Quote of the Week 2/14/12

Greetings love birds, and single minglers alike. It is Valentine's Day again, the holiday everyone loves to hate. I think I'm dating the only boy in the history of existence who actually enjoys Valentine's Day. I wish I could get as pumped up about it as he is. Old habits die hard, I suppose (I am the girl who spent Valentine's Day 2010 making a Red Velvet cake in the shape of a heart, iced with black frosting, so the black heart would look like it was bleeding when we cut slices of it to eat. I am not a V-Day kind of girl). So instead of posting a quote from Liz Lemon about today being Anna Howard Shaw day, I'm going to at least try and make the most of it by highlighting the only part of Valentine's Day I ever actually enjoy--the food.

All you really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
--Charles Schultz

You can really learn a lot from Peanuts.

Quote of the Week 2/5/12

In honor of the big game, Super Bowl XLVI, this week's food quote is being published on Sunday. This is partly because it's a holiday, and I enjoy highlighting holidays in my blog posts, and partly (or mostly) because I know I'm going to be too busy recovering from tonight's festivities to try and write anything of substance tomorrow. Kathleen and I are throwing a party for the Super Bowl because she's a die-hard Patriots fan, and I like to eat and drink in the company of friends. I'm in charge of the food (I know, shocker, right?) and she's in charge of the alcohol. We make a pretty good team, and I'm pretty excited about it. New Year's Resolutions, Shmoo Years Revolutions. It's the Super Bowl! America's holiday! The whole point is to eat and drink and scream at the TV.... although now that I think about it, that pretty much describes every holiday we celebrate in the Gallimore household. So.

“When your Super Bowl guests arrive, they should find a mound of potato chips large enough to conceal a pony sitting in front of the television. For nutritional balance, you should also put out a bowl of carrot sticks. If you have no carrot sticks, you can use pinecones, or used electrical fuses, because nobody will eat them anyway. This is no time for nutritional balance: This is the Super Bowl, for God's sake.”
--Dave Barry

Americans pretty much use any excuse to eat and drink too much. This is why I'm a patriot.

Quote of the Week 1/30/12

I've been working on something lately that's required me to spend a lot of time on the Circa 1886 website. I've been reading reviews and perusing the menu and I want to go there so badly I can TASTE IT. Here's hoping someone will go there with me, wink wink nudge nudge *coughlaurencough* Anywho, when I go, I'm going to go all out. I'm only upset I missed the restaurant week menu.

So this week's quote is me dreaming of eating at Circa 1886, but it also holds true to any gourmet restaurant/meal situation, and really life in general.

"A gourmet meal without a glass of wine just seems tragic to me somehow."
--Kathy Mattea

One too many glasses of wine, and you'll end up sitting on the floor like this, too.

Quote of the Week 1/23/12

So. This weekend was pretty great. I enjoyed myself. Went to two restaurants for restaurant week (reviews will be up soon, I hope!), went out with Kathleen and Trish for a much needed girl's night, hung out with a really cute boy, and spoke with a terrible British accent for the majority of the weekend. It was pretty much the best weekend ever.

In honor of my British fest, here's a quote from the very funny John Cleese that sums up my thoughts on vegetarianism.

"If God did not intend for us to eat animals, then why did he make them out of meat?"
--John Cleese

 This is what too much SPAM does to a person...

Quote of the Week 1/16/12

So, I've decided that I hate online classes. And classes in general. I just want to learn, I don't want to have to bother with watching 13 videos about how to use the website and uploading an entire word document with the words "I have watched all 13 videos about how to use this website." Seriously. It's a class on powerpoint. I've been using Powerpoint since middle school. And I know you think using all of those different colors and bolds and italics in your instructions makes it "easier to read" but really, you're giving me a seizure. Most of the time, simpler is better.

But I digress. The point of all of this was to share with you my frustrations so that you will understand why I'm such a fan of the following quote by Ben Franklin. And no matter your stresses or burdens, I'm sure we can all agree with Mr. Franklin's timeless wisdom.

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance."
-- Benjamin Franklin

 Just.... just leave the bottle.

Quote of the Week 1/9/12

I'm still having a hard time getting used to writing "12" when dating things. It's weird. I'm 22, and I feel so old. Everything's changing. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm excited for this next phase of my life, whatever that may be! But I digress! When I stumbled upon this week's food quote, I couldn't help but related; Lisa Loeb could be describing my own mother in this quote. I think that's what I love about it. So this one's for Tina!

"I have many memories of waking up to eat breakfast that my mother carefully prepared for us and her saying, what do y'all want for lunch, and as we're eating lunch, what do y'all want for dinner? It's always about the next meal."
--Lisa Loeb

My mother's very glad I never ended up on the pole. Good parenting.

Eating in Atlanta, In A Nutshell

HAPPY 2012 ERRIBODY! I hope everyone is excited for this upcoming year! I know I am...minus that tiny little detail where "The World Might End in 359 Days"... not that I really believe it. But, you know, it would be nice if it didn't actually happen. I feel like I've almost gotten the hang of this whole "adulthood" thing or whatever.

This is the side of adulthood I've really mastered.

For New Year's Eve, I travelled to Atlanta to visit my friends, "The Hungry People" aka Sean and Christine where I spent a wonderful span of days hopping from one meal to another. There's so much ethnic food here. It's kind of like what I imagine heaven looks like.

Caucasian counts as an ethnicity, so Waffle House counts as ethnic food.

I was really excited to eat lebanese food Wednesday with my mom and Sean, but on the way to the restaurant, my mom's car broke down. So not only were we stranded by the side of the road, terrified that the tow truck would never actually come, we were also hungry because our car didn't have the decency to wait til after lunch to die. Rude, right? So I'm stuck in Atlanta for another night (or three), and I thought this would be a good time to do a roundup review of all the restaurants I've eaten at in Atlanta. However, I'm going to break from my usual style and only do brief summaries of each restaurant, because I ate at so many, it got kind of hard to keep track of it all.

If you took everything I've eaten in the past week and put it on a plate, this is what it would look like. Cardboard and all.

1. Cafe Bombay Indian Bistro

We went to Cafe Bombay on Sean's recommendation--he'd been there with Thomas for lunch a couple weeks earlier. To be honest, I really hadn't been in the mood for Indian food that day, but that feeling changed the second I stepped in the door. I could just tell by the scent in the air as soon as I opened the door, that this food was going to be delicious, and I definitely was not disappointed. We were there for the lunch buffet, and let me tell you, this is the biggest indian buffet I'd ever seen (and I've been to quite a few). We all know, however, that bigger does not necessarily mean better, but Cafe Bombay definitely knows what they're doing. They don't sacrifice quality for quantity even in the least.

Trip 1 of 8 through the buffet.

Their paneer tikka masala with their homemade cheese cubes was AMAZING. Usually I don't care for paneer because it's usually bland and tasteless, and reminds me too much of tofu, but if I ever go back there, I will order just the paneer tikka masala. Also, they made this chicken that they marinated in cream cheese. That was really good too. Basically everything they made was delicious, and I highly recommend you visit them if you ever have the chance. But, don't be surprised if you leave never wanting to eat ever again.

Creepy exterior, delicious interior.

Cafe Bombay
2615 Briarcliff Road
Northeast Atlanta, GA 30329-3112
(404) 320-0229


2. Sushi Kiku

So Sean went and woke up (ish) Raina on New Years Day to ask her about a sushi buffet place she'd talked about. She snored out the words "sushi kiku" and Sean decided that's where we were going to eat for lunch. So Thomas, Sean, Christine, and I ventured out to Buckhead to shove some sushi into our faces. I was a bit apprehensive of a sushi buffet (visions of all the different fish-based diseases resulting from time-temperature abuse dancing in my head), but it was actually amazing, and much classier than I imagined.

Not classy sushi, aka what I was picturing.

They made about two rolls of each type of sushi at a time, so they really weren't out long enough to get gross or weird, and I'm pretty sure they changed them out at regular intervals. Every time I went up to the bar, there were different rolls out to try. I was quite impressed.

Classy sushi, aka a very pleasant surprise.

I think they probably had a 9 or 10 rolls total to choose from, and you better believe I tried some of each, and then second helpings of the rolls I liked best. But be warned, their spicy mayo is super spicy. They also had a bunch of non-sushi items for those who aren't really the lovers of the sushi--steak, salads, fried rice, chicken, pot stickers, cheesy scalloped potatoes (I guess for those people who don't like japanese food either...I guess no one can say they're not diverse!), and some dessert items that I couldn't really look at without feeling nauseous because I'd eaten so much, but Sean assured me they were delicious. I found out that the apartment above Sushi Kiku was for rent, and I seriously considered moving in, dreaming of eating at Sushi Kiku every day...

Pictured: Sydney's future.

You should definitely try Sushi Kiku if you're into sushi and like variety. It wasn't necessarily the best sushi I'd ever had, but it was pretty good, and it was cheap for a sushi buffet, like $12.99 per person for lunch. Which is great, because I definitely ate my money's worth of sushi. Even though it wasn't my favorite sushi ever, the quality was still very high, and it was good, and the value was great, so I would definitely recommend it if you're into sushi.

See the creepy shadow in the middle window? That's me. Staring at you. Classily.

Sushi Kiku
2770 Lenox Road Northeast
Atlanta, GA 30324-6006
(404) 467-4544

3. Fat Matt's Rib Shack

Wednesday was kind of a crazy day. Our original plan was to get some lebanese food with my mom when she came to pick me up, but then the car broke down on 85, which kind of threw a wrench in that plan. We'd had a crazy morning filled with running up an exit ramp against my mother's wishes, waiting half an hour for Thomas to come rescue us, waiting for the AAA people to figure out what they were doing with the car (which they never ended up doing), etc., before we were free(ish) to FINALLY find something to eat. Only we were so far away from our original destination we were left to answer that age old question "What shall we eat?"

WHY, GOD, HAVE YOU CURSED ME WITH SO MANY CHOICES?! #FirstWorldProblems

After driving around for about half an hour trying to figure out what we wanted, Sean finally had the brilliant idea to try out Fat Matt's, a place he'd wanted to try for a while. We all liked barbecue, and we were half starving to death, so we decided that was where we would eat. The restaurant itself is an unassuming little diner-type building, and the few menu items were written on a board near the ordering counter.

I'll have..... one of everything on the menu, please.

I ordered the chopped pork sandwich, minus the bun, with a side of macaroni and cheese and collards. Tina got a combo plate of chicken and ribs, with rum baked beans. Sean got ribs with macaroni, and Thomas got the combo plate, but I don't remember what sides he got. The combo plates came with toast, and the chicken was delicious, as were the ribs. My pork was delicious, and the barbecue sauce was the perfect blend of spicy, tangy, and sweet. The collards were really good, but super spicy, and the macaroni was delicious.

Nom nom nom oink

The food was delicious, the atmosphere was comfortable and homey, and the bathrooms were nice and clean. Also, it looks like they have a stage set up for concerts, which I think would be very cool. Check it out!

Fat Matt's Rib Shack
1811 Piedmont Avenue NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
(404) 607-1622

4. Lawrence's Cafe

The next day, the AAA car care center still had no idea what was wrong with the car, so while they were pretending they knew what they were doing, Sean, Tina, and I (finally) went to get some lebanese food from Lawrence's. The exterior of the restaurant was kind of sketchy, so we were a bit apprehensive walking in, but the interior was really cute. There were tapestries and lanterns, and it was quaint and quiet and cute. The prices were super cheap, and we compensated for that by ordering way more food than necessary. But we were really excited to try everything.

All of my friends came to join us! WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T SEE THEM?!

For appetizers, we ordered falafel, fried kibbi, and grape leaves. I loved all of our appetizers. For our entree's, Sean got "The Works," which was a grilled lamb kabob, kafta (which is kind of like meatloaf on a stick), chicken, rice, hummus, and babaganoush. He also got a slice of spinach pie on the side. The lamb was amazing, not fatty or chewy at all, and the spices were perfect. The kafta was really good, too, and the chicken was well-spiced and tender, the hummus was soooooo good, and the babaganoush was ok, but I don't really care for eggplant, as a general rule.  Tina got hummus with gyro meat on it, which was also really good. I got the shawarma sandwich, which was good, but not my favorite of the entree's (I really loved Tina's).

MEAT!!!!

I've never had lebanese food before, but after this visit, I daresay it could become one of my favorite types of food to eat. It takes all the best qualities of Greek, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines and combines them all into one delicious MEATY package! (that's what she said?)

Sketchy exterior, cozy interior, delicious food.

Lawrence's Cafe
2888 Buford Highway Northeast
Atlanta, GA
(404) 320-7756

5. Imane Moroccan Restaurant

On what was to be our final day in Atlanta, we finally found a Moroccan restaurant that was open for lunch, even though we had to drive a bit out of our way to get there (and google maps was about 2 miles off from where the restaurant actually was). Tina's been going on and on about Moroccan food forever. She likes to hold it over my head whenever I ask where she wants to eat (because she knows there aren't any Moroccan restaurants in Charleston, thereby forcing me to pick a restaurant, which drives me insane). Tina was happier than a clam to be there.

This is what it looks like to be happier than a bivalve in a Moroccan restaurant.

So we finally make it to this restaurant, which only happens to be open for lunch on Fridays (what luck!) and it's actually super cute inside, impeccably decorated, with a few women in the corner smoking hookah, speaking what sounded like Arabic. It was beautiful and orante without feeling commercial (it's a very thin line to toe). With all the food that we'd eaten in the time we were in Atlanta, this was by far the best. To start with, we got the chicken briwates, which are like filo dough stuffed with chicken, but it was almost like a pastry, topped with powdered sugar. It sounds weird, and Tina wasn't a huge fan, but I really liked it. We also got the falafel, which was the probably one of the best falafels I've ever had, but the hummus. Oh my God, the hummus. If you go there and get nothing else, get the hummus. It's seriously the best hummus I've ever eaten, and I sincerely doubt you'll find it better anywhere else. We also got babaganoush, grape leaves, and something called zaalouk, which was almost like tomato sauce mixed with babaganoush. I liked the grape leaves, and the zaalouk was ok but, once again, I'm not really into eggplant. We also got mint tea, which was really good. Like super sweet and minty and tea. I can't describe it, but it was delicious.

And this was just the appetizer course.

For entrees, Sean once again channeled his inner Ron Swanson and ordered a plate of meat, aka the kabob assorted platter--Kafta, chicken, beef, lamb chop, and merguez, which is a lamb-based sausage. I loved every single piece of meat on that plate (that's what she said?). The spices were amazing, everything was tender and delicious, neither over nor undercooked. I thought the food from Lawrence's was good, but this was completely out of this world. He also got Moroccan-style potatoes, which are kind of like a curry mashed potatoes that are fried. They were ok, nothing super special, but the meats were amazing.

The aftermath of a meat tornado.

Tina got this soup kind of thing, with giant vegetables in a broth that you pour over couscous. It also came with pretty much all the meats that Sean ordered, but they were served on the side instead of in the soup, which I thought was kind of weird. It was my least favorite of all the things we got, but it was still delicious, and Tina and I really liked it.

NO COUS FOR YOU!

What I got was amazing. I was kind of unsure of how to feel about it when I ordered it, because it was lamb shank, and I'm not usually huge on lamb (fatty, chewy, etc), but I went in with an open mind--I wanted to try something characteristic of Morocco. It's called a tagine, and I got what was called "casablanca mrozia." It's lamb shank braised in mrozia spices, rasins and honey, garnished with almonds and sesame seeds. It was one of the most unique flavors I've ever tasted. But it was amazing. Apparently they're really good at balancing savory and sweet in the food in Morocco. I was very surprised and delighted that I enjoyed it so much. It pained mentally to have to stop eating before I finished it, but the physical pain of being so full overpowered my mental strength.

"This is the song that never eeeeeenNOMNOMNOMS!"

Basically, if you've never eaten Moroccan food, you should make a trip out to Imane because it's seriously my favorite restaurant now.... sucks that I live 5 hours away from it...

Did I mention the belly dancers?

Imane Moroccan Restaurant
3455 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard #840
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 638-7990

All in all it was a great trip, even though I ate too much and exercised too little..... although I did manage to plow through 2.5 seasons of 30 Rock. So, I was productive in that sense, at least. Plus, I love Atlanta! I could totally see myself living there someday!

Hope everyone had a fun and eventful New Year!

Quote of the Week 1/2/12

For New Year's Eve, I went to Atlanta to visit Sean and Christine, which was great for my psyche, but awful for my diet. I spent my holiday shoving food into my face like I was training for a hot dog eating competition. As such, here is a quote that I feel describes my eating habits over the past few days (and probably yours, too, I know how holidays can be).

"I don't stop eating when I'm full! The meal is not over when I'm full. The meal is over when I hate myself! That's... that's when I stop."
--Louis CK

Oh, so you can finally breathe again? TIME TO EAT MORE!