for me.  I don’t like to wait too long, but I don’t like to feel rushed.)

Jana had the special which was a grilled calamari with seasoned wild rice and mixed steamed vegetables.   I went authentic and had the Boerewors.  Our choices were very contradictory, which I love.  Variety is happiness.   If I could relate the calamari to a steak it would be a Kobe Filet.  You could cut the thing with a spoon.  Everyone by now knows what fried calamari is, but until you have a piece of slow grilled calamari, you haven’t really had calamari.  I am not going too in depth because it was the special and they might not have it again.  If they do, get it.

However, if you are a man’s man, order the Boerewors.  This is about a 10” piece of beef sausage that smiles at you when the plate is laid on the table.  They will be happy to Lance Bass it up by serving it with mashed potatoes, but you have to order it with the Pap and traditional African Sauce.  The Pap can be related to a polenta side but a little more resourceful.   The tomato and onion sauce cut just enough into the richness of the Boerewors to make it a successful blend.

To all of you actually reading this, I feel like I am drooling over the first post that I make.  Don’t worry; I am not shy on dogging a restaurant.  We will definitely have some fun with this, but I would very much recommend trying 10 Degrees South and letting us know what you think.

Ambiance:   Trick Nasty      Food:  Took the leftovers home     Price:  Bernanke Approves  

Quest Results:  Sorry not everyone gets a ribbon