Appalachian Grill

Okay, so I looked for a home website to link to, and all I could find were several reviews that sang the praises of this restaurant.

The creation of Jackie and Andrea Wallace, The Appalachian Grill, a Peoples Choice Best Restaurant Award winner, is located "under the bridge" at 14 East Church Street in Cartersville.

Mention "the bridge" to a Cartersville resident, and they will be quick to let you know of the good shopping and food that can be found.The Appalachian Grill is no exception. In fact it sets the bar.

From the mountain music to the lodge decor (including the black bear guarding the back door), this place captures the essence of a fine country restaurant blended with an upscale dining experience.The portions are large as they are tasty, and the staff makes you feel at home. This experience is worth your dollar.

The hours are Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday Noon-10 p.m. They are closed on Sunday.

Entrees are $9 and up. They do not take reservations, so get there early. Only complete parties will be seated, so you won't have to worry about annoying seat-saving line jumpers.

Flip Burger Boutique

It was time to see what all the fuss is about. Almost every writer on the Atlanta restaurant scene has written about this small but interesting restaurant. True to the name, the restaurant is set up like a boutique, making good use of all of its space. Photos are available on UrbanSpoon as well as on the Flip Burger site.

The dining is very communal, with the bar, chef's bar and end-to-end tables. Booths are available as well, but they are in the minority. I chose to sit at the Chef's bar, where I could watch all the cooking action.

Everybody was pleasant. My server, Karen, took a few minutes to describe my choices, and I settled on the $7.50 Chorizo, described as spicy pork sausage with romesco ketchup, hash browns, fried egg, manchego cheese and smoked mayo. I also ordered a side of fries.

You have to try this place. The food was delicious and the service was outstanding! Thanks, Karen, for helping me enjoy my visit! I will be back, and I will bring friends.

By the way, Karen is a photographer, and when I get this post up, I will link her site...

Rib Ranch

In celebration of Memorial Day, my family was to cook dinner on the grill tonight. Rainy weather put a damper on that. Still desiring the taste of barbecue, we loaded into the Durango and headed for The Rib Ranch.


Done up in eclectic Texas kitsch, the dining room is a barbecue eater's comfort zone. From the license plates on the wall to the painted tin tiles on the ceiling, no doubt is left as to what kind of food is on the menu.


I decided that if I were to eat at a restaurant with the word rib in it's name, it would be a sin not to order ribs. That being said, I got the medium order of pork ribs which came with two sides ( I chose coleslaw and potato salad) for $10.75. My wife ordered the small ribs with potato salad and corn on the cob. My daughter got the small ribs with cheese potatoes and corn on the cob. We got all that and three cokes for less than $35.

The service was just fine. Our server, Michelle, was very pleasant, and our orders were delivered quickly and accurately.

I will say again that I am not a food critic because I don't know what is in the dish, but I know if I'll be back. That truth told, they put something in their rib sauce (chili powder, I think) that differentiates theirs from the usual sweet rib barbecue sauce.

Visit The Rib Ranch at 2063 Canton Rd in Marietta or on the web at www.theribranch.com. You'll be glad you did.

Fogo de Chao

Okay, I've been wanting to try this place for some time, and am still waiting my turn. My friend Shannon recently celebrated her birthday there, and I thought her letter to me worth sharing.

So, with her permission:

"I had a great birthday!! I would definitely recommend this place! Kalisa actually recommended it to me. It's a Brazilian restaurant. The staff are sooo pleasant and always on top of things! They pull out your chair for you! I was more than impressed by them. To start, they seat you, take your drink order and explain the menu and the courses. They give you a round card (kinda like the ones you get at sweet tomato). One side is green (meaning go) and the other side is red (meaning stop). You start off with a full salad bar. They have different lettuces, toppings, pasta salads, meats and breads. whenever you are ready to start receiving meat you turn your card to the green side. There is always someone around waiting to serve you. they offer 16 kinds of meats, pork, chicken. Different servers have different meats. If your card is on green, they will come offer you, say, filet mignon and then another will come offer you pork. you can turn it down or take it. They are constantly coming. When you want to take a break and eat what's on your plate you turn your card to the red side. Along with the meats and the salad bar, the meal comes with complimentary sides, fried bananas, mashed potatoes, Brazilian rice, and another fried thing (not sure what it was). so those are refilled all the time. We ordered a bottle of wine with our dinner and literally every time my glass got slightly low, the waiter was right there topping it off. Everyone was so great. They specifically tell you that they work as a team, so whatever you need they are right there to serve you. the one thing i am not sure of is the price...since it was my birthday dinner my sister paid. Kalisa said it was around $50 a head. It's located right on Piedmont, down the street from Lola! i definitely recommend trying it! I loved it! My whole family did!"

Thanks, Shannon! I'm jealous!

Upcoming Fun at Cuppy's

On May 30, from 10am to 10pm, Cuppy's Coffee and their neighboring merchants will be hosting a day of fun and prizes.

Local Author, Ann Halsted who published her first book called THE COMPOUND will be at Cuppy's from 10am - 2pm.

Local Talent (7 Bands) will be performing from early afternoon into the later part of the evening both indoors & outdoors.

There will be door prizes and great food. Raffle tickets will be sold for a 2009 Red Italian Vespa Scooter. There will be a Breast Cancer Fundraiser and much more.

Other Merchants who will be participating are: WorkOut Anytime, Computer LadyBugs, Elite Tanning, Due West Chiropractic, Mail Box Express, Medalyn Salon & Spa, and others.
Come join the fun!

A la Carte Market

Today I visited a grilling event. It was a tasting of some take home ready to grill items available at A la Carte Market. The food I tasted was phenomenal - everything from stuffed burgers, hot dogs and kabobs to grilled veggies, artichoke dip and gluten-free desserts.

The all beef hot dog was served on a pretzel bun. The Black and Blue Burger was served on a pastry bun created for A la Carte by our friends at Douceur de France. That, my friends, was a marriage made in heaven! Throw on the chipotle dressing and you are in good shape! The kabobs, whether kielbasa or sirloin, were delicious as well.

Having said all that, I will remind you that I am not a food critic. As I have said before, I don't know what's in it, I just know if I will be back! Which leads me to the value and attraction of this service. How many of us are able to complete a chef quality meal after a hard day at work? For as little as $25, you can do just that with a stop at A la Carte Market.

Debbie Jennings and her partner, Kelly Long, along with Debbie's husband Chip have put together a gem here. With menus that cater to the meat lover, the diabetic, and the health conscious, as well as programs to entertain and educate kids and adults alike, not a target has been missed. Check out their menus online (just click on the title to this article).

A la Carte Market offers a variety of services and programs. Kelly could hardly hold back her excitement when she spoke of the upcoming "Krazy Kids Kampin' in the Kitchen" where kids will learn about food, ingredients , entertaining and cooking. She also told me about the Ladies' soirees at the market where some women's issues are addressed by guest professionals over a delicious lunch. Chip and Debbie told me of other ideas, so watch their site and visit the store.

There are a lot of things going on at A la Carte Market, and a lot more in the works. You owe it to yourself to check them out!

Visit A la Carte Market at the intersection of Due West, Acworth Due West and Kennesaw Due West. The address is 3960 Mary Eliza Trace, Suite 600 in Marietta.

Los Reyes

No doubt, if you have driven down Chastain Road in Kennesaw, you have seen Los Reyes. Before the new strips were built, it sat virtually alone.

The building itself is beautiful. Built to resemble an old Mexican hacienda. The trip inside is a treat of historical artwork. The inner dining room feels and looks like the center of a Mexican village. The ceiling is black and adorned with tiny lights to emulate a starry sky.

The walls are built out like the exterior of homes surrounding a courtyard. Bright colors and ornate lights keep your attention only for a brief moment, for almost immediately your eyes are drawn to the mural that covers the front wall. The painting depicts some of Mexico's history in a beautiful storytelling through brushwork.

The story told in the mural can be found on their website. Here is an excerpt:

"This mural represents the pre-hispanic history of the beginning of Colonization. Before the Spanish came to Mexico there was the Aztec Kingdom . From this comes the take of the Volcanoes next to Mexico City . The great Popocatepelt (Great Smokey) and Ixtlaxiwal (sleeping lady).

It says that those two fell in love with each other, but this love could not be possible because of different social status, her being a daughter of an Azteca King, and him being just a warrior. The king decides for her to marry the bravest warrior and she will be the prize for the winner of this battle. On one side there was this army boy Popocatepelt (el caballero) Aguilla (eagle gentleman). On the other side was the King's armyboy, el caballero, Tigre (tiger gentleman). During the battle someone tells the daughter that Popocatepelt had lost and she took her own life."

I almost forgot. The service (my server was Anthony) is impeccable, and the food very good. I had the Pollo Supremo, a nicely fried chicken breast topped with supreme salsa with rice and beans.

The lunch menu is very affordable, with most items under $6. Kennesaw State University students get an added bonus of 15% off any entree over $5.

Give this place a try. Take the kids and let them see the mural.

Applebee's - Town Center

Tonight I paid $46 for three meals at Applebee's in Town Center (Kennesaw). I wish I could get it back.

Our waitress was friendly and pleasant, but I had to wait far too long for a tea refill. Our food was okay, but just okay.

It was 6:30, and there were only 39 people in the restaurant (less than one-third full). Most of the staff was sitting at a table near the hostess station for the duration of our meal. I don't know who Sarah is, but one of the men in the kitchen was yelling her name.

It must have been the manager's day off.

Douceur de France

This is Samantha. You can find her smile at Douceur de France, 367 Glover Street in Marietta, Ga.

Douceur de France, a French bakery and cafe is tucked in to the corner of Glover and Atlanta just outside of downtown Marietta. The passion of Danielle and Luc Beaudet, this treasure chest of hand made pastries and other culinary delights is a true find!


Upon entry, I was greeted by Chantal with a warm smile and an offer of service. I ordered the Tourte au Poulet. This was no chicken pot pie like my mother ever made!

For dessert, Samantha brought to me Creme Brulee, and a sample of Opera, a treat of semi sweet ganache, and a coffee butter cream layered between a joconde biscuit soaked with a French roast coffee syrup and covered with a chocolate glaze.

Click on the title to this entry for details about the cafe, and a peek at the menu, where you will find no entree over $7.90.

The Great Shredder Event II

It isn't often that my blog has nothing to do with a restaurant.

Originally, my purpose was to alert readers of things, people or events of value.

No matter what side of the fence you are on with regard to global warming beliefs, the truth of the matter is we are wasting and destroying both resources and things of beauty when we don't reuse or dispose properly things we are done with.

Kim Fettig and friends are proving themselves to be champions of nature by hosting through CBS46 and Equifax the Great Shredder Event II at Turner Field on Saturday, May 9, from 10am - 6pm. Bring your electronic and paper refuse for proper recycling!

Join me in supporting Kim and her crew as they do their part and then some to keep our world beautiful and healthy!

Click on the title to this entry for more information.

Read Kim's Blog at:

(just click on the link in my blog friends list)
http://kimfettig46.wordpress.com/

How to Use the UrbanSpoon Spinner

Want to take chances? Just click Spin! Eat in a specific town? Click on the town, click on the lock below the city list, and click Spin. And so on. You can choose the type of food, city and cost level. Lock any number of criteria.

When an interesting restaurant appears, click on the restaurant name, and you will be taken to the appropriate UrbanSpoon review page.

Have fun!

Bailey's Pub and Grille - Billiards Party

Let me tell you about some fun! Recently, I asked my son to invite several of his friends to join us at Bailey's Pub and Grille for billiards and appetizers.

Kellie Yood, the events coordinator at Bailey's in Kennesaw, had helped me organize this event. If you ever get to meet her, you are in for a treat. She is as nice as she is pretty. She was extremely helpful and friendly.


Upon arriving, my wife and I checked in with Michael, the Assistant Manager, and he introduced us to our server, Shannon.
We were shown to our reserved room, Shannon brought us our food and drinks, and the fun began!





For just over about $9/person, one can host a two hour party at Bailey's complete with billiards and appetizers (click on the title of this entry for specifics). The appetizers are very good. They went pretty fast since our party was all guys in their early twenties.

There always seems to be something going on at Bailey's. That night was Karaoke night, and although the guys chickened out on participating, they stayed very entertained.

The service was great, the food very good, and the management gracious. I will definitely do this again!