Monthly Archives: September 2023

DC23: The Covidy One

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I was going to title this TTWIHGFWPUC part 2 but that seemed awkward so an alternate had to be workshopped. I didn’t workshop it too hard as you can see. This is about food nominally anyway so let’s move on.

Most of my meals were from the usual suspects but I did manage to squeeze in a new place. First up was Amalfi Cucina & Mercato a nice little Neapolitan Pizzeria on the second floor of a downtown building. I’ve been there before so I knew they had great pizza. What I forgot was how big the pizza is and that I don’t eat quite as much as I used to.

As you can see they were not at all stingy with the pepperoni and the little char on the crust just made this such a nice slice. Or series of slices if I’m being honest. I didn’t eat it all but I did put a hurting on it. The sauce and cheese tasted fresh and the crust was reasonably thin. Adding to all this the Creature Comforts IPA that magically appeared (after I ordered it) and if I hadn’t been doing so much walking I’d have gone into a happy little food coma after this meal.

The next place I got something new was one of the usual spots, Pacific Rim Bistro. They are so convenient to the convention hotels and have great Asian food. I got a Dragon Roll, because DragonCon, and I’m at times a creature of habit. The new thing though was the soup of the day, a coconut chicken soup.

Wow was this good. It had some scallions and mushrooms as well but the coconut flavor bathing the little bites of chicken that was somehow both bold and yet subtle relegated them to a filler role . I would absolutely have this again. Fun fact, I have this same spoon at home. No, not because I stole the one in the photo but because I bought some years ago. I like the design.

The last place is the one new establishment within the con footprint I visited. I’ve walked by Cuts Steakhouse for I don’t know how many years without giving it a lot of consideration. Mostly because I figured a downtown steakhouse had to be a $$$ place. This time I figured I’d find out for sure and it wasn’t busy so I’d get away from the crowd. I was seated quickly in the bar area at a high top with a nice view out the window so I could see my fellow confolk but also enjoy quiet. I got the Manhattan steak sandwich and a cider to wash it down.

Holy Cow! Reference intended. That might not have been the best steak sandwich I’ve ever had but I don’t remember a better one. The steak was so tender I felt decadent eating it. There were just enough mushrooms and onions on the sandwich to enhance it without taking anything away from the flavor of the beef. The smoked gouda and warm semi-crusty roll just wrapped up the whole thing like a nice tie and matching pocket square set off a well fitting suit. I liked it is what I’m trying to get at. The cilantro garlic fries were ok but they were just an afterthought compared to the sandwich. Oh and that cider was crisp, mildly sweet and a little tart. Another fine accessory for that sandwich. It was the most expensive lunch of the weekend but dang it was worth doing the one time for sure. Maybe next year too. The menu had some other good looking options though so who knows.

From a culinary standpoint it was a good weekend at DragonCon and downtown Atlanta. On the positive front I did get my smell and taste back after just a couple of days so life is good.

That Time I Had Great Food While Picking Up Covid

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So it’s been a while since I added anything new and since covid has dampened my senses of smell and taste I figured I may as well ruminate over the last meals I had prior too.

It was DragonCon time and per usual Thursday night was dinner with my hostess for the extended weekend, Sharon. She always has a good place picked out and this time was no different. When she told me it was in Monroe, GA I might have been skeptical because the last time I was through there it was not a culinary hotbed. To be fair that was closer to 30 years ago than not.

Her choice of the Brown Fig was a good one. Monroe is a small town but as people have moved further out of Atlanta they still want to have nice places to eat that aren’t all diners or fast food places and this fits the bill. They do have some outside seating for when nature’s thermostat isn’t set on Hell. The inside seating is non-uniform, on purpose, but comfortable. The Brown Fig bills itself as a Mezze & Martini Gathering Place. They are definitely Greek / Mediterranean inspired place. We didn’t get martinis but we did get a hummus & tzatziki appetizer.

Both tasted fresh and the generous helping of warm pita points made excellent delivery vehicles. I decided to have a Greek beer with my meal. It was nice and light, and a tad citrusy. The photo is a little blurry but it was a pale lager that you can’t see because someone was more interested in the hummus than getting a proper picture.

For entrees I got the Primo Flatbread and Sharon got the Spanakopita. Both were excellent and plentiful enough that leftovers were carted home.

The toppings on the flatbread were so tasty. Fontina cheese, prosciutto, sweet peppers, arugula and fig jam. I was considering the spanakopita too but when I saw the Primo had a bit of fig jam and I was at the Brown Fig how could I pass it up. It was very delicious. The tang of the fontina, plus the saltiness of the prosciutto and bitterness of the arugula balanced by the sweet of the figs hit all the right taste buds. By all reports the spanakopita was also fresh and filling without being heavy. It looked amazing too.

Sharon noticed they had mead on the drink menu and called it out since she knows I make mead and enjoy it. Well it turns out the mead is made by a local Atlanta meadery that I know of and like their stuff, Viking Alchemist Meadery. It is on my DragonCon to do list since they set up in the Marriott lobby each year. I ordered the one that I think is one of the best flavored meads ever, a pear almond variety. It was delivered by the owner? / manager. She asked who ordered it and said she wanted to meet the person with such good taste that they liked her favorite of the meads. She said most customers preferred the blueberry which was the only one I hadn’t tasted before. She remedied that right then and there by bringing me a generous sample. As much as I like blueberries the Bliss (that’s the name of the pear almond) was still superior. We spent a few minutes bonding over the fact our palettes were more refined than the average mead novice and what a nice restaurant in an unusual locale she had. After that it was time to wrap up the leftovers and hit the trail. I had an early morning drive in Atlanta traffic.

Part 2 will be out later in the week(end).