Atlanta etc.: Marilyn Wolf's Food Blog and Restaurant Blog

Strip is in the restaurant zone in Atlantic Station. It's a steak and sushi place with a glossy, modern interior. I did't go to the upper floor but it seems to have some nightclub space. I was in a protein mood so I started out with some sushi and sasimi. My favorite, predictably enough, was the buttery salmon. Then I had a steak. I like ribeyes but I didn't want to eat that much, so I had a strip steak. It was a good, pleasant experience but not a memorable one. Similarly, the fries were nice and crispy but I think should have been given more zing with a bigger dose of salt. They do have small-portion desserts, which I greatly appreciate. The cheesecake was similarly OK, but a little too much gelatin; the best cheesecakes are all about the cheese.

The new Waffle House in Tech Square is open. The food is exactly what you would expect---we wouldn't want anything else. Physically, it's huge. It has two rooms of seating and even seems to have some outdoor seating. They have a great school spirit display of photos on the wall. Clean, bright, and friendly.

Business brought me downtown and I had the chance to try Southern Elements in the Hilton. The dish that intrigued me most was the shrimp and corn chowder with pecan raisin croutons. I also had a hummus plate. I generally have low expectations of hotel food but I was quite happy with my soup in particular. This is not a destination restaurant but it was a pleasant and interesting meal.

The Brunch House is on Chattahooche Avenue. It's just down the street from Nuevo Laredo Cantina, which is how I found it. I've been curious to see what it was like. It turns out to be a modern version of the traditional working people's breakfast/lunch place---relatively straighforward food---but with a really modern atmosphere. The decor is earth tones and attractive. I thought that the chicken fried steak was the best way to get a feel for their brunch potential. It was pretty good---nothing fancy but satisfying. This isn't the place you go for a mega-brunch. This is a very nice neighborhood place that you can feel comfortable going to regularly.

Buca al Beppo is a national chain; my friends and I tried the Alpharetta instantiation. It is a simulation of a family-run Italian-American restaurant. I don't use the term simulation ironically---as he led me to our table, the waiter explained that the ceilings were low to simulate a basement location. They also take up the practice of filling the walls with pictures. I don't have any serious complaints but this is one of those experiences that grates on me a little. Having been to a great many actual family Italian restaurants, I just can't get excited about a chain version. (I'd say the same for Maggiano's.) The food was fine but not spectacular. All the portions are designed to serve at least two people. They claim that this is to simulate a family-style atmosphere but I have never been to a family-run restaurant that served everything in multi-person portions. The waiter kept cajoling us to order more and take some home---the underlying agenda of large port...

J. Christopher's is an Atlanta breakfast mainstay. They have locations all over town; I went to the downtown Decatur location for breakfast. I've been to various locations several times. I was in the mood for a treat so I tried the chocolate chip pancakes plus a sausage chaser. The pancakes are very satisfying---thick and cakey. Chocolate chip pancakes are something I save for the occasional treat but they sure are good; I try not to use too much syrup with them but I think that butter makes a very good complement. The service was great, by the way---I really appreciated the to-go cup of coffee.

Yu joined me for dinner at The Diner at North Point near North Point mall. As the name implies, it is nouveau diner food. The atmossphere and service aim for a very upscale fee. I have a few reservations about the upscale diner format---to me, the classic diner with radioactive-yellow gravy shouldn't be tampered with. But I decided that I had to see how well they executed, so I tried the pot roast, a very homestyle/diner dish. They did quite a good job. The meat was fork-tender as it should be. The carrot was equally tender. The mashed potatoes were creamy. The gravy was rich, perhaps a shade heavier than I prefer for pot roast, but quite good. Yu had the gyros plate, another diner favorite. She reported that the meat was a little dry. We didn't have dessert but they do have the compulsory showcase at the entrance filled with huge slices of rich-looking cakes.