Denrael

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a couple of evenings at Buckhead Diner in of all places the Buckhead portion of Atlanta. Prior to walking in, I had not read any reviews of the place. It just looked interesting from the outside.

I was traveling with Ben, and having just come from the airport, neither of us were dressed for, or in the mood for an over the top evening. Plus, I had just flown in from a wedding in Orange County where we had enjoyed maybe one or two cocktails so I was in serious recovery mode. The place looked like a fun upscale diner, lots of shiny chrome on the outside. Turning into the parking lot, we discovered the valet, and decided this might be a bit too upscale but we were there so why not give it a go.

Walking in the door, the entryway is filled with framed clippings of reviews and awards they can see. Looking through into the dining room, immediately in front of you is a large cooler filled with wonderful fresh, colorful fruit. The  waitstaff is dressed in what I’ll call the traditional steakhouse butcher jacket and tie. I have to say Buckhead Diner really pulls this off well. The feel is upscale, but yet very casual from the customer perspective.

The hostess took my name and found us a table within 5 minutes. No buzzers here, when the table was ready the hostess came and found us, addressed me by name and took us to the table. One element I found rather interesting is that when she seated us, she removed my white napkin and placed a black napkin in my lap. Later when the waiter arrived, he also addressed my by my name, so this may be a subtle signal they use to indicate to staff who the host of a party is. If so, a very nice touch that I’ve not seen before.

I had the grilled scallop salad for dinner, with a Bloody Mary (recovery mode if you recall). The scallops were grilled to perfection, well seasoned and the salad was excellent. One of the worst things in the world is an overdressed salad, and this one was perfect. The cool fresh greens with a light vinaigrette blended very well with the warm scallops. This is definitely a meal I would have again.

The next night we were back, with an additional person. The staff remembered up from the night before. We spent some time at the bar this time, and had an excellent bartender that actually does know how to make a martini (don’t laugh, that’s a dying art). As we chatted with him, he was personable, and as we delved into a discussion of various gins and vodkas proved his product knowledge. All three dinners were again excellent and the staff as friendly and professional as the night before.

Without a doubt Buckhead Diner goes on my list, and I will be returning there whenever I have the opportunity while in Atlanta.

For those of you wanting some additional reviews of this great restaurant, here are some links:

• CitySearch
• Frommer’s
• Virtual Tourist

In summary, from a customer experience perspective as well as the overall quality of the food, I urge you to try this well-priced “diner” in Buckhead.

In his book Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain commented that one of the things to avoid in life is the Sunday Brunch. In his words, the restaurants A-Team are on Saturday night, and Sunday brunch is the time to clean out the walk-ins.

The problem is that with my travel schedule Sunday brunch is an ideal time to catch up with friends and family. So, with that in mind, I took my mom last weekend to 20-21, Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. She wanted to go there, and what better place to spend a Sunday than relaxing at the Walker.

I should note here that spending $30 per head on brunch doesn’t scare me. Hell, I’ve spent over $200 just dining alone at dinner. But, in Minneapolis, $30 per head is nearing the market’s top end for brunch. Given that, I expect a very good experience.

The space at the walker, is clean and contemporary. With a long bar and a semi-open kitchen, it’s a fun place to go. Overall, the staff is friendly.

Sunday Brunch at 20-21 is buffet style with the traditional steam table line. As I’ve gotten older, I find myself less and less attracted to this style of brunch, preferring being served family style at the table. Brunch should be a time to relax, not stand in lines reminiscent of school cafeterias. Reading the little signs as I walked down the line, however, there appeared to be some nice selections: poached egg on prosciutto cake, a duck stir-fry and a scallop curry all sounded interesting.

The poached egg was very nicely done with the egg tasting better than I would have thought possible coming out of a steamer. I can’t comment on the duck as both that tray and the roasted potatoes were empty. There was enough of the curried scallops left for my mom to get a taste and she said it was wonderful with just the right amount of heat.

For desert, I chose the fresh fruit. The pineapple and strawberries were some of the best I’ve had all season. All in all however, I have to say I am disappointed with the brunch at 20-21 and will probably not be returning.  Here are a few of the reasons why:

• If a restaurant is going to take the steam table approach to brunch, the steamers should never be empty. It’s the responsibility of the restaurant to make sure when I go through the line that I have a complete and attractive selection of items.
• Certain of the items were just plain bad choices for a steam table (i.e. Belgien Waffles and  Banana Stuffed French Toast). Even if they are standards, a restaurant like 20-21 should know better than to present them in a steam table where they can’t help but get soggy. As I looked at the French Toast, I couldn’t help but think about what Tom would say if that was presented on Top Chef.
• My mom had to ask for more coffee multiple times. This was with the dining room half empty.
• Table clearing was inconsistent. When we were enjoying our after  brunch coffee, the table was cleared except for one empty orange juice glass and one dessert plate. They seem to have been “forgotten.”

Were any of these things terrible? No, of course not. That’s not the point. I go to a restaurant expecting a good experience. There are many choices in today’s world for consumers to choose between in deciding how to spend their dining dollars. Any restaurant can’t afford to become sloppy in their presentation, even less so when you expect to receive top dollar and flaunt a celebrity chef’s name.

One of my favorite restaurants in the country is Mesa Grill. I have been there well over 2 dozen times, and never had a bad experience. Service is impeccable, and the dining experience always a pleasure. I suggest that Chef Puck visit Mesa Grill to see how wonderful a brunch can be.

I think my mom summed it up best when as we were leaving she said next time, could we go to Fat Nat’s (a local and amazing diner) instead?

A week ago, I posted about breakfast’s worth getting up for. Now, it seems I have to say I missed a serious contender. I’ve been here before, but somehow it slipped my mind. With a motto of “Damned Good Food” I can only say Hell’s Kitchen lives up to the name.

Knowing I had a day of taxes ahead of me, I went there this morning to brace myself for the pain ahead. Their entire menu is worth a browse, and can be found here. As I was sipping on some excellent french roast coffee, I started trying to make my decision. The person I was with made her’s quickly: Bread Puuding. Later she was heard to proclaim that this was the best bread pudding she had ever had in her life. As I had taken my mother to breakfast today, that is not a small span of time she is talking about, and given her own abilities in the kitchen, no small praise.

In the meantime, I was still trying to make my decision. The Huevos Rancheros sounded (and looked) delicious but I also knew they made their own peanut butter and preserves. Deciding on the latter, I had a Baguette with home made peanut butter and preserves, rosi potatos, and eggs. After tasting this peanut butter I don’t think I can ever go back to anything else again. They do sell it there, and I walked out with a couple of jars of it. This is food of the gods.

Hell’s Kitchen opened in 2002, when two renegade chef’s in the twin cities put it all on the line to start cooking the food they loved. Six years later suffice it to say Minneapolis like’s it too. I have had several things on the menu including the sausage bread (yes, you read that right), the Mahnomin Porridge, the WBLT (check the menu and see) and the mac and cheese. Everthing is damned good and worth getting up for.

As an added bonus one of the owners is also a Ralph Steadman fan and his artwork adorns the place. If you are in, or come to Minneapolis, this is a must visit place. Like all good breakfast places, they close mid-afternoon so get there early!.

I love a good breakfast, especially on weekends. I also hate getting up early enough to enjoy them, so when I find some that are truely outstanding I make a point of remembering them. The following are some thoughts about Twin Cities Breakfasts.

• Sunnyside Up Cafe - It’s all good, but without a doubt go here for the Santa Fe French Toast and Sausage Patties. The french toast is the best I have had anywhere ever and the sausage is luscious with sage. Make sure it’s a nice day because the line wraps outside.
• Al’s Breakfast - Quite possibly the narrowest restaurant I’ve ever been in at only 3 meters wide. Al’s is unique enough they they actually are listed in Wikipedia as well. This is pure breakfast diner style. Be prepared to get to know your neighbors and don’t be surprised if you are asked to shift down during your meal to allow better use of the limited stools at the counter. A must visit just for the experience.
• Fat Nat’s - Buried up in the village of New Hope, Fat Nat’s is the place to go for eggs. Some of the best omlettes ever, and homemade salsa to boot. Try it and you’ll be back.
• Mickey’s - Traveling across the river to St. Paul, we find Mickey’s Diner on Seventh. Listed in the historic register, it is one of the few true “diners” in the twin cities. The omlettes here are whipped in a milk shake blender so they are light and fluffy. Butter is their fat of choice and it’s true: everything is better with butter.

These are a few of my favorites. As always, drop me a note if you know of others or have comments about any of these.

I’ve had City House in Nashville on my list for quite sometime now as a must visit restaurant. Co-owners Tandy Wilson and Anne Kostroski both come from Margot, another of my favorite spots in Nashville.

At City House, which opened in 2007, Tandy runs the kitchen which is complete with a chef’s counter, while Anne is the pastry chef. The two nights I was there recently, both Anne and Tandy were highly visible, Tandy in the Kitchen, and Anne all over the front of house making everyone feel welcome. One of the two nights I was there was Valentine’s Day. I was in town with some business associates and even though the restaurant was packed, with a little flexibility on our side Anne was able to accomodate us and make us feel at home on a night when we all would have preferred to be with loved ones.

As someone who travels solo a majority of the year, I am always on the lookout for a restaurant with a chef’s counter. Nothing is worse to the solo diner than having to sit at a table by yourself. A good book is always a possibility but how much more fun is it to sit at the counter, watch your food being prepared and in my case be able to talk with people that share your passion for great food. From that aspect City House is right up there at the top of my list of places to visit and visit often.

Prior to visiting City House, I had been reading the reviews and saw it described as a fusion style. On this I would have to disagree. After my first meal, I had a conversation with Anne, and one of my first comments was I loved how they embraced a style that let the food speak for itself. This should not be confused with simple, but rather having the sense and ability to take top quality ingredients and prepare them in a manner that lets the natural flavors come thru. The first night I was there I had some pan seared sardines which I am still licking my lips over. Positively delicious. They also have some wonderful force meats such as the house cured salami which reminded me of Salumi in Seattle.

Over the course of two visits I tried as wide a variety as I could of the menu and was not disappointed by any of it. Specific recomendations would be as I mentioned, the sardines (when they have them), the Oreccheitte, any house cured meat, or one of the pizzas. One of the advantages of sitting at the chef’s counter is I could pick and choose what to try next as I watched other diner’s dishes go out.

You may have noticed the picture at the top of this review. As great as the dining experience was, equally exciting to me was to find a stellar bartender. The Sazerac is a cocktail steeped in history and tradition. Arguable the Sazerac is one of the oldest cocktails, dating back to New Orleans in the 1850’s. I won’t go into the history here, but if you Google Sazerac Cocktail you will find several sites that explore the history of this complex delightful drink. Finding a bartender that actually knows how to prepare this cocktail is akin to finding the Holy Grail. Austin at City House is one of those bartenders. As I watched him prepare the cocktail, I could tell that he appreciated the comlpexity in flavor that this cocktail brings when prepared correctly. When you visit City Hose, say hi to Austin and do try this amazing cocktail.

Located at 1222 4th Avenue North in Nashville, City House is at the top of my places to repeat list.

I seem to be spending a lot of time in Detroit lately. Well, not Detroit actually but DTW; Detroit Wayne Airport. The other day I was passing thru there and stopped at Max & Erma’s for some lunch. (Note: As far as airports go, I hang my hat on MSP having the best food of any airport in the country. Ike’s Rocks)

Now Max & Erma’s usually isn’t bad, and it’s not a chain that I see every day so it makes for a nice change. The food it consistant, and good. I went in and sat at the bar, glanced at the menu and ordered. Then I grabbed my copy of the WSJ and sat back to find out what was going on in the world.

About 10 minutes later, the bartender came back to let me know that my food was almost up, but they were doing a shift change and he’d like to close out my tab. Instantly turned a normal experience into an annoyance for me. Back in college, I put myself thru school working in hospitality, and I spend a good portion of my waking hours talking with customers about how to develop customer loyalty. Let me tell you now, in case you weren’t sure; this is not the way.

There are two reasons that this question ever comes up. First, the waiter/bartender is worried about collecting his tip and wants to make sure he gets it before leaving. Second, the company has implemented policies that tabs cannot get easily transferred from one server to the next. In either case, the end result is that the customer has to stop his meal regardless of if he is done to pay. I can think of few other ways that can make a customer feel like he is something to be dealt with rather than valued.

I don’t know what the reason was the other day, and frankly I don’t care. In either case, it’s a training issue. This most often happens at chain operations in the casual dining tier. While M&E is my example here, they are definitly not the only place that it happens and it never ceases to leave a bad taste in my mouth. What do you all think? Drop me a note and let me know.

Will I go back to M&E next time I’m in Detroit? I don’t know. If I have time, I will stop by to talk to the manager, which I admit I did not have time for this trip. Beyond that however, the hot dog stand next door is looking pretty tasty.

My parting request to restaurants and servers everywhere is to stop this annoying habit, and start treating your customers like you value their patronage.

(He steps off the soapbox and wanders into the sunset)

Last week I had the good fortune to visit Jacksonville, if only for one night. I had the misfortune of staying near the airport where I faced Chain Restaurant hell. Becoming desperate, I dug thru my little black restaurant book and came up with Chowder Ted’s. Aha! A quick check on google maps showed it only 13 miles away.

I had been told that this place could redefine dive, but in a good way. I threw on some jeans, headed out into the rain for Hecksher Blvd. I’ll warn you now, if you blink, you’ll miss it. My guess is that if you don’t live or work within a mile of the place, you would never hear of it unless you are serious about your food. It’s on the North side of the road, just before the bridge, down the hill. Don’t worry, those directions will make sense once you’re on Hecksher. After driving past it the first time, I finally arrived at Chowder Ted’s. From the outside, you will look twice, asking yourself if this could possibly be the place. There is a sign, but at night in the rain, you’ll never see it.

Walking in (and looking like a drowned rat) you are presented with a small place that immediatly takes you back 30 years or so. This is down home Jacksonville at it’s finest. Looking around, you can picture dock workers filling the table and lined up at the bar. I sat at the small bar and pulled out a menu…Woah, imported beers for 2.75? Domestic taps for $1.25?  Tie that to the great smells wafting from the kitchen and you know you’re gonna be here awhile. I ordered a New Castle, and took a look at the menu.  Settling on a pot of the chowder, cajun shrimp and onion rings, I settled back to enjoy my beer. A few minutes later, the pot of chowder arrived.  more like a pan really, steaming hot and direct from the stove. Thick with conch, tomatos, and green olives, it smelled delicious and tasted even better. I can tell you now that anytime I’m within 2 hours, I’m heading to Chowder Ted’s to get my fix…this stuff could be addicting.

Finishing the chowder, the cajun shrimp and rings arrived. Both were excellent. A healthy serving of shrimp, laced with great cajun seasoning and some of the best rings I’ve had in years. Several beers later, the rain let up and it was time to head back to the hotel.

If you love fancy restaurants and are wearing your sunday finest, Ted’s isn’t for you. If you want to meet a bunch of friendly locals, have some of the best chowder you’ve ever tasted and get out of there for well under $20 all in. You owe it to yourself to check out Chowder Ted’s. Be warned though, it’s cash only.

Map to Chowder Ted’s