Lawrence's Cafe

Lawrence's Cafe is in Decatur/Kirkwood area on W College Ave, next to Revolution Doughnuts. They serve Lebanese (i.e. Mediterranean) food and I am in love with their hummus, falafel and schwarma! They have lots of vegetarian options and are great at accommodating dietary needs (like no sugar, gluten free, etc.) They're also great at accommodating large groups.  If you are craving healthy, yummy Mediterranean food at a reasonable cost you should check them out.  Other things to note:  The wine is pretty reasonable, they are closed on Mondays and they do a great takeout service.

See the Menu here:  www.lawrencescafe.com

Happenings at Eclipse Di Luna

We popped by the Miami Circle in Buckhead location this weekend for lunch and learned a few great things:  1)  They allow dogs on the patio 2) They have painting classes on Sundays from 6-8 pm for $25 and 3) They have 1/2 off Tapas and Well Drinks Mondays-Thursdays from 4-6 pm.  I highly recommend these dishes we had for lunch:

• Estofado de col Rizada: Braised Kale with Sundried Tomatoes, White Beans, Manchego Cheese and Crispy Potato Shavings
• Ceviche de Pescado Blanco: Gulf Coast White Fish Ceviche in a Habañero and Orange Marinade with Cilantro and Avocado 
• Salmón a la Parrilla: Grilled Salmon with a Smoked Paprika Piquillo Pepper Relish and Kalamata Tapanade  

View menu here:  www.eclipsediluna.net

New Restaurant Opening in Inman Quarter- BeetleCat

BeetleCat, Ford Fry's long-planned "little sister to The Optimist," begins service on Monday, December 28, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Fry is behind The Optimist, Superica, Bar Margot and Marcel. Seafood and tiki drinks on the menu sounds like a good idea to me!

BeetleCat is situated at 299 Elizabeth Street, on the corner of North Highland Avenue. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 3 p.m. 10 p.m. Late-night dining will be offered Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

UPDATE:

I highly recommend:

MOQUECA SOUP day boat fish, coconut, plantains, yucca, sticky rice, jalapeño, cilantro, cashews

SALMON lightly smoked roe, yogurt cheese, rye bread crumbles, dill

TUNA Thai herb salsa verde, green papaya, peanuts, jalapeño, crispy shallots

Menu available here: http://www.beetlecatatl.com/

Bar Margot

                       

We stopped by Ford Fry's restaurant within the Four Seasons Hotel last night to get the holiday week started off right. He's the guy behind Superica and The Optimist.  This was the first time I've checked it out. We had awesome blue cheese-stuffed olive martinis and some yummy bar snacks:  tuna tartare, the deviled eggs with Serrano ham and the crab fried rice.  Loved the decor and bar and will be back again for sure soon.  

Sample menu here:  http://barmargotatl.com/images/barmargot_menu.pdf

Great New Sushi Spot in West Midtown- O-Ku Sushi

This Charleston favorite just opened up shop in West Midtown.  Exposed brick walls, sexy bar and vibe makes this a great addition to the already burgeoning West Midtown food scene.  I can't wait to come back and sit at the bar for dinner.  We were able to get a sneak peek at the rooftop patio and its going to be phenomenal.  Very loungy and great view of downtown.  So on to the nitty gritty:  this is what we ordered and it was amazing!

HAMACHI CRISPY RICE  yellowtail, chili paste, scallion over crispy rice
GINDARA SAIKYOYAKI  miso marinated black cod, spinach, glass noodles
NEW SPIDER ROLL soft shell crab with avocado and salmon on top
SALMON SASHIMI delicious! 

Menu here:  http://www.o-kusushiatl.com/menus/menu_okuatl.pdf

Note:  Parking is behind the building and restaurant cannot be seen from the street (so your Uber driver knows!)

Some Events at Wisteria in Inman Park

Start your week off with these special events at our bar.    Mussels Mondays All you care to eat Mussels! Join Ryan at the bar on Mondays. $15 per person Check out our special wines by the glass on Mussels Mondays.     Tapas Tuesdays Enjoy our special small plates menu at the bar with Andrew, all tapas only $5. Small plates of wonderful southern goodness. We will have a special cocktail every Tuesday night for Tapas Tuesdays.     Wine on Wednesdays Half off all bottles of wine priced $70 and under when dining at the bar. Clifford can assist with answering your vigneron questions.     Fine Print:  Our promotional event and pricing is for those dining at the bar only. First come first serve as some inventory may sell out due to demand. Offer limited to the number of seats available at the bar. We do not take reservations for seating at the bar.

The Porter Beer Bar

                               

I love this little hidden gem in Little Five Points. On the outside it looks like a tiny bar but when you walk through it's actually a pretty big space with tables. They have over 800 beers so this is a beer lover's paradise. My friend had a beer that tasted like chocolate. I had the beer flight (pictured above) which was awesome.  We also had the hush puppies with apple sauce, which is almost like a dessert.  Check it out, I highly recommend it!

Full menu here:  http://www.theporterbeerbar.com