Atlanta is a food mecca.
It really has become like a mini San Francisco!
This is the food portion of Sarah’s weekend visit… my favorite part! There’s nothing more fun than watching a friend enjoy a meal. Don’t get me wrong – I love to eat it too, but sharing something you love so much with a good friend makes the experience that much better.
So does the fact that Sarah created an image for the extravaganza:
Friday began with a dinner with Sarah and Heather at Cardamom Hill, my favorite Indian spot. The food is inspired by Chef Asha Gomez’s native cuisine from Kerala, but bring in a Southern influence.
We ordered a few starters: Bhajia (sweet potato and onion fritters served with tamarind sauce), Egg Appam (rice & coconut crepe with a poached egg and chili grilled shrimp), and green beans in a spicy garlic-onion masala.
Then we moved on to dinner. First was an Indian take on the classic Shrimp and Grits: spicy Kerala-curried shrimp over grits with leeks, ginger and roasted peppers. The second dish was a red snapper fillet seasoned with a masala paste over a roasted in a banana leaf. It is topped with a coconut milk curry and served with basmati rice and cardamom-scented sweet potatoes.
It’s all as good as it sounds. One thing I love about Asha is that she doesn’t tame her spices to cater to an “American” palette. Each dish had the perfect level of heat – enough to feel it, but not so much that it over took the flavor of the dish.
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Saturday morning we were slightly suffering from food hangovers, so I served Sarah my special morning “cocktail.” I swear it has magical powers. This, plus some eggs and fruit, fueled one helluva glute day!
After glute camp, protein shakes, the epic grocery trip, coffee, and a trip to Kroger (another grocery store), we – once again – did the stereotypical “blogger” thing for a snack: hummus, veggies, and summer rolls.
Sarah Instagrammed while I took a picture of her taking a picture of our foods. Also note the kabocha on the side. 😉
For dinner, I took her to Decatur. It is one of my favorite parts of Atlanta, and is home to one of the best restaurants in the city, Cakes & Ale.
I’ve,eaten here before, but I swear it gets better every time. This was no exception. In fact, our meal here was one of the best meals I’ve had in recent memory in Atlanta. Thus, it will be known as…
We elected to sit at the bar, which I typically find to be the best seat in the house. A good bartender knows everything about the restaurant – from menu to cocktails – and will often let you sample things.
Evan at Cakes & Ale is a good bartender. He started us off well with a gin drink for Sarah and his take on a Manhattan for me.
This most excellent bartender surprised us with a small gift – Arancini with citrus and fennel pollen! This is one of my favorite dished there. Imagine a cheese stick, but as a rice ball with fun spices. We also ordered the butternut squash “hummus” with naan, pomegranate, cilantro, and za’atar to start. I thought my butternut hummus was good… but the impossibly smooth, whipped quality of this pseudo-hummus stole me heart.
Our mains were a roasted cauliflower and shell beans with turnips, carrots, arugula, feta, and poached egg and a Striped Bass with creamed savoy cabbage, roasted fennel salsa, smoked beets, black trumpet mushrooms. The smoked beets deserve a paragraph of them own. I’ll save you the pontificating and just say that they were go good that upon first bite Sarah and I both paused in stunned silence.
Just when we thought things couldn’t get better, the bartender sold us on dessert. It was a hazelnut Bavarian cake with praline bavarian mousse, vanilla sauce, and topped with a nougatine.
That sounds wonderful, but his personal description is what sealed the deal for me. He called it “slutty cake.”
It was the best kind of slutty. Rich, decadent, cream-filled… silky smooth…
I need a cold shower jut remembering it, so this will conclude What I Ate with Sarah. Check out all the link ups here. And check out Sarah’s recaps here and here.
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Have you ever had a food hangover? The struggle is real!
What is the best meal you’ve had at a restaurant?
I have a food hangover every single day of my life and I love it! I never got a few hours WITHOUT eating something amazing!
If you can believe it, I am not a huge Indian food person, they usually make everything with yogurt, however that Shrimp dish and the entrees you ordered, UMMM YUM!!!!!!!!! And I want some striped bass! I am totally envious of SARAH’S VISIT!!!!!! ONE DAY – ONE DAY we will have an epic adventure, even if we wound up at the grocery store! lol
I bet you would like this Indian – it’s totally different that the stuff you usually see. You’ll just have to come visit. It WILL be epic – from the grocery store to the hangovers. 😉
I love the energy of your posts! Does that make sense 🙂
It does… and I am flattered. Thank you!
Wow. I think I need a shower too. Just describe all the food, topped off with the slutty cake. So dirty….;)
Drooling. Everything. But especially the drinks and the slutty cake 🙂 I’d be sold!
I do have food hangovers when I eat pizza or stuff that my body isn’t used to. As long as it was delicious, I’m totally fine with it! And some acv in the morning cured everything!
ACV is the miracle cure! 😉
So dirrrty! Looks amazing though 🙂
I’ve had a couple of incredible, incredible meals. From start to finish.
Aren’t those the best meals? The simple memory makes you happy. 🙂
OOH AND I LOVE ME THE MINISF.
we almost moved there years ago.
I still wish we would have.
oh man. all looks amazing. and tastes even better with good friends.
LOL! I would need a cold shower too, eat, rinse, repeat? YES! jealous
I love the fact that you when Food Shopping!! That’s exactly what I would want to do considering all of the wonderful markets you’re always showing. Have a great day, Laura!
I take everyone food shopping… whether they like it or not! Haha.
I could never narrow it down to one best meal but there’s a restaurant in NYC called ABC Kitchen which is by far my favorite. I love it so much I want to get married there haha.
Food hangovers are a VERY real thing!
I must go there – if it’s so you you want to get married there I can’t even imagine how amazing it is! 🙂
i gotta come down the next time!!
Yeah, you do!!! Miss you!
So much yum! That first lunch and then the cake–definitely drooling. My best restaurant meal would either have to be a Komi in Washington DC- where one course after another is a mini celebration or at L’auberge provencale in virginia- where both the dinner and breakfast at this amazing bed and breakfast is to die for.
Bed and Breakfasts can have teh best food! I love to intimacy!
Slutty cake?! I could go for some of that! Looks so good! As do all of your eats this WIAW! Love when restaurants serve up unique, fresh, flavorful meals!
As a native Bavarian, I’m very curious what that Bavarian cake tasted like. Slutty? Hmm.
The best restaurant meal I’ve ever had is probably the baingan bharta at my favorite local Indian restaurant. It’s so creamy and rich and full of amazing spices.
I think Bavarian cream pie is a standard thing (at least int he US). The heavier walnut cake with it was unique. The textures were wonderful together!
I think Bavarian cream pie is a standard thing (at least int he US). The heavier walnut cake with it was unique. The textures were wonderful together!
Aw it looks like you had so much fun! Holidays with friends is amazing!
Oh man…that cake. I have no words.
OMG you are hilarious!!! I think you have all your readers hot & bothered this morn! 😉 Slutty cake – I would have to have ordered that too!!! 🙂
Slutty cake > cookies. 😉
With a name like slutty cake, how could you not want to try it?
And yes on the food hangover thing – I was experiencing a cookie hangover yesterday!
I’m drooling reading this! Everything sounds beyond wonderful. What a fantastic weekend full of tasty food and fun friends 🙂
Oh yes, I’ve had a food hangover before. The worst, however, was when my office decided that a dessert potluck would be a fantastic idea. I’ve never felt so sick.
Oh man… I wouldn’t have survived that one!
That meal sounds amazing, and I would love to try some slutty cake 😉
Good golly that slutty cake!!!
I am a huge fan of Indian cuisine – I checked out the link to Cardamom Hill but could not find a location…I need to check that place out for sure!
It’s in ATL off of Northside Drive. Let me know if you’re ever here and I’ll take you!!! 🙂
I must try these places at some point, especially the Indian restaurant. It sounds so unique and unlike most of the other places in Atl. So glad you were able to share with Sarah the foodie goodness that is Atlanta!
We should go there next time you’re in town!
I 100% like Atlanta better than San Francisco, and have enjoyed the food in Atlanta FAR MORE. Just as well it’s where my food spouse lives.
Damn right! You should come back and see your food spouse. We have good food and warmer weather. 😉
Slutty cake, haha! I love any kind of dessert that sounds a little naughty.
I made “Skinny Bitch Brownies” on Monday and my dad was less than pleased when he saw them on my blog.
Guess I’m getting coal this year.
LOL! I hope he got over it in time for Santa to come! 😉
Smoked beets are amazing! Tony and I smoked some 3 years ago and dang…I remember them like it was yesterday. I need to make those again! I’ve never had a food hangover, but Tony has complained about a meat hangover after going to one of those Brazilian Steakhouses…
If you smoke more, I’m coming over to steal some. They were incredible!
Meat hangovers are killer – I did that in Italy. The meat sweats are a real thing. *shudder*
What a fantastic foodie weekend!!
I am only about a 2 hour drive east of you in Birmingham, Alabama. Atlanta does have some fabulous eating establishments! Looks like a fun and delicious weekend. Happy WIAW!
You should come next time! 🙂
OMG food porn to the extreme! I looooove arancini….. and that cakes looks amazing!
I wish you were here to bulk with me. 😉
And Sarah rolled home. Delicious. Don’t mind me, just
jealousenvious. 😉I think she did! Haha. You should come over next time. 😉
I’ve totally had food hangovers…Mine usually involve me sleeping on my back, cause my tummy is so full and night sweats. Not going to lie, but this definitely always happens every Christmas meal. I go balls out and def suffer the next day. You’d think I would learn my lesson, but I love the food so much. LOL!
I have been there… possibly a couple nights ago for Christmas Eve dinner… 😉
I’ve actually never been to Cakes and Ale. It’s one of those places that I always want to go to, but then never think to make a reservation and don’t want to wait.
This is so random but one of my favorite restaurant meals is the marinated tofu veggie wrap from The Earl. It’s so delicious. And even though the volume of this place drives me crazy, the Tres Leches cake from Eclipse di Luna is up there for best dessert.
You HAVE to try it! We walked right in and ate at the bar. It gets better every time I go.
I still need to try that wrap at The Earl. You’ve talked about it forever!
Lol “slutty” cake!?! Love it!
That. Cake.
Food Hangover- Once. It was after an all you can eat seafood buffet. I reckon that night, I made the restaurant suffer a loss. 😉
You would have died – best cake ever. No joke.
I look at all you can eat as a challenge to cost the restaurant money. And excellent fuel for a leg day. 😉
So, pretty much what you’re saying is that I’m coming to visit ATL and we’re going to eat the whole time?
xx Kait
That’s EXACTLY what I’m saying. Bring your stretchy pants. 😉
Sounds SO amazing and I was so jealous watching all the fun food pics while we were in town for 10 hours. Darn sleep!
I don’t know if I’ve ever had a food hangover! I had a crying hangover the other day, haha. Ugh!
I want to visit Atlanta! I love food meccas 🙂
Come visit! Food hangovers are great cures for crying hangovers. 😉
Haha! I just read Sarah’s recap before coming over here and I was drooling over those arancini over there! Omg, I have GOT to try those someday! And that hummus…wow, just WOW!
I’m sure you’d be happy to know that the best meal I’ve EVER eaten at a “restaurant” would be dinner at Push to Start with you! Close second would be the meal the man-friend and I had at our friend’s wedding this year…I REALLY need to find out who did the catering because that halibut was the best damn fish I’ve ever put in my mouth!
1. So when will you be visiting?
2. I have a gift card for a full course dinner at the new restaurant. #justsayin
3. I want to know that caterer – I’ve never heard someone rave about wedding food like that!
Sign me up for slutty cake.
In fact, I’ll take some of everything including the bartender. I kinda want all the food, especially the Indian. Such interesting flavor combos. I’m salivating reading about them all.